Christmas Traditions

 

 

    In Tanzania, Christmas is very understated.  No one puts lights up on their house.  Christmas music is not playing in stores.  There are no commercials to buy this or that for loved ones.  No snow. 
    
                                What we do have is our family's traditions. 
We put up our small tree on Dec 1st each year.
  
We have an "Activity Advent" calendar, that each day we do a holiday activity together like bake cookies, or do a craft.  It's a tradition we've kept for many years as a family.

         Here, we have to make our own holiday magic...   how does your family celebrate the season?

Things that are different in our new location

There are so many things that are the same in our new location.  Most of my daily life is very much the same as it was in Arusha- homeschooling three kids, shopping and cooking supper, spending time with family and having “me-time”.  But, some things are different.  Here are a few…

      The HEAT.   It can be oppressive.  There are days that I am sweating before breakfast. Thankfully, it’s not always horribly hot.  There are cool breezes, and iced tea/coffee is a MUST here.  Staying indoors during daylight hours is a pretty good idea.  The kids play outside once the sun starts to go down.  We are very thankful to have an AC in our bedroom.

       Store Hours.  Closely related to this topic—most stores in town close from 12pm-3pm.  This is due to prayer times, as well as it being the hottest time of the day, and NOONE wants to be out!  The posted hours for stores are usually around 9-6pm…. But they aren’t there until around 11am. Then, they are off for lunch for three hours.  Then, they come back in for an hour or two before closing for the day!  It’s been a bit of a challenge to get to the stores when they are actually open!

      The sand.  In Arusha, it was always a bit dusty when it was dry. Here, there isn't that much dust, because it's all sand.  Our whole yard is pretty much sand.  I've always wanted to get a sandbox for the kids... now we don't need one!

      The monkeys.  There are two troops of monkeys that frequent our yard- the Blue monkeys which are bigger and a blackish color, and although are more skittish around humans can be more threatening; and the Vervet monkeys which are smaller and white with a black face, and more comfortable around humans.  We hear them running around on our roof, and jumping from our roof to land in a tree branch.  They taunt the dogs, and have broken the water pipe going to the water tank on our roof twice- water started pouring off the roof like a flood!  It’s been quiet interesting being in this close of contact with monkeys here.

       The Ants.   There are about 6 different species of ants here.  There are weaver ants in the trees that sew leaves together to form a nest.  There are some huge looking ants, and then in varying sizes, down to the tiny, tiny ants that you can barely see.  It’s these miniscule ants that I am referring to the most.  Because, they climb on everything (like computers, water jugs, dishes, etc.  And, innumerable times a day, we find these tiny ants crawling on our bodies.

Weaver ants in our lemon tree.

       Pets.  It’s small, but we’ve picked up 2 puppies and a kitten since coming which is different for us.  We are enjoying the pets.

      Swimming.  I have to admit that I don’t like to swim unless it’s in the 90’s.  Which it is here!  Which means we are swimming a lot more here than in Arusha.  In Arusha, even when it’s hot, the pool always felt ice cold to me.

     The Beach.  You gotta love living so close to a beach, even if it’s not a very big or very “nice” one.  We even get to go to a private beach house that is owned by our land lady.

We spent Thanksgiving at the beach.

       No Glass Windows.  Our house has no glass in the windows, except for our bedroom.  At first I thought this was strange and worried about rain coming in through the open windows. (They have screens and bars, but no glass.)  We have had many rain storms, and only once has rain come in, and it was easily mopped up the next morning.  There are windows lining most of the walls, to let the most amount of breeze through.

    These are a few of the things that are different.  We are enjoying are new house, which is larger than our old house, and the nice spacious yard. We are starting to meet people here as well which is nice. 

Blessings!

      

Pets!

 

So, we have gotten a new kitten!  She is 6 weeks old, and we have named her Masala.  We aren't sure, but we think she may have wild cat in her because of her big ears, and black paws and tongue. Sooo cute!  She will be an inside cat.

 

Our puppy, Max with Heather

 

Our puppy, Ruby.  The puppies are 15 weeks.  They are outside dogs.

 

 

Katrina holding our hedgehog, Mouse.  We've had him since Feb, but we are unsure of his age although he was quite young when we got him.

In Process

Pasteurizing fresh milk 

         I am learning to make kefir, which is a yoghurt-like milk drink that is high in probiotics.  I need to take probiotics for my digestive health, but it is difficult and expensive to find here.  While at a Women's retreat in Dar last week, a friend gave me some kefir, and explained how to make it. 
                      
                      It begins by pasteurizing fresh milk (since the milk I buy here is UHT or Ultra High Temperature, it tends to not work so well for this).  Thankfully, a milk man comes by every evening to deliver fresh milk in our neighborhood.  He brings it in 1 liter water bottles. 

                        The first thing I had to do was figure out how to pasteurize milk.  When I looked it up, it takes bringing milk to almost a boil, and then cooling it quickly, by placing the pan in ice water. 

           The first batch didn't turn out since I accidently left out the milk over night, but this time it seems to have worked.

            Next, you add the "kefir" grains to the milk and leave it on the counter for 24 hours.  After it has "thickened up", you then can drink it or add it to smoothies or other food.

          This is quite a long process with many steps that I have never tried before.

 

And that is how I am feeling about our life right now.

 

 

          Since moving to a new location in Tanzania, I have felt that there are many things that I am trying to figure out about being here.  I am still trying to develop relationships and friendships.  Just learning where to shop for food was a process.

                      

                   So, even though we are still in the same country, I feel that we are in a state of transition... a state of process. 

                                                           

 

And, hopefully we will come out of it with something beautiful.

Re-Connecting Our Children with Nature

       Being in nature can be a wonderful experience for children (and adults).... it's a full senses experience, as compared to a 2-D experience of watching TV, or even reading.  Being outside involves the sense of touch, smell, sight, and hearing, and is 360 degrees.   Being in nature is a great way to calm and focus children, even hyper ones.  It's a wonderful way to learn about the natural surround and science.  It's a great way to get exercise, and for children to gain confidence.
        
        It can be overwhelming to think about getting your kids into nature... it seems like unless you're going to a State Park you aren't in "nature".  But there is nature all around us, even in urban areas.


   "Find a ravine, woods, a windbreak of trees, a swamp, a pond, a vacant and overgrown lot- and go there regularly.... an old Indian saying: "It's better to know one mountain than to climb many"."- from "The Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv



Items collected from our last nature walk

       If you have a yard, let the kids have a corner to dig for worms, plant flower seeds, or make mud pies.  Go on a nature walk in your neighborhood.  I did this with my kids in Nairobi when we lived in a crowed housing complex that had almost no yard to speak of.  Yet, everyone had a tiny spot in front of their gate that they planted flowers, bushes and trees and we would go and try to identify those.   Walk around your neighborhood or park and try to identify the leaves.  This is especially fun in fall with the lovely colors.  Come home with a collection of leaves to press in a book and keep.

        Being in nature, even "tamed" nature is good for us.  I think it's because it brings us closer to God on some level as we experience the environment that he created (even in an altered form).  Richard Louv, in his book The Last Child in the Woods  believes that it is an evolutionary reason that nature is restorative to us as humans.  I believe that it's because God created us, and God created nature.  So, when we go into nature, it's a way of feeling God's presence. 

      The Last Child in the Woods has a list of "100 Actions We Can Take" which has many great ideas for getting your kids into nature, and there are other books like The Green Hour by Todd Christopher, and magazines for kids like Ranger Rick  and National Geographic for Kids. 

   So... go play outside!  

Hard days in homeschool

 

Most of the time, I love homeschooling.  The freedom.  The time spent with my kids.

But, there are hard days in homeschool, too.

 

 

 

Days when my kids get involved in their own games and play are DO NOT want to refocus back on school work.  When getting them refocused again takes a lot of energy and at times ANGER from me...

Days when I go over the same material that we've been going over for a month, and they seem to forgetting more than they are remembering.  What's the point of this again?

Days when emotions run high, and nothing seems to go right.

 

Those days used to outnumber the good days.  Thankfully, now the good days are outnumbering the hard days.  Now, when a hard day comes, I can just remind myself that a good day is around the corner.

 

A day when my girls clean their room without being asked.

A day when the kids don't fight, and are suddenly playing a game together nicely. !!

A day when they get out their school books and study... and remember what they study!

 

When the hard days outnumber the good days, it can do some good to take off a day, week or month to reevaluate, or just to re-connect as a family.

 

Praise God our hard days aren't as common as they used to be! 

Why I'm logging off of Facebook

       Funny has Facebook has become a such a central part of many of our lives, when a few years ago, none of us had heard of it.

                                   I've decided to only log onto my Facebook page once a week, to check for messages.  I seriously considered deleting my account, but there are too many people who only contact me through Facebook. 
 

So, why am I "logging off" of Facebook?

          Because I didn't want to.

                                                The thought had been nagging me for over a month that I should quit Facebook... but I didn't want to.  I had reasons to.  It was a time killer.  I wasn't really in contact with my friends, I was just making comments on their posts.  There were other reasons too.  But, I was scared to, and I started to realize.... I think I'm addicted to Facebook!  It's something I have to check every day, several times a day.  And, yet, it gives me no real satisfaction. 

         I stopped checking my Facebook when my grandmother was in hospice at home, and I did NOT want to hear the news that she had passed by casually checking my Facebook page.  I asked Bill to also not check his page until we heard the news. 
                    Yet, somehow, after spending time away from Facebook, I feel a kind of freedom from it.

Freedom from feeling the need to check on the "status" of everyone have known, ever.
Freedom from hours wasted scrolling, scrolling.
Freedom from feeling that each interesting thing in my life need to become a Facebook post.
           And, you know what?  I don't miss it. 

                             

New Home

 

We have moved!  This is a picture of our new house.  It is very spacious, 4 bedrooms, and almost an acre of a yard.

 

We also got two new additions to the family- Ruby and Max, 6 week old puppies.  We still have our pet hedgehog, Mouse as well.

 

 

           We really enjoy it here so far.  The town is a little smaller, so the stores don't have quite the variety that they did in Arusha.

     The environment is extremely peaceful, very relaxing.  We are enjoying it!

 

There are some new "neighbors" here too...

There is a troop of monkeys that come and go in our yard. This mother and baby are on the roomfof our house.

Video of Jonathan laughing

Packing House

    We have moved a lot since being married. 
                             Around 17 times in 14 years of marriage. 
I've kind of lost count.
           
            Let me be clear-- I hate packing!  But, I have figured out a system that works for me.

        

Packing can seem like an insurmountable task

1.  START EARLY!  I usually start packing as soon as I know we are planning to move. Or at least start sorting, organizing and getting rid of stuff which makes packing easier.

2.  DO SOME PACKING EVERYDAY!  I don't have the energy or time to pack for hours and hours.  So, I make it a point to pack at least one box everyday, or as much as I have the time/energy for.

3. KEEP THE ROUTINE AS NORMAL AS POSSIBLE!  This is especially important when you have kids.  We will continue school until just a few days before we leave.  I still cook meals at home until about a day or two before hand.  I try to go about life as normal as possible to reduce the stress levels of everyone.  This depends a lot on...

4. PACK EVERYTHING...ALMOST!  I pack up "everything" of things that we don't use all the time- games, books, even most of the pots, pans, etc. etc.  I DON'T pack one pot, one pan, a few utensils, a few plates, our clothes, the kids favorite toys... Those essential things for daily living I keep out until the day before we go.  I make sure we have as many "non-essential" things packed as possible and leave the rest out so we can continue living as we prepare to move.

          We are excited to be moving to a new area.  Now, you'll have to excuse me.... I have some packing to do!

First Day of School!

Katrina and Heather reading about the Earth's crust, mantle and core.

I can't believe it's already the start of school.  We started a little early, because we always end up taking off for traveling, long Christmas break, etc.

 

Jonathan and Heather studying.

 This year, I'm doing things a little differently.  I'm using an approach called "self teaching". (Read more at her website here: http://homeschoolcoach.wordpress.com/)  For Katrina and Heather, they are self-directed in their studies.  Jonathan of course, needs my one-on-one attention.

Jonathan coloring in his devotional book.

The basic theory is to allow the child to decide when and what they will study, and then allow them to do so without much interference.... and to be available to answer questions, and to generally facilitate the learning process.



 

"Study Hall", doing homework in the afternoon with a snack.

I admit, I was a little hesitant at first. "How can this possibly work?"  Let me tell you that I was very apprehensive about whether my children would "choose" to not do a subject, or other tactics that would make my life difficult.

 

 

But, as of day one, it worked amazingly well.  If they didn't understand something in the lesson they would come to me for a quick explanation, and then do they work by themselves.

 

So far, so good.  My oldest daughter, especially, is a leader and she has always balked at my constant instruction, looking over her shoulder, and "reminding"...ok, nagging.  She is loving this new system where "she is in charge".  (Of course, she must be studying, and not just goofing off.  But, I think she knows that if she does start wasting time that I'll come in again and start micro-managing her life!)

 

 

The real reason I know it's working-- Katrina was happy and excited about school.  She even lead a science project for the other kids, on her own initiative- using play dough to create the layers of the Earth's crust.  Go for it, girl!

 





Where did Summer Go?...on the move again

Wow, this summer has flown by!  We made a trip to Dar and the coast of Tanzania, done projects and art, stayed up late watching movies, played outside, and other summer fun.  Last week, we made a trip to Nairobi, which was supposed to be just overnight, and ended up being four days-- our vehicle broke down on the way home and we ended up spending two nights in a hotel in the middle of nowhere!
  We were blessed though- no one was hurt, we were safe and together, and we were at a hotel that had a pool... and we were able to RENT swimming suits for the kids.  From the kids' perspective, it was a mini-vacation, but Bill and I were stressed out about the car! ;)  It all ended up alright though, thanks to those who gave towards our vehicle repairs.
    We will start school again on Monday, in the midst of packing for a move.  It seems that our family is always on the move, packing, unpacking.  We haven't stayed in one house for more than a year since Bill and I were in married student housing. (At least that I can remember) 
     Yes, we are very nomadic, but this missionary lifestyle lends itself to adventure!  Never a dull moment.  Now, we will be entering into a new area, and beginning "afresh" again.... Let the games begin!

Is Someone Watching me?

When you are living in a foreign country, it can feel like you and your family are always on display.  That is because they are. 

Can you find the white children in the crowd?

  Most places we go here, we stand out.  Even in our own gated community, the gardeners and guards often watch (stare) at the kids and I when we go out to play.  You sort of get used to it. 
         Most Americans, if they saw someone of interest, would maybe glance at them, and then continue on with their life.  (For instance, we've been taught not to stare at someone with disabilities, or of a different race, etc.)  Ok.... Tanzanians don't do that.

                     They stare.   Openly and gawking.  The kids as well as the adults.
                                    They watch your every move, and may proceed to comment to each other about you in Swahili (um, I know Swahili....)

                It's hard to just ignore it and go about your life.  But, that is what you have to do if you want to live your life.

    Today, I took Jonathan to the playground in our gated community to play.  We were being watched by three ladies who were sitting on the bench openly staring at us.  They gasped when I let him jump from the swings, and laughed when I pitched him a ball and he missed.  Thankfully, Jonathan is clueless to all of this.  I feel very self conscious, but just keep playing with Jonathan as if they weren't there.  I know they don't mean anything by it.  They just find it fascinating to watch us. 

10 Free Summer Ideas for Kids

1. Have the kids wash your car.

 

2.  Go play outside!

 

 

3.  Go to the library (or borrow some books from friends if you don't have a library near you).

 

 

4.  Let the kids make a fire in your BBQ pit, and burn paper, sticks and leaves.

 

 

5.  Have a slumber party in your living room, pop popcorn, and watch movies.

6.  Bake a cake or cookies from scratch.

 

7.  Break out the Legos.

8.  Make compasses with needles and cork (or just float the magnetized needle on a leaf).  Directions are easy to find online.

9.  Wash your own clothes by hand, outside.

 

10. Break out the games!



You know you're a missionary when...

  You know you're a missionary when...   at the restaurant, your kids entertain themselves with bottlecaps they find in the dirt..... and you're ok with that!

End of School

We officially ended school on Friday, June 6th.  Then, we took a nice trip as a family for 5 days which was nice.  Summer vacation is officially here at our house!
             We are taking about 6 weeks off before next school year.
Although we tend to have school year round, I still like to have a bit longer of a break over "summer" although here it's the cold and rainy season, and not hot enough to swim in Arusha. 
  Yay for break!!

What is Education?

     As a homeschooling mom, this question passes through my mind from time to time.

            Heather asked me today, "What is education?" 

Good question.  I should know, since I'm supposedly providing her and her siblings with one!

         I answered, "It's learning through reading books, talking to people, watching TV and movies, and listening to music."   "Even watching TV?!"  "Yes, you learn through TV and many other things."
    


Heather works at her desk while Katrina and Jonathan play Alphabet Go Fish

      It did bring me back to that question though. 

                              What is Education?

     Hopefully, we all received or are receiving an education, and homeschooling moms are working on giving one to their children, but WHAT IS IT?
         Merriam-Webster says it is the "knowledge, skill, and understanding that you get from attending a school, college or university".
      Hmmm... since my kids stay at home, does that mean they aren't receiving an education? :)

I think most of us would agree that to be educated, one should have knowledge of how the world works, a sense of their place in history, understand math in order to do banking, and shopping, and to know how to read and understand what you are reading.
        In other words: Science, History, Math, and Literature.

But, is there something more to an education?  Are you truly educated if you don't have common sense, or if you don't have empathy, or have no creativity?
          Is there something more to education that studying for tests?


In my opinion, to be truly educated, one should have not only skills in reading, math, science, history, typing, art, handwriting, etc., etc.... they should also be taught life skills like empathy, cooking, creativity, responsibility, and forgiveness. 
                 Of course, most of those last things are things you learn at home.

                                    When you are homeschooling, they become part of the curriculum.

      I strongly believe that all children need to learn to read, learn the multiplication table by heart, and know what the Civil War is about.
             They also need to know how to make up after a fight with a sibling or parent, how to mend a torn off button, how to entertain a toddler.  And most importantly of all, what is faith, what does the Bible teach, and having a personal relationship with Jesus.  Some day, those "non-curriculum" items will be as important, if not MORE important than the "book learning".
         What do you think?

PS. Found this on Wikipedia so take it for what it's worth but, "the word "education" is derived from the Latin ēducātiō ("A breeding, a bringing up, a rearing)


School Books have Arrived!

  
           The school books for next year have arrived!  Getting them here was interesting.  The books were at my parents while we tried to figure out how to get them here.  I posted on Facebook that we were needing someone to bring a bag for us, and there was a lady coming two days later who was willing to bring an extra bag for us (we paid for the extra baggage).  My parents got the bag of books up to her the next day, and then she flew to Kenya the day after that!  She left the bag at the Methodist Guesthouse in Nairobi, and it was there for two weeks.  Bill picked it up while in Nairobi this week, and he returned today with it!

                                 I don't know what it is, but I just get very excited about new school materials!

Maybe it's the possibilities, all of the clear, unmarked pages.... or thinking of all that the kids (and I) are going to learn in the upcoming year. 

            When I was school age, I loved the start of the new school year.... freshly sharpened pencils, new textbooks, and a fresh start.  I guess I still feel that way.

      Of course, we aren't done with the current school year, as of yet.  But, we are REALLY close to finishing, hopefully we'll be done within a few weeks. 

Then, comes the joy of "summer break" (it's the rainy season here), before we start up again in August.
                                 
                            School can really start to drag towards the end of the year, and you start to feel like your homeschool is "limping along", so to speak.  I look forward to a break, and then beginning again with a fresh outlook for the upcoming school year.

                 

My Call to the Home

    
       When we first came to the mission field, I knew I was called to the mission field.  I had felt that from the age of 12.  We went to language school, and placed Katrina, then 3, and Heather who was 9 months old and still nursing into a pre-school on campus while we went to class for 7 hours a day.
      After language school, with the urging of our mission team, I was just as involved with ministry as my husband.  I hired a nanny so that I could focus on the cultural learning courses and language tutors each day.  We put Katrina into a preschool and I even taught at it one day a week to help with the cost of tuition.
     When we returned to the field after our first furlough, suddenly things were changing.  We weren't a part of the mission team we first came with, and were working on our own. 

      But, something else happened.

God called me to stay at home.

 

  I remember the specific moment... I was sitting in the car with the girls who had fallen asleep on the way home.  I was praying, talking to God and listening.  I felt him specifically telling me that for this time in my life, I needed to focus on the kids and the home.  That other ministry things would come again, but for this time in my life, they were my ministry.

 

        That year, was a very stressful year for our family.  We moved twice, we had interns (two married couples that lived with us in our house), we had a visiting team, I found out I was pregnant and we weren't sure where to have the baby, we had to help close out the mission work of a fellow missionary.   During all of this turmoil, I knew that I had to be the rock of stability for our kids.   God had called me to do it.

 

       During this time, I also started homeschooling Katrina for the first time, for Kindergarten. 

 

  But, more importantly, I was working hard at making the children feel safe and loved in the midst of all of the turmoils of mission life!

 

 

     Since that time, we have had many more moves, more changes, more teams.... and I have not yet felt the release from the call that God gave me sitting in my driveway all those years ago.

 

                     So, for now.... my ministry is my family.  Yes, I do other ministry, but they are my main focus, until God tells me otherwise.

Is Technology a Benefit or Detriment for Homeschool?

            What are your thoughts on technology and it's use in homeschool?


  For us, we use technology in homeschool, with a balanced approach.

Our 6th grader listens to the Bible on an iPod touch while doing seatwork.  She goes onto the computer for spelling and math games, and she also does a Phonics training everyday on the computer called Lexia. 

      Our third grader uses spellingcity.com to learn her spelling words, and does a typing game everyday to practice typing.

      Our Pre-Schooler plays an educational game on the computer most days.

Katrina learning guitar from a computer program.

 
   It is a balancing act, and it can be easy to fall into the trap of letting them use technology too much.   Our kids are very creative, imaginative, and love to bake, sew and other things.  But, if allowed, they would sit in front of a computer or TV all day.  I try to limit them to half an hour during school and half an hour after school for computer time.
        
         Yes, I allow technology in school....

   .......it was raining today, so gym time was done on Wii Fit.  (the laundry hanging on the banister is because it's raining and nothing will dry on the clothes line).

           Where do you draw the limit for screen time in homeschool?

Are Homeschooling and Boarding School Mutally Exclusive?

Usually when you think about homeschooling, boarding school isn't a part of the picture, right?

 

I mean, homeschooling is all about being together as a family

 

and boarding school is about

sending your kids AWAY.

 

 

 

    Right?

 

 

            Not always.

 

   When living in East Africa, sometimes the culmination of your homeschool career is to go to boarding school for high school.  My husband went to said boarding school, as did his brother and his wife.  As did many other missionary kids from years past, present and future. 

 

      I always said I would never send my kids to boarding school, when I found out that this was a common option for missionaries in East Africa. 

              But, what if my daughter is asking to go?!

 

 

 

 This was not in my plans, and God knows I never wanted to send my kids away.... but what if it isn't Sending Them Away?   What if it's Letting Them Go?    

 

                               Our final decision isn't made yet, but we are looking into our oldest daughter starting boarding school in a Christian boarding school in Nairobi in 8th grade.... which would make next school year her last year of homeschooling.

 

 

 So, how do I reconcile homeschooling my kids with boarding school?

 

 

                                            Good question.  I'll let you know....

Sick Days in Homeschool

Doing schoolwork on the couch

 

  Yes, I'm THAT mom... the one that makes her kids do their school work even when they're sick!  If they aren't throwing up, or on their death bed... I make them do some school work. 
            

                            One reason is that the day is awfully long and boring when you are lying on the couch, too sick to get up and play.  Doing school work helps the long hours go by more quickly.

                 Another reason, at least for me, is that we have already taken off so much school by this point that if we miss anymore school we'll be going until July... so we must press on!

   One benefit to me of homeschool is that if the kids have a mild fever I don't have to make the decision about whether or not they are "sick enough" to stay home or have to decide when it is that they are "well enough" to go back to school.  Those things are always tricky to me.

    
             

Happy Easter!

Easter is in 2 days!  One reason that I like to raise my kids here in Tanzania is that the commercialism during holidays is almost non-existent.  There wasn't any Easter baskets, or candy on sale in the stores, although I did buy the kids some candy.  We haven't gone shopping for new Easter outfits, but have picked out our nicest clothes that we have to wear.
  

             Our Easter celebration will be having Easter baskets with candy (mostly from Grandma) and finding eggs before church, then going to Moshono Christian Church. After church, they are serving a meal of rice and beans for everyone at church.  We have a guest visiting this year so he'll be joining us a well.  That night, we'll have a steak dinner and Skyping with family.  That will be it.  And, honestly, I kind of like missing all the hype of the Easter bunny, gift baskets, having to dress to the 9's for church... and getting to focus on the meaning of Easter.  We have been talking all week about Passion Week and what happened each day.

           That is what really matters this Easter, that Jesus died for us and rose to save us from sin. 


       It's fine to remember and celebrate that with candy, eggs, clothes, and parties as long as it doesn't distract us from what the real meaning is.

Carving out Time for Yourself as a Homeschool Mom

 When you homeschool, it feels like you are surrounded by people (mostly your offspring) ALL the time, from dawn til dusk and sometimes in the middle of the night too!  I'm an introvert, and I cherish time to myself... so...
                           HOW DO YOU FIND TIME TO YOURSELF?
 Here are 5 ideas of ways to steal some precious moments alone to help your sanity!

     Get up before the kids do!
This one is vital for a productive day, I feel.  Even though we are pretty relaxed about when we get up, I make sure I am up an hour, or at the very least 1/2 hour before the kids.  This gives me time to pray, read the Bible, exercise if I'm ambitious, and clear my thoughts before it "hits the fan". 

      Stay up later than they do.
  At night, I put the kids to bed around 8pm.  My older daughter doesn't sleep til about 9pm, but she has to stay in her room and play or ready quietly.  My husband and I can talk, watch TV; if I had a really stressful day I'll just zone out with a book or on my computer.

       Saturday mornings are for sleeping in!
  The kids know not to bother me on Saturday morning.  They know how to make toast, and turn on a movie... and to leave me alone until I emerge!

      Shopping day is MY day
  When I go grocery shopping, I take along a book or my Kindle and go to a restaurant and order a coke and have a half hour to myself before shopping.  This works because Bill can stay home with the kids.  I do recommend shopping alone or with only one child at a time if you can possibly do so, it's a lot less stress.

      Tell your kids to Go outside and Play!
   While I'm cooking dinner, I like to have some peace and quiet in the house.  It's also when all the neighborhood kids are out.  So, I send the kids outside for the hour that it takes to make dinner.  It's good for them and me.  If not outside, send them to watch a movie while you cook.

    Have a nice day!

Special Time

 I've talked about having Special Time with the kids before, but I feel that its so important that I need to bring it up again.
     
        As a homeschool mom, it often feels like you are spending every waking moment with your kids.  (That is mostly true, but not entirely!)  But, because much of that time is instructional, or telling them things they need to be doing. "Take a shower" "Feed your pet" "Pick up your room"... there needs to be some time set apart each day to spend with each child... separately.

          This has become a very important part of our day.  For my older girl, it might be a walk up the "mall" to share a coke, or reading aloud to her.  For my younger daughter, it could be coloring together, or playing cards.  For my son it could be playing blocks or just going outside to play together. 
      I specifically tell them, "This is our special time together."  The other two children aren't to join in.  They each have 1/2 hour of computer time a day, so they can play on the computer or just entertain themselves while I spend time with their sibling alone.
                         
           Why do I feel this is so important?

                                   Individual attention!  Love!

 

     Don't you love it when your spouse puts aside time in their day to spend with just you?  Our kids also want our attention, and time... one on one.  This might seem insane when you already spent all day in school together but I have found that overall mood improves when we have Special Time.  Sibling rivalry *decrease*  (nothing would eliminate it entirely), and joy is increased.  The children are more willing to help out around the house, and aren't as antagonistic. 

         To be honest, my day is mostly filled with school, and then special time until it's time to start dinner.  But, I really do enjoy these moments with my kids, and feel that these moments are creating memories that will last a lifetime.  Of course, we all play together and have family time as well. But, I want to get to know each child as an individual.

Heather helping me bake for Special Time.

Childhood Freedoom

           I just read an amazing article about an Adventure Playground in Wales called "The Land".  I highly recommend reading it.

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/03/hey-parents-leave-those-kids-alone/358631/

  The playground has no typical playground equipment such as slides, swings, etc.  Instead it is filled with junk such as used tires, old mattresses and barrels.  The children who play there are supervised by "playworkers" who watch the kids but rarely interfere with their play.  I think that this is a wonderful idea and that more of these Adventure Playgrounds should come around, especially in America.  They give children a chance to take risks and chances, and learn from their mistakes.
       That is one thing that I really do love about living here in Africa.  No, we don't have a fancy Adventure Playground with paid staff.  Instead, we have a neighborhood full of kids who are out playing on the streets, riding bikes, having sword fights with old plastic pipes or sticks, or making hide outs in the corners of the compound. 
         I grew up in the woods, and one regret is that my children don't have the opportunity to live in the woods like I did.  But, one thing that is the same is that sense of freedom.  My brother and I would wander our small patch of woods, and have "secret" forts, climb trees, eat edible weeds, and "bake" clay dishes on our BBQ pit.  Our kids are growing up with a little bit of that.  I do appreciate that there are armed guards at the gate of our compound.  Within the walls of our neighborhood, I basically let our children run free.
        Our kids are still normal kids though. If I allowed them to play video games and watch TV all day they would never go outside.  Sometimes I force them to go out and play even when they don't "feel like it".  Usually in five minutes they've found a group of friends and are playing until dinner.
         Not everyone has a neighborhood like that.  And, in America, I am much more vigilant- never letting the kids play out of my sight.  Somehow, here it's different because all the moms are home (mostly Indian mothers), and are also watching out of their windows.  We have security measures like a wall around our neighborhood and armed guards.  It feels ironic, but it feels safer here to let the kids run free and play.

5 things You Can Do To Diffuse Anger in Homeschool

    I LOVE homeschooling (see my previous blog).  There are times however, when I wonder, "Why am I doing this to myself?"   Usually these moments arise when one child argues, cries, or complains about the work assigned, or just plain lies down and refuses to do it.  What do you do then?!  I understand that this is what parents mean when they say things like, "Better you than me!" or "I could never homeschool my strong willed child!"  Well, I won't say it's easy, but it is DOABLE if approached in the right frame of mind.

  There are some things you can do when tensions run high in homeschool.

1.  Pray, pray, pray!
     Of course, this should be an ongoing thing in everyone's life, especially the homeschool mom!  I pray for patience, direction, MORE patience, and wisdom.

2.  Take a moment to cool off.
    My statement to said child is, "Either you can go and lie down on your bed, or you can get back to work."  If the child is truly beside themselves, lying down will do wonders for them-- they may even fall asleep!  A nap mid-day is great if the frustration is due to being over-tired.  If my child says, "NO!" to either choice, "Then no computer or TV time today".  Sometimes she chooses to work again, sometimes to rest.  Don't make lying down a punishment, just an option that they can choose.

3.  Re-assess the situation.
    After the initial emotions have cooled off, ask what is causing the problem?  Is a younger sibling causing distractions in the background?  Do they need a snack or drink?  Is this assignment frustrating because they don't understand it?  Try to decide how to solve the root problem. 
    This is HOMEschool, not public school at home.  You can go over the lesson again (and again, and again) until they understand; break it down into smaller, manageable parts; assign only a few problems out of the page to see if they understand; or skip that subject or lesson entirely until later that day or next week or next month.

4. Ask for help!
    When I'm at my whit's end, my husband is a wonderful support.  There are certain subjects that one child refuses to study with me because she doesn't like the way I explain it-- only Daddy will do for those subjects.  Be willing to recruit family and friends to come and help when needed.
    Also, don't be to ask for professional help if it's needed.  Like me, you probably didn't study education in school and can't be expected to know everything about child development and issues in education. 

5.  Keep it in perspective.
    How is your over-all relationship with your child?  If good, then don't let frustration in school change that.  If it's suffering, spend extra time to develop a strong relationship with them.  The facts learned in school are important, but the relationships developed with God and our families are more important. 

40 Things I Love about Homeschooling

*There is more time for teachable moments throughout the day.
             A theological question might come up as we are walking outside for gym time, or a question about the importance of drinking milk at lunch may lead into a discussion into osteoporosis and it's causes.

*I get the best of my children's time, attention, and mood, not the left-overs.

*More time to spend with the kids just hanging out.
          I would miss them so much when they went to school last year, and would be waiting until the time the bus would bring them back home.

*Healthy, home-cooked meals cooked to our family's preferences at each meal.
     
*No long, hot bus rides.

*No homework in the evenings.  
            Evenings are spent preparing and eating dinner together, playing a game or maybe watching a TV show before bed.

*Freedom to change the schedule during the day (end early to go swimming, or work through break because they are on a roll).

*Siblings get more time to spend together to play and to help each other with school work.
          I've enjoyed watching my daughters teach the youngest his letters, numbers, shapes and colors.

*We are able to spend extra time covering something until it is mastered, instead of rushing on to the next thing.

*More time to focus on strengths such as art, or even baking or sewing.  
          The girls can choose their own subject matters for papers and projects-- things that they really care about.  They can study extra about subjects that interest them.

*Freedom to change the school schedule throughout the year.
          We take off school for trips for visas, vacations mid-semester, or even to pick up our vehicle in Dar!  Then, we can choose to work through Easter without a break if we want, or spread out school evenly so we only have a few weeks off for "summer" without disrupting the flow of school.

*Seeing that look in their eyes when they learn to read or figure out a Math problem, and knowing you were the one to teach them.

*Knowing what they are doing, who they are spending time with and what they are learning throughout the day.

*Letting them sleep in until they wake up, and knowing they are fully rested.

*Leisurely breakfasts, with hot food, and time to relax and talk.

*Making sure subjects such as cursive and art are taught.

*The kids have friends of all ages-- and they see families as "units" and not "individuals", and they are friends with the whole family.

*Making time to play outside.
          Usually they play at least two hours a day outside, one hour during "school time", and the rest after school.

*Teaching my kids things like knitting, rug hooking, embroidery, and baking.

*More free time for the kids to just play and use their imagination.

*They are able to have snacks and drinks at their desk while they work, and we have a snack between breakfast and lunch.
            I'm still not sure how Katrina got through school last year without any snack breaks!

*They can listen to music or the audio Bible during school.

*I can test them orally (by talking about the subject matter to see what they understand), or look over their worksheets to see if they need more review or if they have mastered it.
           We do take tests, but not as often.

*We are able to go as slowly or quickly as my child needs through a lesson or chapter.

*Spelling and math games online count as school time.

*We can spend time in school memorizing Scripture, doing devotions, and praying.

*Negative attitudes and wrong behaviors can be corrected as they occur.

*Less illness, they don't catch every flu and cold.

*They are learning instruments not taught at school (piano and guitar).

*Jonathan (Pre school) can play most of the time, and learn at his own pace.

*Incorporating therapy into school is easy and we can do it everyday (we've done vision therapy, and Audiblox a dyslexia therapy).

*The kids learn to self-monitor their studies and learning.

*Being able to choose the curriculum that our family thinks is the best for each subject and for each child.

*Learning to get along and live with each other 24/7-- working through conflicts, frustrations and communications problems TOGETHER and then coming out closer because of it.
           We can practice grace and patience every day!

*Focusing on the End Game-- raising happy, self-motivated adults who are able to function on their own and who follow Christ's call in their lives.

*Learning along with them!
         My mom, who homeschooled me for K and 1st, will attest that I didn't want to learn Phonics.  I just memorized the words.  I was very interested when I homeschooled my kids to learn how Phonics worked!  I learn so much in Science, History, and Math that I forgot or never knew.

*Since Bill's office is in the house they get a lot of time with Dad too.
       
*Pets in school! 
           We just got a pet hedgehog, cute huh?

*Getting to read or study in bed during school.

*Not having to study something just because it's in the curriculum- having a choice to skip it or teach it differently.