Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Blessings to you and your family this Thanksgiving,
grateful to God the Father,
to our Lord, Savior, Jesus,
and to the Holy Spirit.

Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, Donna's mother, Charlotte, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completed his homeschooling in the fall of 2008. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One in 2003, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at  http://donnac.com and read her blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

copyright © 2008 Donna Conner ~~ All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the title and author are listed.

Welcome to Special words for Special needs. I hope and pray that you all had a wonderful peaceful Thanksgiving. 

Today I would like to talk to those who are thinking of homeschooling their special needs child.  Have you reached the middle of the year and the IEP results are dismal?  Do you have a war on your hands every morning trying to get Jr to get to school?  Or are you tired of the phone calls about behavior issues?  It's time to do something but what? 

So what is the major problem with the situation as it is?  Is it the school? Physically, is it inadequate or overwhelming?  Is it the teacher or aides your child deals with? Is it the travel to and from the school that is the issue? Or is it the progress or lack there of that is problematic?  I have heard all these as repeated problems in the circle of friends I have in the past year.  Some parents I talk with chose to go private or parochial at this point. There is a problem with that when you have a child with special needs. Many private and parochial schools do not accept special needs students.  So we come to homeschooling! 

Smile, homeschooling is not a last ditch, better than staring at a blank corner option. I happen to think, and I have seen that, homeschooling is a wonderful experience for all.  Homeschooling can be extremely flexible, much more so than an IEP.  You can still get expert advice to guide you if you feel you need it. There are now many services available outside of the school system that  fill a vast majority of needs. Look below to my blog, Getting Started, for more detailed instructions.  Emotionally many children blossom.  Their relationship with you will deepen and grow.  Just like a well tended garden you will see the fruits of your labor.

The holiday season is a great time to pull your child out of public school. In several states there is a time between notification of intent to homeschool and time you begin schooling. In most places the holidays count as time. So no hassle, clean out the desk and locker and start a new education life!  

You can pull your child for a year, a couple years, or until college. You only have to focus on the year you are in. Let the future tend to its self. Focus on the problems your child is having, and take note of his strengths.  There are a wide variety of homeschooling materials now. Do not be fettered by grade levels. Instead focus on the needed skill. You can use a workbook below your child's grade level, just rip out the page. 

I have a dear friend that pulled her son for a year. He was falling behind and having more and more problems socially because of it. She brought him home. They worked through the rest of the year focusing on the problem areas. She found that his reading needed practice so she found something he was highly interested in. At home he blossomed his confidence and grade level restored he started school again the next year. Since then he has thrived and has been a glowing example of homeschooling to all his teachers. 

The argument about socialization will more than likely rear it's ugly head. I once heard a funny comment on that, "How many times in school did your teacher tell you, " Be quiet class, your not here to socialize!"  Oh how true. You can quite effectively socialize your child. Keeping up with their school friends that were near and dear is easy. You still go to their house to play; you still allow sleepovers.  Homeschool Co-ops and other groups for homeschooling are sprouting up all over the country. Look up your state and local organizations.  You can usually find online support for your area and any other special need.  

If things are not going well at school you can choose homeschooling.  You can homeschool as long as you want or your child needs. Check the laws in your state before you make the jump. Home School Legal Defense Association is a great resource for state laws, but I still encourage you to look at the actual law from your state to be sure.  There may be doubts in the family or near you. Relax, time will show that your child is better off at home learning with you. You can do it!  

Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 7 years.  Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal!  Visit Heather's page at  www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/

“Lord of the earth and seas and skies, Thou Source Supreme of all supplies, accept our praise for mercies given, for mercies shewn on Earth from Heaven.” ~A Thanksgiving Hymn to Almighty God for His Blessing on the Harvest

http://www.knowledgehouse.info/njfkthanks.html

The above Thanksgiving page has some fun facts, history, poems, prayers, and the Thanksgiving Proclamation by William Bradford in a PDF format that you can print out. Looks great on parchment paper if you have any!

Wishing you all a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

Teri

Two of the first words we teach our children are Please and Thank-you, yet do they truly understand what it means to be thankful?  Thanksgiving is a wonderful season and opportunity for modeling and teaching thankfulness, yet it shouldn't be limited to the month of November. Plant the seed now, but water and tend to it each day afterwards.

Here are some ways you can take advantage of this teachable moment, now and throughout the year.

Model what it means to be thankful.  Don't just talk about it. Show it. Everyday, not just during Thanksgiving week.

Verbally express your feelings of thanks.  Let your children hear you tell people you are thankful for them and why.  Don't miss this opportunity to let your child know you are thankful they are in your life.  Encourage a conversation with your child about who and what they are thankful for.

Cultivate a grateful heart. Contentment is a gift. You will do well to teach this to your child early on.

Pray with Thanksgiving all year long.  During meal and nighttime prayers let your children hear you give Thanks to the Lord for the blessings in your life. 

Incorporating picture books  and craft projects celebrating the spirit and history of Thanksgiving is another way to send the message home to little ones.

Thanksgiving Picture Books:
Thanksgiving is for giving thanks by Margaret Sutherland
A Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh
The story of Thanksgiving by Nancy Skarmeas
My First Thanksgiving by Tomie dePaola
One little, Two little, Three little Pilgrims by B.G Hennessey

Thanksgiving Craft Ideas:

Create a Thankful Tree.  Have each family member name a few things they are thankful for and add that to the tree.  As a variation you can name PEOPLE that you are thankful for and each day following Thanksgiving you can remove a name from the tree and pray for that person.

Create a Thanks and a Giving Tree.  This tree helps keep track of what you are thankful for and what you have done for others.  A wonderful way to capture the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Create a Thanksgiving Thankful Turkey.

Create a Thanksgiving Turkey Card by tracing your child's feet (in shoes) for the turkey body, and hands for the wings and feathers.  Add googly eyes and cut a beak, waddle and feet.

Create Pine Cone Turkey placesettings

Create Learning Letters Turkey

Create Learning Numbers Turkey

Create Indian Corn Mosaic (wonderful cutting activity)

Create a Turkey handprint card
Include a handwritten note letting someone know why you are thankful for them.Create a Playdough Turkey Kit

Additional ideas:
Danielle's Place


I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your Littlest Learner.
You can follow our homeschool journey at PassportAcademy.com

Photo credit: The Mayfly.com

Kids Table Activity Ideas

Day 7 in my series  "21 Days to More Godly Communication" comes to us from Psalms.  As the election nears, we see more and more speeches by politicians who speak smoothly but carry a sharp tongue. 

When someone speaks well, it is sometimes difficult to know if their purpose is to deceive or if their motives are to destroy.  God warns us here that there are those who sound smooth, but who have it in their heart to cause division or to cut someone down.  Only God knows what's in the hearts of men, but He does give us some degree of discernment.  How can we tell if someone has an

ulterior motive?  Here are a few ways: * Watch the eyes for they are the windows to the soul.  Unless someone is an accomplished actor, the eyes will usually give them away.  It's harder to look someone in the eye and tell them a falsehood at least for any length of time.  * Notice body language.  Most people who are not accomplished liars will feel somewhat uncomfortable when they are hiding another agenda.  You might notice they don't look comfortable or look nervous.  * Notice how calm and poised they appear.  Some people stumble over their words or appear confused when they are trying to appear to be doing something else.  * Notice the words they use.  A slip of the tongue can give away their true motives. Keep in mind that, while most people leave tell-tale signs that they are not telling the truth or that they have another agenda, some understand communication skills well enough to look like they are telling the truth! Here God tells us that things are not always as they seem.  This being the case, one of the things we must do is to check their record and reputation.  Have they lied in the past?  Have they done, in the past, the very thing they are telling you they are NOT doing now?  I remember watching Leave it to Beaver reruns (Contrary to my kid's beliefs, I am not quite old enough to remember the original shows!).  Eddy Haskell was a smooth talker who frequently had an agenda.  It was his ability to schmooze that made him likable.  However, it was his past record of scheming that caused everyone around him to question his motives. Beware the Eddy Haskells in your life for they may lead you astray.  God also tells us to beware becoming an Eddy Haskell ourselves.  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com.  For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication studies for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This is one of the dishes that I wouldn't dare show up for the Thanksgiving meal and not have it with me! Everyone loves this recipe and I really wanted to share it with you all. It is an interesting and yummy way to eat sweet potatoes. I'm not a fan of marsh mellows on top of the sweet potato casserole, but I do like sweet potatoes.

By the way, in culinary school, there was a joke from the chefs about sweet potatoes and yams. It goes like this: "The only difference between a sweet potato and a yam is the amount of space in the grocery store." Meaning, sweet potatoes and yams are the same thing. Because our family loves this dish so much, I doubled the recipe. You can also make this ahead of time, bake it and then freeze it. Bring it out the morning of your meal and warm in the oven. It makes things much easier, esp. if you are having the meal at your house.

Praline Sweet Potatoes

4 cups of mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup of white sugar
2 Tbs. vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/2 pint heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 lb. butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:
1. Boil or roast the sweet potatoes until soft and cooked. If boiling, drain very well and place on a cookie sheet in the oven for about 15 - 20 minutes. This will get most of the moisture out of the potatoes.


2. Butter a 9 x 13 casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, eggs and cream into your mixer. Blend well until there are no more sweet potato lumps. Spread into your buttered pan.



3. Prepare the topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, flour and nuts into a bowl. Mix with a pastry cutter, a fork or with your hands until crumbly. If the topping seems to greasy and it clumps together, add a bit more flour until the big clumps are gone. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture evenly.



4. Bake for 35-40 minutes in your preheated oven.

Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 7 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She home schools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Come visit her at The Days' Dewings.

In fact, at $7.95, we encourage shoppers to buy a few extra as Christmas gifts!  

Perfect for:

-  homeschool friends

- support group leaders

-  church or public library

-  friends who are just considering homeschooling

-  grandparents / in-laws