These statistics are scary...
National Crime survey...
Shows that almost 3 million violent crimes and thefts occur on public school campuses each year.
This equals approximately 16,000 incidents per school day or 1 every 6 seconds.
The survey indicated that about 67 students of every thousand teenagers or 1.9 million are victims of violent crime, including rape, robbery, assault and murder each year.
The survey estimated that 1/3 of these crimes are not reported, making the actual figures much higher.
The Surgeon General...
expressed shock at the findings of a surveyof highschool students that revealed that nearly 20% of all girls and 40% of all boys that it was OK to force sex if a girl was runk.
Another survey showed around 500,000 U.S. teenagers in grades 7-12 habitually do binge drinking and that nearly 14% of the nations 8th graders are already binge drinkers.
In a federally funded study by the Guttmacher Institute, it was discovered that among 15 year olds, 33% of boys and 27% of girls were sexually active; among 16 year olds, 50% of the boys and 34% of girls were sexually active.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
did a school-based survey of risk behaviors of students in grades 9-12.
The study found that 18.3% carried a weapon and 7.4% were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property.
32.9% had property stolen or deliberatley damaged one or more times. They also found that the numbers of multiple homicide victims in public schools had tripled in the last few years.
A recent survey found that 1/3 of students entering college need significant remidial help in reading, writing and math.
And perhaps scariest of all is the fact that approximately 50% of christian youth walk away from Christ after they graduate from college.
I will leave you to think what you will of these statistics, but to me they are very frightening.
(This was taken from "The Heart of Homeschooling" by Christopher Klicka)
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Want to know how to get your little boys to help around the house?
If you have little boys and want them to help around the house, try making them feel REALLY BIG to be able to do this job! LOL
If I ask my son to do a job he usually won't want to do it. But if I say something like" Do you think you are big enough to do a big, helpful job for Mommy?" He will usually say yes, and I will say "Are you sure you are big enough to do it?, Can you do it all by yourself?" "Wow, I didn't know you were big enough to do that big of a job!" LOL
But it works!
Flattery for men at any age works! Besides it make them feel good and important and helpful!
Try it! Good Luck!
If I ask my son to do a job he usually won't want to do it. But if I say something like" Do you think you are big enough to do a big, helpful job for Mommy?" He will usually say yes, and I will say "Are you sure you are big enough to do it?, Can you do it all by yourself?" "Wow, I didn't know you were big enough to do that big of a job!" LOL
But it works!
Flattery for men at any age works! Besides it make them feel good and important and helpful!
Try it! Good Luck!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Do you let others influnce your decisions?
Do you ever go against how you really feel because of how others make you feel about it?
Do you let the views of all your friends influence the decisions that you make for your own children?
I know that it is very hard to stand up in this world and take a stand for what is right.
It is really hard to say that your kids can't watch a certain t.v. show when you are at someone elses house and they want to watch something that you feel is inappropriate or to say sorry, no they may not play video games with your children or No, we do not do sleepovers.
You will probably be met with the enevitable, 'why not?"
Then you have to explain your position, meanwhile trying to make sure that what you say does not make the other person feel like you are judging them.
It really stinks to have to always be defending your choices but it is worth it.
You are the only one who knows your child and what is best.
I have had to make a LOT of hard decisions in my life, (and I am only 28) I feel like I am constantly having to defend my decisions or explain why I feel the way I do, and unfortunately this has ended up in the loss of friends and family sometimes.
It is so hard when others will not understand where you are coming from and that you have to protect your children.
In trying to protect my children, I have lost a lot, but nothing is more important than protecting your kids. You have to be very careful in what you allow in your childs life and who they make friends with.
Many times you make friends and then start hanging out and then find out you don't have much in common or you really don't want your kids influencd in a certain way that they be if they hang around that person.
It is better to take it slow in our friendships and get to know one another than have to end a friendship or live our lives trying to make excuses to not see them. This is not only stressful for you but it is unfair and dishonest.
Sometimes it is your own family that you are having problems with. You can't control how others raise their families and you can only teach your children what your family believes is right and wrong.
If it is a serious problem, you may have to remove your family from the situation. It is hard and no one really wants to stir things up in their family and if you have to, do try to be as loving as possible and not make it worse.
But do know that you have the resposibility to raise your children up for God, no one else.
Do you let the views of all your friends influence the decisions that you make for your own children?
I know that it is very hard to stand up in this world and take a stand for what is right.
It is really hard to say that your kids can't watch a certain t.v. show when you are at someone elses house and they want to watch something that you feel is inappropriate or to say sorry, no they may not play video games with your children or No, we do not do sleepovers.
You will probably be met with the enevitable, 'why not?"
Then you have to explain your position, meanwhile trying to make sure that what you say does not make the other person feel like you are judging them.
It really stinks to have to always be defending your choices but it is worth it.
You are the only one who knows your child and what is best.
I have had to make a LOT of hard decisions in my life, (and I am only 28) I feel like I am constantly having to defend my decisions or explain why I feel the way I do, and unfortunately this has ended up in the loss of friends and family sometimes.
It is so hard when others will not understand where you are coming from and that you have to protect your children.
In trying to protect my children, I have lost a lot, but nothing is more important than protecting your kids. You have to be very careful in what you allow in your childs life and who they make friends with.
Many times you make friends and then start hanging out and then find out you don't have much in common or you really don't want your kids influencd in a certain way that they be if they hang around that person.
It is better to take it slow in our friendships and get to know one another than have to end a friendship or live our lives trying to make excuses to not see them. This is not only stressful for you but it is unfair and dishonest.
Sometimes it is your own family that you are having problems with. You can't control how others raise their families and you can only teach your children what your family believes is right and wrong.
If it is a serious problem, you may have to remove your family from the situation. It is hard and no one really wants to stir things up in their family and if you have to, do try to be as loving as possible and not make it worse.
But do know that you have the resposibility to raise your children up for God, no one else.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
THE JOYS OF COPYWORK!
Does that sound like an oxymoron?
Yes, it does, but it is true!
I used to think that copywork was pointless. Even when I was reading all about Charlotte Mason, I didn't really see the point of copywork.
But as I go along in homeschooling I am seeing why this is necessary.
It is especially useful to the little ones who are just learning to write and spell. When they copy something they see it written perfectly and they will see how each word is spelled.
I have noticed with my 11 year old that she repeatedly spells some of the most simple words wrong, no matter how many times I tell her the correct way. But this is because she had seen it spelled wrong in the first place.
If she had been doing copy work from the beginning, then she would not have seen words spelled incorrectly.
It is so very hard to get over those mistakes.
Also, it is hard for children to think of things to write on their own until they get older. This is where narration really comes into play. I will write on narration another time.
When your little ones draw a picture, give them a sentence or two to copy onto the picture.
Did you know that you probably do copywork yourself?
Well, hmmm, let's see, Do you ever copy scriptures or poems or a quote that someone else has said that you found helpful? SEE??? LOL
Scripture is perfect copywork.
Start small. If you or your children want to copy a longer Scripture, just do a few sentences a day and add to it until it is completed.
The copy work will get longer as they get older.
When you do copy work though, you are not just copying. You learn grammar, spelling, punctuation, everything!
Copywork is the perfect way to learn language arts.
There is no need for grammar or writing books.
When the children get older, then you can teach all the grammar that they need to know one time. Yes, just one time. There is no need to teach grammar every day every year. Just wait until they are a little older and teach it once! teach it when they are old enough to remember it!
You can have copywork be a separate subject each day OR you can intertwine it into whatever you are already doing. If you are note booking in your history notebooks, have them copy a famous quote or speech or just something that they are learning about. Same goes for lapbooking!
We incorporate it into what we are already doing but we do also have scripture copy work daily also.
Just think how wonderful it will be when your children end up having a handwritten book of scripture?
It will be priceless.
I am doing this also. I do it along with my daughter in the mornings and add more to it in my free time.
We write on paper and then put it into page protectors and into binders.
When they get full enough, we will go and get them bound into books that we will be able to keep forever.
Make sure you store their copywork where it will be protected so that it doesn't end up ruined.
You could have them make a copywork notebook on any topic. What about a copywork book on famous speeches or quotes? What about a copywork book on any topic that they are really interested in?
make it special and make it into a book that they and you can treasure.
Let them make a handwritten book of scripture for grandparents or friends for christmas! They will treasure it.
Copywork eliminates spelling tests and grammar workbooks and writing lessons, etc..
This really simplifies your school day.
The time for these things are when your children are older. Don't rush them. They will get it and they will be better off.
If you have any questions on copywork, just leave a comment and I will try to answer it.
Have FUN!!
Yes, it does, but it is true!
I used to think that copywork was pointless. Even when I was reading all about Charlotte Mason, I didn't really see the point of copywork.
But as I go along in homeschooling I am seeing why this is necessary.
It is especially useful to the little ones who are just learning to write and spell. When they copy something they see it written perfectly and they will see how each word is spelled.
I have noticed with my 11 year old that she repeatedly spells some of the most simple words wrong, no matter how many times I tell her the correct way. But this is because she had seen it spelled wrong in the first place.
If she had been doing copy work from the beginning, then she would not have seen words spelled incorrectly.
It is so very hard to get over those mistakes.
Also, it is hard for children to think of things to write on their own until they get older. This is where narration really comes into play. I will write on narration another time.
When your little ones draw a picture, give them a sentence or two to copy onto the picture.
Did you know that you probably do copywork yourself?
Well, hmmm, let's see, Do you ever copy scriptures or poems or a quote that someone else has said that you found helpful? SEE??? LOL
Scripture is perfect copywork.
Start small. If you or your children want to copy a longer Scripture, just do a few sentences a day and add to it until it is completed.
The copy work will get longer as they get older.
When you do copy work though, you are not just copying. You learn grammar, spelling, punctuation, everything!
Copywork is the perfect way to learn language arts.
There is no need for grammar or writing books.
When the children get older, then you can teach all the grammar that they need to know one time. Yes, just one time. There is no need to teach grammar every day every year. Just wait until they are a little older and teach it once! teach it when they are old enough to remember it!
You can have copywork be a separate subject each day OR you can intertwine it into whatever you are already doing. If you are note booking in your history notebooks, have them copy a famous quote or speech or just something that they are learning about. Same goes for lapbooking!
We incorporate it into what we are already doing but we do also have scripture copy work daily also.
Just think how wonderful it will be when your children end up having a handwritten book of scripture?
It will be priceless.
I am doing this also. I do it along with my daughter in the mornings and add more to it in my free time.
We write on paper and then put it into page protectors and into binders.
When they get full enough, we will go and get them bound into books that we will be able to keep forever.
Make sure you store their copywork where it will be protected so that it doesn't end up ruined.
You could have them make a copywork notebook on any topic. What about a copywork book on famous speeches or quotes? What about a copywork book on any topic that they are really interested in?
make it special and make it into a book that they and you can treasure.
Let them make a handwritten book of scripture for grandparents or friends for christmas! They will treasure it.
Copywork eliminates spelling tests and grammar workbooks and writing lessons, etc..
This really simplifies your school day.
The time for these things are when your children are older. Don't rush them. They will get it and they will be better off.
If you have any questions on copywork, just leave a comment and I will try to answer it.
Have FUN!!
When Satan attack turn it around on him...
Wow, I sure am having a hard week.
I don't really understand what is going on.
I have really been working on my kids behavior and they had really improved and then all of a sudden BOOM, they are driving me crazy with their fighting ALL the time.
I don't even know what to do about it. I hear it and just close my eyes and ignore. it. I know that is not going to help, I just have had it.
The funny thing is, the more I read, the more I pray, the more I KNOW what I should do and how to handle it, the worse it gets. I know that my children are So precious, they are gifts from the Lord. I know what really matters, I know what is most important.
The harder I try to be a better mom it seems like the more Satan tries to hit me.
I feel like I am under attack.
I didn't even realize this until I started typing that this is Satan hitting me and trying to mess everything up so that we don't have the kid of family that God wants us to have.
Satan is really working hard right now in the world. he wants us all to be miserable or depressed or to feel like we just can't do it all or we are not good enough. Man, he is a LIAR.
He will try as hard as he can and we need to realize that and be on the defense of him. We need to be able to see that , hey, this is Satan here, this is not me. I am good enough, qualified enough, whatever it may be. God does not give us responsibilities and then hang us out to dry.
He does not leave us alone, but we do have to come to HIM. we can't just keep trying to do it by ourselves or we WILL fail. if we rely on Him though, we will make it through and we can make it through happily!
I was feeling so overwhelmed and even though I know how I truly feel, and it is not defeat, I was falling for the lie.
The more you understand what is really important and what you really need to do and how to parent your children or how to be a godly wife, the more Satan will hit you and say You can't do that. It is too hard. You will fail. He just wants you to crawl up in a ball and be depressed and leave the children to themselves, b/c he doesn't want your children to be raised up in a godly home.
We have to stand strong and do not allow him in our homes or lives. We need to get to he point to where he can't do this to us.
I will rebuke his lies and not let him get me down because if he does that affects my children and my husband and he loves it. But it is detrimental to my children if I am not being fully there and helping them to grow into godly children.
When these time come, just rely on God and what he says in scripture and we will make it through. Take these times to be learning opportunities to grow in whatever situation may arise. Come out of it stronger in faith and Spirit.
I will NOT let Satan get me down. I will rise up and rebuke him and grow stronger in whatever he is trying to bring me down in.
If he tries to attack me again, I will just grow stronger. Eventually he will want to give up because he will see that he is only making me stronger and that will defeat his purpose.
HA- Hows that ? Sounds good to me! LOL
I don't really understand what is going on.
I have really been working on my kids behavior and they had really improved and then all of a sudden BOOM, they are driving me crazy with their fighting ALL the time.
I don't even know what to do about it. I hear it and just close my eyes and ignore. it. I know that is not going to help, I just have had it.
The funny thing is, the more I read, the more I pray, the more I KNOW what I should do and how to handle it, the worse it gets. I know that my children are So precious, they are gifts from the Lord. I know what really matters, I know what is most important.
The harder I try to be a better mom it seems like the more Satan tries to hit me.
I feel like I am under attack.
I didn't even realize this until I started typing that this is Satan hitting me and trying to mess everything up so that we don't have the kid of family that God wants us to have.
Satan is really working hard right now in the world. he wants us all to be miserable or depressed or to feel like we just can't do it all or we are not good enough. Man, he is a LIAR.
He will try as hard as he can and we need to realize that and be on the defense of him. We need to be able to see that , hey, this is Satan here, this is not me. I am good enough, qualified enough, whatever it may be. God does not give us responsibilities and then hang us out to dry.
He does not leave us alone, but we do have to come to HIM. we can't just keep trying to do it by ourselves or we WILL fail. if we rely on Him though, we will make it through and we can make it through happily!
I was feeling so overwhelmed and even though I know how I truly feel, and it is not defeat, I was falling for the lie.
The more you understand what is really important and what you really need to do and how to parent your children or how to be a godly wife, the more Satan will hit you and say You can't do that. It is too hard. You will fail. He just wants you to crawl up in a ball and be depressed and leave the children to themselves, b/c he doesn't want your children to be raised up in a godly home.
We have to stand strong and do not allow him in our homes or lives. We need to get to he point to where he can't do this to us.
I will rebuke his lies and not let him get me down because if he does that affects my children and my husband and he loves it. But it is detrimental to my children if I am not being fully there and helping them to grow into godly children.
When these time come, just rely on God and what he says in scripture and we will make it through. Take these times to be learning opportunities to grow in whatever situation may arise. Come out of it stronger in faith and Spirit.
I will NOT let Satan get me down. I will rise up and rebuke him and grow stronger in whatever he is trying to bring me down in.
If he tries to attack me again, I will just grow stronger. Eventually he will want to give up because he will see that he is only making me stronger and that will defeat his purpose.
HA- Hows that ? Sounds good to me! LOL
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Beyond the Stick Figure Art School/ TOS Review
Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not requir...
