Sonlight Homeschooling Blog

Sep. 25, 2014

It's fall ... and apples are in the air!

By Judy

My favorite time of year has arrived once again here in upstate NY. The days are getting shorter, the mornings are crisp, and the smell of burning leaves is in the air. Some days I just stand on my back step and breathe deeply of the scents of this season I love so much.

With the start of autumn comes a myriad of opportunities to work hands-on science activities into your homeschool plans. I've written about my passion for both science and the fall season in a previous blog entry, so I don't want to repeat what I shared there. But if you're looking for some great science projects for the start of your school year, you may want to check out that post for some ideas.

This week I saw some adorable pictures from a friend of mine who had taken her children apple picking. It brought back wonderful memories from when our family had done the same. Even if you don't live in the heart of apple country as I do, there are some creative projects you and your children can do with this favorite fruit.

One fun way to build apples into your studies is to begin by reading Johnny Appleseed: The Story of a Legend. The story of this famous American makes for wonderful discussion about finding your passion and pursuing it. John Chapman spent more than 40 years traveling around and sharing his passion to encourage the people he met. You can celebrate his birthday (September 26th) by baking some apple crisp, or an apple pie, and sharing apple-focused activities.

The web is full of great ideas for hands-on projects tied to Johnny Appleseed. Here are just a few that I think would be great fun ...

Johnny Appleseed printables from about.com are great for older children.
A printable booklet for younger children with puzzles and coloring pages by Enchanted Learning
An apple beaded safety pin craft recommended for children ages 6 and up
Apple cinnamon dough was always one of my favorites. And it makes your house smell wonderful!
A shameless link to one of our most favorite apple dishes ... Crunchy Apple Dessert How can you go wrong with apples, cinnamon and ice cream?!

One of the greatest benefits of homeschooling is the freedom to focus on a topic and pursue it as far as your imagination will take you. In the process, not only do your children learn, but you build some wonderful memories together as a family. So don't let my favorite season go by without capitalizing on all it has to offer your homeschool.

Still on the journey . . .
~Judy Wnuk

P.S. - If you're looking for some other projects to pursue, be sure to check out Sonlight's Pinterest page. Karla has created an apple board full of other fun activities you can explore with your students.

Tagged apples, fall, Johnny Appleseed, science | Leave a comment

Sep. 24, 2014

Personal "Liberation" as Seen by History

By Luke

I was basically ignorant of Kate Millett until I read her sister's account of the impacts of Kate's ideas and problems.

Hat Tip
Ken Chapman

I've had a few of "my kids" take Women's Studies classes. If I recall their tales correctly, the material was laughable if not frustrating. One such course was taught -- unironically, apparently -- by a dude. Thankfully, these young ladies did not emerge from such courses feeling a need to be "liberated" in the ways described in the article above.*

I feel, however, that Women's Mission Societies were hipsters, finding liberation before it was cool (and twisted by extreme feminist ideology). Inspired by the Gospel, these women rose up and made an overwhelmingly positive impact on the world. They found freedom in following Christ wherever He led ... even if that was halfway around the world without the help of men.

These were the biographies I grew up with in Sonlight. The first woman who came to mind was Gladys Aylward; she was my age when Kate was born. But the difference between their two lives is staggering.

Fight the Man vs Love your neighbor

As I thought about the controversy and very raw statements made by Kate's sisters (see their comments on page 2 of this LA Times article), Mother Teresa came to mind. Why? Because of Christopher Hitchens. The research surrounding his accusations against her are rebutted here. But even if a woman who devoted her life to caring for the dying was imperfect -- who of us is? -- what should be said of someone dedicated to promoting prostitution and the destruction of the American family?

Personal liberation is a difficult thing. Christianity teaches us that we are slaves to sin until we find freedom in Christ. But, at that time, we are then in Christ and no longer our own. This certainly sounds like a highly repressive form of bondage to someone outside the faith.

History allows us to see, first hand, how God uses ordinary people to change the world. We're imperfect. But we can still follow Christ's example to reach outward.

The more I read about Kate and the absurdly devastating ideas she championed, the more I think of virtue. I love how Sonlight teaches virtue; look back on history and consider what's been done.

Who are our heroes? Whom do we aspire to be like?

Me? I want I be like Christ, willing to lay aside my own inflated sense of "liberation" to find true freedom in walking with my Lord. The women (and men) I met using Sonlight's homeschool curriculum helped me see real-life examples of what that looks like.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Pseudo-Dad

* I don't like fearmongering. Know your children and you'll be able to encourage them down paths that are going to benefit them ... even if that is to attend a State University.

Tagged biographies, freedom, history, ideas, missionaries | 2 Comments

Sep. 23, 2014

Finding a Balance

By Karla

As many families are starting the school year and starting to get into a routine, the questions for the Sonlight Advisor team change from "choosing" to "using." Many of them are quick and easy, such as "Where can I find the maps?" or "When do we use this item?" Others are more complex, based on the individual family's situation.

One mom I talked to recently is using two Core packages with her three children. She was feeling overwhelmed, and explained that they just couldn't seem to get everything done every day. I encouraged her to not feel obligated to do every assignment in the Instructor's Guide and to even skip a book now and then if they needed to. She said she had already cut everything back to the bare minimum but they were struggling to get even that much done. As we continued to talk, she began to list the various activities her children were involved in each afternoon... music, dance, sports. They absolutely had to be finished with school by noon to fit all those things in. The mom had made a careful schedule before the school year started, but it just didn't seem to be working out the way she had planned.

I was reminded of the year I tried something similar. I was sure that we could get all our academic work done by lunch time, and then each afternoon we could be involved in a fun, social-type activity outside the home.

Yeah, it didn't work out very well for me either.

By mid-year I learned the hard way that there is such a thing as over-scheduling. I nearly made myself crazy trying to keep up with everything. It was a difficult decision, but I ended up cutting out most of our outside activities and focusing more on our at-home learning. I was surprised to discover how much more relaxed we were, and how much more we actually were able to get done.

Based on my own experience, I suggested to the mom who had called for help that perhaps she needed to consider dropping some of their afternoon programs. Obviously, they are all good things, but there's just no way any of us can fit in everything we would like to do.

It truly comes down to a matter of priorities. It's a fine balancing act to do as much as you have time for, without overdoing. It seems like that's an ongoing lesson that we continue to learn throughout our lives.

Enjoying the adventure,
~Karla Cook
Lifelong Learner

Tagged extracurricular, priorities, schedule, Time Management | Leave a comment

Sep. 22, 2014

Mercies New Every Morning

By Luke

The rain splattered and slid, tiny cold liquid jewels against the window. Their presence this morning echoed a moment a couple evenings ago, riding cramped in the backseat as a teen drove us to grab a bite to eat. The rain was harder then. The windows fogged. The car lurched over each bump, overburdened by the three adults in the back. This made her already jittery driving more sporadic.

"I'm a good driver!" she insisted. Then she slammed on her brakes. I'm confident she hadn't noticed the approaching stop. I half expected one of my fellow passengers to leap at the chance to escape and brave the inclement weather instead.

As we accelerated again, our impromptu chauffeur became philosophical. "I imagine rain as the earth washing away the manure of life." She, of course, did not use the word "manure" as she's prone to sling swear words like a pan of bacon spits grease. She attends high school, after all.

We made it home without incident. The rain had letup by then. This is Colorado.

Christ refers to rain as an example of God's grace poured out on everyone (Matthew 5:43-45). It's a reminder, in a way, of the one thing that can wash clean the mess we've made of ourselves. But it's His blood that washes us; it's His redemption that works with the wreckage around us.

So this morning, overcast and dreary, I watched the ran cling to the pane of glass shielding me from the storm. It's a good reminder that no matter how bad things were yesterday -- or five minutes ago -- His mercies are new every morning. Indeed, His grace is sufficient every moment.

Rain

May you rest in that that today.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Pseudo-Dad

Tagged common grace | Leave a comment

Sep. 16, 2014

More Than Just Good Enough

By Jonelle

I fight boxes that seek to define. I try to stay outside "the mold." I actively work to not keep up with any Joneses. And I seek to encourage my children to be who they are, not who I think they should be.

A lot of this stems from the way I was raised growing up homeschooled with Sonlight. My mom will have to be the one to explain how she did it.

Through the years I did band and karate, AWANA and swimming. I practiced and memorized. Some things I was good at, others not so much. "You swim because you love it," was my mom's refrain, not because I was successful and could win. I never was told, encouraged, or pushed to "be better," "try harder."

So, this is what I fight in my generation of parenting: the urge to put my kids in everything so that they will have the best chance of success. The urge to panic when they appear behind in one aspect of life or school. The urge to compare.

My children are who they are. They are created in God's image; they are their own people. They have different skills than I do, and each other. As they grow they will succeed with ease at some things and likely never master other skills in life. And that is more than okay.

That does not make them behind. It doesn't make me a bad teacher. It doesn't make them failures at life or mean I've held them back from the greatness they could become. Being who they are is more than good enough.

My Chaotic and Blessed Life

I sit at the pool and listen to a mom worry about her 11 month old not walking and her fear that he is failing. To this mom I want to say, "Look at your son! He is fine. He is just taking his time. He is moving and growing and being loved and held. He will walk when he's ready."

I compliment a mom about how cute her 2 year old daughter's voice is when she says big words and hear a smug, "Yes, she's very advanced." To this mom I want to say, "This was not a comparison! This is not a critique of every other 2 year old! Your daughter is cute; enjoy that, but that doesn't mean every other 2 year old saying 'jjs' or 'tomputer' is somehow less."

I want to combat our society that pits our children against one another -- that has standards and tests and rankings for every stage, and event, and thing our children do. Teach them as we go, yes. Have them "win" at walking, and talking, and color recognition, and ballet, and math, and reading level ... no.

My children are more than good enough. The education I'm giving them is more than good enough. Their childhood -- the love they are getting, the experience (albeit lots of playing) -- is more than good enough.

They will be great in their own right because they are who they are, not because I've forced them.

Until next time,
Jonelle

P.S. Speaking of children, we've added our 4th! Our first son, Jackson. He came by scheduled c-section and was our first with no complications. As his name means, God certainly has been gracious. Thank you all for your prayers. We are loving this season.

Tagged children, milestone, skills | 4 Comments

Sep. 15, 2014

The Apocalypse and Time with Your Kids

By Luke

As a film guy, I like movies. I recently watched yet another apocalyptic film. I think it shed some light on what's behind the comment, "I could never spend all day with my kids!" You ready for this?

The movie isn't important. The setting is a little semi-self-sustaining cottage in the mountains run by a hippy and his wife. The "end of the world" happens when a computer thing goes batty, and now the house is full of six frenemies whose history and future provide the backdrop for the unfolding drama. We learn all about their past issues and current differences. Relationships form and others shatter. The close proximity, the stress of the situation, and the lack of connection and trust make certain interactions incredibly abrasive.

You've experienced that, right? In your homeschool, especially if you've "brought your kids home" after having them in school for a while, there's a certain tension. In many ways, you have catching up to do with your kids. I've detailed my own experiences with this when we had the girls for 9-months. I am all too aware of how close proximity, stressful situations, and a lack of connection and trust makes things abrasively miserable.

The End of the World?

But the movie doesn't end there. Neither should we.

By the end of the film, a new fledgling community has sprouted. People work together. Grace has been extended and accepted. Smoke still billows in the distance, but the freshly tilled earth, the laughter of children, and the beauty of friendships shines across the screen.

So, yes, sometimes homeschooling can feel like an apocalypse. There are periods where we feel trapped by the work and uncomfortably close. But what we're building is, literally, the future of humanity. And for all the struggle, it's beautiful in the end.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Pseudo-Dad

Anna's post But I Can't be with My Children All Day Long Every Day! inspired this one. Check it out.

Tagged children, Encouragement, family, relationships | Leave a comment

Sep. 12, 2014

Interruptions

By Luke

"A scramble." I assume that's an adequate description of some of your days -- maybe every day is a scramble. There is much to do in daily life, and you've added "teach my children" to the list. It's no wonder things can get a little hectic now and then.

'Now and then? You clearly haven't been to my house, Luke.'

True. The point remains: You're busy.

And then one of your kids does something that completely derails you and stops you in your tracks, like Tanya's little guy who stopped to admire a sprinkler. (Click the link. It's a brief and very nice story!)

Years ago, someone shared a story about running late and, while driving up to the train tracks, was asked by her son, "Can we stop and watch the train?" Confused, she said, "But there isn't a train right now."

"I know," he replied. "Can we wait for one?"

(I wish I knew which blog this came from; Google has failed me. If you recognize your story, or the blog from whence it came, please let me know so I can add some link-love!)

Train Waiting

What makes these interruptions so important -- and causes us to pause and consider -- is that they remind us of something. These aren't the annoyances of traffic or diaper blowouts. These are genuine glimpses of humanity that shift our focus to the people for whom we do all this crazy amount of work. These serendipitous breaks from routine let us see, once again, that our children are here and part of this madness. In the activity, we can lose sight of them. But without them we wouldn't be doing this.

Enjoy the interruptions. Relish the reminders. You're a mom -- or dad -- and all this work is for your kids and totally worth it. The occasional interruption is a blessing from God.

Have a great day; may you find encouragement in the scramble.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Pseudo-Dad

Tagged activities, children, schedule, Time Management | 2 Comments

It's fall ... and apples are in the air!

Personal "Liberation" as Seen by History

Finding a Balance

Mercies New Every Morning

More Than Just Good Enough

The Apocalypse and Time with Your Kids

Interruptions

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