In Like a Lion...

If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb, and vice versa, so the saying goes. I have a turn to host our co-op preschool group next week. Although our theme is spring, when I look out my window at the dreary apartment complex parking lot, and the bare trees, I can’t help but think it’s a little too early to bust out the tulips and baby animals. Instead of full blown spring, I think I am going to focus the preschool day around the transition into spring. 

The idea of using a lion and a lamb to describe the weather is appealing to me. Most kids are familiar with these animals. They know that lions growl and can be fierce, while lambs are soft and mild. And asking them questions like “What would make the weather ferocious like a lion? (rain, cold wind, storms, sleet, etc)” and “What would make the weather gentle like a lamb? (sunshine, warm breezes, etc.)” seems like a good way to transition from lamb and lion to talking about the weather. In preparation for my preschool day, I’ve gathered a few ideas that I think the kids would have fun with. Although I am not sure which of these I’ll use, here are some of my favorites:

-A calendar with lion and lamb stickers to keep track of which days are lion/lamb days. Every day the kids can decide whether that day’s weather is more like a lion or a lamb and put the appropriate sticker on the calendar, and at the end of the month they will be able to look back and see if March was mostly a lion or a lamb this year.

-Wind experiments from the book I Face the Wind by Vicki Cobb. This book is really well done. It uses simple experiments to teach kids that wind is moving air. You can catch air in a plastic grocery sack, twist the top closed, and then push the air out of the bag to make wind. It teaches you how to use two balloons and a coat hanger to weigh air (but that might be a little bit over a preschooler’s head). And it has several other ways to make your own wind, as well as a very clear and basic explanation about air molecules and what they are.

-Lion/Lamb snacks. To make a lion snack use a rice cake for the base, spread peanut butter over the top, stick chow mien noodles around the outside edge for a mane, and use raisins for the eyes and nose. To make a lamb snack , slice an apple in half and remove the seeds. Spread peanut butter over the rounded side with the skin, then stick cereal (Kix, Cheerios, anything round would work) all over in the peanut butter to create wool. For the legs use four tooth picks, sticking two mini marshmallows onto each one before putting them in to the apple. For the head use a large marshmallow and stick it on with peanut butter. You can use half a raisin for each eye if you want, or leave it without eyes. 

-Crafts: DLTK has some really cute lion and lamb paper plate crafts as well as some fun sounding ideas for other activities.

-Dressing a paper person, in weather appropriate clothing. Laminate the paper person and then use masking tape to stick on different clothing. Hold up pictures of different kinds of weather and let the children take turns dressing the paper person accordingly.
-Songs: Leo the Lion, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Mr. Golden Sun, It’s Raining, It’s Pouring , Once There Was a Snowman.

-Activities from the What Can the Wind Do? section of the book Science is Simple by Peggy Ashbrook (pg 83-86). This was a book written for use in a classroom, but it’s a fantastic resource, and the activities can be easily adapted for homeschoolers. The section on wind has a lot of great activities to help preschool aged children notice and understand the wind. Some of the activities include observing how the wind moves things outside, ways to make your own wind like blowing a cotton ball with a straw or making Styrofoam boats with paper sails and racing them by blowing on them, ideas for crafts to hang outside that will blow in the wind, and acting out a poem about the wind. This section also has a list of books to read, and some follow-up activities.

-Weather Magnet Pages. Print out these weather picture pages and put them on a metal cookie sheet. Then have the kids place a round magnet (you can get packs of 50 at Walmart for a couple bucks) in each circle. My kids love magnets, and this helps children with one-to-one correspondence.

You can leave your thoughts, comments or suggestions here on my feedback page. Thanks!

- Krystal

Creating Confidence

by Emily Orton

Simple efficient living is a necessity in my not-so-big home.  Some may raise their eyebrows at the severity of my limits on what creations may be kept and for how long.  When I still cared about raised eyebrows, I wondered if I were somehow stealing childhood memories or harming my children’s self-esteem.  I teach my children the joy is in the making.  I have learned that emphasizing creating rather than keepingmakes sense for storage and, more importantly, generates genuine confidence.

I first got a hint this was working when my toddler, Lily, poured milk all over her older sister, Alison’s, painting.  Prepared for contention, I was surprised when sweet Alison said, It’s okay.  The joy is in the making.  I’ve since heard her say this to friends in multiple settings as well.  Sarah Jane, age 9, rarely concerns herself with keeping her creations for long.  Her attitude is:  There is more where that came from.  Karina, 13, put any of my remaining anxieties to rest.  She recently explained her concept for a new project and I suggested she look online for ideas to get started.  She gave me that whatever  face her age group is famous for and said, I have my own ideas!

What joy to my mother heart!  My children are confident in the creative process.  They invent and explore.  They are persistent and prolific.  They act independently.  This week they sewed unsupervised.  Karina sliced, diced, and combined two old tee shirts to make a fashion forward modest top.  She wore it for two days in a row.  Alison taught herself and Sarah Jane how to make quilted pincushions on the sewing machine.  They don’t call them pincushions.  They call them “happy pillows” because, as Alison says, Whenever I look at it.  I know that I made it and it makes me feel so happy. 

Of course my children sometimes get frustrated as they struggle though the creative process.  Things don’t always turn out the way they envisioned them in their minds.  The sewing machine eats their fabric.  That’s when I hug them and encourage them to take heart.  I read somewhere that it requires about 10,000 hours to become truly proficient at just about anything.  My children have probably heard that 10,000 times.  They have learned creativity often has a messy phase.  Another mantra at our house is Mastery first, then speed.  Nobody loves making mistakes, but my children grumble through these speed bumps knowing they will get better if they keep at it. 

Creating things will serve my children throughout their lives.  Partly, because it builds confidence.  Certainly, it supports innovation and solution seeking skills.  Creativity empowers them to be self-reliant and may provide a living.  It definitely brings joy to themselves and others.  Most important, is the fact that every time they engage in the creative process they are exercising the embryonic divinity within them.  They are engaged in the same work as our Father in Heaven who tells us, “there is no end to my works...”  (Moses 1:38)

While I am thrilled that there seems to be no end to the works of my children’s hands, I have to figure out what to do  with them.  I have to set limits.  I’ll share a couple that work for us. 

1. Limit Time. For example, I ask my children to take all the art off of their bedroom walls once or twice a year to “make room for new ideas.”   I require that our scotch taped “art collection” be rotated monthly.  We have an 8-12 week limit on seasonal living room wall art Karina creates.  This keeps her flowing with new ideas and makes our home lovely.  We abide by a one week limit on all large cardboard creations.  My children don’t fuss when their beloved boxes go because they know the creative process will start again when a brand new box comes through the door.  Drawings left out and uncared for are discarded daily.
2. Limit Space. Paintings, drawings, crafts of eclectic mediums are constantly flowing through our house.  It is not physically possible to store them all.  Each child has a school cubby, a stuff box, and a large plastic art envelope.  When any of these locations becomes cluttered or overflowing, each respective child is responsible to bring order to their space.  This includes, prioritizing which creations to keep, preserve via digital photo or scan, and which to trash.  They enjoy having ownership of this process.

About the author:

Emily Orton is a former middle school teacher turned New York City SAHM and writer. When she's not reading or writing, Emily enjoys walking all over Manhattan, coastal sailing, and editing her apartment.  She and her husband, Erik, have five children.  Emily will be sharing more expertise on homeschooling in small spaces at the LDSEHE Home Education Conference on May 12-13 in Virginia Beach.  For more info, please visitwww.ldsehe.org.

Do You Lack Wisdom?

by Angela C. Baker

I am a middle child in a large family so I grew up caring for babies and younger siblings.  When I got married and was pregnant with my first child, I felt totally confident that I could do the mother thing.  After my baby was born almost 21 years ago, that confidence remained unshaken until my baby was two weeks old.  Colic hit about that time and with it came hours and hours each day trying to find ways to sooth my distressed baby.  There is nothing like a wailing infant who can’t be soothed to shake a young mother’s confidence.  I learned pretty quickly that many of my ideas to sooth that baby didn’t work and neither did the experts’.  It was in these moments that the scripture, “If any of ye lack wisdom, let him ask of God…” took on new meaning for me.  There were many times when asking God for his help was the only thing that worked.

Parenthood alone brings with it quite a learning curve and constant opportunities to realize one’s lack of wisdom.  As home school parents we add to that the full responsibility of educating our children.  This is a double whammy most of us are unprepared for.  Basically by choosing to home school we communicate that something is not quite right with the public school and we bring our children home and try to create an educational environment in our homes.  Having never done it before, it takes a fair amount of fumbling and a lot of trial and error to figure it out—at least it has for me. 

There have been many days when the responsibility of educating my children has felt like a crushing weight.  These are days when confidence in my ability wanes and I wonder if what I am doing will be enough and if my children are getting what they need.  Like Abraham Lincoln, I can freely declare that over the fifteen years of my home school experience “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” Actually going to my knees was exactly the place I needed to go to find the expert guidance and the wisdom I lacked.  Let me share one example.

It was a Monday afternoon and my 15 year old son and I were driving the 30 miles home from his piano lesson.  He opened up and began to share how awkward he felt in social situations.  The evening before he had attended a Bishop’s chat where he had faced this very challenge.  At the time, he said  that he struggled with what to say and how to say it and then when he did get the courage to say something he worried for days if he had said the right thing or not.  He was so frustrated with this and wondered what he could do.  As we drove our conversation gradually quieted and he went to sleep.  I was left alone with my thoughts.  I agonized about my son and his struggle socially.  I wondered, “Is this because we home schooled?”  In my mind raced a flurry of ideas for how to remedy his problem—enroll him in the local high school or martial arts or counseling.  Certainly these would help him learn the social skills he needed. 

Later that evening, during family night, my husband asked the children to write or draw what they saw themselves doing with their lives.  My 13 year old daughter divided her paper into six frames and drew in each one a picture of her performing in one way or another some of which were drama, violin, and dance.  She wanted so much to perform.  As I looked at her drawings—at what she really wanted to do—I felt overwhelmed.  How was I to provide for her all that she needs so that she can perform and excel in these ways?  With six children at that time and their various needs and needing to make the finances stretch between them all, how could I possibly give her what she so deeply wanted?

That night I went to bed feeling exceptionally tired and overwhelmed, with both my son’s and my daughter’s needs weighing heavily on my mind and heart.  What was I to do?  Early the next morning found me on my knees praying.  In my hands I had a notebook and pencil.  I was depending on the fact that God would answer and I was ready to write it all down.  As I asked about my son, I got a very distinct, clear, and simple answer.  “There is nothing wrong with your son.  Teach him to whom he may turn to make weaknesses strengths.”  Assurance and peace filled my heart.  I then prayed about my daughter.  The answer for her was just as clear.  “Though she may perform, teach her that more important are the simple acts of service and kindness she will have daily opportunity to render.” 

As the clarity of God’s wisdom penetrated my heart, feelings of stress, overwhelm and uncertainty dissipated.  My confidence returned—confidence in God’s promise that if I lacked wisdom I could ask Him and he would give me that which I lacked.  Time and again I have returned to my knees searching for guidance about my children’s education.  Repeatedly I have come away from those prayers with knew understanding.  I am convinced that God’s idea of education is quite a bit different than man’s. “…for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”  I learned this first hand that morning five years ago as I struggled with the needs of my two oldest children.  The education God has in mind goes far beyond the quantifiable skills of reading, writing, arithmetic, and social aptitude.  It goes beyond test scores and grade levels to the getting of understanding and wisdom and living a life of meaning and service. 

Perhaps you are struggling with a fussy newborn or maybe a disconnected teen.  Maybe you are wondering how to teach a child to read or how to inspire your children to love and serve one another.  Maybe it is the functioning of your home and how to get chores done and school time in too that you struggle with.  Whatever your challenge, His promise is sure.  He will give you the wisdom you lack and show you how to create a learning environment in your home that educates the hearts as well as the minds of your children.  Of this I am absolutely certain.

You can leave your thoughts, comments or suggestions here on my feedback page or email me directly at:angelabakerspeaks@gmail.com. Thanks!

Two for One and Twice the Fun!

The public library is good for many things, one of which is to aptly showcase just how much junk manages to find a publisher. I am sometimes amazed at what passes for literature.  Even many picture books have the most inane text.  I’ve often thought, “I could do better than that!  My 6-year-old could write better than that!” And so, we do.

Really, it’s about more than just trying to write a better book.  It’s also a matter of greater understanding of the subject by living it and then explaining it. What better way to get a concept than to search for manifestations of it in real life and then make your own book about it? Instead of just reading someone else’s books about colors, shapes, or parts of speech, lead your children to find and demonstrate these things and write about them themselves.

One fine, fall day we were feeling the need to be outdoors enjoying the beauty of the earth, but I was also feeling the need for some academic accomplishment. I decided we could find a way to do both—at the same time. Loading up the kids and the camera, we headed for a canyon trail.  I explained to the kids that while we were hiking we were on a hunt to find circles and opposites.  We had a glorious time partaking of nature and gathering conceptual evidence for future projects.

A few weeks later, we made our own concept books.  For the circles, we used paper plates, the top one with a cutout, secured together with a brad.  We glued the photos of circles around the edge of the bottom plate.  We then had a spinning book of circles.  For opposites, we made a page for each pair of opposites, gluing on the photos and writing what they stood for.  We kept this project simple and just hole-punched the pages and put them in a small folder.  Even though these were simple and “unprofessional,” my kids were very proud of their work.

The benefits of this approach are many and varied. Real life application is always a good thing. Doing it this way also involved more senses and learning styles; it gave them something to touch and move with as well. Writing about it after doing it reinforced and cemented the concepts.  It also introduced symbolism.

These kinds of projects can be as simple and homemade or as “professional” as you’d like them to be.  You can use basic, on-hand supplies and let the kids cut and paste, or you can have them do it on a template for a real bound book from somewhere like picaboo.

Besides concept books, you can write your own history or science books.  My favorite way to do state history is to travel the state and make our own book of important places, events, industry, geography, etc. by seeing it in person and writing about it.

Make it real, make it at home.  You and your kids can be authors, too!

You can leave your thoughts, comments or suggestions here on my feedback page. Thanks!

- Sasha

Let the Spirit Guide

by Doreen Blanding

One of the questions I am most frequently asked by LDS homeschooling moms is, "How do you bring the gospel into all the subjects?"  I answer truthfully, "I don't." I don't go out of my way to bring the gospel into all subjects; I let the Spirit nudge me when I need to bring the gospel into our lessons. 

I have found that there are two basic things you need to do to have a gospel centered homeschool: prepare your family (and yourself) and then let the Spirit guide. You prepare yourselves by obtaining the word, treasuring the word and by prayer and fasting and holding family scripture, prayer and home evening. When you have done this you stay prayerful and let the Holy Spirit guide. 

"Obtain my Word"

Search, ponder and pray
Are the things that I must do.
The Spirit will guide, and deep inside,
I'll know the scriptures are true.
(Children's Songbook page 109, words by Jaclyn Thomas Milne)

This is the chorus of one of my favorite Children's Hymn. It speaks truth.  The best thing you can do to prepare yourself to bring the gospel into the secular subjects you teach is by first learning the gospel yourself.  The Lord told Hyrum Smith, "See not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men" (D&C 11:21). That promise is given to all who first seek and study the Lord's word. 

Before we can teach the doctrines found in the scriptures we must know them ourselves. We must study them, pray about them, think about them and make them become part of us.  It is only then that we can teach them.  We don't have to use them word for word, or even know where to find each chapter and verse; we need to know of their teachings, their truth, their spirit and then we can teach them by the Spirit to our children.  They will become the guide and answer to our lives. It amazes me how many times what I read in my personal study is either an answer to a parenting problem I am having or the very next week it comes up in our schooling. 

"Treasures"

We must treasure the scriptures.  We must show our children we treasure them.  I had a friend who lost her house in a fast moving wild fire in the San Diego fires years ago.  They were told to evacuate their home in the middle of the night.  In an email to her friends she tells how in three minutes she threw on some clothes, woke her kids, grabbed a diaper for the baby and then her scriptures and left her dream house only to return weeks later to find only ashes.  She treasured her scriptures. 

The Lord has told us to store up treasures in heaven, "… lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal" (3 Nephi 13:20). He has also told us to "Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man" (D&C 84:85). For those who are seeking, pondering, praying, studying and diligently treasuring up the word of God, He will give you what needs to be said when the time arises. 

"Prayer and Fasting"

There is no better way to invite the Spirit into your own study than by praying and fasting.  If we start our formal personal scripture study with a prayer and end with it as well, it helps solidify the things we have studied.  They become part of you. You can recall them and the lessons learned.  If you add fasting to the equation it magnifies what you are reading, studying, pondering and learning. 

Alma tells us that he learned through prayer and fasting, "Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? … I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me."

We can have the "spirit of revelation" when we study the scriptures, pray and fast.  How cool is that when you are teaching a secular subject to your own children?

Our Families

How often have our prophets, both ancient and modern, told us to gather our families and study the scriptures? Today that call is loud and clear and it seems to get louder each General Conference.  Elder Bednar's talk in October 2009 entitled "More Diligent and Concerned at Home" has some great council for parents who are struggling to hold family scriptures study, pray and Family Home Evening.
 
"Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results. “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great” (D&C 64:33). Consistency is a key principle as we lay the foundation of a great work in our individual lives and as we become more diligent and concerned in our own homes."

I know many homeschooling moms who question if Family Home Evening is necessary when you spend all day with the children learning as it is.  Yes, it is important.  It is important because you are obeying the council of the Lord's prophet. Assuming that your husband works during the time you teach, he is home and can preside even if he doesn't hold the Priesthood.  And if you are a single mom, it sets apart a special time for family bonding and family gospel learning.  I can't recall very many weeks that have gone by in the twenty-two years of our marriage that we didn't hold Family Home Evening. We are faithful in family prayer and scripture study too, even during the summer when my teenagers would rather sleep in than get up early for family scripture time.  I'm sure that one of these days we will reap the blessings of obedience and consistency.

One blessing we are reaping now is that my children are comfortable with spiritual topics and stories.  Some are still very young, but they are forming habits that will last them a lifetime. They are learning stories and lessons that will pop into their minds when needed.  It also makes my job easier when the opportunity arises in our studies to mention a scriptures story or verse. The foundation is laid in our family and in their individual lives.

“Let the Holy Spirit Guide"

When you have properly prepared your family and (more importantly) yourself you will notice opportunities pop up all over the place to bring scriptures and the gospel into your secular lessons.  You can even tell your college student "if ye are prepared ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:30), just before a huge calculus test.

Lately we have been studying the human body.  We have chosen a Christian based curriculum and when I read the scripture passages printed on the page they seem forced and they lack the spirit. Yet, when I stop, take a deep breath and I can bare testimony to my children the miracle of the human body. I can testify from my heart and through the Spirit that our Heavenly Father was behind the design of our body and He is the God of our universe.  It isn't a forced testimony, but one directed by the Spirit.

I love the simple message in our hymn "Let the Holy Spirit Guide"

Let the Holy Spirit guide;
Let him teach us what is true.
He will testify of Christ,
Light our mind with heaven's view.
(words by Penelope Moody Allen)

Don't force the scriptures in your school; prepare yourself and your family and let the Spirit guide you. He will tell you what you need to say, when to say it  and how to say it. You will be amazed at how much the Spirit will guide you and how much you can bring the gospel into your own homeschool.

You can leave your thoughts, comments or suggestions here on my feedback page. Thanks!

- Doreen

Starting The Year Out Right...

We have a tradition in our family of beginning January with an introduction of a family theme for the year.  This was something I started several years ago as a way, honestly, to make family home evenings easier to plan.  I thought a cohesive theme to focus on throughout the year would make transitions through gospel topics go more smoothly and would help my children see a connection between various principles laws, both of nature and of God.

The theme for 2011 comes from a simple little song found in the Children’s Songbook:  “Kindness Begins With Me.”  This year I really want to make my home a haven; a place of peace and safety where those who spend time here feel loved and appreciated and needed.  As my older children are nearing their teenage years, I want to make sure that I keep the lines of communication open between us so that they feel safe in talking with me and with each other.  I want my children to be able to teach each other lessons that they have learned, both in their scholastic studies and in the school of life.  Beyond the walls of our home, I want my children to learn tolerance of others.  To see the good in those around them and to keep people’s names safe in our family and our home by not speaking ill of them or disrespecting them.  I want my family to understand the truth of the statement that people will remember the way you make them feel.

A pretty big challenge, huh?  Especially when, what I was noticing instead in my home were snarky comments, selfish gestures and an attitude of “why should I do anything for you that you can do for yourself?”   Some of that can probably be chalked up to the post-holidays slump we all tend to find ourselves in and the fact that this momma is “great with child” and not creating many adventures for her brood.  But I think it is also a result of becoming so accustomed to one another and to always being together that we begin to discount each other’s feelings and forget the power that lies in just being kind.

The theme was unveiled at a family home evening in early January.  My family was treated to a fancy candlelight dinner all prepared and assembled by yours truly.  I went all out, making individual meatloafs all by myself for the first time (there is just something about squishing raw meat between one’s fingers that I struggle with).  The table was laid with a tablecloth, linen napkins, even fancy goblets full of sparkling cider.  Everyone got to enjoy an elegant three course meal better than anything we have even done for company, all while being waited on by mom. 

After dinner came the lesson of kindness – what it means, who was the perfect example of it, how we can have more of it in our lives.  Then we placed every family members’ name in a hat and drew names for our “Secret Servers” project.  The name that we drew was the person we were supposed to serve, in secret, for the next week.  The big reveal would happen at the following family night and then we would choose names again.  This became our focus for the month of January.  I tried to emphasize that the best way to remain anonymous was to serve every family member equally so everyone would think that you were their server!  What a fun month we had!  I would go to my room at night to find my bed turned down and my pajamas laid out.  I would come out of the bathroom in the morning to find my bed already made.  Family members helped others to write notes so that their handwriting wouldn’t give them away.  Skills of stealth were perfected as little ones hurried to do the chores of a sibling without getting caught.  The entire garage was swept out by a determined little six year old wielding a giant push broom.  A four year old reported that what she had done to serve her daddy was “snuggle with him in his own bed for the whole night!” 

At the conclusion of our four week project, everyone was kind of sad to not be drawing names again.  However, we are moving on to phase two of the “Kindness Begins With Me” campaign.  Our mission for the month is to perform a random act of kindness every day for someone who does not live in our home – even for someone we don’t know.  My ten year old really wants to go paint over some of the grafitti in our town.  My almost-teenage son thinks that would be much more fun if we were to sneak out in the middle of the night to do it.  I am not sure I am up for that… but I am so excited for the huge strength of character that can be built upon the small hinge of kindness.  The world could certainly use more of that.

You can leave your thoughts, comments or suggestions here on my feedback page. Thanks!

- Kresta

Starting Somewhere

When I first made the decision to home school, I was very excited and wanted to jump right in, but I hadn’t done much research along the lines of what to teach preschoolers, or where to start. Where to start? My oldest wasn’t going to be preschool age for a year and a half, so I knew I had time to look into what a preschool curriculum might entail, but I wanted to get in the habit of doing “educational” type things with him on a regular basis.

I was a little nervous about my over all teaching capabilities, but figured I could probably handle the ABCs.  Introducing the alphabet seemed like a good idea, so I started with a few letters.  My husband and I were able to pique Lincoln’s curiosity by hanging the letters of his name up on the wall in his bedroom. When he began to recognize those, we showed him that there were even more letters than just the ones in his name. This led to coloring pictures of the letters, and singing the alphabet song.

Our most successful approach to teaching the alphabet was probably teaming up with a friend of mine whose son is Lincoln’s age. She and I created a structured playdate for the kids called Letter Day. Once a week we got together and took turns planning an hour’s worth of activities around each letter of the alphabet. Some of my favorite activities were flying paper airplanes on a string for A Day, cooking chocolate chip cookies for C Day, packing a pizza picnic to eat at the park for P Day, and making yaks out of yellow yarn for Y Day. Letter Day was a great opportunity for the kids to have fun learning in a social setting. And because my friend and I have different teaching styles, we learned new things from each other that helped us both to be better teachers.

Although it took a little over a year to go through every letter, at age three Lincoln now knows all of them. He became aware of the alphabet because we spent time pointing out letters and making their sounds each day. These and other activities helped him develop a curiosity about words, which is where we are now.

Where we are now feels like a long way from where we started. One of the most helpful things I’ve gained over the last year is a list of resources. These resources gave me some great ideas for Letter Day and other alphabet activities, but I think they will continue to be useful as we’re heading into the preschool years. Below I’ve listed some of my go-to ABC resources. They are the first places I go when I need an idea.

Internet- The internet is an awesome resource, and I found most of the ideas I used for Letter Days online. Also, when all else fails, do a Google search. Some of my favorite websites are:

-ABC and 123
-First School
-ABC Stuff
-DLTK

Media- There is lots of educational media out there in TV shows, movies, and music. Here are some that I really like.
-Letter Factory and Talking Words Factory DVDs from Leapfrog
-Sesame Street, I found lots of the alphabet clips on YouTube (C is for cookie is a good one), and a Sesame Street ABC soundtrack at the library. 

Books- Some of our favorite alphabet books are: 
-Shiver Me Letters: A Pirate’s ABCs by June Sobel, 
-Dr. Seuss’s ABCs by Dr. Seuss, 
-I Spy Little Letters by Jean Marzollo, 
-A to Z by Sandra Boynton, 
-Book of Mormon ABCs by Val Chadwick Bagley
-Hungry Monster ABC: An Alphabet Book by Susan Heyboer O’Keefe

Story Time- Our local library does story time several times a week. Each week they spotlight a different letter and all the activities/songs/stories focus on that letter. Check your library and see what programs they have to offer.

*If you are interested in Letter Days, you can see the blog posts for each letter here.

You can leave your thoughts, comments or suggestions here on my feedback page. Thanks!

- Krystal

You Might Be a Homeschooler If... Second Edition

You might be a homeschooler if the kids get suspicious when you try a new recipe.  Child:  “What’s for breakfast?”  Mom:  “German pancakes!”  Child (almost accusingly):  “Are we learning about Germany today?”

You might be a homeschooler if you’ve discovered that demonstrations on Bernoulli’s Law also make for great Glamour Shots.

You might be a homeschooler if “investigating fall colors” isn’t a classroom activity on paper, but an exploratory adventure in a river full of salmon, surrounded by turning leaves, while barefoot and pretending to be a hobbit.

You might be a homeschooler if when you created a simulated archeological dig in your backyard for the kids to learn from, you actually contributed to a possible real future dig… because some of the things you buried were never recovered.

You might be a homeschooler if you spend a morning convincing your children that you’ll pay more for their baby teeth than the Tooth Fairy will, so they should sell them to you for a science experiment.  You then collect everyone’s teeth for over a year.

You might be a homeschooler if you sacrifice your regular delightful kitchen smells for the greater educational good in an experiment involving potent purple cabbage juice and the reactions of various malodorous chemicals rotting old baby teeth.

You might be a homeschooler if your geography lessons really make an impression.  After boarding a train bound for the “North Pole” at Thanksgiving, my 7-year-old asked, “How long is this train ride?  Because the North Pole is at the top of the earth and we’re in Idaho.”

You might be a homeschooler if traffic routinely slows down in front of your house as the neighbors try to figure out just what you’re doing now. (In this case, they were gawking at our guest speaker and his bagpipe demonstration, which was much too loud to be done indoors.)

You might be a homeschooler if you buy coffee filters even though you’re a Mormon, because they’re great for art projects.

You might be a homeschooler if you know that homeschoolers are social people, too.  Whatever path you choose, you can find friends along the way.

To see Sasha’s first edition of “You Might Be a Homeschooler,” go here.

You can leave your thoughts, comments or suggestions here on my feedback page. I also have a Yahoo! group dedicated to incorporating the gospel into all aspects of schooling.  To join the group, go here

Thanks!

- Sasha

26.2 Miles (Part 2)

by Doreen Blanding

I completed my first marathon on October 17, 2010, and I know what the last half feels like.  It is a struggle to stay on course and finish, but I did it and achieved something I never even dreamed I would do. It was hard, but I did it!

Since then, I’ve picked up the running bug. I thought that maybe after I crossed the finish line of my first full marathon I would be cured and never pick it up again, but the bug was very infectious and I’m still running today.  During those quiet minutes and miles, I can’t help but bring my mind to my family and how our lives have been shaped so profoundly because we homeschool.  I can’t help but relate the struggles and triumphs of running to homeschooling.
  
In part one of this article, I listed 13 ways in which running is very similar to homeschooling.  I will finish my “race” by listing 13 more ways that I believe homeschooling is much like daily running and finishing the race.  Lace up your shoes and let’s get started.

14. Family Support

There was no way I was going to run in a race without the support of my family.  I remember my first race and just thinking, “I have to keep going because my family is up there somewhere to cheer me on.”  I did keep going and I did find them.  I kept going because they were along the sidewalk cheering me on.  

I’ve had the advantage of a very supportive husband through this whole process.  Almost 18 years ago I presented this crazy idea of homeschooling our children and he let me.  He then saw the value in it and began to whole heartedly support me.  He would even spend his lunch breaks with a group of homeschooling kids teaching them how to play chess.  Even today, although he works farther away and his demands are greater on his time, he still spends time reading to our children as well as answering those very hard math questions.  He has been a great asset to our schooling.  

My extended family soon saw the value in what we were doing too, and although some never agreed with me, they soon left me alone and left their opinions unsaid.  I truly have been blessed with a very supportive family.

If you are so unlucky as to not have the support of your close family, do not be discouraged. Take my mom’s words to heart, “You attract more flies with honey.”  Continue to be nice and remember that they probably don’t know much about homeschooling.  You won’t convert them with facts and figures, but perhaps with love, kindness and time they’ll come around.  Hang in there and find a surrogate family who can support you.

15. Stretching, Warm Ups 

Many weekend warrior athletes don’t think much about stretching and warming up before doing their exercise of choice.  This is a mistake and it can often cost them a trip to the doctor and a few weeks of missed training.  For someone who is training for a race, this type of setback can be race ending.  We must warm up our muscles with some sort of stretching and light activity.  We must get the blood flowing to our muscles.  We must get ourselves ready before we start our workout.

I had knee problems before I even took up running and I know how difficult it is to run with a painful Iliotibial Band (that is a muscle that runs from your hip to your knee). I also know how painful shin splints can be.  I know that I will pay for it later if I do not spend just five minutes stretching my muscles.  

There are many theories on when and how much to stretch.  Some say after you have run for five minutes, other say before and still other say not until after your workout.  I have found that I need to do it before I work out and sometimes during if by chance a problem arises.  If I don’t take care of a problem right then and there, it grows and one day it will be my race ending injury.

In homeschooling we must stretch out.  We need to give our brains a bit of warm up time. There are many different ways to stretch our brains and warm up our minds for the day ahead.  In my family we like to start with a review of yesterday’s studies.  Often we crack a few jokes or perhaps even work a word puzzle.  Something light and fun helps to get the blood flowing and our minds refocused on learning.  We will also stop during the day and pick up a good read aloud book.  It doesn’t matter what time you do it as we really won’t pull a brain muscle, but there should be a bit of time set aside for “stretching and warming up”.

16. Cool Down

Just as stretching is important, cooling down is even more important.  I have learned the hard way that squeezing in a run without giving my body the proper cool down can have some devastating consequences.  When you understand what you have just done to your muscles you will understand how important it is to give the blood a chance to get rid of the lactic acid built up in the muscles.  If you don’t give yourself a proper cool down you can experience some of the worst muscle cramps of your life.

Our brain also needs cool down time.  We need time to let our brain sort out all the information that was just stuffed into it and a chance to properly put each bit of information in its proper place.  When we give our minds this chance to sort things through it will be easier for it to start up the next time.

Cooling down with some fun reading, playing outside, sitting quietly, watching a movie, doing simple crafts or just taking a nap gives the brain a moment to sort through all the information it has received throughout the day.  Scientific studies have shown that while we sleep our brains are busy sorting through the input received during the day and putting them in sections of the brain to be recalled later.  It is through this cool down period that we process the information.

17. Trainer and Coach

I couldn’t have made it across the finish line without my trainers and coaches.  All through training they answered my questions, quieted my fears and eventually cheered me across the finish line.  They answered silly questions like how to solve the problem of the blister on my toe, and the hardest one: “How do you train when you can’t get out of bed because you are so sick from chemotherapy?”  They were my cheerleaders and they truly got me across the finish line.

Teaching our children is very hard, and to make it even harder this is a job that we do mostly by ourselves.  When we first start out we have thousands of questions, from the simple to the hard.  We have fears and we aren’t sure we can make it to the end.  We aren’t even sure where the finish line is.  If you are lucky and persistent you can find your homeschooling trainer and coach.  They don’t have to be just one person or one source.  I picked up books and read many websites when I first started homeschooling.  I eventually found someone who could be my coach, my mentor and my trainer.  She guided me and even today, I can send off a quick email and her calm words come in reply.  She has helped me cross the finish line.

18. Pay it Forward

I didn’t plan on becoming an expert at running, but I have, at least in a few friends’ eyes.  I’m not so much an expert as someone who has blazed the trail before and can give helps, hints and suggestions to those who follow.  I am careful when giving advice as I’m not professionally trained, but I give as much as I can and hope that it is helpful to those who are just beginning the running journey.


When I first started there weren’t internet magazines, websites, or even curriculum designed specifically for homeschoolers.  There were a few things out there but that was about it.  The information and support today is more far reaching and thorough than when I began.  But beginners want to hear a real voice and read real words from parents who have walked the walk.  I am not shy when asked how we homeschool or other similar questions.  I try to “pay it forward” so that those who are coming after me can have an easier time and find success.

19. Keep your Eyes Open

Nothing wakes you up more on an early morning run than running into something or tripping over something.  You have to keep your eyes open and be aware of your surroundings.  Not only is it embarrassing to run into a mailbox, but it is also painful.  I’ve had my hat knocked off by a low hanging branch and twisted my ankle stepping off a sidewalk.   Locally we have had a few women runners attacked during their runs on a few well travelled running paths.  We have bears, cougars, bobcats, coyotes and other wild animals sharing the same trails as runners.  Those are just some of the dangers I need to keep my eyes open for when running.  But along with those dangers I also get to witness some of the most beautiful sights.  I’ve seen marvelous sunrises and sunsets.  I’ve seen the first blossoms of the spring pop out on trees, shrubs and flowers.  I’ve seen the magnificent trees turn red, yellow and orange.  I’ve witness the beauty of snow in pastures.  And it never fails on one of my trails that a beautiful horse comes to the fence whenever I run by.

When you are homeschooling you need to keep your eyes open.  Because we are with our children and teaching so intimately it is easy for us to see the trouble spots our children have and take steps to correct them.  I noticed that one of my kids wasn’t grasping a concept in math quite as quickly as I thought he should.  I was able to slow down his math assignments and fix the problem and then continue on with the course work. 

When you keep your eyes open you will notice that a favorite children’s book author is coming to your library, or that a museum has a collection you have been dying to see, and then quickly study the artist.  You will notice that the Summer Olympics are coming and you just finished studying about a country and can tie it in.  You will notice an article in the paper talking about something you just studied.  You will notice a program on a network that ties in beautifully with something you want to teach your children.  If you keep your eyes open learning opportunities will just fall into place.  I remember one child asking for a pair of scissors one day so that he could cut an article out of the local paper.  I asked him why and he told me that it was on Lewis and Clark and we needed to add it to our file.  He had been listening and he knew how I liked to find tidbits to add to our file even after we were done studying and learning about a topic.

Don’t forget about spontaneous learning.  I can’t tell you how many times we are out and about when a learning opportunity arises.  Don’t pass it up. 

20. Take the Kids with You

When I go for a run, I often like to take my kids.  There are a few places that afford me the luxury of running in circles while my kids play at the play structure.  Luckily I have older children who can be guardians if I get too far away.  There are also trails that are safe enough for my children to walk along while I run ahead.  I even will take a day or two a week and walk with them.  We have a lot of fun while getting fresh air and good exercise. 

In college I majored in Education with an emphasis on physical education and coaching.  I have always tried to be active and physical health means a lot to me.  In the past few years I have had some major physical hurdles to jump over.  I was in an auto accident that left me with seven years of physical therapy and a few surgeries trying to repair the damaged caused.  Then I was diagnosed with cancer.  Needless to say my children have learned a lot about physical health as they have watched me go through these trials. 

Opportunities to teach are all around you but if your kids aren’t with you, you may miss them.

21. Preparation

When you are getting ready for a marathon in a city hundreds of miles away you need to make sure you pack everything you will need.  You start a few days earlier and make sure that you have the perfect pair of shorts, the preferred top, undergarments, socks and your broken in, but not too much, running shoes as well as all the other little things you need for your run. If you don’t, come race morning when you are getting to the start line at 6 am, you will not be ready and you will fall short of your goal.  

The same is true in homeschooling.  If you are not prepared for the day, you will fall short of your goals. I know that the days when I don’t take just 15 minutes to prepare usually don’t turn out to be stellar days.  I also know that the days where I took just 30 minutes the night before to refresh my mind about the subjects I want to touch on or to correct assignments, are days that are going to be good learning days.  Preparation is the key.  Even after 18 years of homeschooling, I still take time to prepare for the coming day, even if it is just 15 minutes spent looking over the subjects that are being taught that day.

22. Foundation

When I picked up running I didn’t know I was going to be diagnosed with cancer.  I just started and kept running.  When the exhaustion from the treatments caught up with me four months before my race, I thought that there was going to be no way for me to finish a full marathon.  My coaches informed me that I had laid a good foundation of nine plus months of hard training and that I would be fine if I just picked up where I left off when I could run again.  I did just that and six weeks before my race I was able to get out and start training again. It was slow but, because I had such a great foundation already built, I was able to complete my first marathon just ten weeks after my last chemotherapy session.

Homeschooling affords us the opportunity to help our children build strong and firm foundations both in secular and gospel learning with minimal interference. These foundations that we are helping them build will help them survive during the hard times.  My sons who are in college thank me for drilling math facts with them.  They have had an easier time with college calculus.  My high school student has often thanked me for our constant reading of the scriptures as a family.  These foundations that we are building will sustain them.

23. Listening

Not long ago in a Stake Conference a member of the Quorum of the Seventy was visiting. I don’t remember much of what he said, but one of the things he said stuck with me.  He was a runner and loved the time he ran.  It wasn’t because he lost weight or was a great athlete but because it gave him an hour of alone time.  He liked to think of it as a long prayer.  I know exactly what he is talking about.  I love the time that I get to just think and say what’s on my mind to my Father in Heaven.  I think of it as a really long prayer too.  I enjoy the time I have to just listen to my thoughts and sort out troubles.  I actually learn a lot by just listening.

While we are homeschooling our kids we need to listen to them.  These kids are intelligent and have thoughts and feelings all their own.  I remember one day while teaching about the life of Michelangelo a son asked me, “When is he going to die?” I think he was trying to tell me he was bored with the lesson and wanted to move on.  I took that to heart and moved on to a more exciting subject.  One year I was so excited to teach botany and was gearing up to teach it when one of my children came to me so excited about wanting to learn biology.  She must have heard me wrong.  With a distraught face she left the room.  Later that night I polled the children and it was me against them; they all wanted to learn biology.  I didn’t let pride get in my way and we look up biology.  I didn’t know it but within a year my family would be using all that we had learned in biology as we figured out how best to treat my cancer.  I was amazed at how much knowledge they had retained from our studies.  I have learned to listen to my children.  They often know much more than I do.

I also know that I cannot teach without first consulting with my Heavenly Father.  He knows what lessons my children will need.  He knows what I need to learn as well.  I cherish my conversations with him in regards to my children’s education.

24. The"Bite Me" Mile

How appropriate that this be number 24, for that is just about when the “bite me” mile hit me in my first marathon.  I didn’t believe the books or what my running friends were saying about the “bite me” mile.  I knew I wouldn’t hit that mile.  Well I did hit that mile.  It is the mile in a very long race when you just want to give up.  Your legs just don’t have anything left in them.  Your feet refuse to move and you want to scream “BITE ME!” to those running with you.  You want to just give up and let the aid car drive you to the finish line.  You are done.

But you find something deep down and you will your legs and feet to keep moving.  You force a smile on your face, wipe the tears from your cheeks and take one more step.  It is worth making it through the “bite me” mile for the exhilaration of crossing the finish line.  There is nothing quite as sweet as crossing the finish line and screaming “I DID IT!”

I can’t begin to count the number of days I would come upon the “bite me” mile of homeschooling.  The house was a mess. The kids were a mess. I was a mess and there was nothing to show that I did anything that day except move a pile from one corner of the room to the next.  Of course I felt like I had to prove to my husband that we really did do “school” that day and we didn’t just spend the day watching Disney movies and eating cereal out of the box.  Worse would be the days when I had spent the night before preparing and then watch it all fall apart within minutes of us starting school.  Someone would write on someone else’s paper, the read-a-loud book would go AWOL, the phone would start to ring, breakfast was still out on the table and no one, including you, was dressed for the day; and you have prepared for this day.  

You feel like giving up and sending them all out the door with a brown bag lunch and just count the hours until the school bus returns them later.  Then you remember why you are doing this and the “bite me” mile just seems like something you have to go through to get to the glorious end.

25. Smile

My favorite trail is a very popular trail. It is used by thousands of runners, cyclist, skaters, walkers and families.  I try to greet each person with at least a nod and a smile if not a “good morning,” or “have a nice day” when I pass them on the trail.  It still amazes me how many don’t reply or look down at their feet or at the river or just stare glassy eyed at a spot ahead of them.  Then there are those who reply back or even beat me to the greeting.  When they do it makes me feel like my world got a little smaller, a bit friendlier and, more important, a little bit brighter.  

When you are out and about with your children, smile, wave and be friendly.  I know when I take my kids to the library during “school hours” that the people in the library are a bit leery. They see a hoard of children there when they should be at school.  I smile, wave and even sometimes open a conversation with them.  We not only meet unique people, but every now and then find another homeschooling family.  I also know that the smile can start to alleviate some fears of why there are children in the library at that time.  The same goes with stores or other places of business during “school hours”. 

I frequented the same grocery store at the same time for years with all six kids in tow.  The bakery attendant came to recognize us and enjoy our conversations.  She would always have special “school” cookies for us and joke with me about our “field trip” for the day.

26. Enjoy the Journey

When I was in high school I was on the track team just to stay in shape for my other sports: volleyball and softball.  All I wanted to do was be able to use the weight room, throw the javelin and work out.  I didn’t want to run.  In fact I told my coach that I wasn’t going to run anything over 400 meters (once around the track).  Twenty years later, I can’t wait to get out every day and put in 3 to 5 miles and run a long distance race a couple of times a year.  I’ve looked back and wondered why I’ve changed my mind and how it happened.  

I’ve learned to enjoy the journey that this obsession has taken me on.  It isn’t the 1000 plus miles I’ve run or the races I’ve run, but all of the above that makes this journey so wonderful and powerful to me.  I’ve learned so much about my spiritual and emotional body as well as my physical body along the way.  I’ve learned that I can push through some very tough times.  I’ve learned that I enjoy running and being with myself.

We all start our homeschooling journey for many different reasons.  Some do it because it is a fad, or something different.  Others are sold on the educational value.  Still others are trying to save a child.  It really doesn’t matter how we got on this homeschooling journey.  What matters is how we enjoy this journey.  I’ve known many friends who have stopped homeschooling for many good reasons.  Don’t let not enjoying it be one of them.   Take a moment and look back at all that you have accomplished, all that you have learned and all that you have done with your family.  You will notice that you have grown alongside your children.  Enjoy the journey because doing so makes the journey that much more pleasant and you will want to lace up your shoes and do it again tomorrow.
 

I don’t know how many more races my legs have in them, but I do know that I love running.  I’ve finished my first full marathon and have signed up for my next in May of 2011.  I hope also to do one in October of 2011.  I hope that each time I’m out on a race course that I can reflect on the road that led me to this point in time and focus on the road that lies ahead of me: physically, spiritually, emotionally and especially the one I will be taking with my family.  There is nothing so satisfying as a race where you gave it your all and you know that you pushed through that steep hill and through that nasty “bite me” mile and were able to cross the finish line and say, “I did it.  We did it.  And I’m so glad.”

You can leave your thoughts, comments or suggestions here on my feedback page. Thanks!

- Doreen

The Parable of the Bat and the Racket

I consider myself to be pretty athletic. I am decent at most sports, although my favorite, by far, is softball. For thirteen years growing up I played competitive fast-pitch softball. That’s lots and lots of hours spent practicing to fine tune specific skills. When I was a freshman in college, a friend of mine tried to teach me how to play tennis. I was terrible! It turns out that swinging a tennis racket and swinging a softball bat are different enough motions that if you try to swing a racket the same as you swing a bat you will fail miserably. And I did. But I was so used to swinging a bat that I could not adjust, and I gave up on tennis. 

Since making the decision to homeschool, I’ve realized that I’m up against a similar struggle. This time, however, I am bound and determined to make the adjustment. I am an alumnus of the public school system. Although I don’t feel like I had an awful experience in public school, I think that homeschool has more to offer. But trying to imagine myself homeschooling was like trying to play tennis. At first, when I thought about it, I pictured my kids sitting in little desks in our living room while I stood in front of them and lectured all day. Thankfully, after a little research, I discovered that homeschoolers swing the racket a little differently. The trick is to learn how, without letting my public school mind set get in the way.

Recently I attended a homeschooling conference. The instructor talked a little bit about paradigms. He defined a paradigm as, “A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them.” The phrase, “a way of viewing reality” really stands out to me as a reminder that there are many different realities depending on your perspective or your experience. Sometimes when I am trying to learn new things I dig myself a hole because I only try to do it one way—the way I know. By shifting my paradigm a little, I’m learning that an education doesn’t have to be the same 8:00-3:00, lectures, quizzes, and one-subject-at-a-time routine I grew up with.

When I first started researching about homeschooling, my favorite thing to do was to read about the creative ways people came up with to encourage their kids to learn. An experience that’s coming to mind is a woman whose son was interested in squid. She ran with it. They read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, they visited an aquarium, they ate squid at a restaurant, they dissected a squid, etc. Tons of learning going on there, and her son was all over it because he was interested. Stories like this fascinate me, because they are so foreign to the experiences I had in school. I want to learn how to create an environment like that for my kids. But in order to do that I have to teach my mind to put down the bat and pick up the racket, so to speak. And that’s going to take some effort.

And who knows, if this homeschooling thing works out, maybe I’ll give tennis another shot. :)

You can leave your thoughts, comments or suggestions here on my feedback page. Thanks!

- Krystal