Photo by Murray Barnes Balance is a continual process. In order to stay balanced, we must be constantly shifting and adapting to even small changes in the environment or situation. When something changes, we must also change in order to maintain our balance. If we don't, then not only do we lose our previous balance, but... Continue Reading →
When I first heard of Katrina Kenison's book, Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry, I mentally brushed it off. With such a title, I expected the book to proselytize religious beliefs. When the book showed up in my mailbox from the publisher, I picked it up with apprehension, and found I was... Continue Reading →
If I could only recommend one book about homeschooling to someone, it would be Laura Grace Weldon's Free Range Learning: How Homeschooling Changes Everything. There is something for everyone in this book, whether a homeschooling veteran or someone who is contemplating whether or not to homeschool their children. While the book is unschooling-lite, families of all styles will... Continue Reading →
Photo by Benjamin GrayThere is something magical about band-aids, as any parent can tell you. When our children cut or scrape themselves, a band-aid seems to make it all feel better. It's not really the bandage, of course. The fact that we take the time to listen to our child's woes is what really matters.... Continue Reading →
Photo by Paul AloeWith each new sunrise, we are given a fresh new day. With this renewal comes fresh opportunities to savor ourselves, our loved ones, and the world around house. Morning is a sacred time, as we awaken and ground ourselves in the new day. As such, we can set the tone for the... Continue Reading →
You've heard about those people who homeschool their children...the ones who keep their children locked up in the basement at all hours of the day, removed from the dangers of other people and radical thoughts. You can tell these kids from the normal ones, the ones who attend public school, be their great lack of social... Continue Reading →
Photo by Justin LoweryI've often heard parents rationalizing punishments and rewards by citing the real world. When the kids grow up, they'll be in the real world. In the real world, they'll have to get a job and then, they had better be prepared. Punishments and rewards are everywhere, in the real world. This misses a... Continue Reading →
C.D. Shelton attempted to write an inspirational book for children with A Kid's Guide to Being a Winner. I can't help but feel that the author missed the mark with this. Certainly, concepts such as respect, thoughtfulness, gratitude, responsibility, and a positive attitude are beneficial to promoting a peaceful society. However, Shelton has focused on these principles... Continue Reading →
Behavioral training uses punishments and rewards in order to extract desired behaviors from the subject in question. Numerous studies support that the use of punishment in children, regardless of whether or not the punishment is physical in nature, has detrimental effects. Besides dissolving the connection between parent and child, punishments do not help the child to do better... Continue Reading →
It was one of those idealistic parenting moments. I was in the kitchen washing dishes, and all four of my children were happily playing together in the living room. The game of the moment was a pirate one, and there were plenty of giggles amidst the "Arghs." In one of my glances, I saw my eight... Continue Reading →
living peacefully with children 