Home School VS. The Traditional Classroom.
A hotly debated topic. I compare the education choice to traditional publishing vs. self-publishing. As a formally trained teacher, I'll admit homeschooling irritated more than a few nerves probably in the same way self-publishing irritated many traditional publishing houses. What, everyone's a teacher now? Wait a minute, aren't I doing the same thing with my self-publishing? I'm not a formally trained writer. I have a passion, a need to create, and hope that my creations make a connection with other people. Most parents I know are passionate about their children. That passion drives them to seek the best for their creations. Who am I to judge? I was experiencing a little of the pot calling its kettle black. I most definitely needed to get off my high horse before I fell off it and broke my nose.
My doubts about homeschooling held me prisoner, but when my number one made the choice for herself to attend a homeschool program, it was the best decision ever. Why did I fight it for so long? Stupid pride, misconceived notions and well, it's just not the way things are done! Phooey! Homeschooling programs today are dynamic, interesting and driven. Don't think you can just breeze by with filling out a few worksheets and calling it a day. My number one's day is full of self-directed, independent learning that she owns. She is the captain of her ship. Her homeschool buddies are respectful, intelligent, motivated (boy, are they ever!), driven, responsible leaders. Don't you want that for your teenager? Now, don't get me wrong lots of teenagers in traditional school settings are just as motivated and responsible. I'm saying that it was a learning curve for me. I was pleasantly surprised by their intensity and quality of their pursuit of learning. The same can be said for self-published authors as well. Once the passion ignites, the fire burns bright and hot. Isn't life about finding your passion and making the choice to pursue it.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Mommy guilt...yep, it's a choice, too!
Ouch! I know, I know, touchy subject. Every mother experiences it whether you've been a mom for decades, or you're a brand new one. Constantly second-guessing and doubting your decisions because you understand the importance of raising a child. I'm going to share something I've learned about mommy guilt you need to tell it to pack its bag and take a long walk off a short pier as my mother would say. Mommy guilt is just your self-doubt and insecurity rearing its ugly, nasty head! Remember, your kids can smell fear and see it on your face. They're tiny predators waiting for weakness to show in your demeanor, on your face or seep out of your pores, remember they can smell doubt, and bam in for the kill. Your guilt is your weakness. Don't feel it then it doesn't show.
I've spoken to my close friends, my colleagues, and my neighbors for years about mommy guilt. Whether you're an outside of the home working mom or whether you choose to work at home, mommy guilt is always there, lurking behind every corner, waiting patiently to strike. For those working outside of the home, the guilt is multiplied, because sometimes work needs to be a priority over family. My friends who stay at home sometimes feel they aren't contributing enough to the family's welfare. Here's what I say for whatever it's worth. Your children learn what they live. If they see that you are doing everything you can for your family chances are your guilt is yours, not theirs. They only see how hard you're working for your family. You're teaching them valuable lessons about life, priorities, balance, and love. Children are adaptable, and they will adjust to your life and your schedule. It's your fear that allows guilt to fester and poison you and eventually them. So, relax, give yourself a break and know that your children love you whether you work inside, outside or in between side the home. They will survive because you will make sure they survive. That's what we do as parents.
I've spoken to my close friends, my colleagues, and my neighbors for years about mommy guilt. Whether you're an outside of the home working mom or whether you choose to work at home, mommy guilt is always there, lurking behind every corner, waiting patiently to strike. For those working outside of the home, the guilt is multiplied, because sometimes work needs to be a priority over family. My friends who stay at home sometimes feel they aren't contributing enough to the family's welfare. Here's what I say for whatever it's worth. Your children learn what they live. If they see that you are doing everything you can for your family chances are your guilt is yours, not theirs. They only see how hard you're working for your family. You're teaching them valuable lessons about life, priorities, balance, and love. Children are adaptable, and they will adjust to your life and your schedule. It's your fear that allows guilt to fester and poison you and eventually them. So, relax, give yourself a break and know that your children love you whether you work inside, outside or in between side the home. They will survive because you will make sure they survive. That's what we do as parents.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Summer Choices
It's that time of year! The words that make every mom and dad worldwide cringe, "I'm bored!" Vacation-over, pool-boring, camp-done! What now? Here are some summer choices to fill the doldrums! Enjoy!
1. Tie dye shirts! Really, tie dye just about anything! Set up huge plastic tubs in the backyard, the front yard, the pavement, the front porch or your little space of concrete. Wherever! Here are some great links http://www.guidepatterns.com/47-cool-tie-dye-shirt-patterns.php http://www.favecrafts.com/Tie-Dye/Tie-Dye-Techniques-and-Patterns for your masterpieces! Let the kids have it! Super cool! Great fun!
2. Make a blob for the backyard. Yes, you read that correctly... a blob. Great for little ones! Watch this crazy dad entertain his kids! Of course, mom is the voice of reason, but it looks like super fun! Just don't do what dad did! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRA5MLdy70o
4. Go for a walk at dusk.
5. Make fruit popsicles. Sell them at your lemonade stand! Cut up fruit, get some fruit juice and freeze them in the popsicles molds. This link has great non-toxic popsicle molds http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/non-toxic-popsicle-molds-for-homemade-popsicles/
6. Paint ceramics! I can't do enough of this! It's so relaxing.
7. Henna tattoos! My girls can't do this enough! Patterns http://www.freetattoodesigns.org/henna-tattoos.html Premixed paste http://www.shopbeachcombers.com/Natural-Henna-Paste-Cone-p/nc.htm or you can mix your own. Take a drive to your local organic health store, pick out your henna, mix it up, and place it an applicator with a pointed tip!
8. If Henna isn't your thing try temporary tattoos with watercolor crayons! http://www.michaels.com/10397541.html
9. Build a fort in the living room on a rainy day then make a slide with cardboard boxes and cover the stairs!
10. Camp in your own backyard! Best ever!
Here's to your summer choices! Have fun!
1. Tie dye shirts! Really, tie dye just about anything! Set up huge plastic tubs in the backyard, the front yard, the pavement, the front porch or your little space of concrete. Wherever! Here are some great links http://www.guidepatterns.com/47-cool-tie-dye-shirt-patterns.php http://www.favecrafts.com/Tie-Dye/Tie-Dye-Techniques-and-Patterns for your masterpieces! Let the kids have it! Super cool! Great fun!
2. Make a blob for the backyard. Yes, you read that correctly... a blob. Great for little ones! Watch this crazy dad entertain his kids! Of course, mom is the voice of reason, but it looks like super fun! Just don't do what dad did! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRA5MLdy70o
3. Go for a nature walk, collect anything that interests you! Bring your treasures home and make a book!4. Go for a walk at dusk.
5. Make fruit popsicles. Sell them at your lemonade stand! Cut up fruit, get some fruit juice and freeze them in the popsicles molds. This link has great non-toxic popsicle molds http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/non-toxic-popsicle-molds-for-homemade-popsicles/
6. Paint ceramics! I can't do enough of this! It's so relaxing.
7. Henna tattoos! My girls can't do this enough! Patterns http://www.freetattoodesigns.org/henna-tattoos.html Premixed paste http://www.shopbeachcombers.com/Natural-Henna-Paste-Cone-p/nc.htm or you can mix your own. Take a drive to your local organic health store, pick out your henna, mix it up, and place it an applicator with a pointed tip!
8. If Henna isn't your thing try temporary tattoos with watercolor crayons! http://www.michaels.com/10397541.html
9. Build a fort in the living room on a rainy day then make a slide with cardboard boxes and cover the stairs!
10. Camp in your own backyard! Best ever!
Here's to your summer choices! Have fun!
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Give up or Give More
The power of Choice is amazing. Our choices or decisions in life created the direction our lives travel. Some good, some not so good. It's easy to embrace the good decisions with celebrations, but what do we do when we make a bad decision-run, hide, pull the covers over our heads and never see the light of day. NO!
Take a deep breath and check in with yourself. Bad choices are a learning experience, and we can all relate, myself included, but it shouldn't stop you from pursuing a dream. What are you gonna do, give up, or give more? You pick yourself up, dust yourself off and ask yourself how you can do better. Here are some ideas you can ponder as you make your next big decision.
1. Be careful where you place your trust.
2. Try not to make a decision when your anxious. Be patient and wait it out.
3. Reflect on the past.
4. Don't always go with what worked before.
5. Make an informed decision.
6. Do what's best for you and the people involved with your decision, not what other people think.
Good luck in making your next big decision and remember bad decisions are life's learning experiences.
Take a deep breath and check in with yourself. Bad choices are a learning experience, and we can all relate, myself included, but it shouldn't stop you from pursuing a dream. What are you gonna do, give up, or give more? You pick yourself up, dust yourself off and ask yourself how you can do better. Here are some ideas you can ponder as you make your next big decision.
1. Be careful where you place your trust.
2. Try not to make a decision when your anxious. Be patient and wait it out.
3. Reflect on the past.
4. Don't always go with what worked before.
5. Make an informed decision.
6. Do what's best for you and the people involved with your decision, not what other people think.
Good luck in making your next big decision and remember bad decisions are life's learning experiences.
Monday, June 22, 2015
Whiplash
It's been awhile, and I apologize for that. Extremely busy year so I'm making a better attempt at taking care of my blog starting today!
I had the opportunity to sit down with daughter #2 over the weekend and actually watch a movie with her, a rare and priceless experience. Growing up we usually held a game night and a movie night over the weekend, but alas they grow, and carve out their own lives, so sharing air with them in the same space much less quality time is indeed priceless.
We agreed to watch the movie Whiplash. #2 is a budding musician. She played the clarinet and is currently playing the acoustic and electric guitar with a goal of learning the piano. I love to listen to her practice. Whiplash was an excellent choice for so many reasons! Not only did it focus on the love of music, jazz, in particular it was a valuable lesson in the process of making choices about your life. I viewed this movie as a gift to watch with my daughter. The young star of the film was a driven, determined, focused young man. Great goals to have for an older teenager on the precipice of adulthood, correct? Now comes the juicy part. The choices the young boy made either destroyed his life or allowed him to achieve the greatness he so desperately craved, but at what cost? It's really your own personal perspective that determines the outcome of the movie, and opened the door for a great conversation with #2. I don't want to give away too many spoilers so I won't tell you the whole story, I'm just posting my thoughts about the power choice has in your life, good and bad, accomplishments and consequences. Watch the movie Whiplash with your older teenagers if you have them, even if they aren't musicians. The lessons portrayed about the choices we make and the impact on ourselves and our families is potent.
I had the opportunity to sit down with daughter #2 over the weekend and actually watch a movie with her, a rare and priceless experience. Growing up we usually held a game night and a movie night over the weekend, but alas they grow, and carve out their own lives, so sharing air with them in the same space much less quality time is indeed priceless.
We agreed to watch the movie Whiplash. #2 is a budding musician. She played the clarinet and is currently playing the acoustic and electric guitar with a goal of learning the piano. I love to listen to her practice. Whiplash was an excellent choice for so many reasons! Not only did it focus on the love of music, jazz, in particular it was a valuable lesson in the process of making choices about your life. I viewed this movie as a gift to watch with my daughter. The young star of the film was a driven, determined, focused young man. Great goals to have for an older teenager on the precipice of adulthood, correct? Now comes the juicy part. The choices the young boy made either destroyed his life or allowed him to achieve the greatness he so desperately craved, but at what cost? It's really your own personal perspective that determines the outcome of the movie, and opened the door for a great conversation with #2. I don't want to give away too many spoilers so I won't tell you the whole story, I'm just posting my thoughts about the power choice has in your life, good and bad, accomplishments and consequences. Watch the movie Whiplash with your older teenagers if you have them, even if they aren't musicians. The lessons portrayed about the choices we make and the impact on ourselves and our families is potent.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Meet Author Merrie Housdon
Hey! Check out Merrie Housdon's fantastic writing! Can't wait to read it myself! Find out more about Merrie by reading my interview and then when you're done, click the links to read her work!
1.
Did you always want to
write?
I think subconsciously I
have always wanted to be a writer but I never had a particular desire to write
in school. In fact, I absolutely hated reading and writing in
school. This was mostly because I did not have a choice in what I was
reading and the writing assignments were so constricting and most of the time
on a very short deadline. When I was alone, I loved reading and I always
kept a journal. I had and still have a very vivid imagination and took me
a long time before I realized I should be writing my ideas down.
2. Do you
think there is a difference between a writer and an author? If you do how would you categorize yourself?
I honestly use the two
terms interchangeably. I used to think that you weren’t an author until
you have been published, but since being published I noticed that I still refer
to myself as a writer.
3.
Tell me about your
writing process.
When I get an idea for a
story, I jump on the computer and start writing. Once I have a solid chapter
or scene written, I take a step back and think about what I want my story to
include and where I want my story to end. I create a very basic outline,
and then go back to writing. Sometimes I follow that outline completely
and other times my characters run away with my story and I end up with
something entirely different than I thought. I don’t think I could ever
commit to a complete detailed outline but for me it’s important to give myself
a little directions.
4.
What have you learned
about yourself through your writing process or writing in general?
I am very superstitious
about talking about, or letting anyone read my writing before it’s
completed. I don’t consider myself a superstitious person in any
other aspect in my life except for my writing.
5.
Tell me about any
current or future projects you are working on.
Without giving away too
many details, I am working on a Fantasy-Romance Novel that just might end up
being a series, and I am also working on a historical romance novella that is
set in a fictional town in regency England
6.
Most important, cake
or ice cream, or milk or dark chocolate? Which do you
prefer?
Chocolate cake without
frosting, I hate frosting! Definitely milk chocolate.
7.
Favorite books
There are so many amazing
books that I love, I don’t think I could pick one favorite. To name a few, I
love William Goldman’s The Princess Bride, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Neil
Gaiman’s Stardust.
8.
Favorite color
I tend to favor bold
colors, especially maroon and navy blue.
9.
Favorite author
There are so many authors
that I love, but if I had to choose, I would say Neil Gaiman. Not only is
he a fantastic author and natural born storyteller but he is very inspirational
and gives great advice for new authors trying to make their way.
10.
Any tips to share
Write everyday! Whether working on a story or just
writing in a journal, keep writing and don’t stop. Also, do not forget to
support your fellow authors, leave a review for books you read, retweet someone
who is trying to spread the word about their book. We can all use a
little help, and it’s a great way to make friends and gain supports for your
own work.
A Prince for Valentines
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
Annie Acorn’s 2015 Valentine’s Day Treasury
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1CWxaCF
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
Thanks so much, Merrie!
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