The reasons I first chose to teach my children at home are different than the reasons I continue on. The taunting and teasing I experienced as a child in public school ignited my interest in the option to homeschool. Of course I wanted my children to be smart and talented too. This added fuel to my desire. But over years of educating my children at home I’ve added many reasons to these.

My children are happy. Do we have our moments? Certainly! They fight and whine and carry on. But the satisfaction they find in their lives is not pretentious. They are learning to experience the deep joy that can be found by understanding who they are and what is most important. I watch my teens beginning to find joy in simple activities like canning, crocheting or math.

Our family is strong. I see my seven-year-old enjoying precious time spent playing games and learning with her nine-year-old brother, her best friend. They build friendships stronger than those I have with my siblings. My teenage daughters pull each other along as they become involved with friends outside our family. The opposite of the jealousy I experienced with my own sister. They often choose family over friends, though they participate in many activities outside our home.

They have time to pursue their interests. It is amazing how much time is wasted in a public school classroom. It doesn’t take long to cover the subjects that are necessary, leaving time for my children to grow in ways that are individual to them. They memorize piano concertos, learn to build robots and cook.

Their education is grounded in the things that are important to us. Our study of history has let us travel to many eras. These studies have broadened our perspective of life. We’ve used the world around us (and our library card, of course) to understand the wonders of science. The wonders are real to my children, a very different approach than the textbooks I learn from. Even my hesitant readers are being won over in the area of literature as they discover the fantastic stories and learning that can be theirs as they devour book after book. I would never take all this away from them.

Recently a friend told me a story about a family who was moving. As they wandered through their house, recalling the memories from each room, they entered the room where they had done school. The daughter said, “This room is my favorite. This room was magic for me.” I’m not sure I’ve created magic in our school room. But we’ve approached it. I keep hoping that learning will be magic for my children. That is why I homeschool.

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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. 
 

Often times this part of each year marks a renewed commitment to learning something with more intensity, more mastery than ever before. Be it on the part of the parent saying to himself or herself that they will stay more involved with the studies of their children, thus lending their wisdom and experience towards these endeavors. Or be it the child vowing to apply himself towards a particular area of studies he knows he has been slacking off in or the student who truly hopes to master a new language during the school year.

I will never forget sitting within earshot of a family one day at a local diner. The two teenage sons were discussing with their parents the coming school year and what types of classes they would be hoping to register for. The eldest son seemed keen on discussing his foreign language selection. He had chosen German, and the parents were still questioning him on why he felt that to be the best choice out of the languages offered at his high school.

It was all I could do not to turn around and provide my depth of wisdom and personal experience with having Spanish as my second language for more than thirty years. Here I am living in a country where Spanish is the most requested language program still to date, and this young man was adamant about German being the perfect selection for him. If I had heard foreshadowing of living in Germany, working with a company whose corporate office deemed German as a highly recommended second language, and then I would never have felt an urge to offer my two cents.

This particular family paid their bill, left the diner and never received my free, valuable input! I feel compelled, however, to share what was on the tip of my tongue that morning and remains there on a daily basis as I live the life of a person bilingual in English and Spanish.

With more than 45 million people living in our United States of America speaking Spanish as their native language, and with that number growing by more than 2 million annually, I see Spanish as a second language selection crystal clear! Spanish remains the second most widely spoken language in our country, and in the world it ranks as third. Mandarin is first, English is second and Spanish is third.

I know that the talk is wide spread about making certain your child learns Mandarin which is a dialect of the Chinese language. For many reasons, many of which are too political to bring up in this article based on helping parents and teachers, I will not succumb to that thought process or that notion. Why you might ask?

First of all I want to ask you, how often do you walk around your community or travel across this great United States of America and hear Mandarin being spoken compared to how many times do you hear Spanish being spoken? We all are very aware of the increase every year in our cities and our states in the Latino population. And as savvy parents and educators we realize that being bilingual is no longer an option, it is a necessity.

Again, without getting involved in a political debate about immigration and Latinos learning our English language, I want to stress that the point here is related to which language you and your family should choose to begin the school year with, which second language is going to make your travel through life more successful and full of better opportunities. Spanish is the natural choice for most of us, adult and child alike.

Secondly I would be remiss if I did not point out that the country in which Mandarin is spoken, China, continues to add negatively to the pollution of our world while choosing to spend more than three hundred million dollars on the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in which they are showcasing themselves as a world force to be contended with. I find it so unappealing to introduce their language into my home when I feel the ever-increasing dark shadow of their presence in our country.

With all of that being said, as controversial as it may sound to you, I hear parents and teachers around the United States recommitting themselves to helping provide their children a jump-start on becoming lifetime language learners. With that renewed commitment also comes an awareness of the imminent need to speak both English and Spanish in order to communicate, perform and succeed in our communities with our new Latino friends, colleagues and family members.

Start this school year with a positive outlook on what will make the future of your child even better. Latin? I think not in spite of it being the root of all languages. French? Perhaps, should your child be planning on working with a company connected with Europe or in the travel industry. Mandarin? Do not get me started! Spanish? Absolutely the number one choice still of parents requesting what their children receive along with the decisions connected with schools, both public and private.

Make it a great year ahead. Stay connected with your child, his school, her teachers and their studies. The more you show an interest in what they do daily in connection with their education, the more value they place on the time invested towards their future. A future that is proving to be a very global one. Happy educating to all!

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Beth Butler is the creator of the BOCA BETH Language Learning Series for young children. Find out how fun and easy it can be to raise a bilingual child. Sample the BOCA BETH bilingual music and movies for free at http://www.bocabeth.com 
Call toll free 1.877.825.2622 or 1.813.244.1432

From the outside looking in, even the thought of home schooling seems, well, out there. But I am not only an outsider but an insider. Most parents can only walk their children to their class on the first day of school. The rest of the year it’s drop off and pick up. Volunteering at schools is not so easy anymore. Background checks and security clearance is a must for many districts before a parent can volunteer at their child's school. Observing a class is now unheard of at public schools and you might have better luck getting an appointment with your OB/GYN this week than your child's teacher. Public school seems safe thus far.

I, however, am in public and private schools every day. My company provides in-school Science field trips so I get to see what is really happening. I get to hear from many teachers and what I see and hear puts doubt about the choice my wife and I made not to home school.

Let me start with the "A" grading my children's elementary school received. This grade is based on one single FCAT test that covers Math and English. This grading system does not really cover social studies, science (it’s only tested for in Broward County, Fl starting in 5th grade), or the arts. Since social studies, science, the arts, and physical education are not tested from K-4th grade the instruction in these areas are slim to none.

"NOT TRUE," the public school administrators will argue. "Science is a major push in the schools." The reality is many public schools have converted their science labs into Math and Reading labs. Science specialists are rare these days, and teachers are given huge workbooks and plastic models to teach lessons on life-stages, ecosystems, and development.

No longer are classroom pets allowed. No birds, no turtles, no lizards, no hermit crabs, not even fish. So long ecosystems and habitats. Frogs have been declared toxic and too dangerous for children. We'll just show pictures of tadpoles turning into frogs and that will do the trick. Incubating an egg and watching life emerge into a wet yellow ball of fluff is outlawed. Eggs as you may know can contain salmonella. Yes, of coarse the schools still serve egg salad to our children. Why wouldn't they?

And there are lots of choices to eat at public schools. A fried and battered potato (french fries) was considered a vegetable and kids can choose between a side of mac & cheese or steamed veggies (I am sure my kids will choose the baby carrots and snapped peas). Lessons on health and fitness are partially guided by a "Commit To Be Fit" program. This program is sponsored by the American Beef and Dairy Associations. Can you say "heart attack" anyone? Luckily P.E. is only once a week.

And recess. The chance to unwind, stretch, blow off steam and get some well needed exercise for your child's developing body. Not anymore!

If you haven't noticed there are no merry-go-rounds at the playgrounds. High slides are long gone. Monkey bars are banned in many schools and swings are flying out the yard. Climbing trees is not only prohibited, it's near impossible. All the trees near the schools have either been trimmed of all branched or cut down completely! Okay, let's reduce risk of injury. But at what cost? How about no running?

"No Running" signs have been posted in Broward County Florida Schools. No unorganized or undirected running will be tolerated during recess. Yes, running is banned. Please note: No Running is in addition to No Tag and No Dodge Ball.

I know, I know, thousands of children are hurt in playgrounds every year. Countless bones have been fractured due to tree climbing, skinned knees from falls, and bumped heads from running. Tag has caused hurt feelings and an occasional exchange of bad words. But really, what are these crazy m*#!&ns thinking?!

In the name of "preventative measures" the public schools are hurting our children by turning them into non-thinking kids with zero coping skills to handle real life. How do children learn to handle conflict when we won't allow any? How do we play when they are not allowed to play? Undirected play "allows children to learn how to work in groups, to share, to negotiate, to resolve conflicts," reports the American Academy of Pediatrics. If we do not allow to our children to experience rejection or feel what it is like to lose at a game how can we expect them to become strong and work hard at winning?

In Broward County teachers are required to take elementary children out for a mandated 30 minutes per day of physical activity. Since one out of every six children is obese, not fat or chunky, obese, this seems like a good idea. But how much physical activity can you get if you can not run around? One third of the adults in America are overweight and that includes teachers. So I guess the overweight Math or English teacher is helping our children lose weight and get healthy…huh?! What am I missing here?

One teacher told me her little secret to the mandated rule. She pops in a fitness video into her classroom television set (American children already spend an average 6 hours in front of a screen so what's another half an hour?). Now if you are like most people in this country you have purchased "7-Minute Abs", "Tae-Bo Workout", or "Richard Simmons' Sweatin' to the Oldies". Is your six-pack visible? Do school administrators really think this is a good substitution for running around during free play?

Home school parents, you are wrong! Schools are safe. Too safe for our children's own good. Too safe for their health. Too safe for their education. Morals? Obscene language is heard all over public schools: "No running!" No Playing!" And with all the hype about school ratings home school kids consistently perform as well or better on state exams and college admissions than students in public schools. Gee, maybe you can provide better academic instruction than the public schools.

Teachers work very hard, care a great deal, and put in more effort and time than their salaries would suggest. I salute and honor all teachers whether they teach at public schools, private schools, and at home. It is the school officials, in the ivory towers, who have become safety zealots at our children's expense. My prediction is that they will be the downfall of public schools and the rise of homeschooling.

Safety is another way of saying, "without risk." If we remove all risk from our children lives we are not preparing them for the real life…which is full of risks. I should know. My wife and I took one sending our children to public schools.

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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. 

Book-learning is translated into real life learning when students actively apply their knowledge and experience outside the classroom. Service-learning ties a student’s scholastics with community involvement. They can deepen academic learning as well as make contributions to a larger world outside of their own. Not only does community service improve academic performance but also can increase awareness of real life problems that need to be addressed. Being engaged both academically as well as in the community can give them the necessary skills to help solve their own problems later in life.

Serving one’s community is more important than self-service. It transcends social boundaries through structured reflection, exploring the meaning and moral implications of service and by learning the importance of solving real world problems. It can also help strengthen democracy so students can meet challenges and opportunities in an interdependent, ever changing world. For community service to be effective, it relies upon people who are committed to doing what's best for the neighborhood, and the world as a whole.

Community service offers the opportunity for today's young people and tomorrow's leaders to learn, while addressing local needs. They can experience the connection between what they have observed and what they have personally participated in. Students who work to better their community through service tend to continue to work all their lives in many different ways to improve the world around them, with lasting benefits for our country and our planet.

Students who step out into the real world to share their talents and abilities not only strengthen communities but also are more prepared for a lifetime of good citizenship. If we want our students to lead creative, productive, responsible lives, we must give them opportunities to learn in ways that have consequences for others, as well as for themselves. They can certainly help themselves by helping others.

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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.
 

Ask yourself, “What has the school child study team done for your child previously? What did they do for you before you made the decision to take them out of school in the first place?” Probably not much!.

Not all parents can work with their children in academics because the kids wants mom to be their mom, and dad to be their dad, not their teacher.If you are fortunate enough to get your child to cooperate and learn from you( plus those you have hired privately…) why fix it now? My recommendation is that it is not necessary at this time. It may inadvertently undermine your child’s sense of worth.

In a few years your son or daughter may choose to go away to college. Since it is well known that the home school population is expanding, there are colleges actively seeking those students. In keeping with the times and trends home schoolers tend to do well in “ real life”. One sociological reason may be that there is less of a culture shock once college ends.

After all, they mixed their educational experiences with day to day, outside the classroom experiences. Activities such as food shopping, money, swimming, relationships etc. required them to make independent decisions. Decisions as to which museum to go to, which recreational program to enroll in, and how to plan and cook their supper were responsible choices they had to make all along. It is no wonder why the home schooled population is better prepared for our changing world.

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SHELLEY TZORFAS is the Founder of Specialized Tutoring/Learning Assessments, and has been tutoring students with ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia as well as undiagnosed kids for nearly twenty-five years.
Shelley views Dyslexia as a "processing of information problem, either in the visual, auditory or kinesthetic mode," and strives to educate the general public about learning disabilities.Like other dyslexics, Shelley has had varied, successful careers. These range from appearing on a PBS documentary, and exhibiting artwork in museums. She is currently writing a book on learning differences.
Shelley, nee Gelfman, is a single mother of two boys and lives in New Jersey. She is available for consultation and/or tutoring, and may be reached at her website at www.betterschoolresults.com . Her email is stzorfas@gmail.com , phone number is
(908) 735-9053.

To be effective, science education must actively engage students.  It should stimulate curiosity that drives the formulation of hypothesis.  It should kindle contemplation and creativity to devise tests that prove or disprove a given hypothesis.  It should hone observation, recording, reporting, and analytical skills.  And it should demonstrate the importance of correctly accumulating valid evidence and properly evaluating genuine cause and effect relationships.  These life skills and learning experiences can be fully achieved only via hands-on, tactile science experimentation. 

When students learn and physically follow the scientific method described above, they cannot help but develop the logical, pragmatic, critical thinking skills that will serve them well throughout their lives, regardless of their ultimate field of endeavor.  In contrast, a lack of science education and experimentation opportunities contributes to a rise in “magical thinking” that impairs the rational decision making abilities that are critical to our children’s’ future and our world’s stability.  

Recall the old Chinese proverb:  “Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.”  This is the basis of what is meant by “experiential” education.  When we do something ourselves, we physically experience the learning with all of our body’s senses as well as with our minds.  This type of tactile, experiential learning provides a greater depth of understanding and longer retention of the materials studied. 

The exceptional effectiveness of experiential learning is among the reasons why a preponderance of science teachers believe hands-on labs are the best way to learn science.  They are the same reasons why most state education boards and university accreditation committees today refuse to accept science transfer credits unless over 50% of the course’s lab work was performed hands-on.  While computer simulations do have a valid role as reinforcing tools in science education, like computer games, they are much too passive to serve as a valid substitute for tactile experimentation. 

The implications from this information for home schooling parents are clear.  The welfare of their children requires that a strong emphasis in science be a part of their curriculum and that tactile, hands-on lab experimentation activities must accompany their children’s science studies.   

Most home-schooling parents are already aware of the value of science education and often ask what sciences their students should study and in what order.  Science is simply the systematic study of the physical world for the purpose of understanding and enhancing life.  Each science discipline reveals unique beauty and insight into the workings of our world, and there is an indisputable interrelationship between them all.  Thus, all students should experience least an introduction to each of the four main disciplines. 

Contrary to course timing by many schools where biology is the first subject taught, professional scientists agree that the following sequence of courses most effectively builds the framework for genuine science understanding since each course lays the appropriate foundation for fuller comprehension of the succeeding one.  

1.Math:
Since scientific understanding requires quantification for comparative analysis of data, the study of science first requires a firm foundation in mathematics such as that usually achieved by eight grade algebra and geometry. While mathematics is not itself a science, it is crucial to studying and understanding science as well as effectively functioning in a modern world.

2.Physics: Knowledge of how physical forces and the qualities of matter relate to each other is foundational to the understanding of other branches of science. Thus, physics should be the first of the actual sciences studied for it builds upon and reinforces math skills while providing that foundation.

3.Chemistry:
Chemistry deals with the structure, composition, and properties of matter and how matter transforms into various substances. An understanding of chemistry supports an understanding of physical changes in the geological and biological world.

4.Geology:
Geology focuses upon the material composition of the planet as well as its history and origin. It illustrates the relationships among the earth’s rocks, soils, and minerals and how they form the basis for all life as well as all of life’s tangible accessories.

5.Biology:
A firm foundation in physics, chemistry, and geology prepares students to comprehend the deep complexities of biological plant and animal life forms and to better grasp their relationships, inferences, and relevance to today’s world.
While the above may be the preferred order of science study, it is not the most exciting order of study for most students.  That is why this schedule is seldom employed by schools.  Physics is considered too dry and math oriented to capture the hearts and minds of very young adults.  Geology and biology usually fill that role and are thus most frequently taught at the beginning of high school.  Since parents’ primary objective should be to first foster an interest in and a love for science, they should follow their child’s interest and provide courses in the order which will most likely achieve that objective.  Those whose kids are math wizards, can certainly start with physics as their kids will love it.  However, those with students less secure in their early math skills should start with geology or a general/environmental science course that will build confidence and stimulate interest in further science studies. 

After the science courses and their order of study are determined, the next challenge for parents is how to best provide the physical lab exercises to accompany and reinforce science course materials.  Sure, there are many quality online and home school science curriculums and lab manuals.  However, it’s the sourcing of needed chemicals, equipment and supplies, not to mention dissection specimens, which proves to be a much greater challenge for parents.  A considerable investment in personal time and financial resources is usually required to track down the numerous equipment and supply items needed to perform real-world science experimentation in a home environment.  And several required items are simply not available to the general public, especially in this age of tight government regulations.  Commercially produced LabPaqs are a viable potential solution to this problem. 

My husband, Dr. Peter Jeschofnig, and I are retired college professors and have been recognized as passionate pioneers in the field of distance science education.  We so firmly believe in the importance of studying science that we have a dedicated our lives to making genuine, hands-on science experimentation accessible to students everywhere.  In 1993, we developed a micro-scale chemistry kit, now called a Labpaq, to accompany Colorado Mountain College’s video and television based chemistry courses.  The exceptional effectiveness of that kit rapidly grew by word of mouth and became the basis for our company Hands-On Labs, Inc. which today produces over 60 various LabPaqs at various levels in all the disciplines of lab science.   

Our work has dispelled the myth that students can’t do valid hands-on laboratory science work remote of a formal laboratory.  In fact, quantitative data reflects that students using LabPaqs to perform science experimentation at home actually learn at least as well as, and usually better than, their campus-based peers plus have a 5% higher grade average.   

While we and the many distinguished and practicing distance science educators who design LabPaqs are primarily college level educators, we also provide a variety of LabPaqs for high school courses at both the general and AP level.  We are proud that national leaders in distance high school education such as Apex, Aventa, Laurel Springs, KC Distance Learning, etc. have had us develop LabPaqs that provide hands-on experimentation opportunities which match their excellent curricula.  

The past decade has seen a proliferation of young adults being home schooled plus double digit growth rates for online college courses, trends that are predicted to continue long into the future.  The status of distance science education has been especially enhanced by its tremendous popularity with students, parents, faculty, and administrators.  Most agree that a primary benefit comes from the opportunity to perform hands-on labs and in-depth experimentation without the social and time constraints imposed by classroom and campus laboratory schedules.   

The online course explosion has been closely examined by numerous studies, most notably those conducted by the Sloan Foundation and the Instructional Technology Council.  Their findings consistently report online student outcomes to be at least as good as and usually better than the outcomes of their campus based peers.  Today over 65% of academic leaders rate distance learning results to be the same as or superior to those of face-to-face classes. 

Today’s home-schooling parents can thus be confident and take pride in the fact that they are offering their children a viable and effective means of education.  By incorporating sciences and hands-on science experimentation opportunities into their home-school course mix, they will be even better preparing their children for a successful life in an increasingly complex world.

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Linda Jeschofnig, M.S. is the founder and C.E.O. of Hands-On Labs, Inc. (formerly At Home Science, Inc.).   She and her husband Dr. Peter Jeschofnig are retired college professors who began developing science LabPaqs in 1993 to provide real-world, at-home, science lab experiences for distance-learning students.  They have enjoyed two international Fulbright Professorships, one in Ethiopia and the other in Namibia, plus received numerous awards for their work in the field of distance science education.  As humanitarians, they are actively engaged in various Rotary International projects and have led over 15 international study-abroad trips for student and adult groups. The Jeschofnigs share the motto: "Adventure is intellectual curiosity in action!"  They whole-heartedly believe in the importance of experiential learning and love to discover new things, travel to exotic places, meet new people, encounter different cultures, and share these experiences with friends and students.  They can be reached via their website:  www.LabPaq.com.

Many different foods can affect our emotions, thinking and behavior. Sometimes it's the food coloring or preservatives, sometimes it's the sugar, and sometimes it's the food itself. These foods can irritate the brain, making the child sluggish or hyper. The lists of symptoms are long and each child is different. Many in the medical profession estimate that 5% of all ADHD children have the behaviors because of diet.

Diet is one factor I look at when I have a child who knows a subject at one instant and then forgets it the next. Any child who has groups of good days and groups of bad days should have his diet evaluated.

How does a parent do this? It depends on the child's age and your professional support. Two good choices to help you determine if food is part of the problem are a simplified elimination diet or the Feingold Program. In my practice, I like to start with the elimination diet because it is so simple, quick, and involves no cost. You can do this test over one or two days. Here are the steps:

Simple Elimination Diet
1. Weigh your child first thing on the morning you begin. Record the weight.
2. For that day, allow your child to drink water and eat one simple food only, and nothing else. Most choose apples so they can also drink/eat 100% apple juice and 100% pure applesauce (no sugar, preservatives or anything else added). Others have chosen oranges (and 100% orange juice), or bananas. No sodas, tea (herbal or regular), milk, or coffee.
3. Your child may eat all that he wants of the one food he has chosen, but no other foods. No vitamin pills. Do continue any medications.
4. Keep a journal for the day, noting child's moods, energy level and so on.
5. Weigh your child first thing the next morning, and record the weight.
6. Repeat the one food and journaling this second day.
7. Weigh your child first thing the third morning, and record the weight.
8. On this day, your child may eat normally, whatever he likes that you normally allow.
9. Keep a journal for the day, noting child's moods, energy level and so on.
10. Weigh your child first thing the next morning, and record the weight.

Understanding The Results Of This Simple Elimination Diet
Look at the weight: If your child has lost less than four pounds after the first two days on this diet, it's not food allergies. If your child has lost four pounds or more after the first two days on this diet, it is food allergies.
Look at the journal of moods and energy: If your child's symptoms of ADHD go away while he is on the elimination diet and return after he returns to his normal diet, you may safely assume food allergies are causing his ADHD.

Sometimes the elimination diet is inconclusive, or the child may be unwilling to follow it, even for two days. Or it may reveal one or more food sensitivities, and more testing may be needed to see if other sensitivities exist. Here is where you may begin some detective work, looking for relationships that are not always clear. (Food allergies show up in many different forms. The kind most likely to cause ADHD-like symptoms come from partially digested food proteins. Food sensitivities do not use the immune system, but affect the nerve cells directly.)

At this point you may want to try the Feingold Program, (see more at http://www.feingold.org/). This program eliminates artificial coloring, flavoring, sweeteners, preservatives and salicylates, an aspirin-like chemical, and certain fragrances. (Because either eating or breathing can absorb allergens and brain irritants, some fragrances are also eliminated in the Feingold Program.)
Now your detective work comes in. Once you have checked all your food labels for all of the above, you then see if any of the ADHD symptoms have cleared. If you are unsure, go back to your child's normal diet and see if the symptoms return. Please note that because we are dealing with symptoms that affect the brain, the one person who may not notice anything is the child himself.
If you are sure that something you eliminated has cleared or improved the ADHD symptoms, then you have choices. If it is a chemical, then processed foods need to be carefully avoided. If it is the food itself, then avoiding the food may help for a while, but gradually new foods will cause problems.

Sometimes it is just the total sugar load. The average American eats about 160 pounds of sugar a year. (In fact a human born in 2000 or later has a 50% chance of developing diabetes during his lifetime, mostly because of diet.)

Our brains run on glucose, a simple sugar. So when the sugar level goes up due to a Twinkie or some other high-sugar, low-fiber food, the rush of sugar affects the brain. A good analogy is to see the brain as a computer, and blood-sugar concentration as electrical voltage. What would happen to your computer if the voltage went from 60 to 120 and back to 60? It would burn out. Well, the brain doesn't burn out, but it does get irritated. Brain irritation shows up as symptoms, some of which can be confused with ADHD. (Sugar Blues, a book by William Dufty, discusses in much greater detail the problems with sugar.)

This effect from sugar was exactly what kept Sean from learning his math, until he realized he could avoid sugar to do his homework, study or take a test. For him, the answer was simple. Your child's answers may take more detective work, patience and persistence, but the effort is worth it.

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Note: Dr. Guffanti has spoken at WHO's annual convention the past two years on the topic of ADHD and learning styles, with attendees responding, “This is a life- changing class,” and “The best and most helpful of all.”

A medical doctor, tutor, teacher, author, and homeschool parent, Dr. Guffanti was born with a passion for education. Dyslexic and a kinesthetic learner, he has served as the medical director of a clinic specializing in learning disorders, and has focused on creating education that meets the needs of all children. He is the author of Rocket Phonics and Is It Really ADHD?
Stephen Guffanti, MD
CEO of Children's U.com
Home of Rocket Phonics
www.rocketphonics.com

I overheard these words in a store last week and I thought that the mother was teaching the idea of 'save first, spend later'. She was telling her daughter they could not afford to get the item now, and they would save up to get it next time. But instead that child learned that if she whines long enough Mom will give in, and it matters not at all if the money is available or if Mom says 'no' a few times. Wail, whimper, and complain, and you will get what you want. All it costs is a few minutes of harassing your parent. There's no down side to this, from the child's point of view.

However the parent may be exasperated and angry with herself for giving in, and feeling she's been manipulated once again. Even if monetary cost is no problem there is the longer lasting effect of all the whining that's coming in the future! Make no mistake about it; this little eight-year-old is going to be an expert manipulator by the age of twelve, and fourteen, and sixteen…it's not going to stop until someone steps in and says, “Enough already!”

So what does a parent do? It is not easy to say 'No” to the people we love more than anything in the world. We want to give them everything, and see them happy and joyful. I certainly want my children to have everything good in the world, and I think they deserve it all. After all, these are the most wonderful children on Earth!

Does that mean my husband and I actually gave them everything? You are kidding, right? To this day, 20 years later, our elder son still brings up the fact that he does NOT have Sega-Genesis! Poor, deprived child that he was, we simply did not believe it was going to do him any good at all during elementary school to be playing video games when he was supposed to be studying. He somehow survived this terrible deprivation, made it through college, and is still going strong despite his lack of Sega. Yes, he reminded us on a regular basis that everyone else had it, he needed it, and he was the only person he knew or ever met who did not have it.

It has only been in the past couple years he has admitted he is glad we did not buy him everything he asked for as a child because so many of his peers, who did get everything, have no clue about saving, budgeting, or planning for value in what they purchase.

It's the small decisions which have a profound effect upon us as we grow. Giving a child a quarter for candy is so simple, and saying no is so difficult. What can it hurt to give them little treats? It makes everyone happy, after all.
The answer is it doesn't hurt anyone, unless a person comes to expect their every whim to be satisfied on the spot. We all know young persons who expect everything they desire to magically appear before them; perhaps you live with one of these people. If you do, then you have some control over their future outlook on life.

The reality is that Life does not always give us exactly what we want, or think we want, at the moment or even years later. Life is not here to spoil us and satiate our every desire. Nature is perfectly happy to smack us up side the head if we don't pay attention. Take a look at the budgetary habits of people around the neighborhood; credit cards are over their limits, people are all talking about being short of funds. Yet there are children in every neighborhood with power scooters, electric four-wheelers, and growing collections of WebKinz. These toys are not harmful, but a child who has all these things may be learning there is nothing that cannot be bought, and the sooner the better.

What is the point of a four year old having four birthday parties; one for parents, one for step-parents, one for grandparents, and one for friends. The value is of course the love of the family, the most valuable treasure on earth. However, if the love is shown by a veritable mountain of toys and games, then there is a spoiled kid on the horizon.

How do parents control this? Some will request that people bring clothing rather than toys; this may not seem wonderful to a little boy, but it is a boon to hard-working parents who won't have to clothes shop for the next six months. Other people ask for no purchased gifts, only the guests themselves to come and celebrate, and show the birthday child how much love and fun a family provides. There's always more money that can be earned, but we can never reclaim our time; spending it with those we love is truly our most generous present.

So after all this is said, what do we do about preventing the grab-itude and instilling gratitude in children? We learn to discern true need from desire. We say 'no' when there are legitimate reasons to do so. Lack of funds, a burgeoning air of selfishness or greed, anger at being denied, demanding rather than requesting; these are all signs that it's time to put on the brakes.

Did anyone say parenting is easy? But is saying 'no' worth the trouble, the whining, the tears, the possible displays of temper? Spoiled and selfish people are not grateful. They expect to be handed all they want. Life won't do that, no matter how much we complain, so you may as well face that fact and teach your children to face it while they are young and you can protect them and cushion the blow of denial. When they grow up and find themselves unpopular because they whine, or bankrupt because they had no concept of budgeting, you won't be able to solve their problems so easily.

When your child gracefully accepts 'no', and receives a gift with, “Thanks, Mom; Thanks, Dad, this is exactly what I wanted!” you will know your child has learned gratitude, eliminated grab-itude, and you will be very proud!

---

Diane Spoehr is a 3rd Dan Degree Black Sash in the ancient Korean Martial and Healing Art of Hwa Rang Do®, 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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Continuing SAS’ commitment to integrating technology into all levels of education, the July 30 release of SAS® Curriculum Pathways® focuses on concepts and skills vital to student success in the 21st century. This award-winning Web-based educational product emphasizes fundamentals in core curricula. Already used by thousands of customers in more than 30 states, SAS Curriculum Pathways is an online resource for students and teachers in any learning environment, including home education, traditional classrooms, virtual schools and one-to-one learning.

“We’re removing barriers between learners and our product,” says Bruce Friend, Director of Curriculum Pathways. “An individual subscription to SAS Curriculum Pathways is available for $99 per year per family. With that low price, online payment options and instructional demos, the more than 1.1 million home-schoolers in the US could be up and running with powerful resources in a short time.”

Training options for home-school teachers include online tutorials, Web seminars and bimonthly, hour-long, virtual “open houses” hosted by SAS Curriculum Pathways staff. Once enrolled, home-school subscribers receive the same level of technical support as traditional schools.

 What’s new?
“Recent enhancements to SAS Curriculum Pathways focus on skills vital to success in core classes. All new materials are designed to engage learners who sometimes struggle with these fundamentals,” says Friend.

• In English, our new InterActivities in Literary Genres are designed to improve comprehension by making students active readers. These materials include strategies for reading nonfiction.
• In social studies, we're focusing on the story of history as a way of helping students retain what they learn. Our new US History InterActivities help students build a foundation of knowledge as they explore historical narratives and themes.
• In mathematics, we have new tools to help students of introductory algebra and geometry perform transformations on a coordinate plane.
• Brief Audio Inquiries help students acquire essential background knowledge. Audio is supported by visual and textual information. This release includes an Audio Inquiry for each topic in American Literature, Contemporary World History, Introductory Algebra and Spanish Grammar in Practice.

More information
SAS Curriculum Pathways is primarily for students in grades 8-12, and provides content in the
core disciplines of English, mathematics, social studies, science and Spanish.
Aligned with state standards, the product has more than 200 InterActivities and 855 ready-to-use lessons that enable technology-rich instruction and engage higher-order thinking skills. In 2008, SAS Curriculum Pathways was named Best K-12 Instructional Solution by the Software & Information Industry Association.

Try SAS Curriculum Pathways FREE for 30 days! 
 

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