The Sacrifice Of Thanksgiving - By Senior Blog Author: Sharron M.

Photo Credit: ThoughtCo

   "I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord."

            Psalms 116:17

   As a secondary post from my previous notation, sometimes, as stated in the scripture above, thanksgiving is a sacrifice.

   A sacrifice is defined as to give up something of great importance or of great value.

   Thanksgiving is something that is highly valued. No one likes it one someone is and acts ungrateful of the blessings given to them. It is important to remember to give thanks, even when you don't feel as if you have a lot to be thankful for.

   I've had my share of struggles this year. I've lost some of my students, gained others; I'm was injured and have had to do physical therapy, I've had work and school piled up and overflowing... but I have been realizing, that God's hand has never once left mine as He leads me from the darkened valleys I've trod. He gives peace and joy in my home, good health, the spirit and strength of mind to overcome the obstacles before me... He has given me an abundant of blessings, thereby blessing me with great blessings.

   I encourage everyone, give thanks... even when it feels like a sacrifice.

Being Thankful For Small Things - Senior Blog Author: Sharron M.

Photo Credit: Pick A Smile

   "My husband is sick, my daughter just broke up with her long-term boyfriend, and I am struggling as the sole provider for my household of four. What am I suppose to be thankful for?"

   I looked at my friend and as we shared our morning tea at our favorite restaurant. She had some valid concerns, and it seemed as if she had her share of trials. Yet, she asked a question, and with an inward prayer, I was prepared to answer her.

   "Your husband is sick, but you still have him, and our God is a God of healing. Your daughter may have just broken up with her boyfriend, but think of how you would feel if she had married him and had children, only to go through a horrible divorce. And though you are the sole provider for your house, you have a job and can pay your bills."

   She was silent for a long moment, took another sip of her now tepid cup of tea, and then smiled. "You are right."

   While this conversation reminded me the importance of being positive and recognizing God's grace in your life, it also helped me to realize how grateful I am for the many small blessings that make up my life. I am healthy, I am loved, I can pay my bills, and I can help others.

   God is good, and He teaches us timely lessons. Take time, during this busy time of Holiday preparation and celebration to reflect on the many blessings the comprise your existence. Happy Thanksgiving!

A Gentleman - By Senior Blog Author: Sharron M.

   We are in a world where woman have become more outspoken and vocal about their equality with men. Women have become more independent, they don't need men to do anything for them: carry bags/boxes, open doors, etc.

   Women don't realize that when they turn their noses up at what is considered "gentlemanly behavior" they are becoming more distant from the things that make them unique or different from men.

   While I believe in a woman's importance, I think we shouldn't take away the opportunity for men to express themselves in a way that is Biblical and Gentlemanly.

   The Bible talks about how men should treat women:

I Peter 3:7
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.


Ephesians 5:24

 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Colossians 3:19
 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

    Yes, I know the verses are talking about how husbands should treat their wives. Yet that is what boys and young men grow up to be.

   The other day, I happened to be outside a store door when a young woman holding a baby girl in one arm and clinging to the hand of her little boy approached the door. A man happened to be standing near by, and wasted no time in opening the door for her and her children. She said "Thank you", and then told her son, "That man opened the door for us because he is a gentleman."

   I was floored by the simple lesson she had taught her son. This young lady was teaching her son that a gentleman opens doors so that her son will know what a gentleman does. She was teaching her son what kind of a man he should be. And even though her daughter was too young to understand, she also showed how a lady should act with a gentleman. Instead of turning her nose up and saying she was an empowered woman who was capable of opening her own door, she was polite and thanked him.

   What a lesson to learn!
  
   What are your thoughts on it? Do you think it is old-fashioned for men to open doors for women? I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please leave me a comment!

Patience Of A Saint - By Senior Blog Author: Sharron M.

   Patience is the ability to tolerate trouble, delay, and suffering while still maintaining a good attitude.

   When everything seems to be going wrong and nothing is going right, it can be difficult to keep a good attitude. We are frustrated with the situation, our children, ourselves, and everything else.

   You've tried everything to keep it together and you just have no more patience.

   Take a deep breath.

   Count off 10 things that God has blessed you with.

   Have a second cup of coffee, treat yourself to the last slice of brownie, take the kids to the park, and know things will get better.

   After a particularly stressful day at work, someone asked me, "How was your day?"

   Instead of biting their head off, I smiled, "My day was good, and its even better now that it is over." Other days, I think, "Well, that is one day I'll never have to live through again." It is about perspective. When you run out of patience, and I have... rely on God's strength and push through. God's love, mercy, strength, and patience is infinite.

When Less Is More - By Senior Blog Author: Sharron M.

Photo Credit: Peto Vera

 "Alright, we will finish this worksheet of addition and then we'll take a little break."

   "No."

   Did that child just say "no" to me? Yes, he did.

   Now parents, don't lose it. As an educator, I've interacted with hundreds of parents. I've been a cringing witness to irate parents marching to their child, and then, jerking them by the arm, they shout, "You will not talk that way to me! When I tell you something, you better listen." The child then either proceeds to wail as if the world is ending or begin to tantrum. Any other response is usually few and far between.

   I have also admiringly watched parents keep their temper in check, walk to their child and speak quietly in their ear before leading them to a chair to think about what they have done. The child may cry, but the tension isn't palpable, and within a few moments, the child is ready to follow instructions.

   Now, I know that every child is different, and thereby, their reaction to correction will likewise be different. Most of us are familiar with the saying, "For every action, there is a reaction." By not engaging in a power struggle with your child, you control the situation.

   Many a child has simply refused to do the activity I required of them. While I used to feel frustrated and helpful, I now smile at the challenge. That is not to say that I enjoy it, but because I know how to handle it, I am confident.

   Take a deep breath, be patient. "I will wait then until you are ready to finish your work. Then we can move onto something else."

   This approach has worked more often than not. Children have a way of exaggerating time in their mind, an hour may seem like several; their Birthday, not for at least another century.

   While I realize that sometimes as parents, the situation calls for an immediate and sometimes forceful response, this is not always the case. "Emergency" situations are really few and far between.

   When I say "less is more," I mean not arguing with your child, not forcing them to your point of view, and not ranting in your own personal "parent tantrum" where you lose self-control.

   Perhaps, Proverbs 15: 1, says it best, "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger."

   Correct a child when you feel calm, and in control of your emotions, if you react out of anger instead of love, your child will be more likely to resent you for it.

   I am not criticizing any of the parents, or their parenting techniques. Perhaps, you found something that works better. In that case, use it. True parents are some of the most patient, giving, loving, dedicated people I know. They have a tough and sometimes thankless duty and responsibility of raising their children up right. All and I can say is, "May God richly bless you!"

   As always, thank you for reading. Have a beautiful day and may you find joy and peace living the life God has called you for.

The Struggling Student - By Senior Blog Author: Sharron M.

Photo Credit: Brandon Andersen

   Ever since I could remember, I was an aspiring perfectionist. Nothing pleased me more than to set aside a task that was done without error. Though I initially struggled in school, I was an overall successful student who eventually graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Early Child Hood Education & my Special Education License with a score of 4.0 (deemed by many, to be the perfect score).

   At this point in reading, some of you may be wondering at the title of this particular article. You might be thinking, “I thought we were going to discuss how our grade school student is struggling to get good grades.”

   Instead, I want us to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Doubtless, if you have raised a child who has always strived to be a perfectionist, you understand. If you are in the process of raising one, you might get some insight.

   So, we are going to move onto our topic:

    Labels.

   Labels stick to people. Labels like: perfectionist, procrastinator, hardworking, lazy, giving, selfish, etc. The problem is that many people take the label at face value without actually trying to discover the underlying characteristics.

   Actually, if I could, I would re-label the perfectionist child as the struggling child. Which brings me to my next point, we never stop learning until we are dead, thereby, making us a student our whole life. A student is defined as taking interest and studying a particular subject. That holds true whether we are learning to download music, preserve tomatoes, change the oil on the car, or get to a new destination while traveling.

   Why did I term a student bent on perfection as struggling? Perfection often isn’t instantaneous. It requires a lot of work on the individual’s part to accomplish this. Anything less than perfect is frowned upon and repeated failed attempts increase the individual’s frustration to the point of self-degradation.

    As someone who has often struggled with less than perfect work, situations, and thoughts; the struggle is real. If I don’t succeed in the first couple of tries, I instantly become impatient with myself.

   I’ll give you a real-life example. A lot of the youth I spend time with love playing volleyball. You’ll see this game in progress almost every time the youth get together for fellowship. The problem is, I am bad at volleyball. Yep, not even gonna try to sugar coat this one. I struggle to serve, can’t spike, and rarely can get the ball over the net on my own. In fact, if you see a person running around the court like a headless chicken, that is probably me.

   It becomes painfully obvious to everyone, that I am definitely not the person to have on the team if you want to win. I don’t mean to be a bad player on purpose (honest, I am not trying to help the other team win), I really try my best. I have learned though, effort doesn’t always equal successful results.

   In my early teen years, I avoided this game like the plague. I’d watch, I’d cheer, I’d even offer some advice (Lol, sorry guys.) But I avoided participating because I knew I would struggle miserably. Every once in a while, people would talk me into playing and while I could generally tell that they want to help me learn to play better, there were others not so enthusiastic about having the “weak link”.

   Only recently, have I made steps to overcome this. I have made effort to participate in more games. There are always a few people on my team who often offer advice and suggestions to improve my skills. I have gotten in the habit of telling them, “If you see me make the same mistake several times in a row after showing me how to correct it, please don’t think I am ignoring you. Just understand that it is difficult for me to make the connection of what you are saying, and implement it in the appropriate situation.”

   To date, I can’t say that I’ve improved a whole lot. But I am participating more, and things can only get better. I am actually enjoying it a bit more.

   So here are some words of encouragement to fellow perfectionists out there:

1.     Don’t let the fear of not being perfect, stop you from making the effort of trying and pursuing new things.

2.     It is okay to struggle, everyone does. Just be patient with yourself.

3.     You won’t always be perfect in everything you do, but don’t be discouraged. Just realize that you may have different gifts.

4.     You often can’t achieve perfection by yourself, realize that God has placed individuals in your life to help you.

   Once again, I value any thought and comment you are willing to share. If you are or know a “struggling” perfectionist, write me and tell me about it, I’d love to hear from you!

God bless you richly,

                    Sharron L.

Respect - By Senior Blog Author: Sharron

   Respect is a big deal in today's society. But what is respect?

   While many of us are acquainted with the lesser definition of respect: "A feeling of strong admiration for someone or something induced by their qualities, abilities, or achievements"; many of us struggle with the deeper meaning which is "to agree to recognize/obey and abide by another's authority."

   As a teacher and active member in my community, I cannot begin to count the number of times where the lack of respect was blamed as the reason why society has fallen to such a degree. Many were willing to blame the younger generation, while youth were more likely to blame this shortcoming on circumstances. Whatever the reason, respect has taken a backseat in our society.

   I work with a lot of young people, many of which struggle with their identity as they try to find their place in this world, somewhere they can belong. Respect is definitely something that is difficult for them to grasp. It is difficult for them to respect themselves, much less other figures of authority: parents, teachers, elders, etc.

   One constant source of frustration to most youth, are their parents. The complaint of, "They don't respect me, why should I respect them? They don't even care how I feel or try to see things from my point of view."

   While some might point this out as a self-centered point of view (which I would agree), we need to take a deeper look at the problem here. The child wants to feel respected/acknowledged for their strengths, achievements, and abilities.

   Then we come to the parent's point of view. I literally cringe when I hear a parent say, "My child should respect me because I am their mom/dad. Nothing else matters." Another word, most parents want their children to agree to recognize/obey and abide by their authority.

   Do you see the correlation. Because of the background experience, respect has two different meanings. Different, but also the same.

   Personally, I feel it ridiculous for a parent to demand respect from their child without giving them cause to respect them. This statement may seem borderline and even rebellious by some,  there might be some who'd disagree with me, and I respect their right to do so.

   Let's take respect to a Biblical perspective, shall we? Did God give us reason to love Him? Yes, because He first loved us. Did God give a reason for us to trust Him? Yes, because God always keeps His Word. Did God give us a reason to respect Him? Yes, because He is righteous in His Judgment and His Mercy.

   So if God gave us reasons to respond to Him, why are parents unwilling to do the same? I agree that children should honor their parents, but I do not believe that respect should be bestowed blindly. Truthfully, we'd want someone to obey us because they wanted to, instead of obeying us just because we said so. It is important to become a person worthy of respect and honor, while humbly accepting that others may struggle or fall short of our expectations.

   Parents should respect their children in the godly individuals they are striving to become. Children should respect their parents as a guide and authority in their lives. Neither should do this blindly.

   Romans 2:11 says, "For there is no respect of persons with God."

   God doesn't respect people based on their weath, influence, or position in life. God respects faith, and faith without works is dead.

 Acts 10: 35 says, "But in every nation, he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him."

   Respect is essential to balance the dynamics of a family, and because respect is first learned at home, it is best to lead by example.

   The goal of this blog post is not to offend anyone. But rather to define respect so that it is a goal made plainer and more achievable. As always, I appreciate the time my readers take and I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment below. Blessings!

The Little Girl In Pink Shoes

     It had been a fast-paced, breath catching, agonizingly long day. I had worked a 10 hr. shift and now I was at the store shopping for groceries for tomorrow, with housework and meal preparation waiting at home for me.

   I was tired. As I got into line at the check-out register, I noticed a little girl sitting perched in the cart. This tiny toddler flashed me a whimsical smile as she swung her legs back and forth. Blonde ponytails bounced against her shoulder.

   Her parents were busy chatting to her, and to each other as they pulled things from their cart to put on the conveyors belt.

   A little balloon with flowers caught the little girl's attention and she pointed at it, making her request known to her parents.

   Her mom smiled, "You already had a balloon for your Birthday!"

   The little girl shook her head solemnly. "It broken."

   "You mean that it fell off its stem," chimed in her father, "It is okay, you still have the balloon."

   The little girl became more insistent, "I want the balloon."

   In effort to distract her, her mother said, "You got brand new shoes today, aren't they cute?"

   Apparently, their young daughter was in agreement for she swung her feet again and admired the shoes that were glimmering pink with little bows at the top. "Pretty shoes," she chirped to herself. She looked up at her parents that had returned the business at hand of purchasing their selected items. "My pretty shoes," she said again, obviously hoping to garnish an equally enthusiastic response. Her parents made no response. She watched them a moment and then began looking around. Her eyes met mine and she smiled brightly all the while pointing to her new footwear. "My shoes. Look!"

   At this, both parents turned to see who their daughter was talking to.

   I smiled at the little girl and nodded. My demure response only seemed to encourage her. "Pretty shoes." She beckoned me, "Come see."

   Her parents exchanged half amused, half embarrassed smiles that their daughter was conversing a with a complete stranger. Her mother tried to salvage the situation but chattering brightly about her pretty and pink the shoes were, but the little girl was still looking at me. "Come see my shoes," she called again, her cheeks growing plump with another smile.

   I stepped forward and bent to look at the shoes, "They are beautiful! What a pretty pink, and look! They have beautiful bows too."

   The little girl grinned back at me, and smiles had replaced any previous signs of embarrassment on her parents' faces.

   They departed then, the little girl waving good-bye.

   I looked after them reflectively. This young child had been joyous over the gift that her parents had given her, and she had wanted to share that joy with others. It made me realize how important it is to share the good gifts that our Heavenly Father gives us. with others. We shouldn't be quiet and keep to ourselves something that could bring peace and happiness to others.

   I just want to encourage my readers, to share their joys with others. It really is a simple, and encouraging gesture.

   I will close now, but once again, I want to thank you for reading. Have a blessed day!

The Small Things

   Stopping to smell the roses, making time for the small things: these give a special meaning to life. In our fast paced world, it is hard to make time to slow down and just enjoy the moment. When this happens, God will sometimes bring something along to give you that moment to appreciate the simple joys of life.

   One summer morning, I was going to yard sales with my mom and younger sister. I was trying to budget so I was just tagging along. We had made several stops and few purchases. Then we stopped at one particular sale.

   A little lemonade stand was set up, and a little girl along with her younger brother were trying to sell lemonade. The little boy approached several potential customers, extending a cup of lemonade in hopeful expectation. Person after person turned him down.

   At last the little boy turned to me. “Would you like a cup of lemonade for 50 cents?”

   I dug into my wallet and handed him a dollar. “Can I have two?”

   His eyes widened and he eagerly pushed the cup into my hand and raced back to his sister calling for another cup and telling her to hurry. The flurry of breathless excitement put a smile on my face the rest of day. Instead of just making their day, they had made mine.

   I encourage you to make time for the small things. In doing so, you will meet with blessings along the way.

Take Your Time...

   Many times we rush through work and try to get the list of things we have to do, checked off.  It is good to be quick and efficient, but sometimes we need to remember not to rush through things.

    Doubtless most of you have a child, or younger sibling that you tell, "First work and then play."

     With the promise of play more often then not, the student races through their work and you end up with a mass of scribbles, wrong answers, and sloppy work.  Of course then, is the prospect of re-doing it again.

    I always tell my students that if you don't have time to do it right the first time, you must have time to do it right the second time.

    The Bible says:

     "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;"  -  Colossians 3:23

     It is important for children to understand at an early age that when they undertake to do something, they should do the very best they can, 'or why do it?'.  If it is important enough to start, it is doubly important to finish.

    So I encourage you, even if your child or sibling groan about having to re-do their work, continue stressing to them how important that they do things right the first time so that they do not have to do second.  Blessing!

-Sharron

Frustration & Learning

     Learning new things can sometimes be hard, and if that is the case, frustrations are bound to occur.

    How do you know if your child is frustrated?  Usually children will whine, cry, pout, get angry, or just shut off completely and refuse to do work.

     How do you prevent frustrations?  Sometimes frustrations are unavoidable, but there are some measure that can be taken to prevent them from getting out of control.

    Recognize when your child is getting frustrated, or when you are getting frustrated.  Take a break, go over flash cards do some physical exercises, get a drink or snack, read a short story, etc.

     Raising your voice, scolding, or rushing the lesson will only be a source of further frustration to yourself and your student.

    I have learned that each student has their rate of learning and a certain level of work that they are able to complete in a time period.  One child may not struggle with the same things that another child is, or they may complete more work in a short period of time.  Since I have been homeschooling some of my younger siblings, teaching, and tutoring; I realize that we need to learn each child's strengths and weaknesses.

    If you are a mom who is homeschooling you already have a head start.  You know what interests, motivates, encourages, discourages, or frustrates your child.  More often than not, you know some of their strengths and weaknesses.  Form your lessons based on these observations.  You probably notice that each child has a certain attention span or may work better at a certain time of day.

    The important thing is to be patient with them and yourself.  If you are getting stressed, even though they are not, take a break!  Frustrations have a way of spreading from one person to another.  Keep hydrated and reward yourself and your student when a difficult task is complete: a piece of chocolate, special meal or snack, extra playtime, etc.  Just keep a positive attitude and give sufficient time for difficult tasks.  :)

    It is also important to realize that we get frustrated as well, but unlike children we can usually manage our emotions to keep from being too overwhelmed.
 
    What about you?  Do you have some positive teaching strategies when addressing frustrations?  What are some methods of reward, or how do you identify their rate and capabilities of learning?  We'd love to hear from you.  Just type your comments below.  God bless you!

Sibling Rivalry

     Sibling rivalry.  Or in other terms... competition.  Bad or good?  Well, that depends on the motives and attitudes involved, but really, who doesn't like a little friendly competition?

    I have three younger siblings and I would be lying if I said we never competed.  Ever since I can remember, there was always some type of competition going on: who could run fastest, drink the most water, win the race to the top of the stairs.  There were arm wrestling competitions, a competition on who the loudest was, or a contest to see who could hold their breath under water longest.  To be honest, I won most of them.  This makes sense because not only was I the oldest, I had more motivation: a younger sibling besting the older?  I would never hear the end of it.

     Now that most of us have passed our teenage years, we compete with each other less.  Each of us have found our own special niches in the family which was probably determined through sibling rivalry.  Not the best artist?  Two choices: work harder, or find something else to do that others were not as interested in.  Those of us with siblings are really blessed, because as an only child we are less likely to be introduced into various interests.

     My twin sister has her own 3-D printer where she prints plastic objects like decor.  She is a good gardener and she likes sci-fi a bit.

     My brother is our very own computer geek, entrepreneur, and accomplished musician.

     And my youngest sister is an excellent baker, flower gardener, sportsy person.

    So where did I fit in?  I like to garden, but it definitely is not my first choice.  I bake, but my specialty is limited to pies and cobblers.  I am tech savvy to some extent, but I use this intelligence for blogging rather than figuring out the stock market, and would have never thought of owning a 30D printer... I'm also not to great at sports.

    Now, my confession.  I probably could master each of these things as my siblings have but I doubt I would enjoy it as they seem to.  I am the artist among my sibling group, the authoress, the Sunday School teacher, and an aspiring dulcimer player.

    If you are worried about too much sibling competition among your clan, I'd advise you not to (unless of course someone is suffering because of it).  Siblings push us to find what we are good at and to earn our place in the family, so to speak.  Sure, I lost the arm wrestling competitions with my brother as he got older, but he had earned the place in my life as a protector.  My two sisters may have passed me up concerning gardening and athletic skills, but it is fun to have them on my side or eat the fruit of their labor.  Each sibling has their own unique personality, and just because someone says rivalry does not mean sibling fights (though my siblings and I occasionally fought).

    So, what are your thoughts?  Do you deal with sibling rivalry?  Has it pushed you to try new things that you might not have otherwise?  Do you have advice on how to deal with sibling rivalry when it gets out of hand?  I'd love to hear from you!

    Until then, God bless you and thank you for reading.

Perfect Tops

    Most of us want perfection, few of us are willing to work hard enough to reach it.

    Recently, I was working on a craft with some younger children.  We were making spinning tops.  The children got their pieces of wood and set to work coloring.  After putting the wooden pin in the center, they had fun spinning them.

    More children arrived and also wanted to create their own homemade top.  One of the children announced, "It doesn't even matter how you color it.  It looks nice when you spin it."

    It was true, no matter how they colored it, the blur of motion always blended the colors perfectly.  Still, one little boy looked up from where he had carefully been coloring his, and replied, "I am coloring it so that it still looks nice, even when it is not spinning."  The lessons you can learn from children!

    Sometimes we are too busy pretending to be perfect and acting perfect, that we don't realize that we should really be spending time becoming perfect.  We also have to realize that we cannot be perfect on our own, but that it is God makes us perfect.

 2 Samuel 22:33   God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. 

Memories

     Sometimes, we don't undertake projects or certain activities with our children because it will be "too messy".

     I understand.  If you are going to repaint the living room, it might be better to wait until the toddler is down for a nap; or if company will be arriving any minute and you really need to get the cake into the oven, you might do the stirring yourself.

    I am however, a big advocate of including children in the current family project.  Yes, there are some days where I am in a hurry, or that I really don't want another mess to clean up.  Some days, I have to make time.  No one really likes messes, or the cleaning involved that takes place after them.  But when children are making messes, they are learning.

    That is not to say that I am encouraging a child to dump the small potted plant sitting on my counter, but guaranteed, they'll learn something: not do to it again.

    Sometimes, it is hard to let go of that dream that with 3+ toddlers, your house in never going to be quite immaculate.  And if you are anything like me, toys scattered across the bedroom floor or an overturned chair is bound to irk you.  Sometimes, we have to overlook the mess and realize that they are making memories.

     Toddlers and children in general are interested in just about anything you are currently doing.  I think God put this interest there, because He wants them to learn from us.  Truly, they learn so much!  And their eyes are always watching.

     Yesterday, I had my group of toddlers all diaper changed and ready for an afternoon of outside time.  It had rained all the day prior and also that morning, but the sun had finally come out.  I quickly straightened the room, announcing as I did so, that we were going outside.  Some of them were too young to understand, so they ignored me and took out another toy from the shelf.

     On my to pick up a child, I almost tripped over a little boy who was holding someone's shoe is his hand.  "Shoe, Shoe, Shoe!" he kept saying, and I paused long enough to see that he was following one of his friends that had lost a shoe.  When she finally sat down, he hopped over to her and began to help her put the shoe back on.  He couldn't quite do it by himself so I lent him a hand.  After we were finished he proudly stood up and said, "Yay!  Now, outside!"

    The lesson didn't stop there.  He saw another one of the children who had previously ignored me and he went and tapped him on the shoulder.  "Outside."  He then promptly took the toy the child was playing with, shelved it, and proceeded to stand patiently by the door.  Considering that this boy is not yet two, I found it really impressive!

    In this one incident, it showed that he knew several things.

1.  We put our shoes on before we go outside.
2.  We all go outside together.
3.  We have to put away our toys before we move on to another activity.
4.  We go outside, when we are all standing by the door.
5.  It will go faster if I help!

    This was one of the highlights of my day!  :)  His sweet helpfulness made me smile and realize that after weeks and months of modeling this for them, he had observed, learned, and acted.

    What about you?  Do you have any similar stories?  Have your toddlers or children surprised you with the unexpected knowledge that they learned from you?  I'd love to hear about it!  As always, God bless you and thanks for reading.

 

Saying "No" To Negativity

     Sometimes, it seems that the only word you ever say as a parent, or caretaker, is "No." or some other negative.

    "No, you can't have a cookie for dinner."

    "Don't stand in the chair."

    "You can't scream in the store."

    "Don't dump the toys out!"

    I watch several toddlers on a daily basis, and I realize they probably are just as tired of the negatives as I am.  It is frustrating to both of us, and they don't always know how to handle the limitations with the right attitude.  To be fair, sometimes I don't give the limitations with the right attitude.  I tell them not to play in the water, but sometimes it is just because I do not want to have to change them out of their wet clothes.  After all, I already have enough to do without adding more onto my ever growing list.

    I daily have to realize my own selfishness and pray to God to help me overcome it.  Water is a fascinating experience that is fun and educational.  In a child's perspective it is something to explore and familiarize themselves with.  They haven't lived as long as their parents or their caretakers and sometimes we forget how new to the world they still are.  Each day is a new learning experience for them.

    That isn't to say that "No" shouldn't be a part of your vocabulary, but it can be replaced with other words or worded differently.  Taking a look at the above example, let's try to find a way to say each instruction in a different, less negative way:

    "Maybe after dinner." Instead of: "You can't have a cookie for dinner."

    "We need to sit in the chair so we can be safe." Instead of: "Don't stand in the chair."

    "Let's use an inside voice," Instead of: "Don't scream in the store." (Make sure you are modeling it for them.)

    "If you take the toys out, you'll have to pick them all up," Instead of: "Don't dump the toys."  (Just be sure you follow through with it.)

    In this way, we are telling and showing them the right and appropriate action, instead of just telling them that what they are doing is wrong.  We are also showing that there are consequences that they probably didn't think of, and will make them think twice before they do whatever they are thinking about doing.

     What do you think?  Are you tired of constantly saying "no"?  Let's work on rewording our expectations so that they sound less negative and more instructive.

    Thanks for reading!  As always feedback is welcome.

Organic Play Slush

    Greetings!  I haven't updated in awhile, but hopefully I can become more regular with updates.  :)

    Play-dough, moon sand, slime, putty, etc. are always fun to play with.  They are cool manipulatives that can keep children entertained for hours and also fuel their active imaginations.  However, if you have toddlers or child who loves to sample these for their edibleness, you are probably looking for a more organic alternative that won't be harmful if swallowed.

    My favorite, calls only for one ingredient: zucchini.  It is really easy to convert this vegetable into an edible modeling manipulative.  Just puree and squeeze the extra water out.  Children love this!  It is edible, easy to clean, and healthy if your little one does decide to sample it.  This is also a great way to use extra zucchini from the garden.

    You can freeze, and thaw for later play or add it to your compost pile when you are finished.  As always, enjoy and please leave comments below.  I'd love to hear from you!

No Running In The House!

     Most parents have this rule, or a similar one.  Why do parents and older siblings caution the little ones against running in the house?  The reasons are probably endless:

• Our house is too small.
• We have breakable objects.
• The baby is learning to crawl.
• Tear ensue because someone always runs into something or another someone (double the tears).

     If you home school, your children probably spend a good portion of the time at home.  Children have a lot of energy, and unfortunately they cannot always take their energy outside: its raining, the yard is not fenced, its too hot, the mosquitoes are out, my husband just sprayed the weeds, its snowing, etc.  Some moms decide that this battle is not worth fighting and they let their children run in the house as long as they can do it safely and it doesn't get too out of hand (they'll probably outgrow it once they get older, like when they reach their mid-twenties).

     Other moms prefer that their children do not run in the house.  There are some instances when running in the house is acceptable: when the house is on fire, if there is an emergency, if someone is in danger, if you need to vomit, etc.  (feel free to add your exceptions).  It is important that you explain to children when it is acceptable to run in the house.  

     An example:

     When they run pass you while you are folding laundry, ask them if the house is on fire.  This will remind them that they are allowed to run in the house only for specific reasons and not just because they want to be the first one to answer the phone.  :)

    If the children cannot go outside to play, you will have to come up with an activity they can focus their energies on.  Simple exercises like: Touch your head, elbows, toes.  Touch your head, elbows, toes.  Elbows, toes; and other exercises will take the edge off the their energy.  Assign them something to clean or fix: wipe the kitchen table, sweep, peel off stickers, clean out their toy box, etc.  There are a lot of little jobs they can do.

     Having them stop, go back, and walk, will also quickly curb the tendency to run in the house.  After all, it take energy and time to correct a mistake so the best possible avoidance is not to make the mistake to begin with.  

    What about you?  Do you prefer your children to walk in the house, or does it not bother you to let them run off some of their energy as long as they do it safely?  What methods work best for you when teaching your children to walk in the house and not run?  We'd love to hear from you.  As always we look forward to feedback and appreciate you stopping by.  God bless you. 

My Child Hates Reading!

      It isn't uncommon for a child to have difficulty reading.  And really, it is not that the child hates reading, they probably would love to read!  Unfortunately, they are struggling with their frustrations as they learn how to read.  As I was learning to read, I can't say that I particularly enjoyed it either.  In fact, I would make mistakes on purpose, hoping my mom would get tired and consider it a lost cause.

    As you can see, my plan didn't quite work out as I intended it to, but what can you expect from a eight year old?  :)

    I love reading now!  I do it daily, it has become one of my favorite hobbies.  I am really glad that my mom was persistent.

    As a teacher myself, I have helped numerous struggling young readers.  Here are five tips that have helped me make progress with frustrated readers:

• Ease off the pressure.  Children learn to read at different rates, forcing them to become fluent in reading now only serves to frustrate the child further.  Let them learn at their rate, this doesn't mean that there should be no challenge, but if the child is not ready to move onto the next step, stay with it until they are.
• Let the child choose books that interest them, they are more likely to enjoy reading and want to learn if the material interests them.
• Read to them and have older siblings read to them as well.  Children learn a lot just by watching parents and older siblings model skills.
• Have your child help read, write, and copy grocery lists, directions, their name, basic information, colors, etc.
• Phonics is really important (sounds that the letters make), make sure you invest in a good program that teaches this skill thoroughly.  I personally like Abeka Books.

    Don't let reading become frustrating.  If it becomes increasingly difficult, take a break.  Try a different and easier activity.  Reading can be done during the time of day that you have noticed your child doing best in their studies.  Lead up to reading with a fun activity, and follow up with another easy activity.  Planning those difficult lessons between easier ones is rewarding, and it really works.

    What about you?  What have you noticed works best?  How do you get your child to read?