Tags for "Early Childhood"
Homeschoolers Anonymous
I never encountered any homeschooled kids until I went to college. Having excelled in school for the most part, I met the very idea of being taught at home with disdain. Most of the homeschooled students I met were nice, happy, pretty well-adjusted--and very, very religious. I immediately jumped onto the bandwagon driven by the people chanting, "Brainwash!" and decided that people who homeschooled their children were simply training them to be members of the Army of God, that it was such a travesty, and that the drones produced from such mind-numbing instruction would only go off into the wild blue yonder, birthing more drones to keep... Question the Answers
Outright lies and misinformation, however, are another matter entirely. Why weren't we introduced to, say, theories about Shakespeare's true identity, or alternatives to vivisection? Neither of these were lies, of course, but the information we were instructed to memorize was presented as the be-all and end-all, without the possibility of another reality. Wouldn't school have been so much more interesting... 5 Lessons Kids Can Learn From Pets
5. Counting
This might sound far-fetched ("I've got two cats and a fish--there's not much counting involved there!"), but it's been a better... Everyday Opportunities
She adds three cherries to her tree from her bucket and then, with a sly glance at me from the corner of her eye, adds two more.
"Hmmm... Is that three?" I ask.
"No!" she laughs and puts two of the cherries back.
I'm seeing more and more of this testing-me behavior every day. She likes to know her limits and she's all about discovering loopholes. She's learning about fairness, sharing, kindness, and ethics--as well as counting and colors, not to mention developing those fine motor skills even further--all with a game of Hi Hi Cherry-O!
Recently I sent in my six-word memoir for a project our local... Actions Speak Louder Than Sticker Charts
It wasn't the first time, and it certainly won't be the last. And it wasn't even late in the day!
We were reading, she in my lap, a small toy fish in hers. By small, I mean it was slightly larger than a fingernail; she loves tiny things. This is the same fish that she accidentally broke by pulling of its tail yesterday. I glued it back in place (rather messily; it is tiny, after all) and today, while reading, she tore it in two once again.
Exasperated, I sighed, taking it from her and setting it on the table. "Didn't I just fix this?"
"I'm sorry," she pouted, and she was. "I didn't mean to do it." And she didn't. I saw her absently pull at the little... The Importance of Play Dates
The thing is, play dates are an incredibly important part of our lives. In our neighborhood, there are no other kids; when I was growing up, they were always in abundance, so I always had playmates when I wanted them. My daughter isn't so lucky. Yes, she gets to play with kids when we go to story time, the Magic House at the children's museum, the park, and wherever else we go--and we do go somewhere at least weekly--but it's just not the... In Like a Lion
Normally I'm not one to wish for time to pass by quickly. Our family tries to enjoy every day, celebrate the seasons of the year, and generally make the best of what we have. This March, however, has thrown us for a loop, largely financially, and I won't be sad to see it go.
It's also been a difficult few weeks for our daughter. She has not only picked up on the tension, but also suffered from her parents having to compensate by working as much as we possibly can. Even that hasn't eased all of the burden, and she's turned to tantrums, name-calling, and even the dreaded, "I don't love you" words in frustration.
Already stressed and... The Gimme Culture
I hate to even think of my four-year-old daughter as a consumer. The word just sounds... dirty.
But she already is one, isn't she? She is provided with a very small allowance, which she spends on the trinkets that she likes (usually an animal of some sort). My husband and I like that she's learning to count, to save up for things she likes, and to learn about shopping,... Beginner’s Mind
She finds strange ways to eat her food--with unconventional utensils, toys, you name it. She postulates theories about the moon's craters, snail family dynamics, and how to help people less fortunate than we are. As humans, there is so much we know and so little we know; even if I had a degree in any of these areas, who would I be to retort back at every one of... The Patchwork School
Posted on Dec 11, 2009 - 02:31 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
My name is Sara, and I'm a former homeschool basher.I never encountered any homeschooled kids until I went to college. Having excelled in school for the most part, I met the very idea of being taught at home with disdain. Most of the homeschooled students I met were nice, happy, pretty well-adjusted--and very, very religious. I immediately jumped onto the bandwagon driven by the people chanting, "Brainwash!" and decided that people who homeschooled their children were simply training them to be members of the Army of God, that it was such a travesty, and that the drones produced from such mind-numbing instruction would only go off into the wild blue yonder, birthing more drones to keep... Question the Answers
Posted on Dec 18, 2009 - 01:14 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
Like many people, I have found fault with plenty of school textbooks. I remember pointing out an error in my Geometry text to my teacher, who smiled and said, "Whoops, looks like they missed that one." Well, an unfinished circle isn't such a big deal; anyone could have made that mistake.Outright lies and misinformation, however, are another matter entirely. Why weren't we introduced to, say, theories about Shakespeare's true identity, or alternatives to vivisection? Neither of these were lies, of course, but the information we were instructed to memorize was presented as the be-all and end-all, without the possibility of another reality. Wouldn't school have been so much more interesting... 5 Lessons Kids Can Learn From Pets
Posted on Feb 12, 2010 - 02:11 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
Homeschooling affords families the opportunity to travel and experience a wide variety of flora, fauna, culture, and...pretty much everything. During the winter months, that can be difficult to do, especially if you're snowed in for days at a time. Thankfully, traveling afar isn't necessary for learning; in fact, much can be learned from your very own kitchen, your laundry basket...even your pets. Here are just five out of the many things that kids can learn without the aid of expensive curricula or educational toys--and with Fluffy or Fido instead.5. Counting
This might sound far-fetched ("I've got two cats and a fish--there's not much counting involved there!"), but it's been a better... Everyday Opportunities
Posted on Feb 25, 2010 - 11:23 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
As the wheel stops, my four-year-old quickly counts the cherries and announces, "Three!"She adds three cherries to her tree from her bucket and then, with a sly glance at me from the corner of her eye, adds two more.
"Hmmm... Is that three?" I ask.
"No!" she laughs and puts two of the cherries back.
I'm seeing more and more of this testing-me behavior every day. She likes to know her limits and she's all about discovering loopholes. She's learning about fairness, sharing, kindness, and ethics--as well as counting and colors, not to mention developing those fine motor skills even further--all with a game of Hi Hi Cherry-O!
Recently I sent in my six-word memoir for a project our local... Actions Speak Louder Than Sticker Charts
Posted on Mar 04, 2010 - 01:45 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
Today my daughter broke my heart.It wasn't the first time, and it certainly won't be the last. And it wasn't even late in the day!
We were reading, she in my lap, a small toy fish in hers. By small, I mean it was slightly larger than a fingernail; she loves tiny things. This is the same fish that she accidentally broke by pulling of its tail yesterday. I glued it back in place (rather messily; it is tiny, after all) and today, while reading, she tore it in two once again.
Exasperated, I sighed, taking it from her and setting it on the table. "Didn't I just fix this?"
"I'm sorry," she pouted, and she was. "I didn't mean to do it." And she didn't. I saw her absently pull at the little... The Importance of Play Dates
Posted on Mar 12, 2010 - 02:06 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
A lot of people like to scoff when I say something like, "Oh, we can't on Wednesday night; we have a play date." They want to know why I have to schedule time for my daughter to play with other kids and think I'm being a helicopter parent for doing so.The thing is, play dates are an incredibly important part of our lives. In our neighborhood, there are no other kids; when I was growing up, they were always in abundance, so I always had playmates when I wanted them. My daughter isn't so lucky. Yes, she gets to play with kids when we go to story time, the Magic House at the children's museum, the park, and wherever else we go--and we do go somewhere at least weekly--but it's just not the... In Like a Lion
Posted on Mar 30, 2010 - 10:45 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
I, for one, will be happy to see March go this year.Normally I'm not one to wish for time to pass by quickly. Our family tries to enjoy every day, celebrate the seasons of the year, and generally make the best of what we have. This March, however, has thrown us for a loop, largely financially, and I won't be sad to see it go.
It's also been a difficult few weeks for our daughter. She has not only picked up on the tension, but also suffered from her parents having to compensate by working as much as we possibly can. Even that hasn't eased all of the burden, and she's turned to tantrums, name-calling, and even the dreaded, "I don't love you" words in frustration.
Already stressed and... The Gimme Culture
Posted on Apr 19, 2010 - 02:15 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
In a world full of freebies, giveaways, cheap plastic favors provided during everything from a dental exam to a book fair, advertisements on everything from cereal boxes to cartoon shows, and handouts from well-meaning relatives to neighbors to store clerks, how exactly is one to raise a conscious, kind consumer?I hate to even think of my four-year-old daughter as a consumer. The word just sounds... dirty.
But she already is one, isn't she? She is provided with a very small allowance, which she spends on the trinkets that she likes (usually an animal of some sort). My husband and I like that she's learning to count, to save up for things she likes, and to learn about shopping,... Beginner’s Mind
Posted on May 04, 2010 - 04:33 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
One of my jobs as a parent is to keep my four-year-old's beginner's mind intact. Without me (or any other adults) in her life, I believe that this would happen naturally. But since my views and the views of the other adults around her are all clouded with our own experiences and opinions, we have to learn to tread lightly every day.She finds strange ways to eat her food--with unconventional utensils, toys, you name it. She postulates theories about the moon's craters, snail family dynamics, and how to help people less fortunate than we are. As humans, there is so much we know and so little we know; even if I had a degree in any of these areas, who would I be to retort back at every one of... The Patchwork School
Posted on Jan 13, 2011 - 10:21 AM by Dana Bennis in Resources
SOARPosted on Sep 13, 2011 - 03:33 PM by Jason Lacoste in Resources