Tag: homeschooling

A Letter to My Daughter on Beauty

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My dear sweet girl,

I didn’t really expect to discuss this with you at the tender age of seven, but when after watching The Voice with Mommy for a mere ten minutes, you suddenly came downstairs after a commercial break with your hair down and brushed dramatically to the side just like a few of the contestants, I felt a lurch in the pit of my stomach. Your innocent pony tail and head band had been replaced with a Lauren Bacall peekaboo. What I thought sis1was an innocent, innocuous singing competition had already begun to teach you what our culture values as beautiful, and you didn’t even wait until the end of the show to model their ideal. Despite a steady diet of Veggie Tales and Gigi: God’s Little Princess, despite having never allowed “fashion” magazines into the house, I have realized that I can’t always protect you from “the world,” and since I’ve noticed that most retailers think seven is the right age for little girls to look like grown women, I think it’s time we had a chat about what true beauty really is.

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The Magic of Reading to Older Kids

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A and C snuggle in tight, one under each arm. I open the pages of Because of Winn-Dixie and begin to read. Silence, rapt attention, interrupted now and thenbecause-of-winn by a chorus of giggles when our furry protagonist finds himself the center of a
mishap follows. Today has been declared electronic-free day, which is usually met with whining and pleading, but as soon as I crack open the pages of that book and allow the story to captivate my children, no shiny contraption, not even X-box can lure them from the magic currently igniting their imaginations.

At the close of each chapter, both children chime, “One more, mommy, please!” Though dishes pile in the sink, laundry overflows its basket, and dust sits on the furniture, I, too, am drawn into the tale and give in to my children’s pleas. (My family has this quirky inability to put down a good book until it’s finished.) Though, they are both capable of finishing the story on their own, I wouldn’t miss this time with them, so I continue to read until we reach the final page. For four hours, we lose ourselves in the world of a girl and her furry companion. I close the book and resume my housecleaning, leaving behind a lively discussion of the novel, two voices excitedly reminiscing about the highlights of this charming book.

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Working and Homeschooling: Finding Balance

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I toss a stack of books into the leather ottoman that discreetly stores my children’s textbooks. A and C gather pencils , clean excess paper and schoolwork off the dining room table then rush off to read silently for half an hour while I dress for work. My husband and I discuss dinner and practice schedules, and I leave a few last minute instructions with the kids before I head out to the library where I will spend the next five hours tutoring. My husband steps in to handle the afternoon duties of shuttling the kids to practice, feeding them dinner, and preparing them for bed. When I return home from work, I will run upstairs where my two little ones arewaiting patiently for books and good night hugs, thus ending another day for our homeschooling family.

An oft-repeated comment I hear from moms who wish to homeschool is “I’d love to homeschool, but I have to work.” I’m often greeted with looks of surprise when I share that not only do I work but so do many of my homeschooling friends. Working mom and homeschooling mom need not be mutually exclusive. In fact working while homeschooling can provide real-world learning experiences for your own children.

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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane Review

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“If you have no intention of loving or being loved, then the whole journey is pointless.”

My children and I picked out The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane because it was written by Kate DiCamillo. Having just read Because of Winn-Dixie and being fans of The Tale of Desperaux, we were eager to read the the next book in her catalog of excellent selections. We were not disappointed. Edward not only charms but also instructs, reminding readers that we are all a work in progress.
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Edward Tulane is a china rabbit, created by Pelligrina for her granddaughter Abilene’s birthday. Edward, a beautifully dressed vision of rabbit perfection, is adored by Abilene, but Edward’s perfection ends with his appearance. He is a cold rabbit whose shallow preoccupations keep him incapable of love. Continue reading “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane Review” →

Homeschooling Challenges

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Whenever someone finds out that I home school, I’m usually met with this standard response: “I could never do that. (Insert child’s name here) and I would kill each other.” Since I usually know these moms very well and can assure you that they, nor their children, face any real mortal danger, I usually smile and nod knowingly. Recently, when a friend asked how homeschooling was going she said, “I’d love to do that, but I’m afraid my daughter and I would kill each other,” it hit me: people must think that my daughter and I have a relationship that ensures our home school routine is smooth and pleasant. Dothey think we have somehow escaped the rigors of relationship battles that accompany schooling your own children? Friends, I am here to assure you that is not the case. I can assure you that my children and I battle on a pretty regular basis.

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