Comments on Life of a Barefoot MomLady: Learning to Plan, Planning to Learn

"Besides, I'm going to need a game-plan f...

2011-08-03T20:52:42.746-04:00

"Besides, I'm going to need a game-plan for this little guy. 'Cause if he ever figures out that his smile can melt me into calling off school for the day? I'll be sunk."
LOVE IT!!! ;o)

My daughter just impressed us tonight. We were talking about rights and my son started quizzing her about the Bill of Rights. She could still talk about them. Way better than I could ever hope to know them!

Our only child went to public school through 3rd g...

2011-08-03T10:00:36.691-04:00

Our only child went to public school through 3rd grade. It took me 6 months of homeschool to clean out his mind & repurpose the junk they left behind. He had been told he couldn't read by his teacher, so he quit trying. When we started homeschool he would cry when I asked him to read. We were driving around looking for a house when we moved to Denver. Michael was in the back seat, talking to himself. I ask him " why are you talking to yourself" When I turned around, in my child that couldn't reads hands was his Dad's copy of Peter Benchleys Jaws. He was reading out loud & so fascinated by it that he never heard me speak to him. I never stressed again over homeschool whether I was doing it well enough or not. He had been in public school with a trained educator who had "given up" on his reading...& still learned to read above grade level regardless of her lack of teaching skills. He was my child, I loved him more than my life & I would teach him better & with more love than anyone. Plans are just roadmaps to where we want to go, we can always take that fork to a different place! Keep up the good work!!!

Shawntele, you just provided for me the very word ...

2011-07-28T18:40:19.411-04:00

Shawntele, you just provided for me the very word I knew was missing...intentional. My son is five, he's been able to recognize his letters and numbers for a couple years now, but if I don't get intentional with him there's no telling how long it'll be before he "decides" to read, add, write, etc. (Especially given our farm life...being by Daddy's side is FAR more fun than being inside with all the girls! lol) And Algebra is not exactly the most thrilling subject in the world for the big girls. ;)

I hear you loud and clear. This will be our 4th y...

2011-07-28T17:34:21.460-04:00

I hear you loud and clear. This will be our 4th year, and I intend to be more intentional than ever!

Thank you Carol. As I've always been more of a...

2011-07-28T17:24:35.374-04:00

Thank you Carol. As I've always been more of a "routine" vs. "schedule" person, I think guidelines would be a more suitable way to approach this. We need a certain amount of structure, but I don't want to make it rigid and risk losing the enjoyment of it.

I've started every year of the last 17 with le...

2011-07-28T17:19:30.768-04:00

I've started every year of the last 17 with lesson plans of some sort. Some, more detailed than others.
What I've learned from it all is this. If you expect too much out of yourself, and you don't perform, you are setting yourself up for disaster--emotionally, spiritually, and in the eyes of your children. I prefer "guidelines" to "plans." They are more flexible.