What our Children Learn From The Most!

  While it is obviously important that our children learn to read, write, do math, and how to find information it surprises me that more parents are not aware of what their children learn the most from. It is not text books. It is not television or the internet. The most important learning tool they have and will use for the rest of their life is you!
  Do you make an effort to learn new things? When we continue our education even if it is only a few minutes a day and have new things to discuss with them then they see the value of learning. When you help those who are less fortunate then they see the value of giving. When we show respect for others, even when we do not agree with all of their views or life styles, we teach them tolerance.  It is our attitude's, actions, and behaviors that will guide them through life.
  When dealing with out of control teenagers who are filled with hate I have found that the parents were the example they were following. The parents quite often, were drinking daily, using drugs and  talking about how bad other people were. Those parents very seldom took the time to look at how their own behaviors were being viewed by their children.  Inanimate objects do not suddenly cause harm to others. Rocks do not jump through windows on there own. Well, unless there is a hurricane or earthquake involved. Those objects must be powered by a human agent.
  Let's look at our own actions, attitudes, and behaviors and work on making them the best we can so that our children will learn the best that we have to offer!

Pets are Beneficial for Your Children!

  Every child needs the responsibility of loving and being loved by a pet. Having the daily job of feeding, grooming, and playing with a dog or cat teaches them to care for others. This is not a one way street. Pets love their owners and will return the care and love many times.

  "Caring and being responsible for someone else is a big mind leap for a child. Sure they love Mom and Dad. They love their siblings. But those beings are taking care of them. The daily routine of feeding, watering, and loving their pet teaches them  about reaching out to others. Having a companion who is always there to love them back helps a child to calm themselves when life gets unfair in their estimation." Yes, I have said this before but it bears repeating!

  When a child experiences the unconditional love that a pet offers it helps them to stabilize in a world that sometimes seems to be crazy. With all of the recent tragedies on the news they are going to feel insecure at times. When comfort dogs were introduced to some of the victims of those tragedies the victims immediately became calmer.

  We have always had multiple pets in the home. My youngest son had a tom cat which would stand guard over him when he was sleeping. No waking that child up! My daughter had cats, dogs and even mice for awhile. Today she has 4 horses, 4 cats, 2 dogs, and 2 ferrets. Our home also has 2 cats and one very large dog. I can not imagine a home with out a  loving pet. They offer comfort when you are upset and offer to play when you are bored. They understand our moods and do whatever they can to help.
 
  For a child who is homeschooling they may be the friend they need. Someone they can talk to who will not judge them. Someone who will just be there when they want someone to understand.
 

What hole do your children fit into?

  Square, round, triangle, hexagon or octagon, what hole do your children fit into? Children trapped in the public school system are forced to fit into whatever size and shape hole the teacher is directing them to. I have never fit into any of societies categories. I know that my children only occasionally fit into them and do not have any desire to follow the norm. Now that my children have all reached adult hood they are self sustaining valuable members of society. They earn their own livings. They pay their own bills. They volunteer to help others. All of the things that are the expected activities of being adults. However, they all walk their own paths of beliefs. They all refuse to be dictated to by anyone who thinks that they are in a position to make personal judgements for them.
  When we home school our children we give them the ability to fit into any hole they want to. They are not forced to view history in the way the public school systems want them to but can explore the events and come to their own opinions. They can branch out into sciences that interest them. They are able to explore all of the subjects that excited their interests. The most important thing is that they learn to learn!
  The independent attitude that they create for themselves is what made our country great. Children that are educated in a home school consistently out rank their public school counterparts on all levels of the SAT! They are free of the problems so visible in the public school systems. Such as: bullying, predator teachers, and gang violence.
  We, as parents and grandparents, need to be vigilant to the erosion to the right to educate our children in the way that we want to! We need to not only be active participants in their learning but also in the legislation being enacted that might infringe on those rights!

How do you Inspire Your children to Learn?

Let’s face it. Sometimes what we should learn is really boring! See Jane run is not much fun! Learning to read was a challenge for my daughter until I found a fantasy book that she connected to. She has not stopped reading since, her house is littered with her current novel and the kindle is her favorite tool! My youngest son liked snakes and dinosaurs. He went on to devour such classics as Shakespeare and Alexander Dumas. Currently he is still in college learning to be a Chinese Medical Doctor. Finding what they were interested in inspired them to read and expand their horizons.

How many of your homeschool children really want to dissect a frog? My children wanted to know what he had done wrong. Instead we used the resources available to us. We regularly butchered our own livestock and the children were included in the process. My daughter would stand at the kitchen sink for hours and study how the heart pumped blood. She was also fascinated with the muscle structure and how the tendons helped move the feet. She is now a veterinarian.

By finding things they were interested in they forgot that they were learning. It was fun. Which is what learning should be. Math can be taught through cooking or in a  building project.   Science is also a part of cooking. Just add some vinegar to baking soda and see what happens! Have you experienced an earthquake or tornado in  our area?  Were your children afraid? Finding information on what causes those earth events and sharing it with your children will help them to understand and through understanding fear is lessened. Plus it will spark their interest in further investigation. Science in real life!

Open up your own imagination.  You have many skills that can be taught to your children. If you work away from home let them in on how you spend your days.  If you work as a sales person then you can show them how important it is to learn to communicate with different types of people and how about giving change back after a sale.  Stay at home Mom, how do you balance the budget? What does the electric bill run? Help them to understand why it is important to turn off the lights when not in the room.  How do you plan a week's meal schedule?   Is there a reason you cook a great big roast on Sunday and then serve hash on Monday?.  All of these are skills that will help you children be better prepared for adulthood!  Inspire them to want to learn. Have fun!

Learning new Languages

  We live in a multi-cultural world. Daily our children, as they journey into adulthood, will come into contact with people from different countries and cultures. Having a basic understanding of how those people speak and their customs will help them to reach a better level of understanding.

  Earlier this week I was in a supermarket purchasing needed supplies. A woman and her children were trying to find some items and having difficulty because of the language barrier. They were visiting in our country and almost overwhelmed with the amount of grocery options available to them. After much gesturing and laughter I guided them to the milk section and they grabbed a gallon of milk. Before leaving me the mother quickly hugged me and said something to me that I hope was Thank-you. How much easier this would have been if I could have spoken even the beginning phrases of their language!

  It is not unusual for me to come into contact with people who speak limited english. Their native tongue is most often Spanish. Misunderstandings occur because of the lack of ability to communicate effectively! I do not want our children to experience the same difficulty. Most cultures speak either english or one of the latin based languages. With a grounding in one of the romance launguages the other ones of the european countries are easier to learn and reading becomes possible. Spanish is a fun one to learn and can be done on the computer. Italian is another possibility.

  There is a growing need for learning sign language. Think of how much fun you can have communicating with family members and not letting anyone else know what you are saying! By learning sign language your students can talk to scientist from many cultures. Expand your homeschool children's ability to communicate with others! Have some fun.

Homeschool Plans for Next Year

  What are your plans for next year? There are so many choices that sometimes it is difficult to make a choice. We used a very unschooled method with our three children. Our house has always been littered with hundreds of books. Everything from dictionaries that were heavy enough the little ones couldn't pick them up to encyclopedias and how-to-books. Lots of fiction and history books and ones that centered on fish, herbs, and livestock. It wasn't unusual to find a child curled up in a chair with a book on how to build a rock wall.
  We were also blessed with the ability to have lots of animals. The children helped birth lambs and baby goats. Puppies and kittens were a regular event. We raised calves and pigs and the kids helped at butcher time. My daughter would stand on a stool at the kitchen sink for hours exploring how the calves heart worked. This gave them their science classes in reality!
  When one of the children exhibited an interest in a subject we made sure that the information was available. We helped them learn responsibilty and math at the same time when they raised 4-H animals and had to keep and justify expenses. For History we explored our own area. They crawled in caves where Native Americans once lived, viewed petroglyphs, and talked to the elderly about their life experiences.
   A teacher friend of mine was horrified at the way our children were being educated. Now she laughs at herself and is encouraging her son to use the same method for his daughter. Everyone has a different idea of what is correct for a child. Talk to your child, what works for them? Do not be afraid to expand yours and their horizons! Have fun! Learning should be a joy that is practiced throughout a life time.
 

 

Public School, On Line School, Or Home School?

  It is important to establish how your children are going to be educated. Picking the right avenue for you and them will insure their futures! There are many things to consider about all of the choices available to you and them.

Public School
  A majority of children are going to public school. For some parents this is an obvious choice mainly because of convenience. In most areas you are paying for the school system through your taxes. The education they receive there is in line with the state mandates. You are fairly sure of the childs' location for several hours of the day freeing up your time to work.
  The down side of this arrangement is what are your children being exposed to? Predatory teachers, gun violence, and bullies inhabit this system. Are your children being educated in subjects that you want them to know because of your belief system? National statistics show that public school system students are falling on their SAT scores. This indicates that they are not learning enough to have a sustainable future for themselves. The United States of America is steadily falling behind other nations in academic standing.

On Line School
  On line schools offer a viable alternative to the attend public school educational system. Many of them are free and will provide a graduation diploma at the completion of all of the levels. If your child is able to operate a computer and follow instructions then this is worth your time to look into. By using this method you monitor and protect the child from influences that are detrimental to their well being.
  The down side of this program is that the student is still being instructed in whatever the system requires. This could come into conflict with your religious views. Careful monitoring of the student's material should be a part of your daily attention. Does your child respond well to what is being presented to them?

Home School
  Homeschooling puts you in total charge of what your child is learning. This can be a time consuming process. The rewards are that statistically home school students out rank their public school counterparts in all levels of the SAT tests! They are better prepared to enter the job force or go on to college. Home school students show better aptitude on self guided learning. They are more independent. They have more opportunities to participate in volunteer activities and on the job experience.
  The down side of home school is that it takes more of your time, however this can be viewed as a good thing. Working daily with your child ill build a stronger relationship that will last a lifetime! Guiding them through various subjects will improve your own skills right along with theirs.

  These are not the only things to be considered when looking at your children's future. Where do yours and their priorities lay? If you are not happy with what is happening in their education then it is time to study the options!