Apr. 22, 2007
It's "Turn-Off'-the-T.V.-Week"

Better yet, let's turn off the T.V., the computer, the I-Pod's, the everything and anything electronic all week long and reconnect with our minds, our family, our neighbors.....the list goes on and on......

CLICK HERE to read the offical site of "T.V."Turnoff Week".


So I'll be outta here for the week doing anything and everything BUT watching t.v., computerizing, my own personal list goes on and on like this: walk the dirt road, read books out loud to the boys, sit on the bridge and stare at the creek, work in the garden, feed the birds, walk and take the camera along, read out loud to the boys, write letters, rock on the front porch, ride the dirt road, read out loud to the boys, find things to look at with the microscope, go fishing in the pond behind our farm, read out loud to the boys, work in the garden, work jig-saw puzzles with the boys, play board games.............see? There's way, way too much to do intead of all that other electronic gadget junk..........

Y'all behave!

:)
hkj

• 2 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Mar. 19, 2007
What NOT to Bring for Show 'n Tell?

Just one more reason to homeschool.

I can only guess that this school will be providing a list to parents at the beginning of each school year of what NOT to bring to school for Show 'n Tell.

Ya think?

 

• 1 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Feb. 2, 2007
Make Beauregard My Weather Man!

 Happy Groundhog Day!

 I am so happy to announce that we will be having an early Spring here in the South.

 Hallelujah and jiggety, jig!

 General Beauregard Lee did not see his shadow this morning.

 Who is Beauregard?

 My use-to-be neighbor, that's who.  He is quite the famous southerner that lives at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Snellville - just a stone's throw from our old neighborhood.  You cannot imagine the "living for February 2nd" that surrounded his annual emergence from his own version of a mini-Tara!

 Woo Hoo - great Friday news.

 And the rain (er...liquid ice) is gone now, too.

 Y'all have a great weekend!

South of the Gnat Line.com

 

• 1 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Feb. 2, 2007
Fewer School Days in Georgia?

Georgia legislators have introduced legislation that would reduce the number of school days in Georgia by ten.  Read more about it in this article from the Atlanta Journal Constitution here.

I encourage you to take the time to read the comments from readers.

And they wonder why we homeschool?

 

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Dec. 18, 2006
So What Does This Tell Us?

 

When children under 10 are polled about what they think are the best things in the world, where would you have thought God would be on their list?

One commenter bailed out on the fact that they were "fourth graders" but what about the influence of their parents and family?

Unsettling at best.

 

• 1 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Oct. 2, 2006
More School Violence - More Violence Against Children

 

But this time it has happened in a one room schoolhouse in the Amish community.  READ MORE here.  CLICK HERE for CNN's report.

 

Pray for the victims and their families of these horrific and continuing tragedies (today's as well as the events of the last several weeks).  Pray for our country and the unthinkable violence that continues to erupt nationwide in these crimes against our children.

 

Harriette

 

 

 

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Aug. 8, 2006
This Makes Me Angry

 

HERE is the latest on the investigation in the death of Jennifer Ewing, a Sandy Springs homeschooling mom who was brutally murdered two weeks ago.

 

What if this had been your mother or your sister or your daughter or your friend, neighbor - the cashier at the local grocery store you see every week, the librarian who helps your children, the nurse at the doctor's office.......?  Doesn't anyone seem to wonder why this man and so many like him are back out on the streets?

 

A couple of Sunday night's ago, Larry King had John Walsh and his family on his show.  Mr. Walsh had been in involved in significant child predator legislation that was just passed and it also marked the 25th year since the Walsh's son, Adam, had been horrifically murdered.  During the interview Mr. Walsh told Mr. King and viewers that it is a well known fact that sexual predators can not be rehabilitated, however, our judicial system continues to release these criminals back into society.

 

WHY?

 

Make sure you read the details of Mrs. Ewing's death.  It was violent and one that she did not deserve; no one does.

 

What judge and who on the parole board are willing to sit before the Ewing family and explain to them why this predator was ready to return to society?  How can they explain to this suffering family why their mother, his wife, their daughter, their friend and neighbor had to die this way?

 

 

• 2 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Aug. 6, 2006
Podcasting

 

Does anyone have experience with or know anything about podcasting?

 

I would really appreciate some feedback.

 

Thanks ~

 

• 1 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Jul. 31, 2006
Religion and the Public Schools

 

 

• 3 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link

Jul. 31, 2006
I'm Proud to Be a Helicopter

 

The Washington Post has this article running: Are You a Toxic Parent?  Very interesting read.

"Few parents realize until they are deep into the battle to keep their kids safe that the enemy is often other parents."

I'm surprised anyone was even willing to go on record admitting it.

 

"These stories sell because no matter how lousy a parent you are, you find deep satisfaction in knowing that someone else has mucked up the job worse."

It's a sad thought that any amount of our population would be reduced to this mentality.

"Teenagers get all the ink for being backbiting, cliquish and prone to bad decisions."

 

"They're just praying to get through it until the kid goes to college."

While my husband and I still have a good many years ahead of us with our sons, we have enjoyed the transition from childhood into the teen years.  We all have less than admirable days - including Mom and Dad - so why should we be surprised that our children [while making this teen transition]  wouldn't also have grumpy and unattractive days.  That doesn't make it okay - it makes us human and sinful.  But to want to "just get through it"; why do some parents ever decide to have children?  Quite frankly, I dread the day our sons leave home.  But is it any wonder so many of the kids like these in this article are lost before they ever get a chance to enter their adult lives?

 

"The quest for perfect parenting, Saus-ville believes, has led to a ratcheting up of expectations to unreasonable, absurd levels, creating pressure for parents to be hyper-involved in their children's lives, to be that much more deeply aware of their kids' activities than the next parents. She sees a gulf between mothers like her who work and mothers who have quit work and committed themselves entirely to child-rearing."

"In this area, you have to have two incomes to get by. And then the schools call you to come in for a conference at 1 p.m. And you're supposed to be like the moms who have no other life..."

I have no desire to start a "mommy's war" debate - this article and this post have nothing to do with that.  However, I believe there are numerous bloggers who will agree with me on the debate surrounding the "have to have" mentality of motherhood.

 

The article is quite lengthy and covers a variety of absurb and inappropriate parenting episodes - all "social" and "entertaining" related.  There is some strong content in the article that may offend some readers.  Nowhere in the article have I found any comments about inappropriate parent choices with regard to their children's education.

 

I'm still reading and re-reading the article to post additional comments and thoughts.  Meanwhile, you can consider me a Happy Helicopter!

 

~ Thoughts anyone?

Harriette

 

• 0 Comments • Post a Comment • Permanent Link