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The Math Experiment
by Melanie Skelton
When Thales, the ancient Greek mathematician,
visited the pyramids in Egypt, he wanted to know the height of the great
Cheops. When the guide couldn’t find the answer quickly enough, he
figured it out for himself. Knowing his own height, he used the length
of his shadow and that of the pyramid to figure the answer.
How do we help our children to have this natural
curiosity and love for math? How do we give them the tools to find the
answers, once they ask the questions? .
...read more
I found myself faced with this my dilemma a few years
ago. One of my children was struggling to learn fractions. Day after day she
tried to understand and I tried to help her. But she wasn’t getting it. Her
struggle became a painful part of every day. We both dreaded math. We needed
to find a way to help her understand and change our perspective of math.
“We are going to learn to love math,” was my
announcement one day. My children looked doubtful, but agreed to try the
experiment.
I began by looking at the math program we were using for her daily
assignments. We switched to a program that fit her learning style more
easily. Understanding a child’s learning style can help you to approach
learning in a less stressful way. An auditory learner likes to hear the
information. A kinesthetic learner needs to get their hands on it. A visual
learner grasps a concept more easily if they can see it. My daughter is a
visual learner. So instead of explaining the concept five different times, we
found ways for her to see it.
We began to inch forward in her daily lessons again.
Our struggle with fractions changed into a slow paced journey. Eventually,
the pace sped up until she finished with fractions and began speeding through
decimals.
The second thing we added to our experiment was
inspiration. The goal was to get her excited about math. She needed to know
it mattered. And for this we turned to history. She loved history and
enjoyed learning about other people. So studying the great mathematicians was
an obvious thing to incorporate into our experiment.
We learned about Thales, Euclid and others. We read
stories of Pythagoras being so excited to teach somebody mathematics, that he
paid them to learn. When he ran out of money he told his student he couldn’t
teach him any more. His student didn’t want to stop learning and said he
would pay Pythagoras to keep teaching him. We learned about these great
mathematicians and then we found related activities to do.
The activities became part of the fun we were looking for
in math. One day, after reading the story of Thales, we drove to our local
grocery store and calculated the height of the flagpole using its shadow the
same way Thales used the shadow of the pyramid and his own shadow to figure
out the height of the pyramid. Studying these mathematicians taught my
children stories that helped math come to life for them.
The third element we added to our experiment was to make
math part of her life outside the book. When we shopped for groceries we
figured out the price per ounce on an item. We used that to figure out which
size or brand was the best price. She didn’t always do it willingly, but with
positive encouragement we continued these activities. We bought the groceries
together. We learned how to do it on a budget. We looked for the math
everywhere.
At home we cooked. A cooking schedule provided each of
my children an opportunity to cook dinner one night a week. Unlike her
siblings, she didn’t enjoy cooking. This schedule helped her choose to spend
time learning to cook and learning the math that goes with it.
Opportunities were provided to earn and spend money. Sewing projects offered
another opportunity to use math. We figured out the size of the Nina, the
Pinta and the Santa Maria when we studied Columbus. It became our mission to
look for math in everything we did.
Finally, we added the fun. I looked for and created math
games. Some of them were purchased second hand, although you must watch these
closely to assure you have enough pieces to play the game. We found other
retail games, such as “Equate”, making the opportunity available to play and
learn at the same time. File folder games, dice games, and self made
manipulatives all added to our experiment. Discussion with friends, reading
books and searching the internet provided ideas for games to make.|
Not every detail of our experiment worked. Not everything will, even if it
did for another family. But many of the games and activities did work. They
created positive family experiences for my children. All of my children
benefited and became more comfortable with math.
The big payoff came when the result of the experiment came back to me in a
simple comment made by the daughter who had inspired us to begin this journey.
This comment made the experiment worthwhile. This comment encouraged us to
continue on the journey.
“Mom, I think I like math.”
Melanie Skelton has educated her six children at home for eight years.
She is the co-founder of Utah Families Teaching at Home and assists in
teaching workshops to empower and help home educators. She is the web
designer for the website, found at http:
http://www.utahfamilies.net/ and is in the process of
co-authoring a book about home education. This book will help home
educators better understand learning styles, personality styles and levels of
learning. It will teach the reader how to apply this information to
their home school and plan out a curriculum that will meet the needs of their
children.
[ hide article ]
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Spring into Spanish:
Seven Simple Steps for Bilingual Bliss
by Beth Butler
Running around the neighborhood I bet you have heard this once or twice,
“I know she knows how to say it. I heard her singing her colors in
Spanish just this morning. Lisa, tell my friend what red is in Spanish
right now!” Or perhaps this scenario rings a bell, “Jorge, I am warning
you! No more English. If you want
something, you have to ask me in Spanish starting ahora!”
Parents across the world see a very global future for their children and
want to prepare them for it. We have read or heard about the experts’
reports of bilingual children scoring higher on standardized tests and
reading sooner than monolingual children. Yet there seems to be a
struggle to achieve that blissful state of learning. .
...read more
Many times children rebel at using their native language of Spanish; thus
eliciting threats from the parent of no communication in any other language but
Spanish. Then there is the Anglo parent who, with all good intentions, eagerly
enrolls their child in a fairly expensive once-a-week language class; only to
wonder why that same child will not ‘perform’ for family and friends her new
words in Spanish.
With the following seven simple steps and suggestions you and your family can
bloom into a second language journey – blissfully and with smiles: 1. Start
the second language learning as early in your child’s life as possible. Experts
agree – the earlier, the better. Think of how you learned your native language.
It’s all about vocabulary at first so remember that repetition is the key for
all your child’s learning. Experts say it is just as easy for a child to learn
two words in two languages for one item as it is to learn just one word.
Introduce the new language bilingually, using the native language and the new
together, for any child birth through 8-10 years old. (Immersion should be used
for children 8 -10 and older.)
2. Find a bilingual language learning program, product or class for your
child that incorporates the following components necessary for success: visual,
music, beginning reading and verbal exchange. Give your child the opportunity to
enjoy the new language daily for 10 to 30 minutes (depending upon the age of
your child, more time needs to be spent as your child continues to develop his
language skills).
3. Show your child you value speaking a second language. If you speak mainly
English in your home invite a Spanish speaking friend over, attend cultural
events where both native & new languages are spotlighted through music, dance,
food and more and turn on the Spanish channel on TV and the radio. If you speak
mainly Spanish in your home invite new English speaking friends over and get
them involved in learning Spanish as you cook for them, entertain them and
welcome them into your home, visit the local library for bilingual books and fun
children’s programs and make learning the new language fun for your child and
yourself.
4. Do not allow anyone try to convince you that learning a second language
needs to come after your child has mastered her native language. The myth that
children will be language delayed or have a language disorder if a new language
is introduced early in life is just that – a myth. The latest study out of Texas
on this subject suggests that children up to the age of five can learn five
languages simultaneously. I will caution that you not settle for immersion for
your young child during her school day. It should not be ‘sink or swim’ in the
English only classroom for the Spanish speaking child nor should a Spanish only
class be used with your English speaking first grader. Your child should be
allowed contact with his/her native language throughout the day until at least
the age of 8-10 years old.
5. For Spanish speaking families it is a lot of work to continue your native
language within your home and community when English is the dominant and daily
language your child hears. As in most of parenting, keep a smile first of all.
Refuse to fall into the trap of making your child ‘perform’ in your native
Spanish language. Encourage your child to appreciate their native language by
appreciating it yourself and speaking it with love. Try not threaten to speak
only in Spanish to your child in order to get them to respond back to you in
Spanish. This will alienate them from you, their language and their heritage.
Your child will understand everything you say to them, but your child might
often times make the conscious effort to refuse to verbalize back in their
native tongue due to your threats. One last note: You, as the parent, need to
practice your new language of English. Try to make it a family effort to soften
your accent when speaking English. Instead of being embarrassed by your Spanish
accent, show your child you are proud to be Hispanic and will continue to work
on your new language as you ask your child to work on their native language.
Practice what you preach!
6. Have realistic expectations for your child. Becoming fluent in a new
language takes time and takes living the language. Avoid getting a one-on-one
tutor for your child during the early years (birth – 8 years old). This language
journey should be fun – filled with music, games and creativity (not conjugating
verbs and grammar). Try not to look for your child to be conversational after
benchmarks you set up yourself. Every child learns and develops differently –
allow your child to enjoy this language learning by not pressuring your child to
excel in or perform in either language. The sign of a true linguist is one who
code switches. That is, one who can flow between both languages easily within
one sentence, one thought, one conversation.
7. The ideal situation in any home where the parent wishes to raise a
bilingual child is for one parent to speak Spanish full time with their young
child while the other parent speaks English full time. They would flow back and
forth between the two languages – explaining things in both languages when
possible. We all realize this takes a tremendous amount of effort. We also
realize that this is not the norm in most households across the world which is
why we look for simple solutions that fit into our daily lives.
You can do this. You can give your child the gift of a second language. You
are your child’s best teacher. You just need to find the tools to jump start
their second language journey today. You know what makes your child excited
about learning. You know what you can fit into your daily routine and still make
it fun for all. You just need to do it!
About the Author: Beth Butler is the founder of the BOCA BETH Program –
now seen on the Education Channel. Gather your children around the computer
today, and sample the BOCA BETH bilingual music and movies for free at
http://www.bocabeth.com
Call toll free 1.877.825.2622.
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Love the Bug
by Seth Prezant
Killing bugs. It's a multi-billion dollar a year
business. Scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and entomologist have
created some very interesting ways to help us zap, squash, spray, trap,
flush, sterilize, freeze, and fry bugs into oblivion. But recently,
these professionals have been doing something a little less dramatic,
they have been studying them.
Bugs have already given the world countless items
and ideas that make our lives a bit more easy and sweet. The obvious
ones are bumble bees pollinate flowers and create honey, ladybugs eat
plant destroying aphids, orb weaver spiders devour insects by the web
load, and silk does come from silk worms, not China. Springtails, worms,
millipedes, and roaches clean up forests, jungles, and backyards turning
decaying matter into renewable soil. Dragonflies catch flies and
mosquitoes in their mouth while flying giving us the concept of
fast-food. Rave party people can thank the lighting bug for teaching
scientists how to make light without the heat. Can you say,
"light-stick?" And the Chinese learned the art of paper-making from
wasps..
...read more
Still no love for the bug? Take into consideration
that without bugs called scale insects we wouldn't have shellac.
Shellac? Guess how many items you use on a daily basis that contained
shellac. Let's start with adhesives, textiles, ammunition, cosmetics
like shampoos and mascara, paints, inks, electronics, coating for pills,
and since you've read this far I might as well tell you. Shellac is used
in foods. Companies use shellac to coat jelly beans, gum, and marzipan.
Avocadoes, lemons, oranges, and apples are often coated with shellac to
give it a high gloss shine. Thank goodness my apple had no worms!
And let us not forget Spanish flies. Yes, I know this is a
family article but let me bust some myths about this right here and now. Spanish
flies are really not flies. They are beetles called blister beetles and they do
not make good aphrodisiacs. What they do make is a toxin called cantharidan that
doctors have used for centuries to treat warts. This is where the term Beetle
Juice actually comes from. Still not convinced that we need bugs?
During the Civil War, military medics noticed that the
infected wounds on injured soldiers healed quicker when maggots were present on
the wound versus those wounds that did not have maggots. In fact, thousands of
limbs and lives were saved by these helpful hungry larvae. Maggots eat only
decaying flesh which helps clean the wound of infection, prevents the spread
of disease, and allows the wound to aerate and heal properly. Doctors still use
them today in hospitals around the world and right here in the United States.
Any tummy tuckers out there? If you have had cosmetic or
reconstructive surgery there is a good chance there was more than a doctor and
nurse in the operating room. Leeches are commonly use (but not talked about)
during surgeries to keep blood flowing. Leeches create an enzyme that prevents
blood from clotting which can be helpful during many types of delicate surgery.
I'll skip the details but…."Nurse? Scalpel. Forceps. Leech."
Consider that there are more species of insects than
mammals, reptiles, and birds combined! In fact, there are more bugs in the world
than all other creatures put together! No one really knows how many species of
bugs there are in the world, but scientists have documented over 290,000 species
of beetles, 112,000 species of butterflies and moths, 105,000 species of bees
and wasps, and yes, over 150 species of mosquitoes which is a major food source
in the food chain.
With more bugs species than plant species you can only
imagine the undiscovered uses, benefits and cures we can find. Bee venom is
already being used to treat everything from rheumatism to PMS. Sea slugs called
Spotted Sea Hares produce an ink-like substance that shows anti-HIV activity and
inhibits bacterial growth in recent studies. Scientists are close to reproducing
the molecular makeup of spider silk, the strongest natural substance made on
earth. Spider silk is more than 20 times stronger than the same thickness of
steal…and it's flexible! One day bridges will be supported by this silk, bullet
proof vest will be made from it, and buttons will never fall off shirts again!
If none of this has changed your mind about bugs then
consider that Scientists have discovered that the much feared Deathstalker
scorpion may really be a lifesaver. Their venom contains chlorotoxin, a unique
mixture of enzymes and proteins. Chlorotoxin attaches to cancer cells leaving
healthy cells alone. One day this might prove to be a successful delivery system
for cancer destroying agents and radioactive atoms. Studies have also shown that
chlorotoxin may even keep cancer cells from moving or shrinking making the
cancer less likely to spread. NewYork-Presbyterian recently completed a Phase II
clinical trial and things look hopeful.
From shellac to silk, from honey to healing, bugs give us
so much more good than bad. Encourage your children to play, explore, and
interact with nature. Let it be okay to have a pet spider or millipede. Paint
butterflies on your cheeks and let ladybugs crawl up your arms. Because while
you may not love the bug like I do, please consider all the things we have, and
the people we may have with us longer, because of nature's fascinating little
creatures - bugs.
Seth Prezant is the founder and Bugmaster of
www.CoolBugStuff.com
His award winning web site was created to help promote fascination and education
in science using nature’s most abundant creatures…Bugs! Seth is a true EEE
(Education & Entertainment Entrepreneur) providing educational and entertaining
nature shows for schools, camps, aftercare programs and home school groups all
around South Florida. The Bugmaster can be reached @
seth@coolbugstuff.com
You can find many more easy parent/child projects to do together on Seth's
website
www.coolbugstuff.com.
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Chart Your Course For High School Success
(Tenth Grade)
(This is the second article in a series of
four.)
by
Jean Burk
One year down and three to go. Your confidence level about the high
school years has been raised and now it’s time to take on the sophomore
year. Continuing with your previous goals as well as taking on some new
ones should be your objective. Review the classes and double-check your
student’s degree plan. Make sure they are taking the most difficult
classes they can handle. Test prep should still be mixed
into the curriculum and their extra-curricular portfolio should be
filling up. Rounding out the transcript will
also aid the student when it comes to college entrance. The high school
roadmap should becoming a
little easier to maneuver.
...read more
The summer before tenth grade, continue preparation for the
PSAT. The test will be administered in October and students should take it for
practice to see how much they’ve improved in a year. As a sophomore, the score
still does not count but students will receive their booklet back to go over
their weaknesses as well as use it for another practice test later on.
Throughout the year, incorporate at least one to two hours of test prep weekly
into your student’s schedule. They should take the SAT I in October and
November. If they are scoring over 1500, take one or two more SATs in the
spring.
Encourage them to continue setting high goals academically.
As homeschoolers, there can be many opportunities in your area to participate in
advanced classes from qualified adults or outside teachers that cater to the
homeschooling community. Identify the entrance requirements for possible schools
and make sure your students are taking relevant courses that those colleges
require. Make sure they are doing well in all their classes and have them save
their best work for their academic portfolio. They should concentrate on the few
co-curricular activities that they can do well and really involve themselves in
rather that those they won’t stay involved in.
Look for more opportunities to volunteer. This is a great
way to identify their interests and develop life skills. Keep good records for
their transcript. Ask for letters of recommendation from the community service
programs that they’ve participated in. Extracurricular activities show colleges
that students have been a proven asset in their community and therefore can
benefit the college by involving themselves in their school and represent them
well. An added bonus to their transcript is to hold a part time job.
College is creeping closer so preparation is still very
important. Continue researching colleges and universities by reading literature
and using the internet to gather information. Plan a couple of weekends to visit
prospective colleges. Tour the campus, talk with the departmental dean and even
interview students who are attending there currently. Check into their overnight
orientations that are open to visiting high school students. This can give your
student an opportunity to stay in a dorm room, eat the cafeteria food and sit in
on some classes.
Preparation will give you a starting point on your journey
and consistency will keep you there. It is not a time to sit back and relax, but
a time to double-check your roadmap and get back on course if you’ve veered off
a bit. Homeschooling affords the ability to be flexible and add in classes or
activities later that were possibly forgotten or ignored. Review your high
school plan often to make sure your student is on track. Keeping on course is
the key that will point you to the end. The high school days may seem long, but
you will find that the years were short.
For more
information visit
www.collegeprepgenius.com or contact Jean Burk at
info@collegeprepgenius.com Also sign-up for our free No Brainer
Scholarship Newsletter.
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Life on the Bike, Overnight! Part I
by Becky Douglas
This is the ninth in a series of articles
about youth bicycle travel. The articles cover all aspects of developing
and executing a bike trip with home schoolers, and are based on
Adventure Cycling Association's
Pedal Pioneers Guide, a detailed handbook for bicycle travel with
kids.
‘Tis the night
before your bike adventure
And your bags are packed
Time to check them again
Make sure there is nothing lacked!
Just like a
carpenter’s mantra of “measure twice, cut once”, the same goes for many
aspects of an overnight bicycle adventure. Below we will share some
hints for your life on the bike. ...read more
On the day before
you leave for the tour, have your child lay out everything they are
bringing. Walk through the contents of their bags, making sure that
they have all of the gear for the trip. This is especially important
on long trips – bike overnights are much more forgiving. And don’t
forget to double check that you have packed everything, including
emergency information; confirm your first night’s accommodations;
visit the bank; and power up your batteries.
Some folks do not
ride their first day and instead drive or fly to their starting point.
Other families start from their back door. Before you head off riding,
review key safety rules with your child and discuss some basic public
relations on the road. Check their helmets and gear and share the
route plan and riding formation.
Try not to plan
too much for the first day. Your child will be out of their element,
and many things will be new to them and take some time to get used to.
Try to get to your overnight accommodations earlier the first day
since so much is new and to give them an early success.
On the first day,
pay special attention to your child on the bike, making sure they are
comfortable, take note of any equipment issues, and make sure that the
miles and elevation match their skill level. Your concerns about these
issues will be high at first and decrease over time as you and your
child become proficient with fixing things and get into the rhythm of
bicycle travel.
A typical day
should have a decent amount of structure, with built-in room for
flexibility. You will also want to designate a time to deal with any
repairs.
“Adults see a
trip in terms of days. Kids see a trip in terms of stages: breakfast,
lunch, snack, activity, dinner, and evening activity. Plan to have
non-pedaling events in your tour, like a swim in a lake or a city
pool.” - Dan Gorenstein, wilderness trip leader
Here is a typical
day on a multi-day bicycle adventure:
• Wake-up call
• Pack up
• Breakfast and prep lunch and snacks
• Bike check
• Review of day/map
• Last-minute clean-camp check and safety check for helmets, food,
water, and clean site
• Start cycling
• Snack and rest stop
• Bicycle
• Lunch and rest stop
• Bicycle
• Stop at museum, university, national park, or other attraction
• Bicycle
• Get to evening accommodations. Set up camp
• Dinner - cook or be cooked for
• Shower and wash up
• Review of day and journal writing time
• Evening entertainment - game, campfire, or music
• Final camp sweep to pick up any loose ends that might blow away or
be eaten by critters
Navigating on
route can be very fun and rewarding. It can also be frustrating if
there are route changes or map misunderstandings. To make route
finding more fun, keep the map in front of you in a map case or
handlebar bag and carry a small compass. You can use topography,
rivers, and other significant landmarks to help find your location on
a map, and remember to look for things to watch for to make sure that
you are on route, as well as confirm if you missed a turn.
Note that detours
due to construction or road closures are often still open to cyclists.
Ask local officials or road crews if it is okay to pass and if there
are any dangers for bicyclists and then go for it - and enjoy the
empty road!
Traveling by bike
is different from your daily home regimen. The milestones of daily
activities are simultaneously routine and a new experience. Because
bicycle travel is a unique experience, you will be creating a
monumental life experience for your home schooler.
Throughout this
series of articles, we will be referring to the vast cycling resources
that already exist in North America. The articles should be
supplemented with other resources that address bicycle safety, camping
skills, and group dynamics if you are traveling with several kids.
Happy bicycle travels!
Becky
Douglas is the Outreach and Education Coordinator at
Adventure Cycling Association. Thanks to Kerry Irons for his help in writing
this article. The mission of Adventure Cycling Association is to inspire people
of all ages to travel by bicycle. They help cyclists explore the landscapes and
history of America for fun, fitness, and self-discovery. Becky is the
administrator of the
Pedal Pioneers Program, which aims to inspire and empower adults who are
taking kids on overnight bicycle adventures. She is also the author of
Pedal Pioneers: A Guide to Bicycle Travel with Kids and can be reached at
outreach@adventurecycling.org
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Teaching Your Kids to Step up to the Plate
Whether it's Win or Lose
Accepting Consequences and Building a Sense of
Responsibility
by Diane Spoehr
One young mother was watching her son playing in
the front yard. He was about 3 years old, and as he moved closer to the
street, his Mom called out,”Stay out of the road; come back up here.”
A few minutes later the boy had again worked his
way out to the street, gotten the same instructions, and come back to
the lawn. The third time the child stopped at the edge of the yard,
looked back at his Mom, and then walked out and stood grinning in the
middle of the street. Obedience had worked well, he might as well find
out what disobedience would bring.
It brought almost the same results! His mother ran
and lifted him up, saying, “I told you not to do that” in a calm voice,
and deposited him back in the center of the yard.
...read more
Being perplexed by her actions, I asked my friend,
“Aren’t you going to give him a time out at least, or scold him?”
She replied, “Well, if he did something really dangerous,
then I would. But I don’t want to scare him.”
Oh. Well, perhaps he’ll be scared next time when he hears
tires squealing right before a truck hits him.
The thing about Life in the Big World is that it is not
always forgiving. Life will teach lessons to all of us, and if we shelter our
children from the consequences of their actions then the lessons Life gives them
may be quite harsh. Sure, we’ve all done careless things, or downright dangerous
things, and gotten through without a scrape. I know I have tempted Fate a few
times, and been lucky, or blessed, or had someone wiser watching over me; surely
you remember such times in your life as well.
As we grow older we hopefully grow wiser and learn to
adjust the conditions so situations are more to our advantage. Still some of us
take a while to reach a point of caution. A man on our street went up on his
roof to check wind damage; his wife was beside herself with worry, since his
reactions are not too quick now that he’s 83! (He got back down safely, unhurt
until his wife got hold of him.)
The little boy who walked out in the road was too innocent
to realize he was in mortal danger if a speeding car came along. The old man on
the roof should have had better sense, but it’s hard to admit one cannot or
should not do all the things one used to do. Yes, it’s pretty amazing he could
still get up there at all. At least he had to face the consequences doled out by
a worried wife; the little boy learned it did not matter if he obeyed or not!
He ended up back in the yard with his toys either way. Actually, if he
disobeyed he was better off, since Mom would carry him, saving him the bother of
walking back.
Do you suppose he will stop, look, and listen when he’s
four years old, and his ball rolls out into the street? When he has a new
scooter and zips out of the driveway excited about his new toy, will he be
watching out for cars? In his experience being out in the middle of the road is
perfectly safe. As drivers we have all seen this kid going down the middle of
the street oblivious to traffic. We’ve seen the other kids too, the cautious
sensible ones who are watching traffic and paying attention. When a parent
scolds a child for riding a bike out into the road, that parent is serving up a
lesson so that Life doesn’t serve a more harmful portion.
As our kids survive the physical risks, there are still the
consequences of other choices they need to face. There is homework to finish
(and to turn in!), chores to complete, tests for which to study. If our kids
accomplish these things they get decent grades, extra privileges, perhaps
allowance money. If they don’t, there are negative results, but do we let the
negative consequences impact our kids? When they do not complete assigned
chores, do they nevertheless attend the movie? If the work is left undone, do
they lose the Game Boy for a time? If the lawn is uncut do they go to the mall
with friends anyway? A lot of kids do still have their toys, games, and shopping
trips. They are great manipulators, sighing, crying, pleading, and promising to
do the job “Tomorrow, reeeeeeally!”
I, for one, would go along with that request, once. It may
be the lawn doesn’t have to be mowed right now, while the entire crowd can only
do the mall trip today. If a child is old enough to plan ahead, this is a chance
to allow some independent thinking. But no matter what new plans are made today
at the mall, when tomorrow comes the mowing is first. Dad, don’t go out there
and mow today since you think tomorrow it might rain. If you do that, you teach
your children to ignore their responsibilities and leave jobs to others who are
more conscientious, and have already learned to watch weather reports.
Have you ever worked in an office with someone who shirks
their business and leaves others to pick up the slack? If not, you’ve either not
spent much time as an office employee, or else you’ve chosen all the right
places to work! Certainly we don’t want to teach our kids how to shirk before
they’ve even found a steady job.
It is most enjoyable when our child completes her chores
and finishes her assignments, and so ends up covered in glory. But when she
leaves the work until the last minute and ends up facing the loss of privileges,
most parents find it hard to stick to their guns and deny the new CD or the
sleepover with friends. One of the most difficult talents parents have to
cultivate is consistency. Being the reliable adult in times of trouble is not
nearly as challenging as being consistent while raising children. It is just
plain hard to stick to the rules you’ve laid down when it is late afternoon and
you have three hours left to accomplish five hours of work!
Those are the times we need to remind ourselves that one
day in the too-near future our kids are going out on their own. When parents no
longer control the consequences, children will be learning lessons directly from
Life. Let’s stick to our word, bringing both the favorable and the unfavorable
results to the children now, so that the Big World results they bring on
themselves someday will be things they can handle. Teach them that each of us in
the end is responsible for what happens in our own life. Let the results of
their actions impact them on a regular basis, in doses just large enough for
them to take. Then by the time they head out to face things on their own, they
will understand that it pays to look ahead and be responsible for their own
business. You know that old saying, “give them roots and wings.” The wings are
the acceptance of responsibility, and the confidence that comes from being able
to do it on your own. It’s one of the gifts we can give our kids that they will
value all their lives.
Diane Spoehr is a 3rd Dan Degree Black Sash in the
ancient Korean Martial and Healing Art of Hwa Rang DoŽ, with 10 years of
experience teaching children and adults of all ages. She has taught many
children and their parents how to develop self-discipline, demonstrate courtesy,
and achieve their goals. Diane Spoehr is the Head Instructor and Owner of the
Hwa Rang Do School of Jacksonville, located in Mandarin and Julington Creek.
Website:
www.hwarangdofl.com
Email:
hrdjax@bellsouth.net
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Tragedy Hits the Valley
by
Maria Wojtczak
6,000 teens
die in motor vehicle crashes in the United States every year. That
equates to 500 a month and 17 a day. Just this past week
four tragic teen crashes occurred in a 48-hour period here in the
valley. These crashes occurred because of loss of control, teens
died because they did not have their seat belts on. 16 to 18 year olds
have higher fatal crash rates than drivers of any other age. This IS
fast-becoming an epidemic and we need to take action NOW.
...read more
We have been
providing information in our newsletter about the new Teenage Driver
Safety Act that was passed and will go into effect on July 1st
of this year. The components of the law are passenger restrictions,
nighttime driving restrictions, and a longer permit period. This is a
STEP in the right direction, but quite honestly, it isn’t enough.
Parents, you have the most direct influence on your children – have you
talked to your kids about safe driving? What example are you setting
for them when you drive? Studies show that we talk to our kids about
smoking, drugs, drinking and driving, underage sex, but a very small
percentage of parents talk to their teens about SAFE DRIVING. Not
drinking and driving, but SAFE driving. The #1 killer of teens is
driving – more so than homicide, suicide or any other cause of death
COMBINED, yet parents don’t seem to be getting the WAKE UP call.
Parents, please talk to your kids about the necessity of safe driving
and the necessity of being considerate and safe passengers when driving
with their friends. If you have newly licensed teens out on the road
consider your own Graduated Drivers License Law in your home. The
tragedies that occurred in the valley this week were preventable – many
of the teenage crashes are preventable. The only way we are going to
stop the carnage on our roadways is if YOU, parents get involved.
Become informed, talk to your kids, talk to other parents and take a
stand in preventing these senseless tragedies.
Maria
Wojtczak is the owner of DrivingMBA and is responsible for marketing and the
operation of the organization. DrivingMBA is a unique driver tutoring program
geared towards better preparing teenagers for the responsibility of driving. To
learn more about DrivingMBA visit the web-site
www.drivingmba.com. Before Maria and her husband Richard, opened Driving
MBA Maria worked as a consultant for over 20 years in the field of organization
development working with a wide range of organizations. In addition to the use
of traditional organization development techniques, she is highly skilled in
large systems change and organization learning, with formal training in both
specialties. She has extensive experience in the field of adult learning
concepts, and in the design and facilitation of adult learning experiences.
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