| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
< BACK TO ARCHIVE |
| Date: From: Subject: | 3/17/2011 9:51:16 AM Home School Legal Defense Association HSLDA's Homeschooling Thru the Early Years Newsletter |
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------- HSLDA's Homeschooling Thru the Early Years Newsletter March 2011--Surrendering to the Seasons of Life ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---[ Free e-book from AllAboutReading.com ]--------------------------- The "All About Reading" program begins right when children first become interested in learning to read -- at the preschool and kindergarten age. Click the link below to get "In the Kitchen with the Zigzag Zebra" FREE! http://www.hslda.org/alink.asp?ID=304 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Friends, We can't always control how our lives change--but we can control how we respond to those changes. While we sometimes hesitate to admit it, the present circumstances and responsibilities of life often dictate where we must focus our energy, even in our home education. One mom who has recently found herself in a new "season" of life is my friend, Heidi St. John, co-founder of First Class Homeschool Ministries, http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10563 author of "The Busy Homeschool Mom's Guide to Romance" http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10564 , and--most importantly, she'll tell you--wife of Jay (for 22 years) and homeschool mom of seven. This month, I've asked Heidi to share a few words of wisdom and encouragement: ------------------------ I am in a different "season" of life right now in our homeschool: a season of having a newborn baby at home. What that means for me (and it took me years to surrender to this idea) is that I simply cannot do the type of schooling that I truly love, which is very hands-on--notebooking and lapbooking. Right now, I will confess, we are simply keeping up by doing mostly workbooks. At some point, the baby will not require so much of me, and our approach to homeschooling will change again. But for now, I have had to settle for doing workbooks with the kids--and I've had to learn not to be so hard on myself for it. Other seasons include pregnancy, caring for an aging parent, sickness, unemployment--and by "surrendering" to seasons, we learn to listen to other things that God might be teaching us during those times. Oh, the grief I could have saved myself by simply changing my expectations of myself during these seasons instead of pushing so hard and wondering why we couldn't "get it all done." Over the years, I've learned (mostly the hard way) that I simply must flex more. The kids do better when I do, but the real winner is me, because I am less stressed out and a whole lot more pleasant to be around! Oftentimes I have pushed myself and my kids too hard by simply expecting life to go on as usual, even when the circumstances of life have changed. [See "When Life Broadsides Your Homeschool" http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10565 ] For a while, I was schooling two high schoolers--but now one has graduated and is taking classes at college. This means I have a little less help at home. One graduated, and another entered kindergarten. Another adjustment. My point is just to encourage you to really look at your circumstances when you are making your schedule, choosing curriculum, and making decisions for what activities you choose to do outside your home, especially in more challenging "seasons." It's worth it to sit back and really ask the Lord for guidance. And don't forget to talk with your husband, too! Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not break. ------------------------ May you find joy in this season of your life, Vicki Bentley HSLDA Early Years Consultant www.hslda.org/earlyyears RESOURCES "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that will prevail."--Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) Additional resources: "Savor the Season" by Rick Boyer http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10566 More articles for dads http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10567 "Practical Prayer" by Tricia Hodges http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10568 One mom shares her answer to making prayer and devotional time for mom "doable" in a houseful of little ones. "Jump-Start to a Joyful School Year" by Vicki Bentley http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10569 A Day in Our Homeschool--What Does It Look Like in Someone Else's House? http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10570 "Homeschooling Even When Mom is Ill" by Chris Klicka http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10571 More "encouragement" articles http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=10572 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Who's knocking on your door? When a social service worker arrives at your door, tension can run high. Wouldn't it be nice to get your lawyer on the phone, providing you with immediate step-by-step guidance? More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1099 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. Box 3000 Purcellville, Virginia 20134 Phone: (540) 338-5600 Fax: (540) 338-2733 Email: info@hslda.org Web: http://www.hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How To Subscribe: - Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp?Process=Subscribe - Or send an email with name and complete mailing address to: subscribe@hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscription Information: - You subscribed to the HSLDA E-lert Service as: ##ToAddress## - To unsubscribe from the HSLDA E-lert Service send an email from the email address you want to unsubscribe to: unsubscribe@hslda.org - To change your email address or make other changes to your subscription, visit the HSLDA E-lert Service account web page at: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTMASTERS: This message is being sent to the most recent address we have for our subscribers. If this is an invalid email address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
