the Maxwells

Monday night, I had the opportunity to go to a conference at a local church given by the Maxwells. About a year ago a friend of mine gave me the book Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit written by Teri Maxwell who is a homeschooling mother of 8 children. I read it a couple of times because, though it is a rather small book, there was just so much in it that I could apply to my life to help not just in homeschooling but in motherhood in general. She struggled with anger and depression for a long time and the book told how she overcame them and gave tips about how we can be proactive in our lives to prevent anger inducing situations and and how we can dispel our anger and respond in a more meek and quiet way. This book was probably the final deciding factor in our decision to go ahead and homeschool. While I have not conquered my anger, I am learning to gain control over it because of this book and with God's help.

Having been so positively influenced by this book I thought the conference would be just as beneficial. It certainly did give me much to think on and discuss with Luke. The most 'enlightening' part was their talk on keeping your child's heart. The principle is one that I certainly aspire to in raising my children: I want a close relationship with my children. One in which they are open with me about their lives, they like me and respect me and what I have to say about their lives and how I want them to live, and they hold the same values as I do and, above all, share my love for God and have a relationship with Him. But I hope and pray that I can do that while at the same time allowing them to become their own person and have their own experiences and their own very personal relationship with God. The Maxwell's techniques seem to me to me a bit extreme: not allowing friendships outside the familyor participation in youth groups or sports teams and taking them with you wherever you may go even into adult hood when they are ready to marry the one person God has ready for them (which opens up a whole other can or worms). I think that I may get the book in which they go into more detail about this so that Luke and I can look at the principles behind their techniques and determine how we might accomplish the same ideals while maintaining some freedom for the kids. Of course, not sheltering your kids as much as the Maxwells suggest does mean you are risking 'losing' their hearts but I'm thinking that maybe that risk is a necessary one.

Memory Work

For our first effort at memorization we did Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth". We only did 'circle time' 3 days last week and Noah had it down pat pretty quickly. Lily would repeat it after me every day but I didn't even bother seeing if she could do it on her own. Well, this morning she walks into the living room as I am sitting down with the Bible and starts talking and it's not 'til she gets to the 'heavens and the earth' part that I realized she had just quoted the whole verse for me. I was shocked and asked her to do it again and she did. She even said it again for Luke tonight along with our new memory work, which is a short prayer from a devotional, and she only needed a tiny bit of help from me. We only started working on that yesterday! Now, I know that most parents are biased towards their kids when it comes to cuteness and brilliance and what not...but come on...she is only 2 and a half...she is one smart cookie!

Just some pictures

Sweet Siblings

Silly Siblings

These are some pictures a friend took of Lily at the park. They are so sweet that I had to post them (thanks Leanie'sBeans).

Just some stuff

I went to BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) today for the first and probably last time. My father-in-law came to watch the kids for me so I could go and sign them up for the kids program but, sadly, there is no more room in the class for them or me actually. So we are on a waiting list in case they find more volunteers to teach the kids and lead discussion groups. Oh well. I'm not that upset about it becuase I have a Tuesday evening Bible Study that I've been involved in for a long while and we are doing enough outside activities that the kids are not starved for interraction with other children. And it's one less activity that takes us away from home and routine, which, being a homebody, is totally all right with me.

I have started doing a 'circle time' in the morning before starting school work. I got the idea from a website that my sister recommended to me called "Preschoolers and Peace", which has all kinds of suggestions for what to do with your preshooler while the older kids are doing their work. Lily can participate in circle time unlike most of the other school stuff so maybe she won't feel left out. Today was only the second day so I'm not sure it will always look the same but we read Scripture (started in Genesis) together and work on memorization (Genesis 1:1, which Noah already has memorized) and pray together. I'll probably add in some singing too. Hopefully it will help get our day off to a good start.

Noah is doing really well with his work. The most important task this year is of course teaching him how to read. He is off to a great start with a phonics book: Phonics Pathways. He's already reading three letter words! I made up some flashcards for him of two-letter blends for review and threw in some consonant cards that I add onto the end of a blend and he whipped through them. I had him go through them the other evening for Luke, who was duly impressed and gave Noah a huge confidence boost with his praise. We have to be careful how we praise him because he tends to get embarassed and shut down but he took it well and seemed very proud of himself. I am very proud of him too!

We also do some copy work and a math workbook and tomorrow we will do our second science unit. I also have some fun workbooks that help stimulate his brain as well as train him to think critically. He enjoys those but says that math is his favorite subject--I guess he's taking after his father already...

Here he is doing some copy work:

Three Days Down...

...and so far so good. Thank you for your prayers. Noah has not yet started begging to 'go' to school, I have not yet thrown in the proverbial towel and Lily is really interested in everything we are doing and is even picking some things up. Good signs.

On our first day, Noah said he was glad that he got to stay home for school. And, after talking with friends whose kids started kindergarten in the public schools, I am even more glad for it. I didn't have to watch him get on a bus with a bunch of strangers or know he'd be on that bus for over an hour with junior high students on the way home. I don't have to deal with teachers who do not want me to show my face in the classroom--not even to bring in cupcakes to celebrate a birthday. I don't have to hear about the little boys who tell my son they are going to kill him. No amount of frustration that might be experienced by either me or Noah could outweigh my desire to keep him home with me in my care providing one on one instruction in a way that even the best, most dedicated and caring teacher could not do.

Of course I know that Noah wouldn't necessarily experience any of those things if I sent him off to school and many children don't and never will and are getting a fine education as well. Hearing those stories this past week just solidified it for me that, right now, this is what is right for us.

Next week we start a weekly program at the library and BSF, which is a women's Bible study that also provides classes for 2-6 year olds, and then the following week we start Monday Homeschool Classes at a nearby children's museum. Noah will take a geography class and have time to explore the museum and have a jokes, riddles, and games period while Lily will get to hang out with other pre-school aged kids whose siblings are taking classes. It should be fun and I'm sure we will meet all kinds of interesting families. My friend, Jill, and her kids will also be attending the MHC's, which will just make it that much more enjoyable. So, we will not be completely homebound.

I'll keep you posted...

Tomorrow...

...is our first day of school. I think I'm ready. I am nervous but hopeful and excited. If you think about us this week, please pray that it will be a good one. I am going to need extra measures of patience and sweetness that can only come from the Lord...