"May" We Have Joy In Our Hearts!

For May, we really wanted to focus on God's love and how it applies to everyday life.

Children have a hard time applying life principles just by hearing them over and over..

or sitting in a classroom and being "taught" about them. 

I decided it was time to teach my children that not all children have a loving home, a faith based church, love and support from family and friends.  Not all children have a home, have a roof over their heads, or have a car to get to and from the store or where they need to go.  We learned about kids all over the world whose only wish is to go to school. 

My kids were floored.

The thought that there were children in the world who wanted to go to school is something my kids just didn't want to believe.  But, we got on the Internet, started exploring, and my kids learned fast I wasn't just trying to get them to enjoy school more - they saw they were blessed.

Sure, it didn't stick and ten minutes later they were whining that homeschool was running over time and that their brains were freezing up from all the things of the day, but the lesson was learned and I know that it stuck with them so that is the best I can ask for. 

One thing that we learned about that most public school kids probably didn't was - the NFL draft.  My friends thought I was crazy that I would use this as a teaching tool, but we actually found it very beneficial.  The kids watched as adults cried over finally seeing their dreams come a reality.  They quickly said "I can't wait to be up there" and that was the start of our discussion.

You can't get anywhere in life without working hard.  And sometimes you will fail.

After all, did you know that Micheal Jordan couldn't even make the varsity basketball team at his high school? (You're welcome for that bit of info!)

I think instilling in the kids that they have to work for everything and chances are not going to just fall into their lap is just as important, if not more so, than doing all of our school work.  Sure, we need to know Math, but what will Math help if you do not even know how to act in society? Especially in today's world.  And that leads me to my next topic...

How have you tackled the manners situation? Although my children have been taught from birth to say please, thank you, maam, and sir, my kids are around children all the time whose parents do not have the same standards for their own children.  It has made playdates awkward and babysitting a real challenge, not to mention it gives me less and less hope for this generation.  I am not sure why people don't feel the need to teach their children to use kind words.  Why is that such old fashioned values? I couldn't tell you how many times this month alone I have been stopped by older people telling me that my child held the door for them, said a kind word, or did something nice without being asked.  They seem so surprised that a kid in today's world would even act like that - and that really hurts my heart.  To think that my children are growing up in such a cruel world with low standards and getting worse by the day makes it hard for moms and dads really trying to live by the standards of the bible and our moral beliefs as a family.  I will tackle this situation again heavily in a future post. 

As we are now halfway into May, we have been working on Money.  Of course, the boys love to wear their money PJ's so we wore them while learning how to count money and give the right amount of money back for change.  We plan to have a yard sale this summer where the kids will do all of the work and have to count their money and give back their own change.  I hope this further teaches them what we have spent about seven days learning this month.  Blaze has excelled and is counting money much faster than a third grade level and Ace is right on his level as far as the public school standards are concerned - not that we follow those anyway :) 

And, sometimes, you've just gotta pull out some board games and bribe your children to be good for the week to get what you need done.  A housewife's work is never done, then throw in stay at home mom and she has two full time jobs, but then as you finally throw in that final job of 100% homeschool teacher, and somedays we are just overworked and underpaid.  I just keep saying "I Am Blessed, I Am Blessed, I Am Blessed" 

And, because of the hard times my family seems to be going through right now, I leave this post with my favorite verse.  God has made a promise to his people so if you are one of his children then hold tight to that promise and if you are not, please know that the best thing that could ever happen to your life is Jesus and accepting him is so simple yet life changing.  He wants to carry your burdens, he wants to take away your pain, He will listen even when nobody else cares.  Nobody else in your life is going to that for nothing, but he will.  All he asks is that you give him your heart and that you live the right life.  So, do it now :)

Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you, Says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.