The Simple Mom blog published a list of the fruits and veggies containing the highest amount of pesticide. We happen to eat from this list regularly! Washing with just water doesn't protect, because the pesticides are designed to be water resistant (due to rain). The article suggests that we buy a special wash, or wash them with vinegar and water.
Can life get any more complicated???????
Wouldn't it be easier to just work the land and grow all our own food?
Is your head spinning yet?
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
multiple choice
If you are suffering from stress-induced hives, which of the following is not helpful, in terms of your recovery?
A. There is no more chocolate in the cupboard.
B. You have a lot to do to prepare for your sister-in-law's Easter visit.
C. Your baby ransacks your house on a regular basis.
D. A salesman comes to the door and smiles at your baby daughter, who is in your arms. He then says to her, "Well hello there. Does Grandma have you?"
Answer: All of the above, but most especially D!
A. There is no more chocolate in the cupboard.
B. You have a lot to do to prepare for your sister-in-law's Easter visit.
C. Your baby ransacks your house on a regular basis.
D. A salesman comes to the door and smiles at your baby daughter, who is in your arms. He then says to her, "Well hello there. Does Grandma have you?"
Answer: All of the above, but most especially D!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
a quick prayer request
Not too many read blogs on the weekends. Just in case a few of you do tune in, I'm asking for a quick prayer. My nerves have gotten the best of me. I'm dealing with a horrible case of hives. The itching is driving me insane, and they've distorted my lips and eyes and hands. Benedryl is helping some with the itching, but it's been over 24 hours and there's no sign they're going away.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Friday, March 26, 2010
on humor
My clock says eleven forty-nine. But this day can so end right now, far as I'm concerned. Only my six year old behaves lately. The rest listen not. The baby sleeps not. I walk around trying to figure out what I've done wrong.
But I know what I've done wrong.
Financial worries weigh on me. My parenting focus falters.
God will, I suspect, come through for us. Somehow though, knowing that doesn't help with the weariness.
More time in the Word will help. Only sometimes emotional exhaustion makes disciplined reading difficult.
Have you been there?
I'm here talking to you, so I can avoid saying something I'll regret to my eight year old. I love him dearly, but stressful times for Momma mean that his ADHD symptoms rise exponentially. His condition remains incentive to dwell close to the Almighty, daily drawing strength from that connection. Sometimes I am better at focusing on the blessings associated with his condition. Today? Not so much.
And what do I find online? A little humor. From the Pioneer Lady. Rich and famous, she shares nothing of my experience. And yet God has gifted her to help. Humor is a gift. We don't appreciate it nearly enough, until it proves our saving grace.
Self focus. A detrimental sin.
Yet, we never learn.
The beauty of humor lies in its ability to bounce our focus immediately off ourselves. Much of published humor rings foul, but we can't let that detract from the fact that God invented humor. I see it as a packaged gift for the taking--a blessing.
Read about The Pioneer Woman's texting adventures.
But I know what I've done wrong.
Financial worries weigh on me. My parenting focus falters.
God will, I suspect, come through for us. Somehow though, knowing that doesn't help with the weariness.
More time in the Word will help. Only sometimes emotional exhaustion makes disciplined reading difficult.
Have you been there?
I'm here talking to you, so I can avoid saying something I'll regret to my eight year old. I love him dearly, but stressful times for Momma mean that his ADHD symptoms rise exponentially. His condition remains incentive to dwell close to the Almighty, daily drawing strength from that connection. Sometimes I am better at focusing on the blessings associated with his condition. Today? Not so much.
And what do I find online? A little humor. From the Pioneer Lady. Rich and famous, she shares nothing of my experience. And yet God has gifted her to help. Humor is a gift. We don't appreciate it nearly enough, until it proves our saving grace.
Self focus. A detrimental sin.
Yet, we never learn.
The beauty of humor lies in its ability to bounce our focus immediately off ourselves. Much of published humor rings foul, but we can't let that detract from the fact that God invented humor. I see it as a packaged gift for the taking--a blessing.
Read about The Pioneer Woman's texting adventures.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Homeschooling with Babies and Toddlers Around
Every time I read a post about how to homeschool with babies and toddlers around, I take issue with some of the suggestions. Older babies and toddlers need movement and exploration. When we have to confine them, it should be in as large a space as possible--such as a whole room. If we put them in one container after another just so the older children can have uninterrupted schooling, we will pay later. Our precious little ones won't develop to their fullest potential. The months between six and eighteen are crucial for intellectual development. If they are wasted, we can't ever get the same window of opportunity back.
Why are their needs not just as important? They too need daily schooling--which for them is movement and exploration. I'm all for playpens when they're needed for safety, such as during Mom's quick trip to the bathroom or during cooking.
Suggestions that don't involve confining babies and toddlers:
- Go over mistakes in daily work at night, when Dad is home. It doesn't have to be more than half an hour. Use the time for a writing conference, or to explain new concepts in math or English.
- School year round so you can stretch out your year. When babies are learning to crawl or walk, stick to just reading, writing and arithmetic. Later that same year, work on just social studies and science.
- Finish school in a couple hours a day. Remember that children are also learning while pursuing their interests. While school-aged kids are busy building structures, or running a pretend restaurant, or putting together a play, mom can provide stimulation for babies and toddlers and preschoolers.
- If you choose a curriculum that requires a lot of planning time, or a lot of material gathering, or a lot of teacher-directed lessons, you'll most likely be asking your baby to stay put too often. This isn't a problem for a younger baby in a sling--but later, that same sling will prevent necessary exercise and exploration.
- There will be plenty of time in upper-elementary, middle-school, and in the high-school years for you to use your ideal curriculum--whatever that might be. When you have babies and toddlers along with primary students (no one over eight or nine), consider yourself successful if your primary kids are reading and writing and doing arithmetic every day. Throw in the other stuff by reading lots of library books at night or during nap time, and by going on family field trips with your husband on the weekends (somehow between naps).
- If you want to use baby/toddler naptimes to teach your older kids, then try training your oldest child to shuffle laundry for you throughout the day (not fold, just load and switch from washer to dryer). That way, when naptime arrives, you won't be temped to shuffle laundry instead of teach.
- Plan art or messy projects on the weekends when hubby is home to play with the babies and toddlers.
- Older kids can take turns supervising a baby or toddler in a playroom--ideally one that is visible from the teaching area, or one that includes a baby monitor. Train them carefully and post safety rules. Go over what age-appropriate things they might work on with baby (i.e. stacking blocks, looking at object-naming books, putting things in a container). Limit unsupervised sessions like this to twenty minutes or so, depending on maturity. See Managers of Their Homes, by Steve and Terri Maxwell, for an extended discussion on this practice. I don't like all their suggestions for babies and toddlers, but their discussion on this practice is excellent.
- If you live in a state requiring sample work, consider buying a textbook/workbook curriculum, or do lots of Charlotte Mason-style reading, dictating, journaling and questioning, but make sure you have time to document your learning. Documentation takes time and planning! You don't want to be scrambling for samples right before your yearly meeting (or monthly meeting, depending on your state).
- If you abhor textbooks and workbooks, use them only on the days you haven't put something more interesting together. There will be plenty of days like that. Diapers and potty training are time sucks, believe me.
- Kids need steady work. The fewer days off per year, the better. Have a back-up plan to keep them plowing forward, regardless of what you're doing. You aren't going to over work them in two hours per day. Those two hours are more beneficial year-round, than the traditional schooling practice of four hours per day, with extended summer and holiday breaks. Steadiness leads to proficiency (and even to excellence).
-When weather is nice in the summer, school one hour in the morning and one in the late afternoon.
- Do Saturday school for two hours if you need a free errand day during the week--with Dad home, this could make for an easy day.
Why are their needs not just as important? They too need daily schooling--which for them is movement and exploration. I'm all for playpens when they're needed for safety, such as during Mom's quick trip to the bathroom or during cooking.
Suggestions that don't involve confining babies and toddlers:
- Go over mistakes in daily work at night, when Dad is home. It doesn't have to be more than half an hour. Use the time for a writing conference, or to explain new concepts in math or English.
- School year round so you can stretch out your year. When babies are learning to crawl or walk, stick to just reading, writing and arithmetic. Later that same year, work on just social studies and science.
- Finish school in a couple hours a day. Remember that children are also learning while pursuing their interests. While school-aged kids are busy building structures, or running a pretend restaurant, or putting together a play, mom can provide stimulation for babies and toddlers and preschoolers.
- If you choose a curriculum that requires a lot of planning time, or a lot of material gathering, or a lot of teacher-directed lessons, you'll most likely be asking your baby to stay put too often. This isn't a problem for a younger baby in a sling--but later, that same sling will prevent necessary exercise and exploration.
- There will be plenty of time in upper-elementary, middle-school, and in the high-school years for you to use your ideal curriculum--whatever that might be. When you have babies and toddlers along with primary students (no one over eight or nine), consider yourself successful if your primary kids are reading and writing and doing arithmetic every day. Throw in the other stuff by reading lots of library books at night or during nap time, and by going on family field trips with your husband on the weekends (somehow between naps).
- If you want to use baby/toddler naptimes to teach your older kids, then try training your oldest child to shuffle laundry for you throughout the day (not fold, just load and switch from washer to dryer). That way, when naptime arrives, you won't be temped to shuffle laundry instead of teach.
- Plan art or messy projects on the weekends when hubby is home to play with the babies and toddlers.
- Older kids can take turns supervising a baby or toddler in a playroom--ideally one that is visible from the teaching area, or one that includes a baby monitor. Train them carefully and post safety rules. Go over what age-appropriate things they might work on with baby (i.e. stacking blocks, looking at object-naming books, putting things in a container). Limit unsupervised sessions like this to twenty minutes or so, depending on maturity. See Managers of Their Homes, by Steve and Terri Maxwell, for an extended discussion on this practice. I don't like all their suggestions for babies and toddlers, but their discussion on this practice is excellent.
- If you live in a state requiring sample work, consider buying a textbook/workbook curriculum, or do lots of Charlotte Mason-style reading, dictating, journaling and questioning, but make sure you have time to document your learning. Documentation takes time and planning! You don't want to be scrambling for samples right before your yearly meeting (or monthly meeting, depending on your state).
- If you abhor textbooks and workbooks, use them only on the days you haven't put something more interesting together. There will be plenty of days like that. Diapers and potty training are time sucks, believe me.
- Kids need steady work. The fewer days off per year, the better. Have a back-up plan to keep them plowing forward, regardless of what you're doing. You aren't going to over work them in two hours per day. Those two hours are more beneficial year-round, than the traditional schooling practice of four hours per day, with extended summer and holiday breaks. Steadiness leads to proficiency (and even to excellence).
-When weather is nice in the summer, school one hour in the morning and one in the late afternoon.
- Do Saturday school for two hours if you need a free errand day during the week--with Dad home, this could make for an easy day.
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