Bully, Bullied, Bystander

I am not even sure how to open this topic. It is a Pandora's box full of fear, self-loathing, hate, embarrassment, shame, and buried memories, all wrapped up in one word: BULLY. My book club is reading a book called Dear Bully where seventy authors write of their experiences of being bullied, being the bully, or being the bystander. It really makes my heart ache. I think everyone should read it. 

Perhaps the only thing worse for me than any personal memories is watching my kids create their own. Recently I've left a group of homeschoolers that I have known for at least six years. Many of them are among my closest friends and I am sure I will continue to see them but in a more limited way. Others I may never see again except through Facebook. I had a lot to lose by walking away but it was a choice I made to keep my daughter from being the target of bullying. 

The Season of Advent

I love the season of advent. Last year my children enjoyed working on a Jesse Tree my good friend Rowena had shared. This year Rowena has just announced an advent ebook available! Rowena is one of the most creative people I have ever met, and I can not wait to enjoy her book over the next four weeks.

Here are some other favorite ways to count down to Christmas:

• The Advent Wreath. Three purple (traditionally catholic) or blue (traditionally protestant) candles and a single rose candle with an evergreen wreath around them. Light a purple for the first week of advent and add a candle for each week. The rose candle is lit on the third week. 

• Paper Chains. My children love making them and ripping off a link for each day. We made ours last night. I love how they festively drape around their rooms at the beginning only to disappear as their excitement grows. 

• The Jesse Tree. Twenty-five bible verses that tell the story of the bible through the resurrection. Each verse is accompanied by a simple symbolic craft to be hung on a tree branch. There are many variations on this. 

Thankful

If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.
~W. Clement Stone

This year has been full of miracles big and small. 
I am thankful. Simple as that. 


My sister's blog on her family's experience with pediatric liver transplant. The beginning of her story starts here. 

Screen Time

Recently, we've been fighting a nasty cold virus so our routine is off. As my kids draped themselves over couches and complained of boredom, they began to ask for movies or video games to help pass the time. I tend to cave easily to sick, pleading, stuffy-nosed, little voices. Unfortunately, increasing their screen time has never been a good idea no matter what the circumstances. After a couple of days of relaxing our no screen-time until 4:00pm rule, the bickering started. Arguments of what to watch, leads to general crankiness over anything. Soon I was getting nothing but whine. They wanted to do nothing but watch shows and play video games. The problem is that even though they are getting better, their taste for video games and movies has only increased. After a really bad day of tantrums we've decided to ban all leisure screen time for one month. They can have an occasional nature or history documentary and can use the computer for education and research, but no more shows, movies, or video games. Yes, mom and dad are doing this too. I've already been busted too. I was just checking my messages on Facebook when I saw a video my friend had posted. I clicked. I laughed. I got busted by my son. He is still gloating. I have no idea if we will really make it an entire month, but cutting back will definitely be a good thing for us all.

How do you do screen time in your home? How do your kids change after too much screen time?

The Disney Tour (A Wordless Wednesday on a Tuesday Night)

Well we'll be off very soon on a trip that has been twisting me in knots for months. My daughter's violin group will be playing Downtown Disney and Sea World as well as a couple of highly prestigious events here in Nashville. Check out this link!

Local news clip about Nashville Suzuki Players.

Me Too!

Last but not least, I am going to talk about what it takes to school a preschooler. Preschool is a silly word for a homeschooling family, but I use it because everyone knows what I mean. My soon to be 4yo is not one to sit quietly on the sidelines while her older siblings have all of mommy's attention. She Loves to be in the thick of things. When we do book work, I make sure she has her own stack of activity and coloring books. When she sits down I make sure I assign her a page and give her complete instructions even if it is, "You should color these however you want." I make sure to read books with her often and have a set of BOB books she is working with on sounding out words. It doesn't take long. Once she realizes I am not ignoring her she is usually content to go get a toy to play with. Sculpting clay or paint is another favorite for her. The most important thing for me is to NOT resort to screen time if I can help it. A house rule is that screens (unless used for learning) stay off until 4:00pm daily. Everyone here is at some level of learning (even mom and dad!) and meeting those needs daily is what homeschooling is all about.