Monday, January 30, 2017

Finding the Awesome in the Exhausting

Homeschooling friends, are you tired?



There are a lot of responsibilities and burdens that we take on in choosing to homeschool.  Where a public school employs teachers, cafeteria workers, janitors, lawn care workers, security staff, not to mention administrative staff and then sends the children home for their bathing, clothes laundering and other needs, a homeschooling family is in charge of all of these chores without an automatic reprieve.   It is our choice, of course, but it is no walk in the park.  Many of us live on one income or a second parent works at least part time to supplement income.  When families of small children first start homeschooling, there is a heavy burden of chores because the kids aren’t usually big enough to help take up the slack.  Whether it is your first year or your 12th year homeschooling, there are a lot of things that can make us weary.  If we’re drowning in deadlines, to-dos and relationships are frayed, it is really hard to remember all the reasons this homeschooling life is worth it.  Let me remind you of just a few.


Flexibility – Were you up half the night? Would you like to vacation in November? Is the 1st trimester of your pregnancy forcing life to almost stop?  When you homeschool, most everything can adjust.  Sleep in, take a month off or 3 and nothing is ruined.  Especially if you choose to school year round like we do, picking up where you left off last week or month is natural.

Consistency – You are in some manner in control of every subject and aspect of your child’s education.  This truth allows for a holistic approach to their life and in my book that is awesome!  Food relates to math; reading relates to self-discipline; patience relates to handwriting.  The lessons are continually being carried over, especially because you are consistently there to take notice.

Creativity – “Mom, do foxes eat people?” leads to an extensive study of foxes, their habits, their diet and a zillion videos, by request, not forced expectation.  Respecting schedules and meeting deadlines are important skills, but fostering an ever-growing love of learning is critical to success too.  Being in charge of 2 children’s school day (as opposed to 20 or 30) opens up all kinds of possibilities for the day’s lesson plans.


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Relationship – No matter how you do the math, homeschooling your kids – even for just a few years – exponentially increases the amount of time you spend with them.  And that changes the relationship you will have.   Behavior issues – that often can’t be fully addressed at school – are front and center, which can be hard at first, but allows for real progress and growth.  Your children also witness so much more of your life.  This introvert knows the scarcity of alone time can be a casualty of war some days, but the increased investment of time, energy and love only builds a stronger relationship.  That is energizing to me!

Parenting in every circumstance is tiring.  Homeschooling can be quite a sacrifice in more ways than one.  Still, don’t let this beautiful time we get to share with our little legacies get burned up in bitterness, resentment or just plain old’ exhaustion, but instead let the advantages and ultimate purposes of homeschooling bring the energy to your day.

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Out of Nowhere: When Life Surprises Us But Really Shouldn't

I have often talked about how different Mr. Butler and I are.  We are still - after 10 1/2 years of marriage and a couple years more of friendship- finding ways we approach life drastically different. The Color Code is one of those personality profile methods that can help you understand yourself and others and this past year revisited what it says about us.  Mr. Butler is primarily a Red and I'm primarily a Blue - none of which is entirely a surprise.  What did strike me the other day was this chart that I ran across explained our struggles beautifully.  We are uncomfortable opposites who both tend to be controlling.  That ought to work well, huh? :)
I've mentioned before about how a year after Miss Z was born, my body pretty much collapsed in on itself and I spent the next 2 years having to build it back up with the most intentional living I'd ever done.  At the time, it felt like it came out of nowhere but the facts seemed to speak for themselves. The fall that I got pregnant with Miss Z, Mr. Butler went back to school for his master's degree in addition to his full-time job.  J was 2-3 years old, I was teaching piano regularly, and Mr. Butler's schedule meant he was usually away in the evenings 2-3 nights a week plus study time.  Once she was born things didn't slow down because I added another human being to the mix (which included nursing and lost sleep) and he didn't graduate until the time I collapsed.  The timing was poetic and ridiculous all at the same time.  The physical breakdown seemed random and unexpected, but the truth is that a body (my super sensitive body) could only take so much.

Sometimes when things happen in our life we are genuinely surprised.  We weren't expecting it and it just doesn't feel like it should be so.  This is often a pivotal moment.  The "it's not fair" routine could be bounding through the heart which leads to more unbridled emotion that likely won't help much.  The other direction involves asking important questions (like 'What circumstances could bring this about?') and be open to the possibility that our choices created this to some extent.  Mr. Butler and I didn't magically morph personalities after marriage.  We were always very different.  My body didn't just explode because it felt like it.  I had pushed it far too hard for far too long.  There are a lot of political opinions and discussions flying around that too easily end in horror at this or that opinion.  If you find yourself actually in a real conversation (and facebook doesn't usually count because people can't help but be ridiculous it seems!) about all of these things, take some time to ask questions like "What circumstances brought you to feel this way?"  Opinions and realities may not change from this, but relationships sure could be enhanced from a little more understanding.  Polarizing what is already polarized doesn't give us much.  Connecting the dots of how a person comes to embrace opposing ideals could give us quite a bit.

Friday, January 13, 2017

Winter's Redemption: Snow Days!

Last week we had a couple of fun snow days! We finally got the chance to try out sledding in our front yard.  Being 6+ months pregnant limits my (wise) sledding time, but it allowed me to get some fun pictures!





Even in the bitter cold, the physical activity did everyone so much good!  I know how hard it is to get outside sometimes when we're cold, but it's even more important for our health and well-being in the winter.  Winter gets a bad reputation because it limits certain activities, but even in the 'death' of the year, nature is our friend in refreshing and renewal.





No children were harmed in this activity and, in fact, loved falling out as much as anything else!

Friday, January 6, 2017

The Battle of the Wants


In our media driven society, being the right kind of mom is impossible.  Feed your kids the healthiest food, but don’t go overboard and be that mom who always asks about ingredients.  Don’t let your kids dictate your life, but make sure you listen every time they have something to say! It is such a struggle to find the right balance in these kinds of things, especially when you hear the debate on a loop over the loudspeaker in your head.  One of the biggest ones I go back and forth about is the wants.

“But I don’t want that!”  “Can I go – I WANT to go!”  “You never give me what I want!”

On the one hand, as parents we want our kids to be happy and associate their childhood (and us, of course) with mostly positive things.  I’m a piano teacher and I’m all too familiar with the stereotype of forced piano lessons for years that promises to build resentment and malaise for both the piano and the parents.  None of us want that kind of relationship for/with our children.  Yet, on the other hand, we simply do not always get what we want in life.  Success on any level takes work.  As kids, as adults, even as Americans, try as we might there are many realities far out of our control and always will be.  Expecting different sets us up for all kinds of failures and can often cause us to miss out on some truly magical times of growth and learning.

So, this is me. All. The. Time.  I honestly recognize there must be a balance and see the foolishness of letting the pendulum swing too far in either direction, but it can be really hard knowing when to disregard the “I don’t want to” and when to intentionally facilitate those desires.  It can be especially hard around the holidays because – whether you can financially accommodate it or not – one or both parents probably have a deep desire to see their family happy and excited, whether about gifts or outings of some kind.  How often do we stretch that budget farther than it should go for some excitement factor only to regret it when the bills come in January?

When we get stuck on the wanting fence, we must first set our boundaries and life values.  Of course, let the moral values preside, but after those are clear, look at budgets, time, and relationships.  A want shouldn’t outweigh some of these things without a greater reason than just because I want to. Sometimes no is inevitable once we’ve considered how much it costs or requires of us.  When the moral or truly limiting issues are ruled out, a person’s individual needs or goals need to be considered.  When a child is saving money for a larger toy or could help out a friend, but is suddenly drowning in the temptation of the now, it’s the perfect opportunity for a hard life lesson.  Choosing not to facilitate both options for them equips them for the choices adults have to make daily. 


Just like the media’s perfect parent is something of a Bigfoot, making the ‘right’ choice may not exist most days.  The good news is that in wrestling with these choices we end up fulfilling the wants that matter more anyway.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

The Beginner's Bible: A Zonderkidz Review

The Beginner's Bible {Zonderkidz}
One of the most important parenting tasks Mr. Butler and I have is to teach our children the Bible and start out their lives with the habit of consuming it daily.  While I know that the word of God is so powerful, if it isn't in the stores of my mind and made available to use when needed, it can be made ineffective, to say the least.  As many of us are diving into reading the Bible (or parts of it) in a year, why not encourage our kids to do the same!  Our kids need these habits set in place as soon as possible for maximum benefit!  Last month, as part of the Homeschool Review Crew, we received The Beginner's Bible from Zonderkidz to review and it has certainly supported the family goal of studying the Bible more regularly.  Since J was born we have been exposed to a few different kinds of children's Bibles, but I had never taken a look at any version of this one.  It widened my children's Bibles experience!

The Beginner's Bible {Zonderkidz}
This hardback book includes over 90 Bible stories that my 6 year old was able to read just fine, but comprehensive enough to read aloud with everyone. My husband started including it in the kids nightly reading time and noted with disappointment that the story of Cain and Abel was not included. Biblical accuracy is really important in our household, but as we explored the book further we were surprised to see instances of baptism and Paul's missionary journeys were included in the New Testament that often are omitted.. So, you can't have everything, but there were some nice details included. 
Though it has been around for a while, the Beginner's Bible has recently been updated with new 3D artwork and some great resources to complement the book's use.  At first, I just gave the book to J to read during quiet time and he seem to take ownership of it pretty quickly.  Later, while exploring the website, I discovered a wealth of activities that accentuated the Bible study perfectly and for a range of ages!  Whether you have a large classroom setting or just trying to enrich your kid's Bible involvement, there is probably a resource for you.  On the website you have access to the following:
  • coloring sheets (using artwork straight from the Bible)
  • word searches 
  • mazes 
  • trivia cards 
  • placemats 
  • sticker sheets
  • posters
  • snack ideas
  • reading suggestions
  • games (paint, puzzles, matching, etc.)
  • videos
  • bookmarks
  • and even more!

With all of the resources that Zonderkids has provided, you could easily develop a Bible curriculum for your students - for the year, for a few months or whatever your needs are!  Adults and kids alike, the most important foundation for a relationship with God is knowing what He teaches.  In my experience, one of the best ways to learn is to receive information and reinforcement from multiple directions and this resource website makes learning about the Bible almost as easy as osmosis with the variety of options available!  All in all, we found this Beginner's Bible to be a great place to start your kids

If you have younger kids or have different needs, Zonderkidz also sells a version for little ones, a deluxe version (that includes audible CDs) and a collector's edition.

Keep up with Zonderkidz on Social Media:









The Beginner's Bible {Zonderkidz}
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