School Zone

I saw this sign in Switzerland and I thought "how adorable!" The sign is spelled close enough to be understood in English. Actually, there were quite a few words that were spelled in German that we could tell what they meant. I begged Duane to get a saw, cut down this sign, and take it to be installed in my kitchen floor for the home school.....Ha Ha....Just joking.....sort of;-). Isn't it cute????

Well, the home-school process is coming along very nicely!!! Katie Aunna is actually beginning to read simple books. I am planning on making a short movie of her reading and post it to the blog. Also, I intend to take a few pictures of them working in our classroom. Some days I think "Oh, this is wonderful" and then other days I think "Oh My Gosh....what will I do with all these kids....two in preschool, two in kindergarten, two in second grade, and two hormonal teenagers?"

So, I pray to the Lord to thank Him for the beautiful bright children we have been given and for me to be the right kind of teacher that they may learn a Godly curriculum and acquire a Godly style of life. Sometimes that is a difficult task. I get horribly frustrated when no one wants to work and I feel we are falling behind on the amount of materials we need to cover. Which leads me to becoming discouraged and think "maybe I should make my life lots simpler by sending them to school every day. Then I would have only John and Mary at home during the day!!!"

However, life would not be as interesting. Worse, I would miss the majority of their life, the kids would be exposed to more secular minded teachers and children, and I would not be given the credit for teaching them how to write, read, spell, think, and just simply GROW UP!!! Speaking of little kids with secular minds. TV blows my mind and I really thought the "70's" generation was open minded. But, as I have matured and look at the fast changing morals of society as a whole, it disturbs me greatly, to expose them to the world too soon.

I was asked about that recently. This person said "sooner or later your kids will have to be a part of the world. You aren't doing them any favors by keeping them from seeing the whole world." My answer is "Children are like delicate little flowers. They need many of the same things flowers need. Fresh air, nutrition, warm sunshine, and a healthy place to plant their roots." My thinking is that exposing your delicate flower to the harsh and vulgar things of the world too soon will predispose them to possible failure.

They would shrivel and can not bloom to a full-blown flower with all this trash in the world right now. I want to protect my flowers and not put them into rough soil or an inappropriate environment. A child can be exposed to see and hear thing way too soon. So, it is best to protect and nurture your flower until is time to let them be placed outside. I intend to keep them, as unexposed to the world, for as long as I can. As children, they do not have reasoning skills. But, as young adults I am hoping that logical reasoning will have been instilled by me into their hearts and minds with God as their guidline.

This is the beauty of home-school. I can put the children in various controlled outside activities and they get socialization. As a matter of fact, not only is Katie reading well her begining books....Annie is catching on to reading as well. Mary is coloring within the lines now. John scribbles and is learning to work puzzles. Karissa and Christian are excelling in math and reading. They have learned to count money and tell time this first half of the school year. Casey is learning to improve his writing skills and Algebra. While Trish is becoming strong in math, reading, language, and her spirituality is growing for God.

What a precious time, for mother and child, when the world of educating the children opens up, and Mom is the means to this process. So, there are times of discouragement in being Mom/Teacher and yet the rewards just keep me going on with it. I'll take some pictures of the kids at work tomorrow. Just a peek into my life every day.

So, Thursday I will document the happenings of the day;-). Lord I pray the kids are good tomorrow because I am filming everything...the good...the bad....and the ugly....at home-school!!!! Oh, by the way....Dad is setting up our Dairy Farm Tour and the little ones get to feed the baby calfs....awe....won't that be cute??? Guess this is all for now!!! Many blessings;-)