A Homeschooler Speaks About What He Really Thinks About Homeschooling

My oldest son, Shawn (25), talks about his thoughts and feelings about homeschooling. He was homeschooled from beginning to end. He self-directed his education through high school, and he discusses how homeschooling shaped his way of thinking that enabled him to do what he is doing and helped him to adapt to any situation or environment he finds himself in.

Watch this Periscope video we made together as I interviewed him about what he thinks about homeschooling:

 

https://www.periscope.tv/penneymaried/1yoKMraMAZOGQ?

Teach Your Kids How to Hear God

Here is a brand new book by Shawn Bolz that he wrote to help kids learn how to hear God speaking to them.

 

I am taking Emma through this book and workbook, and we are both learning how to hear from God better!

 

Watch the scope I did about this book here:

 

https://www.periscope.tv/penneymaried/1dRKZRQknYDKB?

Frustration and Marriage

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Sometimes life gets hard. And having a good, strong marriage can help you through the hard times. At other times, it seems that your marriage is what is making life so hard.

So what do you do when it seems like life and marriage aren’t turning out the way you expected it to despite your best efforts?

Here are some things you can do to help improve your attitudes and make life more pleasant for yourself, for your husband and for your whole family:

  1.  Adjust your expectations.
  2.  Accept that some things about your mate may never change.
  3.  Take on the leadership role (e.g. spiritual leader)  if you have to even if you wish your husband would take it on.
  4.  Encourage your husband to read the same books about marriage, relationships, parenting, family, etc. that you are reading so that the two of you are on the same page. Pun intended.
  5.  Talk to your husband about how you are feeling in a non-threatening, non-accusing way.
  6.  Pray for God to help you to see your husband the way He sees him. And love him the way God does.

Please watch the scope I did about this topic here:

https://www.periscope.tv/penneymaried/1RDGloQwzEdKL?

Poetry Teatime: The One Where Daddy and Emma Read Together

Gary and Emma read a book called “Ask Me” together. This book is by Bernard Waber, who is known for his book, “Ira Sleeps Over”.  The audio is not good because of a video game playing in the background interfering with the sound. Sorry about that! I didn’t know until I listened to the replay. I will make sure nothing is playing in the background the next time I record a video or do a scope. We also have some squeaky doors in our house. I hadn’t noticed how noisy they are until I listened to this replay.

 

Abby spins her eyes around and around and says she is seeing the world!

 

And I read a poem by Jack Prelutsky called “The Lynx of Chain”, from the book, “Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant”.

 

Then Morgan reads a poem called “Me” by Walter de la Mare and another one called “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” by Maya Angelou.

 

Watch the video here:

https://www.periscope.tv/penneymaried/1djxXEpnnXBKZ?

 

 

Selah! Things I’m Thinking About

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I should be careful not to make my kids my world. Because the day comes when I’m not their world.

I can’t control my kids’ choices, but I can control my own reactions to them. I can choose to keep my love on. I can keep the connection strong between my children and myself by loving them and showing affection no matter what and listening to them.

Selah.

Helpful Reading:

Families Where Grace Is in Place: Building a Home Free of Manipulation, Legalism, and Shame by Jeff VanVonderen

Keep Your Love On: Connection Communication And Boundaries by Danny Silk

Experiencing Father’s Embrace by Jack Frost
and Jack Frost videos on YouTube

Translating God: Hearing God’s Voice For Yourself And The World Around You by Shawn Bolz

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Are You Enough?: Encouragement for the Overwhelmed & Exhausted Homeschool Mom by Roxanne Parks