One thing I’ve learned over the years is that hard as it may be to change myself, it’s a whole lot easier than changing other people – and more fruitful, too.
 

And yet… it’s a lesson that doesn’t seem to stick nearly as good as it should.

How many times have I persisted in trying to change an attitude in a child when the better route would have been to change my own attitude?

I once tutored a boy who on a Challenging Scale of 1-10 rated a 25. We spent the first 30-60 minutes of many tutoring sessions getting past attitude problems so we could get on to learning a thing or two. I sometimes felt I had done my fair share by spending ten minutes in relaxed mode – general chit-chat, joking around, etc. So when I announced it was time to buckle down and he dug in his heals, it made me angry. I’d given in, I’d made allowances, I’d tried to do it his way, and this was my reward. Why bother at all?

But this boy was going through a lot in his young life. He needed a very long warm-up period. He was often belligerent during that time, no matter how nice or relaxed I was. My job was to change my own attitude and approach. It was utterly useless to try to push change on him, and doing so was no more than willfulness – even self-righteousness -- on my part.

When he consistently saw that I was willing to be patient and that I would respect what he was going through – and yes, that I was not going to go away but that I was also not going to act like him – he started to improve. By changing myself, I helped him change himself.

It works in so many situations and relationships – by changing ourselves, we help others change themselves. I imagine I’ll be learning that lesson over and over for the rest of my life.

Tammy Drennan homeschooled her sons from 1985 through 2003. She now works as a writer and tutor and maintains several web sites and blogs, including www.educationconversation.wordpress.com and www.homeschoolstarter.com

With the new school year starting I can use some fast and easy casserole recipes to help get dinner on the table.  HERE is a free E-Book that is loaded with casserole recipes! 

I am looking forward to trying out Taco Quiche, Spinach and Cream, Broccoli and Cheese and Florentine Casserole just to name a few.  I hope you enjoy it too! 

Happy Homeschooling,

Jamin

Well, it's a new school year, and I've had Blackeyed Susan and Alvin Fernald writing some "descriptive paragraphs" just to warm up the writing juices. Here is Susan's first entry:

Back to Ballet Again

    The first day back to ballet was painful. The smell mixed of sweat and hairspray. What a wonderful, homely smell. It was like I never left. Going back seemed so natural. Being overwhelmingly welcomed by friends you've missed over the summer. Nothing like it. Through the thoughts of spending the next three seasons with them, through all the aching calves, and body parts you didn't think could be so sore, throbbing heads, grumpy feelings, and bloody toes, it's good to be back.

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Here is Alvin's first:

My Experience with Primer

     One day, my friend Will was painting his room, and asked me to help. Bad idea. We were painting it red, so we first had to use pink primer. We decided it would be fun to paint our heads pink. We were wrong. There I was, with pink hair, getting ready for Royal Rangers, when I decided I wanted it out. Multiple shampooings later, my scalp was stinging, but my head was still pink. Mom combed out the paint, and with many shrieks, the ordeal was finally over.

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When I sat down to help them correct their paragraphs, the first thing that stood out was the multitude of "un-sentences" they used. Still, I recognized a pattern--they wrote their paragraphs like they "spoke" when they made comments on their friends' Facebook pages. Maybe we can call it Blogspeak or BlogGrammar?

I do the same thing. Look at many of my entries and I will say something like: It was a Very. Big. Deal. Or, I will say, I grounded them forever. Done Deal. No mercy.

I think we write on blogs in the casual way we speak today. Using "voice" inflection instead of grammar. (see, I did it again!)

I started to correct their pieces, and just gave up, telling them that I hadn't specified using formal grammar, so we'd try it again. That was yesterday. (did you notice it again?

Here we go with Susan's:

 A New CD

    The feeling I get when I buy a new CD is priceless. The smell of the plastic, and the sight of the new CD gives me goose bumps. Taking it out of the case, and putting it in the CD player, not knowing what song is coming next. Each new song, better than the last. Staring at the case while you're endlessly surprised about the songs being played. Then the CD is over, when you feel like you just put it in! Your mood becomes let down, until you hear the CD start over.

(still a couple of un-sentences there...)

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Alvin:

My Dream Guitar

     If I could afford any guitar, it would be a vintage Fender Telecaster. It would have a wood finish, with Humbucker pickups. It would have a smooth, sulky sound, and someday, it will be Mine. muwahahahahah....

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Now, my first attempt:

Christmas Time Again?

      Crisp snow crunching underfoot? The smell of Christmas cookies baking filling the house? Not quite, my friend. It is possibly ninety degrees outside, though reminiscent of an arctic outpost inside (I *do* keep the a/c quite cold). However, the strains of Jackie Gleason's "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Fifteen Favorite Christmas Medleys" *do* fill my home. it has been my own personal tradition, since I was a teenager, to play "mood" music while I crafted handmade Christmas gifts. And my children, who think I'm crazy as a loon, are finally used to the fact that I start to play my Christmas music on September 1st.

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Ugh. Look at mine. Puh-thetic. The first THREE sentences aren't sentences! I see definite improvement in my children from entry one to entry two (and, in my defense, I only tried once!!), but it is very difficult to "do it right" when we've been "doing it wrong" all summer!

I am pretty proud of their descriptive prowess, however...

So, back to work! As my Dad used to say, Another Day, Another Dollar. Or maybe, God's mercies are new everyday, and boy, do I need 'em! 

We found out when we met the Gregg and Sono Harris family. They used to live in Dayton, Ohio and Gregg had a single's Bible study at Wright State University.  Gregg led me to the Lord, introduced me the that handsome man in the pic who would later become my husband; Sono discipled me and told me that they homeschool their son. Yep...the cute little kid in the pic is Josh "I Kissed Dating Good-bye" Harris when he was about 8 years old! He was my little buddy and the 1st homeschooled kid I'd ever met.

And the rest...as they say...is history.

What's YOUR story?

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

If you have a dog lover at your house you are going to LOVE this new item we just added to the Schoolhouse Store.

Come along for 10 "playful" lessons on dogs: 10 mini Units for a terrific discounted price!  Brandenburg Studies' The Daily Dog Bundle Set includes all top 10 single unit looks at each breed of dog. Whether it is about a pet you already have, of one you enjoy--these little units are just the ticket to get the school day going. Includes lessons on the following dog breeds: Labrador, Retrievers, Beagles, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Dachshunds, Boxers, Poodles, Shih Tzu, and Bichon Frize.

You will receive the following for EACH of the mentioned breeds:

• Student Lesson
• Student Worksheet
• Handwriting/stationery sheets for various grades
• Coloring page
• Activity or game

You'll be "dog-gone" happy you found this study!

Click HERE to find this item in E-Book format.

Click HERE to find this item in CD format.

Hello,

Having just returned from a long week-end with my family, I am busily trying to catch up with all the things on my "to-do" list. I will say that I spent time taking care of the most important things on my list over the week-end. I was able to spend time time with the Lord in His Word. He really used Scripture to speak to my heart. There has been a lot going on in my life, and I needed this time with Him to be reminded that He is in charge of those forces that are persecuting me.

I also spent a lot of quality time with my husband and children. The Lord has blessed my business in the past month to the point that I have worked a lot of extra hours. So I was happy to have some time to focus on my family.

I found time to just relax, too. And it was much-needed on my part. Some small stresses were becoming big stresses. because of all the busy-ness of my life. So I am feeling much-rested in body and spirit. And it is a good thing. I have a lot to accomplish today!

We are enjoying a break from school this week. I planned it into our schedule, since we started school way back in early July.

Have a blessed day! Tami

Blogger Friend School Assignment - Feel free to join the fun!

Assignment: Take time this week to write about YOU and your feelings of trials and triumphs with homeschooling.  Touch on when you first heard about the concept of home schooling and whether you tip-toed into the idea or just jumped in and never looked back.  Share your schooling as a child and how you compare it to what your goals are for your children.

Living in Australia we aren’t starting afresh at the moment – kind of the contrary – we are heading into our last quarter shortly.  I like this time of the year though as we have just come through a very busy season,  and as the weather heats up we tend to stay indoors and hit the books unless we are looking for a swimming pool for a swim.  Routine is a little more routine!

What do I feel about homeschooling?  Homeschooling has become a way of life for us – not just the routine of doing lessons, but a lifestyle of living together, sharing experiences and talking about things all the time.  It would be very strange indeed not to have my children around me day in and day out. 

My first contact with homeschooling was when my Dad traveled to the States in 1978 for a Ministry Study tour.  He apparently went to a homeschool seminar and came home feeling that we should be homeschooled.  We lived in an isolated area, there was no such thing as homeschool support groups or internet; actually homeschooling itself was a much unknown concept in Australia.  In the end my parents sent me to a church school for just over one year, where I lived in a church run boarding house.    Many years later my younger brother was homeschooled for one year in Yr.10. 

When Peter and I got married we talked about homeschooling our children-to-be and probably expected that to happen.  By the time I had a toddler running around I knew that the programmes that we had earmarked where not to be for my children, they didn’t suit my parenting style at all.  So we tossed around and decided upon public school.  While our eldest, Josh was in preschool I came across some other homeschool curriculum – this was more like it!  Seeing a wider array of options available as far as curriculum goes opened up the discussion again.  Then we were challenged with the idea of being the biggest influence in our children’s lives.  If this were to be the case, we needed to spend the most time with them.  Homeschooling was back on the agenda!

I just love our lifestyle.  Sure, there are challenges.  I look and see what mums who send their kids to school can achieve in their days and I must admit at times there is a twinge of wishfulness, but reality is, that I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Those things that seem desirable for that flash of time, don’t count against the benefits of having our children live beside me.    

One of my favourite scriptures is in Deut 6 and you all know it – v6 – And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.  You shall teach them diligenty to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.  

Though the talking when we sit, walk and lie down are truly the methodology we use to train our children the real challenge of this scripture for me is the first part – these words … shall be in my heart.  I must have the Word of God in my heart before I can talk about them to the children.

Peter and I are very aware and thankful for the spiritual heritage we have built our family on.  Both set of our parents are Christians whose desire was to bring their children up to love and serve the Lord.   I don’t necessarily wish we were homeschooled as kids – the experiences that I had as a child and as a young adult are the things that have shaped me to be the person that I am today.  The same as homeschooling will shape and mould our children into the adults they will be one day.

I completed my education at a Church school, who didn’t graduate their students with a State recognized exam based score.  I remember my parents saying that they had the faith to send us to such a school, but they prayed that by the time we (the kids) had to walk in the repercussions of their decision (further education and careers) that we too would have the faith to continue to trust God for opportunities.  This is the same prayer I have for my children.  I have the faith that what we are doing is right, but I also pray that as my children grow older they too will have the faith to walk as an adult in the repercussions of our decision to homeschool them.  The faith journey never really ends.

 a recent photo of me, taken while we were camping