Josiah-approved

How do you get a 5-year-old boy who would rather not sit down and color, to....well... sit down and color?

Works every time!!  These crayons are really a little like coloring with a tube of lipstick.  We love them!  Here is one place you can find them for a great price.

(Gloves in a bottle might be a good idea for kids who are sensitive to colors absorbed through their skin, because I have no idea what they are made from, and they can get a little messy.)

figuring this out

An exclamation from the 5-year-old this morning as he ate breakfast:

"It's gluten, and it's free!!"

Well, not quite.

family Bible study

I have seen Bible studies for men, studies for women, and studies for small groups, but it is rare to find a Bible study written for families.


This study on the book of Hebrews from Simply Charlotte Mason looks to be an excellent guide for a family wanting to tackle this amazing New Testament book together, and really does include something for every age especially from early (with some creativity) to middle elementary on up.  We are hoping to work through it in our family this summer!

If you visit the SCM website, be sure to check out the GOAL study, also written for families.  And please leave a comment if you have found other family-friendly Bible study resources.

the brain/gut connection

In the past couple of years, I have read a lot about the connection between diet and behavior.  If I could narrow what I've learned down to the three most helpful books, they would have to be the ones listed below.

Why Your Child is Hyperactive

by Dr. Ben Feingold

Dr. Feingold was a pioneer in learning to understand the connection between hyperactivity and food additives.  He did not set out to help kids with hyperactivity but stumbled into the work while treating a patient with allergy symptoms.  Even though the information is 50 years old, it is still a great place to start when considering natural solutions for ADHD.

Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders

by Dr. Kenneth Bock

This book helped me understand the link between the rise in autism, ADHD, asthma, and allergies.  While all manifesting in different ways, these disorders actually have a similar underlying root cause: how the body deals with toxins.  While some of it is technical, there are many success stories and help in understanding how DAN doctors are looking at the body and treating these conditions.

Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Depression, and Schizophrenia

by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride

This is my most current read on the subject and really seems to get to the root of many neurological disorders: the condition of gut flora.  The author of this book was able to help her own autistic son recover through diet, and has helped hundreds more to find help and healing through implementing her GAPS diet.  With autism on the rise (1 in 55 boys are now diagnosed) it would be a good read for anyone concerned about what may be causing autism and related disorders.  While my child-bearing years are over, I have 3 children in my home who may be parents someday.  After our own battles linking diet with health and behavior issues, I want to consider these things seriously.

It will be interesting to watch what continued research in these areas will show.

Happy reading!

Hope for a Difficult Child

Tara is a homeschooling mother of 4 children, and she offers an encouraging blog for parents of difficult children.  A few days ago she published a guest post of Josiah's story.  You can go there to get a quick synopsis of our journey, and then stay to read her excellent posts about the link between food and diet, sensory tips, snack and meal ideas, and godly encouragement.  If you have or know a difficult child, you will most certainly be blessed!

what tests can't measure

From Calvin and Hobbes:

Miss Wormwood: Calvin, your test was an absolute disgrace!  It's obvious you haven't read any of the material.  Our first president was NOT Chef Boy-Ar-Dee and you ought to be ashamed to have turned in such preposterous answers!

Calvin (after pausing to look incredulously at his paper): I just don't test well.

Last week my kids took standardized achievement tests.  This year was the same as any other year, except this year was our first to homeschool, so every day as soon as they closed the van door I peppered them with questions.  "How was it?  How do you think you did?  What was hard?  What was easy?"  I'm always interested in how my children are doing, but this year I could feel my interest heightened because now I am the main person in charge of their learning.  In some ways, that's just a little bit frightening.

But it's also been a good time to remind myself to have right thinking--biblical thinking--about standardized testing.  It seems obvious that these tests can be a fairly good measure of academic achievement.  However, there are several things they cannot tell us, and I wonder if at times I place higher value on them than I ought.  Here are a few things that standardized tests cannot measure:

1. They do not measure whether or not our children have truly acquired wisdom.

James 3:13 "Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom."

According to Websters dictionary, wisdom is "the right use or exercise of knowledge, the choice of laudable means, and of the best means to accomplish them...the exercise of sound judgment in avoiding evils or attempting good."  By that definition, wisdom is knowledge applied with sound moral judgment.  A child can acquire tremendous intellectual ability and yet not be wise in application.  As a mother, I must constantly be watching to see how my children are applying the knowledge they have to daily living, and helping them to learn what it means to think biblically about the information they are now putting into practice.

2. They do not reveal whether or not our children are developing character.

Once again, the verse in James instructs us that the fruit of wisdom are deeds done in humility.  It is very easy to become conceited about what we know, until we realize the tremendous responsibility we have been given to use that knowledge to serve God and others.  Wisdom shows itself in patience, kindness, selflessness, and many other virtues that can't be measured except by watching how a child's actions reveal their view of God, others, and themselves.

3. They do not measure our value as teachers or our children's value as precious and loved by God.

This hits too close to home.  I was the sort of student who did well in school and tested well.  What I didn't realize at the time was how much of my sense of value was bound up in my grades and test scores.  That carried me through high school and college, but there did come a day when no one cared anymore what kind of grades I had earned, or what my ACT score had been (if they had cared in the first place).  But then there was a little life in my arms who depended on me daily for love, nourishment, and good character in order to ensure survival.  If we are finding our own or our children's value in test scores, we certainly are not looking high enough.  God has given each of us intrinsic value as men and women created in His image.  The child who is not able to be tested due to cognitive deficiencies is just as precious as the one who scores off the charts.  And what we do as our children's teachers can never be measured with pen and paper.

So what to do with standardized tests?  Should I just toss them out the window and assume they are unimportant?  Of course not.  But I will...

1. Use them as a measure of strengths and weaknesses to plan our next school year. 

I already know there are places one of my children will not test strong, because we are filling in some learning gaps.  I will be hoping to see growth in that child a few years from now, and will continue looking for ideas to help shore up weaknesses.  Strengths show me how my children are uniquely gifted and how God has wired them to learn.  It is exciting to have that information in hand to use as another tool in my box to teach them next year.

2. Share them only with much discretion.

My two oldest children started at a private school, and it did not take one of them long to realize they were "smart."  From the beginning, we were careful not to feed that child's pride regarding academic ability.  It was years before I shared test scores with either child, and then only to help understand a bit of the responsibility the child had to develop areas of giftedness or partner in learning where there were lags.  There are huge temptations regarding sharing this kind of information with anyone else.  "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips," (Prov. 27:2) is a great verse to teach our children and remember ourselves.  I cringe to think how often I forget this principle either consciously or unconsciously when it comes to me or my children.

3. Remember to teach the whole child.

We have the smallest glimpse into Jesus' childhood in Luke 2.  Nowhere is it recorded how He got his education (we know it was probably quite humble because His earthly parents were not people of means but also quite complete knowing the wisdom He used in every situation He encountered), what sort of parenting techniques were used, or how He spent His free time.  But we do know "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52).  Jesus did grow intellectually, physically, spiritually, and socially through his childhood.  If I aim at all four of those areas in my children's development, I will be well on my way to helping them to become the man or woman God created them to be.

4. Remember God.

He is the one we look to for the development of moral character in our children, because we know godly morals can only come about by the knowledge of His word through the work of the Spirit.  How much more can we trust Him to guide the intellectual development of the children He has given us?  Whatever my children do or become after their school years, He is the one who deserves all the glory.

which hemisphere do you prefer?

Every once in awhile, it seems that I stumble across a key that unlocks a mystery in one of my children.  While browsing learning styles on the internet a few evenings ago, one of those keys was placed in my hand.

It involves my daughter.

Rachel is one of those happy-go-lucky girls that loves animals, nature, science, history, and dreaming.  She's a quick learner but doesn't always retain things.  I've already shared that math seemed to open up to her when we began using a program that teaches her visually how to approach a problem.  Our use of a workbook-style vocabulary curriculum this year led to frustration and hair pulling (that was me, pulling mine.)  She told me recently that she wants to try theater this summer "more than she's ever wanted to do anything."  That's quite a statement from a girl who usually just wants to be at home.

Take all these seemingly random characteristics, and then google "right brain learning."

Rachel's name will pop up.

Ok, not her name, but certainly her learning style.  It has taken me 11 years of living with this girl (but only one of homeschooling, so cut me some slack), to realize that she thinks in pictures, not words.  Instead of sequential, fill in the blank, logical learning, she prefers random, whole-to-part, fantasy engagement.

No wonder I've been drawn to get her a vocabulary workbook that taught with picture clues.

No wonder she likes to act out her stories with her stuffed animals. 

No wonder she's been asking for a tank to collect pond creatures.

The true wonder is discovering the amazing ways God has wired our children and then helping them learn more about the wondrous world He has made.

Want to know what you or your children are?  Click here to take a right brain/left brain test.  (I found out where some of her right brain tendencies came from that way.)

the best thing?

Yesterday my husband I had the privilege of attending our first homeschooling conference in over a decade.  The last time we went, Micah was still a baby and we were just exploring the idea.  Now we are in the midst of the adventure. It was refreshing to be among other homeschoolers, to hear Biblical teaching regarding our heart attitudes as we face the daily adventure of home educating children, and to peek at curriculum we are mulling over for next year.  Our favorite speaker had to be Math U See's Steve Demme, who spoke not about math but about family life.  His humor lightened our load but his transparency in sharing his own family's struggles with feeling the need to look like the picture perfect homeschool family touched and encouraged our hearts.  If you ever have the opportunity to hear him speak, it's well worth it!

I also enjoyed listening to a Peoria pastor explore a Biblical understanding of idols and the unique tendencies and temptations homeschooling families have in making an idol of family.  An outline of a part of his talk can be found on his blog here.  It should not be a surprise that something that God can use for such wondrous good in the lives of bringing up and educating children can also be an arena for Satan to trip up our hearts.  It is good to recognize, be on guard against, and root out such idolatry. 

One of the best questions of the day, however, was when another homeschool mom asked me, "What is the best thing you've done this year?"  Besides homeschool, you mean? :)  What a wonderful question to ask as we consider where we have been this year and what we will do in the next.  God has been very gracious to guide our family in this homeschooling journey.  It's hard for me to choose just one thing, but here's what came to my mind:

1.) Our core curriculum. 
We use Sonlight, and that works well for a family that loves to read.  The kids were already bookworms but now they are more likely than ever to pick up a book and read in their spare time.  I've also noticed that what they are choosing for reading material is of much higher quality than it used to be.  There's an uptick in vocabulary and comprehension that is also a delight to see!  But best of all are the discussions we can have about culture, heart issues, and character that are a natural conversation when reading good literature.  Homeschooling or not, reading together is a great way to nurture children's minds and hearts.

2.) Math
This first year has been one of putting down what doesn't work to pick up what does.  For the older kids, I don't know how long we have in this special season of homeschooling, and at this point in their education I feel a special need to strengthen weaknesses and gaps in learning by the choices we are making in curriculum.  Halfway through the year I switched Rachel from a computer based math program to Math U See.  The difference in her understanding of math concepts has been dramatic.  Now she doesn't just know how to do fractions, she knows the why the math behind them works.  It has been a good fit for Josiah as well, and after Micah viewed the algebra demo online, he's hooked.  That is not to endorse Math U See for everyone, but simply to say it is gratifying to find a curriculum that works after years of watching a child struggle to understand and apply knowledge to a subject area, especially math.  Not every child learns the same way, and I've learned it is wise to study my children to discern the best way for them to grasp a concept that hasn't come easily.

3.) Writing
This was Eric's answer because he's seen the kids' writing samples develop from the beginning of the year and has been impressed (I guess!).  Finding a solid writing curriculum helped me equip the kids to be better writers.  I really could apply many of the techniques they are learning here and improve my own writing.  Oh, to have time to be a student again myself!

4.) Learning to persevere. 
Ultimately, while I can make choices about curriculum, nothing will be gained without follow through.  While I am certainly in process as I develop as my children's teacher, I've learned to appreciate the daily, step by step, skill by skill process of learning.  I don't expect my children to absorb everything all at once, and it has helped me to appreciate God does not expect that of me, either.  Rachel recently brought home this quote from a poster after testing at a local private Christian school, "Sow a thought, and you reap an act; Sow an act, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit, and you reap a character; Sow a character, and you reap a destiny." It is humbling to consider that the little things we do daily are part of who we will become.    

What about you?  If you are a homeschooler, what has been the best thing you've done this year?  If you are a public or private school parent, what has been the best thing about your child's year as you have supported their education?  I'd love to hear!!

April is Autism Awareness Month

Long ago, in a galaxy far away (before kids), I was a special education teacher.  My interest in entering the field first came about because of something called autism.  Not much was known about the disorder back then (about 20 years ago) and there is still too little known about it today.  I remember vividly that the incidence of autism at that time was listed as 1 in 10,000 children.  Today it is 1 in 88.

I had the privilege of teaching several children with autism, and working with their families.  That experience taught me a great deal about the intensity of daily living with children who are overloaded with sensory dysfunctions, and who are often unable to relate socially with some awkwardness at best and exhibit complete dysfunction at worst.  I saw the devastation of one mother whose 3 sons were all diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum within 5 years.  In those not-so-long-ago days, that was extremely rare.

My heart goes out to families of children with autism.  There are many brave parents fighting daily for their children, who have hope not for a cure (they are rare) but simply for improvement.  Some are seeing victories, others are ready to give up, most hang on somewhere in between.  There are incredible financial costs.  Parents wonder what the future holds for their children when they grow up and especially when they are no longer there to care for them.  But most of all my heart goes out to the children themselves who are affected, these tremendous bundles of God-given potential trapped inside a body that does not function properly.  They are no less precious to God in their affliction, and they teach us to have a proper perspective on the incredible trust and responsibility we are given to develop and use our abilities to serve God and others when our bodies function as they should.

The odds, 1 in 88, with a rapid increase over only 20 years, are what most disturb me.  I may not personally know or deal with anyone with autism now, but I'm concerned for my grandchildren, as well as for this and the next generation.  I believe there is more going on than an increased diagnosis, that there truly is an increase in incidence. 

Seeing diet used in the treatment of autism is not new (from the early days I read about "cures" from removing milk or adding the right combination of vitamins), but the breakthroughs of the past several years are.  Many children with autism are known for craving carbohydrate foods and dairy to the exclusion of almost everything else.  Is it any wonder that a GFCF diet has helped some of these children?  More recently, GAPS has been used by some brave families willing to put forth the effort.  One of the most remarkable before and after videos I have seen can be viewed here, on this mom's blog.  She will admit things are not perfect.  But a year later, they are better.  Amazingly better.  It gives me hope for the future of autism.  I'm praying for more breakthroughs.

bread!!!

One of the hardest gluten free recipes to replicate at home is a simple loaf of bread.  I have tried mixes, pre-made bread (Udi's is the best so far but contains corn sweetner and cornstarch, neither of which my gluten free child can have), and nut breads to take its place, but continued to miss sandwich bread.  That is, until this recipe, which I recently picked up from the Feingold bulletin board after it was posted by another mom.  This is so delicious, I can't even tell it's not made with wheat flour.

GFCF Sandwich Bread
(originally taken from Danika’s blog: http://gotpetroleum.blogspot.com/)


Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup ground flax
• 1 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch (or 2 c. of an all purpose GF mix)
• 2 1/2 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (white vinegar for stage 1)
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites

Directions:
In breadmaker combine ingredients and bake on normal settings.

My youngest enjoys eating this topped with Earth Balance soy free spread.  Now that Daiya is coming out with dairy free cheese blocks, I think grilled cheese sandwiches could even be on the horizon again!!

Good Friday


"He died for me; he made his righteousness mine and made my sin his own; and if he made my sin his own, then I do not have it, and I am free."

-Martin Luther

For if, by the trespass of the one man (Adam), death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.  (Romans 5:17)

homeschooling moment

Josiah is experimenting with a pencil grip for handwriting, and it seems to be helping.  Today he sat and carefully drew the best capital E I've ever seen.  Then he looked at me, flashed his sweetest grin, and said, "Isn't it a work of art?"

Isn't that why moms save so many of our children's papers? :)