Homeschooling Is Interesting

The following article is a VERY long one, but SO worth the read! It is shared by a Christian, and is so encouraging to homeschooling mothers. I hope it will bless you!

Homeschooling Is Interesting

May I Make An Appeal

May I Make An Appeal?

I really enjoyed this post and I hope that you do too!!!

Cooperation and Play Time

I have noticed that now that we are REALLY cutting back on the amount of stuff we own (and that includes toys and games for the kids), that not only is it easier to keep house BUT my kids play so much better together! No more forced sharing or forced playing together.

Right now, my girls are all playing so nicely together. It is almost like watching a group of school girls who are best friends play together. They all follow each other and are happy to be with each other. It is amazing!! Before this I would always be saying things like "please share with your sister" or "please let so-and-so play with you." Now they seek each other OUT to play!! It is WONDERFUL!!!

Also, I had not really agreed with the Pearl's take on each toy having an owner. But with less toys, I have started assigning ownership of each game and toy. It is amazing how UNSELFISH they are now that they have ownership of their toys. There are a few group toys (legos, train set, etc.), but I have noticed that now there is less fighting over the pieces, they all play TOGETHER and NICELY!!

And the house (which used to be full of yelling and screaming "THAT'S MINE!") is so full of LAUGHTER!! And HUGS (my girls never used to be so huggy before). It has brought much more joy and peace into our home.

Can I Get a Hug???

I am not sure how many people agree with the Pearl's when it comes to child training, but I must share my amazing experience.

It amazes me how I can spank my children, and afterwards they will get up and hug me. It doesn't happen every time (especially those times when I forget and spank in anger). But when I follow through with the way the Pearl's tell you to spank your child, my children remain calm and so loving!! A stark contrast to how I remember being spanked (always running away from my parent and yelling how much I hated them).

Even my parents (who are not totally in agreement with the way we discipline and train our children) are amazed when we spank our children and they get up and hug us immediately afterward. And that is what amazes me most is that the hugs are IMMEDIATE! There is no time for them to heal before offering the hug. That is because there are no wounds between us!! There is the consequence for their actions, and training so they learn how God would have them behave/respond. And of course repentance to me and to God (and anyone else they might have hurt/offended by their actions). But there is only closeness between me and the child and no distance. It is so wonderful!!

Now if only I could ALWAYS be consistent!! :D

Who Am I and What Is This Blog?

Well, I love to share information with other like minded people (mostly moms). So I am hoping that through sharing what I am learning I can help you AND you will SHARE what you have learned/are learning with me and we can grow together! :) Plus, I am excited to start my journey into homeschooling and look forward to what other moms have to say.

So, who am I? I am mom of three girls (ages 6yr, 4yr, and 2 1/2 yr) and a baby boy on the way (due end of April 2006). I am constantly searching trying to learn more about being a better wife, mother, homeschooling mom, etc. I am not perfect, which tends to make for interesting blog entries! :D

I will be married for ten years on Aug 3 2006 to my best friend and husband!! We have been best friends for 13 years. He is the one who led me to the Lord and I am so blessed and thankful that God has graced my life with such a wonderful man. I mean, he has had to put up with me for so long (as I learn to be a keeper at home, a godly help meet, and a mother!). :D

I really like to sew, but am a novice. I need to get sewing again so I can get better and better. I am teaching my oldest to hand sew (actually fabric and thread) and my 4 year old to hand sew too (you know those felt kits from the store?). I can quilt SOMEWHAT (still learning and practicing) but am pretty good at making envelope quilts and machine tying them (moving the machine where I would normally hand-tie and using a decorative stitch like a heart or star to tie the quilt).

I want to learn to crochet and have plans to do that THIS year (we will see how realistic that is). I also am currently learning more and more about how to keep house. I bought Home Comforts LONG time ago, but am just now getting around to reading it (slowly but surely). I am a FlyBaby wanna be (love her method, just trying to remember to implement it, and when I do I actually have a clean house). We are currently in the process of decluttering our house (we have already gotten rid of over half the stuff we own and STILL need to get rid of LOTS more). And we are hoping to someday soon move to a homestead and start homesteading!! :D

I am also learning more and more about homeschooling. I listened to Debi Pearl's Favorite Homeschooling Ideas and really liked what she said. I have a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (fancy way of saying I have my teaching degree) and have never really liked the way it was done in the public schools. I really like the book Christian Unschooling, but think we are going to be more like Mrs. Pearl who seems a cross between Mason, Moore and relaxed. I have TONS of questions, and am so excited to LEARN! Gotta rummage through the site and find other unschoolers and relaxed homeschoolers.

I hope that my blog will bless some of you, as I am sure to be blessed by some of yours!!