Of Pediatricians and Patriots

We are knee deep in the middle of our nations fight for independence and the boys couldn't be happier.  Last fall I picked up two pirate costumes at our PE groups clothing swap.  The red velvet jackets with gold braid are a favorite item being worn these days despite the temperatures approaching 100.  Our only two patriot 'coats' are a blue police jacket and my grandmother's cardigan that has really cool engraved pewter buttons.  Buttons aside, the boys think it is a pretty boring stand-in.  But it has provided an opportunity for the them to realize the benefits of being a soldier of the king verses a patriot in a poor fledgling nation.

As we read about these men that made so many valiant sacrifices, they have also been drawn to the beautiful rhetoric.  Their ability to memorize, when motivated, never ceases to amaze me.

Recently, I took Treyton in for his 4 year old well-check.  This new pediatrician is especially thorough and started asking me all kinds of questions about his development.  As she started to ask about his knowledge of the 1,2,3's and A,B,C's I realized that I had come to the point, where I hadn't really thought about it.  I nodded, indicating that he knew most of what she was asking about, but than explained a bit of my philosophy.

Skills like this come surprisingly easily in a home where there is a lot of interaction.  As I dole out a snack, he learned pretty quick how important it was to count.  Counting wasn't merely something he memorized to please someone.  There was a lot riding on his understanding of 1-to-1 correspondence.  He could immediately spot that he only received 10 blueberries while his brothers had each snagged 20.

And don't get me started on the ABC's.  I mean really, what academic advantage does a child have if he can sing the ABC song?  Until he is ready to start alphabetizing, not much.  Now phonemic SOUNDS...  That is a whole different story.

As I sat there in my pediatricians office, I started to share with her the value in learning ABOUT things instead of merely memorizing and acquiring skills.  One of my goals in the early years is to nurture that natural curiosity and insatiable desire to explore the world around them.  Stoking the fire of inborn curiosity and protecting that natural love of learning is so crucial at this age.

For some reason our culture seems fixated on skill acquisition as if memorizing numbers from 1 to 20 (or 50 or 100) somehow indicates 'giftedness'.  So much time is spent on trying to get kids reading or counting that could be utilized in far more effective and enjoyable ways.

I'm not sure how convinced she was, until I mentioned our current study of the Revolutionary War and how fascinated he is by it all.  He may or may not be able to recite his ABC's in the correct order {I've never communicated that learning that was important}, but this kid of mine is soaking up so much. 

I relayed how I was dialoging with my bigger boys, asking them which famous statesman from Virginia spoke these famous words,

"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?

Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take,

but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"  

Treyton was trotting by {in costume, of course} and before the boys had a chance to respond, he glibly responded, "Patrick Henwy".

The pediatrician just sat staring.

Then I told her that he was currently really into the life of Paul Revere and the events surrounding the battle of Lexington/Concord.  At this point, Treyton piped up and told her about Captain John Parker and his courageous words to the militia on the Lexington Green that day.

Rest assured, while she might think us a bit odd {and I'm totally ok with that}, I don't think she is worried about his academic development.

Skills will come.  In fact, he's acquiring them without even realizing it.  More important is that his love of learning -that God has placed in each young child, is alive and well.

After re-enacting the battle at Lexington and the 'shot heard round the world,' Treyton wanted me to record the battle for his cousins and grandparents. He is incredibly proud of his make-shift bayonet (a bamboo skewer) and the boys are loving their 'gun smoke' that they've created by filling their popguns with dirt. After reviewing this clip however, I've realized that we need to work on explaining the reality of guns that fire only one shot before needing to be carefully reloaded...

Community Matters

Community matters.  And I'm a firm believer in not putting all of our {relationship} eggs in one basket.  While I adore my online community, I also love having {in real life} community.  And my kids really love it too.  In this digital age, I think it is easy to try and fill our relational needs with virtual community.  Now there are perks to online community, but nothing really replaces the value and necessity of {in-person} friends. 

Over the last couple of years, I've just been blown away by the wonderful friends God has brought into my life: friends that love me through thick and thin, friends that anticipate what I'm going through, friends that pray for me and regularly let me know they are doing so.

As we get deeper into homeschooling, I'm also increasingly thankful for local support groups.  Last month at our mom's chat during our afternoon PE class, we all swapped field trip tips and ideas.  A friend of mine mentioned taking the light rail downtown and grabbing lunch at the TGIFriday's at the ballpark.  With Mima coming in town for a visit, I thought this would be the perfect outing.  It was a huge hit and I'm thankful for friends who share good ideas of things to do locally.  If we do this again, I want to also take one of the free tours that are offered of the ballpark or possibly come down before a game and watch batting practice!

This week, I picked up my real notebook to once again turn my eyes to Jesus and actively recognize God's many gifts in life.  I also pick-up my 'virtual' gratitude list and continue to make my online count towards 1,000 gifts...

937. beautiful homeschool community.
938. friends that love me for who I am and regularly check up on me.
939. boys and their love-affair with everything 'train'
940. wide-eyed boys taking in the empty ballpark.
941. special time with Mima.

942. a mother-in-law who loves me as one of her own, despite my quirks and strange ways of doing things.
943. baby girl giggles.
944. chubby hands waving
945. smiles that greet me each morning and after every nap!
946. gentle conviction every time I read the Word.  Ever-so thankful it is gentle.
947. meeting my new nephew - fresh out.
948. grace and peace even when life doesn't go as planned.
949. the thrill of inspecting tiny toes, fingers, ears, skinny legs and an impish little nose. 
950. soaking in the wonder of new life -the tangible reality of two becoming one.

951. That still small voice that draws me into the Word.
952. Early morning light which wakens my little 'Devotions' buddy.

Learn to Play --> Play to Learn!

Any guesses as to what we've been reading about lately???

I just love how they bring it into their everyday play!

Boston Tea Party Time!

Why Nature Walks?

A repost from the archives... because it is that time of year. 

Here is some fresh inspiration to take your children outside and enjoy time together in God's beautiful creation wherever you may live!

 

What is a nature walk and why are they so beneficial? When a friend posed this question and asked me 'How to do it?', I was surprised by how difficult it was to give a concise answer. Perhaps that is why there is some confusion on the what, why and how's of nature walking...

So today, I want to demystify this wonderful learning tool and life-long enjoyable practice! Really, it isn't complicated.

In a nutshell, it is getting outside, observing and enjoying nature.

While simple to define, the possibilities are endless which can make it hard to pin down sometimes. I'm sure you'll find that most of you already do nature walks and just don't even realize it!

One of the beauties of nature walking is that it doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes we get out to enjoy nature by leaving 'civilization' to go for a wilderness hike or walk in a nature preserve. But oftentimes (especially if you have young children), it can easily be accomplished by walking in your own neighborhood.

So we know what it is (in a nutshell), but why do it?

1. To Enjoy Nature and Its Creator! As a believer, I think the biggest benefit of getting outside in nature is to enjoy the variety and creativity found in the natural world. As an adult, I marvel and pause to worship the Creator of such diversity and beauty. As a parent, I've found it a wonderful opportunity to share about God with my children in an easy, concrete way and draw their hearts towards worship and thankfulness for the beautiful world in which we live.
2. Develops Observation Skills - Cultivating curiosity and acute observation skills in our children will lay a strong foundation for the rest of their learning journey (which is a life-long pursuit). Using our 5 senses - smell, sight, hearing, touching, tasting (ok that one is a stretch, unless you have toddlers), your children can discover a lot about the world around them. Often times when we are out walking, I'll ask them what they see, smell, hear, etc. Other times, I'll model this observation process by telling them something I see or how much I love the smell of the creosote after it rains here in the desert. Being outdoors creates 'the observer.' 'the wanderer.' 'the scientist,' 'the inspired,' 'the creator,' 'the playful one,' and 'the seriously curious' - roles that will stick with your children for the rest of their lives!
3. Concrete-Relatable Learning - Especially with the younger crowd, learning really should start out with things in their immediate environment. It is far easier to relate to something a child can observe themselves. It is also immensely enjoyable to understand your immediate environment. They experience satisfaction at spotting fruit at the top of a saguaro or identifying a poisonous plant to avoid.
4. Promotes Multi-Level/Family Learning - Every person benefits from getting out into their natural environment from the newest baby to mom and dad! As a new mother, I knew that a sure-fire way to calm my baby was to take him for a walk. He became wide-eyed, taking everything in and came back exhausted and slept, giving me a much needed break from the fussies. As I walk with my children, we all start asking questions and making observations. This began with me modeling to them the process of making observations and asking questions. Now it comes naturally for everyone. Sometimes they will ask something I don't know the answer too. I love it when this happens because then we all get to discover something new!!! Since they are too young to be sent searching for the answer themselves, I will go look and report my findings on our next walk. We now know the difference between a Mesquite and Acacia tree. I know that they bloom at different times of the year, drop different colored pods and that the Acacia isn't actually native to Arizona. Our walks are richer and the kids enjoy pointing out and identifying the various trees in our neighborhood. I enjoy learning right along with them!
5. A Stress Reducer - I mentioned the fussy baby earlier, but I've experience the benefits of getting outside both for my own stress levels and those of my kids. Even though everyone experiences reduction in stress levels, some of us need that precious outdoor time more than others. My middle son and I fall into that latter category...
6. Improves Concentration - Getting outside and walking helps unwind bodies and minds alike. Oftentimes, it will allow the mind to sort through a problem it was working on and tackle it with fresh perspective at the end of a walk. I used to take a quick walks while studying for exams in college or when faced with difficult decisions. It was a great way to clear my head, pray and then later to return to the task at hand. Kids are no different in this need to unwind and then refocus...

Of course these benefits just being to scratch the surface! Time outside in the natural world has so many benefits. (I'd love to hear of any you can think of!)

To continue reading the rest of the series from last year...

PART TWO ~ Nature Walking: How To

PART THREE ~ Nature Walking: Resources

PART FOUR ~ Nature Walking: Books that Inspire

Illustrating the Imagination.

We read.

...a lot.

So it would seem natural that my artist boy, especially, would want to undertake writing and illustrating his own.

Since it is so laborious for him to write at this point, I took his story down from dictation.  After deciphering how many pages we would need, I proceeded to cut and fold some card stock and running it through my sewing machine to 'bind' it together. 

The artist was very pleased with his book that was just waiting to be filled.  We printed his story and turned him loose with scissors, glue stick, colored pencils/markers and his imagination!

As a bonafide 'author/illustrator', he's eager to write some more! 

He completed another book illustrating the animals of Mozambique for a Geography Fair we participated in recently.  I have to admit that I'm quite attached to it and got a tad bit emotional when he wanted to give it to my friend's little girl who so graciously, along with her Nana, let us borrow some items from Mozambique for our display.

Mud Play and Handbook Giveaways...

(photo credit: my sister, Bethany)

No, it isn't chilly enough for coats around here, although the weather is taking a downward turn. I'm simply feeling a bit nostalgic today...  It is my sister's birthday and I'm missing her.  I can't help but think of our last visit to the nature preserve near our home back in January.  Oh how we both love that place. {note the fall leaves.  we simply must wait until December and January to see them...}

Are you all enjoying the beautiful Spring weather where you live?  We've been soaking up as much time as possible outdoors.  While sometimes we meet friends, I find that my boys are more thoughtful and observant when we go out alone.  It is always an adventure to try and identify bird sounds, find signs of animal life (usually of the insect variety) and inspect the plants and trees.

I love getting out into nature and love how it hones and expands my boys observation skills.  But then, you know that if you remember back to my series of posts on Nature Walking.  Wednesdays are going to 'officially' be set aside for GREEN HOUR posts where I'll post of our outdoor discoveries, and anything else related to learning out in nature.

Today I wanted to pass on an incredible resource that is available this week only over at Homeschool Freebie of the Day.  They've scanned in the entire 1918 "Handbook of Nature Study" book and it is available in pdf form.  This resource is chock full of all kinds of nature lessons.    I've been posting a few of my 'finds' on the facebook page, but wanted to make sure that ALL of you dear readers had the opportunity to hear about this deal!

This extensive book is a complete nature-study curriculum and will be an excellent resource for any family wanting to utilize their time outdoors for years to come.

So grab it while you can and then go outside and enjoy exploring God's creation with your children!

The Ubiquitous Family Photo

I guess there is something about Easter that just calls for the ubiquitous family photo... We do it every year. After something like 30 shots, this was the best we could muster!

After an 8am service outside, we headed to my parents for the day.  We missed having my sister and her family here.  We were blessed to have several people join us though for food, fellowship, celebrating, golf and games!

My mom put pennies (and a few nickels/dimes/quarters) in the eggs and then held her 2nd annual 'store'.  It was fun to watch the kids take stock of their cash and determine whether or not they would save the money or make some purchases.

And so I count...

sunshine

worshiping the Risen Lord under a clear blue sky

early services so we can escape the heat. (It reached the 90's yesterday)

baby girl dresses!

a blow-out ~ it meant we got to put on another cute dress!

little white dress carefully worn by a pleased 3 year old

spending time with a sister who is due any day now!

growing excitement over another new nephew or niece due in October!

blog friend, turned real-life friend!

getting to have her and her precious family join us yesterday!

white oxfords with khaki shorts

the grins of boys as they find our {little paper-mache} tomb empty!

my man - doing dishes

kids eagerly searching for eggs.

tiny fingers collecting and counting pennies

games with the family.

meeting new people.

sliced strawberries.

a delicious gluten-free pie crust that tasted better than the best graham crust I've ever had.

smiling faces of family and friends eating fresh whipped cream - even if I couldn't partake.

remembering that the old is gone and the new is come.

Gifts # 916-936

A Forest Walk

 Through a cacti forest that is...

The desert lured us out.  It is in full bloom - greener, with tiny splashes of color.  We ran, poked the dirt, inspected scat, played in dry washes and admired God's creation.  Greta managed to sleep through it all securely snuggled up to me.

This was a particularly windy day. It was fascinating to walk past soaring saguaro's and see them sway as the wind whistled past.  It was the most beautiful sound.  I've noticed the wind in the tree's when we escape up north to the pine country.  But I've failed to notice the sound of wind whipping past a statuesque saguaro.

It is so nice to slow down and use our senses to take in everything. 

As little fingers gently touched these thorns thoughts turned towards the crown of thorns placed on Jesus' head.  Oh what He went through for us...

Spring makes many antsy to get outside. For some it is because they have been home bound because of the cold. For us it is the knowledge of impending heat that limits our summer outdoor hours...

Have you had any outdoor adventures this week?