Tag: safety

Posted in Blessings of Habit, Health, Home School, Inspiring, Who's the mom here?, Wisdom

All Parents Home School – 3

Posted on by Katharine

Still No Escape

No matter which decision we make, we teach them.

Mussolini (left) and Hitler sent their armies ...
Hitler sent armies to North Africa into Egypt against the British

When we keep our children with us so that we can manage their social learning, we teach them that socialization can be done in right or wrong ways. Using the Ten Commandments (talk about mandates-based education!), we instruct as we model for them the only way that works: God’s way.

When they are teens and actually need to socialize, they will walk in right habits of socialization, while turning to us and ultimately, to the God Who guides us, for further instruction.

If we abandon them to learn socialization willy-nilly from the same-aged social misfits that become increasingly more abundant in this world, we still teach them—that no matter how they socialize, that is how to socialize. They will learn that whatever is socially acceptable to their peers is the social lesson for today, and to abandon any semblance to their parents in their quest for some socially “caring” model. They will learn that it is okay to have two mommies.

When we take time to reveal to our children the glories and the tragedies of the history of man, we teach them that we can and must learn from our actions. From Genesis to Revelation, we help them see that God knows the end from the beginning and always has His way.

When they are teens, and learn to care about things on the outside, they learn that today many make the mistakes that wise ones will learn from in the future.

If we trust worldly institutions to handle their history lessons, we still teach them—that the past is unimportant to us. They will not care much about history, either, and in anger, will care even less once it conflicts with God’s Word. They will believe that they came from slime and that the future is debatable, at best, and purposeless at worst and will wonder if Hitler was not right, after all.

When we continue their health classes and physical education into the rest of their childhood, we teach them that our bodies are temples for God. They learn the good stewardship that gives careful attention to the feeding and care of our bodies.

When they are teens, strong and healthy, excited about expending their energy for good purposes, they will be able to say to God, “Here am I…”

If we thrust them into worldly lessons about the body, we still teach them—that the purpose of exercise is to be famous or formidable, and that ketchup is a vegetable. They will converse casually about euthanasia, believe that hormones are insurmountable, and toil under assignments to pretend to be married or expecting. They will grow increasingly comfortable with those conversations, beliefs, and pretenses, too.

More later.

__________________

photo credit: Wikipedia

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Posted in Believe it or not!, Who's the mom here?

More Shots

Posted on by Katharine

Two people, including a security guard, were reportedly shot this morning at the headquarters of the pro-life group Family Research Council.

According to information provided to LifeNews from a Washington pro-life source, a man posing as an intern shot the guard at the FRC office located at 801 G Street, NW. FRC staffer Anna Maria Hoffman added more information on Twitter, “Our security guard Leo [Johnson] got shot in the arm. Please keep him in your prayers.”

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins confirmed the security officer was shot and said in a statement, “The police are investigating this incident. Our first concern is with our colleague who was shot today. Our concern is for him and his family.”

You can read lots more about this here.

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Posted in Inspiring, Sayings

Mind the Other Gap

Posted on by Katharine
View of the reak of Puy de Sancy and cable car...
View of the peak of Puy de Sancy and cable car station above Mont Dore.

I don’t know how we got to the top, but we were inside a very small building atop a tower, like a firetower in a forest. My memory of many of the details of that day are lost in the cobwebs of childhood. I do remember a row of windows around the entire building, and a telescope of sorts.

I know it was a tourist attraction because there were other people up inside this building with us. In fact, it was somewhat crowded. Amazing what we do and don’t remember. I remember the floor was unvarnished hardwood and dirty, and my dress was red.

And I was wearing patent leather shoes with slick soles.

The attraction in this room on stilts, besides the magnificent view, was the ride back down to earth in a sort of passenger car on a cable. Great fun, like a zipline for civilized folks with small children. People ascended and descended regularly, and we viewed the view while awaiting our turn.

I was so little. Yet I remember a sense of needing to hurry. I suppose the quicker people loaded and unloaded the cars, the more money the owners earned. Finally we approached the doorway where the car was dangling, waiting for us to board. I watched this car swaying and heard it creaking while the owner reminded my parents of the huge space between the building and the car, with about a hundred feet of space below it. My parents cautioned me and explained the extreme danger in stepping wrong.

I froze. Anyone could see the gap was far larger than my tiny feet, and, in fact, my whole self could fit easily right through that gap. Of course, it was too huge a leap for a terrified little one.

I dug in. I was scared and wanted down. I cried.

That’s when my parents lifted me. I still was terrified, but they overcame my will with their own strength and jointly lifted me over that yawning hole, down into that cable car. I still was terrified. They had seen it was too hard for me and, after warning me not to struggle against them in my fear, had mercifully done it for me.

I am sure the view was spectacular on the ride down, but I don’t remember that part.

I do remember my parents’ loving mercy and surpassing knowledge and strength.

And I think of the gap between this world, that we think is so real, and the other world that exists all around us, that is really real — the Heavenly Kingdom.

The step we must take to leap from this world into the other is terrifying and too far, in our eyes.

But the loving mercy of our Heavenly Father and the Jerusalem Above, which is our mother, stand ready to bridge that gap for us, if we only will not fight it.

Love lifted me.
Love lifted me.
When nothing else could help,
Love lifted me.

________________

photo credit: Wikipedia

Posted in Home School, Who's the mom here?

All Children Home School: A True Story

Posted on by Katharine
English: Don't waste your time and do your hom...
Don’t waste your time and do your homework!

Once, a dear friend was explaining to me how the State school experience was better, and how her children were receiving the best education available.

Have you ever noticed how State institution school parents think they must educate us to this “fact” and we must bear it patiently, but the reverse seldom holds?

She was striving to explain her children’s bright future and perhaps she could not hear herself speaking. As I listened and tried to grasp what she was saying, I was astonished at the obvious conclusion.

Maybe it would be instructive to share it all with you.

Granted, her children were in the best State schools available in our small city. They were a wealthy family and had moved into a wealthy neighborhood for the expressed purpose of better State schooling.

That this fact was possible should be enough, alone, to terminate State education.

She wanted her children to be lawyers and she wanted them in the best colleges in the nation. I will also grant that she was a very dedicated mom, committed to performing whatever activity (except home schooling) necessary to raising up successful children.

She was misinformed, though, and not thinking about the entire scope of the picture.

To prove to me her commitment, she began itemizing the duties she undertook for her children’s education. This was a typical day:

  1. She drove her children to school, herself, to prevent teen driving troubles in their lives. They did not enjoy being the only ones arriving with Mom, but she was dedicated enough to insist.
  2. She was careful to deposit them at the school early, to give them free time to form friendships of their own choosing, so they would not be relying on whomever might sit nearby in class. This also allowed time for composing themselves before facing the day.
  3. She signed them up for sports, although they were not athletic, to help them overcome the sitting they must do daily, and to improve their chances for scholarships.
  4. After school, they had sport obligations, of course. She went to every practice and every game, with a video camera. She recorded every pertinent happening at these gatherings.
  5. During the day, she edited these videos, juxtaposing the skills of opponents and her child and his teammates, to show where more effort would benefit.
  6. After school, her children had oceans of homework. She was strict about it, allowing no play until all work was done. Since supper was prepared in advance, she helped with their homework, explaining things they could not get the teachers to answer adequately. She was their cheerleader, greeting them with encouraging one-liners, such as, “You can do it; one more hour ought to get it!”
  7. She showed them the sports videos, explaining her thinking in detail, so they could discuss how more effort would cause more success. Again, she cheered them on. (I do not know where their coach was.)
  8. Since homework reigned supreme in their home, except for a break for supper, the children labored until midnight or beyond, at which point Mom simply conked out. (She did ask me if I thought she was wrong to require them to continue until two a.m. or later, when she, herself, was unable to do so.)
  9. The next day they began again.

It was true that her children were doing well in school. They did not have as many friends as they might have liked, but they were receiving high grades in difficult subjects, and they were often on the first sports teams.

They were tired . . .

More tomorrow.

______________________

Photo credit: Wikipedia

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Posted in Brothers, Inspiring, Photos

Weekly Photo Challenge: Growth

Posted on by Katharine
growth
Growth

This young man is growing past his fear of bugs.

Surrounded by uncles while his daddy grills hamburgers, he is almost convinced this ferocious-looking creature will not harm him.

The uncle seated behind him in the blue stripes is a firm believer in fearlessness in young men.

The uncle proffering the insect loves this little guy and doesn’t mind setting the example.

Together, they provide a teaching moment for a daddy who would completely approve.

Thus immersed in family, we grow.

Posted in Believe it or not!, Home School, Who's the mom here?

For Home Educators, Only, Please. Part 3

Posted on by Katharine

Becky Edelson taken from jail (LOC)

Who is left?

Are there any people in this country who truly cannot home educate their children?

There are a few. They are the ones who have had their children taken from them. You cannot home educate children that you do not have.

  • Those who are childless due to infertility or death, although they eventually may adopt or bring forth more children, cannot home school the ones they do not have.
  • Those who have lost their rightful children to kidnapping, whether by the state or by individual criminals, of course are truly unable to home school these children.
  • Those whose poverty includes living in the homes of others who are manipulative, or whose illness includes living in a hospital, may be forced to curtail home school activities until this situation is rectified.
  • Those who’ve signed themselves up for crippling debt may be forced to work at something besides home schooling.
  • Those whose prejudiced spouse sues for and obtains the legal right to terminate home schooling activities may feel that they are unable.
  • Anyone in prison, or whose child is in prison.

Maybe there are more, but I certainly have not met them in the last 30 years.

We need to think about our excuses.

We need to realize that when we homeschool, we are setting the high standard, setting the example, of actually raising the children we brought into this world, instead of hiring it out and farming them out.

We need to want this.

We need to do it.

______________________

Photo credit: Library of Congress

Posted in Believe it or not!, Home School, Inspiring, Who's the mom here?

For Home Educators, Only, Please. Part 2

Posted on by Katharine

Homeschooling - Gustoff family in Des Moines 011Should All Families Homeschool?

State educational institutions are often wonderful for adults.

For children, we have homes.

When it comes to children, God says parents should train them, bring them up, teach them. With the return to home learning of the past quarter century, we are discovering that Father knows best and that the brave new world of mandatory public schooling for all children is not the way for civilized cultures.

Maybe it is the best way to germinate Communism or raise up a nation of soldiers, but it is not the best way to grow children who turn into the type of adults we really want managing our finances or our country when we are old.

Various excuses float around for those who do not home school and these excuses need redefining, too.

For instance, I often have heard that some people are unable to home school.

I agree, but for most, it is to their shame and not something to boast about, as they do.

Some people have disqualified themselves from being the ones who raise their children. Perhaps they attack or neglect their children and perhaps they have lost custody. (Perhaps not, too often.)

Sometimes they prefer misleading their children into sports injuries or demonic teachings, and so must drop them off where these things happen.

Many prefer making a show of wealth that requires abandoning the children for two incomes, rather than doing the right thing, as Moses did. (Hebrews 11:24-27)

The fact that these people are extremely poor parenting examples does not mean that home schooling is bad. It only means that some homes are bad and morality is taking a new plunge.

Sometimes we hear of children who do not want to home school. Surely, we do not think the parents ought to home school them!

Well, yes, we do.

Usually these sadly mixed-up children are the products of the above-mentioned types of parents. Attacked, neglected, misled offspring of unfounded and deceiving displays of affluence usually lack ideals, morals, discipline, and even discernible personalities.

If we further define “personality” as “mind, will, and emotion”, we realize that these children are losing their souls.

True, these children sometimes do not work out well in the normal home school setting, especially at first. Neither do they always perform very well in the public setting, but it is not their fault.

And their parents should quit boasting about it.

What ought to happen is that the parents should “die trying” to fix the mess they have made of their children’s attitudes, but they do not.

Some go as far as laughing about it. If there is any hope for these children at all, the remedy, still, exists only in the home. These parents should have home schooled and still should home school.

The alternatives, correctional and psychiatric institutions—as if we would prefer these to the home—usually control or mollify, only, and do not apply true, known remediation, as parents can, if only they have not disqualified themselves.

“Harsh words!” you say?

I say the words are hardly as harsh as the reality. The prisons of the godless school generation are overflowing, as are the mental institutions.

These human wrecks were America’s children, just one generation ago.

More tomorrow.

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____________________

photo credit: Iowa politics.com