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OCTOBER 2003 - ALWAYS LEARNING As September comes to a close, I am thinking back on this month with a sigh of relief that we have been able to successfully transition from summer, back into our "more official" homeschooling routine. Summer tends to be more carefree for all of us and we do much more running around outside and spend lots of time with friends. We tend to have more room to spread out and are not always "in each other's space". We have less structure and less demands on performance. September has been a month of learning and re-learning and learning some more! I thought it would be fun to list some of the things we have been learning this last month. #1 - Now that we are spending more time inside, doing schoolwork, we are having to adjust again to being physically closer together. There is nothing wrong with physical closeness and I love having my kids closer for me to hug and kiss and listen to some of their cuter antics and stories. The problem comes in when we are also seeing the negative things that we could more easily ignore during the summer because there was more freedom to relax and play. We are learning to be sensitive to and/or understanding of the needs of others (some want less noise and others make more noise!). We are having to clearly define some expectations and consequences to be able to accomplish our goals for the day. I, personally, am having to re-study each of my children and remember or re-learn who they are and what makes each of them tick. They are each unique and have their individual strengths and weaknesses. I cannot compare them to each other or anyone else. #2 - We have been teaching each child new chores or skills to help them take on more responsibility. Jill and Jeff have been learning more cooking and Jill couldn't have been more pleased when she cooked a wonderful salmon dinner all by herself for us. Jeff helped his dad fix brakes on one of our cars and when a friend of his mentioned he was going to learn to do that with his dad also, Jeff beamed with pride that he had already had the opportunity. Many of the regular chores got passed down to next youngest and though I still need to do a little more teaching to get the results I am hoping for, they each have a good idea of what is expected. They are learning to look at a chore list and be responsible for putting check marks in the boxes. They also learned that missing checkmarks mean no friend comes over to spend the night or an earlier bedtime may be enforced. #3 - Academically, the kids are learning lots of new skills. Andrew is learning to read. Brandon is learning multiplication. Jeff is learning more vocabulary, spelling and geometry. Jill is learning advanced algebra and literature and how to use her computer to burn cd's. As I am introducing new skills, the reactions are often mixed. Two of my boys tend to feel like failures when they can't do something perfect the first time. They don't like the initial time it takes to learn something new (unless it is something they love!) and it takes all of us being calm and patient during this "learning" time. My mantra is: "No one knows it until they learn it and you aren't expected to know it until you learn it which is what we are doing now." The kids are learning to draw some amazing, detailed pictures and use their creative abilities in positive ways. They all put on a great play for us, complete with directing and producing roles, a program and tickets for Darrin and I, and lots of stunts and props. I am learning to give them more flexible, structured time to create. Darrin and I have increased our knowledge of computers and cars, finances and relationships, spiritual and health and a host of other topics. We are never too old to learn! #5 - Time management! That has been a continual lesson that we keep trying to perfect (or at least improve on!). We have talked as a family about what things we can keep in our schedule and what things have to go. We have limited the kids outside activities as well as our own. There are still way too many days that we are running to appointments or errands and too many nights that we are busy with play practice, Awanas and Youth Group. But it is manageable and we are learning that flexibility can operate within a schedule. #6 - Jeff started Youth Group (Jr/Sr High age) which was a HUGE learning experience for me. It is one of those things that when you make a decision, you make the best you can without knowing if it is a good or bad one. There are many positives but also negatives in allowing your child to begin something like youth group. Jill has always been fairly responsible and had the ability to discern and "count the cost" before she did something, resulting in mostly good choices. My boys tend to follow the crowd and make decisions impulsively. Jeff knew that to have the privilege of doing Youth Group, he needed to show he could be responsible enough to handle his home responsibilities along with the potential peer situations. He knew we were looking for indications that he had the maturity required. He stepped up to the plate (his words!) and is thriving in youth group and is even taking some great notes in the class he is participating in. Darrin and I are learning also that we can take all the info we have and make our best decision and that sometimes we will be very pleasantly pleased and other times we will just have to learn from our mistakes. #7 - Communication! Darrin and I have been married for 21 years and we are still learning how to communicate effectively with each other. We have different "love languages" and our personalities think almost exactly opposite of each other in the day to day of life. I think we are continuing to learn to think from the other's point of view instead of insisting on our own, especially if we want to be effective. We are trying to teach the kids how to COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY. That means not just with our words but with our actions also. So far, the kids are way ahead of Darrin and I when you consider their age. #8 - Even our dog, Taylor is learning! We have been teaching her tricks and she can now "sit", "stay", "come" and "shake". The most important lesson my family has learned is that learning is never ending and that the resources are infinite. We can have lots of knowledge but if we don't have the wisdom to apply it, it is nothing. Before we started schoolwork, we did a character lesson on "teachableness" and here are a few of our notes: "To be teachable means to realize that I am not perfect and that I can improve by learning from others." "Being teachable means I have a willingness to learn and change." "Pride is the exact opposite of teachableness. We too often think we know it all and we hate to admit when we are wrong." We don't have to know it all, we just need to know where to go (our resources) for when we need to learn something new and be humble enough to ask for help when we need it! "Teach
us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." |
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 Teach your children essential tools for life. Heidi's husband Nick is the author of this educational workbook for children.  I overheard Andrew, our 6 year old, talking to Taylor, our puppy the other day. He said, "I love you, Taylor! We are going on a date!" ~ Andrew
and I were filling out a paper and it asked him to fill in his age.
I said, "How old are you, Andrew?" and he said, "OLD!!"
He just turned 6 a few weeks ago. At lunch, Brandon was praying but he was in such a rush to eat that his prayer was very hurried and none of us could understand what he said. I explained that it was important to slow down and speak so that God could understand us and know that we meant what we were saying. I later overheard Andrew praying and when he was done he looked up at me and asked, "Do you think God understood that?" |
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If you want to help instill values, virtues and character in your child then check out this out! |
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