Proverbs 31 - Homeschool Blogger

Speech and Language Evaluation

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 04:35:00 -0500

I want to focus on the need for speech evaluation. When I say speech I mean how your child says their words or in some cases don't say their words. My daughter didn't talk, we didn't know why but she didn't. Step 1 Check your child's hearing. We just had her being evaluated by our normal doctor and nothing seemed wrong so we moved on. Step 2 Check your child's understanding. Does your child follow simple commands, try to communicate or get angry if they can't? Can they play, hum, listen to a story, use facial expressions? If they seem to understand move on to speech. Step 3 Get an evaluation. This is helpful to you as a parent, being homeschoolers we know our children best and can help them best. Often with speech problems we feel inadequate and that we need a "trained specialist." These are great tools but we parents are the best for helping our children.

Begin a notebook about your child's speech and record for a week what they say, how they communicate and and what they can't say. At the end of the week find your child's strengths and weaknesses. And see if there are any patterns in their speech. If you don't see any do another week, to compare. My daughter had none. I am blessed to have a speech and language pathologist as my mother so she did a full evaluation on my daughter. You may not have this but you can find someone. Look first in your church family to see if there is one who can help you, if not try area churches to try to find help before trying to pay for an evaluation. The problem with paying for an eval. is your child may not perform that day and it is not cheap. Yes, public schools can help, but consider carefully the involvement if you decide on this.

The evaluation if a crucial first step to helping your child, it lets you know where they are and where to start. The process of helping your child through a speech difficulty is long and hard, but the earlier you begin the easier it will be.

Do him Good and not Evil

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 05:26:00 -0500

I write this advice today because I have my own struggles with this one. In Proverbs 31:12 it says, " she does him good and not evil all the days of her life." This is such a powerful verse to read and then try to live by. Basics: Don't kill, mame, harm your husband. I can do that, it is the other I struggle with because anything not good and uplifting to your husband is Evil. Example: Talking about him behind his back, back talking him, demeaning him to your children, discouraging him, dishonoring him, snagging the last cookie, talking down to him, nagging him, and the list goes on.

My current struggle is getting my husband off to work in the AM with a smile. I did well at this for awhile, packing his lunch, making his coffee, and fixing his breakfast, of course sending him off with a big hug and kiss. Since the baby has been born he has sometimes left the house with none of these things so I began fixing at night but that is not working. I hear the alarm and want him to hop out of bed so I am not disturbed. SELFISH! Then I nag about getting up or being quiet or turn the light off I am doing him EVIL. I have in those AM hours the ability to make or break my husbands day and am doing a poor job. This is a reminder to me that I am to do him good and not evil, regardless of what I want, all the days of his life.

I also realized lately that my children hear these negative things I am doing to my husband and it is affected their attitudes. I may be the only time I am negative to hubby, only 5 or 10 minutes but they display my attitude throughout the day. I am committing to work on this problem because it will definitely make me feel better, make hubby happy, and give my children a better example. Amazing how one small tidbit of wisdom can effect so many areas of ones life.

Trivia Tuesday

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 22:34:00 -0500

Since this is my first time putting up trivia I'll make it easy.

1. According to Genesis what is the first thing God said?

A. Let the land produce living creatures.

B. Let there be light.This is the correct answer

C. Let the waters be gathered into one place.

D. Now where did I lay my glasses?

2. Which state's motto is "Live Free or Die"?

A. Pennsylvania

B. Connecticut

C. Massachusetts

D. New HampshireDid you get it right?

Mark of the Lion

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 06:58:00 -0500

Francine Rivers, is the author of A Voice in the Wind, Echo in the Darkness, and As Sure as the Dawn, that make up the trilogy Mark of the Lion. My husband brought home these three thick books, 500+ pages each, and said I have something new for you to try. I like my authors and don't like to try new ones but my dear hubby tries to help me expand my views. He told me this one is different, it is historical fiction like you like but it goes back to 40 AD and the times after Christ was crucified. I thought "yea" and put the books on a shelf. There they sat for a month and I was bored so began the first book. It didn't take me long to be completely hooked. This book is packed with historical and Biblical information that really tugs at your heart. To know what first century Christians had to face and get into their world made me analyze my own faith and commitment. I recommend this book to all, romance readers, history lovers, and Christian fiction readers to truly open your eyes to Biblical times.

These books can be purchased at www.christianbook.com

New Ideas

Fri, 9 Mar 2007 20:06:00 -0600

I have decided to give my blogging a little more structure. With all my current spring cleaning, organizing seems to be on my mind. Starting next week here are some ideas I will be featuring.

Monday's Review- Reviews of books, movies, music ad software will be posted on these days.

Trivia Tuesday- I will post two questions to see what you know.

Thursday- Will be Husband Helper day, where I will give ideas, tips, and verses on how to be a better wife.

Speech and Language Friday- This day I will give hints and helps for you and your child if they are struggling with speech or language difficulties.

The other days will be miscellaneous for school, family and other going ons in my life.

Hope you can benefit from some of these topics.

Party Post

Thu, 8 Mar 2007 19:09:00 -0600

Well, I will introduce myself for those of you partying out there. I just turned 30, the wife to an incredible man, and mother to five beautiful children, 8,4,3,1, and 3 months. Thus, the reason I have not blogged since February. I am also currently trying to spring clean my home but began in January so that I may actually finish by April. I am almost there well half way there. Hubby just giggles at me and says the house is fine but the clutter was getting to me. I love to read, a few favorites are Janette Oke, Beverly Lewis and Al and Joanna Lacy. I just read a series by Francine Rivers that was awesome. I also have been reading some of Elizabeth George's books, she is truly a purpose driven wife. Of course I am reading the best book ever, the Bible, and I always find something new in the pages. I hope to begin blogging again on a regular basis now that the littlest one is getting schedules. Hope to meet you all soon.

Jess

Gigi God's Little Princess

Fri, 2 Feb 2007 12:10:00 -0600

I have 4 girls 2 who are old enough to love princesses and say they are princesses. This book by Shelia Walsh is a great lesson in how we, females, are all princesses because we are daughters of the King of Kings, God. It is cute and full of pink so the girls love it.

There is also a DVD of Gigi and I will be giving away a copy of it at the blog party with www.5minutesformom.com The movie is about God's plan for us and that He knows what we need even if it is not what we want, He has a reason for all our lives.

Teeth Fun

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 19:02:00 -0600

This is great stuff!! I bought a bottle at Target last week and the kids are now reminding me they have to brush their teeth. You rinse with Agent Blue first, it turns the plaque blue and the kids brush until all the plaque it gone. Hubby and I even did it the first time with the kids!! We all looked funny with out blue teeth and then with our sparkly whites.

Eragon was Home-schooled!!

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 07:07:00 -0600

Recently my son and I went on a date to see the movie Eragon. It was great! If you like magic and dragons you would like this movie. If you don't like these things I would skip it. Well after watching it we got the book from the library and my hubby and I have finished it. The boy is currently reading it and enjoying the differences in it and the movie. When I read about the author, Christoper Paolini, and found he graduated when he was 15. I told hubby he had to have been home-schooled. I googled him and yes his parents loved him and nurtured him at home. When he was 15 he began working on Eragon and by 19 was on the best seller list. He even has his own page on Wikipedia. I love to find homeschoolers that are successful, just thought you should know.

The Shaggy Dog

Sat, 20 Jan 2007 07:04:00 -0600

A funny movie for the whole family. No cussing, crudeness, or inappropriateness. Last night we watched the 1959 Disney version of the Shaggy Dog. We all laughed and had fun. Movies are not made like that anymore. I asked my husband why. He heard on the radio about Dakota Fannings new movie, she does an explicit seen, that people don't want fluffy, feel good movies they want reality, So why is Hollywood as disgusting as it is? Because it is what the people want and pay for so they make more. There are decent films and movies out there for families but an effort must be made to find them. Have fun, be careful and make some popcorn.