And That's Why I Never Watch TV

Yesterday was a follow up visit at the allergists office for my son who is allergic to the state of Georgia.  (Fun times!)

We were the only ones in the waiting room (it was 1:45 pm) so it was nice and quiet...except the TV was on.

Have any of you seen "The Talk"? Kind of like "The View" wannabes?  Yeah...that was on.

First story they covered...how Brandy from the Real Housewives claimed she slept with some actor and rated him on a scale of 1 to 10 as an 11 'in bed'.  Then they showed a clip of said actor on the Howard Stern show airing his side of the story.

 Really? This is news?  Where I come from it's called a 'one night stand' and you usually don't discuss it with a MILLION people....and their CHILDREN.

Then they got on to the subject of porn.  Not just for a few seconds. For at least 5 minutes they went on and on about porn.

This is when I start loudly suggesting to the kids..."ANYONE WANT A MAGAZINE?"

Even I was uncomfortable hearing the word 'porn' being thrown around left and right...I'm even uncomfortable typing it in this post.

AND of course Sharon Osbourne is telling us all about how she rallied in her little village, when her kids were young, to have pornography taken out of book stores so her kids don't have to see it.

(Never mind that my kids have to hear her TALKING about it...)

And of course she begins telling all these stories of sitting next to someone in an airport while they are reading a certain kind of magazine and is telling us all what she is SEEING...

My son looks over at me with a pleading look in his eye that says "Make it stop Mom!"
My daughter has her head bowed and is trying to tune it all out.

And I am sitting there mortified.  It's one o'clock on a weekday afternoon, people!  Should this really be a topic of conversation? Is there nothing else on God's green Earth to report on than THAT??

I felt like I needed a shower when we left the waiting area.

Am I that much of a prude?  Really?  Or has modern culture become so desensitized to this type of junk that we all just accept it as the norm?

5 "Lies" Homeschool Moms Tell Others (and Themselves)

Okay, so maybe this is mostly just ME, but I think homeschool moms truly help each other and the face of homeschooling when we tear down the facades and get REAL.  Get real with each other and the rest of the world.

Here is a compilation of the top 'lies' that homeschoolers tell, whether to others or themselves...and why.

1.  "I just LOVE being with my children all day! EVERY day!" <clutches pearls>:  

No, we don't. Somedays we just want to get in the car and drive far, far away from these little people. Not that we ever would. Okay, maybe not FAR away...but at least far enough to meet another mom for a cup of coffee or shoe shopping.  Sometimes it's hard to even form a coherent thought when you have been with an unruly bunch of kids all day.

But to admit that you want to 'run away' means you are indeed NOT Supermom.  And in some homeschool circles, Supermom is what is expected of us.

(I will admit, the older the kids get, the less I feel like this.)

2.  "I am totally LOVING my curriculum!  I love everything about it!"

No, we don't. Or...at least I have yet to find a curriculum that I loved EVERYTHING about. 

To admit that we don't love it means that we just spend oodles of money on a curriculum that we feel we still need to 'tweak' in order for it to work for us.


3.  "ALL kids should be homeschooled."

This is one I have never said, but is the sentiment of many homeschool moms.

No, ALL kids should not be homeschooled.  I personally know of children who were neglected in their homeschool experience...who were denied speech therapy and special education needs.  Who probably weren't fed a decent breakfast or lunch.  Let's face it...there are children that, for them, public school is a safe haven, a place to escape their crazy parents or get a decent meal at the very least.  And to not admit that...well, you have your head in the sand.

But to admit that is to admit that yes...there ARE crazy parents who are homeschooling their kids...which certainly casts suspicion on the rest of us.  And even though it is their 'right' to homeschool...that doesn't mean it is the best thing for their kids.

4.  "All homeschooled children are PERFECTLY socialized!"

Where do I begin? :)  Children are CHILDREN, i.e., 'unfinished adults'.  Meaning, they still mess up.  They are still learning how to interact with each other and the world. 

I will say they have more opportuninties to learn that interaction with multiple ages. 

But I have seen the kids that don't know how to sit still and listen, talk back to adults, etc.  So, no, not all homeschooled kids are better socialized, rather the opportunity is there for them to learn how to interact with others...whether or not their parents take that opportunity to guide them is another story altogether.

But to admit that is to admit there are indeed 'weird homeschoolers'.  It's true. There are.

5.  "I would NEVER _________"

Fill in the blank with your choice...never send them back to school? Never use a certain curriculum or method?  As my momma used to say..never say never!

Children change.  Their needs change.  Family dynamics change.  As homeschool moms, our focus should be on what is best NOW. What was best when the kids were in early elementary may not be what is best in middle or high school.

To admit that would mean to admit that what we once proclaimed to be perfect for our kids and us may now NOT be perfect. 

Be open to change. Nothing is worse than wallowing around in stagnation because you are too resistant to take new and exciting opportunities that will benefit your children.

How about you? What are some homeschool 'lies' that need to be exposed, in your experience?

Field Trip: Port Columbus

Since we are studying the Civil War, I found a wonderful field trip opportunity that was relatively close by...Port Columbus, Columbus, Georgia!

 

 

 

 

First of all..you gotta love an interpreter in costume.

We learned the differences in weapons used by the Confederacy and the Union.  And the origins of many sayings that we use today such as "lock, stock and barrell"..."Pop a cap"....and "boot camp".

We also learned that you had to be at least 13 years old to join the Civil War navy...13! I have a hard time making my 13 year old make his bed everyday!

Another requirement...at least 4 teeth.  So that you can tear open the little paper tubes of gunpowder with your teeth in order to use it in your gun.  I am assuming that means 2 upper and 2 lower, and that they all meet up with each other.

We learned the story of the Water Witch.  It almost sounded like a Three Stooges episode at some points...very interesting!  Also, the men who refused to fight in the skirmish were sent to Andersonville Prison...which will be our next field trip, I'm sure.

One of the tour guides demonstrated a Civil War rifle.... note the earplugging. 

 

 My favorite display...the actual remains of a Civil War ironclad ship.  This particular ship was captured by the Union and set ablaze and left to drift up the Chattahoochee...it burned for 3 weeks.  Can you imagine?

 Us listening to the tale of the Water Witch...

A model of the upper decks of the Virginia (Merrimac).  The floor that we were standing on was where water level would have been.  It was a very low profile ship, hence a smaller target.  Also, this protected the vulnerable underbelly of the ship, which was made of wood, by 'hiding' it underwater.

And since it was a beautiful day, we enjoyed a picnic lunch by the Chattahoochee River. 

One thing to love about living in Georgia...when one studies the Civil War, there is no shortage of field trip opportunities to bring it to life!

My Latest Craze: Fruity Lemonade

Lately we have been on a mission in my home to eliminate processed foods and drinks from our diets.  Along with that we have been incorporating more fresh produce.

As we all know, fresh berries are wonderful! Except...they spoil quickly.

And truth be known, my kids don't really care for smoothies.  One doesn't like berries unless they are baked in a cobbler.

BUT they love lemonade.

So I have been tinkering around with making homemade lemonade because I had a whole bag of lemons that needed a purpose in life before they rotted.

And I happened to have strawberries that were on the same doomed path.

And blueberries.

Voila!  Fresh lemonade with a handful of strawberries and blueberries blended right in!

Way better than Kool Aid. 

I can't wait til Summer when the peaches and blackberries are in season...and the peppermint! And pineapple sage!

I Got Your Back

Now I will take on a topic that has been on my mind lately.  

I am sure all of you homeschooling moms are aware of all the diverse educational philosophies out there.

Unschooling.
Traditional schooling at home.
Project based learning.
Classical education.
Hebrew education.
Unit Study based curriculum.
Child led learning.
Boxed curriculum.
Online charter schools.
Eclectic curriculum.
Christian curriculum.
Secular curriculum.

Anyone dizzy yet?

There is a model of education for every kind of kid out there. That's the beauty of homeschooling...finding out what works for your children and what propels you toward your educational goals and using it.

Sounds perfect, right?  I mean, everyone doing their own thing and not worrying about anyone else and what they are doing.

WRONG.

I understand passion. When you are excited about something that you believe to be the best thing ever and want to share. Nothing at all wrong with that.

What I don't understand are the homeschool moms who drag down the philosophies of other homeschool moms...who openly ridicule methods of teaching that do not align with what they are passionate about.  Which leaves me pondering...is it truly passion? Or are they that insecure with themselves their own choices that they feel the need to lash out at others who are content with what they have chosen?

It's hard enough being a mom. Add to that the stresses of being a homeschooling mom.  We all know how it feels living in a society that constantly questions our motives for homeschooling. 

Shouldn't we all kind of 'have each others back'?  I think we should.

So I am here to tell you...I don't care if you use secular curriculum, if you use unit studies, if you let your kid play video games all day and call it Technology 101...if it aligns with your families goals and your child is working toward becoming a happy and well rounded adult...

I got your back.

Cemetery Field Trip

I know right? What says 'field trip' like a cemetery?

I'm morbid I suppose, but I love old cemeteries. I wonder about all the lives of all the people we encounter. I love the epitaphs and tombstone carvings and peace and quiet.

We went on a field trip yesterday with some fellow homeschoolers to a local cemetery to learn about the different symbols on head stones and mausoleums.  We saw some graves of historic figures and learned about our areas history as well. I truly learned so much more than I was bargaining for.

A century ago people had such a solid understanding of Christianity, indicated by the symbolism everywhere.  Maybe that's what is so nice about those old cemeteries...people were certain their loved ones were with Christ when they passed from this world.

I wish I would have remembered to bring a camera.

Anyway, after we left our field trip, we decided to drive to Milledgeville, Georgia and make a stop by the old cemetery over there. Here's the back-story:

A month or so ago we attended a field trip at the Atlanta History Center. It was an interactive field trip about the Civil War, and at one point each child was assigned a real Civil War soldier to portray during the field trip.  My daughter was assigned Edwin Jemison, whose picture is shown above. He was only 16 when he went off to fight..and only 17 when he was decapitated by a cannonball. 

Like good little homeschoolers we came home and did a little research on our soldiers...and found out that Edwin Jemison was from Milledgeville and buried there.

So, yesterday we made the trip to pay homage to him.

After the excitement of actually finding his grave, a somber mood hit us all. 

It suddenly became very 'real' for us.  Nothing is more sobering than words and dates carved in marble on a tombstone.

I silently thanked him for his patriotism.  He wasn't much older than my son. He even looks a little like my son.

We left his grave with a better sense of the reality of war.  That the Civil War really happened.  Young boys really died.  Here, in our 'backyard'.  Thousands of them.

I think we all learned a lot more than we even thought we would.

Change is a Good Thing!

I have heard it said that 'The only person who likes change is a wet baby."

False! I LOVE change. I thrive on it. When something is the same, day in and day out...after a while I just want to scream.

So, since this is the time of year when all homeschool moms contemplate what their course of action will be for next school year, we have some changes in store.

Next year we will be enrolling in an online charter school.

The reasons I have are varied, but the biggest ones are:

1.  My daughter thrives on schedules. She even 'schedules' when she drinks water during the day.  She likes neat and orderly and predictable. When she's done with her work, often times she wants more.  Mommy doesn't always have more planned for the day.  (Can I just say she is her father's child? :) )  Most of all she is a very independent learner and driven. When I presented the idea of  her being responsible for logging in each morning to view her assignments and then tackling them, a gleam came into her eye. 

Not to mention, art class. She can take art classes.

And grades. The kid loves getting grades.

2.  My son NEEDS schedules. He is his Momma's child...floating through the day and oh look! Shiny thing! Lets do math! He needs structure to his day.

3.  My son is a huge techie and there are several technology courses that I could never afford to pay for in the real world.

4.  I want them to diverge and try out things that are 'just for them'. Because they are so close in age, much of our schooling is done together, except math and language arts.  But art, foreign language, electives in general...I want them to be able to customize their educations to suit themselves.

5.  Accountability.  Huge reason.  In order to prepare them for college and the working world, I want them to learn accountability.  And deadlines. Sure, I could impose deadlines in our homeschool...but I don't.  It's just not something that ever happens.

And lets be honest here...I find myself losing steam. I think it's because I am craving change.  I can tell my kids aren't as invested in their school time as they used to be.  And in my opinion, homeschooling works best when EVERYONE is engaged, especially mom.

In years past I have contemplated going this route, but my heart would always say 'no'.  This time, my heart is saying 'yes'!