Many people are saying that 2016 was cursed because we lost so many beloved celebrities, and even though it did have some lows for my family too, it wasn't all bad. The ending of a year is a good time for reflection and thinking of the future. So, here is my family's 2016 year in review.
Our family had a lot of adventures...
We went to many places in England-Africa Alive! Safari Park, Colchester Zoo, Church Farm, the Anglo Saxon Village, High Lodge in Thetford Forest, beaches in Norfolk, the Royal Family's Sandringham Estate including apple picking in the Queen's Orchard, and trips to London, Cambridge, and many small villages. We also attended festivals and events in our local area.
Separation...
We survived another "business trip" of Hero's.
A Dream Vacation...
Little Man and I went to Paris! The whole trip was like a vivid dream. Growing up below the poverty line, I thought that I might only ever see Paris in books. Even just 5 years ago when my son was born, we were going through such a rough time and struggling to survive each day. I felt such a depth of gratitude for us both being able to have that experience. We walked the streets and explored the famous landmarks of Paris. I got by speaking what little French I could. (I learned in elementary school, but it has nearly disappeared in my study of English and Spanish.) I noticed it helped us get better deals than English-only tourists, especially when buying from food trucks or farmer's markets. We took a tour boat down the river. French food deserves its good reputation! We mostly ate from food trucks and recommendations from locals instead of the overpriced, lower quality restaurants crowding the main tourist areas. It was truly amazing seeing the "Mona Lisa" and other masterpieces in the Louvre! (Thank God they had free strollers!) Every major tourist attraction stop was accompanied by something kid-friendly-a carousel, playgrounds, a caricature artist or street performer, and toy shops. We stayed in a room in a French family's home. I made sure to find a place with many positive reviews and a "Superhost" rating on Airbnb, and we weren't disappointed. A French grandma was our host, and she loved Little Man and gave him some sweets when we checked out. My son has begged to go back ever since, and we're hoping Hero will go with us again this year or the next.
Medical Issues...
Official diagnoses were finally made for health problems I have had for years, including a congenital genetic disorder. Those enabled me to get proper treatments. Healing and progress aren't always linear. So, we did have to go through some deep lows in this journey, but it's good to be able to move forward instead of spinning my wheels. I'm so thankful to have a supportive husband to help us get through it all.
Gardening...
Little Man and I also had a little garden again this year! It turned out pretty well. LM was especially proud of the sunflowers he grew from seeds and transplanted into the beds.
Schooling Changes...
There was big change in our son's schooling. He completed his first year of full time schooling in British Reception. He was one of the youngest in his class (if not the youngest), but he did well. After the summer break, we switched to home educating. So far it has proven to be a much better fit for our family. We participate in a large weekly co-op where parents take turns teaching the classes and organizing social events. I'm also in leadership for a mother's ministry, and the kids get to enjoy being together during our meetings too.
Earning A Little Extra...
I used my arts and crafts hobbies to earn a little extra money for our family. It wasn't much money, but it challenged me to better my skills. I made hand painted home décor items and shoes. I don't think I will be able to make into a full fledged business though until we're back in America. So, this is more like good practice. Seeing families happy about having something unique and meaningful that I was able to create for them is also rewarding.
A Wedding...
Our whole family was able to travel this summer to the States for my younger sister's wedding. She looked like a Disney princess, and I was happy to hear that she also started college soon after the wedding. We were able to spend time with all of my siblings and my mom-a rare privilege. Little Man met his cousin and my brother for the first time and hung out with family he usually only sees in pictures. They showed us around the beautiful landscape and took us out to eat delicious local food. I'm grateful we all had that time together.
So much happened that was unexpected this year. I have many hopes and maybe some surprise announcements for 2017!
I would love to hear your highlights from 2016 in the comments below! Happy New Year!!
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
10 Reasons Why to Homeschool
That's right! Our homeschool will officially be opening this Autumn! Our whole family is very excited, and I have been researching into the late hours many a night and sharing those findings with my husband.
Our son is currently enrolled in British Reception. Starting at the age of 3 years old, British children attend Nursery (which was similar to American preschool) for a government funded 15 hours a week. Then the school year following their 4th birthday, they start attending Reception full time (roughly 7 hours/day and 5 days/week September-July). As you may have guessed, Reception is similar to American Kindergarten, but their curriculum seems much more advanced compared to the American public school I was working in prior to moving here. Another difference is that their schools seem to divide their breaks up throughout the year rather than having as long of a summer break as most American schools. Also, there is no such thing as the "separation of church and state" here. So, my son's school, like many in the UK, is affiliated with the Church of England (which is very similar to Catholicism from what I understand). I digress.
At the end of this school year, we will have to give a formal notification of our intent to home educate him, and an official will likely follow up with us to discuss our plans and maybe even occasionally check to verify we are still home educating.
I intend to write more posts as we go along on this new adventure in homeschooling. So, I decided to address the first topic many people want to ask us about when they hear the news. "WHY?"
Our main reasons and focus for our desire to home educate is positive and has more to do with our unique family needs. However, I will talk about some of those negative "side effects" if you will of modern government funded schools.
Disclaimers: I do want to stop right here and say that I do NOT think that homeschooling is for every family. Some people think that it is, but I can think of various family circumstances in which it wouldn't be the best choice. Each family should research for themselves and come to a decision together on what best suits their unique set of needs. Certain barriers are simply misconceptions; others are genuine reasons not to choose this path. My excitement about our new journey is not a judgement of yours. We also have a great deal of respect for professional educators who strive for excellence. Teaching a classroom of thirty kids from many different backgrounds, levels of abilities, etc. is different in many ways from a parent educating their own child or children. A degree in education is very valuable in managing a classroom. It can be helpful, but it isn't necessary for a home educator. Our choice is not an insult to the very praiseworthy work of many teachers. It is simply what we believe to be best for us.
Reasons Why:
1. Educating our son will allow him to have more time with his daddy. My husband has an ever changing work schedule, and there are times when he is working 12 hour shifts or gets sent off to other places. My husband's work holidays and our son's school holidays don't match up often. By educating Little Man ourselves, we can adjust our school schedule where needed to better compliment Hero's work schedule resulting in more time together. (Today, LM had tears rolling down his face crying for daddy because he was at school while Hero was at home, and his daddy left for work before he got home.) We also won't have to worry about taking off a day from school on the times we have to drop his daddy off for a business trip. We can catch up on a day the other children would be off.
2. Little Man won't have holes in his education because of sick days or doctor's appointments. Unfortunately, he has some health issues that make the usual childhood illnesses more difficult than average to recover from. His average classmate might be out of school with one sickness for a few days. That same sickness might cause Little Man to be out for a week or more and require a trip to the Emergency Room or the pediatrician's office. He also gets sick a lot more often. His doctor is hoping that he will grow out of this tendency. Here recently, we also found out that he will require even more specialists because he inherited my genetic connective tissue disorder. One symptom me and my son share is hyper-mobility which causes injuries due to a lack of stability. Starting next week, we both will be making regular trips to the physical therapist in another city. We both also have to go to other specialists including a cardiologist, an optometrist, and the dentist, and of course, most of those specialists are at least a 30-45 minute drive from home. The great thing about homeschooling is if he is running a fever but still wants to do schoolwork, he can. We can do lessons from anywhere, even if that means his bed, a hospital room, a doctor's waiting room, or the car. Again, there is also the option of an altered schedule.
3. Travel! We are only living here in the UK temporarily, and we are so close to the rest of Europe. I plan to teach LM about famous artists. A part of that lesson plan can be a weekend field trip to the Louvre and the Orsay in France! Want to practice your Spanish language skills and learn more about the culture? Let's plan a field trip to a festival in Spain! Even just within the UK, there are so many educational places to visit- castles, museums, landmarks, etc. What an amazing opportunity! During the school holidays, airlines and trains and attractions often raise their prices due to higher demand. Travelling during term will allow us to afford more trips.
4. Lesson plans can be adjusted to his specific needs. There is no way a public school teacher can adjust a lesson plan to fit each individual child and still accomplish the objectives set out by the government. Children who are advanced might get bored while others get left behind. In our home, the student to teacher ratio will be unbeatable! One to two teachers for one child. If he masters a part of his studies quickly, we can move on to the next level, and if he's struggling with something, we can work on it until he gets it. If we find his interest is sparked by one subject, we have the flexibility to dig deeper before moving to the next topic. We can also seek out experts. There are some amazing universities here in the UK, and I'm sure a professor or student would be willing to answer more in depth questions. In fact, they sometimes plan activities for children or open up resources to the public.
5. More time to play! Dr. Maria Montessori said, "Play is the work of the child." It is so important for healthy child development and learning. Homeschooling lessons, especially with just one child, don't take as long to complete as they do in school. A lot of the public school day is spent on class management. The teacher has to stop everything for bathroom breaks, fights, sending a student to the principal, confiscating cell phones, intercom announcements, and many other disruptions. The students line up to go to lunch, recess, and the bathroom. For P.E., a large group of kids have to change into and out of gym clothes. It all chips away at the time for education and the leftover free time to play. Young kids are expected to sit in desks all day and work on worksheets and take tests, but that is not developmentally appropriate nor is it the best way for them to learn.
When I was homeschooled, I was often able to complete all of my lessons before noon. I was still doing just as much (if not more) actual schoolwork as my peers, and every time I went back to school, I was ahead of others my age and made good grades. Even with five siblings, there were fewer disruptions in our home education. Afterwards, we were free to meet up with other homeschoolers or go explore outside or play with Barbies and G.I. Joes.
I highly recommend reading a book I'm currently rereading: Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. In it he coins the term "nature deficit" to describe how the human body needs time outdoors in nature. I could write a whole post on this one alone, but go read that book, limit your kids screen time, and make them play outside like kids used to do! It is an actual need.
6. Socialization. I know. What? Homeschoolers often refer to socialization as "the S-word" because there are so many misconceptions surrounding home educating. I mean, look at the word "homeschool" or the words "home educate". Doesn't that mean you close your family up in your home? No! I can promise you we won't be doing that. There are several homeschooling groups in the area that meet for activites like field trips. He goes to swim lessons every week. We plan to attend a children's virtues class once a month and plan playdates. We also live within walking distance of a well visited playground. But social interaction doesn't just have to be with a child's peers. The ultimate goal is prepare them to be self sufficient, right? That means he needs to learn how to socialize with people of all ages. We plan on becoming well acquainted with librarians and farmers! I also babysit occasionally, and he gets to practice being a big brother. (We hope to adopt in a few years.) Volunteerism will a part of his education too.
Right now, he is in school all day. Most of his time is spent with kids his own age, and not all of it has been good. He has been bullied all year by another child. Not just verbal attacks...This kid goes for the face. The bully likes to dig his fingernails into my son's face, bash his head into my son's, punch him, and push him off of things. And if my son yells or defends himself in any way? He gets in trouble. Myself and other parents have tried numerous ways of resolving this issue to no avail. (And for all the people who think that kids should have a to endure bullying in order to toughen them up, please tell me what would happen to a person who even once physically attacked you in your workplace? Oh, that's right. They could go to jail for assault. Even verbal abuse can get you fired.) Another child repeatedly encourages all the other 4-6 year old children to go home and call their parents "f***ing s***". Great...
Although we're in the UK for now, it won't be long before we're moving back to the States...Look at the headlines today about issues in American public schools. School shootings-even in elementary schools. Threats. Bullies beating their victims to death or pushing them towards suicide. Teenage pregnancy rates rising. Coaches turning out to be pedophiles. Childhood mental illness increasing while recess times are shortened. High school boys sexually assault a teen girl and put their video of it online for the world to see...I realize that you can have good experiences in public school and not come out crazy, but please don't try to tell me that sending my kid off to a school is the only way to make him into a well rounded, social person.
7. Stability in education. Hero's job makes us move a lot. Our last home, we were only there for a year before we were sent to live overseas. In a couple of years, we will probably be moving back to the States. Once we're there, we never know when or where we'll go next. By home educating our son, his teachers will stay the same. His education will stay tailor made to fit his needs. If we're in the middle of a move, we won't have to stress about all the school days he'll miss or about switching schools. Some subjects, like math for example, need to be learned in steps, and not all schools are working on the same steps at the same time. So, when you switch, it can really trip you up and make things difficult. (Personal experience speaking there.)
8. Quality education. The job locations for Hero's work aren't always in ideal locations when it comes to the quality of the surrounding schools. At our last place, I worked in the local public schools, and they were really suffering due to a lack of funding. My friend actually received a letter from her child's school there saying they were failing her child and there was nothing they could do about it. Private schools aren't always available or affordable. For less than the cost of sending him to one, we can educate him ourselves and join the local homeschooling group.
9. I have a lot of experience, and I love kids! I'm the second oldest of 6 children, and we went back and forth between homeschooling and public schooling. I often helped my mom with the younger kids, and she shared with me many of the things she learned in earning her Masters in Education. I have many hours of babysitting under my belt as well. I even helped care for a girl with severe cerebral palsy as a full time job as a teenager. I took courses on child development and early childhood professions which included internships in an infant room and in an elementary ESL room. I taught many different groups: early years in Sunday School, youth groups, private Christian Pre-K, younger homeschoolers, adult ESL classes for Spanish speakers, and Baha'i children's virtues classes and devotionals. I also did work as a one-on-one support to children with special needs in the community and in the public schools. (My main child was a young boy with severe autism who I miss a lot.) (I used to work and volunteer long hours outside my home before having Little Man. Now, I started my own home business.) I found that I work best with one child or a small group of children, and I am passionate about education. Note: I still have a lot to learn, and I really appreciate any positive mentors or supporters!
10. Researching is my hobby! You could attribute it to my mom accomplishing her goal of creating lifelong learners and readers. I'm slowly working on a degree, but I also like to say that I'm "self-educating". I like to read a lot of non-fiction. I have read stacks of books on child development, health, and education. I never feel at home in a new location without a local library card. My husband and I also love watching documentaries. If I'm interested in a topic, I research every detail and angle I can find. Pinterest is like the perfect trap for me because of that love of research and a leaning toward being a visual learner. There is a whole lingo that I'm learning for modern homeschooling and so many methods and ideas in which to delve deeper. Right now, I'm fascinated with everything Montessori, Waldorf, a secular take on Charlotte Mason, education reform, homeschool organization, Spanish immersion, and LEGO lesson plans! I gave myself a good amount of summer reading to help us prepare. I have also been talking more to the local librarians and memorizing sections of shelving and skimming pages of books to use in our curriculum. A willingness to learn is key to becoming a successful teacher!
Each year, I plan to do a family evaluation to see how we are progressing and whether or not this is still a good fit for us. We are all very excited to start this journey and share with all of you along the way!
~LadyH
Reader Response
1. If you homeschool, what are some of your reasons why? What are some questions your family is frequently asked?
2. If you don't homeschool, did this post answer any questions about those of us who do? Do you have any other questions? (Please be kind.)
Our son is currently enrolled in British Reception. Starting at the age of 3 years old, British children attend Nursery (which was similar to American preschool) for a government funded 15 hours a week. Then the school year following their 4th birthday, they start attending Reception full time (roughly 7 hours/day and 5 days/week September-July). As you may have guessed, Reception is similar to American Kindergarten, but their curriculum seems much more advanced compared to the American public school I was working in prior to moving here. Another difference is that their schools seem to divide their breaks up throughout the year rather than having as long of a summer break as most American schools. Also, there is no such thing as the "separation of church and state" here. So, my son's school, like many in the UK, is affiliated with the Church of England (which is very similar to Catholicism from what I understand). I digress.
At the end of this school year, we will have to give a formal notification of our intent to home educate him, and an official will likely follow up with us to discuss our plans and maybe even occasionally check to verify we are still home educating.
I intend to write more posts as we go along on this new adventure in homeschooling. So, I decided to address the first topic many people want to ask us about when they hear the news. "WHY?"
Our main reasons and focus for our desire to home educate is positive and has more to do with our unique family needs. However, I will talk about some of those negative "side effects" if you will of modern government funded schools.
Disclaimers: I do want to stop right here and say that I do NOT think that homeschooling is for every family. Some people think that it is, but I can think of various family circumstances in which it wouldn't be the best choice. Each family should research for themselves and come to a decision together on what best suits their unique set of needs. Certain barriers are simply misconceptions; others are genuine reasons not to choose this path. My excitement about our new journey is not a judgement of yours. We also have a great deal of respect for professional educators who strive for excellence. Teaching a classroom of thirty kids from many different backgrounds, levels of abilities, etc. is different in many ways from a parent educating their own child or children. A degree in education is very valuable in managing a classroom. It can be helpful, but it isn't necessary for a home educator. Our choice is not an insult to the very praiseworthy work of many teachers. It is simply what we believe to be best for us.
Reasons Why:
1. Educating our son will allow him to have more time with his daddy. My husband has an ever changing work schedule, and there are times when he is working 12 hour shifts or gets sent off to other places. My husband's work holidays and our son's school holidays don't match up often. By educating Little Man ourselves, we can adjust our school schedule where needed to better compliment Hero's work schedule resulting in more time together. (Today, LM had tears rolling down his face crying for daddy because he was at school while Hero was at home, and his daddy left for work before he got home.) We also won't have to worry about taking off a day from school on the times we have to drop his daddy off for a business trip. We can catch up on a day the other children would be off.
2. Little Man won't have holes in his education because of sick days or doctor's appointments. Unfortunately, he has some health issues that make the usual childhood illnesses more difficult than average to recover from. His average classmate might be out of school with one sickness for a few days. That same sickness might cause Little Man to be out for a week or more and require a trip to the Emergency Room or the pediatrician's office. He also gets sick a lot more often. His doctor is hoping that he will grow out of this tendency. Here recently, we also found out that he will require even more specialists because he inherited my genetic connective tissue disorder. One symptom me and my son share is hyper-mobility which causes injuries due to a lack of stability. Starting next week, we both will be making regular trips to the physical therapist in another city. We both also have to go to other specialists including a cardiologist, an optometrist, and the dentist, and of course, most of those specialists are at least a 30-45 minute drive from home. The great thing about homeschooling is if he is running a fever but still wants to do schoolwork, he can. We can do lessons from anywhere, even if that means his bed, a hospital room, a doctor's waiting room, or the car. Again, there is also the option of an altered schedule.
3. Travel! We are only living here in the UK temporarily, and we are so close to the rest of Europe. I plan to teach LM about famous artists. A part of that lesson plan can be a weekend field trip to the Louvre and the Orsay in France! Want to practice your Spanish language skills and learn more about the culture? Let's plan a field trip to a festival in Spain! Even just within the UK, there are so many educational places to visit- castles, museums, landmarks, etc. What an amazing opportunity! During the school holidays, airlines and trains and attractions often raise their prices due to higher demand. Travelling during term will allow us to afford more trips.
4. Lesson plans can be adjusted to his specific needs. There is no way a public school teacher can adjust a lesson plan to fit each individual child and still accomplish the objectives set out by the government. Children who are advanced might get bored while others get left behind. In our home, the student to teacher ratio will be unbeatable! One to two teachers for one child. If he masters a part of his studies quickly, we can move on to the next level, and if he's struggling with something, we can work on it until he gets it. If we find his interest is sparked by one subject, we have the flexibility to dig deeper before moving to the next topic. We can also seek out experts. There are some amazing universities here in the UK, and I'm sure a professor or student would be willing to answer more in depth questions. In fact, they sometimes plan activities for children or open up resources to the public.
5. More time to play! Dr. Maria Montessori said, "Play is the work of the child." It is so important for healthy child development and learning. Homeschooling lessons, especially with just one child, don't take as long to complete as they do in school. A lot of the public school day is spent on class management. The teacher has to stop everything for bathroom breaks, fights, sending a student to the principal, confiscating cell phones, intercom announcements, and many other disruptions. The students line up to go to lunch, recess, and the bathroom. For P.E., a large group of kids have to change into and out of gym clothes. It all chips away at the time for education and the leftover free time to play. Young kids are expected to sit in desks all day and work on worksheets and take tests, but that is not developmentally appropriate nor is it the best way for them to learn.
When I was homeschooled, I was often able to complete all of my lessons before noon. I was still doing just as much (if not more) actual schoolwork as my peers, and every time I went back to school, I was ahead of others my age and made good grades. Even with five siblings, there were fewer disruptions in our home education. Afterwards, we were free to meet up with other homeschoolers or go explore outside or play with Barbies and G.I. Joes.
I highly recommend reading a book I'm currently rereading: Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. In it he coins the term "nature deficit" to describe how the human body needs time outdoors in nature. I could write a whole post on this one alone, but go read that book, limit your kids screen time, and make them play outside like kids used to do! It is an actual need.
6. Socialization. I know. What? Homeschoolers often refer to socialization as "the S-word" because there are so many misconceptions surrounding home educating. I mean, look at the word "homeschool" or the words "home educate". Doesn't that mean you close your family up in your home? No! I can promise you we won't be doing that. There are several homeschooling groups in the area that meet for activites like field trips. He goes to swim lessons every week. We plan to attend a children's virtues class once a month and plan playdates. We also live within walking distance of a well visited playground. But social interaction doesn't just have to be with a child's peers. The ultimate goal is prepare them to be self sufficient, right? That means he needs to learn how to socialize with people of all ages. We plan on becoming well acquainted with librarians and farmers! I also babysit occasionally, and he gets to practice being a big brother. (We hope to adopt in a few years.) Volunteerism will a part of his education too.
Right now, he is in school all day. Most of his time is spent with kids his own age, and not all of it has been good. He has been bullied all year by another child. Not just verbal attacks...This kid goes for the face. The bully likes to dig his fingernails into my son's face, bash his head into my son's, punch him, and push him off of things. And if my son yells or defends himself in any way? He gets in trouble. Myself and other parents have tried numerous ways of resolving this issue to no avail. (And for all the people who think that kids should have a to endure bullying in order to toughen them up, please tell me what would happen to a person who even once physically attacked you in your workplace? Oh, that's right. They could go to jail for assault. Even verbal abuse can get you fired.) Another child repeatedly encourages all the other 4-6 year old children to go home and call their parents "f***ing s***". Great...
Although we're in the UK for now, it won't be long before we're moving back to the States...Look at the headlines today about issues in American public schools. School shootings-even in elementary schools. Threats. Bullies beating their victims to death or pushing them towards suicide. Teenage pregnancy rates rising. Coaches turning out to be pedophiles. Childhood mental illness increasing while recess times are shortened. High school boys sexually assault a teen girl and put their video of it online for the world to see...I realize that you can have good experiences in public school and not come out crazy, but please don't try to tell me that sending my kid off to a school is the only way to make him into a well rounded, social person.
7. Stability in education. Hero's job makes us move a lot. Our last home, we were only there for a year before we were sent to live overseas. In a couple of years, we will probably be moving back to the States. Once we're there, we never know when or where we'll go next. By home educating our son, his teachers will stay the same. His education will stay tailor made to fit his needs. If we're in the middle of a move, we won't have to stress about all the school days he'll miss or about switching schools. Some subjects, like math for example, need to be learned in steps, and not all schools are working on the same steps at the same time. So, when you switch, it can really trip you up and make things difficult. (Personal experience speaking there.)
8. Quality education. The job locations for Hero's work aren't always in ideal locations when it comes to the quality of the surrounding schools. At our last place, I worked in the local public schools, and they were really suffering due to a lack of funding. My friend actually received a letter from her child's school there saying they were failing her child and there was nothing they could do about it. Private schools aren't always available or affordable. For less than the cost of sending him to one, we can educate him ourselves and join the local homeschooling group.
9. I have a lot of experience, and I love kids! I'm the second oldest of 6 children, and we went back and forth between homeschooling and public schooling. I often helped my mom with the younger kids, and she shared with me many of the things she learned in earning her Masters in Education. I have many hours of babysitting under my belt as well. I even helped care for a girl with severe cerebral palsy as a full time job as a teenager. I took courses on child development and early childhood professions which included internships in an infant room and in an elementary ESL room. I taught many different groups: early years in Sunday School, youth groups, private Christian Pre-K, younger homeschoolers, adult ESL classes for Spanish speakers, and Baha'i children's virtues classes and devotionals. I also did work as a one-on-one support to children with special needs in the community and in the public schools. (My main child was a young boy with severe autism who I miss a lot.) (I used to work and volunteer long hours outside my home before having Little Man. Now, I started my own home business.) I found that I work best with one child or a small group of children, and I am passionate about education. Note: I still have a lot to learn, and I really appreciate any positive mentors or supporters!
10. Researching is my hobby! You could attribute it to my mom accomplishing her goal of creating lifelong learners and readers. I'm slowly working on a degree, but I also like to say that I'm "self-educating". I like to read a lot of non-fiction. I have read stacks of books on child development, health, and education. I never feel at home in a new location without a local library card. My husband and I also love watching documentaries. If I'm interested in a topic, I research every detail and angle I can find. Pinterest is like the perfect trap for me because of that love of research and a leaning toward being a visual learner. There is a whole lingo that I'm learning for modern homeschooling and so many methods and ideas in which to delve deeper. Right now, I'm fascinated with everything Montessori, Waldorf, a secular take on Charlotte Mason, education reform, homeschool organization, Spanish immersion, and LEGO lesson plans! I gave myself a good amount of summer reading to help us prepare. I have also been talking more to the local librarians and memorizing sections of shelving and skimming pages of books to use in our curriculum. A willingness to learn is key to becoming a successful teacher!
Each year, I plan to do a family evaluation to see how we are progressing and whether or not this is still a good fit for us. We are all very excited to start this journey and share with all of you along the way!
~LadyH
Reader Response
1. If you homeschool, what are some of your reasons why? What are some questions your family is frequently asked?
2. If you don't homeschool, did this post answer any questions about those of us who do? Do you have any other questions? (Please be kind.)
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Haven of Hearts 2015 Year in Review
The ending of each year is often a time of reflection. With that in mind, here is my family's "2015 year in review". I'll mainly cover the highlights. So, please don't give in to any temptation to hold this post up for comparison to your own life. Everyone has their up's and down's.
(Disclaimer: Above movie poster is NOT made by me nor do I own it nor do I know its creator.)
~LadyH
Reader Response
As always, thanks for reading and don't forget to like, share, and comment.
***Please do not use, copy, edit any of the photos, images, or writing in this blog without the author's written authorization beforehand.***
Our Family's 2015
- We rang in 2015 at a family friendly NYE party at our good friends' home. Our kids loved all of the activities that the other mama planned.
- Hero and I celebrated our 3rd Wedding Anniversary in London! We traveled on the underground, walked across Tower Bridge, explored the Tower of London, and ate at an Italian restaurant on the River Thames.
- I cut my long hair into a pixie cut to donate to Little Princess Trust.
- In February, Little Man and I built a snowman in our backyard by scraping every bit of snow we could to form the three parts...He was a bit grassy.
- I got my nostril & cartilage pierced for the 1st time in February. (Still have the cartilage one, but accidentally ripped the nostril one out...twice. Still haven't gone to get it re-pierced.)
- LM & I travelled to Cambridge to celebrate Ayyam-i-ha with the Baha'i community.
- LM & I, along with our friends, went to a farm for kids. LM even got to bottle feed a hungry calf!
- LM went bowling for the 1st time!
- March brought Easter parties with egg hunts, attendance at a local church's Easter Service, and lots of gardening.
- In April, our family went to Holi Festival that an Indian association put together to educate the community. We also bought our son a balance bike (an alternative to a tricycle).
- Hero and our family celebrated his 27th birthday!
- I declared myself a Baha'i in early May!
- Hosted an educational Cinco de Mayo kids' party.
- Bought our first family pet...Hamtaro the Syrian Hamster...Who has grown considerably bigger since we first bought him. He now has a better habitat made from an old aquarium with a large wheel, a sand bath, a rainbow bridge, food & water dishes, and a little house to hide in. Lately, he's been hiding in his little house and piled wood shavings around the front and likes to throw poop out...Real charmer isn't he?... We still can't hold him without being bitten because I think LM scares him too much, but he does like to be petted on the back and fed snacks from our hands. First photo of him:
- LM & I traveled to London and saw the Rosetta Stone in person in a museum! (As someone who has always been interested in linguistics, this was a truly amazing experience!)
- We also went to Madame Tausand's Wax Museum in London, and they had a special Star Wars exhibit. They even had a little amusement ride where the seat is a British taxi, and it teaches a little about British history in a fun way. We were with friends, and it seemed like Little Man's favorite London destination by far! (We skipped the scary section.)
- I sanded down and painted (by hand) my son's table and chairs and an end table for the living room.
- I completed a Color Run 5K w/ some of my friends. Highly recommend a color run if you want to do a 5K! Lots of fun!
- Little Man celebrated his 4th birthday with a dinosaur themed party at a big indoor playground. I made a paleontologist scene cut out as a photo prop and lots of dinosaur themed decorations and cupcakes. My friend made him a cute dinosaur cake, and I did face painting to turn the kids into dinosaurs.
- I started teaching Baha'i based virtues classes for children, and I'm hoping to continue them (but on a revised monthly instead of weekly schedule) in the new year.
- Our family attended many birthday parties over the Summer...For a good stretch, we had one every weekend!
- Little Man started full time British school in the Autumn! His grade is called "Reception" which is much like Kindergarten.
- Celebrated my 25th birthday! I really enjoyed the French restaurant I went to w/ Hero and LM. The building was beautiful.
- October was filled w/ activities. We did professional family photos, went to festivals, did lots of crafts and baking, and had fun trick-or-treating.
jewelry organizer
- Our family Halloween costume theme came from a show my husband and I love..."Grimm"...It's like the Grimm brothers' fairy tales mixed with a more realistic detective show...I was Rosalee the Fuchsbau (anthropomorphic fox). Hero was Monroe the blutbad (werewolf-like creature), and Little Man was Detective Nick Burkhart...The Grimm! I had a lot of fun w/ our costumes. I put forth plenty of effort into transforming my face and my husband's to look more like our characters and creating the pieces for our son's costume.
- My son and I traveled to another city for the Baha'i Twin Holidays to celebrate with the Baha'i community, and we also had our own celebration at home.
- I'm in the beginning stages of learning to crochet, and I actually have a pretty good sized piece made now that LM wants me to make into a blanket.
- We had to say "see you later" to Hero for what we thought would be a much longer time and missed having Thanksgiving together, but thankfully, he was returned to us earlier than expected just in time for Christmas!
- While he was gone in November, we had our own Thanksgiving celebration at home and at our friends' home and went to a Christmas festival. I also went on a "ladies night out" and saw "Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part 2".
(Disclaimer: Above movie poster is NOT made by me nor do I own it nor do I know its creator.)
- And then "the curse" happened....A wind storm damaged things in our garden. My son was playing and landed on my foot just the wrong way, and it's still in an orthopedic boot awaiting an MRI. I found out I have more health problems and had (and will still have to) see various specialists. Our car suddenly started having so many electrical issues that it wouldn't have been worth it to repair it and got sold to a junkyard. Even the vacuum cleaner started acting up and spitting out everything all over my carpet...Let's just say that everything hit the fan at once...
- I managed to "put out all the fires" with the help of friends before my husband came back home. Wind damage was repaired. I've done all I can for my foot until I can get an MRI. Handling the other health issues. Bought a new-to-us car!! Took apart the vacuum and fixed it...
- Little Man sounded out words, and read a book for the 1st time!!!!...And it was on Skype to his daddy! This nerdy family is overjoyed about him reading!
- In December, I also had many things to keep me occupied. I did a lot of babysitting jobs for friends. Little Man was a shepherd in his school's Christmas play. I read the Texas Night Before Christmas book to both Reception classes at LM's school.
- Then...Hero came home early!
- I made my own brine and cooked a turkey for our family for the 1st time for Christmas dinner! (Usually, we were at family or friends' homes for holidays, and I would be focused on making sides. This time around, I made all of it for our family.)
- We had a great Christmas at home!
- With the help of his daddy, Little Man learned to ride a two wheeled pedal bike for the 1st time!
- Hero and I went on a date to see the newest Star Wars movie at the theater.
- We ended the year with a family night in...confetti poppers, a kiddie NYE show on Netflix, and then after putting LM in bed, Hero and I watched a show on Netflix and kissed a midnight!
- Little Man's New Year resolution: Ride my bike more! (I'll write a separate post on what me and my hubby will be working on.)
I believe we completed 2015 much closer and happier as family. We went on a lot of adventures, tried new things, and had many firsts and accomplishments. There were also a considerable amount of challenges, but we're still here! I logged a lot of volunteer hours, made many new friends, said goodbye to others, made progress on some of my chronic health problems and started working on newly diagnosed ones, traveled to lots of towns and big cities within England, became a part of many groups, and learned new skills. I look forward to learning to thrive through whatever 2016 has for us!
I hope your holidays were nice too, and...
Happy New Year everyone!
~LadyH
Reader Response
- What are some highlights from your 2015?
- What did you learn?
- How has your family changed or grown?
As always, thanks for reading and don't forget to like, share, and comment.
***Please do not use, copy, edit any of the photos, images, or writing in this blog without the author's written authorization beforehand.***
Sunday, October 11, 2015
17 Must Watch TV Shows for Adults on Netflix
I love watching Netflix. Surprise, surprise. Our family has had an account for years now- first in the US and then the UK. It's great entertainment for when I'm folding a mountain of laundry, sick, wanting to cuddle with my husband, having a crappy day, bored, needing a way to relax, my brain decides sleep isn't necessary, low on funds...You get the picture. (Badum tish!)
I have made the sacrifice-just for you of course- of years worth of swimming through the shallow ocean of Netflix polluted with B list (at best) shows to discover these pearls...You're welcome.
Get your bowl of popcorn and find your favorite pajamas and a blanket to curl up in because I'm about to share my favorites and reviews list with you! Kiddie shows like "Peppa Pig" or "Bubble Guppies" will not be included...This is for the older audiences in your homes.
Note: My list is UK Netflix specific, but many of them are on US Netflix too...Oh, how I miss US Netflix sometimes! I wish they added more of the good stuff to both. (Does anyone know where I can watch my beloved "Rizzoli & Isles" without paying an arm and a leg?!)
Here it goes in no particular order...
TV Shows
1.) "Once Upon a Time": If you're a big kid at heart, you'll really enjoy this one. Fairy tales all grown up with a bits of reality stirred into this magic potion of a show. Their reimagining of Rumpelstiltskin's character is one of my favorites, and you'll be wishing you could borrow from their wardrobe for Halloween (or every day). My husband and I are pretty harsh critics of TV shows and movies. So, we did notice quite a few plot holes and things we wish we could change-like the redundancy of memory loss "twists", but I still love the overall concept even though my husband describes it as a "fairy tales soap opera"... And they're still coming out with new episodes! This would be a great one for a ladies' night in.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/Rga4rp4j5TY
2.) "Grimm": Yes, another "fairy tale" show...But, like the original Grimm brothers, this one is darker than others. If you like detective shows, then you'll love it! My husband likes "Grimm" more than "Once Upon a Time". Note: Some scenes are quite graphic.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/2rVy3RBJmNo
3.) "Lie to Me": What woman doesn't love a main character who is a well dressed tormented genius with an English accent? He's also a bit of a scoundrel with an unhealthy amount of narcissism but is truly honorable at the core. Sometimes I wish I could be a human lie detector, but ultimately that super power appears to have too many cons to be personally beneficial.
Preview (w/ Spanish subtitles):
https://youtu.be/pbOgHa34Ec8
4.) "Arrested Development": A very funny sitcom about a crazy family with many quotable lines! Favorite Character: Tobias Funke. The first 3 seasons are much better than the last, but I heard that they might release another.
Preview (not the best):
https://youtu.be/HB7lel4I6lw
5.) "The 4400": Great for fans of Sci-Fi, Mystery, and Drama! 4400 people disappear over a matter of decades only to all appear suddenly with superhuman abilities. My husband and I watched all the episodes together.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/8Wey_sso-fk
6. ) "Orange is the New Black": Funny, provocative, a diverse majority female cast, something new and addicting. My only complaint would be that it seemed to over-fetishize lesbians at times probably for ratings, but on the other side of that coin, it did show some of the complexities of female relationships and lesbian relationships that you don't often get to see. Favorite characters? "Crazy Eyes" Suzanne (portrayed by Uzo Aduba) and "Red" Reznikov (Kate Mulgrew)! I can't wait for the next episodes!
Preview:
https://youtu.be/zLyUlTu4KbI
7.) "Louis Theroux", "Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends", and "Louis Theroux: L.A. Stories": Rolled these into one. Even if you don't usually like documentaries, you'll probably like these. My all time favorite journalist who often covers the weirdest of the weird, mostly in American society. I love his subtle sense of humor, ability to speak logically with the strangest people and to stay calm no matter what the situation. I first heard of him when I watched his inside story on the Westboro Baptist Church and his follow up with the youth that left it. Never boring!
One Preview:
https://youtu.be/VxWo7xbaUu0
8.) "Community": Quirky and hilarious with heart touching moments in a community college setting unlike any other.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/sBCE9oIuN24
9.) "Homeland": A controversial, thoroughly patriotic American show with suspense, twists, and topics that will prompt further discussion. I connected with one of the main characters, Carrie- a highly intelligent and skilled yet unconventional CIA agent who's secretly suffering from an illness. She is also the only one who suspects that an American "hero" is a threat to national security.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/W18ZHrU3XYQ
10.) "The Good Wife": It will have you thinking about what you would do in her shoes from the start. A politics and law drama with a strong female lead, interesting scenarios, dysfunctional families, romance, action, and all in amazing business outfits!
11.) "House of Cards": Really well made. Although I'm not a big fan of politics, I am of this show! A nearly unstoppable power couple as the main characters with an interesting supporting cast. American politics can get really dirty, and appearances aren't always what they seem (even though Claire's style and fitness level are to die for!).
Preview:
https://youtu.be/ULwUzF1q5w4
12.) "Call the Midwife": I highly recommend this show to ladies who like historical fiction! Midwifery is sewn all the way through the storyline, but the women's lives and stories during the 50's and 60's in a very poor district of London are what will really captivate its viewers.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/xTi2Dl0dF0Y
13.) "Luther": A favorite detective show of ours! Besides actor Idris Elba's good looks and stunning performance, this one has a lot going for it. An imperfect hero for a protagonist working in the thick of thrilling action, intriguing stories and mysteries, psycho criminals, dysfunction and passion. Setting: the dark underbelly of London.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/aEwrOnrlERY
14.) "TEDTalks: Let Your Mind Wonder": I've watched numerous TEDTalks videos-short educational lectures on a large variety of topics. The problem I occasionally run into with the other TEDTalks videos is that some of the speakers, while experts with share worthy topics, are not great public speakers. Visual learners, like myself, quickly lose interest. That's why I love that these are animated! Great for educators and families alike!
15.) "Sherlock": An excellent modern take on a classic! You will fall in love with British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, his character, and these stories all over again. I only wish there were more episodes!
Preview:
https://youtu.be/JP5Dr63TbSU
16.) "Cybercrimes with Ben Hammersley": Indulge your inner geek! A tech savvy journalist with a manly mustache (new addition to his resume?) breaks this topic down to a level that even the layman can understand in 6 episodes. Cybercrime is a subgenre not frequently covered in crime documentaries. So, I found this interesting.
17.) "Breaking Bad": It took me a long time before I got around to watching this very popular show. I worried that with all the hype surrounding it that I would only be left disappointed. While it did take me a while to really get into it, I found myself addicted and binge watching with my husband after the first season. Though I didn't find most of the characters very physically attractive or likeable as people, it was part of what made the show such a success. It's just so well made, and you can't say that about every modern show.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/HhesaQXLuRY
~LadyH
Don't be stingy now. Share it with all your friends and family!
Reader Response
Are any of your favorites included in my list? Would you add or subtract any if you were writing a list Netflix favorites?
*Remember, this list is UK Netflix specific. My favorites that are only found in the US version weren't included for organizational purposes.
Disclaimer: No company/organization/group asked me to write this. These are my own thoughts and opinions, and I am not intending to represent any other parties. This is blog is written for entertainment purposes only and is never substitute for professional advice of any kind. Please receive written permission from the writer before using this blog's contents in any way. The videos shared in this post are not my creation nor do I own them.
I have made the sacrifice-just for you of course- of years worth of swimming through the shallow ocean of Netflix polluted with B list (at best) shows to discover these pearls...You're welcome.
Get your bowl of popcorn and find your favorite pajamas and a blanket to curl up in because I'm about to share my favorites and reviews list with you! Kiddie shows like "Peppa Pig" or "Bubble Guppies" will not be included...This is for the older audiences in your homes.
Note: My list is UK Netflix specific, but many of them are on US Netflix too...Oh, how I miss US Netflix sometimes! I wish they added more of the good stuff to both. (Does anyone know where I can watch my beloved "Rizzoli & Isles" without paying an arm and a leg?!)
Here it goes in no particular order...
TV Shows
1.) "Once Upon a Time": If you're a big kid at heart, you'll really enjoy this one. Fairy tales all grown up with a bits of reality stirred into this magic potion of a show. Their reimagining of Rumpelstiltskin's character is one of my favorites, and you'll be wishing you could borrow from their wardrobe for Halloween (or every day). My husband and I are pretty harsh critics of TV shows and movies. So, we did notice quite a few plot holes and things we wish we could change-like the redundancy of memory loss "twists", but I still love the overall concept even though my husband describes it as a "fairy tales soap opera"... And they're still coming out with new episodes! This would be a great one for a ladies' night in.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/Rga4rp4j5TY
2.) "Grimm": Yes, another "fairy tale" show...But, like the original Grimm brothers, this one is darker than others. If you like detective shows, then you'll love it! My husband likes "Grimm" more than "Once Upon a Time". Note: Some scenes are quite graphic.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/2rVy3RBJmNo
3.) "Lie to Me": What woman doesn't love a main character who is a well dressed tormented genius with an English accent? He's also a bit of a scoundrel with an unhealthy amount of narcissism but is truly honorable at the core. Sometimes I wish I could be a human lie detector, but ultimately that super power appears to have too many cons to be personally beneficial.
Preview (w/ Spanish subtitles):
https://youtu.be/pbOgHa34Ec8
4.) "Arrested Development": A very funny sitcom about a crazy family with many quotable lines! Favorite Character: Tobias Funke. The first 3 seasons are much better than the last, but I heard that they might release another.
Preview (not the best):
https://youtu.be/HB7lel4I6lw
5.) "The 4400": Great for fans of Sci-Fi, Mystery, and Drama! 4400 people disappear over a matter of decades only to all appear suddenly with superhuman abilities. My husband and I watched all the episodes together.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/8Wey_sso-fk
6. ) "Orange is the New Black": Funny, provocative, a diverse majority female cast, something new and addicting. My only complaint would be that it seemed to over-fetishize lesbians at times probably for ratings, but on the other side of that coin, it did show some of the complexities of female relationships and lesbian relationships that you don't often get to see. Favorite characters? "Crazy Eyes" Suzanne (portrayed by Uzo Aduba) and "Red" Reznikov (Kate Mulgrew)! I can't wait for the next episodes!
Preview:
https://youtu.be/zLyUlTu4KbI
7.) "Louis Theroux", "Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends", and "Louis Theroux: L.A. Stories": Rolled these into one. Even if you don't usually like documentaries, you'll probably like these. My all time favorite journalist who often covers the weirdest of the weird, mostly in American society. I love his subtle sense of humor, ability to speak logically with the strangest people and to stay calm no matter what the situation. I first heard of him when I watched his inside story on the Westboro Baptist Church and his follow up with the youth that left it. Never boring!
One Preview:
https://youtu.be/VxWo7xbaUu0
8.) "Community": Quirky and hilarious with heart touching moments in a community college setting unlike any other.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/sBCE9oIuN24
9.) "Homeland": A controversial, thoroughly patriotic American show with suspense, twists, and topics that will prompt further discussion. I connected with one of the main characters, Carrie- a highly intelligent and skilled yet unconventional CIA agent who's secretly suffering from an illness. She is also the only one who suspects that an American "hero" is a threat to national security.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/W18ZHrU3XYQ
10.) "The Good Wife": It will have you thinking about what you would do in her shoes from the start. A politics and law drama with a strong female lead, interesting scenarios, dysfunctional families, romance, action, and all in amazing business outfits!
11.) "House of Cards": Really well made. Although I'm not a big fan of politics, I am of this show! A nearly unstoppable power couple as the main characters with an interesting supporting cast. American politics can get really dirty, and appearances aren't always what they seem (even though Claire's style and fitness level are to die for!).
Preview:
https://youtu.be/ULwUzF1q5w4
12.) "Call the Midwife": I highly recommend this show to ladies who like historical fiction! Midwifery is sewn all the way through the storyline, but the women's lives and stories during the 50's and 60's in a very poor district of London are what will really captivate its viewers.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/xTi2Dl0dF0Y
13.) "Luther": A favorite detective show of ours! Besides actor Idris Elba's good looks and stunning performance, this one has a lot going for it. An imperfect hero for a protagonist working in the thick of thrilling action, intriguing stories and mysteries, psycho criminals, dysfunction and passion. Setting: the dark underbelly of London.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/aEwrOnrlERY
14.) "TEDTalks: Let Your Mind Wonder": I've watched numerous TEDTalks videos-short educational lectures on a large variety of topics. The problem I occasionally run into with the other TEDTalks videos is that some of the speakers, while experts with share worthy topics, are not great public speakers. Visual learners, like myself, quickly lose interest. That's why I love that these are animated! Great for educators and families alike!
15.) "Sherlock": An excellent modern take on a classic! You will fall in love with British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, his character, and these stories all over again. I only wish there were more episodes!
Preview:
https://youtu.be/JP5Dr63TbSU
16.) "Cybercrimes with Ben Hammersley": Indulge your inner geek! A tech savvy journalist with a manly mustache (new addition to his resume?) breaks this topic down to a level that even the layman can understand in 6 episodes. Cybercrime is a subgenre not frequently covered in crime documentaries. So, I found this interesting.
17.) "Breaking Bad": It took me a long time before I got around to watching this very popular show. I worried that with all the hype surrounding it that I would only be left disappointed. While it did take me a while to really get into it, I found myself addicted and binge watching with my husband after the first season. Though I didn't find most of the characters very physically attractive or likeable as people, it was part of what made the show such a success. It's just so well made, and you can't say that about every modern show.
Preview:
https://youtu.be/HhesaQXLuRY
~LadyH
Don't be stingy now. Share it with all your friends and family!
Reader Response
Are any of your favorites included in my list? Would you add or subtract any if you were writing a list Netflix favorites?
*Remember, this list is UK Netflix specific. My favorites that are only found in the US version weren't included for organizational purposes.
Disclaimer: No company/organization/group asked me to write this. These are my own thoughts and opinions, and I am not intending to represent any other parties. This is blog is written for entertainment purposes only and is never substitute for professional advice of any kind. Please receive written permission from the writer before using this blog's contents in any way. The videos shared in this post are not my creation nor do I own them.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
What Feminism Means to Me
Feminism.
Feminist.
Feminine.
What comes to mind when you hear those words?
Do you only associate it with negativity...at least the first two?
If you claim to be "against feminism", I can probably guess at the images in your mind.
To you a "feminist" is likely an angry woman who hates men and thinks all women are better than all men, never shaves nor wears a bra, is in a relationship with a woman, smokes a pack a day, and is pro-choice with no children....Am I anywhere close?
On the other end of the spectrum, what are some of the connotations people have with "feminine"? The quintessential example of "femininity" in some minds is a woman wearing a long pink dress with long hair who is frequently emotionally distraught, heavily reliant on the men in her life, submissive, weak, a loving mother, a good cook, curvy but not obese nor "boyishly thin",...Basically the equivalent of some of the fairy tale princesses.
For other people, those descriptions are highly offensive and viewed as prejudiced, stereotypical, and outdated, but I have talked to people who sincerely believe those things.
Let me explain to you my views on those words and why I call myself a "feminist". Yes me. A wife to a man. A mother to a son. A woman who takes care of her family and does volunteer work without pay. I can assure you that I shave. I sometimes wear long dresses and skirts. I don't smoke...At the same time, my husband and I make decisions together, and we both have made decisions independently. Although the paychecks are in his name, we view it as our money that we have both played a part in earning, managing, and saving. In addition to those dresses, I've also worn shorts, "trousers", swimsuits, etc. Since my son is starting full time school soon, I'll be working on continuing my education and hopefully starting my own business. I am a different religion from my husband, but we both respect that. I take birth control pills (more for health reasons than controlling the size of our family). We work as a team rather than a hierarchy...I also think you can be a feminist and fit a very different description.
So, that's the first (and arguably most important) point...Feminism is about women having choices. You are not confined to another's definition of womanhood. You can choose to be a homemaker and have the sole income coming from your husband, or you can be the CEO of a large company. Or any other job or role or combination thereof. You can have kids or not, and if you have children, you have the choice of how to raise them (so long as it's not abusive). Birth control methods are up to you. (Honestly, I would love to see physicians offering birth control medicine, not just surgeries, to men as well.) You may earn many degrees or not. That option of higher education should be available to you regardless of gender. You can choose your relationships and opt to end them. You decide your own wardrobe. Wear lots of makeup, just a little, or none at all. Lead the group or choose to follow. Determine your own beliefs on religions. You can express your opinions.
That belief leads to my second point. The world's laws should reflect that freedom to make choices without being discounted on the basis of gender. If you look at this as a global issue, being born female means you have far fewer legal rights than your male counterparts. Females are either banned from receiving an education or have to face extreme danger and adversity in order to receive one. In a less extreme yet still oppressive way, females are discouraged from learning certain subjects (such as mathematics or science), from pursuing career fields, or even publishing their work with a feminine name. In some cultures, men choose who the women will marry-and when and where- and whether or not she can divorce even in cases of severe abuse. Women around the world have fewer to no sexual rights. Even in American culture, victims are sometimes blamed and shamed for being raped, and at times, the American judicial system, and their own communities, family, and religious organizations, have failed to help or protect them. In other places, victims are killed or maimed for surviving an attack. Some women can't choose how many children they will birth and raise even if having a lot of children causes them to lose their own lives. They are not choosing to sacrifice their own lives; other people are taking them by force. Without wading too deeply into the mucky water of politics on this, I will simply say that I believe people are sometimes pro-birth rather than pro-life, and if you go that route, I don't think you should be one without the other. In other words, if a person holds the anti-abortion stance that a poor woman who was raped should still carry and birth the baby, then being anti-welfare on hospital bills of carrying and birthing that baby and raising it makes no sense to me whatsoever. Have some compassion and decency...Deep breath...Moving on... Some husbands have all rights to custody and will use that to control their wives. If a woman cannot bear children, she is punished-whether by having people view her as having less worth, losing the ability to get married, or even being physically punished. Many widows lose much more than their husbands. They also lose social status, all financial support, safety,...They become crippled by an unfillable void upon the man's death which was created by the dynamics of their relationship or by their culture. These widows range in age between children and elderly women. They may have little to no social safety net to fall back on. Sometimes girl babies are either aborted, killed after being born, or abandoned because a male child is more desirable. Women are often not paid the same amount of money for performing the same exact work.... In places like America and Great Britain, women fought hard and won the right to vote and to take part in their own governments and have various legal options. In other countries, women still have no say in how their countries or homes operate. Again, even though Western civilization likes to claim to be so much more advanced, we still have a long way to go, and many of these things are happening in North America and Europe too. Though maybe it's not happening as openly as it does in other parts of the world (or maybe your own close knit network of peers makes you blind to it), but it isn't just an "us" and "them" situation. Some of this is going on in your own backyard! Even if we are doing fine in our own little corners, we shouldn't sit idly by while other girls and women suffer. We have to work together to remedy injustices. Like Martin Luther King Jr once said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
At the same time, I believe in the equality of men and women, and we all have our strengths and weaknesses. That means I don't hate men. In fact, men can be (and some are) feminists too! Shocking, I know... I don't think that all men are evil. I don't think that every man purposefully got together with others and constructed a world where women suffer, but I certainly have seen the existence of oppressive patriarchies. I'm not blind to the fact that men have suffered too-sometimes at the hands of women, but it's possible to simultaneously acknowledge that and the disparities in rights in many cultures. Through careful analysis, you will find ways in which oppressing women and anything associated with women has a very negative impact on men and society too. For me being feminist means that I am also wanting and expecting the best for both men and women. When women are truly empowered, so are men. Societies as a whole are empowered.
I believe women's contributions should be recognized and taught in every school and focused on in interviews. Dating back to beginning of human civilizations, women have played major roles but often went unmentioned- undercover, ignored, or had their credit stolen by others. I can remember my textbooks in school being predominantly focused on men's contributions. There are female scientists, mechanics, mathematicians, inventors, astronauts, authors, composers, spies, rulers, doctors, educators, heroines,....You name it...That have been contributing to humanity long before it was deemed "appropriate" for them to do so. Women have fought in wars and led armies long before it was officially allowed. Sometimes disguised as men. Sometimes not. I'm not just talking about Joan of Arc here. Even in modern day American interviews of famous women, they are often asked superficial questions-about their appearance, love life, etc.-instead of their amazing careers. I am often surprised when I learn the other parts of history's stories and even modern events-the parts where women actually exist as more than just short supporting roles and props. These facts are documented. The information is out there and has been verified, but you really have to search it out. We have become better at giving credit where it is due, but we still have work to do. I love the "A Mighty Girl" pages for the work they do. Check out their website by clicking HERE. (They also have www.Pinterest.com (search for them in the "Pinners" section) and Facebook accounts. I highly recommend you follow all three.)
Women come in diverse forms, and no one should be treated as "less than" because their appearance doesn't conform to society's current idea of beauty. The media likes to send us all sorts of conflicting messages about this. "Real women have curves." "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." While sometimes these little catchphrases and memes start off with good intentions, you quickly find they fall short or are plain harmful. If you're naturally stick thin, you're still a real woman. Obviously, the person who wrote that second ones needs to visit my grandmas or my mom before repeating that phrase! Seriously, gumbo, strawberry cake and rolls made from scratch, Nana's roast, good BBQ...it all tastes better than feeling skinny! Also, way to promote eating disorders. "Real women" and "beauty" come in so many shapes, sizes, colors, and various other variations. Do you really have to be so narrow and put others down to feel better? Let's lift each other up and promote good health and well being instead.
Feminism doesn't have to be a dirty word. Many good people-male and female-are feminists. Striving for the equality of men and women means striving for a better world. We can unite together to make a difference. Educate yourselves. Research for yourselves. Then act!
Suggested Reading
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
www.amightygirl.com
Stranger in the House: Women's Stories of Men Returning from the Second World War by Julie Summers
Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul
You the Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body That Will Make You Healthier and Younger by Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D.
The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls by Valorie Shaefer (Written with a focus on pre-teens/teens, but still worthwhile to read if you this topic was taboo at home.)
I also suggest looking for the works of famous women and autobiographies and biographies of them as well. "A Mighty Girl" is a great place to start your search.
For movies to watch, click HERE for a great list. Some of their list can be found on Netflix.
I feel very fortunate to be a part of a religion that promotes the equality of men and women. The Baha'i Writings contain many beautiful passages about this topic. If you want to read more about the Baha'i Faith, please click HERE.
~LadyH
Reader Response
1.) Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why or why not?
2.) What are your thoughts on feminism throughout history and today?
3.) What are some actions we can take to reduce the suffering of women and promote equality worldwide?
4.) Is there a way you can help women in your own community?
5.) Do you have any resources you can share that could help women or educate others?
Feminist.
Feminine.
What comes to mind when you hear those words?
Do you only associate it with negativity...at least the first two?
If you claim to be "against feminism", I can probably guess at the images in your mind.
To you a "feminist" is likely an angry woman who hates men and thinks all women are better than all men, never shaves nor wears a bra, is in a relationship with a woman, smokes a pack a day, and is pro-choice with no children....Am I anywhere close?
On the other end of the spectrum, what are some of the connotations people have with "feminine"? The quintessential example of "femininity" in some minds is a woman wearing a long pink dress with long hair who is frequently emotionally distraught, heavily reliant on the men in her life, submissive, weak, a loving mother, a good cook, curvy but not obese nor "boyishly thin",...Basically the equivalent of some of the fairy tale princesses.
For other people, those descriptions are highly offensive and viewed as prejudiced, stereotypical, and outdated, but I have talked to people who sincerely believe those things.
Let me explain to you my views on those words and why I call myself a "feminist". Yes me. A wife to a man. A mother to a son. A woman who takes care of her family and does volunteer work without pay. I can assure you that I shave. I sometimes wear long dresses and skirts. I don't smoke...At the same time, my husband and I make decisions together, and we both have made decisions independently. Although the paychecks are in his name, we view it as our money that we have both played a part in earning, managing, and saving. In addition to those dresses, I've also worn shorts, "trousers", swimsuits, etc. Since my son is starting full time school soon, I'll be working on continuing my education and hopefully starting my own business. I am a different religion from my husband, but we both respect that. I take birth control pills (more for health reasons than controlling the size of our family). We work as a team rather than a hierarchy...I also think you can be a feminist and fit a very different description.
So, that's the first (and arguably most important) point...Feminism is about women having choices. You are not confined to another's definition of womanhood. You can choose to be a homemaker and have the sole income coming from your husband, or you can be the CEO of a large company. Or any other job or role or combination thereof. You can have kids or not, and if you have children, you have the choice of how to raise them (so long as it's not abusive). Birth control methods are up to you. (Honestly, I would love to see physicians offering birth control medicine, not just surgeries, to men as well.) You may earn many degrees or not. That option of higher education should be available to you regardless of gender. You can choose your relationships and opt to end them. You decide your own wardrobe. Wear lots of makeup, just a little, or none at all. Lead the group or choose to follow. Determine your own beliefs on religions. You can express your opinions.
That belief leads to my second point. The world's laws should reflect that freedom to make choices without being discounted on the basis of gender. If you look at this as a global issue, being born female means you have far fewer legal rights than your male counterparts. Females are either banned from receiving an education or have to face extreme danger and adversity in order to receive one. In a less extreme yet still oppressive way, females are discouraged from learning certain subjects (such as mathematics or science), from pursuing career fields, or even publishing their work with a feminine name. In some cultures, men choose who the women will marry-and when and where- and whether or not she can divorce even in cases of severe abuse. Women around the world have fewer to no sexual rights. Even in American culture, victims are sometimes blamed and shamed for being raped, and at times, the American judicial system, and their own communities, family, and religious organizations, have failed to help or protect them. In other places, victims are killed or maimed for surviving an attack. Some women can't choose how many children they will birth and raise even if having a lot of children causes them to lose their own lives. They are not choosing to sacrifice their own lives; other people are taking them by force. Without wading too deeply into the mucky water of politics on this, I will simply say that I believe people are sometimes pro-birth rather than pro-life, and if you go that route, I don't think you should be one without the other. In other words, if a person holds the anti-abortion stance that a poor woman who was raped should still carry and birth the baby, then being anti-welfare on hospital bills of carrying and birthing that baby and raising it makes no sense to me whatsoever. Have some compassion and decency...Deep breath...Moving on... Some husbands have all rights to custody and will use that to control their wives. If a woman cannot bear children, she is punished-whether by having people view her as having less worth, losing the ability to get married, or even being physically punished. Many widows lose much more than their husbands. They also lose social status, all financial support, safety,...They become crippled by an unfillable void upon the man's death which was created by the dynamics of their relationship or by their culture. These widows range in age between children and elderly women. They may have little to no social safety net to fall back on. Sometimes girl babies are either aborted, killed after being born, or abandoned because a male child is more desirable. Women are often not paid the same amount of money for performing the same exact work.... In places like America and Great Britain, women fought hard and won the right to vote and to take part in their own governments and have various legal options. In other countries, women still have no say in how their countries or homes operate. Again, even though Western civilization likes to claim to be so much more advanced, we still have a long way to go, and many of these things are happening in North America and Europe too. Though maybe it's not happening as openly as it does in other parts of the world (or maybe your own close knit network of peers makes you blind to it), but it isn't just an "us" and "them" situation. Some of this is going on in your own backyard! Even if we are doing fine in our own little corners, we shouldn't sit idly by while other girls and women suffer. We have to work together to remedy injustices. Like Martin Luther King Jr once said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
At the same time, I believe in the equality of men and women, and we all have our strengths and weaknesses. That means I don't hate men. In fact, men can be (and some are) feminists too! Shocking, I know... I don't think that all men are evil. I don't think that every man purposefully got together with others and constructed a world where women suffer, but I certainly have seen the existence of oppressive patriarchies. I'm not blind to the fact that men have suffered too-sometimes at the hands of women, but it's possible to simultaneously acknowledge that and the disparities in rights in many cultures. Through careful analysis, you will find ways in which oppressing women and anything associated with women has a very negative impact on men and society too. For me being feminist means that I am also wanting and expecting the best for both men and women. When women are truly empowered, so are men. Societies as a whole are empowered.
I believe women's contributions should be recognized and taught in every school and focused on in interviews. Dating back to beginning of human civilizations, women have played major roles but often went unmentioned- undercover, ignored, or had their credit stolen by others. I can remember my textbooks in school being predominantly focused on men's contributions. There are female scientists, mechanics, mathematicians, inventors, astronauts, authors, composers, spies, rulers, doctors, educators, heroines,....You name it...That have been contributing to humanity long before it was deemed "appropriate" for them to do so. Women have fought in wars and led armies long before it was officially allowed. Sometimes disguised as men. Sometimes not. I'm not just talking about Joan of Arc here. Even in modern day American interviews of famous women, they are often asked superficial questions-about their appearance, love life, etc.-instead of their amazing careers. I am often surprised when I learn the other parts of history's stories and even modern events-the parts where women actually exist as more than just short supporting roles and props. These facts are documented. The information is out there and has been verified, but you really have to search it out. We have become better at giving credit where it is due, but we still have work to do. I love the "A Mighty Girl" pages for the work they do. Check out their website by clicking HERE. (They also have www.Pinterest.com (search for them in the "Pinners" section) and Facebook accounts. I highly recommend you follow all three.)
Women come in diverse forms, and no one should be treated as "less than" because their appearance doesn't conform to society's current idea of beauty. The media likes to send us all sorts of conflicting messages about this. "Real women have curves." "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." While sometimes these little catchphrases and memes start off with good intentions, you quickly find they fall short or are plain harmful. If you're naturally stick thin, you're still a real woman. Obviously, the person who wrote that second ones needs to visit my grandmas or my mom before repeating that phrase! Seriously, gumbo, strawberry cake and rolls made from scratch, Nana's roast, good BBQ...it all tastes better than feeling skinny! Also, way to promote eating disorders. "Real women" and "beauty" come in so many shapes, sizes, colors, and various other variations. Do you really have to be so narrow and put others down to feel better? Let's lift each other up and promote good health and well being instead.
Feminism doesn't have to be a dirty word. Many good people-male and female-are feminists. Striving for the equality of men and women means striving for a better world. We can unite together to make a difference. Educate yourselves. Research for yourselves. Then act!
Suggested Reading
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
www.amightygirl.com
Stranger in the House: Women's Stories of Men Returning from the Second World War by Julie Summers
Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul
You the Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body That Will Make You Healthier and Younger by Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D.
The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls by Valorie Shaefer (Written with a focus on pre-teens/teens, but still worthwhile to read if you this topic was taboo at home.)
I also suggest looking for the works of famous women and autobiographies and biographies of them as well. "A Mighty Girl" is a great place to start your search.
For movies to watch, click HERE for a great list. Some of their list can be found on Netflix.
I feel very fortunate to be a part of a religion that promotes the equality of men and women. The Baha'i Writings contain many beautiful passages about this topic. If you want to read more about the Baha'i Faith, please click HERE.
~LadyH
Reader Response
1.) Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why or why not?
2.) What are your thoughts on feminism throughout history and today?
3.) What are some actions we can take to reduce the suffering of women and promote equality worldwide?
4.) Is there a way you can help women in your own community?
5.) Do you have any resources you can share that could help women or educate others?
Monday, August 24, 2015
Natural Ways to Soothe Eczema
My son and I both have sensitive, dry skin types. Occasionally, my son will have an eczema flare up too. We have tried all sorts of things to help it. The last place we lived was horrible on our entire family's skin. Picture this: desert-extreme temperatures, high winds, sand, sagebrush, wildfires...Yeah, not a good combo for any skin type!
The whole time we lived there, Little Man and I had several prescriptions from our doctors to try to prevent rashes and heal our skin and allergies...They provided minimal relief at best. We were informed that there wasn't much we could do aside from moving to a moderate, wet climate. As luck would have it, we did! Now, that did help immensely, but here recently Little Man had a flare up. (I think that perhaps a really nasty virus that he fought off may have triggered this one.) I decided that, before we went to his doctor for another round of experimenting with more prescriptions, we would try more home remedies. This might not work for everyone, and I am *not* substitution for professional medical advice of any kind. I'm just sharing what worked for us.
Here's what we did:
A.) Switched his milk from organic cow's milk to flaxseed milk. Flaxseed is supposed to be really good for the skin. Read more about it Here. (We have given him coconut milk if we can't find flaxseed milk. Also note, that since he is a boy, we don't give him soy milk as a substitute because studies have found links between it and elevated levels of estrogen in males resulting in things like abnormal breast development...Yikes! We prefer to play it on the safe side with that one!)
B.) Bathed him in tea with no soap for a week...I remember reading somewhere how you can put cooled tea bags over your eyes to reduce swelling, and soap can be irritating when your skin is already inflamed. That got me to thinking that maybe I could let him bathe in tea. I put organic chamomile, peppermint, and green tea bags and cuttings from my lavender plants inside one of those bath toys that are like a cute strainer. (Research for yourself-Chamomile , Peppermint, Green Tea, & Lavender.) I placed that under the tap while filling the bathtub, and then let the bags and cuttings float around in the water. I even let Little Man scrub with the bags if he wants. It smelled wonderful. Little Man loves tea baths! He asks for them every time now. Hero jokingly asked if I was running a spa in our house.
C.) After gently patting him dry-which is better than rubbing- with his towel (which is washed in free and clear detergent & either tumbled dry w/ free & clear dryer sheets or line dried on a clotheshorse), instead of lotions I put 100% pure organic aloe vera gel all over his body. Aloe vera has been used medicinally across the world since ancient times. Read about the health benefits of aloe vera: here.
It worked! I was so happy, and so was he.
When his eczema flare up cleared with these remedies, we switched his shampoo and body soap to one I found in a British store. It's called Child's Farm. It has a nice citrus aroma, works, and does not irritate his skin. For my American friends you can find it on Amazon.com by clicking on it's name above if it's not available in a local store. It might seem a bit expensive, but I feel it's worth it.
Maybe that all sounds really high maintenance or difficult, but it's actually quite simple. I found going to lots of doctor's appointments, waiting in lines at the pharmacy, and watching my child be uncomfortable and in pain to be much more difficult.
We haven't done this, but if you can afford it, I would recommend getting a whole house water filter installed. Hard water and chemicals lurking inside your water supply can be damaging to not only your skin, but the rest of your body as well. This is especially important if you live in an area with a high amount of pollution.
I'm so happy we found some natural solutions that are really working for us even weeks later!
Thank you so much for following along on my adventures.
~LadyH
*Please note: I am not getting paid to nor was I requested to endorse any specific website, product, or service. Additionally, as previously stated, I am not a medical professional, and my posts and advice are in no way substitution for professional advice of any kind. Please refrain for using any of my materials without official written permission from me. Thank you for being kind and discerning readers!
I Want to Hear from You Too!
Do you have any skin problems?
Have you tried any of these remedies?
Do you have any remedies, products, or prescriptions that did work for you?
The whole time we lived there, Little Man and I had several prescriptions from our doctors to try to prevent rashes and heal our skin and allergies...They provided minimal relief at best. We were informed that there wasn't much we could do aside from moving to a moderate, wet climate. As luck would have it, we did! Now, that did help immensely, but here recently Little Man had a flare up. (I think that perhaps a really nasty virus that he fought off may have triggered this one.) I decided that, before we went to his doctor for another round of experimenting with more prescriptions, we would try more home remedies. This might not work for everyone, and I am *not* substitution for professional medical advice of any kind. I'm just sharing what worked for us.
Here's what we did:
A.) Switched his milk from organic cow's milk to flaxseed milk. Flaxseed is supposed to be really good for the skin. Read more about it Here. (We have given him coconut milk if we can't find flaxseed milk. Also note, that since he is a boy, we don't give him soy milk as a substitute because studies have found links between it and elevated levels of estrogen in males resulting in things like abnormal breast development...Yikes! We prefer to play it on the safe side with that one!)
B.) Bathed him in tea with no soap for a week...I remember reading somewhere how you can put cooled tea bags over your eyes to reduce swelling, and soap can be irritating when your skin is already inflamed. That got me to thinking that maybe I could let him bathe in tea. I put organic chamomile, peppermint, and green tea bags and cuttings from my lavender plants inside one of those bath toys that are like a cute strainer. (Research for yourself-Chamomile , Peppermint, Green Tea, & Lavender.) I placed that under the tap while filling the bathtub, and then let the bags and cuttings float around in the water. I even let Little Man scrub with the bags if he wants. It smelled wonderful. Little Man loves tea baths! He asks for them every time now. Hero jokingly asked if I was running a spa in our house.
C.) After gently patting him dry-which is better than rubbing- with his towel (which is washed in free and clear detergent & either tumbled dry w/ free & clear dryer sheets or line dried on a clotheshorse), instead of lotions I put 100% pure organic aloe vera gel all over his body. Aloe vera has been used medicinally across the world since ancient times. Read about the health benefits of aloe vera: here.
It worked! I was so happy, and so was he.
When his eczema flare up cleared with these remedies, we switched his shampoo and body soap to one I found in a British store. It's called Child's Farm. It has a nice citrus aroma, works, and does not irritate his skin. For my American friends you can find it on Amazon.com by clicking on it's name above if it's not available in a local store. It might seem a bit expensive, but I feel it's worth it.
Maybe that all sounds really high maintenance or difficult, but it's actually quite simple. I found going to lots of doctor's appointments, waiting in lines at the pharmacy, and watching my child be uncomfortable and in pain to be much more difficult.
We haven't done this, but if you can afford it, I would recommend getting a whole house water filter installed. Hard water and chemicals lurking inside your water supply can be damaging to not only your skin, but the rest of your body as well. This is especially important if you live in an area with a high amount of pollution.
I'm so happy we found some natural solutions that are really working for us even weeks later!
Thank you so much for following along on my adventures.
~LadyH
*Please note: I am not getting paid to nor was I requested to endorse any specific website, product, or service. Additionally, as previously stated, I am not a medical professional, and my posts and advice are in no way substitution for professional advice of any kind. Please refrain for using any of my materials without official written permission from me. Thank you for being kind and discerning readers!
I Want to Hear from You Too!
Do you have any skin problems?
Have you tried any of these remedies?
Do you have any remedies, products, or prescriptions that did work for you?
Monday, August 3, 2015
Where Have I Been?
I have been absent from the blog for a while now...whoops!
Where have I been?
All Over!
These summer months have been packed with activity and flying by so quickly.
Is it just us or are all of your friends' kids born in the summertime too? Of course, part of it might be that Little Man and I are very extroverted which of course equates to a lot of party invitations from all of these new friends we have made here. In fact, we received so many party invites that it's impossible to attend them all. It's a good problem in our eyes. Now, Hero, being the more naturally introverted one in the group, finds this much less exciting than us. Soon Little Man will be having his own birthday party too! Him turning four has really snuck up on me.
As some of you know, we're Americans living in the United Kingdom. In America, most children don't start full time school until the age of 5-if not older, and they go to "Preschool" first before heading off to full time "Kindergarten". In the UK, children start attending "Nursery" or "Preschool" at the age of 3, and their government pays for them to attend any school (that will accept the grant) for a maximum of 15 hours a week. After that, British children can go to "Reception" full time after their 4th birthday. Most schools here require them to wear uniforms too. The school year starts in early September, and although they have a shorter summer break than many American schools, they have more breaks throughout the year. For us, this means that Little Man has been attending Nursery and will attend full time school this Autumn-at least a year ahead of all of his American friends back home. I worried about sending him so young, but after going through his assessment with his Nursery teacher and going to events with him at his new school, I'm feeling more confident about it. They seem to think he will continue to do very well, even with him being on the younger side. I know he's very excited about it! We've been trying to get prepared for this next big step. We ordered his uniforms-school colored/logoed polo shirts, backpack, jacket, raincoat, cardigans, P.E. kit, etc. from the school. He has his required black shoes, and we're slowly getting his grey "trousers" and shorts. His new teacher already visited his Nursery and will visit our home before the start of school. We have gone to events at the new school. We read to him everyday and take him all sorts of places and do educational (but fun!) activities together. He has plenty of friends...But still, he's my one and only child...My baby!...I'm proud of how well he's doing, especially after his rough start at life, but I think the difficulty lies in trust. Trusting yourself that you've prepared your child and are making the right choices for them. Trusting those who will be with them when you're not, and also, trusting your child...You hope that they will "fly in the right direction" after you give them that little nudge forward.
Before I leave everyone tearing up, I'll let you in on some of the other highlights from our summer so far. In between all of the birthday parties (and going-away parties) and school prep, we have somehow managed to squeeze in many other activities. Little Man and I travelled with friends to London. We loved visiting more museums there! We saw the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian hieroglyphs and mummies (including mummified cats!), a library filled with highly treasured classics and collections, Greek statues, and all sorts of other amazing artifacts in the British Museum . Then, we went to Madame Tussand's. I didn't quite know what all to expect there, but everyone had a blast! We got our pictures taken next to realistic wax figures of famous people and characters. (Seriously, you almost expected them to start talking to you. How you doin' Johnny Depp?!) They even had a Star Wars section. We saw the kids' "Marvel superheroes" movie (complete with 3D glasses and special effects), and then we went on an amusement ride where your seat is a little black taxi cab. On the ride, you get a fun mini-lesson in British history. More adventures have included: big indoor-and outdoor-playscapes, farms, nature walks, harvesting bit by bit from our little potted plants garden, play dates (which included trips to the pool), a 5K Color Run, dinners and games with other families, volunteer projects, and family movie nights (my favorite? "Minions"!!). I managed to complete two furniture projects as well. I gave Little Man's table and chairs and an end table new life!
Here they are:
Before schools starts, I'm hoping we can spend a day or two on a beach somewhere just relaxing in the sunshine, get family photos done, and go on a tour of Cambridge-guided by friends who live there.
This summer has had its fair share of challenges too, but I won't go into all of that now.
In this post, I have chosen to focus on counting my blessings instead.
I am truly grateful for all of the adventures our family has enjoyed, and I am looking forward to more!
(And "Thank You!!" to everyone who has sent us care packages, cards, and invitations. We really appreciate it!)
I hope you are enjoying your summer too!
~LadyH
Q&A
What have you been doing this summer?
Any other activities planned?
Anything you hope to do before the end of this season?
If you could go on any adventure, where would you go? What would you do? Who would be with you?
Where have I been?
All Over!
These summer months have been packed with activity and flying by so quickly.
Is it just us or are all of your friends' kids born in the summertime too? Of course, part of it might be that Little Man and I are very extroverted which of course equates to a lot of party invitations from all of these new friends we have made here. In fact, we received so many party invites that it's impossible to attend them all. It's a good problem in our eyes. Now, Hero, being the more naturally introverted one in the group, finds this much less exciting than us. Soon Little Man will be having his own birthday party too! Him turning four has really snuck up on me.
As some of you know, we're Americans living in the United Kingdom. In America, most children don't start full time school until the age of 5-if not older, and they go to "Preschool" first before heading off to full time "Kindergarten". In the UK, children start attending "Nursery" or "Preschool" at the age of 3, and their government pays for them to attend any school (that will accept the grant) for a maximum of 15 hours a week. After that, British children can go to "Reception" full time after their 4th birthday. Most schools here require them to wear uniforms too. The school year starts in early September, and although they have a shorter summer break than many American schools, they have more breaks throughout the year. For us, this means that Little Man has been attending Nursery and will attend full time school this Autumn-at least a year ahead of all of his American friends back home. I worried about sending him so young, but after going through his assessment with his Nursery teacher and going to events with him at his new school, I'm feeling more confident about it. They seem to think he will continue to do very well, even with him being on the younger side. I know he's very excited about it! We've been trying to get prepared for this next big step. We ordered his uniforms-school colored/logoed polo shirts, backpack, jacket, raincoat, cardigans, P.E. kit, etc. from the school. He has his required black shoes, and we're slowly getting his grey "trousers" and shorts. His new teacher already visited his Nursery and will visit our home before the start of school. We have gone to events at the new school. We read to him everyday and take him all sorts of places and do educational (but fun!) activities together. He has plenty of friends...But still, he's my one and only child...My baby!...I'm proud of how well he's doing, especially after his rough start at life, but I think the difficulty lies in trust. Trusting yourself that you've prepared your child and are making the right choices for them. Trusting those who will be with them when you're not, and also, trusting your child...You hope that they will "fly in the right direction" after you give them that little nudge forward.
Before I leave everyone tearing up, I'll let you in on some of the other highlights from our summer so far. In between all of the birthday parties (and going-away parties) and school prep, we have somehow managed to squeeze in many other activities. Little Man and I travelled with friends to London. We loved visiting more museums there! We saw the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian hieroglyphs and mummies (including mummified cats!), a library filled with highly treasured classics and collections, Greek statues, and all sorts of other amazing artifacts in the British Museum . Then, we went to Madame Tussand's. I didn't quite know what all to expect there, but everyone had a blast! We got our pictures taken next to realistic wax figures of famous people and characters. (Seriously, you almost expected them to start talking to you. How you doin' Johnny Depp?!) They even had a Star Wars section. We saw the kids' "Marvel superheroes" movie (complete with 3D glasses and special effects), and then we went on an amusement ride where your seat is a little black taxi cab. On the ride, you get a fun mini-lesson in British history. More adventures have included: big indoor-and outdoor-playscapes, farms, nature walks, harvesting bit by bit from our little potted plants garden, play dates (which included trips to the pool), a 5K Color Run, dinners and games with other families, volunteer projects, and family movie nights (my favorite? "Minions"!!). I managed to complete two furniture projects as well. I gave Little Man's table and chairs and an end table new life!
Here they are:
It says: "Don't tell me the sky's the limit. There are footsteps on the moon." I not really into country music, but I thought Paul Brandt's lyrics were perfect for Little Man. I also stenciled rocket ships onto the tops of his chairs to match the lampshade on the light in his room (per his request).
The end table was transformed from it's former badly scratched up plain wood to this beauty! Grey and white with a heart on top and pit of framing. Hard work, but well worth the effort!
Before schools starts, I'm hoping we can spend a day or two on a beach somewhere just relaxing in the sunshine, get family photos done, and go on a tour of Cambridge-guided by friends who live there.
This summer has had its fair share of challenges too, but I won't go into all of that now.
In this post, I have chosen to focus on counting my blessings instead.
I am truly grateful for all of the adventures our family has enjoyed, and I am looking forward to more!
(And "Thank You!!" to everyone who has sent us care packages, cards, and invitations. We really appreciate it!)
I hope you are enjoying your summer too!
~LadyH
Q&A
What have you been doing this summer?
Any other activities planned?
Anything you hope to do before the end of this season?
If you could go on any adventure, where would you go? What would you do? Who would be with you?
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