I am an advocate of home schooling. Whoa, let me finish. Let me explain.
School days come so soon and make us smart. Hopefully you have already had your "home schooling."
I am not talking about reading, writing and arithmetic. I am talking "home school," all those things that good parents teach their children from the day they were born.
The things children learn those first five or six years of their life may well be the most important things they will ever learn. Parents need to teach their children to be happy, clean, respectful, polite, enthusiastic, self-disciplining, and teach them how to learn and make good use of that information. A basic tool is learning when to say yes or no. Sadly, it is something some of us may never really achieve, and by all means, learn to share.
Children should be exposed to a variety of activities. That may seem simple, but this is necessary for their self-confidence. Going to the library, a county fair, a sporting activity, ordering at a restaurant, learning the cost of things, selecting or making choices regarding their own clothing, even if it is a this or that type choice, is something children must learn.
Learning left and right, good or bad, expressing themselves to others, telling someone about their day and sharing what they have done, whether it is coloring, drawing, skipping, swimming, fishing, singing etc., are all important.
Children need to learn how to wash their face, comb their hair, brush their teeth, tie their shoes and make their bed. They also need to learn the proper way to do things, such as crossing the street, riding their bike and to not play with matches. They should not talk to strangers, and use scissors the proper way. Then after all that, they should practice what they learned.
Learning about shapes: is an object round, square, rectangular, or triangular? It helps them in their learning processes. It is also important for them to learn about money on sight, be it a penny, a nickel, a dime, a quarter. Even better to learn is what it is worth, and how much money it will take to purchase things.
Along those lines, learning about measuring things is key. We measure with measuring cups and spoons, which helps gives meaning to 1/2 full or a 1/4 full, etc. We also measure with a ruler or tape measure which helps in the learning process as well.
Children can have fun with magnifying glasses, flashlights and scotch tape (wrapping packages). They also learn a great deal telling stories about things that have happened in their lives. They also learn by being exposed and participating in different events, going on trips, and seeing different parts of the country.
Parents with healthy habits model healthy habits for their children, practicing good manners and saying please and thank you, and I guess I can say the list goes on and on. Your children will become what you are; so be what you want them to be.
Home schooling is a continuous education as the times change people and how things are done. Circumstances change. Children must learn to deal with adverse conditions as the world is full of them.
Children also need to learn to appreciate people, both good and bad. They need to learn the value of trust, kindness, friendship, thankfulness, the advantage of good programs applied and where to go when they need help. They also need to learn, logic, patience, life science, how to solve, to think and understand, to practice good sportsmanship and be able to have double vision, which lets them see the other person’s side of view.
Learning to make choices can be difficult. Understanding rules is necessary. It also helps prevent them from hurting others.
There will be disappointments which must be dealt with, but children will learn from those experiences as well. There will be sad times. Those too will pass.
Children should understand forgiveness, especially forgiveness of themselves. Resourcefulness should be natural with no fault for failure; it is better to try and fail then to sit back and wish you had given it a shot.
Is it "home schooling" or life science? It is a subject well worth the effort to achieve a passing grade.
Helen Keller said that there are four things to learn in life: to think clearly without hurry or confusion; to love everybody sincerely; to act in everything with the highest motive, and to trust God unhesitatingly.
When all is said and done, when someone says, “How are you,” you can truthfully answer, "I am super good but I will get better." We all need to practice new answers to that question, such as I am terrific, or happy, or super! It helps you convince yourself it is true.
Education is really the answer to life's questions, big or small, today, tomorrow or whenever. There is so much to learn and so many changes that absorbing it all seems overwhelming.
Earl Nightingale once said, "Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use."
Let your children know that although they are small, they are also unique and irreplaceable.
Simply said, try to do what seems best each day and as each day comes. Home schooling is there for a lifetime.
Birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, September 8th: Pastor Joel Xavier, Natalie Aaseth, Cindy Loberg Smolinski, Anna Lois Erickson, Brittani Hagen, Karen Briggs, Kelly Hagen, Amy Johnson Svoboda, Jennifer Johnson Popiel, Jimmie Olson Jr., Jamie Thompson, Bob & Karen Vaith, Brian & Jody Wayne, Jessica & Jay Eidem.
• Friday, September 9th: Eva Lauren Wayne, Charlie Pence, Paul Aronson, Bruce Cerney, Corey Haddy, Steve Hanson, Roger Herbst, Jim & Mary Brocker, Randy & Deb Parks, Spencer & Suzanne Wayne.
• Saturday, September 10th: Arnold Lund, Taya RaeAnn Lembke, Emily Crabtree, Caden Jensen, Curtis Blouin, Craig Blouin, Pauline Fetterly, Steve Granowski, Kathy Knudson, Sally Utpadel Waknitz, Connie Krusemark, Charlie & Diane Marlin.
• Sunday, September 11th: Geoffrey Stieglbauer, Andy Arends, Dawn Misgen Meier, Craig Torgerson, Matthew Mueller, Kathy Nelson, Galen Christensen, Mark Calverly, Paul & Jo Otto, Steve & Mary Bailey, Leanna & Jared Peterson, Tim & Angie Butler, Brian & Jody Wayne, Rick & Linda Weckwerth.
• Monday, September 12th: Stacy Kubiatowicz, Joane Vanden Heuvel, Chloe Sue Walterman, David Wacek, Robert Kasper, Courtney Thostenson, Nikolas Zimprich, Eric Hunnicutt, Jennifer Wallerich, David Jepson, Tuyen Vu, Kris Klocek, Ken & Marian Hoffman.
• Tuesday, September 13th: Tali Wayne, Jaxon Richards, Russell Goette, Jason Ingvaldson, James Plunkett, Clifford Tufte, Sherre Utpadel, Lisa Zamora, Andrew Zinke, Korey Peterson, Amber Stohr, Lisa Ritz, Ruby Troxel, Ann & Rodney Hamilton, Rhonda & Derike Shelton.
• Wednesday, September 14th: Rick Wangsness, Reece Breidenbach, Issac Wacek, Chris Hanson, Linda Pederson, Jill Peterson, Jack Jensen, Caleb Lunning, Ethan Lunning, Gerald & Becky Edwards, Rick & Charlotte Miller.
• Thursday, September 15th: Korbin Wayne, Aiden McClasky, Daniel Hemingway, Ryan Johnson, Nancy Nelson, Tyrel Peterson, Wendy Schultz, Eric Nelson, Jarred Hanson, Dorothy Reichl, Roger & Patty Langlie.
• Friday, September 16th: Evon Damon Lucas, David L. Christenson, Carmen Fetterly, Emily Laudon, Howard & Carrie Peterson.
May your special day be filled with sunshine and smiles.
