April 2008 Edition

heart

April 2008 photo courtesy of Keri from Sunny

of the matter online 20 Ways To Becoming An Eco Friendly Family Bumps In the Road

Holiday Leftover Ideas

Gardening

giveaway

Can You Afford That Second Income?

Computer Savvy Pre-Schooler

Homeschooling With Autism HOW to Attend A Homechool Conference

Raising Boys vs. Raising Men

In This Issue: 3 4 6 6 7 8 9 10 11 11 12 14 15 16 17 17 18 19 20 22 22 24 26 28 29 2

From the Editors....

Good Citizenship Bumps in the Road New Features at Heart of the Matter Online Raising Boys vs. Raising Men Don’t Be Afraid To . . . STOP! Important Dates In April Keepin’ It Real We Were There With Lewis & Clark REVIEW Learning Love Languages At Home 20 Ways To Becoming An Eco-Friendly Family Homeschooling As a Matter Of Public Discussion Can You Afford That Second Income?

Organized Expectations The Computer Savvy PreSchooler God and History of Art I & II REVIEW How Should We Respond To Criticism & Questions An Empty Backpack A Mom’s Decision to Homeschool Her Child with Autism Through the Microscope Giveaway Give God YOUR Details How To Attend A Homeschool Conference Faith Through the Bad Days From Our Readers

From the Editors....

We have already begun preparation for next school year. We have purchased some curriculum, begun lesson plans for some great literature (which will be available for download next month), and we’ve started re-organizing our school area.

The kids are preparing to have a fun break at the end of May and mom is looking forward to a bit of leisure time as well!

We also have many great things to look forward to here at Heart of the Matter Online....

For starters, we will be having a generous contest for Mother’s Day that is going to bless the socks off of one mom who gives her all to her family. The prizes for this contest are valued at well over $500 but we will wait to reveal those details! ;o) For the week surrounding Father’s Day we will be letting the DADS

take over the Heart of the Matter Online. Yes, you read that right.

The dads will be writing some articles for the site and you just won’t believe the topics they will be discussing! It will be educational as well as entertaining. We have great dads and we look forward to sharing their thoughts with you.

We also have the First Annual Heart of the Matter Online Virtual Homeschool Conference coming up.

We have many amazing speakers lined up as well as vendors to meet all your homeschooling needs... and wants! The speaker lineup includes: Amy Pak , Jennifer Steward, Crystal Paine , Heather, otherwise known as Sprittibee, Dawn from Barefoot Blogs, DeeDee, from the widely popular blog, It Coulda’ Been Worse, Jeannie Fulbright, Luke McDonald, Amy Grant Bayliss, Marybeth Whalen, Kelli Crowe, Gina Conroy, Kelly, from A Spacious Place,

Printables of the Month Core Knowledge Sayings and Phrases (grades K through 3) Art Appreciation with Lucy Micklethwait books

Angela DeRossett, Ami Brainerd, the creator of Homeschool Share, Robin Sampson, Sheila Wray Gregoire, Todd Wilson, Angela Parsley, Linda Lacour Hobar, Heather Paulsen, and Lee Binz.

You can check out the conference site for more information and to sign up for the event.

And what would a great website be without contests?

We have many BIG contests coming up in the next month so be sure to check back every day to see what is currently up for grabs. We’ll start it off with this Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots giveaway. To enter, simply leave a comment on at least two articles in this month’s edition.

See “Through the Microscope for more details.

As always, we take submissions for cover photos, articles, projects, and more. Please see our submissions page for more details: Submissions Link.

The “Amies”

HWT cursive alphabet wall strips (cut out and tape together)

All of these printables are courtesy of Angi from Peakmore Academy

Amy B & Amy S

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Good Citizenship: Taking the Mystery Out of Political Activism

fellow man to speak God’s truth and affect the world around us. Apathy is not Jesus’ way. He confronted the evil of his time - not with a sword, but with his Word. A Good Citizen is an active and concerned citizen – one who is intimately involved and compassionate towards his fellow man. Since laws and taxes affect us all, shouldn’t we use the freedom we have to shape those laws and taxes into something good for us all?

Now that my kids are 11 and 9, we decided it was time for them to see their parents getting involved. This year after voting was over, we showed up at our district precinct. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was not intimidating at all. They called the tiny 20-person meeting to order and they told us that they had 20 spots for any of us who were willing to go on to the county as delegates. “What does a delegate do?” some asked.

They told us that the delegates get to vote on resolutions submitted by the public so that they become part of the Republican Party platform… and that the delegates get to pick state delegates for the next level. After state is national delegates… and THOSE are the ones who help shape the turn-out of the next presidential election. I decided to add our names to the list in one of those Homeschool-affected moments where mom’s eyes light up at the thought of a learning experience for the kids. Not only had we come politically active, but we met a lot of nice people who live in our community around us (that we might not have ever met otherwise). In today’s isolated suburban worlds, meeting local, like-minded friends is a real bonus.

Here in Texas there are not many laws against homeschoolers. We like to call it the “Land of the Free” with regards to teaching your kids.

When you look into Texas homeschooling, you will find just a few simple guidelines that the State requires parents to teach: Reading, Spelling, Grammar, Math, and Good Citizenship. Looking back, I don’t seem to remember learning Good Citizenship in public school.

Sure, I learned what voting was, but no one ever told me how to actively affect the political landscape of my country. A vote is just one person’s opinion… but grass-roots groundswell movements affect large amounts of people and change the tides of apathy. Those are things I didn’t learn about until homeschoolers taught me about them.

I take my charge by the State of Texas to teach my kids Good Citizenship seriously. So, with that in mind, each year we have included the children in current events, allowed them to go with us to the voting polls, discussed political issues openly at home, learned about candidates together, done a president and elections unit study, learned about the history of the United States, and most recently – we have become what I call “politically active.” Going to vote is great, don’t get me wrong… but that isn’t what I would call politically active. Joining with grass-roots teams to affect the political platform, helping out with campaigns for your favorite politicians, and going AFTER voting is over to your county precinct meeting is what I would call politically active. Mahatma Gandhi would just call it being “the change you want to see in the world”. The reason Christian conservatives need to get involved in government is because we have a duty to God and our

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The night before the County Republican Convention, my husband told me he really didn’t want to go. “You mean we have to get up at 6 in the morning to get there by 8?” he grumbled. We live pretty far from where the meeting was to be held, so we had a long drive ahead of us on a Saturday morning. Honestly, I didn’t want to get out of bed, either. We went to bed late and I knew it was going to be hard to get up. I prayed about it before bed. “Lord, if you want us to go, help me not be a grouch in the morning,” I whispered as I shut my eyes.

At exactly 6 o’clock the next morning, my eyes popped open. I knew God was nudging me out of bed because I am not an early bird and getting up without an alarm clock is almost physically impossible for me. Often I can even sleep through multiple snoozes and manage to work the noise into my dreams. Add that to the fact that we only got about five hours of sleep before I woke up, and you have the makings of a miracle awakening. In a matter of an hour, we were dressed and ready to go (and the kids were counting on the rare presence of donuts once we got there – or they wouldn’t have been so eager to give up their Saturday, either).

Our 20 person precinct swelled to over 500 Republican delegates once inside the convention headquarters. Each part of our county was represented there. We all had to get name-tags with our name and precinct numbers (even the kids got guest name-tags) and they instructed us on where to sit. Seating was set by county precinct so that if they called for division on a vote, your precinct chairman could ask you individually “yes” or “no” on an issue and then give the exact number to be accurate.

There was a call for division at least three times on certain votes where it was too close to call by standing or sitting – or by saying “yes” or “no” out loud.

An added bonus was that we got to meet and greet our county representatives, hear a few local speakers talk about what the representatives for the county do (they explained their jobs to us), listen to state representa-

tives speak, and get to know our fellow precinct delegates better. One of the Republican Club speakers was a Homeschool mom and she gave a plug for homeschooling. A few of us in the crowd ‘hooted and hollered’ for her to show support. The County District Attorney came and introduced herself to our kids and said it was so nice to see new faces. The female judge who led our opening prayer invoked the name of Jesus over us and praised the Lord without hesitation. I had never heard a prayer so rich and beautiful in a public place before. It was enough to bring me to tears.

Half way through the day, after saying the American and Texan pledge… the call of roll… the report of rules… the appointment of the resolution committee… and the speeches of many candidates and elected officials, we broke for lunch. They had catered in some food, but the line was snaking out into the parking lot, so we left to eat at McDonald’s. We asked the kids if they were enjoying the day. “Well, it is more interesting than I thought it would be,” our eleven year old said. While we ate, the couple in the booth in front of us introduced themselves and we talked about the convention together and got to know each other better. They happened to be from our precinct and ended up sitting next to us when we got back.

The meeting was called back to order after 1PM and we all got a copy of the resolutions from the committee. Although we weren’t making law at the county convention, we were shaping the platform of our party and hopefully speaking loud and clear to our officials so they could better uphold our collective will.

Some of the things that were voted on were: - Abolishing state departments and returning power to the people - Repealing the Federal Reserve Act - Cutting foreign aid to nations threatening our citizens - Requiring all sections of a bill or law to be of the same subject as the title (no fine print) - Doing away with the Trans Texas Corridor - Using school funds for educational purposes - Urging reversal of Roe v. Wade and allowing states to control their own decisions - Restoring parental rights - Privatizing Social Security - Requiring school districts to post their financial data online for accountability - Opposing restrictions on the right to bear arms and gun-free zones - Requiring Texas government bodies to limit their size by population plus inflation - Requiring “Truth in Taxation” so the taxpayer knows before passage the entire burden Being present when the vote was held on these issues and more was a humbling experience. By voting at the county convention on the resolutions to the party platform, I wasn’t a private citizen any more – I was part of the process. Whether I was behind the above blanket statements or not – I’m sure glad I got to be a part of the decision-making. Interestingly another issue came up that was voted down which would have eventually changed the way Texas senators were chosen. Another proposal was made to un-bind delegates so that they could vote for whomever they wanted in the party. If there had not been so many present, they might have passed. Listening to the arguments by individuals for each proposed resolution was riveting. There were instances where I was torn between both sides. Each vote counted and an entire county was represented on some very important issues that may now go on to be passed at the state level in June.

Although my children didn’t listen to every word or have the chance to vote, they learned a valuable lesson about being a good citizen. They learned that good citizens are passionate about what they believe in – that they are involved in the process of shaping their world. In the final moments before the meeting adjourned, a young girl stood up. She couldn’t have been more than 20 years old. She was timid as she spoke into the microphone. She wanted to suggest another resolution that she had written herself on notebook paper. The speaker gave his blessing and she read it to the audience with a trembling voice. Her resolution was to require elected officials to uphold the will of the people by not straying from the platform we have voted on. Although it was redundant and is written in the original party platform, the speaker allowed a vote. Another man stood to speak for her resolution and said (and I paraphrase), “It can’t hurt to say it again – we should never tire of telling our officials that they MUST stand for the will of the people they govern.” I heard a few ‘Amen’s. I got chills down my spine and tears in my eyes and began to think about how sad it would be to see this great country decline through socialism – or to have our freedoms taken away.

I vowed as a Homeschool parent to always be involved in politics in the future – so that we are at the heart of what our country stands for. I call that Good Citizenship.

Sprittibee (Heather) has been homeschooling for 6 years and has one crazy husband, 2 crazy kids (ages 9 and 11) and 2 crazy cats. When she isn’t making Tex-Mex, learning web design, teaching the kids, or rubbing her face on the cat’s belly... she loves to blog. In her column “Heartstrings for Homeschoolers,” she reminds us to stop and smell the proverbial flowers on this journey we call homeschooling. Not every day will be a great one. She admonishes us to learn to focus on the beauty of the moments God has blessed us with - for better or for worse... because our hearts are shaped by the memories we are making.

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Bumps in the Road glory to God. Sometimes our plan is not His plan.

During this week (several years ago), we did not get through our ABC’s but we learned a much more valuable lesson, to lean upon the Lord. If we learn to lean upon the Lord we will find things flow more smoothly even as we ride along all the bumps in the road.

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

I remember the very first day that I started homeschooling twelve and a half years ago. I was so excited! I had my curriculum picked out and all of the supplies I needed gathered and set out on the table the night before. Things went perfectly! After all, I had read and reread the lessons like twenty times already. I was going to be the perfect homeschool mom and things were always going to be sunshine and rainbows. What I didn’t allow to enter my mind was the fact that in order to have a rainbow, there has to be rain! My perfect homeschool experience lasted three whole days and when day four hit I became, what I thought, was a total failure! I have grown a lot since then and realize that having unattainable goals will always leave me feeling like a failure.

Why set myself up for that? Here is one thing that I have learned along the way and tried to apply to my life.

BE FLEXIBLE! Planning is a good thing, be prepared, but be flexible! Babies will cry, children will get sick, mom will get sick with 102 degree temperature, the dog will get sick, the bird will break free from its cage and the cats will go nuts! All of this will happen when hubby is out of town. Oh, did I mention mom is due in 3 weeks and always delivers early (can we say stress & fear?)

YES, this was an actual week in my life. Guess what, no one can have a perfect school day when this is your week! Be flexible and remember things do not always go as planned.

Remember your reason for being: to bring

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This month I wanted to encourage you on those rainy days. The rainbow soon will appear. Remember who sends the rain and the rainbow. Praise the Lord for both!

Next month I plan on sharing a bit about scheduling and the importance of having of a plan. It is important however, to remember that we are not perfect and that even the best made plans are subject to the working of the Lord.

Kristine is the wife of a pastor who is currently serving as a chaplain in the military. She is also the mother of eight wonderful children and schools them using the Classical Christian method.

In her column, “Ducks in a Row,” she writes about the challenges, joys, and logistics of homeschooling a large family. Visit her at her blog, Mama Archer.

ATTN: New Features at Heart of the Matter Online We have been in the works of implementing a section of our website specifically for the listing of Local Homeschool Conferences & Conventions, Field Trip Locations, Contest Announcements, Online Communities, & Co-Op news.

If you would like to submit any information for these categories, please email us at: home-

schoolinghearts@gmail.com.

Please feel free to forward this to Co-Op Leaders, Conference Organizers, and anyone else who could help to build this information portal.

This site isn’t possible without your contributions and help.

Thank you!

Raising Boys vs. Raising Men There is a difference raising boys and raising men. Strategies that worked perfectly well for your young boys need a bit of tweaking as they enter adolescence. Your goal is to grow your boys into men, not just into “older boys.”

Our church has been running a series called “Love and Respect” based on the book by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. The book and the class are aimed at husbands and wives, but the lessons it teaches are equally applicable (if not somewhat less obvious) to raising sons and daughters. I have zero experience raising daughters, so you’ll have to learn about that on your own.

I do have some experience with sons, however, and I thought I’d share some of those lessons with you while your boys are still boys.

Lee and I didn’t fully appreciate these lessons until after our boys were grown. The book and class are teaching us things we both either new instinctively or that became so obvious that we had to deal with them “on the fly.” The biggest ah-ha was that something profound happens in boys in the early teen years – beyond the hormones. This is about the time when boys begin to stretch and break free of their childish ways.

We call it a number of things: stretching their wings, pushing the boundaries, even “rebelling.” None of these expressions do justice to what is actually transpiring, however. The problem with these phrases is they focus on how parents feel in watching this transition.

What they don’t capture is what is happening inside the mind the young man himself. Looking from the perspective of a teenage boy (Caution: Do not attempt this without donning a Haz-Mat suit) the world is changing. Their whole life to this point has largely been focused on mom and dad. At 13, they still deeply love and need their mom, but something odd and unexpected happens in their relationship with dad. Whereas, dad had been a towering figure of majestic strength who demanded unflagging respect, now they look at him and, for the first time think: “Hmm...He’s not so tough….”

And so the battle is joined. There is a period, when boys are between 13 and 17, where a family’s entire dynamic appears not unlike a pack of Artic wolves. The opportunities for dominance and submission between and father and his sons often seem limitless. In our

family, everything became “challenge and competition.” Not just on the basketball court but also in areas not normally associated with Extreme Sports: going to the supermarket, a weekend camping trip, taking the garbage out. Boys will become positively Darwinian when faced with the prospect of doing their normal chores. “If I do this without a fight, HE will win and I will die…” seems to be the thought running through their heads.

As you can imagine, this puts boys in a very awkward position. Yes, Dad holds the keys to life and death, but also to the refrigerator and (later) to the car. They must develop a strategy to beat their fathers into submission while also remaining endearing enough to stay under their care. Now none of this, mind you, is conscious. How could it be when nearly all logical thought has been drowned in testosterone? No, this is more primitive, primeval really.

So how does a dad react to feeling like he’s been run over repeatedly by a small, but very tenacious Tonka Toy? Hopefully, not the way I did…at least at first.

My first strategy was to confront these little usurpers head on. I brought the holy mountain of fatherly righteousness squarely down on their shoulders. I threatened, I shamed, I punished…. (In weaker moments I also begged, whined and sniveled.) In general, I played their game. I eventually learned what was really going on. I’d like to say I reflected on the situation and logically concluded that we were experiencing a family power struggle and I then methodically laid out a plan to turn it into a positive learning opportunity.

In reality, Lee hit me upside the head and pointed out that I was behaving quite like an idiot. Of course, in deference to Mr. Eggerichs, she did this with the utmost respect.

Men learn from Hollywood that all dads are idiots. The good news is you don’t have to stay that way. Here are a few strategies I used to turn what had been a Mixed Martial Arts Extreme Cage Death Match into what is now a warm and loving relationship with my grown sons.

Figure out what your sons do well - Come on. It’s not that hard. Start by thinking about the activities where your sons are currently able to beat you. For my eldest, it was chess.

For my youngest, it was debating political issues. The good news is that the number of activities in this category may start small, but by the time your son is 17, it will pretty much encompass everything you do while awake.

Show your young men respect regarding their passions - This will require you suck up your pride. I’m mean, if they are good at something, even something in which you previously consider yourself to be “The Man,” go ahead and say it. The admiration of their father is something sons have sought since the Prodigal Son’s older brother first said “Hey! What about MY fatted calf ?”

Engage them as adults - Your teenage sons are capable of complex intellectual thoughts (when not in front of the Xbox). Talk to them.

Ask them what they think. See how they would handle adult situations. Do this without using the moment to bludgeon them with a “fatherly lesson on the ways of the world.”

You might actually learn something.

Ask for their advice - There is nothing that communicates the message that he is growing up quite as powerfully as when a dad asks his son, “What would you do if you were me?”

For some bonus daddy points, make sure you occasionally take the advice and let him know how it worked.

Work side by side with them - Boys (and men) will open up more when working cooperatively with their fathers. Hours could pass in silence while working on a project when, at a moment it is least expected, the boy might utter: “Dad, I have a problem I need some help with.” Believe me, when it happens, it’s worth the wait!

These are just a few of the things that dads can do to gracefully ease their sons into adulthood. Having lived through the not-soWonder Years and emerged with a sound relationship with my boys, I am here to offer you hope that it can turn out well. You and I both know you are still “The Man,” even if your sons currently think you’re really a wimp.

Matt , Mr. HomeScholar Lee Binz is a veteran homeschool mother of two and the owner of The HomeScholar. Her mission is “Helping parents homeschool through high school.” You can sign up for her free email newsletter, The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via reader from her blog, The HomeScholar High School Helper.

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if the final “k” sound at the end of a word was made by a “c” or a “k.” And don’t even get me started on all the variations of vowel sounds!

Yes, it would be nice. One sound - one letter.

That works for me. However it isn’t reality.

The English language has 26 letters combining to form 43 sounds using rules that often change from word to word. Sometimes the “aw” sound in words is spelled with “aw” as in the word “crawl”, while at other times the “aw” sound is spelled with an “au” as in the word “pause”. The long “a” sound (as in “may”) can be spelled with “a”, “ay”, “ae”, “ai” and “eigh.”

The letter “y” can make a consonant AND two vowel sounds. What about the words “boy” and “boil”? Same sound - two different spellings. (Makes you want to take it easy on that 1st grader doesn’t it?)

Don’t Be Afraid To . . . STOP! Psychologists and Psychiatrists alike have spent years telling us that it is mentally and emotionally healthy, and very freeing to be honest with ourselves about who we are who we really are on the inside. Putting forth a ‘fake’ personality for the world to see is not only dishonest, but can cause internal stress and pressure of the worst kind. And so, with that in mind, in the interest of good mental health, and honesty, I’ll just be honest and ‘spill it’!

My husband and I may have raised a geek or two. There. I’ve said it. I know, I know, it’s shocking. The kids are so good looking, and they have lots of friends, and they’re awesome musicians, and they have cool hair and they hardly ever trip over their own feet or put tape on their glasses. But, it’s true. If you walk through our home, you won’t move two feet without stepping on some form of Rubik’s Cube (all varieties included: 2x2, 3x3, 4x4, 5x5, spherical, triangular, some with only shades of gray for color - all of which are solved daily - and timed). If you make it past that, you’ll probably trip over my husband’s crossword books (NY Times, of course) or his logic puzzles. Anyone brave enough to keep going will most likely stumble onto the collection of ‘twisted metal’ puzzles - I think there are 10,358 of them in the house. And, on a good day, you’ll find the family standing around a computer working on virtual crossword puzzles and mocking those of us who suggest hitting the “get a hint” button.

(Ahem. I should add that I am not a gifted

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geek. It seems that I only marry them or give birth to them. No, I’m fine. Really) Yes, anyone who has children, or who reads about children, or who has ever met any children knows that they are curious. It’s no secret that kids love puzzles, they love mysteries, they love to be challenged and then win! They love to solve Rubik’s Cubes and beat their last best time. And then, they run to look for the next challenge, and puzzle and slice of excitement that lies waiting around the corner. What they hate is to be challenged, and then lose.

What they find distasteful and disheartening is to continually be faced with challenges that they don’t feel equipped to deal with or solve.

And far too often, ‘learning to read’ finds its way into that category. Sometimes, very early on in a child’s education process, ‘learning to read’ becomes a huge, confusing “puzzle” that seems impossible to tackle.

“What’s the big problem in reading? The first problem is that in English there are 26 letters in the alphabet and there are 43 sounds in our spoken language. Now it doesn’t require a rocket scientist to see that some of the letters will have to represent more than one sound.”

(Frank Armbruster) And so our troubles begin. Wouldn’t it be great if for every sound in our spoken language there was only one letter to represent that sound? There would be no having to decide if the “s” sound in a particular word was made by an “s” or a “c.” No trying to determine

Another issue that seems to throw even more confusion in the mix, is that some children appear to learn to read with practically no effort at all while others remain somewhat clueless concerning the whole process. When considering beginning readers, we’re forced to acknowledge the fact that not every 5-6 year old is cognitively ready to learn to read at the same time. Also, while some are actually academically “ready” to begin the process, they simply can’t seem to sit still for long enough.

(Mom, remember you need BIG doses of mercy and small doses of school with boys in the early grades.)

The reason I make a point to mention all of the previous stumbling blocks to reading success is that they are very common. Many, many young 5 year olds find themselves trapped in a kindergarten book while possessing a 4 year old toddler brain. A majority of kindergarteners and first graders experience brief times of absolute confusion when faced with recognizing the difference between the letters “b” and “d” and even “p” and “q.” Also, a whole host of kids in this age group can be quite sensitive to sugars and food additives that give them excess energy thus preventing genuine concentration or focus.

Sometimes, after weeks or months of struggle and effort on the part of student and parent, frustrations will rise. Mom is frustrated because all of her energies seem to be for naught.

Offspring is frustrated because . . . “Reading is too hard”. All of your best laid plans seem to be crumbling at your feet. You’re having recurrent dreams of flagging down the public school bus in the morning and promising the driver cookies if she’ll just take your kid to

school - any school.

It is time to give yourself permission to STOP. Stop the lessons, stop the drills, stop the reading, stop the expectations, stop the clock . . . STOP. Take a step back and breathe.

Encourage Junior to breathe. Close the books and put them out of site. Maybe for a week or more. Take whatever time you need to carefully take a long hard look at the situation.

After doing this with one of my own children years ago, I was forced to realize that she simply was not going to be able to continue on in the first grade math book we were using at the time. (It would be two years before I would discover the real “issue” she was having.) But, issues aside, she simply was not able to function - at that time - at her “expected” level.

Period. All of the tea in China in addition to all of my best efforts, accompanied by every single ‘song and dance’ (educationally speaking) I could come up with would not change that fact. So, we stopped. As offensive as the old saying may be, it is true - ‘It’s like beating a dead horse!’ (Not sure why you’d want to do that, but . . . ) It only produces frustration.

Nothing else.

During your “STOP” time, simply begin to pray for direction, and start looking for ideas.

Entertain the fact that Junior may just need some time to mature. Children who are allowed to wait and start academics when they are truly prepared and mature will be far stronger students in the long run.

And just so ya know, this kind of thing happens in every type of school environment - not just in home schools. I encountered this same situation years ago while teaching in a public school. I inherited a resource class of about 16 students. (All boys except for two - all started school too early when they were not ready for academics - all struggling to read at anywhere NEAR grade level) As a resource teacher, my job was to help them ‘catch up’ as all of them were struggling significantly below grade level in all subject areas. After two or three months of the “usual” methods, I realized we were still making no measurable progress. So . . . we STOPPED! We put away all of the work they were trying to catch up on, we put away all of the ‘below level readers’ they were still struggling in, we stopped the insanity. I began to test them intensely, yet very informally, ‘cause I’m sneaky that way. What I discovered was amazing. In

a class of 16 children, only one child truly exhibited any signs of “learning problems” though they were all categorized as “learning disabled.” The problem? None of them - not one - knew all of the letters of the alphabet or all of the sounds the letters made. None of them knew short vowel sounds - to them, every “A” said its long sound. Every “E” said its long sound. Also, each of them had a list of consonants for which they did not know the corresponding sound. Try reading even a second grade book with those kinds of learning gaps! And these children were in the 5th and 6th grades! Of course they appeared to have learning problems!

These kind of problems arise sometimes when children are required to sit in academic settings for which they are not ready. Though the teacher and methods they may have been presented with in kindergarten/first grade might have been excellent, the children were not ready. Because of this, they acquired enough skill to move to the next grade, but not enough skill to become proficient. And the problems stack even higher the following year. Fast forward to 5th/6th grade, and they find themselves in special education classes and resource rooms trying desperately to catch up on mountains of grade level work, yet they can scarcely read.

My public school story has a great ending, though.

After my discovery, we began a campaign to teach these 11, 12, and 13 year olds how to read. We started with recognizing the alphabet and ALL of its sounds!! This time, they were ready. Six months later, all but one student tested 3 grade levels higher in reading.

TA DA!!!

At this point, anyone can see that there is no magic involved here - only common sense. As a mother/teacher you have all of the “magic” needed to solve most of your brood’s academic situations. Not only do you have the detailed, intimate knowledge of each of your student’s strengths and weaknesses, you have the authority to ‘STOP’ when necessary. You have the freedom to take a breather and assess the direction of your school. You possess internal radar that tells you when a child is reaching levels of frustration that need to be tended to. As parents, you have the responsibility to teach as well as the responsibility not to teach when the situation requires it. It could be the smartest “STOP” you ever make.

Darnelle is a wife and a mother to 5 children: 4 home schoolers who are currently in 3rd, 7th, 9th, and 11th grades and one who has graduated from home school and is a college sophomore. All 5 children have been home schooled from preschool. She has many years of teaching experience in public, private, parochial, and special schools, but her favorite . . . is home school! Her certification is in the areas of special education and remediation. In her column, “Fill in the Blanks”, Darnelle aims to assist parents in finding and then correcting the trouble spots that often cause academic problems and struggles. Children (and their parents) who are freed from the heavy burden of academic struggles can begin to love learning again - just like God intended! Visit her blog, All Things Work Together.

Important Dates In April Friday, April 11 - Meme - How I Got Started Homeschooling Sunday, April 13 - Featured Homeschooler Tuesday, April 15 - Field Trip Tuesday Friday, April 18 - Meme - The Things My Child Taught Me During Homeschool Lessons & Unit Study announcement for Outer Space Saturday, April 19 - Jessica’s Birthday Sunday, April 20 - Around the Web in a Dozen Links & Amy Bayliss’ Birthday Tuesday, April 22 - Lisa B’s Birthday Friday, April 25 - Meme - Quote “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.” ~Chinese Proverb Sunday, April 27 - Featured Homeschooler, & Marsha’s Birthday Friday, May 2 - Outer Space Unit Study Day, & Lori AND Rachel’s Birthday 9

Keepin’ It Real With all this talk about cultivating a love of learning in our children, I felt compelled to present a novel idea: let’s practice what we preach!

I once stumbled upon this list and have tried to implement the suggestions given in my own life. These are a few tips I find especially helpful for cultivating my own love of learning so that I can lead my children by example!

1) Always have a book. Reading is one of our family’s passions – as I am sure it is for many of your own families. We feel like the whole world is awaiting us in the pages of a book.

So while I find reading to my children is essential, reading alongside them is equally important. They will grow up surrounded by all kinds of books and watching us read for pleasure as well as learning - and hopefully imitate that which they have seen!

Recently, I have been reading the Mitford series by Jan Karon as well as Mothers of the Saints and I have so enjoyed the blessing these books have been to my life. I hope to re-read some of my old theology texts from college in order to keep my mind fresh and sharp in the area of my concentrated studies. What are you reading?

2) Keep a “To-Learn” List - Think of this as your own little “to-do” list for your mind.

You know, we all have those fleeting thoughts about how we’d love to learn to cook Japanese cuisine, or paint a masterpiece, or speak a foreign language. But then life happens and we forget about those desires. If you keep this ever-growing list, you will always have fresh ideas for inspiration at your fingertips when you are ready to start a new project.

My “To-Learn” list consists of a myriad of items ranging from learning how to knit; relearning how to play the flute; learning the proper way to make calculations on an Excel

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spreadsheet; to learning how to re-mortar a brick walkway; and learning the names of all the Presidents! (Remember I am Canadian and wasn’t raised with that little song! I need to learn this!! LOL!) And much more!

What are you learning?

3) Start a Project - I often find that the times I am learning the most is when I have set out to do something I think is interesting and yet I have no experience in that area. Most recently, I decided to start digital scrapbooking! I have been learning something new each time I sit down to work on a page and I have enjoyed that stimulus to my mind. I also recently learned the art of canning.

What joy that has brought my home – and the homes of others! I think it is so important to keep our knowledge relevant and practical as well as ethereal and profound. At different seasons of my life, I find myself more prone to learning one “type” of knowledge over another.

We Were There With Lewis and Clark -REVIEW

By James Munves This is an adventure with young Tom Hendon, a boy who lived in the early 1800s. Tom is left all alone after his mother dies and he becomes determined to find his father whom, he presumes is just in danger because of the Indians, but everyone else believes is dead. So after some convincing from Daniel Boone, Tom joins the Lewis and Clark Expedition so that he can find his father and prove everyone wrong.

Many historical personalities are named in the book including; Drouillard, Sacagawea, York, and others. This well-written fiction book, originally copyrighted in 1959, is a fantastic read for those seeking living literature for American History. It is suggested that the book be used for grades 4-9. There are 15 chapters and the print is large which was a plus since I have a child with a sight impairment.

What are you working on?

Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew18:4 Lord, make us humble vessels so that we can lead our children by our own example of thirst for knowledge of that which is true, beautiful, and good.

Amen.

Stacey is a wife and stay at home mom to two energetic children: Emma who is 4.5 and Timmy who is 3.5. They are Irish twins! Trying to be obedient to the call God has put on their hearts of growing their family and raising little saints, Stacey currently co-schools her children. Her children attend a traditional pre-school part-time and are homeschooled the rest of the time. Stacey’s column, “Standing in the Gap” focuses on way to weave together the worlds of homeschooling and traditional schooling. Visit her blog at A Measure of Grace.

As we read through this book together we discovered lots of fun things along the journey. Though the book does not dig deep into historical facts or accuracy it is a phenomenal launching pad to pique a child’s interest in the Lewis and Clark era. We found ourselves looking up stories about the Sioux Indians and documenting the trip with a map we downloaded off of the internet.

My son also liked the fact that it had no pictures (although there is one black and white in chapter 7). He says that helps him to imagine the story as he perceives it. There are quite a few words that he had to look up in the dictionary, which was good for vocabulary practice, but it wasn’t a difficult read for my son, an 11-year-old.

Mom (Amy) and Kid (Gevan) Rated B+ Book published by HomesSchool Publishing, LLC

This weekend my thirteen-year-old daughter and I are going shopping. While this might not seem like a big deal to some, it is an event for us that has been marked on the calendar in big red letters. Between her theater schedule, her siblings’ schedules and my own, carving out a whole weekend afternoon for just the two of us seems like nothing short of a miracle. But I know how important this is to her; I see the excitement shining in her eyes. I know this will be an afternoon that is about a lot more than buying clothes and experimenting with makeup. This time together is going to be a time for speaking my precious daughter’s love language.

Learning Love Languages At Home Because life happens…sometimes we teach what we know, and create beautiful memories that last a lifetime—without even meaning to!

I first heard of the concept of love languages while attending a parenting seminar years ago. Taken from the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, this concept revolutionized the way I viewed my husband, family members and children. I began to see certain things about them that I had missed before. Where in the past I had found them insensitive or unresponsive, I had a light bulb moment in simply realizing that I had not been speaking their love language and they had not been speaking mine. While I still had quite a bit to learn, this was a significant beginning for me.

It was easy for me to pinpoint my love language as I scanned the five choices.

I needed only to dig into the past and picture my mother. She had done an excellent job of cultivating my love language (quality time) while seamlessly blending it with hers (gift giving).

How? By taking me shopping. As we spent many hours at the mall, walking and eating and talking, she was filling up my love tank. While passers-by might have thought we were just another mother and daughter frivolously spending money, we were in fact making investments in our relationship that would last a lifetime. As I remembered those shopping trips from my turbulent teenage years, I knew that my love language had been discovered then and has never changed. My husband knows that the way he can speak volumes of love to me is to spend time with me—whether taking a walk or eating slowly at a restaurant, the point is to just treasure the time to talk and share from our hearts.

Now that I am all grown up with six children of my own, my opportunities for quality time are severely limited. But that doesn’t stop my mother from expressing her gift giving love language every chance she gets. My mother never comes to my house with empty hands.

She might have a spatula she found because she knows I melted mine, a shirt she saw that she knew I would like, or some other little trinket she knows will bless me or brighten my day. Sometimes my husband rolls his eyes and calls these little gifts “junk.” But I know better.

I know she is saying loud and clear, I love you in the best way she knows how. What’s more, I know that I can make her day by doing the same for her—picking up a candle she would like, or a piece of stationary with her name on it, even a cute magnet for her refrigerator. I

don’t have to spend a fortune, I just have to show her: I thought of you today and I love you. Here’s the proof.

Those years of shopping with my mom were actually years of love language training and I didn’t even know it. My challenge now is to continue to apply these lessons as I relate to my own children in a way that will resonate with them. I recognize that we may not all speak the same love language—but real love is about being willing to speak someone else’s love language, even when it feels foreign to you. And like any foreign language, you can only learn someone’s love language with consistent practice. My mom has inspired me to find my children’s love language and speak it to them loud and clear. Whether I am making my oldest son his favorite meal, spending time alone with my daughter or giving my middle son an extra hug in the midst of a busy day, I am learning to be intentional in my expression of their love languages, different as they all are.

Through gift giving, quality time, acts of service, physical touch and affirming words, I can reach out to them and give them the same foundation I was given: a love that is irreplaceable and irrepressible. It is not enough, I know, to just say I love you. I have to show it in a way that will speak to their hearts. My mother taught me that.

Marybeth is homeschooling mom to six children ranging in age from teen to toddler, as well as a speaker for Proverbs 31 Ministries. In her column “Because Life Happens”, she addresses things like burnout, dealing with interruptions, and handling homeschooling from a very practical perspective. Be sure to visit her blog, Cheaper by the Half Dozen.

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20 Ways To Becoming An Eco-Friendly Family Green.

It seems to be the color of the year! In the last few months, I’ve come across many a magazine, newspaper, commercial, television show, and website promoting ecofriendly living.

dio, etc) when you leave the room or aren’t using them. This was a habit I started as a child and have continued to this day. Encour-

As a child, I was passionate about conserving. I helped raise money to save three acres of the rainforest. I was adamant about preserving water and energy. I often confronted litterers (as only a child can) and encouraged my family to recycle.

Mom reused containers (jars, butter tubs, etc) to use for food storage. We rarely used sandwich baggies. Mom and Dad got the most use out of their appliances as possible.

They lasted for a long, long time. Mom also organized her errands to save on gas (and money). Looking back, we lived a fairly “green” lifestyle (mostly in an effort to save money).

Nehemiah 9:6- You made the heavens, even the highest heavens and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You gave life to everything and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

Over the years, I’ve abandoned some of those ways in the name of ease. I’m ashamed to admit the amount of waste we have in our home. One of my New Year resolutions is to commit myself to a healthier lifestyle, and that involves taking care of the earth, the land our Heavenly Father has given us.

I have found this to be a great opportunity to teach my children about conserving, reusing, and recycling. Of course, the best way to teach is through action, but sometimes, kids don’t quite understand why we do what we do, so it’s important to talk to them as you go green.

One of the easiest ways to save energy is to turn off lights and appliances (television, ra-

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age your children to do the same. If they can’t reach their light switch, place a stool nearby, or purchase an extender which allows them to do so.

You may not think about it, but simply having appliances plugged in uses energy. Unplugging these things when you aren’t using them will save energy and money. We have our television, sound system, dvd player, and chargers (for the laptop, cameras, and phones) plugged into a power strip. This way, we only have to unplug the power strip when these items aren’t in use.

While we’re on the subject of appliances, when it comes time to purchase new ones, go for those that are energy-efficient. It might cost a bit more upfront, but you’ll save in the long run.

You can also purchase energy-efficient light bulbs which last years, instead of months.

Many come with a guarantee. If they don’t last as long as the manufacturer says, you can

get a free replacement or refund.

We recently started washing our clothes in cold water. (This also saves money because we aren’t paying for heated water!) I use hot water for my husband’s work clothes (which need disinfecting) once a week.

When I come across a piece of clothing that has a stain I can’t get out or a hole I can’t mend, I set it aside. Sometimes I can cover the hole on a shirt or pair of jeans with a cute iron-on patch. (The kids love this. It seems like a new shirt to them!) Other times, I use the fabric to make something else, like a patch work dress, a superhero cape, or an outfit for a doll. The children can also use the scraps to learn to sew things like bean bags. We save the scraps for craft projects as well.

You can reuse a lot of items when it comes to craft projects. A trip to a museum in Baton Rouge gave me new ideas.

This particular museum (I forget the name) has a children’s area. In one section, they have a creative area full of items like egg cartons, paper towel cardboards, fabric and paper scraps, boxes, buttons, raffia, ribbon, and much more. They encourage children to put their imaginations to work to build something. Here are some of the things some of the visitors made.

A while back, I needed an envelope but couldn’t find one. I decided to make one out of a page from a magazine. Since then, I’ve used magazine and scrap paper to make stationery.

This is a great way make sure your magazines don’t go to waste. You could also pass your magazines to your friends. A magazine swap is a wonderful way to save money and paper.

I’ve also used magazine sheets, newspaper, and brown paper bags to wrap gifts. (You can stamp or draw on newspaper or paper bags to make a pretty design. Kids love to do this!)

You may be able to find an e-zine version of your favorite magazine on the internet, which also saves money and paper.

You can cut down on paper waste by writing notes on chalk boards or white boards instead of post-its. Try to reuse paper if possible. Here are a couple of recipes for making (recycling) your own paper!

- Pioneer Thinking’s Recipe - Make Stuff ’s Recipe I mentioned that my mother reused jars and tubs for food storage. You can use these items to store craft projects if you don’t use them in the kitchen.

There’s a cool little lunch box on the market now. It’s called the “Bento.” It a container with smaller containers inside. This is great for separating items that could spill all over the place and for keeping sandwiches from going stale or falling apart without using plastic baggies.

Even though we usually eat at home, my kids love helping me create cute little lunch box meals. These things come in handy when you go out for a picnic or a meal on the go. Laptop Lunches sells these containers.

Cloth or canvas grocery bags are all the rage these days. Before, they were a bit too expensive, but now Wal-mart and Target are selling them for a mere dollar. I bought a couple and keep them in my purse. It’s useless to purchase them if you don’t have them with you when you go shopping! If I do get plastic grocery bags, I use them in my van to toss trash before it consumes the vehicle. You can also throw stinky diapers in them so the smell doesn’t overwhelm your trash can (if you’re using disposable diapers, that is).

This month, I began using a weekly meal planner. Not only has this taken so much stress off my shoulders, but it also keeps me from wasting food. All too often, I buy fresh produce that ends up wasting away. I was just thinking about how many chickens died only to sit in my fridge because I intended to cook the meat but kept putting it off or completely forgot about it. Menus4Moms offers a free weekly menu complete with a grocery list.

This helps me stay organized. I’m always prepared for supper, which makes my husband a happy man! (Plus, I save money because I’m not wasting food!)

We buy a lot of things in bulk, but sometimes (most of the time) we only need about half of whatever it is. We now split the cost and bulk with another family, which saves both of us money (and saves on waste since it requires less packaging).

When it comes to meal time, we haven’t completely switched to cloth napkins. We do,

however, put a kitchen towel on the table to use as the “family napkin” if the meal isn’t too messy. This has cut down on our napkin and paper towel use. When we’re finished with the meal, I can wipe the table down and toss the towel into the washing machine.

Genesis 1:26-

God said

Then , "Let us make man in our image, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock,

over

all the earth and over

all the creatures that move

We use special cleaners for our house. I have asthma and am sensitive to cleaners and strong perfumes. I tried vinegar, but I despise the smell. Then I fell in love with Method cleaners (found at many grocery stores like Target).

They have a variety of scents to choose from (I have Lavendar All-Purpose cleanser and Mint Window Wash) with no underlying chemical odor. Method Cleaners are non-toxic, biodegradable, and naturally derived from natural minerals. They have cleansers for wood, stainless, and other special materials. Their tub and tile cleaner is fanastic, especially since there is no headache-inducing odor!

Encourage your family to save water by turning off the facet while you brush your teeth.

We also share bathwater in our home. I take a bath first, and then bathe the children. This was a pretty common practice fifty years ago, but not so much now! You can also use the leftover to water plants. Showering requires even less water, but we are remodeling and don’t have a shower at this moment.

Set out recycling bins, and talk to your children about what sort of items go inside. I know it is exciting for us to figure out what we can recycle. When you go to the park or another public place, pick up trash and talk about the importance of putting garbage where it belongs.

Hopefully you don’t smoke, but if you do, don’t throw the butts on the ground. No one likes a litter bug!

These tips are easy to implement and are a step in the right direction. Sometimes this means taking a little extra care and effort, but it’s well worth it. It’s just one way we can disciple our children in caring for God’s blessings. It’s a wonderful lesson in stewardship of our earth, our possessions, and our finances.

along the ground."

Mandy is a former homeschooler student who has set out to unschool her three young munchkins. In her column “Adventures in Unschooling”, she gives a glimpse into the curious minds of her children as they follow their natural instincts to explore the heights and depths of knowledge and and are led though Godly discipleship. She blogs at MandyMom.com and MandyMom.com/edublog

Here are some websites to help you and your family conserve!

• GREENandSAVE: Find out how much you’ll save if you switch to greener methods!

• The Green Guide: From National Geographic • Go Green Initiative: Helping others learn about environmental stewardship.

Check out these wonderful books: Recycled Crafts Box by Laura C. Martin

Recycle Every Day! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

Where Does Garbage Go? by Paul Showers

Why Should I Save Energy? by Jen Green

Why Should I Protect Nature? by Jen Green

Why Should I Save Water? by Jen Green

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Homeschooling As a Matter Of Public Discussion The biggest homeschooling news of the past month has, without question, been the reactive mess resulting from the ruling of the California appeals court which said in re. Rachel L. that there was “no Constitutional right to homeschool.” I say reactive very intentionally, and without any intention of sensationalism, for this case truly has acted as a catalyst to the homeschooling debate, fueling an unprecedented amount of coverage and analysis. As Valerie Bonham Moon of Home Education Magazine noted, ...the number of reports is a story in itself. HEM In the fallout, we see everyone’s fears regarding homeschooling in America. After World Net Daily reported on the ruling, at least 119 blogs offered commentary with titles like: • Big Brother Lives • Making Government Indoctrination Compulsory • Your Child is Not Your Own • Your Place in the Planned Society There is a distrust of the state which is particularly noticeable among homeschoolers, stemming from a history of the state proving itself to be untrustworthy. This ruling seemed to evoke all of that tension in a flurry of postings to blogs and forums.

And there was, of course, the other side as well.

The Daily Titan, a campus paper of the University of California at Fullerton, published an editorial leading off with a bit of inflammatory rhetoric:

Homeschooling advocates, headed mainly by Christian zealots, are calling for Gov. Schwarzenegger’s protection of their fundamental right to teach their children to be bigots and idiots. dailytitan.com Two professors emeriti from Cal Poly Pomona wrote an editorial for the LA Times where they revealed an odd opinion of homeschoolers:

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The court’s decision means that home schoolers must be given some substantive instruction in social studies and not simply spend their time watching Fox with its strange assortment of oddballs pontificating on current events. LA Times And argued for the certification of all homeschool parents. (I have a full rebuttal to this editorial on my blog.)

Email boxes, forums, blogs, radio programs, television programs and newspapers (local, national and even international) have all featured ongoing coverage of this case, something which could likely have far more effect on homeschooling in the United States than this ruling, which has already been vacated as the court readies itself to rehear the case.

People are interested. People who do not normally think about homeschooling. And while many do support greater restrictions on us, few want to see it made totally illegal or isolated solely to those trained in accredited programs, perhaps because Americans still have just enough latent mistrust of government to question an education system dictated entirely by the state. And, because of the interest, newspapers may be more willing than usual to publish an editorial or ask you for an interview if contacted.

Stay informed. Stay involved. And your voice may be heard by more than you imagine. Every challenge can also be an opportunity, and we now have an opportunity like never before to engage the public in discussion about what homeschooling really means to the many families which have chosen this educational option.

If you have never written one, this is a good description of the structure and goals of an editorial.

Dana is a fourth year homeschooling mom to three girls and a boy.

In her column, “In the News,” she will be taking a look at homeschoolers who have affected the news and news that affects homeschoolers. Visit her blog, Principled Discovery.

You can also look up different ways to start your own online business with places such as eBay or Wagglepop. They can get you started with little out of pocket expenses.

For other ways to help stretch your dollar and get more “bang for your buck” check into some of these resources:

Can You Afford That Second Income?

Many stay at home mothers have to work extra hard at making the dollar stretch. For some, like me, it’s a full-time job planning the budget each week. I have had many women tell me that they must find a part time job to help supplement their income. Some have stretched each dollar and just can’t do anymore, some enjoy their careers, others like the break from the everyday.

What I have found, however, is that many women think that if they go out and get a part time job, they can “save” their paychecks to either pay off debt, or towards some other financial goal or obligation. I would like to challenge that notion. I will use myself as the prime example (simply because I don’t usually learn things the easy way).

After trying to “keep up with the Joneses,” we found that our budget was stretched to the limit. The answer was not to look at our spending and see where we could cut back, NO! It was to have me take on a part time job! Although my husband was set against it, I did it anyway (mistake number one - if hubby doesn’t want you to work, please don’t!) I found a job cleaning offices for $9.50 a hour. I could work in the evenings, which wouldn’t take away from my homeschooling the kids, or my house management. Um hmmm. This is what I found (taken from an actual paycheck): • $9.50/hour for 20 hours a week=$190.00 • $38.00-taxes (very high taxes where we live!)

• $50.00 for gas getting back and forth to work • $40.00 that grocery budget went up simply because I didn’t have the time to plan • $65.00 for eating out two times a week because I was too exhausted to cook, or “needed the break.”

• Total amount earned=$190.00 Total amount spent working=$193.00 No kidding, folks, I was in the hole around $3 per week!!! Not to mention the guilt that I felt at missing baseball games, piano recitals, and not being able to function as well during school time. Here’s the biggest loss of all.

When we filed our taxes, my “extra” income put us in a higher tax bracket, and we paid even more out in taxes!

Money Saving Mom Bargain Banana Frugal Hacks Keep checking back for more money saving ideas!

Heather is a stay at home mother with 3 blessings to take everywhere with her. Teaching women to shop and save and get the most for your dollar are a vision that has been a long time in the making. She enjoys sharing her trials and triumphs at the local stores, as well as some good (and some not so good) recipes to help make those dollars stretch. Her column, “Practical Penny Pincher” is a must read for the thrifty homeschool mom. Visit her blog at Titus 2 Woman.

Another example is a friend of mine, who works “because she needs to:” • $8.50/hour for 40 hours $340.00 • $51 week taxes • $50 week sitter fees • $25 week for breakfast at school (sitter won’t feed them breakfast) • $50 gas getting to work • $60 week eating out (two meals a week) • $60 week for convenience foods at the grocery store This leaves her about $44 a week. For 40 hours of working, not to mention getting the kids up at 5AM to take them to the sitters, being exhausted, and having no time to herself to recharge her batteries.

Before you take on that part time job to “help the budget”, please look at all areas. Sometimes, the money isn’t really that green on the other side.

Other options include working from home as well. You can look on the internet and find many different opportunities. If you are computer savvy, consider teaching others. Can

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Organized Expectations

either. I realized that I wasn’t teaching him skills he’d need in life – how to be responsible for his time and himself. I was handholding my 12-year old son, and he was frustrated because he never knew what to expect.

I’d like to take you on a short, fictional journey. Imagine that you head out to a new job this morning (remember, it’s just pretend). When you get to your place of employment, you pour yourself a cup of coffee and take a seat at your desk. There may be a few other employees at nearby desks.

Your boss arrives, promptly at 8:17, and sits down in front of the new employee desks. He welcomes each of you and goes on to explain your first task of the day. He hands you the appropriate paperwork, a pencil, and lets you know where to find him should you have any questions. He also reminds you to check in with him when you’ve completed this task.

Your first assignment was relatively simple and completed quickly. You inform your boss and he praises your accomplishment.

You return to your desk and wait for your next task. He then brings it over along with appropriate instructions. As needed, he shows you around the office so you know where to find the various materials you’ll need.

This is fairly common when you begin a new job. A new position often requires a little more one-on-one time during training. But how would you feel if you were spoon-fed one task at a time, each and every day? Maybe throughout an entire year?

Personally, it would drive me crazy!

Yet that is exactly what I found myself doing during our first year of homeschool with my 6th grade son. Our days weren’t terrible, but they weren’t all that smooth,

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Thus began my quest for a way to let him know what the day would hold, what would be expected of him, and how to manage his time. So I created a Daily Plan sheet for him.

There are sections for each subject where I write in the specific assignments. Below that, there’s a section for chores. Following that is a “notes” section where I can jot any additional information for him, such as errands we might have, plans with others, or appointments.

This form is available each morning for him to have his day at a glance. When he sits down for breakfast, he can see what will be expected of him and have some idea of the direction our day will be heading. This also helps him to determine what to work on and when. With the check boxes, he marks off each item as it is completed. This provides him with a sense of accomplishment as well as a quick visual of what is left to do.

If he wants to play video games after school, I can ask if he’s completed his chores. If he’s unsure, he has something to refer to, without me reminding (or nagging) him. He’s also not surprised when I tell him it’s time to leave

because we have a couple of errands to run, or that we won’t be home that evening.

I plan to transfer this responsibility to him in the future. He can begin to fill in the chores and the appointments. I may write the assignments on the board and have him copy them into the form. If your children are of an age where you’re working on penmanship, this might be a useful tool. It will also get them in the habit of mapping out their day.

In essence, I’ve recreated a customized version my own daily planner for him. It has been such an enormous help for us. He is better able to own his day and be responsible for himself, because he knows what is expected – both of him and our day. It is much simpler for me, because I don’t have to be available to provide him with the next task, nor remind him of the chores he has to accomplish. An added benefit is the paper trail it’s provided. I’m able to glance back at the forms from previous days and see exactly what was completed. This helps as I make plans for upcoming days and weeks.

Ultimately, my job is to train my son to be a successful adult (however that may look for him). A critical part of that training is teaching him how to organize his time. But you can’t organize what you don’t know.

Once he was able to see the contents of his day each morning, it truly helped our time to run much more smoothly.

Dianne is in the third year of homeschooling with her two middle school boys, ages 14 and 13. She’s been joyfully married for 21+ years. She continually seeks to balance the many aspects of life in a way that glorifies the Lord. In her column “Blueprint for Balance,” Dianne shares organizational strategies for the homeschooling journey. Visit her blog at Bunny Trails.

The Computer Savvy Preschooler

When I first started preschool homeschooling my son I relied on my computer and the internet for exploring lesson plans and ideas to help me along the way. The internet is not a new concept by any means, but it still fascinates me that my son and I can take virtual field trips, find pictures and information on just about anything we are studying about, and even participate in interactive skills sites to supplement his learning.

By now you may know that there are a ton of educational websites geared towards school-aged children, but very little offered for preschoolers. I’ve managed to find a few great websites that cater to preschool learning and a great article about computer usage for preschoolers.

Hands down, the best site for learning the alphabet and the sounds of letters is Starfall. Its interactive lessons start at the preschool level of recognizing letters and sounds and progress to activities for early readers. It will quickly become a favorite for your little learner.

Another website my son and I enjoy is called Lil’ Fingers. Especially geared towards toddlers, Lil’ Fingers offers online story books, educational games, and coloring pages.

Preschoolers and toddlers love to sing and learn songs, and Singing To Me offers a selection of children’s songs that are easy to learn and fun for the little ones to listen to.

If you’ve read every children’s book in your home and you and your child are looking for some new reading material, try an interactive book at Children’s Storybooks Online. Each title is beautifully illustrated and some come with audio. You can read them aloud to your child and some titles even come with printable activity pages.

If you use picture flashcards with your child to help them learn and identify objects in their world, try an interactive version of picture flashcards at Moone Leaf. Simply click on the

picture of the object and it is pronounced for your child.

You may wonder if there is any benefit to using a computer at such a young age. I wondered the same thing and found a terrific article published here by Facts In Action, a

project of Associated Early Care and Education, Inc. This article focuses mainly on the positive social skills that benefit preschoolers using computers, but also points out that nonverbal skills and fine motor skill development are also added benefits of using the computer.

As with anything, moderation and supervision of computer time is key. However, if you are looking for some fresh supplemental material for your preschooler, you just may find it and be pleasantly surprised by visiting one of the sites mentioned above.

Mandy is a preschool homeschooling mom to her two year old son. In her column “Knee High Homeschoolers,” she writes about the joys of homeschooling a preschooler and shares helpful links and practical information gained from experience. Visit her blog, Inching Along.

God and the History of Art I & II - REVIEW

by Barry Stebbing While putting together art lessons for my children, I came across the series by Barry Stebbing, God and the History of Art I and II. The complete course is in 2 separate books moving through Art from the beginning to modern art. Mr. Stebbing has traveled across the United States and Canada teaching homeschoolers art and has put his expertise into a WONDERFUL resource.

I use this curriculum in conjunction with my own resources and it’s proven to be incredibly valuable to me. Included in these books are: *Artist Profiles (from early art through modern art) *Paint Cards to use along with corresponding lessons (35 included) *Instructions for drawing (250 separate art lessons) *Painting and other art projects This curriculum can be adapted for several years of Art History study while adding some basic art principles. Within the course there are 268 separate lessons that can be modified and adapted to the student.

This curriculum is recommended for students 10 and up however it can be adapted for students who are younger if you are teaching an older child. I teach 2 art classes in a home school Co-op and use many of the materials and artist biographies even in my elementary class.

God and the History of Art is one VALUABLE resource that I use on a weekly basis!!

2 thumbs up!!

Review by Lori of All You Have to Give

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How Should We Respond To Criticism and Questions?

(This is part 3 in a 3 part series.)

Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

I Peter 2:23 “...and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered not threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.”

I have found that some people are just not open to the idea of homeschooling and there really is nothing that can be said to change their minds. In those cases I have learned that it is best to be quiet. There are some cases where people know very little about homeschooling, and are genuinely interested in what I am doing. Some might feel intimidated by what they see us doing. Whatever the reason may be, people seem to have a lot of questions, and can be very outspoken about the subject!

Having said all that, we must remember that any comment or criticism that we may encounter is something that God has allowed in to our lives, and we have the responsibility to respond in a God-honoring fashion. We have the responsibility to evaluate the criticism and sift out any truth that there might be in it. This can be hard to do because many times criticism is not given in a way that is loving or considerate. Though people may step over the line with their comments and opinions, and maybe even focus on the potential negatives of home schooling, it can provide a good opportunity for us to go before the Lord and evaluate what we are doing.

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Most importantly we need to pray! We must be aware of the challenges that may come with homeschooling, and pray for God to open up our eyes to the needs of our children, not just academically, but socially and spiritually. It can be helpful to find an objective, supportive person who loves your family, and ask them if they see any areas in our children’s lives that may need work. I have done that over the years, and it has been such a help to us! Others can see things that we do not!

As always, we need to remember that all we do should be done “...to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). This includes how we respond to the criticisms and questions concerning homeschooling. THESE THINGS CAN ACTUALLY MAKE US MORE EFFECTIVE AS HOMESCHOOLERS! We can be THANKFUL, even for the criticism, as He uses it for HIS GOOD, HIS PURPOSE, and HIS GLORY!!

Gina is the mom of two high schoolers, a Freshman and a Senior. In her column “Reaching High,” she shares the many lessons that God has taught her and her family, as they have sought Him through the years. Visit her at her blog, Chats with An Old Lady.

An Empty Backpack After spending time asking God what He wanted for her life, our oldest daughter came and told us that she believed God wanted her to go to public high school. She felt God was asking her to be a light in the darkness with her peers. It was her petition that caused us to seek God’s heart regarding this request.

We had never considered anything but home school, so it was a challenge. After several months in prayer God came to us with release and peace. She entered public school in 10th grade and did beautifully.

God often speaks to me through pictures, much like Jesus did with the parables. He sears them in my mind, with a message of truth attached. On one such occasion He used a picture with Hannah.

Hunched over from the weight of her backpack Hannah slowly walked up the driveway. Upon entering the door she remarked at how heavy her backpack was, hurting her shoulders. She asked me to pick it up and feel how heavy it was, so I did. I could barely lift it. It was overflowing with every book she owned for school. Did she really have that much homework? No, she didn’t need all the books, in fact, most of them she didn’t need. She hadn’t wanted to go to her locker so she brought them home. Had she made a quick trip to her locker her load would have been lighter. She had carried more than she needed.

In an instant God began to speak to me.

“Your days are like that backpack.” “You have things in them that you don’t need, things I have not given to you.” “Come to me with an empty backpack and let me fill it up with what you need each day.” “When I leave it empty, you must leave it empty.” “Those are the days I have given you to rest.” “My grace is sufficient for the day.” “If the grace is not sufficient, then I am not the one who has altered your load, you are.” As usual when God speaks to me like that I am blown away.

A few months down the road God began to give me more pieces to add to the “backpack” picture. He used the story of the gathering of manna. The children of Israel were told to gather a portion of manna each day. The amount was set according to the number in the family. They were told not to gather too much or too little, but the exact portions that God had given to Moses. Some went out and gathered exactly as God had told them. Others gathered more than they needed. And

I’m sure some gathered too little.

Those who gathered too little ran out of sustenance.

Those who gathered exactly as God had said were filled to sufficiency. And those who gathered too much found out what happens when you take on too much. Their excess manna filled with maggots and began to rot. When they gathered too much for their day, things around them began to stink.

On the day before the Sabbath they were told to gather a double portion. This time the double portion stayed fresh, just as God had promised. He set the portion for the day.

When it was followed life was sweet and satisfying. What are you gathering for your day?

Is your backpack overloaded? Does your day smell sweet or is there an odor that is leaking out? Who has filled your backpack for the day?

Being a veteran home schooler for 16 years now I often have conversations with new schoolers. Many times the conversation talks of their fear that they aren’t doing enough school. It’s easy to feel the weight of our children’s education on our shoulders. We see others doing things we aren’t. There’s no real model. We’re on our own to figure this thing out it feels, or are we?

Several years into home schooling I realized that my school was not on my shoulders it was on God’s. How could I possibly know all that my children need? After all, I don’t know what I need. Only God knows our true needs. He knows what each child will be when they grow up. He knows the calling on their lives. What does He think they need for their education?

of us would try to imitate them. What I came to realize is that my home school was mine.

My family was mine. There are no two families alike. We are all created individual and unique. What God determines for my family might not be what your family needs in schooling. But the beauty is, we can all trust Him with what we each need. My Hannah graduated in 2005 and at this writing is on a 5 month’s missions trip overseas. She is walking in the way He ordained for her.

If we will go to Him with our empty backpacks for our schools and our lives, He will show us what needs to go in them. He will guide us on the road of educating our kids. He will guide us on the path that leads to life. It’s not up to us to figure it out. He’s got it all.

The Spirit guides us on the path that leads to life. Listen to the Spirit within you as you prepare. When an idea comes that excites you, then you can guess it is His Spirit guiding you.

When one comes that weighs you down at the thought, then most likely it’s not what you are supposed to do. After all, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

He will fill your days with all that needs to be done. Take your empty backpack to Him and ask Him to fill it. It will be just the right size to fit your shoulders. Don’t compare your life to others. You will know what to teach your children because He will pour out His Spirit on you, guiding you every step of the way. Gather what He places on your heart to gather. Not too much, not too little, just what He asks of you. He knows the way that leads to life. Seek His heart for your school, your children. I hear Him saying, “Come unto me with a empty backpack and I will fill it.” So what do you say? Who’s filling your backpack for the day?

Come unto me all who are weak and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 29:10-11 (NIV)

God asks us to train our children up in the way they should go. Only God knows the way they should go. It requires dependency on Him to know how to run our schools. It’s not up to us. What God wanted to teach the children of Israel in gathering the manna each day was dependency. He wanted them to depend on Him for their every need.

Julie Todd is a daughter of God who has been ruined for the ordinary. She has been married to her sweetheart for 25 years and is a home schooling mother of 5. She is a writer and speaker who strives to live the extraordinary life that God intended. You can visit her blog at Jewelz Sightings.

It’s the same with our schools. It’s a good thing there are no models. If there were, most

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I started college in August of 2005. I remember being terrified because I had been out of school for over ten years. What could I possibly remember that would help me through college courses? As I signed onto my courses online a verse caught my eye: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11-14 It was the first time I’d ever seen this verse and while it was meant for comfort, I had no idea what the future held. I was scared.

My children had just started the year in a new public school. We had moved yet again, courtesy of the military, to Central Georgia. As the school year went on we started noticing significant failures in the particular school that my two older attended. The first issue came about when my five year old son was denied the right to use the bathroom. This did not end well for anyone, as I was called to the school to bring some extra clothing, only to find out that it would take a full bath to clean up this accident. My son was mortified and my heart broke for him. Soon after this incident my oldest son reported that his second grade teacher (albeit, very pregnant at the time) was assigning class work in the morning and then napping at her desk, sometimes the entire afternoon! (Can you imagine 25 unattended second graders?)The final straw came when I arrived at the school to pick them up and a bus driver was relaying a story to another teacher, while very loudly swearing in front of a busload of kids. I was horrified. I immediately walked into the building and found the assistant principal who responded, “Well, it’s really no big deal, those children do not speak English.”

I would like to say that I turned on my heel, right in that moment and took my children home for good. Unfortunately, it did not happen that way. It would take something far more profound for me to hear the beginning rumblings of God trying to change our lives.

During this time we joined a local church and to my surprise it was loaded with homeschooled children! I didn’t at the time understand how all of these parents had the courage to take on the challenges that came with being their children’s sole teachers. My husband and I were both public schooled

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Listening to God When the Decision is Scary A Mom’s Decision to Homeschool Her Child with Autism and there were very few people in our hometown that homeschooled. It was considered very, very odd and in many cases, considered irresponsible. I felt the Lord working in my heart, but I was not ready to listen to His call.

It was not until Xander was diagnosed with Autism that my husband and I started taking this ‘feeling’ more seriously.

Imagine this: Xander had his four year old well-check appointment a couple of months past his birthday. The doctor checked the normal things, eyes, nose, throat, and weight, and then started asking me a slew of questions regarding his mannerisms. He wanted to know how he slept, what his aversions were, if he had any obsessions that seemed abnormal. Was he always hyper? (Yes, he was.) Did he have unusual anxieties? (Yes, as a matter of fact he did.) Did he always have the need to lick everything in his surroundings? (blush… Yes, he did.)

He looked me straight in the eye at the end of the appointment and stated, “I firmly believe your son has something called Autism. Are you familiar with that term?”

I was only familiar with this term. I must admit, I was very skeptical at this point. The doctor could have said ‘allergies’ or an ‘ear infection’ or ‘blue hair’ at this point and I think I still would have had the same flippant attitude about the assumptive diagnosis. He suggested that I take him to see a local psychologist and then surprised me by pulling out his prescription pad.

“I think you would be happier if we went ahead and put him on medication for his hyperactivity.”

My first thought was ‘are you kidding me?’

If you look at the statement he made you might notice the same things I noticed: “I think you would be happier if we went ahead and put him on medication for his hyperactivity.”

Where was the medical reasoning for my son actually needing this medication? It was then and there I realized that he did not have anything close to allergies, an ear infection, or even blue hair. This was a real problem. It was real enough that my very conservative doctor thought he should be medicated. Against doctor’s advice I declined the medication, but was tactful enough to add that should he really and truly need it we would reconsider at a later date. With a referral in hand we were off to make an appointment with the Psychologist to find out more about this Autism.

That night I felt the tugging on my heart louder than I’d felt it in the past. I knew that we needed to consider that maybe God was calling us out of our comfort zone to homeschool our children. I started asking questions around church. How did they like being home with their children? Were the children making adequate scores? Would they go to college? What about socialization? Would they hate us as parents? (I know at this point many of you are probably rolling your eyes because you have been faced with these exact questions!)

My answer came two weeks later when I brought Xander to see the Psychologist. I must first mention that I did not believe in these types of Psychologists and was still in the ‘AD/HD, ADD, ASD, SIDS are made up labels to promote pharmacology sales’ camp. (Don’t be offended, it’s how I was raised.) I was not ready for my child to become one of those kids.

Xander’s Psychologist was not a kid person, per se, but it worked out well because Xander never really was a kid person either.

They got along splendidly and after a battery of tests and questions she confirmed

the doctor’s diagnosis. Again, I was surprised when she ended the session with a rather bold statement that sent chills down my spine.

“I am going to refer you back to (the pediatrician) where you can go ahead and get the proper medications for your son.”

Followed by: “Then you can get him enrolled in the special education program at the school and get him the help he needs.”

What I heard was: “Medicate him and let the school handle it.”

God’s plan.

I quietly responded that we had decided to homeschool. My husband and I had previously reached the understanding that we supported each other in the decision should we get verifiable proof that God truly wanted that for our children.

I knew he would agree that it was almost as if a bullhorn had sounded down from Heaven shouting, “DO YOU HEAR ME NOW?” There was a pause of silence while the Psychologist took in what I had said and then she rolled her eyes and said, “You can try, but it will be a great injustice to your child. He will never be able to learn at home, that’s why there are specialists. They are trained to teach your child.

How do expect to teach him to read? He has poor motor skills. How do you expect to teach him to write? What about social skills? This is a very poor choice indeed.”

I considered what she said long after I left her office. What if I couldn’t teach him?

It then occurred to me, I had been teaching him all along. He had never been to school before. I had even taught both of his brothers how to read and write. I could see the verse on my school site vividly in my mind. I taped it to my bathroom mirror so that I would not forget that this was God’s plan. I could teach my child even if I did not know I could teach him. I immediately began researching all things pertaining to Autism. We learned how to interact with him at home, how to best address

I could teach my child even if I did not know I could teach him. I immediately began researching all things pertaining to Autism. We learned how to interact with him at home, how to best address discipline issues, and how to not accept ‘never’ for our child. The two baby steps I took through denying unnecessary medications for my child and denying the standard methods of treatment made me feel slightly more courageous than I had been just in the months prior to those visits.

This courage was with me when I pulled my older two children out of public school. It was with me when the principal shook her head and sighed. It was with me the days that I had to argue Xander’s case to Sunday school workers and family. It is still with me now.

Oh and by the way, if you are simply considering homeschooling and your child is on the Autism Spectrum, let me encourage you by letting you in on our one-year follow up with the Psychologist. Same thing—lots of questions, battery of tests, and a huge praise from a very stunned woman.

“He is doing exceptionally! It is obvious that you and your husband have excellent problem-solving skills in dealing with your son. No medications you say? No therapy?

No specialists?”

beaming. I mentioned that we would be moving to Nebraska in the upcoming year and were considering enrolling the children in the local schools there. I gave my reasons which included better scores, more activities, 11th in the nation, to which she responded:

“Why would you do that?

He is obviously doing wonderfully at home!”

Wondering if your child might be on the spectrum? Come back next month for Part Two of this series.

Angela DeRossett is military wife, homeschooling mother, and an advocate for autism research. Angela can be found blogging at Homeschooling the Chaotic Family and Memoirs of a Chaotic Mommy.

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And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ~Genesis 1:11-12 Gardening is a fun and exciting activity that all families should be involved in. You can play, work, learn, and bond with each other.

Allowing a child to grow their own garden (even a small container garden) is a great way to help children understand what people did for food before grocery stores. Requiring the child to assist with the weeding and watering teaches him or her responsibility. Gardens are bursting with life…there are few places more befitting for a family to spend time learning about and worshipping God. The first thing you should do before you begin your garden is discuss the four elements plants need to grow: soil, seeds, sun and water. Scripture is full of stories that involve gardening – the creation of the Garden of Eden, how Adam and Eve were punished and had to grow their own food, the parable of the olive tree, the tree of life, the parable of the sower, the parable of the mustard seed. Spend some time reading these stories to your children, explaining along the way that just like human life, all plant life is created by God. God is the sun and water that gives life to the plants.

Grow a Pizza Garden Section off a small portion of your yard and plant your favorite pizza topics, such as – tomatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, chives, eggplant, green onions, bell peppers, spinach, oregano, basil, thyme, and sage. Imagine how yummy this ENTIRELY homemade pizza will taste! Your children will take much pride in their hard work when they taste their creation.

Did you know…that the first pizzas were nothing like the pizzas we make today?

The first pizzas were simple circles of herbed and oiled flat bread. Spanish explorers introduced tomatoes to the Italians chefs, one of which created a tomato, mozzarella

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Through the Microscope

5. Place grass head on top of container (have excess 2 inch nylon dangling into the container.)

6. Pour in 1/2 inch of water in bottom of the container every couple of days.

7. Spray water gently over grass seeds on top 2 times each day.

8. The grass will grow up like hair!!!

Window Beans Materials Needed: A bag of white beans Paper towels One zip lock bag

cheese, and basil pizza (the 3 colors of the Italian flag) to honor his queen.

The pizza garden activity was taken from the book Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots.

Read on to see how you can WIN a copy of this amazing book!!

(You can also create a Salad Garden by planting lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, cauliflowers, and herbs to make salad dressing.)

Grass Heads But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Matthew 10:30 Materials needed: Nylon socks Grass seed Potting soil Small plastic containers Elastic bands Googly eyes Pipe cleaners Instructions: 1. Place 1 tbsp. grass seed into the nylon sock.

2. Place enough soil on top of seed to create a ball the size of a softball.

3. Close the open end of the nylon with elastic band and cut off all but 2 inches of the excess dangling nylon.

4. Attach eyes and decorate face with pipe cleaners or markers.

Instructions: 1. Wet one paper towel and out it in the baggie, along with 5-10 beans.

2. Zip up the bag but make sure to leave air in.

3. Hang the bag in your windows and watch the beans grow.

4. Later you can transplant to pots.

Grow Your Name Get a long box and fill it with potting soil.

Trace names or initials in the soil. Place grass seeds in the trench and lightly covered them with soil. In a few days you will be delighted to see your names sprouting!

Carrot Sprout Core out the top of a carrot and put a hole on both sides to attach a string. Hang from the window or ceiling in a sunny place have the child put water in the top of the carrot where you cut it out and watch the magic in a few days keep it watered.

Root Viewer You can fascinate kids by potting plants or herbs into a clear container. This allows them to see how the roots sprout down into the soil and the plant sprouts up into the sunlight. Here are some excellent instructions from How Stuff Works to build your own Root View Box. What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his

garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches. The words of Jesus in Luke 13.

Backyard Composting Compost improves the condition of and adds valuable nutrients to soil. Simply obtain a bin made from plastic or wood. All you need to do is add the right ingredients and nature will do the rest. You can throw in any of the following: leaves, straw, grass clippings, paper towels, lettuce, tea bags, coffee grounds, vegetable peelings, egg shells…the list goes on and on. Any material that was once living can be thrown into your compost bin. However, do NOT throw in any meat or dairy products. It is best to maintain a balance between nitrogen rich items (i.e. grass or lettuce) and carbon rich items (i.e. cardboard or paper.) Your plants will thank you for the added nutrients.

Helpful slideshow to explain composting to young kids: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/sustainable/slidesets/kidscompost/kid1.html If you need a more detailed explanation for older kids, check out How Stuff Works: http://home.howstuffworks.com/composting.htm

“There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.” ~Elizabeth Lawrence Enchanted Lands Edible Bean Teepee A bean tee pee is very easy to make and best of all, is a shady and delightful playhouse. Acquire 6-8 twelve-foot long wooden stakes or bamboo poles. Arrange them in teepee style in a 5-foot circle, pushing the ends into the ground. Be sure to leave enough room for a small entrance. Tie the tops of the teepee together with heavy twine. Plant pole or string beans seeds around the base of the teepee. In a couple of months, the teepee will be covered with beans, leaves, and vines!

Sunflower House A house made of sunflowers is another enchanting playhouse. Mark off an 8’ x 8’ area of your yard and dig a shallow trench around this squared off area. Drop in various types of sunflower seeds (you can buy them in various heights.) Be sure to refill the trench with

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a mixture of soil and compost. Sunflowers grow very quickly so within a couple months you will have a secret hideaway.

Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. Jeremiah 29:5 I will be giving away a copy of Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots, a book about gardening together with children. To enter this drawing, please comment on ANY 2 articles in this April 2008 edition of Heart of the Matter!

Amy is a Classical homeschooling mom to a five-year-old Superhero. In her column “Through the Microscope”, she writes about the beauty of science and finding God’s handprint through the miracle of everyday elements and processes. Be sure to visit her blog at Milk and Cookies.

www.CastleHeightsPress.com

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~Give God YOUR Details~ Elisabeth Elliot, in “Keep a Quiet Heart,” tells the story of Brenda Foltz of Princeton, Minnesota. The message is profound, and one that I need reminding of.

I started up the rock as fast as I could, determined to “set my face like a flint” toward the peak. After a time, I came to a diffucult ledge, and my breathless scrambling came to an abrupt halt. Suddenly, the rope was pulled too taut and hit me square in the eye.

“OH NO!” I thought wildly, “my contact lens is GONE!” From my precarious perch I looked everywhere on the rope and sharp granite rock for a tiny, transparent lens, which could easily be mistaken for a water droplet.

“Lord Jesus, help me find it!” I prayed and pleaded, knowing the hopelessness of my search with such limited mobility. I looked as long as I could maintain my hold, praying with a sinking heart. Finally I resumed my climb with one last glimmer of hope ~ maybe my contact was still in my eye, crumpled in the corner or up under my eyelid. When I reached the top, I had a friend check to see if she could find it in my eye. It wasn’t there. Every hope was gone.

I was dissapointed, and anxious about getting a new contact so far from home.

As we sat and rested, surveying the world from such a gloriously high perspective, the fragment of a verse popped into my head: “The eyes of God go to and fro through the whole earth.”

God knows exactly where my contact is this moment form HIS high vantage point, the amazing thought struck me. But I’ll never see it again.

So, still glum, I headed down the path to the bottom where the others were preparing to climb. About a half and hour later another girl set out where I had begun my climb. She had no inkling of the missing contact. But there, at the steep bottom of the rock face, she let out an excited cry: “Hey you guys - did anyone lose a contact?”

I rushed over as she continued yelling, “There’s an ANT carrying a contact down the mountain!”

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Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Hebrews 4:16 Sure enough. Special Delivery! I bent down, retrieved my contact from the hard working ant, doused it with water and put it in my eye, rejoicing. I was in awe, as if my Father had just given me, though so undeserving, a big hug and said, “My precious daughter, I care about every detail of your life.”

important to Him. •

The book you have been to BUSY to read~important to Him.

•

The fact that you feel as if you need some “me” time~important to Him.

•

The way you see your body turning into “your mother’s”~important to Him.

The thought that God found an “ANT” to reveal His mercy just astounds me. We of• ten “hear” that we are to come to God with everything....but sometimes we feel that the “details” would just bore Him. The details of • our lives ARE His concern. The details of your home school day matter to Him. As insignificant as these things may seem to you, or those around you, they are important to God. •

The anxieties and fears, keeping you from complete peace ~ important to Him. Your relationship with your spouse, that “guy” you fell in love with ~ important to Him. The socks that disappear in the dryer ~ important to Him....Well, maybe not AS important, but if it is a concern of yours, it is a concern of HIS!

•

The daily struggles with formulas~ important to Him.

•

The toddler who does not sleep through How often we forget in the midst of our daily the night~important to Him. tasks that EVERY DETAIL of our lives matters to God. He longs to hear from us.

The broken dish that was your grandmother’s~ important to Him. Call out to Him! Call out the details to Him,

• • • • • • • •

•

letting Him know when you find yourself The “grey” hairs that are becoming your LOST, even if it is just a contact lens, or a dish“crown”~important to Him. washer that was not started or a mountain of laundry that rivals Mt. Everest. No, don’t just The squabbling children~important to wait for those “big” life situations, but call out Him. in the daily details, the ones that tend to bog The “endless” to do list ~ important to us down with concern and worry. The details that when we leave them to “our own accord,” Him. become mini explosions. Call on Him in these The look forward to college~important daily details, asking Him to “order your steps” and fill you with peace, and don’t be afraid to to Him. ask Him bodly to reveal Himself in these daily The bottom line of your “family tasks. budget”~important to Him. I cannot promise many things but this is one The concern for your children in this that I have learned; it’s in Him that you will society~important to Him. FIND what you are so desperately seeking.

What you are looking for and so much more!

The ministry you serve on where every- He does not mind hearing about the details, one tells you, they are “too busy” ~ im- in fact, HE loves it. It is worth the reminder, portant to Him. that unlike us, God “neither sleeps nor slumbers.” (psalm 121:4) NO DETAIL IS TOO The hurts on your heart, old and new ~ SMALL!

We need to look to Hebrews when we feel as if we are “drowning in the details,”

Father, Sometimes the details overwhelm me and I forget that it is in YOU that I can find peace in the midst of my chaos. Thank you for wanting to know my daily details, it is in those things that are of no concern to anyone but me, that you continue to show me that they MATTER TO YOU. Teach me to “call out” to you in my daily life the details that can sometimes consume me. Father, please continue to show me your mercy in those details that I sometimes get tangled in. I KNOW that my peace lies in you and my trusting you....continue to reveal yourself to me, amazing me each day, with mercies new.

Thank you Father for such grace and goodness.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Lori is a 4 year homeschool mom to 3.

Currently a 7th grader, a 5th grader and a 3rd grader. Lori insists that when she was wrestling with the decision to home school, a gentle voice guided her with the words, “you know what you should do.” Never looking back, accepting the challenges and rewards and CONSTANTLY clinging to THE ROCK...”No Storm can shake my inmost calm when to this ROCK I’m clinging.” “Raise Your Hands” is an inspirational column while, as the Beatles so eloquently put it, we walk “this long and winding road,” together. Hoping to impart peace and inspiration amidst the daily chaos. Be sure to visit her blog at All You Have to Give.

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How to Attend a Homeschool Conference Now that’s a strange title. You presume you

need to know WHERE to attend a conference, or WHY to attend a conference. But hey, those questions are easy to answer.

WHERE? Just ask your local support group or state organization. WHY? The answer is as obvious as your toddler inserting jam into the VCR while your third grader whines about his multiplication tables. Because you need help, of course!

But HOW to attend a conference is a question some conference attendees never even consider. Leaving that question unanswered can break you, physically, emotionally, and financially. In our fourteen years as conference vendors, we have seen homeschool parents who were “born experts.” This Barby-and-Ken couple waltz through the Vendor Hall with a smile and a song, holding hands with nary a hair out of place. Other attendees are downright pitiable as they slog along, frazzled, confused and worn out long before lunch. Heart-breaking. And all for lack of information.

Well, we have learned a lot from observing all these people. Here are our tips for Surviving a Homeschool Conference ON YOUR MARK.......

1. Visit the Conference website. Who are the speakers? What workshops will be offered? Print out the workshop schedule.

Mark the ones that spark your interest.

Download handouts for these, if available.

Which vendors will be in attendance? If there is a map of the vendor hall, print it out, and mark the ones you “gotta visit.”

2. Visit curriculum websites. If you get acquainted with curriculum programs ahead of time, you will have a better idea which ones to examine. You will also eliminate a few.

Do searches for reviews of curriculum so you

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can hear what users say.

3. Book your hotel. Take your spouse if possible, and make a weekend date of planning and praying for your kids! If that can’t happen, take some girlfriends and share the room expense. The laughs, tears and encouragement you’ll share may start an annual tradition you will look forward to all year. Arrange child care, or reserve spots for them in the conference program for children.

4. Stop complaining about costs.

You are an educator, and you need training.

Call it continuing education. Call it sales training. You’re selling math and reading to somebody, aren’t you? Homeschool conference fees are a bargain at twice the price, and you are worth it.

GET SET..............

1. Pack your bag the day before. You might include: water bottle, granola bar, apple or other snack, gum or mints to munch during that after lunch “sleepy cycle”, handouts and notes from the conference website, a list of items you want to see before you purchase, a sheet of address labels for signing up for mailings (unless you ENJOY writing your name and address a zillion times), walkie-talkies or cell phones to keep tabs with spouse or friends, spiral bound notebook with your name and phone number on it, (notebooks filled with important scribbles are abandoned in our booth at every conference). Pack it all up in a rolling crate or a small to medium rolling suitcase, with space to spare for all your purchases. (Yep, purchased product is left in our booth too. Not to mention credit cards.....)

2. Get a good night’s sleep. The conference is an investment of time and money.

The idea is to get as much out of it as possible. Arriving exhausted from getting kids

squared away and staying up late online could cost you your common sense.

3. Get there on time. Late arrivals have to park further away, making it impossible to dash out to the car to stow purchases.

4. Dress in layers. Room temperature can vary widely, from freezing cold to stuffy and hot.

GO! 1. Arrival and registration. Pick up your badge and conference brochure.

2. Sit down and gather your wits. Go through that conference brochure and make final workshop choices. Familiarize yourself with the venue map. (Where are the restrooms? Where are the workshops?)

Make up your mind that you are not going to have all your questions answered today.

No way will you make all your final decisions today. You are on a mission to gather information! Gird up your notebook and sally forth.

3. Plan of attack. This varies depending on where you are in your homeschool journey.

Option A - Parents who are new to homeschooling should not let themselves feel pressured into buying anything at all. You are here for training. Why should you buy into a curriculum until you’ve seen all the options? Meet people, ask questions, talk to veteran homeschoolers and business owners, find out all you can. Attend workshops, buy CDs of workshops, take home catalogs for perusal later. Beware the lure of FREE SHIPPING. Free shipping on the wrong curriculum for your child is very expensive indeed. Believe me on this one. I own a homeschool supply company, and even I am telling you not to spend much money.

Adhering to this advice will spare you the tell-tale glassy-eyed blank expression newbies typically wear, and free you up to enjoy yourself.

Option B - Got major decisions to make? Attend a few workshops, and buy CDs of the ones you miss. Spend the majority of your time in the Vendor Hall.

Visit with curricula authors, speakers, and business owners. Ask questions. Gather catalogs, brochures and business cards. Remember, this is your only chance to meet an author or visit with a business owner or

first conference experience ended in tears. Unprepared as non-swimmers in the deep blue sea, they began their day--of all places--in the Vendor Hall.

Before lunch, their arms were heavy with catalogs and brochures, their minds were numb, and their ears were in no shape for an encouraging workshop.

You know what they did? They gave up and went home, where they collapsed on their living room floor, overwhelmed in a heap of materials, not knowing where to start!

publisher. These chats will give you confidence in your decisionmaking, leading to informed on-site purchases. Enjoy the CDs at home later.

Option C - Attend as many workshops as you like.

Cruise through the Vendor Hall, gathering catalogs, noting new products and services, and examining your researched items and buying only those. Do more shopping on-line later.

Don’t cruise so fast that you miss conference specials offered by some vendors.

4. Ask the right questions (Crucial!). When you are contemplating a purchase, ask the vendor if he uses the product, and what he likes about it. Ask if he homeschools his children. Beware vendors who have brought a boatload of popular curriculum to sell, but have no clue how to implement it in the real world. The “mom and pop” vendors have a wealth of information to share, and the really faithful ones will share it whether or not you make a purchase. Wouldn’t hurt to interview their homeschooled teens as well.

5. Take breaks. There are cushy sofas in the lobbies of conference halls. Use them. Get a soda, make a new friend, relax and regain your perspective. If you are staying on-site, go take a quick snooze!

6. Stick to your budget. Impulse spending can cost you hundreds of dollars on something you will never use or your kids will hate. Ever heard of used curriculum sales?

7. Don’t forget to eat. Consider bringing your own lunch, and avoid the lines for purchased food. You may have to eat it outside if the hall has NO OUTSIDE FOOD rules, but sometimes it’s nice to go outside and clear your head anyway.

MORAL OF THE STORY.....

Don’t be like a couple I know whose

HAPPY ENDING! It is 8:55am, just five minutes before the Exhibit Hall doors open! The crowd presses forward. Many are anxious and overwhelmed, baffled as to what the day holds, wondering what in the world they have gotten themselves into! Not you.

Instead, your heart is pounding with anticipation and excitement. You are prepared, rested, thoroughly researched, and ready to roll. You will be rewarded with a great day!

Tammy Duby is a homeschool mom of 17 years, mother of two, and a borrower of other people’s children. She is the author of the Ultimate Lap Book Handbook.

She and her husband, Mike, operate Tobin’s Lab - Hands On Science for Families in Culpeper, Virginia. Visit them at www. tobinslab.com.

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Faith Through the Bad Days Some days are just bad days. Having bad days isn’t exclusive to having special needs children but when you have a bad day AND you have a special needs child, then it... the badness... seems to be amplified to the degree that the very existence of the know universe, even the unknown for that matter, will be determined by the outcome of whatever happens THAT day. These are the days that make you long to go lie down in your bed, cover your head with the blankets as tightly as you can, and have a good, soul-cleansing cry.

I’ve had those days. Sometimes, I think perhaps I’ve allowed myself too many of those days. Other times, I wish I could have just one more. Thankfully, I am too strong willed to allow myself to succumb to those desires. I do a mental shake of the shoulders. Occasionally, when the mental shakes aren’t strong enough, I am forced to take it a step further. On those days, I give my shoulders a good shrug, jerk my head a few times back and forth ala Rocky Balboa style, set a determined look to my face, and, with an ‘I will NOT crawl into my bed!’ or an ‘I will not let the despair win!’ conversation with myself, I put one foot in front of the other to make the day work. It may not be our best day, but it is a finished day none the less!

My faith in God carries me beyond understanding on these days. Key scripture verses such as Philippians 4:13 (I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.), Psalm 55:16-18a (I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice. He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me.), and John 16:33 (These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.) play repetitively like a scratched CD in my mind.

Many times the bad days stem from frustration and lack of patience with my child. The easy path to take, on days like this, might be to rail at God and curse Him. I could play the blame game and scream at God for giving me a child who does not remember a list of things to do two seconds after I have given him tasks to complete. I could play the woe-isme game and ask what did I ever do to deserve a child who for the life of me can not remember 7 times 7 is 49. And, really, WHY must he throw a tantrum in the restaurant when

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they bring out something that resembles fried chicken instead of steak? I mean, he DID order country fried steak so what is his problem anyway?!

Whatever is pure: my son loves God with all his heart; He is compassionate and understanding when sharing Christ with others. He knows that God has given him his own special challenges for a greater purpose in his life. He Would it do me any good to rail at God for is ready for God to use him however He sees answers to these questions? Would it do my fit. child any good? Is my special needs child the real reason I am having a bad day or am I just Whatever is lovely: my son is always quick to taking advantage of a likely candidate? Even if let me know things are going to be all right; the answer to the first part of that question is He used to twirl my hair when he was a little yes, does he deserve MY bad attitude making boy to calm himself down. It was “stimming” his day any worse than it already is? Perhaps in a way I guess but it never bothered me that that is the most important question that I he liked to have his hands in my hair. Now, need to answer! when he sees that I am having a bad day, he will give me a hug, and ask to brush my hair.

The path of thankfulness and gratitude to- I guess playing with my hair has been somewards my Savior for every circumstance He thing that has always calmed both of us and he has given me is a harder path to take but one knows that better than me sometimes. worth striving for. Philippians 4:8 tells us “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever Whatever is admirable: my son has learned the is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, hard way to practice self control; It had taken whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if a LONG time, and it has been a LONG road, anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think but my son now practices self control better about such things.” It is a simple task to pick than most adults I know. I admire his ability out the bad and run with it. God gives us a to quickly read a situation and decide to walk harder task though when He tells us to fo- away from events that might otherwise turn cus on the good and be appreciative of those out ugly. Though sometimes he might still things. One way I can do this is to take a struggle, for the most part he has learned to be mental time out for myself to dissect the verse wise and discerning in this area. above and concentrate on those specific traits within my son. For instance, I might say: These, and more, are all excellent and praiseworthy things that I can think on and appreWhatever is true: my son has a disability, but ciate. My child is a special gift that God has the disability does not have him. given to our family. I know there will be days with trials on occasion but the good will alWhatever is noble: a few terms the dictionary ways outnumber the bad. I know we will aluses to define noble are excellent, magnificent, ways have challenges but they are not insurstately, notable; My son is very good at includ- mountable ones. Most importantly, I know ing everyone in playtime. He always takes the that my microscope view of things is not the time to notice the child who is feeling left out same telescope view that God has. I will reand brings them into the playgroup. Many member God’s promises in His Word and ‘I mothers have shared with me how they have will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my appreciated and admired this noble quality fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”’ within my son.

Whatever is right: my son loves to read and share stories with his brothers; Many children on the autism spectrum have problems with comprehension but not my son. He is great at helping others understand the plots in a storyline. You will almost always find the right answer when you ask him a question about books!

Sallie is an off-again, on-again homeschooling mom to her 4 children, ranging from elementary to high school. In her column “The Square Peg,” she discusses the challenges of homeschooling a child with disabilities and offers insight to those who sometimes feel all alone in a round hole world.

From Our Readers: I wanted to tell y’all that I enjoy your site quite a bit. I can’t imagine how many hours must go into putting it together!

And the contributing writers are balanced and well worth my time to read.

—Lisa Smith I have found your e-zine to be such a blessing since its “grand opening” day.

I am so impressed with not only the high-quality, professional appearance of HOTM, but more importantly, the informative and encouraging content authored by talented writers. I have gained many great homeschooling ideas. I have been encouraged in my walk with Christ and in my roles as a wife and mother. I have “met” many wonderful homeschooling moms and have enjoyed “chatting” with them in the blogosphere. HOTM is the only e-zine of its kind that I know of and I foresee it continuing to grow and impact the world of homeschooling.

—Liz Coombs I love reading the posts at Heart of the Matter. I love finding a magazine devoted to Homeschooling from the Christian Perspective.

—Lorraine Yuriar I just finished reading your March issue of The Heart of the Matter. I was so blessed by all the articles that were written. I have been struggling with home schooling and really needed to refocus myself and your March issue did just that!

—Jessie Martinez I think HOTM is one of the greatest things to happen for the homeschooling community in a long time.

—Christy Bryson I adore your website with all it’s great information--it has been such a blessing to me —Shannon Walker

The Heart of the Matter has been invaluable to me as I do research to gear up for homeschooling.

—Celeste Harris I have looked at several homeschool magazines and have not felt that any of them were a great fit for our family. I love the HOTM website - it is a great resource and source of encouragement.

your hard work!!!

—Amy Allen

I have just recently been introduced to “The Heart of the Matter” magazine and LOVE it! Thank you for the time and effort you put into encouraging and equipping homeschool parents.

—Dawn My homeschooling daughter sent me to your website. How refreshing! As a homeschool grandma, I will be returning frequently to your website for all I can learn to help and encourage others.

—Tiany These articles are so inspiring and encouraging that I could LITERALLY come here for my daily devotions. ((hugs)) thank you to everyone and for all your labor. For in all labor there is profit.

—Lisa This is good stuff. I am excited about it.

Thanks Ladies!!! Can’t wait for more.

—Christy The Heart of the Matter truly blesses my heart! Thank you!

—Barbara Davis

—Nikki

I LOVE this magazine & am looking forward to what’s in store for the future. We plan to homeschool after completion of this school year & are counting the days to freedom! What a comfort to know of the wonderful support found here as we begin this new adventure! I plan to adapt all the the wisdom I possibly can so that I don’t need to “reinvent the wheel”. A BIG thanks to each one involved!

So glad I came across your site tonight... just the breath of fresh air I needed. Looking forward to visiting often!

—Anonymous My friend showed me this site today and I just wanted to say that I think it is FABULOUS! I am new to homeschooling and am loving it so far. God led me here and I don’t plan on ever looking back. Again, thank you for this site. It will be an invaluable tool for me in the future.

—Eleanor Joyce Wow!!! Wow!!! Amies, you did a great job, as always! The PDF is GREAT! Thank you to all of you who contributed this month!

I’m SO excited!!!!

—Lisa AWESOME!!! Amies, you did fantastic putting it all together! You two are such a blessing and your hearts are so full of love and encouragement and it shows!! Keep shining your lights, ladies!! God bless.

—Sallie

—Elizabeth Shirley Your website has been a great find for connnecting with the HS community and as a way to learn of some like-minded blogging moms.

—April Campbell

Another fabulous issue ladies!!! I LOVE the cover photo too cute, looking forward to sitting and the computer tomorrow with my coffee in hand and having a nice break with you all! Thanks for all

I’m so glad you started this magazine.

Great first edition. KUDOS! Love the cover. Super articles. You have a fine group of writers.

—Robin

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In a controversial new satirical documentary, author, former presidential speechwriter, economist, lawyer and actor Ben Stein travels the world, looking to some of the best scientific minds of our generation for the answer to the biggest question facing all Americans today: Are we still free to disagree about the meaning of life?

Or has the whole issue already been decided‌