You Raise Me Up — Secret Garden

What I'd Like For You To Know: A Mom Of Many

I like this lady’s post. Have a read if you would like to know more about large families.

Preschoolers and Survival

I remember someone asking and being amazed that I dressed the way I did AND didn’t work outside of the home.

  Terrific Toddlers Give-away!

Now, here are the rules for the give-away. In order to be in the running to win a free copy of this book, you need to leave a comment on this post, just telling me something you love about a terrific toddler (or toddler-to-be) close to your heart, before the 6th August…

Visit the above link to leave your comment.

Well, we're still waiting for this baby to arrive.  Technically he's not due til Tuesday 29th, but I was wishfully thinking I deserved an early baby for a change!  Not that the others were that late, the last two were born on the due date!

In the meantime, we've been told by our Metservice that the biggest storm in a decade is brewing over the country today, set to hit our region by evening.  (Baby will probably decide to come in the middle of all that, lol!)  I'll let you know on Monday if we've been blown away or not!!  It also happens to coincide with Condoleeza Rice's flying 24 hr visit to our wee country.  She's spending the day in Auckland, supposed to be one of the worst affected regions by the storm - that'll be a visit for her to remember.  The University students in Auckland had put up a $5000 bounty for a citizen's arrest of "Condi" (as a protest against the Iraq War) but after being warned by police they've pulled it!!  Like any of them would've got past her security people! 

Well, that's a little ramble from me today, enjoy your weekend!

I'm a 'formal' student! Haha ... Research, discussion, assignments, deadlines! After so many years of not doing any formal study this month I decided to take the plunge with a four week art appreciation course with BraveWriter and it's been brilliant. With two assignments due each week and some information overload in the middle my brain is really hurting but I'm learning so much about observing art and adding to my art vocab it's been incredible. I've still got such a long way to go with putting much of the learning into practise, if I don't use it I'm going to loose it, and I still feel like a child taking their first steps: very wobbly and not confident. Once again I've been reminded that learning is about observation skills, asking the right questions (who, where, when, what, why and how) and learning a new vocabulary: and yet, it's great having someone who knows what they are doing to guide you through the process step-by-step, to see this new world through their eyes. Ok, just one more week to go!

While we at the zoo yesterday we saw a bit of unexpected wildlife action. We were checking out the lions when a Blue Heron flew in over the lions as they were snoozing (or so we thought) around the enclosure. Maybe the Heron realised he was too close to the lions and started to fly upwards -- too late! One of the lionesses went from lying prostatrate to being airbourne in a second, snatched the Heron in midair before landing to make a run for it with her prize. As soon as she landed the male lion was after her to release the Heron and fight they did, but the lioness was not letting go. After being chased for a minute or two she secured herself a corner where much to some peoples disgust, and that of the other rest of the pride, went about chowing down into the poor bird ... those of us that found it fascinating stayed to watch a little more. It's not often that you get to see something like that in real life right before your eyes!

Well, we are into our 3rd week of taking a break from academics ~ I've really needed it, some down time from the routine of lessons, and we've had a mix of days and activities. The Netherlands is in the middle of summer vacation so all the school kids are on break which has meant playdates and some sleepovers for us.

The first week our three older children were at their various scout camps (not sure if I update you about that yet) ... they had a blast and came back very tired. Jassy has been invited to train as a patrol leader next year so as you can imagine she's nervous but mainly excited about the thought of taking on a patrol leader role. Jackson and one of his little friends had a day together at the Aviodrom (air museum) ... that was a great day.

In the second week we chilled out, going to the park when the weather was good, sleeping in and generally being slobs around the home ~ haha don't ya just love those PJ days!

Week three has been busy! Sunday found us out in row boats in the middle of the most glorious nature with our friends the Middendorfs. I hope to have some piccies up soon. Wednesday we were at the beach ... it had been awhile and we all took in too much of the sun's rays ... poor Marcel was in the worst shape, especially his feet :-( ... dispite the sunburn we had a wonderful day together enjoying the sun, sand and water. Yesterday was a day at Artis, Amsterdam's zoo, which is an older zoo but we has a fascinating time with another family who are visiting Amsterdam for the summer.

Next week is our last week of holidays before getting back into the more formal side of our learning -- it's going to quickly!! ;-)

I wonder if many of today's homeschoolers can really understand what an incredible phenomenon, even miracle, the growth of homeschooling over the past two decades is.

My first year homeschooling -- 1985 -- I had never even heard the term. I met my first fellow homeschooler during my second year of teaching my children and started a homeschool group that same year.

When my oldest son reached fourth grade, I discovered Saxon Math. The program started with the 65 book. The 54 book was in the test-marketing stage and I was part of the target group for the test. My copy was completely handwritten. Each chapter was stapled together and added to the pile of other chapters.

I coordinated the first curriculum fair in my area that invited actual publishers (prior to that, families would get together once a year to show their curriculum, which is still a good idea). Hundreds of the companies that set up at fairs today did not exist twenty – or even ten – years ago.

The most common response I encountered when people discovered I homeschooled was: “Is that legal?” Today it’s: “I know someone who does that.”

Even the word “homeschool” has evolved. During most of my homeschool years it was two separate words, and while many parents said they home schooled, you never heard a child say he or she home schooled, but rather that he was home schooled.

In some ways, I think this last thing may be the most important bit of progress. While my children have always been self-educators, they never used the terminology of self-education: I homeschool.

Maybe it would be good for us to impress upon our children the full potential of those words used by a student: I homeschool. I take an active role in my education. Education is not something I just wait for someone to do to me.

This is how we produce those “lifelong learners” the teaching industry is so fond of talking about and so loathe to actually empower.

Tammy Drennan has homeschooled and helped others start homeschooling for 23 years. Her web sites and blogs include: www.homeschoolstarter.com and www.educationconversation.wordpress.com.