Cherish My Daughter

One day I realized that with so many kids vying for my attention, I wasn't really getting close to any of them.  I was overwhelmed with managing all of their activities and couldn't imagine changing anything. I started meeting with my kids one on one in a way that I could manage at the time.  When I ran my errands I would leave all of the kids behind except one.  I couldn't believe how much I learned about each kid just by getting them alone. The family dynamic is strong and every person has a role to play.  For the kids who are naturally loud, their voices may be heard anyway, but as parents we may miss some aspects of the kids who follow along unless we get them alone. We can't parent what we don't know. I have learned that the most important thing I can encourage my child to do is to talk to me.

Hopefully this video doesn't sound like a rant that makes you want to forget all of your rosy expectations about homeschooling.  Personally, I really appreciate real talk because challenges come to everyone.  Learning is all about trying things, making mistakes, and growing as you push your way through. I am so glad we decided to start this adventure nearly two decades ago.  It has been challenging enough at times to bring me to tears, but the benefits are greater than I imagined.  I started out looking for the most perfect way to train up my kids, and discovered an imperfect situation with endless possibilities.  My best advice to my younger self would be to just let it happen and stop worrying.  My advice to myself today is to enjoy the imperfection of it all, and thank God I'm not the head honcho in charge!

In the past I have been so frustrated when trying out products and not getting the promised results. All methods don't work the same for everyone. A number of factors may be affecting our results, including how our hair absorbs the products (porosity), texture (different strokes for different folks), and the order of product usage, etc. When I read a label I tend to follow the instructions exactly.  If the product is geared towards a wash and go that failed, it gets chucked into my stash of failed products I just can't throw away because I spent the money.  It doesn't typically occur to me to try a wash n go product for a wet set. If a product works, I'll keep using it the way it works. I am not sure what made me reach for Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls as my holding product for the wet set in my video, but I am so glad!  The resulting set was super soft and beautiful.  Dare I say, softer than when used for my wash n go? Check out the vide

When I decided to homeschool, I thought that buying curriculum and having a stack materials that no one could take away from me was the first step.  I still feel my blood pumping whenever I purchase a school book, or walk into an office supply store! Maybe it's OK to purchase one small thing, but I am asking you to stop and step away from your wallet for a minute. Consider the following: 1. Train your child to listen to you in the school room.  Discipline is key or nothing is getting done no matter how much money you spend on curriculum. 2. How does your child learn?  Most really young children are going to need some kind of hands on demonstration even if they ultimately prove to be auditory or visual learners.  Curriculum is often designed to work best with a certain kind of learning style. 3.  How do you teach best?  While you definitely want to pay attention to your child's learning style, it may have to be tempered by how you understand and like to work with thi