In March my husband and I had the great opportunity to visit Scotland. Our son graduated with his Master’s Degree in Philosophy, Science, and Religion from the University of Edinburgh.
Because of Covid graduations were postponed. The school set a date and invited those who had completed their work during the pandemic to come for a special graduation.
Graduation was held in the beautiful McEwan Hall. It was a wonderful day and a wonderful accomplishment. Afterwards we walked around the campus and attended a reception for the graduates. The receptions were held by department.
This was the reason we were in Scotland but there was so much more to our trip I will try to share soon.
Do you remember the Crosby, Stills, and Nash song: Teach Your Children Well? Here are the lyrics. Listen here.
TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL
You who are on the road
Must have a code that you can live by
And so become yourself
Because the past is just a good-bye.
Teach your children well,
Their father’s hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picks, the one you’ll know by.
Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you.
And you, of tender years,
Can’t know the fears that your elders grew by,
And so please help them with your youth,
They seek the truth before they can die.
Teach your parents…
Child of the 60s
I was born in Birmingham, Alabama on February 26, 1960. A child of the 60s and 70s. Lawrence and I met in college and married in 1980. A year later I became a mom. Determined to be a good mom I researched the scriptures, studied parenting books, and interviewed people I thought were good parents. Are there any perfect parents? No! Even though I wanted to be the perfect parent. I knew there were no perfect parents but I wanted to do it right! It may seem funny now but I was very intentional about it. This approach became a pattern for my learning not only about parenting but other things as well. Read scriptures, read books, and interview people.
Lawrence and Reda 1980Lawrence & Reda
Homeschooling
Not only did I want to be a good mom but I wanted to teach my children myself. Homeschool was not even a word back then nor did I know anyone who taught their own children or would consider doing so. Somehow unknowingly I found myself at the forefront of a movement that continues today. It has morphed as time has passed but is still alive and well. Hopefully, I can write more about that later.
When I started this post I was intending to share my journey into parenting and homeschooling. However, considering the current atmosphere in our country I have decided to take this a different direction. It does not matter what choice you have made about schooling. We all teach our children. Whether it is intended or not. Some of life’s most important lessons come from home and come early in life.
“Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park”
Your children learn from you. This song has been in my head for a couple of weeks. After a little research, I found out that Nash wrote this song after seeing a famous photograph by Diane Arbus that depicts a child with an angry expression holding a toy weapon. According to an interview, he wrote this song to reflect on the messages given to children about war. There are a lot of messages given to children!
Love
Whether you know it or not you do teach your children. Teach them well. It is your job to teach them how to love and how to be loved. It is your job to teach them the truth, God’s truth. God’s ways are different from the world and so should ours be.
John 13:34&35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”
I John 2:11 “But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.”
Matthew 5: 43-48 says, “You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor” and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
God Shows No Partiality
Peter learned this and we should too. In Acts 10:34 “So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,”
Be Light Givers
This is what God says in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Yes I was born in Alabama in the 1960s and I saw racial prejudice, social prejudice, and more, but I did not embrace that because I was taught well at home. I do not remember having a conversation about this. I was taught by my parent’s example and I am thankful for that!
Yesterday I started brainstorming about fun things to do with your kids at home. Many people have found themselves unexpectedly homebound. How long will this crisis last? Tornadoes, viruses, injuries, and snowstorms can all cause our world to come to a screeching stop. I do not remember a more uncertain time in my life. I do not ever remember workplaces shutting down at this rate. This has produced a lot of anxiety for some people.
I recommend making your day a more positive day. Don’t give into sitting and watching a play by play on TV or on the internet. There are many things you cannot control but you can control your home environment. Don’t give in to all-day screen time.
Below is a list that I compiled just off the top of my head. There are many things you can do. These are some things I have done over the years or wish I had done. I hope maybe some of these ideas will make your days at home a little easier.
I have eleven children and I have homeschooled for well over 30 years. Staying home for days at a time surrounded by great books with beautiful and brilliant children was my joy and my life. I miss those days. Were my days perfect? No. There are so many things I wish I had done better. Here are a few things I did do.
Making Chores Fun
If you haven’t already gotten your family on a chore system now is the time. There are several reasons for this. First, you will feel better when the basics are taken care of. This is a basic life skill. Second, you have a lot of hours on your hands and children truly need something to do and this benefits the whole family. There are several ways you might do this.
Pull slips with jobs on them. This adds a bit of mystery. You write single jobs on strips of paper. Fold them up and put them in a basket. Everyone chooses one and goes and does that one. They continue until all are done. You can set a timer to make it more interesting. These are extra jobs, not weekly chores.
Whiteboard with lists of jobs let them choose which one. And of course, get the joy of wiping off the accomplished job!
Assign chores by the week as I did when my children were younger. They became chore chart participants at 8 years old. We switched every Sunday. Dishes, table, babies, floors, etc. We have 11 children so for many years I needed help cleaning the high chair, buckling kids in car seats, etc.
Set a timer and have everyone work together in one room or folding all the laundry and then do something fun.
Stories
Tell Stories, everyone loves stories
Make chain stories where one person starts it and each person takes a turn adding the next part to the story. We did this frequently on car trips.
Read
Listen to audiobooks available free from your library even when your library is closed.
Read great books. If you have not read the classics they are great! There is a reason they are called classics. The long ones I prefer the audio version. Unabridged of course.
All those books on your shelf that you haven’t had enough time to read. Now is your opportunity.
Set a reading time every day during this confinement.
Write (or Dictate) and Practice Penmanship
Have your children write and illustrate a story. I have recently been going through files of things I have saved from my children’s younger days. Their stories are fun to read later.
Write stories and then let each one share. Your younger kids can dictate their stories to you. You can have them dictate first and then illustrate or the reverse.
Writing simple reports can be fun and educational. Let them choose a topic to learn about and research about it for a set amount of time and then have each one share his report.
Write out a scripture verse each day.
Write a letter to a grandparent, friend, neighbor, a sick person, or someone in the nursing home.
Stages of Frog
Arts and Crafts
Have an art show. Hang a string from your curtain rod end to end. Especially if you have a large picture window. This works great. Everyone draws or paints pictures etc.
Craft time. Drag out the craft supplies and create pictures. If you have no craft supplies get creative and use noodles, string, make newspaper hats, etc.
Draw a picture for someone and mail it to them.
Take old mismatched socks and make something out of them. Ideas: sock doll, ball, puppet, doll hats, etc.
Memorize other facts you may need like multiplications, verbs, etc.
Games
Play sound games with your preschoolers. Ask them how many words can you think of that start with the same sound as banana, or apple, or penny, you get the idea.
Drag out your board games.
Play charades. Choose a topic. Bible characters, animals, etc.
Music
Learn a new skill
Practice a musical instrument
If you do not have an instrument you might make a paper keyboard and practice as did several famous musicians. Or create rhythm instruments from things around the house.
Practice singing together.
Learn to read music.
Toys
Get out the legos and play together.
Have the kids sort their toys and find some they would like to share with others.
Put together jigsaw puzzles.
Homemade Fun
Make your own homemade family carnival.
If you have a laundry basket make a game of throwing old socks or balls, etc. and ringing the basket from different distances.
Make your own ring toss game.
Make your own dart game using rubber bands and try to hit a target you make.
Get out the shaving cream and on a safe surface give everyone some shaving cream to play with. It is a lot of fun. Remind them not to rub their eyes.
Make playdough ( recipe here) make figures out of it. Set themes: everyone make a dinosaur, or farm animal or flower, etc.
Cooking
Cook together
Bake cookies or bread or pretzels.
Let each child help you make a meal.
Set the table extra pretty for special guests who are going to be there and let someone make a centerpiece for the table out of things you have on hand. When supper time arrives tell your family they are the special guests.
Outside
Let the kids play in the yard or if they don’t want to, insist they run a couple of laps around the outside of the house for exercise.
Go for a walk.
If you cannot go outside put on some oldies and have a dance party. My 20-month-old granddaughter loves Barbara Ann. Take this time to laugh and be silly with your kids.
Look out the window and count how many birds you can see and what kinds. If you don’t know what kind of bird it is look it up!
Exercise videos
Play hopscotch
Generational
Have your child play the reporter and Interview their grandparents on the phone or face time.What games did they play? Were they ever stranded at home? What was the longest time they ever remember staying at home? Snowed in? Epidemic? Earliest childhood memory?
Have the child interview different members of your church by phone and have them ask about their conversion story! How old? Where? Etc.
Below is a recipe for playdough that I have used with my children for many years. You probably have all the necessary ingredients in your cabinet. This will only take a few minutes to make but will give you hours of fun!
One advantage of making homemade playdough is that you know exactly what ingredients are in it and you can create your own unique colors.
Recipe for Homemade Play Dough
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 Tablespoons cream of tartar
1 Tablespoon cooking oil
1 cup of cold water
food coloring
Mix flour, salt, and cream of tartar. I put this in a small non-stick pan if you have one. I add the oil, water, and color and begin to stir over low to medium heat until it begins to thicken and stick together. It almost becomes a ball. I remove from heat and knead a little and set aside to cool for a few minutes. It is ready to play with now. Remember to store this in a sealed container or a sealed Ziploc plastic bag.
Let me know if you make homemade playdough and please share how much fun you had making it and playing with your kids today!
What does Will Roger’s Birthplace have to do with education? It seems like yesterday that we lay on the grass at Will Roger’s birthplace in Oologah, Oklahoma. We were a young couple in our 20’s with a baby. We like to visit historic attractions and of course free attractions. So we explored this beautiful place. Soon we found ourselves lying on the grass and our son experiencing the early days of his education.
I had grown up seeing the face of Will Rogers even though I really didn’t know much about him. He was a funny cowboy. I didn’t know he was a member of the Cherokee Nation, a commentator, newspaper columnist, as well as an actor.
I remember what a beautiful day we had. We lay on the grass, we may have had a picnic, we talked and interacted with each other and our baby, Micah. I remember we showed him the texture of the bark on trees and the blades of grass. This might seem silly to some but it was my way of approaching life and the education of my baby.
I took my baby outside in all weather to experience God’s creation. I knew even then that babies learn a lot from being outside. Even before a baby can speak words they have a great knowledge of many things. I wanted my baby to have great experiences so that as he grew and when he started to read he would know first hand what grass was, he would have touched and smelled and felt God’s creation. He was collecting a great amount of information about the world and God even though he was yet to speak a whole sentence. He was drinking in the wonder of God’s creation.
This was not his first experience with nature nor his last. By the time our son was two years old, he would have had many of these experiences with nature. And soon become an avid reader and explorer of the world around him.
This is a glimpse into the early days of the making of a mom and dad who would go on to have 11 children and teach them by letting them explore the forests, beaches, mountains, night skies, and meet a lot of people along the way. We continue to carry this philosophy with us on the journey.
My husband has a doctor in St. Louis, Dr. Simon Yu. Recently he had a lengthy visit with a procedure. After our lunch break I had two hours to spend in St. Louis. I decided to Google things to do near me and Google came through with several suggestions. I found the Holocaust Museum was in walking distance of Dr. Yu’s office. My youngest daughter and I went to the Museum. She was a bit reluctant. I feel like it is important for us to study the Holocaust and other times in history even though it is uncomfortable and unpleasant at times.
Fear
As we neared the entrance to the building I noticed a sign near the door about new security features. Isn’t it sad that we still have to fear those who will enter our doors to mistreat or kill us? They let us enter and were very gracious and appreciative of our coming to the museum.
How the Museum Came to Be
Our first stop told how the museum came to be. The museum was in memory of Gloria M. Goldstein who’s husband had made great contributions to establish the museum.. In 1977 a Center for Holocaust studies was established as a living memorial to the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Many Jews had settled in this area during and after the war.
According to the brochure, “Provocative speakers drew Holocaust survivors who had settled in the St. Louis area. They were invited to share their oral history and experiences with schools, churches, and other organizations. They became the teachers and as they shared their stories people listened, asked questions and learned the horrific lessons of the Holocaust. The Oral History project enabled the center to interview and preserve the testimonies of the survivors, liberators of Nazi concentration camps, non-Jews and all those who were impacted by World War II.”
We chose to do the self guided tour although there are guided tours available. We found out that all of the artifacts had a direct connection to people in St. Louis. As we walked through the exhibit we stopped to watch footage, read exhibits, and look at artifacts and photos from World War II and the concentration camps. No one was laughing and talking as they visited this museum.
Estimated 11 Million Lost Lives
Over 6 million Jews lost their lives as they were targeted by Hitler’s genocide. We learned that many non-Jews, maybe as many as 5 million also lost their lives. We learned about the different Star designations that betrayed obvious prejudice and hatred. The horror of women being ripped from their families, having their heads shaved and all their possessions taken, even family photos. They were allowed to keep their shoes. There were so many little details that my study of WWII in the past had omitted.
The Power of One Person
One part of the display stands out to me and that is the power of one person. Individuals who chose to risk their lives to care, defend and save the lives of others while risking their own lives. Stories of those who had hidden children and families to rescue them and help them escape death. One lady is thought to have rescued thousands of children. I am fascinated with these stories and I hope that I would have been willing to risk my life if I had lived during this time period!
Make A Difference in Your World
Regardless of what your government or anyone else does you can still do right. You can still make a huge difference in the world. Impacting one life is a beautiful thing. Don’t let this kind of horror happen again. Go out and make your world a better place. Be the change you want to see in the world!
God Bless You!
Reda
Mural at the Holocaust Museum – St. LouisReda and Esther visit the Holocaust Museum
According to the website the museum is open Monday through Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Docent-led tours by appointment. The museum is a department of Jewish Federation of St. Louis. Fran Poger is Chairperson.
I have been feeling like God wants me to share from my heart. I can talk about things, recipes, procedures, children, etc. But share my innermost thoughts? That’s a different thing altogether. One thing that I think holds me back is my fear of judgment from others. Or fear that I will hurt someone’s feelings if I share my heart. I’m really not sure what I would share at this point in my life but I will say that I am exploring the thought and trying to be open to whatever that brings.
I wrote the above paragraph over a month ago. Things were going along pretty smoothly. I was recovering from surgery which gave me a lot of time to read, do projects and visit with loved ones.
I am now back to work and in the middle of struggles on all sides. I have been a weepy mess lately. We have suffered several losses. Dear friends of many years passing away too soon, young people we knew during their teen years leaving this earth unexpectedly. And other losses. Life is oh so short and precious. Make the most of it! That is so much easier said than done.
How can I make the most of my life? Following God first, loving his people, and loving those the Lord puts in your path.
Following God carries me to the peaks and to the depths and stretches me beyond what I thought possible. When I am at the peak it is hard to keep my feet upon the earth. When I am in the depths I know he will rescue me and bring me out! How do I know? History. My history with God.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Are you surrounded by geniuses? If you look for the genius in your child you will find it. Children are creative, gifted, and geniuses! Cultivate what is naturally growing in your child.
Dwell on their strengths. Encourage and build up their weaknesses but don’t spend all of your time or focus on the weakness instead of their strengths. Give them some time to devote to the things they love, the things they naturally and joyfully pursue. If they have not discovered a direction give them time to pursue a variety of things. Introduce them to various experiences especially with God’s creation. Whether it is learning higher math, building catapults, rebuilding mini bike engines, building rafts, hunting, making gaga arenas, jumping ramps (or cars) on roller blades or bikes, drawing, painting, starting their own businesses, taking care of chickens, starting a band, playing football and learning all the stats, perfecting the budget, baking, or designing clothes your child has a gift! The list goes on and on.
As a mother have you ever felt like you just needed to create something? Something tangible? Or the need to feel like you have truly accomplished something visible? Even though there are so many things that you need to do and are pressing in on you, you still have this need to be creative. You get overwhelmed because there are so many things which you need to do but inwardly you have one thing you really want to pursue. If you let yourself create you have probably found a feeling of great peace and strength and joy. You may find more energy to take care of the other needed things in your life too.
Homeschool families are especially blessed to get to see the gifts in their children and watch as they blossom and grow. Parents have hours to see their children grow and struggle with their strengths and weaknesses. Not only do they get to spend an amazing amount of time living and growing with their children but the children have hours to discover their gifts and put them to use. That’s if we let them. Whether you are a homeschooling family or not I would suggest that you avoid the temptation to fill up all of your children’s free time for them. Give them time and space and watch what happens. Maybe you don’t have much time during the school year but you can plan chunks of time during school breaks and especially the summer for creativity. Remember lazy days of summer?
My best planning efforts have never produced the natural excitement of a child with a new idea. One of the best gifts our children can receive is time to devote to the things they delight themselves in exploring. Most people think of boredom in a negative way. I believe it can be a positive thing for your child. Let your children be bored. Don’t rescue them. Let them come up with some ideas. Some amazing things come from boredom and from having to come up with your own source of entertainment.
Today take some time to breathe, to create, and to let your children grow! Your geniuses will amaze you with their creativity!
