What Homeschool looks like with a Tired, Pregnant Mom

Of course, I can’t speak for other homeschool families, but here is what ours looks like right now. We have 8 children ages 15 (almost 16)- 19 months. I’m in the first trimester with baby #9 and some days I have energy and some days I have none.

Mentor Meetings

These begin either Sunday night or Monday morning depending on my energy level. During our mentor meetings we plan what they are to do that week. I have the kids set their goals in everything from math to reading and I add my opinion/challenge if I think they can reach a little higher or do a little more. They keep planners/calendars with their goals and add other things as they achieve them such as hours of service, etc.

The scholar aged kids get up early to do seminary and start their day’s worth of studies. I have two scholars age 15 and 14. My son is an emerging scholar or practice scholar at age 13.

Mornings Start with…

Morning devotional. I do not leave my room until I call everyone in for it. I’ve noticed if I leave my room before we have devotional I tend to get distracted by other things, so I’ve discovered this works best for us if I want consistency. With morning devotional we have scripture study. We are currently reading and discussing Esther. Next we have a morning song and prayer. The younger three usually rotate leading these things. We always end by standing for the Pledge of Allegiance and singing Three Cheers for the Red, White, and Blue.

DROP Everything and Read

10 Minute DEAR sessions as Jim Trelease suggests. Basically, you have ten minute “Drop Everything And Read” times at least once a day. We try to have several in addition to the assigned school reading they have.

Since we’ve started this in 2010, several things have happened. The children are all reading more. I also found that I get more reading in. But, most importantly, my two reluctant readers are finding their books fascinating and they thank me daily for providing this time to sit and read uninterrupted. They are now finishing books as well as improving their reading skills. And ten minutes isn’t that much time to stop for a break so I feel that it is well worth the effort it takes to stop and read. My husband has even mentioned he appreciates the break time and he enjoys getting time in for his reading.

Scholars are independent and come to me in the late afternoon to show me their papers and share with me about their readings. I really look forward to discussing their books with them and even sharing bits and pieces of mine.

Music & Language

I learned that it is so worth it to buy DVD’s or CD’s for their language programs. The kids are doing Latin (Henle) and they can rely on the DVD and CD’s for corrections and help. They are doing French with Rosetta Stone- another self-paced learning program. I’ve really learned to take the monkey off my back with these resources.

The oldest four children: 15-10 all take music lessons. Cailynn (15) plays viola and piano, Charisa (14) plays violin, Benjamin (13) plays piano and this year we hope to start him on the Cello, and Makenzie (10) plays piano and violin. I can really see the benefits in their playing music in connection to retention of their studies.

Speaking of getting Outside Help

We found a math tutor for the older kids. I’m so thankful for that help. While I work with the younger ones ages 10 and younger I know the older kids are still progressing too.

We also have the kids doing Andrew Pudewa’s grammar and writing systems and with the DVD teaching portion it has been wonderful. Again, they are self-pacing it and I’m always so amazed with their progress.

Older kids help with Younger Kids

They help read to them, or tutor them in math or science if I’m having down days. They love to come up with projects for them too. The benefits I’m seeing in this, for the past seven years, is aside from the obvious learning for both the younger and older children, is the connection and closeness the children have established with each other.

Mother Helpers

I was trained to do all things homemaking growing up and it has served as an invaluable skill in my life. It has given me an advantage over other women my age and allowed me to serve as mentor for others in this area. For four years I’ve been doing the same and the rewards have been showing forth for all. My older girls can cook or bake anything from fresh breads to creating their own successful gluten free foods to soups, stews, beans, etc. I believe strongly that teaching “life skills” is just as important for a child as are education and thinking skills. Chores also fall into this category and everyone in the home has chores except the baby. Ages 3 and up.

Family Reading

I have fond memories of gathering around the dinner table in the evenings while my mom or dad read aloud to us. They stuck with classic works such as: Ten and Twenty, Pinocchio, the Hiding Place, The Diary of Anne Frank, and the Five Little Peppers and How They Grew. Scripture reading was always something we had and it was just thought of as “what we do”. We have continued this tradition in our own family and once we began homeschooling we realized the educational benefits in this as well as emotional. Most people listen to stories or books and have a higher listening reading level than actual reading level. This has been proven true as all of our children enjoy the classics regardless of their age. We’re currently reading Mary Poppins aloud along with evening reading of the scriptures.

I remember when I began homeschooling seven years ago. I worried how I could possibly do it all. It seems silly to me now as I’m at this end, but it was real then. How would I handle pregnancy and homeschool? I learned right away to start having the family help more. Homeschool has touched our family in a way that nothing like it could. We have a close bond and connection. The children have an open communication with my husband and I. I love being the one to help tutor and educate my children for their life’s mission. Who better to do it than someone who knows them so well and loves them so much?

I see homeschool as being far more than education. I see it as also helping to light the fire for learning, to spark a passion for life, and to help them discover who they are and what their mission is in this life. Pregnancy doesn’t slow down the progress; it is just another learning experience for us all.

*Last image found on: http://organicschool.wordpress.com/

Spontaneous Inspiration

Often on our family's personal blog, I write a day book post. Sort of a journal, but they were kind of boring and so I decided to post about daily, weekly or monthly holidays in order to give a sort of introduction and writing prompt for my journal entries. I like it, it gives me something to think about, learn something new and then I head into my typical discussion of thoughts and the kids. Its a great start to blog posts. Use it if you like, works for me.

So today is V-J Day! Yup, Didn't you know that?

Ok... I admit it. I had to look up V-J Day? What is that? It commemorates the day we took Victory over Japan in WWII or more specifically, "The term has also been used for September 2, 1945, when Japan's formal surrender took place aboard the U.S.S. Missouri, anchored in Tokyo Bay."

Well imagine that! So I shared it with my kids, cause after all, I learned something new and I wanted to share that. It seem to take root in my oldest, though it was heartbreaking for him to learn that Japan was a "Bad guy." He likes Japan, especially Sushi and Samurai warriors. Yup... off he went to get our book on WWII to see if its correct. Inspiration at work. And my son is now pouring over it, and a flood of questions is pouring out and apparently a trip to the Library... again this week... is in order.

In Washington on August 14, President Harry S. Truman announced news of Japan's surrender in a press conference at the White House: "This is the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbor. This is the day when Fascism finally dies, as we always knew it would." Jubilant Americans declared August 14 "Victory over Japan Day," or "V-J Day." (May 8, 1945–when the Allies accepted Nazi Germany's official surrender–had previously been dubbed "Victory in Europe Day," or "V-E Day.")
Please enjoy this Spontaneous Inspiration today, do you have ways that seem to spontaneously inpire you and your children to learn something?

Mom's Need Inspiring Too.

As I have mentioned in a previous posting, this is the first year that I am incorporating a plan, albeit a simple one, for my own personal education as a integral part of my children's education. Perhaps, I am moving beyond the core phase myself. It just felt like time. Not that I wasn't doing things that further developed my own personal "well," it is just more formally planned and known by those around me. Before... it was rather spur of the moment. I would share something I read to the kids. Show them something new I learned and always made it a point to share with them when I learned something new. This year... I am formally doing my own studies... still working out what exactly...but still... Mom is "homeschooling" too.

Like many homeschooling moms, I practically devoured any homeschooling information out there. Which of course, made things overwhelming given all the philosophies and options out there, but in doing so, I began to notice a pattern. The ones that seemed most appealing to me all seemed to overlap. Before TJED, the philosophies of Rudolf Steiner (Waldorf Education), were the most appealing but very different than my traditional educational background (aka- My conveyor Belt Education). Much of it just felt right and in my limited study of it seemed to flow naturally in our family. And when I discovered TJED... the two seemed to flow together and TJED was, for our family, a answer to many missing gaps.

Today... I was reading one of my favorite Waldorf Inspired blogs, The Magic Onions, it had a post on the importance of the continual education of Parents and Teachers. It's words spoke so clearly to me. Especially at a time when my personal development is at the forefront of my thoughts these days. Let me share with you some quotes (in red) that I found very inspiring.

Blogger, Melisa Nielsen, shares a quote from Rudolph Steiners, Rhythms of Learning. "The Self Education of adults is essential for the Waldorf approach to educating children, because Waldorf does not consist solely of methods, techniques, or structures, but rather the development of human capacities – those of the children but also, and more importantly, those of teachers and parents.”

I love the phrase, "the development of human capacities." Isn't it wonderful that there isn't a end to that capacity?

Don't you just love the blessings of the internet (and I admit it has its evils too). I think it is vital to remember the Philosophy of "Inspire, not require" doesn't only just apply to how you educate your children. I get so bogged down on requirements, that I placed on myself ,and when I see postings and informations such as this and the other I will mention... it is a breath of fresh air. I need a good homeschooling community of not only real life friends but virtual kindred spirits that inspire me to greater things.

Another awesome posting today I read on Mama Seasons, (nice to know other mamas get "the funk" too. Check out this quote she found:

From the unschooling site:

“If you think you can’t provide a rich, stimulating environment for your kids, maybe they *are* better off in school. Send them.

But if you know that the whole wide world is rich and stimulating, then GET OUT THERE! DO things, BE with your kids. Find cool places to go. Bring new things home. Quit b#@%**’!

If you knew you only had a year more with that child, what would you expose him to? Where would you go? What would you eat? What would you watch? What would you do?

If you had only ONE year—and then it was all over, what would you do? Four seasons. Twelve months. 365 days.

Do that THIS year. And the next.”

Can I just tell you how much I needed that. I can only hope that a life lived to its fullest, is one that won't be regretted. Just how much I need to let go and have faith in the learning process. Back to the Magic Onions, she goes on to talk about just that. Read the posting and think about how it applies to your style. While it is of course from a Waldorf perspective you could easily replace the word Waldorf with "educating children" or even TJED

“The self-education of adults is essential to educating children, because educating children does not consist solely of methods, techniques, or structures, but rather the development of human capacities – those of the children but also, and more importantly, those of teachers and parents.”

Now take a look at this additional Rudolf Steiner Quote. I am going to interject some TJED corresponding stuff in red.

“If one observes children who, through proper upbringing, have developed a natural reverence for the adults around them [CORE Phase}, and if one follows them through their various phase of life[TJED_ Core, Love of Learning, scholar, Depth and Mission], one may discover that their feelings for reverence and devotion in childhood gradually transform during the years leading to old age. As adults, such persons may have a healing effect on others, so that through their mere presence, tone of voice, or perhaps a single glance they spread inner peace to others.[Perhaps this can be attributed to a completion of each phase, few or no gaps or repair work to be done] Their presence can be a blessing, because as children they have learned to venerate and to pray in the right way. No hands can bless in old age, unless in childhood they have been folded in prayer.[For many families, this is a vital part of the Core Phase]”

The beauty in this, is that even though we are having to do all of this "repair work" for ourselves, our kids don't necessarily have to... depending on you. I know... pressure. But remember... "It's about YOU, not them." Focus on healing you and and that inner work you do now will affect your posterity. Ok... enough for such a late night. Just thought I would share some inspiration I found today.

Note to self... get a copy of

“Rhythms of Learning” by Steiner

and check out the unschooling site.

It's good to be homeschooling. Now its your turn... share with us your inspiration. What is inspiring you to develop your personal education?

What's Mine is Mine: Part 2- Writing is mine

I got an email from one of my blog readers (nice to know I still have some) asking how I keep track of all my ideas. I will have to add a photo of my bag that has what is "mine" in it. I counted out 6 paper journals and 7 blogs. Is that crazy or what? I hadn't really put them all together before. Now let me just be upfront and specify that when I say writing I mean words, not grammer and all that. No... Just free expression of me. Lets's change up an old quote to state... " A blog is for free expression... not good impressions." Who am I kidding... a little good impression and a comments from readers make me so excited... but I digress. So I took up journal writing as a means of inspiring my kids. They write in their journals daily, have nature journals and I encourage them to write things down for me, "cause Mamma is forgetful." Hehehehe! But for me, it took off. I love looking at journals, handmaking journals from my scrapbooking stash. Perhaps I will get into book making... need to add that to the bucket list. I love looking at other's blogs and I even have a collection of blogs. So many that I never have time to read them, but they were put there because there was something on them that inspired me. Perhaps they inspired me to write, do, or make something. The kids each have private blogs too... how's that for "inspire, not require."

I will start with my blogs because most of my journals are an extension of one of the blogs.

1. Blog: Healing Kindredmamma is my private, only for me, though nothing too intensely personal as the intensely personal stuff is in my paper journal tucked in my bag. Hmmmmm.... Maybe I won't show you a picture of my bag and stuff. Anyhow... it is for me... it is Kindredmamma in the RAW. Usually a mad amount of writing when overwhelmed with strong feelings I would rather not share with others. So it isn't a consistent blog or journal... just as needed.

2. Blog: TJed Mothers... Here I am a contributing writer. It is centered around our homeschool philosophies pertaining to a Thomas Jefferson Education. But my paper journal is far more active as I am constantly writing thoughts as I read books on education and just my general homeschool thoughts.

3. Exploring Colorado And Beyond This blog is a hobby blog. And it is developing more and more, though most of the information it currently has is also found on my main family blog, A Kindred Family. It's counter part paper journal is included with my educational journal above and also a nature journal with sketches and writing while out in nature.

4. A few others that lost their drive. One for Scouts and one for health, one for a side scrapbooking thing that hasn't panned out yet. Not really worth mentioning until I get excited about them.

5. A Kindred Family- My main family blog, now closed to the public, but only for invited guests. Its contents are mainly focused on the family unit as a whole and each child of course. After all... we need to make the grandma's and papa's happy. But it also has my interests woven with in it all.

6. Two Crafty Cousins- The craft blog, of course, lovingly shared with my Jedi Master, Cousin Ann. And it has mostly paper crafting projects of ours, but I think soon you will see more. I have several I need to post still. My craft journal is huge... mostly project ideas, patterns, scraps and inspirations. Not necessarily top secret...but mine. I also have a sketch book that I might sketch out ideas in or notes and measurements on something I am working on.

7. Will be starting a companion blog to my new Esty Store... Working on getting that ready.

Additional paper journals

1. Book Journal. Filled with lists of books to check out, favorites, lent and borrowed books. Quite the composite of notes and scribbles.

2. The Book of Jeremy's medical speech stuff notes, articles and all things pertaining to therapy and appeals.

All of these blogs and paper journals are filled not only with their purpose but thoughts and musings as well. In looking it all over...I think I have created a monster. What will my posterity think if they were to compile the variety of journaling I have created and see the big picture of my life. I think it would be some work to put it all together in one spot. "Good Luck," I say. "I did my part... I journaled as was counseled by Prophets... The rest is your problem!" And I of course add a chuckle to that. It has kept me sane and enriched... I just wish it would inspire my kids to write more than it has. But time will tell. So there you have it... a bit of craziness into "the world... according to Heather." See mom, the world really is according to me.... at least in part.

Oh and on a side note... I had three out four F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S days of homeschooling this last week. It may not happen again but I just had to mention it. Every day is different but those days I felt particularly successful... Maybe they will happen again next week.

Do You Have An Education?

No, I’m not speaking about a degree or initials attached to the end of your name. I’m speaking of a true education. The following two quotes define an education very well:

“The only purpose of education is to teach a student how to live his life-by developing his mind and equipping him to deal with reality. The training he needs is theoretical, i.e., conceptual. He has to be taught to think, to understand, to integrate, to prove. He has to be taught the essentials of the knowledge discovered in the past-and he has to be equipped to acquire further knowledge by his own effort.” ~Ayn Rand

“The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think—rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with the thoughts of other men.” ~Bill Beattie

Do you know about the past, the TRUE past, not just watered down facts from a history book? What about the past President’s and their wives? What about the lives and writings of great people such as Pope, Byron, Cervantes, Sir Walter Scott, etc.? Half a century ago everyone knew these people and all were familiar with their writings and many could even quote them.

One sign of an education is that one becomes less interest in trivial and mind-wasting topics such as what drama the latest star has gotten involved in or who broke up with whom in Hollywood. Those who value their education and by extension their minds are choosy about what they watch on television and how much they watch. They also are watch guards over how and what their children watch. The educated know that just like food feeds the body and either strengthens or tears down one’s health, the same applies to what one feeds the mind as in media: books, TV, music and internet.

Scientists have proven that those who are actively using their brains to learn new things tend not to acquire diseases such as Alzheimer’s later in life. The educated are always striving to improve their knowledge and enjoy learning deep, spiritual and thought provoking ideas.

The saying, “Great minds talk about ideas, average minds talk about events and small minds talk about other people” is true. Think of the conversations lately in your home, especially among the adults. What category do you fall in? Being conscious of what we are doing and saying is important in improving oneself. Once you become aware of what category you are in, hold yourself more accountable and if you should need to do some changing, make that change today.

Take a person off the street today and ask them what makes a person great. Many will answer things like: fame, fortune, influence (we’ll define as worldly influence), position, or status. Society has become ignorant to the fact that they are ignorant. Just because someone has power- like a president or king, or money, or worldly fame and influence does not make him great.

So what does make a person great? The answer includes but is not limited to: morals, religious conviction and belief, personal ethics code, and education. Years ago I read a book about one hundred key great and important people throughout the ages. They all had their own struggles and trials, but each great man and woman had one main thing in common-a true classically based education, most had a self taught classical education. Their education was acquired through the reading of classic books. Through the classics they learned to think deeply, attain self-mastery, and to discover and live their mission in life.

The saying “All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten” shows just how low our society has come. Sure it is meant to be humorous, but is it really? Really what we should be saying (and most importantly-living) is “All I really need to know I learned from the scriptures and classic books.”

Sadly, few today understand the classics. Walk in any Barnes and Noble or Borders books and you will see shelves full of cliff notes and other books with (someone else’s) interpretations of classic works. These books completely defeat the purpose of the true unabridged classic book. We cease to learn and grow when we are looking for someone else’s take on a classic book. The purpose of the classics is to inspire and teach your very core, the person that you truly are. They remind us through other’s experiences and lives whether ill or well lived. We don’t have a long enough life to experience everything so learn from other’s examples, especially the examples of truly great people. This is what happens to those who strive to get a true classical education. One cannot help but become a better thinker and most importantly a truly great person.

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Shiloah Baker is a mom of seven, pregnant with #8, married to the man she's madly in love with. Exercise is her vice. She runs a The Homemaking Cottage and homeschools. In her spare time she sews, crafts, writes and reads. Join us at The Homemaking Cottage Deluxe Edition for 1057 ways to improve your home and family! http://www.homemaking-cottage.com/

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Book Review: The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliff

"The Mysteries of Udolpho, by Ann Radcliffe, was published in the summer of 1794 by G. G. and J. Robinson of London in 4 volumes. Her fourth and most popular novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho follows the fortunes of Emily St. Aubert who suffers, among other misadventures, the death of her father, supernatural terrors in a gloomy castle, and the machinations of an Italian brigand. Often cited as the archetypal Gothic novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho plays a prominent role in Jane Austen's novel Northanger Abbey, in which an impressionable young woman, after reading Radcliffe's novel, comes to see her friends and acquaintances as Gothic villains and victims with amusing results."

-Summary by Wikipedia

Review by Shiloah Baker

This book is a beautifully written tale full of mystery, intrigue, valuable lessons in character and life, with an end that satisfies all the curiosities one receives when reading it.

Emily is the protagonist whose character is worthy of all girls to emulate. She is always checking her propensity for fear and superstitions. She never feels sorry for herself despite all those she loses to death, being suffered to an imprisonment in a “haunted” castle and the selfishness of those who were around for the greater part of a year.

She loses the love of her life by choice when she finds out that his character became flawed and his addictions she knew he would have problems with throughout his life. Throughout the years I have had friends whose marriages soured for one reason or another. The ones whose marriages ended due to infidelity and mistreatment often affected me the most in a melancholy way. I spoke to my wise mother-in-law about it and she said many times people are not careful in the dating process. People think they can change people or that problems in the youth will be conquered in later years, much of the time this is not so. Emily’s wisdom and prudence is a wonderful example to impressionable girls in this day and age. She shows strength of character that is not often seen in the shallow characters of protagonists today.

Centuries after this book is written, our way of life is so utterly different from those in the 1500’s. I have always been curious as to how the relationships between servants and master operated. I especially enjoyed reading what they ate: breads and cheese, fruit with cream, etc. Considering that the story took place mostly in France and Italy it gives me an idea of the types of bread and cheese. The children and I have enjoyed this faire off and on while I read the book. Blame it on pregnancy cravings. {Smile}

The author takes us to many locations without ever making the reader feel lost. The descriptions are rich and it makes one crave the reprieve of an Italian countryside. She brings the reader with Emily to two haunted castles and yet never leaves a question unanswered by the end of the book. Despite the gloomy circumstances at times in the book, it has an extremely happy ending. It is master story-telling at its finest.

When speaking of the death of an unhappy woman who committed great sins, the following wisdom is still relevant to today:

“Her death presents to us a great and awful lesson.” Continued the abbess; “let us read it, and profit by it; let it teach us to prepare ourselves for the change, that awaits us all! You are young, and have it yet in your power to secure ‘the peace that passeth all understanding’-the peace of conscience. Preserve it in your youth, that it may comfort you in age; for vain, alas! and imperfect are the good deeds of our latter years, if those of our early life have been evil!”

Living our lives the best we can not only gives us a free and clear conscience now, but when on our death beds we will have the peace of mind knowing we lived a good life.

Several of the characters were selfish, passionate, cruel and sinful. The author clearly illustrates the unhappiness of a life lived in this manner. One lesson taught was that all passions- good or bad should be bridled.

“Remember, sister, that passions are the seeds of vices as well as of virtues, from which either may spring, accordingly as they are nurtured. Unhappy they who have never been taught the art to govern them!”

I really enjoyed listening to President Uchtdorf the other night. One of the things he mentioned that really struck me was that there is no “FREE AGENCY” there is agency. Nothing is free because it all comes with a price. There is always a consequence to every choice.

By the end of the book, you learn throughout the story that while good or bad, we all must pass through sorry and hardship, but in the end if we endure we shall triumph:

“O! useful may it be to have shewn, that, though the vicious can sometimes pour affliction upon the good, their power is transient and their punishment certain; and that innocence, though oppressed by injustice, shall, supported by patience, finally triumph over misfortune!”

The Mysteries of Udolpho is a classic novel worth reading. I have shared the storyline with my children as I read and they are so excited to read it in a few years. I thought it would make a great movie, but on second thought it might appear very scary and thus giving it a rating I wouldn’t want to see. It is better that it remains a book and the ideas left to the imagination. All is explained at one time or another, but until then, enjoy the suspense and mystery!

We Want to Know You: Blog

By Shiloah Baker

My words fly up
my thoughts remain below.
Words without thoughts
never to heaven go.
—Shakespeare

Over the years I have met some amazing women- women who changed my life through their example or their mentoring me. When they moved away we lost touch because they were doers and not writers. How many times I wished those women would write-write their thoughts, their experiences and share their knowledge. Oh, the things we could learn!

Many people say, “I’m too busy to write- too busy living life.” To that I respond that there are many people who could use your mentorship through your example and writing about it. Writing about life, the ups and downs and how you learned from your experiences is a form of journal writing. How are our children to really know us if we don’t write?

The amazing thing about writing online is you never know who you will touch and how far reaching your words really are. Sometimes you’ll get some wonderful feedback in person or online, or sometimes people quietly read and take in what you share and allow it to enrich their life.

While I love to share my feelings in person with friends and those I meet, I feel that writing online is my way of sharing my thoughts and opinions in an unthreatening manner. I can also give unsolicited advice and people can read and take it if they want or move on to the next article.

To those who are currently writing on a blog or elsewhere, don’t hide your light under a bushel. How many blogs have I been to that I fell in love with the content and feel of the blog? The answer is many. When I like someone’s writings, I want to get to “know” them better and am taken aback when after sharing such a wealth of information they hide who they are and don’t give us an insight into their real lives. Sure there are some weirdos out there, but don’t let the fear of them keep us from getting to know you. Your writings have credibility when we know you are a real person. If you touch our lives with your writing, please further touch our lives with a glimpse into yours.

Everyone who loves life and family has something to offer. Everyone. I especially love reading from those who are passionate about life, Christ, family, hobbies, reading, writing, etc. and not necessarily in that order. It’s easy to begin a blog and share with the world. Take a chance today to touch someone or teach us through your writing.

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Shiloah Baker is a mom of seven, pregnant with #8, married to the man she's madly in love with. Exercise is her vice. She runs a The Homemaking Cottage and homeschools. In her spare time she sews, crafts, writes and reads. Join us at The Homemaking Cottage Deluxe Edition for 897 ways to improve your home and family! http://www.homemaking-cottage.com/ And don’t forget to join our ezine for free ideas. Free Homemaking Newsletter


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Works alluded to in Monte Cristo (Part 1)

I'm now half way through The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. I have been compiling a list of works mentioned throughout the book thus far. I'm sure there is more, but these are the ones that stood out to me and that caught my interest. I will break it up into parts. I hope this interests others out there as well. These are all going on my to-read list! ;)

Arabian Nights: Tales from One Thousand and One Nights

Throughout the book the Count of Monte Cristo is either called by a character or two from this book or hinted that he belongs in the book. He called himself Sinbad the Sailor for a time.

Caesar: Alexandrian War. African War. Spanish War

Mentioned in his conversation with M. Villefort regarding chemistry and health.


By The Abbe in the Chateau D’if

Thucydides
Xenophon
Plutarch
Shakespear
Spinoza



Thucydides (Thoukydídēs)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thucydides

A Greek historian and author of the History of the Peloponnesian War, which recounts the 5th century B.C. war between Sparta and Athens to the year 411 B.C. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of "scientific history" due to his strict standards of evidence-gathering and analysis in terms of cause and effect without reference to intervention by the gods, as outlined in his introduction to his work.

Quotations

• "But, the bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it."[42]
• "The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must."[43]
• "It is a general rule of human nature that people despise those who treat them well, and look up to those who make no concessions."[44]
• "War takes away the easy supply of daily wants, and so proves a rough master, that brings most men's characters to a level with their fortunes."[45]
• "The cause of all these evils was the lust for power arising from greed and ambition; and from these passions proceeded the violence of parties once engaged in contention."[46

Books
The History of the Peloponnesian War (English)


Plutarch

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutarch

Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus[1] (Greek: Μέστριος Πλούταρχος), c. AD 46 – 120 — commonly known in English as Plutarch — was a Roman (of Greek ethnicity) historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist.[2] Plutarch was born to a prominent family in Chaeronea, Boeotia, a town about twenty miles east of Delphi. His known works consist of the Parallel Lives and the Moralia.

Books

The Fall of the Roman Republic: Six Lives (Penguin Classics)
Lives of Noble Grecians and Romans (Modern Library Series, Vol. 1)
On Sparta (Penguin Classics)
The Age of Alexander: Nine Greek Lives (Penguin Classics, L286)
Alexander the Great
Selected Lives (Wordsworth Classics of World Literature)
The Rise and Fall of Athens: Nine Greek Lives
Roman Lives: A Selection of Eight Lives (Oxford World's Classics)
Greek Lives (Oxford World's Classics)
Essays by Plutarch
Plutarch Themistocles (Bryn Mawr Greek Commentaries)
Moralia
Plutarch's Advice to the Bride and Groom and A Consolation to His Wife: English Translations, Commentary, Interpretive Essays, and Bibliography
Themistocles

Spinoza

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baruch_Spinoza

A Dutch philosopher of Portuguese Jewish origin. Revealing considerable scientific aptitude, the breadth and importance of Spinoza's work was not fully realized until years after his death. Today, he is considered one of the great rationalists of 17th-century philosophy, laying the groundwork for the 18th century Enlightenment and modern biblical criticism.

Books

• ca. 1660. Korte Verhandeling van God, de mensch en deszelvs welstand (Short Treatise on God, Man and His Well-Being).[15].
• 1662. Tractatus de Intellectus Emendatione (On the Improvement of the Understanding). 1663. Principia philosophiae cartesianae (Principles of Cartesian Philosophy, translated by Samuel Shirley).
• Gallica.
• 1670. Tractatus Theologico-Politicus (A Theologico-Political Treatise)
• 1677. Ethics (Penguin Classics)
• 1677. Hebrew Grammar.

Inspire, Not Require

I will have to admit, that this is by far the hardest of the TJed Philosophies for me to implement. It isn't entirely that I don't subscribe to it, because I do, but it requires imagination and in my personal belief, Devine inspiration. While I consider myself, creative, it is only because I am great at copying and perhaps tweaking things to suit my own needs. I am just not entirely an original gal. Which makes this concept hard. What works for one family may not (and the chances can be good) that it won't work for another and yet what we do within our own families may inspire another family to take it, tweak it and make it their own.

So this last week, my inspirations were:

Candy Math- (Doing addition and subtraction with the older two kids with Math Wrap Ups and using Hershey Kisses if they needed a help of a manipulative and promising them 10 each seemed to work. They loved playing with the entire bag of Hershey Kisses, lining them up, creatively coming up to see how many were in the bag, adding and subtracting, making lines and shapes with candy. Too bad I can't get them to do that with carrots. Anyhow... Math inspired and accomplished. Candy Math is a hit. Will their teeth suffer though?

Muffin Tin Monday-"Muffin tin what?", you say. That's right. Muffin Tin Monday. Check it out here. Not only has Muffin Tin Monday been a source of inspiration/bribery to get their chores done so we could have our special lunch but today...it took off into homeschool bliss. Muffin Tin Monday went to Thailand. I made Pad Thai and Turkey with Thai Peanut Sauce and served it in a muffin tin. I told them it was food from Thailand. All I got was "Where's Thailand? What do they look like?" And there you have it. A search in the atlas and an adventure online and now... my kids are out in the back yard doing Thai Folk Dancing.

Now I definately need to work on some Divine Inspiration as to what my family needs but we are having a great time around here.

So there you have it. I took an idea from somewhere else, tweaked and made it my own. Perhaps next week we will go somewhere else for Muffin Tin Monday. But this Mamma's inspired. So take a chance. Serve your lunch in a muffin tin and find some inspiration where you least expect it.

H.

Introduction: The Butikofer Family

I've known for some time that I would homeschool my family (3 kids- 6yob, 4yob, 3 yog).  It took Jessie a while to be supportive of this decision.  We put our oldest in a half day pre-k, but pulled him out the next year.  School was changing him, and not in  a positive way.

I didn't know what direction I was to go in.  I knew was what I didn't want-- School at Home.  I knew that I wanted to teach from real books--not textbooks.  Shiloah lent me her copy of A Thomas Jefferson Education some time last year.  I finished it in no time.  I knew this was type of education I wanted my children to get-- it's the education I wanted.  I loved the emphasis on me getting a good education and learning from the classics.  

Maxwell hasn't been too keen on learning anything from me.  I remember starting out homeschooling last year, and every day it was a fight to get him to DO anything.  Yesterday I received Math-U-See's Primer set in the mail.  I wanted to get a feel for what the kids would learn, so I popped in the DVD and watched it with the kids.  After we stopped, Maxwell pulled down the white board and wrote out his numbers 0-9 and mimicked  what he saw on the DVD.  He absolutely hates to write, so I was shocked to say the least.  He and Blake spent about 45 minutes playing Math.  This morning I took out the student books and thought I'd see if there was interest.  Both boys took the bait and stayed busy for about 30 minutes.  We cleaned up, and did some other activities.  Later this afternoon, Maxwell pulls out the student book AGAIN!  I couldn't believe it.  He told me just two days ago that he didn't want to learn math or reading because it's too hard, and here he is voluntarily working.  My heart was full of joy-- almost to tears.  I have seen-- especially in that child-- the importance of waiting until the child is ready to learn.  I'm not quite sure if it's Inspire, Not Require of You, Not Them.  Perhaps a little of both.

Does Inspiring Bring Tears?

I've been homeschooling for a year now, and I'm trying to teach my 4 (B) and 6 (M) yr olds to read. They keep telling and asking me to teach them how to read. I, of coarse, have a carefully laid out plan- I mean schedule, of how this is going to happen. We have the book Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. So this will be, well, EASY right? In 100 days the boys will be the best readers ever. When I woke up from my dream, this morning and started to put the plan in action, M and I were rhyming using the s sound. All went well until it was M's turn to say the rhymes. He only wanted to rhyme with the m sound. I kept getting frustrated, and started to take that out on him. I think I lost the inspiration somewhere. We did however stop when the tears started to flow, and put the book down. I guess the boys just aren't ready for reading just yet. Inspiring isn't the easiest, but I can tell a difference learning that goes on when one of my children have been inspired to learn something new, and when I've made them or required them to do it.