Oct. 7, 2007 - Columbus day / My Office Hours
So school is going pretty good. I am still getting tripped up on Social Studies and Science right now, but I have assured myself that as long as I am doing Devotion/Bible, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic the rest will fall into place.
Today is Columbus day and the children have been inquiring about it. I have chosen to tell them the truth and nothing but the truth. This has been my policy since they were born. No Santa, no easter bunny, no tooth fairy. Not only for the spiritual reasons but because it is just plain lying. So when it comes to Columbus I must tell the children the truth or what I know to be the truth. Columbus did not discover America. He didn't discover anything at all really, he was just a really good PR (Public Relations) man. He didn't even think he discovered America he thought he discovered something else.
So when the children ask why does this man have a holiday? I must tell them, "because he performed wonderful public relations."
My office hours
So I have one of those children that constantly talks. I know none of you know what I am talking about. 
But in my world I am bombarded with constant talk about absolutely nothing and questions that have no relevance to anything whatsoever. I know this is a kid thng and that is what they do but, as many homeschoolers can attest to, when you spend all day around the under 10 circuit sometimes you need a small break to rejuvinate. Thus comes my office hours. I have implemented this in my house with my children (or atleast my oldest two, the 2 year old doesn't get it just yet) My office hours are from 6am to 6pm. Now I know some of you supermoms out there are gasping at me and just feel I am too horrible to be a homeschool mom. Maybe, but it works.
How it works. From 6am to 6pm all systems are go. Any question any conversation, Whatever your fancy lets talk about it. Once the music plays at six 'o'clock (I live in Japan so music actually plays at 6am, 12pm, and 6pm long story I talk about on another entry) Any questions that are not pertinent to the mission of this family must be written down to be discussed when "The Office of Mom" reopens bright and early at 6 am. Does this mean I don't talk to my children after 6pm...NO but it does mean questions like
"Hey ma, if you lived in Africa and you were purple and the world was flat and a bird with no head flew from the sky and pooped on you would you feel it or would yoube camoflauged because you decided to pick up a camelian and hold it." (an exaggeration but close to the questions I am asked on a daily basis)
Funny story:
The other night we had one of the girls from the church babysit. They were all sitting here talking to the babysitter and my son was , as usually, contantaly talking. My oldest daughter says to my son "Your taling too much." My son then pauses, thinks and asks the babysitter, "What are your office hours."
She asked me about it when I got home. She did not understand what my poor son was talking about. We had a laugh about it when I explaned it to her.
Comments
Oct. 8, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
I just wanted to add to the story of Columbus that he died a poor, broken man. Americo Vespucci was actually the PR man and although discovered nothing, had a new world named after him. Benjamin Franklin even wanted to change the name of America to Columbia. Just adding my two cents because I don't think Columbus was such a bad guy.
Anissa
Oct. 14, 2007 - You make me smile!
Posted by proverbsmomof3
I can so relate to the chitter-chatter. Mom's office hours sounds like a wonderful idea. I may have to try something like that on our homefront.
Blessings always,
Ginny
