9 Simple Ways to Immediately Protect Your Kids from the Internet Inside: Protect Your kids from Porn and other Online Dangers. Steps that any parent can take. Huge eyes reveal something is not right. The pale color of his face, the quick breaths. He opens his mouth but cannot seem to find the words to tell you. And then, through sobs, he begins talking so fast you can barely catch what he is saying. And then it hits you like a brick. Your heart sinks into your stomach as you realized what he is saying. “Oh Dear Lord, No!” Nothing melts the heart faster than hearing your 8-year old describe what he stumbled upon on the Internet. His shame, confusion, guilt, and sobs break your heart into a million pieces. … Read More »
Astonishing! What Does a Spoon Have to do with Science? Inside: How simple household items can be the breakthrough you need to teach science. My son was staring at his spoon. It was strange. “Mom, I’ve always wondered why my reflection is upside down in my spoon. What’s even more confusing is that when I turn it around, my reflection is right-side-up.” I laughed aloud. Not at him. … Read More »
3 Proven Ways to Homeschool LAZY Boys without Losing Your Mind Photo by Agnieszka Bladzik Sitting by a warm fire. Drinking coffee. In my jammies. Jealous? Don’t be. I just don’t feel like doing anything today. I have my lazy turned up to high. Since I am not characterized by being lazy, my family is simply pleasantly surprised that I am “chilling”. They are curled up with books or movies in this same room. Heaven. When dinner comes around, I will not win friends and influence people if I say, “I forgot to make dinner” though will I? Not in my house full of men. They want to eat:). Laziness is one of those strange things. It is so appealing on a rainy afternoon, like today as I write this. But laziness to the point that responsibilities are neglected is simply intolerable. photo by Seth Doyle Now three things personify laziness: A male lion lazing in the shade, An overfed house cat, And a 12-year-old boy…. Read More »
Rant of the Day: The Pencil that Broke Mom’s Back! Some discussions with my children make me want to throw a hissy fit. Big ones. I’m not sure why I have such an emotional response to ridiculousness, but I do. My blood pressure rises. I huff. I puff. And I declare with all the patience of a two-year-old, “That is NOT a pencil.” All five of my boys have mastered the skill of destroying a pencil and then declaring it their most prized writing utensils. Why? Why does one have to destroy a perfectly beautiful number 2 pencil? Why does the pencil only become valuable if you can only measure it in millimeters rather than inches? I don’t know. But these questions keep me awake at night. There are kept company by other boy related questions like: Why is farting in a brother’s face the proper response to being wronged? Why do socks need to be worn inside out? How will boys learn to lift the lid if no one will confess that they are the ones who pee all over the seat? When is it ok to pull the wings off of bugs? We work hard training our sons to be kind, considerate, and hard working. We consistently remind them what godliness looks and sounds like. I swear, some days I wonder if it will all work out in the end. Will they grow up to be kind hearted, considerate hard working men? Or will they be pencil destroying, toilet peeing, face farting fools? This is why I need God. Because nothing unravels the peace in my home faster than when I throw a fit. Download your FREE “Raising Men” Cheatsheet {printable} Preview of the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Master Class. We need to STOP measuring success by grades, achievements, awards, and worksheets.