Fun Summer Science

My fun friend Linda M. shared these easy science experiments she did with her kids.

Centrifugal Force is the apparent force that is felt by an object that is moving in a curved path that acts outwardly away from the center of rotation.

To help your children understand this definition, try this easy experiment. Fill a bucket (she used an ice cream gallon bucket) half-way with water. Ask your kids what they think will happen if you swing your arm while holding the bucket in circles. Let each child discuss what they think. Go outside swing the bucket (the center of rotation being your shoulder) and watch centrifugal force in action! Ask them what would happen if you stopped at the top. Let the kids try swinging it and then let them stop mid-swing. I feel a water fight coming on...

Go to this website for a fun explanation and experiment about Isotropy and Thixotrophy.

Thanks Linda for sharing what a fun mom you are! ; )

More Thoughts on Chores

It has been about 3 weeks since we have established our new work system. There is definitely a learning curve but I am hopeful!! I just wanted to share a quote from A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning by Karen Andreola that is inspirational to me. Just the pep talk I need : )

Charlotte claimed that as much as one third of education is the discipline of habit. That's a pretty big chunk, isn't it? She emplored, "The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days; on the other hand she who lets habits take care of themselves has a weary life of endless friction." The latter will come about because, she says, if we "fail to ease life by laying down habits of right thinking and right doing, habits of wrong thinking and wrong doing fix themselves of their own accord." We begin with an awareness of any repeated action becoming either a bad habit or a good one. The actions a mother wishes repeated (the good ones) become her endowment.

I wish to give my children the gift of good habits so I will press forward teaching the good habits from our work system. To be continued...

Unconditional Parenting, Part II

I FINALLY finished Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason by Alfie Kohn and I thought I would share some of "the good stuff".

I must begin by saying I'm not sure this book makes my classics list. I really appreciate his opening my eyes that parenting is not as cut and dry as my former positive reinforcement books have led me to believe. I also appreciate his reasoning for the most part about why that isn't so. He gives very helpful general tips and guidelines on how to develop caring and lasting relationship with our children.

Something is bothering me though. I feel like his sarcastic tone somewhat undermines his objective of helping parents become unconditional. Also I'm not sure I buy into some of the analogies he uses to support his claims.

Nevertheless, I will let you decide for yourselves. Here are some golden nuggets I took away from this book:

Unconditional Parenting Guidelines

1. Be reflective. (Don't just react.)


2. Reconsider your requests.


3. Keep your eye on your long-term goals. (That is you want to raise caring, independent adults.)


4. Put the relationship first.


5. Change how you see, not just how you act. (Try to see things from a child's perspective.)


6. R-E-S-P-E-C-T (Talk to them the way you would like to be spoken to.)


7. Be authentic.


8. Talk less, ask more.


9. Keep their ages in mind.


10. Attribuite to children the best possible motive consistent with the facts.


11. Don't stick your no's in unnecessarily.


12. Don't be rigid.


13. Don't be in a hurry.

This one was a real eye-opener for me:

Ask yourself, What is your mood like when you are with your kids?

What to Minimize

• Limit the number of your criticisms.


• Limit the scope of each criticism. (Like "The way you spoke to your sister just now sounded unkind" instead of "You are so mean to people!")


• Limit the intensity of each criticism.


• Look for alternatives to criticism.

**Your goal is not to make them feel bad or stamp bad behavior out of exsistence. "Rather, what we want is to influence the way they think and feel, to help them become the kind of people who wouldn't want to act cruelly."

**Never hold a grudge--Be the PARENT!!

**Reassure them of your love frequently especially during conflict.

**Remind them this behavior is temporary and out of character; it doesn't reflect the child you know and love.

Hope that is helpful! I know I have had a major paradigm shift and I have really been enjoying my children. Go give yours a hug!!

Leadership Education Mentoring Institute

Last weekend I attended an amazing training called Liber Community Series with LEMI, Leadership Education Mentoring Institute. It was INCREDIBLE! There were about 24 people I had never met before in the training and I left that weekend feeling like I had known them for years! This sense of community was created in such a short time through experiences that I will now be able to take into and recreate in my own community.

In the manual it states the following:
The Liber Community Series is empowering families and communities by:

1. Encouraging a progessive Scholar Phase* while teaching abilities and skills needed for its success; in preparation for a broad and deep study of the classics.
2. Teaching and encouraging principles of leadership.
3. Offering a peer enviornment that encourages growth of knowledge, understanding and character.
4. Providing mentoring and tools for individuals who desire to influence the cause of liberty through education and virtue.

*Scholar Phase is "a readiness to apply a new level of effort to personal and academic achievement through a process of commitments and accountability" (definition taken from A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century by Oliver DeMille).

We were immersed in experiences such as oral exams, writing workshops, book discussions, and oral presentations that required us to dig deep within us and share our personal growth with each other. It was beautiful to watch each other struggle with a concept and come out with greater understanding of it and of ourselves. I encourage you to check out the LEMI Website for more information about their mission and how they accomplish it!

Can't Be Beet!

I bought seeds for my garden way back in February and my husband did most of the planting. I had been cutting greens off a plant that I thought was swiss chard but upon closer inspection I realized it was really beets!

So I tried this fun smoothie from Tammie's blog called Can't Be Beet Smoothie. ALL my kids loved it! It is unusual to have unanimous approval. Don't skip all the wonderful nutritional information about beets before the recipe. The son that is "inspired" to get dressed on Sunday mornings said I HAVE to post it! He's really getting into this : )

This morning while weeding the garden my other little boy said he was going to pick a carrot. He pulled with all his might and up came his "carrot" (it was really a HUGE beet). He was so proud of his find he showed everyone in the family and everyone was begging for the smoothie. Try it...you'll say it can't be beet!

Sunday Dress

After being late for church a couple of times and feeling rushed and irritable, I had to change! I went to my friend Becca's and saw her children getting their own Sunday clothes out on Saturday. I used to get them out myself when we went to church at 8 AM in Arizona but I loved the idea of them doing it.

So now my kids get all their Sunday clothes out including shoes, socks, ties, belt, even hair bows out as part of their Saturday chores. Also instead of frantically ironing all the boys' shirts, girls' dresses, etc. late Saturday, with the help of my new chore chart, I iron (and pretty soon I'll teach the kids!) during the week so that everything is ready on Saturday.

This morning my son remarked, "I love getting my suit coat out on Saturday because I really like it. When I see it in the morning I feel inspired to get dressed and ready for church!" He even used the right words ; ) Instead of feeling frustrated and grumpy at church, I enjoy my children and feel the peace I'm suppose to in the house of the Lord.

Meaningful Mealtimes

Gathering for meals as a family as often as possible can strengthen family relationships thereby ensuring the ideal climate for inspiring children to greatness! By connecting the pleasant experience of filling your empty stomach with communicating with those you love, you can nurture your children physically as well as emotionally. A couple of friends shared these great mealtime ideas in church this Sunday:

• Becca B. said to have each child share the best, worst and funniest thing that happened to them that day. This not only helps you know what's going on in their lives but provides an effective exercise in helping them to identify feelings and communicate them in a safe environment.
• Eliza K. started a fun tradition that she occasionally does at meal times. She cut out large different colored hearts from card stock and laminated them. She catches her kids doing kind things and writes them with dry erase markers on the hearts. She places the hearts face down on the table next to each child's plate. Immediately following prayer the kids reach for the hearts instead of the food excited to see what their heart says!
• Another idea from Eliza is the "Family Preservation Jar". A variety of get-to-know-you-better questions fill the jar and each family member alternately share their thoughts pertaining to each inquiry. Your family will end up sharing their thoughts on a wide range of topics.
• Angela A. had a super fun idea too! In their family they play True or False. Each member takes turn sharing something about their day and then everyone decides if it is "true or false". If they have nothing interesting to tell they can use their imaginations and make something fun up.

Have fun getting to know your family better with these fun ideas. Please share what you do to make mealtimes more meaningful!

Teaching Patriotism

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