What is going on right now with the Republican presidential candidates for the 2012 election is beyond ridiculous. In all my life I have not experienced such absurd media bias! Here is a great video on how Ron Paul has been shut out by the media (unless of course they want to speak to an expert on the economy or other matters, because they know he is the most intelligent person in congress and the only one who has predicted exactly what has taken place for decades with 100% accuracy.) If you have children old enough to understand (maybe age 12 and up) I would let them watch this video. What a great lesson!
The video is here.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Single Parent Homeschooling
I came across an excellent article about single parent homeschooling. Please read it here and then come back and comment!
As I read the article, I felt the author was speaking right at me. I realized there were others out there in the same boat and it made me feel like I wasn't alone in this. I also identified with feeling all alone, and feeling like I was "out" because my ex-husband and I divorced. I was even told by a fellow homeschooler to prepare to be turned away from some homeschooling co-ops because of my single or "divorced" status. I know she was only trying to be helpful, but it may have closed doors that I never tried to open.
I work from home, and currently receive no child support. That is a long story all in itself, and I can tell you that it makes for LONG days when you are working, teaching, doing household chores, driving kids to activities, all the while concerned that you might not be able to pay your bills that month. As a Christian I have learned over and over again that He WILL take care of our needs, but in the flesh, I worry, as well as have to deal with anger over a father who neglects to help me take care of OUR children.
I also fight jealousy over friends on facebook sharing about their vacations and all the fun things they get to do. I have tried to get my kids to the beach every summer, but have only made it once so far and that was because we were receiving child support. If I am not working, I am thinking about new ways to make money, or better ways to advertise my products or websites. I am constantly "on" and this does not result in anything positive (just ask my kids!) This is 100% because of my kids' father. I currently do not have health insurance. My kids are on the state insurance program, but I make too much to qualify for myself. I cannot put away for retirement because every penny I make goes into our bills. Sometimes I wonder how long this can go on, but all I can do right now is keep on.
Over everything, I know that homeschooling my kids is 100% the right choice for our family. If I do this right, they will turn out to be wonderful people who will take care of me in my old age and that retirement I can't save for will not be missed at all!
As I read the article, I felt the author was speaking right at me. I realized there were others out there in the same boat and it made me feel like I wasn't alone in this. I also identified with feeling all alone, and feeling like I was "out" because my ex-husband and I divorced. I was even told by a fellow homeschooler to prepare to be turned away from some homeschooling co-ops because of my single or "divorced" status. I know she was only trying to be helpful, but it may have closed doors that I never tried to open.
I work from home, and currently receive no child support. That is a long story all in itself, and I can tell you that it makes for LONG days when you are working, teaching, doing household chores, driving kids to activities, all the while concerned that you might not be able to pay your bills that month. As a Christian I have learned over and over again that He WILL take care of our needs, but in the flesh, I worry, as well as have to deal with anger over a father who neglects to help me take care of OUR children.
I also fight jealousy over friends on facebook sharing about their vacations and all the fun things they get to do. I have tried to get my kids to the beach every summer, but have only made it once so far and that was because we were receiving child support. If I am not working, I am thinking about new ways to make money, or better ways to advertise my products or websites. I am constantly "on" and this does not result in anything positive (just ask my kids!) This is 100% because of my kids' father. I currently do not have health insurance. My kids are on the state insurance program, but I make too much to qualify for myself. I cannot put away for retirement because every penny I make goes into our bills. Sometimes I wonder how long this can go on, but all I can do right now is keep on.
Over everything, I know that homeschooling my kids is 100% the right choice for our family. If I do this right, they will turn out to be wonderful people who will take care of me in my old age and that retirement I can't save for will not be missed at all!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
My 10 Year-Old Got Braces
This child and his teeth...SIGH. It has been a topic of discussion since the day he was born. He constantly cried, and I wondered if two months was too early to teethe. There was lots of drool, but that was normal, right? The first teeth arrived at three months of age. By the time he was ten months old, he had ten teeth. By the time he was four years, he had his first root canal. His teeth were not healthy, and at age five, more (expensive) dental work was done. You can read about our journey here.
Last year, I noticed that his twelve-year molars were already erupting. He was nine! Once they came in fully, his bottom teeth began crowding. He already had an overbite and a tooth that did not come down fully, which the kids were beginning to pick on. He began asking me regularly for braces. I could not afford them. But even more, I was afraid that he would have to endure the same trauma I did: extractions, including permanent teeth. As an adult, I REALLY wish I still had those teeth, because they do come in handy! All together I had ten teeth pulled, obviously most of them baby teeth. I was not looking forward to dealing with that and making permanent decisions for my son's mouth!
Luckily, I did not have to make that decision. Though some orthodontists still pull teeth, it is usually only in extreme cases. A new system of braces, the Damon System, made it possible for us to rely only on the braces to move the teeth and make more room in his mouth. Here is a video that shows this system:
It didn't even occur to me to ask, until I was speaking with my neighbor, if my son had any baby teeth left. My son says he lost them all, but I can't remember! So I will have to ask the orthodontist at our next visit if any of the teeth remaining are baby teeth. It is odd that a ten year old would have all of his permanent teeth already, but this child's teeth have been odd since day one! The orthodontist did say that he saw tiny buds developing...wisdom teeth! Ugggghhhhhh!
Anyway, he is on day three with braces. Not going too well so far. He was not estimating the pain factor very well and was asking to take the wire off on the first day. I am running out of ibuprofen and he is likely losing weight he can't afford to lose because it hurts to eat anything. I'm pumping him with raw milk and Ovaltine, and anything else he can squish with his tongue on the roof of his mouth. We are already seeing a difference in his teeth. He's hoping it won't take the full 24 months, but I told him that's NOT what he wanted as that probably will mean more pain to move them faster. He has an overbite, and four of his brackets have hooks for future rubberbands. THAT should be fun.
If you live in Wichita, KS, I suggest Trimmell Orthodontics. They have an office on the east and west side. They are great to work with, and were $500 cheaper than the first orthodontist we visited.
Last year, I noticed that his twelve-year molars were already erupting. He was nine! Once they came in fully, his bottom teeth began crowding. He already had an overbite and a tooth that did not come down fully, which the kids were beginning to pick on. He began asking me regularly for braces. I could not afford them. But even more, I was afraid that he would have to endure the same trauma I did: extractions, including permanent teeth. As an adult, I REALLY wish I still had those teeth, because they do come in handy! All together I had ten teeth pulled, obviously most of them baby teeth. I was not looking forward to dealing with that and making permanent decisions for my son's mouth!
Luckily, I did not have to make that decision. Though some orthodontists still pull teeth, it is usually only in extreme cases. A new system of braces, the Damon System, made it possible for us to rely only on the braces to move the teeth and make more room in his mouth. Here is a video that shows this system:
It didn't even occur to me to ask, until I was speaking with my neighbor, if my son had any baby teeth left. My son says he lost them all, but I can't remember! So I will have to ask the orthodontist at our next visit if any of the teeth remaining are baby teeth. It is odd that a ten year old would have all of his permanent teeth already, but this child's teeth have been odd since day one! The orthodontist did say that he saw tiny buds developing...wisdom teeth! Ugggghhhhhh!
Anyway, he is on day three with braces. Not going too well so far. He was not estimating the pain factor very well and was asking to take the wire off on the first day. I am running out of ibuprofen and he is likely losing weight he can't afford to lose because it hurts to eat anything. I'm pumping him with raw milk and Ovaltine, and anything else he can squish with his tongue on the roof of his mouth. We are already seeing a difference in his teeth. He's hoping it won't take the full 24 months, but I told him that's NOT what he wanted as that probably will mean more pain to move them faster. He has an overbite, and four of his brackets have hooks for future rubberbands. THAT should be fun.
If you live in Wichita, KS, I suggest Trimmell Orthodontics. They have an office on the east and west side. They are great to work with, and were $500 cheaper than the first orthodontist we visited.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Children with Anxiety
Whether your child is at home with you or at school all day, or even living with another parent, you may notice that he or she exhibits some symptoms of anxiety. After living a life trying to avoid anxiety, God blessed me with my own anxious child. I have worked very hard to help teach him how to deal with stress or how to cope without knowing what's going to happen next, and I think I've done a pretty good job. I sure wish I had some help with this early on! Some symptoms of child anxiety include:
If I were starting over with my anxious child, I would check out this program. It is a much better idea than spending hundreds of dollars on ineffective counseling or drugs. Not only does it help with the core problem, the anxiety, but it also provides tools for the parent in how to deal with the anxiety. Most parents, unless they suffered from an anxiety disorder themselves, do not know how to recognize anxiety in their children or how to help them with it. But if you do recognize it, and don't know what to do...now you do. Check it out!
- Unexplained physical symptoms such as headaches and stomachaches.
- Being nervous, jittery, and hypersensitive.
- Decreased school performance or a lack of concentration.
- Avoidance of social activities or not wanting to spend as much time with friends.
- Tics, nervous habits, or compulsive behavior such as nail biting or hair pulling.
- Dangerous behavior such as cutting or drug and alcohol abuse.
- Excessive moodiness or outbursts of anger.
- Persistent worry that seems unjustified for the situation.
- Sleep changes or activity level changes.
- School avoidance or refusal.
- Being unusually or overly self-critical.
- A high need for reassurance.
- Outbursts of anger or oppositional behavior, even though you know in your heart they’re a good kid, they just have all this anxious energy coming out all wrong.
If I were starting over with my anxious child, I would check out this program. It is a much better idea than spending hundreds of dollars on ineffective counseling or drugs. Not only does it help with the core problem, the anxiety, but it also provides tools for the parent in how to deal with the anxiety. Most parents, unless they suffered from an anxiety disorder themselves, do not know how to recognize anxiety in their children or how to help them with it. But if you do recognize it, and don't know what to do...now you do. Check it out!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Is your children's school making them sick?
When our schools are updated and technologically advanced, we think it's a great thing because our kids will learn things that help them make it in our technologically advanced world. Unfortunately, there is a drawback when it comes to these schools, or in some cases classrooms, when it comes to our children's health. The electrosmog generated by WI-FI and charging computers, not to mention all the other electronics that schools have been using for ages, is reaching a catastrophic level in classrooms, causing numerous illnesses, including cancer. Read this story about a school in La Quinta, CA and their increase in cancer incidences in teachers AND children.
The good thing is, you can choose to keep your kids at home. But then the question is, is your home much better? For more information and to learn what you can do at home, here is a great place to start: Worse than Cigarettes? The Silent Enemy Harming Your Health Today...
Make sure you read the readers' comments at the end of the article. There are often suggestions there from people who know more or what they have done to solve the problem in their homes.
The good thing is, you can choose to keep your kids at home. But then the question is, is your home much better? For more information and to learn what you can do at home, here is a great place to start: Worse than Cigarettes? The Silent Enemy Harming Your Health Today...
Make sure you read the readers' comments at the end of the article. There are often suggestions there from people who know more or what they have done to solve the problem in their homes.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Should kids be allowed on facebook?
Short answer...NOOOOOOOOOOO!
I've been on facebook for a few years now, I guess, after trying to avoid it as long as possible. What I have discovered during that time is that it is NOT for kids. The minimum age is 13, but estimated figures show that 7 million kids under 13 (5 million of them being 10 and under!) are already on facebook. This is alarming.
In the last year, the number of accounts being hacked has gone up tremendously according to the pornography I have seen come through on friend's profiles. Just the other day, it came through on a 5th grader's page! The pornography is often in the form of a video, but you don't have to click on the video to be exposed, as the picture on the post is enough to be shocked. Sometimes it is "just" a picture.
I'm not sure how people's accounts get hacked, as it's not happened to me yet. I don't know if it's carelessness on their part or just bad luck. But what I do know is that it's happening, and our children should be protected from exposure to these images.
Recently I saw that Mark Zuckerberg, founder of facebook, is trying to lower the minimum age to allow all children on facebook. He thinks the age limit is ridiculous. He also does not have kids. Of course he wants to allow kids on facebook legally so that he has a completely new target audience to sell ads for. Duh. But even if this does happen, I caution all parents who will consider the age they allow their children on facebook. Sometimes it takes common sense and not laws to determine the age at which our children should be set free on a social website. Imagine also a child who accepts a "friend" he does not know. This happened recently to a friend of mine. His 11 year-old son accepted a friend request from a half naked 20-something year-old woman from California. That's scary enough. But what if this woman was really a 60 year-old man looking for a young boy to play with? His account has been deleted.
I've been on facebook for a few years now, I guess, after trying to avoid it as long as possible. What I have discovered during that time is that it is NOT for kids. The minimum age is 13, but estimated figures show that 7 million kids under 13 (5 million of them being 10 and under!) are already on facebook. This is alarming.
In the last year, the number of accounts being hacked has gone up tremendously according to the pornography I have seen come through on friend's profiles. Just the other day, it came through on a 5th grader's page! The pornography is often in the form of a video, but you don't have to click on the video to be exposed, as the picture on the post is enough to be shocked. Sometimes it is "just" a picture.
I'm not sure how people's accounts get hacked, as it's not happened to me yet. I don't know if it's carelessness on their part or just bad luck. But what I do know is that it's happening, and our children should be protected from exposure to these images.
Recently I saw that Mark Zuckerberg, founder of facebook, is trying to lower the minimum age to allow all children on facebook. He thinks the age limit is ridiculous. He also does not have kids. Of course he wants to allow kids on facebook legally so that he has a completely new target audience to sell ads for. Duh. But even if this does happen, I caution all parents who will consider the age they allow their children on facebook. Sometimes it takes common sense and not laws to determine the age at which our children should be set free on a social website. Imagine also a child who accepts a "friend" he does not know. This happened recently to a friend of mine. His 11 year-old son accepted a friend request from a half naked 20-something year-old woman from California. That's scary enough. But what if this woman was really a 60 year-old man looking for a young boy to play with? His account has been deleted.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
When Hard Work Pays Off
My son has been swimming on a summer league for about four years. After last season's final swim meet, he was determined to figure out exactly how to do breaststroke correctly. He worked and worked. Asked for instruction. "Am I doing it right?"
Yesterday he swam in his first swim meet of the summer. He did great on backstroke. Then came breaststroke, which was once his WORST event. I watched his stroke. Then came the tears. He was doing it! Pull, kick, glide. Pull, kick, glide. And he was moving forward! I literally was so overwhelmed for him that tears came to my eyes. He got first in his heat, but only 14th overall. I told him now that he knows how to do the stroke correctly, he can practice, practice, practice, and get stronger and better and faster. I love it when kids learn that their work will pay off! Such a great lesson in perseverance!
(After the swim meet we went to the Y pool to start working on getting those swimming muscles. My son worked REALLY hard. I swam a lot, too, after not swimming for a quite a while. We were supposed to go back to the pool this morning, but when I asked him if he still wanted to go, he said, "NO! I'm sore!" I don't blame him. I am, too! Sometimes hard work hurts!)
Yesterday he swam in his first swim meet of the summer. He did great on backstroke. Then came breaststroke, which was once his WORST event. I watched his stroke. Then came the tears. He was doing it! Pull, kick, glide. Pull, kick, glide. And he was moving forward! I literally was so overwhelmed for him that tears came to my eyes. He got first in his heat, but only 14th overall. I told him now that he knows how to do the stroke correctly, he can practice, practice, practice, and get stronger and better and faster. I love it when kids learn that their work will pay off! Such a great lesson in perseverance!
(After the swim meet we went to the Y pool to start working on getting those swimming muscles. My son worked REALLY hard. I swam a lot, too, after not swimming for a quite a while. We were supposed to go back to the pool this morning, but when I asked him if he still wanted to go, he said, "NO! I'm sore!" I don't blame him. I am, too! Sometimes hard work hurts!)
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
When Parents Don't Parent
I almost hit the roof today. I knew it was coming. I'm not sure why I let it get to me so. Perhaps the anxiety of whether or not I will be able to pay my bills has gotten to me. I don't know. But when my daughter came to me today and mentioned that her dad said he hoped that he could take her and her brother out of town for a week to see his parents this summer, I about lost it.
Seems like a reasonable statement if you don't know my situation. There are only a few problems wrong with it. First of all, why wouldn't he discuss this with me before getting her hopes up? Makes no sense. Secondly, he is about $10,000 or so (I have lost count) behind on child support. How can he afford to go out of town for a week when he is that far behind?! I can't afford to take a vacation...does he really think he's entitled to take the kids to his parents so that he can show off all the hard work I have put into them ALL BY MYSELF?! That's right...I have them 24/7, drive them to dance class, taekwondo, ball games and practice, doctor and dentist appointments...take care of them when they are sick, etc. I worry about keeping a roof over their heads, food in their mouths, and that they learn what they are supposed to. He does not parent them at all whatsoever. We have moved an hour away, but even when we lived in the same town he hardly saw them and didn't come to their games. I don't know...this just doesn't make sense to me. It's SOOOOOO frustrating.
Thanks for letting me vent.
Seems like a reasonable statement if you don't know my situation. There are only a few problems wrong with it. First of all, why wouldn't he discuss this with me before getting her hopes up? Makes no sense. Secondly, he is about $10,000 or so (I have lost count) behind on child support. How can he afford to go out of town for a week when he is that far behind?! I can't afford to take a vacation...does he really think he's entitled to take the kids to his parents so that he can show off all the hard work I have put into them ALL BY MYSELF?! That's right...I have them 24/7, drive them to dance class, taekwondo, ball games and practice, doctor and dentist appointments...take care of them when they are sick, etc. I worry about keeping a roof over their heads, food in their mouths, and that they learn what they are supposed to. He does not parent them at all whatsoever. We have moved an hour away, but even when we lived in the same town he hardly saw them and didn't come to their games. I don't know...this just doesn't make sense to me. It's SOOOOOO frustrating.
Thanks for letting me vent.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Teaching Your Child to Swim
If you are a stay at home mom, chances are you look for ways to save money. And even if you don't, teaching your child to swim yourself is a great option as long as you and your child are both into it. Many parents are intimidated about teaching their child such an important skill. I can understand, since I was nervous about teaching my kids to read. Even with a teaching degree, I felt like I wasn't equipped to teach a child to read, simply because I had never done it before. And when there are people who are trained to do something, whether it's teaching someone to read or teaching someone to swim, we assume that in order to do it, it requires training that we don't have. Not true.
People have commented that trained teachers are better than parents trying to teach their child. This is a misconception. I mean, who trained your child to go on the potty? Or ride a bike? Or how to tie his shoes? A parent IS a teacher. And no matter what you want to teach, you can do it if you want to learn the skills yourself. Swimming is no different.
The most important thing to rememer about teaching your child to swim is that they MUST spend time in the water, almost daily, in order to become a proficient swimmer. I've seen parents take their kids to swimming lessons, and then never take them to the pool. Summer after summer, they still don't know how to swim. My kids taught themselves how to swim at about ages 4 and 5. The local pool was within walking distance of our house, but it was more convenient for us to have a pool in the backyard. We just happened to purchase an Intex pool on clearance the summer before for about $75. It was the biggest pool they made, and it was perfect for my children. I could adjust the level of the water. As they got better in the water, I added more water until it was at a level where it was quicker to swim from one spot to another than it was to wallk. Having the pool so convenient made it possible to go swimming multiple times each day.
Oddly enough, my younger child (girl) learned how to swim before my oldest (boy). Once he saw her swimming, he was determined. But he could not progress because he did not want to put his face in the water. If you have ever tried to swim with your head up, you know how difficult this is. So one day, I purchased a mask and snorkel for each child. My son put his on, looked into the water, and I could hear through the snorkel, "THIS IS AWESOME!" We were at the public swimming pool and he could see EVERYTHING under the water. Immediately, his feet came up behind him and he started kicking. He was swimming. If your child has an aversion to water in his face, I suggest doing the same thing. My son is now 10 and still HAS to wear goggles whenever he swims, but he's swimming! My children have been swimming on the swim team for 3-4 years and now know all four strokes!
So you might be wondering where to start. If you break down the lessons, you will need to go in this order:
1. Submersion
2. Floating
3. Kicking
4. Arm movement
5. Breathing
Techinically, by step 3, your child is "swimming." Steps 4 and 5 teach them how to do the front crawl, or "freestyle" as it is commonly called. Please remember that these lessons are slow and calm. The children in the video obviously already know how to do the skills demonstrated. Your child might be tense, panicky, and difficult to work with. Use a calm voice and help him relax. Take it slow. Work on one skill at a time and work at your child's pace. Also, review the skills each time you get in the water. For instance, once your child is able to dive for toys, start with that next time.
The links above are videos on how to teach each step. I hope you find these helpful and have an enjoyable summer in the pool. If it's as hot where you live as it has already been here this spring, you will be spending a LOT of time at the pool! Have a great summer!
People have commented that trained teachers are better than parents trying to teach their child. This is a misconception. I mean, who trained your child to go on the potty? Or ride a bike? Or how to tie his shoes? A parent IS a teacher. And no matter what you want to teach, you can do it if you want to learn the skills yourself. Swimming is no different.
The most important thing to rememer about teaching your child to swim is that they MUST spend time in the water, almost daily, in order to become a proficient swimmer. I've seen parents take their kids to swimming lessons, and then never take them to the pool. Summer after summer, they still don't know how to swim. My kids taught themselves how to swim at about ages 4 and 5. The local pool was within walking distance of our house, but it was more convenient for us to have a pool in the backyard. We just happened to purchase an Intex pool on clearance the summer before for about $75. It was the biggest pool they made, and it was perfect for my children. I could adjust the level of the water. As they got better in the water, I added more water until it was at a level where it was quicker to swim from one spot to another than it was to wallk. Having the pool so convenient made it possible to go swimming multiple times each day.
Oddly enough, my younger child (girl) learned how to swim before my oldest (boy). Once he saw her swimming, he was determined. But he could not progress because he did not want to put his face in the water. If you have ever tried to swim with your head up, you know how difficult this is. So one day, I purchased a mask and snorkel for each child. My son put his on, looked into the water, and I could hear through the snorkel, "THIS IS AWESOME!" We were at the public swimming pool and he could see EVERYTHING under the water. Immediately, his feet came up behind him and he started kicking. He was swimming. If your child has an aversion to water in his face, I suggest doing the same thing. My son is now 10 and still HAS to wear goggles whenever he swims, but he's swimming! My children have been swimming on the swim team for 3-4 years and now know all four strokes!
So you might be wondering where to start. If you break down the lessons, you will need to go in this order:
1. Submersion
2. Floating
3. Kicking
4. Arm movement
5. Breathing
Techinically, by step 3, your child is "swimming." Steps 4 and 5 teach them how to do the front crawl, or "freestyle" as it is commonly called. Please remember that these lessons are slow and calm. The children in the video obviously already know how to do the skills demonstrated. Your child might be tense, panicky, and difficult to work with. Use a calm voice and help him relax. Take it slow. Work on one skill at a time and work at your child's pace. Also, review the skills each time you get in the water. For instance, once your child is able to dive for toys, start with that next time.
The links above are videos on how to teach each step. I hope you find these helpful and have an enjoyable summer in the pool. If it's as hot where you live as it has already been here this spring, you will be spending a LOT of time at the pool! Have a great summer!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Are You an Overprotective Parent?
As a parent you obviously want to make sure your child is safe from harm. You take precautions early on, as soon as your baby starts crawling and walking. You plug up all the electric outlets, block off all the stairs, lock the cabinets, and hunt for small objects hidden in the carpets. But if you are the type of parent who then hovers over your child even though you have taken all necessary precautions to keep him safe in your home, you may be an overprotective parent.
If your child is in kindergarten and you still hover over her, you definitely ARE an overprotective parent. Why does it matter? She will be safe, right? You can protect her, right? Wrong. As a matter of fact, an overprotective parent can stunt a child's development and handicap him for the rest of his life.
An overprotective parent is uncomfortable when her child is out of her sight. She does not want her to be involved in anything dangerous, even if it's dangerous only in her mind. She will not teach her child things that may result in pain, such as ironing, using the stove, or even a knife. On a playground, she will be ready to catch any fall and will hardly ever have both hands off her child. If her child leaves her homework at home, she will make a special trip back home to make sure the child does not suffer the consequences of not having the assignment. With an older child, this parent will lie to cover up something the child has done to avoid prosecution or legal trouble. See where this is going?
The problem is that no matter HOW much we try to protect our children, we will fail. And in our attempt, our children suffer. Children have drowned right in front of their watchful parents. They have fallen off the monkey bars the second their mom looked away. Horrible things will happen. And hovering over them is not going to make a difference. But hovering over them will keep them from expressing their natural desire to climb, jump, run, and slide because YOU fear that something will happen. Eventually, your fear becomes your child's fear, and he will not want to try new things because he now has a real fear of getting hurt, or even worse, of failing.
When children have freedom to explore and learn and gain independence, they see their own limitations, abilities, and consequences, which are all a part of life. Not allowing a child to fail on his own will turn into an adult who still needs you to bail him out of real, adult problems.
The younger you let your child be responsible for his homework, for instance, the younger he will be when he realizes it's his job to keep up with it and get it turned in. The quicker he gets that there ARE consequences in life, the earlier he will think about them before doing something stupid!
The younger you let your child be responsible for his homework, for instance, the younger he will be when he realizes it's his job to keep up with it and get it turned in. The quicker he gets that there ARE consequences in life, the earlier he will think about them before doing something stupid!
Personally, I don't get not wanting to teach your children things as soon as possible. The quicker they are taught things, the more helpful they are. Children who are not taught age appropriate activities are not given opportunities to gain self esteem in a natural way. Instead, parents feed them false compliments, even though their child really hasn't accomplished anything. These children are often less mature and less developed than their peers.
If you are wondering if you are being overprotective, ask your friends. Chances are, they have already seen it and will be more than happy to tell you. But be ready to hear the truth, and take steps to change what might need to be changed. Your children will be happier, and so will you. If you are unable to stop your overprotective behavior, you might want to consider getting help from a psychologist to help you figure out why.
When do children lose their baby teeth?
This question came up recently because I've come across a family with an eight year old who just lost her first tooth. Her younger sister is six, and has not lost a tooth yet, either. I remember having a neighbor who was the same way, and I started wondering if my children were weird...or were these other kids? My son lost his first tooth just after his 5th birthday. My daughter's two front teeth were coming in by age six (she lost them both in a fall early on). My son is only 10 and already has his 12 year molars. Of course his baby teeth came in beginning at three months, so he is odd...but what is normal?
Kids begin losing their baby teeth between five and seven years old. By around ages 12-13, all baby teeth should be replaced by permanent adult teeth. The process begins later for some children, and there seems to be some correlation between kids who get their baby teeth early and when they start falling out.
For more information on the care and keeping of children's teeth, here is an article I wrote about our journey with cavity prevention in children.
Kids begin losing their baby teeth between five and seven years old. By around ages 12-13, all baby teeth should be replaced by permanent adult teeth. The process begins later for some children, and there seems to be some correlation between kids who get their baby teeth early and when they start falling out.
For more information on the care and keeping of children's teeth, here is an article I wrote about our journey with cavity prevention in children.
What to look for in a lifeguard
For most communities, summer began Memorial Day weekend, and at this point all public swimming pools and lakes should be open and active. But are they ready for you and your children? Good Guard Bad Guard will help you see what most parents don't- whether or not you should put your trust in the "guard" watching your child. A must-read for every parent!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Life as a Dancer...
My daughter just finished her year in dance with a recital this weekend and her future plans include trying out for Company next month. I'm not sure how this is going to go. She will have to give up gymnastics and likely other sports like soccer and softball. She will have to eat, breathe, and live dance. I see visions of make up, bobby pins, hairspray and fancy costumes, not to mention lots of nagging to practice, practice, practice. I'm not TOO worried. She will be homeschooling this year, so she should have plenty of time for practicing as well as her other passions- art and music. Perhaps I'm more worried about how I will pay for all the necessities required for such a major committment. I guess I can worry about this after she makes the cut....wish her luck! Here she is in the front...
Friday, May 20, 2011
Paper Rollercoasters
My son's 4th grade class did an awesome project this week and I just HAD to share. Whether you homeschool or teach in a classroom, the $20 fee for templates is well worth it if you ask me. I talked to my son's teacher who said that the kids did a wonderful job working together. They did not get to choose their own groups, and yet everyone was engaged and got along. That is unheard of with 4th graders, isn't it?! Here is a picture and the link is below...
http://www.paperrollercoasters.com/
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Well-Known Evolutionist States, "Creationist Critics (of Evolution) Are Right"
I have an interest in Creation Science and maybe some of my readers do, too. If you do not already subscribe to Ken Ham's blog, here is a great article, and while you're there, subscribe! If you don't know who Ken Ham is, but his name sounds familiar, he is the president/CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis, and the highly acclaimed Creation Museum. Click here for the article!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)