Planning ahead for next year’s home school curriculum is smart and worth considering. But, it can be challenging when some of us are just looking for light at the end of the tunnel of the current school year.
The poll results are in - Texas home school families strongly support increased parental choice in education and Education Savings Accounts.
Author Neil Gaiman wrote, “A book is a dream that you hold in your hand.” Reading to your children at an early age is a fantastic way to begin their journeys to creativity. Time spent in the magic of stories exploring the Ozark Mountains, smelling the gunpowder at Gettysburg, or climbing trees with the Robinson family can set a path toward a lifelong love of books! Reading also helps develop your child’s analytical thinking skills, memory, imagination, and vocabulary, among other inspirational benefits.
My boys are huggers. They love giving hugs to say hello and goodbye. I remember times, however, when we were rushed to deliver kids to extracurricular activities, church functions or sleep overs. The more we rushed the less time we had for proper goodbye instructions. No “say yes ma'am and no ma’am, make sure you are a good example, clear your plate from the table, and most importantly be respectful.” What we needed was a simple gesture that was understood by all of us. We needed a high five.
New Year’s Eve is celebrated in many different ways across the world. A favorite for many families during this time of celebration is a fireworks display. Living in the country, our family enjoys a good show. We plan for the evening by clearing a launching pad, gathering the water hoses (just in case), and securing a sturdy base for our launch tubes. The weather is checked for wind conditions and burn bans. The kiddos select the fireworks they would like to shoot off and the purchases are made. Once the evening arrives, our anticipation builds. Will the plan come together? Will our expectations be met?
For the Orr household, Christmas break marks a midway point for our school year. While many families choose to school year round, we opt to have a break during the summer months, so we push through the entire fall, and by December, we’re ready to relax!
The challenge for our family is staying on pace so we can enjoy a treasured time of rest. I ask myself things like, “Have we completed all the lessons we should have completed?” and, “Will we finish our notebooks on time?” Some years the answer is yes. Some years we struggle.
I distinctly remember a Christmas Eve many years ago with a blistering cold wind and snow on the ground. I was sharing a cup of warm hot chocolate with my grandmother. I think I was 10. We were discussing the virtue of giving and how it is the thought that counts. In my wise, 10-year-old brain, I agreed wholeheartedly. After all, it was Christmas Eve and that was the thing to say, right?
When I think of physical fitness, I am drawn to memories of my high school gymnastics team and images of marathon runners and distance swimmers. The truth is that we are all called to be fit and to take care of ourselves physically and mentally.
What did you want to be when you grew up? A fireman? A nurse? An astronaut? Teacher, perhaps? What about president? Would you want to be the President of the United States?
Just because you home educate, doesn’t mean that your child’s future is limited. In fact, the opposite is true. Students who were home school tend to be well-adjusted adults. Did you know that all of these famous people were home educated?
I would love to hide my kids away until they are 25. Think of all the benefits! No need for allowances, sleepovers, sporting events, and no outside influence! To be honest, that’s the biggie for all of us, isn’t it—outside influence? Today’s world is much different than it was when we were younger.
Where in the world are we headed? I can tell you—straight into the strangest election I can remember in my lifetime! Uncertainty in our country’s government is high on my prayer list. Since I can’t tuck my wonderful children away and protect them from all the misconceptions and lies that accompany a society living far from Biblical truth, I need to get on the ball and begin guiding them through the muck!
