A public school dedicated to just kindergarten. The idea of kindergarten being vitally important to every child's educational career is growing. Along with that idea is that the state is the one who needs to be in control, making sure every five year old is up to their academic standard before they head off to 1st grade. Then, when they don't accomplish that goal, they will set up all kinds of remedial helps that wind up tearing a child down when all they needed was just a little more time, a little more patience, and a whole lot less pressure. Keep them home, where they belong.

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB

Will you help me?  I need about ten quotes on "relaxed homeschooling." 

Tell me how it works for you.  Tell me what you really like about it.  Tell me the pitfalls you have with it, or the blessings.  I'd like to be able to quote you in an article, so if you respond here be sure to give me at least your first name and an initial. 

The first five who leave me a comment will receive a free download of my E-book, "Homeschooling Is Our Life!"

I need those right away, so please leave me a comment with your thoughts.  Thanks so much!

Nancy

The Myth of Socialization.  That dilemma comes up quite often in homeschooling discussion.  Some days it seems like that is all we do!  Socialization?  Stop worrying about whether or not homeschoolers are "properly socialized!"  I know for a fact, that their Moms certainly are.  :)

As long as I have been homeschooling or even hearing about homeschooling there has been the socialization question.  Many folks out there think we need to have our kids in a class with 30 other (or even less) youngsters with whom to learn from.  We need them to know how to act within the group, within the herd or actually what I think it boils down to, getting the pecking order "right" in the early days!  That way they will know how to act when they get out in the "real world" and have to relate to co-workers, bosses, etc. 

 But I already believe that we ARE properly socializing them right here.  There are lots of folks in my family.  My kids are already learning how to relate to siblings, friends and family---oh, and strangers too. 

 And if they make major faux-pas, we just keep plugging along, teaching them what we believe. 

That is it in a nutshell...but I am really excited to read the newest e-book from TOS Magazine!  I would love to read what others are saying about this issue.  I hope to be giving one away for free here in a few days so stay tuned. 

 In the meantime, check out the link for it on my sidebar. 

 OH, and check out that awesome deal on a subscription too, while you are at it!  Totally amazing. 

Blessings,

Nancy

     When my kiddos were little I used to attend a MOPS group.  This was one awesome group!  They treated you like queens, had wonderful speakers, delicious treats and while our little ones were being cared for by great ladies and their helpers we enjoyed all those luxuries.  On top of those, they had crafts for us to do.  It was wonderful to be able to get out for the morning, have the kids well taken care of while the Mommie's visited, feasted, were uplifted and got to create something to bring home!  Ahhh, those were the days...

I've been trying to get some pictures up here for VintageGirl's Homemade Christmas, but alas, I am just not there yet.  Every year I tell myself around October that I want to get some Christmas "things" done.  But it just doesn't happen.  My kids have made things, but I am just pulled in too many directions and end up with not a lot to show for it. 

We have been cleaning like mad here (today my hubby vacuumed the ceiling for me--I kid you not!) and the kids asked me where the Thanksgiving decorations were.  Well, "Probably in the crawl space" was my reply.  I don't think we've had them out for the last two years, just couldn't find them. So we went "down" to the storage area and lo and behold, the kids found the box!  These are some of the crafts I made during my days at MOPS. 

 The pumpkins are made with fabric, wire, silk leaves, cinnamon sticks and raffia.  Oh, and newspaper.  I think we cut out big circles of fabric then we threaded the wire through, almost like sewing, and then pulled that to close up the "ball" --then we stuffed newspaper in it.  After you get the shape you want, you pull the wire tight and close it up.  Then you hot glue a stem and some leaves on top, add some raffia and cinnamon sticks and then wrap the leftover wire around a pencil to make "tendrils." 

 'Viola!  Cute Pumpkin decorations!

The little Pilgrims are made from upside-down mini terracotta pots.  The heads are wooden balls and then the clothing is all made from felt.  Somewhere I have those patterns...somewhere...maybe in the crawl space?  Oh, the hair is made from that doll hair stuff you can buy.  I think these are adorable!

When I was growing up we had little candles that were a pilgrim boy and girl and a big old Tom turkey that were on our table every Thanksgiving.  Mom had a wicker cornucopia too...

The Pilgrim lady is made of paper that looks like cornhusks.  She was pretty hard to make, and actually this craft was a bit more complex than what we usually did, so I think we had to get help on her.  We all did get to sorta help.  This was several years ago, so I don't remember too well.  But isn't she a sweetie? 

I hope you are enjoying this week with your family.  We really love this time of the year and I always learn something new about the Pilgrims. 

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow,

Nancy

You know,

I've been trying to get some crafts created for Christmas so I can take part in the Homemade Christmas thingy....well, several of my family members have had a terrible cold and so things are a bit out of wack here.  I guess that is pretty normal though!  After all, we are just a bunch of demented homeschoolers, you know.  At least that is what "Joy" from that program, "The View" thinks.  I'm not posting any links---if you want to, sure, go listen to it.  But beware, it is very um...a waste of time-ish? 

At any rate, the subject was where were the president-elect's children going to attend school, and homeschooling came up and this gal "Joy" said that homeschoolers were demented!  And that they were scared of other children! I hear that she used to be a P.S. teacher.  Hmmmm...so how does she know?  Does she read HSB?  LOL!

I looked up the definition of demented, and here is what I found:

Main Entry:	demented
Part of Speech:	adjective
Definition:	crazy, insane
Synonyms:	bananas, bemused, crackbrained, daft, delirious, deranged, distracted, distraught, flipped out, foolish, frenzied, fruity, hysterical, idiotic, in the ozone, lunatic, mad, maniac, maniacal, manic, non compos mentis, nutty as a fruitcake, out of one’s gourd, out of one’s tree, psycho, psychopathic, psychotic, schitzy, schizoid, unbalanced, unglued, unhinged*, unsound, whacko
Antonyms:	balanced, rational, reasonable, sane, sensible

I think that I resemble that remark!  And my kids, well I seriously believe they are in the antonym category; balanced, rational, reasonable, sane, sensible...for certain! 

Non compos mentis!

Nancy

If you can stand the inane chatter, you can watch a recent program of The View on YouTube video over at Extraordinarily Ordinary. Comments on Joy Behar's contradictory thought processess are being discussed there as well.

Joy comments that homeschoolers are, "demented," and don't get enough socialization. A fascinating thing for her to say in my mind, seeing as she is pitching for the Obama family to teach their daughters from the White House. When called on to state how the Obama girls would get their socialization, Joy says that they can invite their friends over.

Sounds vaguely familiar, I can't quite put my finger on it. . .oh yeah, homeschooling!

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB

World Net Daily has the story on how a homeschooling family from Germany has requested political asylum in order to homeschool their children here in the U.S.

Germany's laws against homeschooling were set in place by Hitler. He fully understood that the best way to bring the children of a nation under his authority and to train them to his way of thinking was to place them in the schools his government controlled.

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB

There is nothing more special to me than homemade gifts and homemade decorations and homemade food...just put "homemade" before ANY word and I would love it!  I am so excited that Emily Rose is having a Homemade Christmas blog theme and anyone can join in.  See the lovely little graphic for it over on my sidebar?  You must go visit this talented young lady and see what she is creating!

I'm going to get busy here and make something I can post for this!  Wish me luck!

Nancy