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Monday, October 31, 2011

Odds and Ends

Here's a fun, easy snack idea for children - perfect if you're spending the day studying teeth, or dentists, or oral hygiene, or James 3:5.  It's gluten-free, I think, but not Kosher (due to the gelatin in the marshmallows) and definitely not sugar-free.  :)  Simple to make - just apple slices and mini marshmallows.


We saw this adorable little camper the other day in the park.   I had to stop and tell the owner that it was the cutest thing I'd seen in a long time, and when I came home I told my husband that I've decided how I want to spend retirement some day.  Just give me a bed, books to read, paper to write, food to eat, something to knit, and an afternoon cup of coffee, and I think I'd be good to go for a long, long time. 



My mother and I have started making the dolls for the children of Kija's village.  Mom actually makes the most of them, but I collect the supplies and the girls cut out the faces so that she can sew them.  I find new remnants of fabrics at thrift stores, and really, I'm glad to find a good use for them.  My hope thru sharing about our projects is that you might be inspired or encouraged to find things that you can do or ways that you can reach out to share the joy (and new life!) that Jesus brings.




I've picked up a couple of books lately (again, with the thrift store!!!) which I think would make good discussion starters.  Having six sons myself, I've already found lots to consider, underline, and improve upon.  I'm not recommending the book - I haven't completed it yet, but I am interested in posting some of the tips/topics for discussion.  Anyone interested in this?



And lastly, this book interests me because within the homeschooling community we like to say that our young people are not "teens," but rather, "young adults."  I understand that, at least to the point of being forward thinking and aiming for the direction we want our kids to go.  We don't want them to waste the years of their youth in irresponsibility and rebellion.  We like to say that the term "teenager" wasn't used until the 1950s, and that appears to be true.  However, we also used to have no problem with sending children to work in coal mines.  In other words, we weren't always aware of the distinct developmental stages unique to each stage of childhood thru adulthood.  We are now, however, and they are valid.

Homeschooled or not, our children will go through physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and psychological stages as they mature from infancy to adulthood - just like every other kid.  Adolescence is a factual developmental part of life.  I feel that it is vitally important for each homeschooling parent to understand the stages and the struggles that a young person goes through.  We can not raise healthy and whole individuals if we ignore their needs during this time frame.  They may look like adults, but they are not, quite yet.  I realized while beginning this book that I've never seen a homeschooling book (or a book from a homeschooling company) which details the specific emotional, physical or psychological stages through which our children will pass.  We're pretty good at the spiritual side of things, but I think we tend to ignore the other, valid  steps of adolescence.  We so abhor the moral mess of much of modern teenagerhood, we tend to overbalance and like to think that we can jump our children straight from diapers to full adulthood without any struggles in between.  I don't really think it works like that, and considering that I have four teens right now, I'll admit that I have a lot to learn.  Is anyone interested in discussing/considering chosen topics from this book?  (I would just choose and post some occasionally for us to discuss.)

I'd love to hear your thoughts or anything else you would like to share in the comment section below!


8 comments:

  1. Oh - yes! yes! yes! on the teens...though I haven't a lot to add to a conversation yet, since the oldest is only 12.5...but this is much on my "radar"!

    Have you ever read Age Of Opportunity by Paul Tripp in regard to teens? I've been curious to know what someone who actually *has* teens thinks of the book as far as application goes. I've found it very challenging but helpful - and needful.

    And no, I don't think it works like that, either. I would like for it to! But so many of Mark's clients these past ten years have been homeschooling families - both adolescents and their parents - who have suddenly found it *doesn't* work that way sometimes in the worst ways. Unfortunately, not only were many of them not prepared, many of them have *no* support in churches and the homeschool community because their "pat" answers aren't/weren't working and no one else was prepared, either!

    And I am completely in love with that little trailer!!! Who knows...if we can't find something we can afford to rent when it's time to move officially, maybe we'll just pile into one of those! It may be bigger than some of the homes we've seen! ;)

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  2. I second Kari! My oldest just turned twelve and I am looking ahead at the teen years. I am currently reading Age of Opportunity, and like Kari, I'd love to know what someone with actual teenagers thinks about the material in the book.

    I just finished reading Give Them Grace. Wow. It might be the most impacting book I've read, parenting or otherwise. It certainly speaks to the idea of what happens when our parenting/children don't turn out the way we've envisioned.

    I'd love to hear any of your thoughts on teens, Holly!

    Jenn in NH

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  3. I'd love some discussion on both of those - so MUCH to learn - you guys want to come over for tea? :)

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  4. Yes
    Yes
    Yes
    Let's talk teens!
    Littles are easy enough.....
    Really.
    It's the biggies that can throw us for a loop!
    It's a whole different ballgame to me.
    I would love to see what you all want to share regarding this!
    Love, Kristin

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  5. A good friend of mine is a mother of teens and thinks there's a huge void in blog world for frank & helpful discussion around rearing teenagers (I'm sure part of the void is because the subjects are able to read the blogs, too!), and with children who will be teens before I know it, I would SO appreciate good discussion! I think about parenting all the time & would like to know I'm not the only one. :)

    And it looks like I WON'T be the only one when I retire in my adorable little camper ready to live on the bare essentials. Meet you all in the park for coffee. :)

    ~Tina

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  6. As a mother of five sons, I am definitely interested in discussions on raising boys.

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  7. I love the apple smiles, those are so cute! :D

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