I got this in a forward a week ago:
My two youngest have watched the Mathtacular DVDs 1 and 2 over and over. Well, the new 3rd edition came out so I immediately ordered it as they are wonderful supplements to any math curriculum. Christmas came and the children received a Wii from Grandma and Grandpa but what do my two youngest enjoy most and actually choose to do over the Wii - watch Justin!!!!
Fantastic! I'm glad that my children are more interested in MathTacular than the "amusement box."
THANK YOU.
Heidi F.
I must admit that every time I hear things like this I find them hard to believe. It floors me that I have been involved in producing content that is the "favorite movie" of kids all around the world. "My" DVD can bring more joy than Nintendo?
Several years ago, right out of film school, I planned to produce movies that would impact viewers worldwide. Toward this end I started my own production company. It never went anywhere. And so after a year of struggling to find clients I gave up.
That started me producing media almost exclusively for Sonlight. Sure, I was making educational videos, but my dream had died. Everything I had worked toward had fallen through.
Today, for the first time, I finally put two and two together:
I've produced media that have impacted children worldwide.
So, in a sense, my dream came true--yes, I know, I'm dense because I didn't realize this sooner. But my dream didn't come true in the way I expected at all. The same is true, I believe, of our adoption journey: We expected to get pregnant, but didn't. Now we are on a path to another way for that dream to come true.
It hasn't been easy. It isn't easy now.
But it's good.
So what's better than a Wii?
Well, the MathTacular DVDs are one of those things.
But more than that: The profoundly odd way that life so often turns so that tragedy becomes a dream come true.
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father
Karen, I'll freely admit that seeing pictures of cute little kids often makes me say, "I want my kids!" Although, I don't think it throws me off my groove too much normally. <smile>
~Luke
Way to go Luke! I might just have to look into those :)
Luke ~ It was probably the cute girl toddler top that opened the post. It threw you off. :)
Terri, sometimes cliches are true <smile>. And I'm glad you family loves the DVDs (especially the Outtakes). There's one more in the works, but I don't know when we'll have time to get it all finalized...
Karen, so I have! I must admit: The first time I saw that post my eyes glazed over. Must be all that blogging is killing my attention span <laughing>.
Mideastmom, actually, I love the Outtakes. I put them together and they still crack me up. I'm really glad others enjoy them too <smile>.
Heather, thank you so much! Glad your family finds the DVD enjoyable and informative.
~Luke
My kids love the 3 Mathtacular DVDs we have. Even the toddler will sit and watch for short periods of time. You've done a good job.
Yeah, I hope it doesn't get you down to know that the outtakes are by far the most popular parts at my house, too. :-)
Ah! You've been repurposed. That's fantastic.
It's so true -- I can look back at all of the tragedies and disasters in my life and see how they perfectly primed the pump, so to speak, of what came later. The old "God doesn't close a door without opening another" cliche in action.
And, I must say, you, Justin and Amber (and Ike!) are pretty much celebrities at our house. If my oldest (girl, just turned 5) as a treat can choose whatever she would like to do, it's either Mathtacular 1 or 2, or Discover and Do K or 1. (She is a particular fan of the outtakes. Definitely keep those coming. Heh.)