Frequently when I share stories or funny things that the children have said or done, people respond by saying something like, “I hope you write these things down” or “You should keep a record of these things!”
Yesterday I was at lunch with one of my best friends (who shall remain nameless here to protect her identity). After we ate, we went outside, unaware of how much the wind had picked up. Suddenly, a huge gust blew my friend’s dress completely up to the top of her head and it was possible to see everything that was underneath. She shrieked and tried to push her dress down. I started laughing. We quickly looked around to see how many people were flashed.
Last night during story time, Hannah’s dress slipped up and it reminded me of what had happened during lunch so I shared the story with her.
“That is so funny, Mommy,” Hannah (age 5) said. “You should write that on your website.”
Sonya Haskins
www.thehomeschooladvocate.com
Friday, February 13, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Family's religion deemed not "sincere enough" to allow religious exemption for vaccinations
Regardless of what you personally think about vaccinations, a New York family has been denied their letter of religious exemption, stating that it was not "sincere enough" to allow the children to be exempt from vaccines. This is a sign of things to come for homeschoolers, and people need to realize that the main issue here isn't even about vaccinations or even homeschooling, but it's about parental rights!
The government came in 150 years ago and said ALL children have to go to school. Then they came in later (and every few years since then) and said, OK, we're increasing the number of hours to X per day. Then they said, since we have X number of children in school and there are so mnay communicable diseases that children are catching, now you can't come to school unless you can prove that you've had shots (and an increasing X number of shots every few years!) to prevent those diseases. Some parents said NO, we're not going to do that. Fortunately, there were some waivers given, in the name of religion. During the past year, various courts across the country have made it clear that if you put your child in public school, this means that you submit your child to the teachings of the public school system WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH WHAT THEY ARE TEACHING OR NOT (homosexuality, abortion, evolution, etc.). In other words, since the court system has made it clear to the public school system that they own children in the school system, the schools are now seeing how far they can take that ownership. I believe they will push this as far as they can. They will try court case after court case until they have set enough precidents to show that they should actually be teaching and training all the nation's children. Once they do that, they will have the socialist state in place that is the goal. Then they will come after our children. If you think this is paranoia - take a look at Germany and a few other countries that do not allow homeschooling. Why? Because the parents might teach the children contrary to what the state wants the children to learn.
So back to this case in New York... The attorney said that the family's religious beliefs weren't sincere enough for the family to have a "religious waiver" to avoid vaccinations. Actually, I think this is pretty cool! Ask yourself this question. Are your beliefs evident enough to others ... Is your Christianity evident enough to others ... Do you live a life full of Christ to the point that others would KNOW that your religious beliefs are sincere?
The point of all this is that things are happening quickly and people need to be aware that all of this is connected. First off, it should be the parents' decision about whether or not the child should be vaccinated. But that's not the point at all. I think we're at a point where there is a movement by many people to get rid of religion altogether. Even though this episode deals with public education, traditionally when these things affect public education, things trickle over into homeschooling (like standardized testing) because they want to make sure it's "fair," etc. Religion has been removed from government schools. The "powers that be" are trying to remove any influence of religion, including the ability of parents to use religious exemptions. Eventually I believe this will happen. If it does, this will also affect states that allow homeschooling for reasons of religious objection to government education. There have already been several cases about this in the past few years. It IS already happening and thus far we are barely holding on, but we are losing ground quickly. I think with the new administration, etc. the laws are likely to change.
If you want to read the article about this particular family, you can read the full story at One News Now here:
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Education/Default.aspx?id=415952
Sonya Haskins
www.thehomeschooladvocate.com
The government came in 150 years ago and said ALL children have to go to school. Then they came in later (and every few years since then) and said, OK, we're increasing the number of hours to X per day. Then they said, since we have X number of children in school and there are so mnay communicable diseases that children are catching, now you can't come to school unless you can prove that you've had shots (and an increasing X number of shots every few years!) to prevent those diseases. Some parents said NO, we're not going to do that. Fortunately, there were some waivers given, in the name of religion. During the past year, various courts across the country have made it clear that if you put your child in public school, this means that you submit your child to the teachings of the public school system WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH WHAT THEY ARE TEACHING OR NOT (homosexuality, abortion, evolution, etc.). In other words, since the court system has made it clear to the public school system that they own children in the school system, the schools are now seeing how far they can take that ownership. I believe they will push this as far as they can. They will try court case after court case until they have set enough precidents to show that they should actually be teaching and training all the nation's children. Once they do that, they will have the socialist state in place that is the goal. Then they will come after our children. If you think this is paranoia - take a look at Germany and a few other countries that do not allow homeschooling. Why? Because the parents might teach the children contrary to what the state wants the children to learn.
So back to this case in New York... The attorney said that the family's religious beliefs weren't sincere enough for the family to have a "religious waiver" to avoid vaccinations. Actually, I think this is pretty cool! Ask yourself this question. Are your beliefs evident enough to others ... Is your Christianity evident enough to others ... Do you live a life full of Christ to the point that others would KNOW that your religious beliefs are sincere?
The point of all this is that things are happening quickly and people need to be aware that all of this is connected. First off, it should be the parents' decision about whether or not the child should be vaccinated. But that's not the point at all. I think we're at a point where there is a movement by many people to get rid of religion altogether. Even though this episode deals with public education, traditionally when these things affect public education, things trickle over into homeschooling (like standardized testing) because they want to make sure it's "fair," etc. Religion has been removed from government schools. The "powers that be" are trying to remove any influence of religion, including the ability of parents to use religious exemptions. Eventually I believe this will happen. If it does, this will also affect states that allow homeschooling for reasons of religious objection to government education. There have already been several cases about this in the past few years. It IS already happening and thus far we are barely holding on, but we are losing ground quickly. I think with the new administration, etc. the laws are likely to change.
If you want to read the article about this particular family, you can read the full story at One News Now here:
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Education/Default.aspx?id=415952
Sonya Haskins
www.thehomeschooladvocate.com
Homeschooling
Yesterday Sarah was watching the children for a few minutes before Chris came in. I gave them all big hugs one at a time and they ran in the door. Sarah was the last one I hugged and as she turned to go in the door, I reminded her of the babysitting precautions she learned in Red Cross training.
"Don't forget to lock the door, Sarah," I said. "After all, I don't want anyone to steal my greatest treasures."
"Mommmmy," she replied. "I don't think anyone is going to break in here in the middle of the day to try to steal your books."
Hmmm.
I had to remind my oldest, dear sweet child that THEY are my greatest treasure in the world, not my books, although I do admit that the books are definitely second. And then I reminded her again to lock the door. After all, I wouldn't want anyone to steal the children or the books.
Last night as Hannah was lying beside me on the bed and she said, "Fat people are more stable, you know."
And I looked at her like she had lost her mind.
She continued, "But it also depends on how wide their legs are."
"What in the world are you talking about," I asked.
She said, "Well, if you have a tall sky scraper this big," and she held her little hands together and showed me a tall skinny skyscraper, "and the wind blows a bunch or a tornado comes, it would blow the skyscraper over. If you have a flat wide building, it's more stable so a fat person with wide legs is more stable."
She's only five, but she is doing physics. Who says homeschooling doesn't work?!?
Sonya
www.thehomeschooladvocate.com
DISCLAIMER: We use the politically correct (and obviously more respectful and and polite) terminology of "overweight people" in our home so I have no idea where my daughter picked up the phrase "fat people." Society has already begun to taint my precious daughter.
"Don't forget to lock the door, Sarah," I said. "After all, I don't want anyone to steal my greatest treasures."
"Mommmmy," she replied. "I don't think anyone is going to break in here in the middle of the day to try to steal your books."
Hmmm.
I had to remind my oldest, dear sweet child that THEY are my greatest treasure in the world, not my books, although I do admit that the books are definitely second. And then I reminded her again to lock the door. After all, I wouldn't want anyone to steal the children or the books.
Last night as Hannah was lying beside me on the bed and she said, "Fat people are more stable, you know."
And I looked at her like she had lost her mind.
She continued, "But it also depends on how wide their legs are."
"What in the world are you talking about," I asked.
She said, "Well, if you have a tall sky scraper this big," and she held her little hands together and showed me a tall skinny skyscraper, "and the wind blows a bunch or a tornado comes, it would blow the skyscraper over. If you have a flat wide building, it's more stable so a fat person with wide legs is more stable."
She's only five, but she is doing physics. Who says homeschooling doesn't work?!?
Sonya
www.thehomeschooladvocate.com
DISCLAIMER: We use the politically correct (and obviously more respectful and and polite) terminology of "overweight people" in our home so I have no idea where my daughter picked up the phrase "fat people." Society has already begun to taint my precious daughter.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
looking forward to spring
Here in East Tennessee, we've had cold, cold, cold weather. Actually, we've had much colder weather than usual and we've had much more snow than we've had in several years. I enjoy seeing the snow. After all, if it's going to be cold, it may as well snow. I definitely don't enjoy the cold, though.
Today the boys wanted to go play blocks on the porch. I told Christopher that Daddy could bring them into the dinning room for them and he said, "No, we would really like to play outside since the weather is so nice." I said that was a wonderful idea so we prepared to go outside. I noticed that Christopher didn't have on his shoes and I said, "Christopher, put on your shoes before you go outside."
He quickly pointed to his feet and replied, "But I want leave these on."
We all started laughing and I said, "It's a good thing since you can't take them off!"
I guess we're all a bit anxious for warm weather to come so we all decided that bare feet could be the standard for today since God had blessed us with a day of beautiful weather in February! I am battling another frustrating headache coming on at the moment, but the children are enjoying some time outside at home with their dad. I hope everyone else is enjoying this gorgeous day as well.
Sonya
www.thehomeschooladvocate.com
Today the boys wanted to go play blocks on the porch. I told Christopher that Daddy could bring them into the dinning room for them and he said, "No, we would really like to play outside since the weather is so nice." I said that was a wonderful idea so we prepared to go outside. I noticed that Christopher didn't have on his shoes and I said, "Christopher, put on your shoes before you go outside."
He quickly pointed to his feet and replied, "But I want leave these on."
We all started laughing and I said, "It's a good thing since you can't take them off!"
I guess we're all a bit anxious for warm weather to come so we all decided that bare feet could be the standard for today since God had blessed us with a day of beautiful weather in February! I am battling another frustrating headache coming on at the moment, but the children are enjoying some time outside at home with their dad. I hope everyone else is enjoying this gorgeous day as well.
Sonya
www.thehomeschooladvocate.com
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Limiting television time - part three - 50 options other than tv
For some people trying to kick the television habit, they need more specific suggestions on how to occupy their time. There is no reason for anyone to say they have “nothing to do” other than watch t.v. when there are so many other things to do in life. Some options involve work. Some options involve play. You will want to do some every night while some you might want to do only once every week or two. Either way, when you combine all your options, you have plenty to keep you busy so that the television should be in the basement. Here are 50 more ideas on what you can do rather than flipping on that television switch!
1. Write a letter to your state or local representatives or senators about a topic of concern.
2. Write a thank you note to someone who has done something nice for you recently. I think this would be a terrific habit to establish on a weekly basis. Keep a list of everyone you want to thank on your refrigerator and on a designated day of the week, write thank you letters to everyone on the list.
3. Bake cookies or homemade bread. Do this for your family one night a week. Do it for a friend on another night. Do it for a local charity, fire station, police department, etc. on another night. Deliver the cookies or bread the next day.
4. Pick one room and do thorough cleaning.
5. Clean out a closet.
6. Refill all your salt and pepper shakers, flour containers, sugar canisters, cereal canisters.
7. Empty and refill all your ice trays.
8. Wash your car. Wax your car. Let your children help. Even little children enjoy watching all the black wash off hubcaps.
9. Read a book aloud to your children. Reading aloud is one of the most enjoyable activities you will ever do.
10. Listen to a book on tape.
11. Teach your children to play marbles. Do you even remember how? Do you still own marbles? You can still buy marbles at the local dollar store. This is a FUN game! I can remember playing marbles under our dirt carport when I was a child. I always lost to my aunt, who was slightly older than me, but it was lots of fun and I still like playing marbles.
12. Play croquet with your children.
13. Mow the lawn. OK. That sounds like work, but you could put on some headphones and make it relaxing work or think of it as exercise. I love to mow the lawn when I feel well enough to walk that much.
14. Get sick. I guarantee you that if you’re as sick as I am, you won’t want to watch television because you’ll be so sick, you won’t want to watch t.v. because all you’ll want to do is sleep. That one may not be fair because obviously this one should not be a goal for anyone, but it should make you think. Enjoy the time you have. Enjoy the fact that you have choices. You do have choices!! Don’t waste your time watching television. Finish reading some other choices you have and choose some of those over television.
15. Make a picnic lunch or dinner and eat a long meal outside with your family.
16. Make homemade paper dolls out of cardboard.
17. Make a town out of cardboard houses.
18. Catch lightning bugs.
19. Sit and watch the birds.
20. Sit and listen to the sounds of nature.
21. Just sit and focus on God’s word.
22. Read the Word of God.
23. Practice learning where different countries are on the map.
24. Go camping.
25. Create a website.
26. Make up stories and tell to one another.
27. Look at family photographs together.
28. Create a scrapbook with your child.
29. Pass baseball, softball, football in the yard for an hour.
30. Go for a jog.
31. Groom your dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig.
32. Make a bonfire and roast marshmallows.
33. Invite friends over to visit.
34. Practice multiplication tables.
35. Have a spelling bee.
36. Give children a ruler or a measuring tape (not one that will spring back and cut them) and let them go around the house and measure things.
37. Make a pie.
38. Practice dancing.
39. Talk. Since the invention of televisions, telephone, computer and many other modern “conveniences,” the act of talking is almost a lost art. This is sad. Despite what modern evolutionists teach, mankind has always had a spoken language ever since God created Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Turn off the television and spend the time just talking with your children.
40. Make a rag doll with your child. After that’s done, play dolls with your little one. Learn
how to make doll clothes for the rag doll.
41. Have a scavenger hunt. If it’s warm weather, do it outside. If it’s cold weather, do it inside!
42. Make finger puppets out of felt.
43. Visit a local nursing home. Sometimes new moms don’t want to do this because they think their young children will be a burden to the elderly occupants there, but the residents usually greatly enjoy these young visitors.
44. Build a house out of cards. Do you remember when you used to entertain yourself with such mundane tasks?
45. Play Mad Libs with your preteen children. Not only will they love it, but it’s a great way for them to develop language arts skills!
46. Spend some time looking for something you’ve lost.
47. Write out a list of all the things you want to do during the warm summer months. Write out a list of all the things you want to do during the cold winter months.
48. Work a puzzle as a family. Put a more difficult puzzle on a larger table and make sure you keep an easier puzzle available on a smaller table.
49. If you’re trying to entice your spouse away from the television, offer him/her a foot massage and an opportunity to chat about whatever he/she wants.
50. Paint your daughter’s fingernails and toenails, brush her hair and spend time just talking. For your son, give him a back rub or perhaps a fun game of wrestling. The point is to spend time together and interact rather than spending time together in the same room ignoring one another while you stare at the television.
So there are fifty more ideas you can use to get you off the couch and interacting with your children, your spouse, your family, your community, or God. The goal in these articles wasn’t
specifically to make you spend time with one particular person so much as to stop watching so much television. The natural outcome of eliminating or reducing television is that families will spend more time together and that is terrific! However, you will also have more time specifically with God, more time with your children, more time to focus on things you want to do individually, etc.
In the next installment of this series of articles, I’ll talk about what to do if you want to eliminate television time, but your spouse has the remote attached to his/her palm.
Sonya Haskins
www.thehomeschooladvocate.com
1. Write a letter to your state or local representatives or senators about a topic of concern.
2. Write a thank you note to someone who has done something nice for you recently. I think this would be a terrific habit to establish on a weekly basis. Keep a list of everyone you want to thank on your refrigerator and on a designated day of the week, write thank you letters to everyone on the list.
3. Bake cookies or homemade bread. Do this for your family one night a week. Do it for a friend on another night. Do it for a local charity, fire station, police department, etc. on another night. Deliver the cookies or bread the next day.
4. Pick one room and do thorough cleaning.
5. Clean out a closet.
6. Refill all your salt and pepper shakers, flour containers, sugar canisters, cereal canisters.
7. Empty and refill all your ice trays.
8. Wash your car. Wax your car. Let your children help. Even little children enjoy watching all the black wash off hubcaps.
9. Read a book aloud to your children. Reading aloud is one of the most enjoyable activities you will ever do.
10. Listen to a book on tape.
11. Teach your children to play marbles. Do you even remember how? Do you still own marbles? You can still buy marbles at the local dollar store. This is a FUN game! I can remember playing marbles under our dirt carport when I was a child. I always lost to my aunt, who was slightly older than me, but it was lots of fun and I still like playing marbles.
12. Play croquet with your children.
13. Mow the lawn. OK. That sounds like work, but you could put on some headphones and make it relaxing work or think of it as exercise. I love to mow the lawn when I feel well enough to walk that much.
14. Get sick. I guarantee you that if you’re as sick as I am, you won’t want to watch television because you’ll be so sick, you won’t want to watch t.v. because all you’ll want to do is sleep. That one may not be fair because obviously this one should not be a goal for anyone, but it should make you think. Enjoy the time you have. Enjoy the fact that you have choices. You do have choices!! Don’t waste your time watching television. Finish reading some other choices you have and choose some of those over television.
15. Make a picnic lunch or dinner and eat a long meal outside with your family.
16. Make homemade paper dolls out of cardboard.
17. Make a town out of cardboard houses.
18. Catch lightning bugs.
19. Sit and watch the birds.
20. Sit and listen to the sounds of nature.
21. Just sit and focus on God’s word.
22. Read the Word of God.
23. Practice learning where different countries are on the map.
24. Go camping.
25. Create a website.
26. Make up stories and tell to one another.
27. Look at family photographs together.
28. Create a scrapbook with your child.
29. Pass baseball, softball, football in the yard for an hour.
30. Go for a jog.
31. Groom your dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig.
32. Make a bonfire and roast marshmallows.
33. Invite friends over to visit.
34. Practice multiplication tables.
35. Have a spelling bee.
36. Give children a ruler or a measuring tape (not one that will spring back and cut them) and let them go around the house and measure things.
37. Make a pie.
38. Practice dancing.
39. Talk. Since the invention of televisions, telephone, computer and many other modern “conveniences,” the act of talking is almost a lost art. This is sad. Despite what modern evolutionists teach, mankind has always had a spoken language ever since God created Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Turn off the television and spend the time just talking with your children.
40. Make a rag doll with your child. After that’s done, play dolls with your little one. Learn
how to make doll clothes for the rag doll.
41. Have a scavenger hunt. If it’s warm weather, do it outside. If it’s cold weather, do it inside!
42. Make finger puppets out of felt.
43. Visit a local nursing home. Sometimes new moms don’t want to do this because they think their young children will be a burden to the elderly occupants there, but the residents usually greatly enjoy these young visitors.
44. Build a house out of cards. Do you remember when you used to entertain yourself with such mundane tasks?
45. Play Mad Libs with your preteen children. Not only will they love it, but it’s a great way for them to develop language arts skills!
46. Spend some time looking for something you’ve lost.
47. Write out a list of all the things you want to do during the warm summer months. Write out a list of all the things you want to do during the cold winter months.
48. Work a puzzle as a family. Put a more difficult puzzle on a larger table and make sure you keep an easier puzzle available on a smaller table.
49. If you’re trying to entice your spouse away from the television, offer him/her a foot massage and an opportunity to chat about whatever he/she wants.
50. Paint your daughter’s fingernails and toenails, brush her hair and spend time just talking. For your son, give him a back rub or perhaps a fun game of wrestling. The point is to spend time together and interact rather than spending time together in the same room ignoring one another while you stare at the television.
So there are fifty more ideas you can use to get you off the couch and interacting with your children, your spouse, your family, your community, or God. The goal in these articles wasn’t
specifically to make you spend time with one particular person so much as to stop watching so much television. The natural outcome of eliminating or reducing television is that families will spend more time together and that is terrific! However, you will also have more time specifically with God, more time with your children, more time to focus on things you want to do individually, etc.
In the next installment of this series of articles, I’ll talk about what to do if you want to eliminate television time, but your spouse has the remote attached to his/her palm.
Sonya Haskins
www.thehomeschooladvocate.com
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Limiting television time - part two - what to do instead of tv
So exactly what are you supposed to do all evening if you’re not watching television? For that matter, how are you supposed to keep your children occupied all day if you don’t use the television as a babysitter?
Whether you’re trying the find activities to keep toddlers busy while you teach older children or you’re simply trying to find some alternatives to television, it really can be done!! Here are some suggestions.
Board games: Pull out the old board games! Even dad is sure to enjoy the old favorites like Scrabble, Monopoly, Life, Chutes and Ladders, Yatzhee, Clue, etc. If you get in the habit of playing these games again, you will not miss television.
Card games: Some families prefer card games over board games. Good ideas are Dutch Blitz, Rummy, Rook, Uno, Old Maid, War, etc.
Outdoor games: When the weather is nice enough, we are not even remotely tempted to watch television! We would so much rather be outside! Just visiting is nice enough, but don’t forget about other options as well – croquet, tag, hide and seek, Frisbee, football, blind’s man bluff, etc.
Hobbies: Develop a hobby. If you give up television or at least limit your television time, it’s a great opportunity to learn a new hobby. You can take up sewing, cross-stitching, scrapbooking, writing, journaling, photography, sketching, etc. How many times do people say, “If I only had time to …., I would do it.” Well, how many people spend X hours a day watching television? Those X hours a day could be spent doing that thing they want to do. Moms frequently ask me how I can possibly get so much writing done when I am sick and I’m also homeschooling five children. I have the same amount of time in a day, but choose not to watch television. Instead I write.
Adopt a pet. There are animals in every neighborhood looking for a family. Bring one home and spend time each day caring for your pet.
Raise farm animals. This involves much more than having a traditional pet. Unlike caring for a cat, dog, hamster, etc., having chickens, goats, rabbits, etc. involves much more care. You will need to build outdoor cages, care for offspring, gather eggs, feed daily, guard against predators, etc.
Write a book. I hear people all the time who say to me, “I should write a book.” Well, if you really think that, then do it. If you want to write your memoirs or if you have the next bestselling thriller, write it. You can’t do that if you spend all your time watching someone else’s ideas all evening.
Start a family business. Whether it’s selling antique books, homeschool curriculum, baked goods, or military collectibles, a family business can be a terrific way to avoid watching television and encourage the family to spend a lot of time together. There are countless business ideas. You would have to decide what your business is based on your own talents and abilities. Do you have a special talent for sewing hand-made clothing, making wooden toys, reupholstering furniture, painting portraits? Pray about this before you begin any endeavor involving a family business.
Sort the plastic lid and bowl drawer. OK, yes, this activity is specifically for the busy little preschooler whom you’re trying to keep busy rather than occupied with television.
Here are some other quick ideas for young children. Keep in mind that some of these ideas may not be appropriate for some children if they still put small parts in their mouths.
Puzzles
Legos
Dolls
Building blocks
K-nex
Costume jewelry
Damp sponge so that they can go around wiping cabinets, stove, fridge, etc.
Small broom, mop, etc.
Dominoes – My children have never actually played the “game.” They just like to stack them and make rows to see them fall down when they push the row over.
Magnifying glass – This is an investment worth spending in any household. Even young children can take a magnifying glass and look in cracks, look for ants, explore corners, etc. for hours.
Invest in art materials – Even young children can use some art materials alone. It’s good to have finger paints, paper, paintbrushes, chalk, crayons, makers, scissors, etc.
High chair time - For very young children, use edible art materials such as yogurt, rice, cooked carrots, etc. and let them take their time eating as they learn to entertain themselves while you do things you need to do. This way children learn to occupy themselves with something other than television. And you don’t have to use food. Sit them in the high chair and give them a couple of soft baby toys. Do this once a day for about 20 minutes. Increase it each time. We would never leave our children alone or crying so that’s not your goal. The goal is simply to teach your child to find things that can be fun – or that doing NOTHING can be fun – other than television.
Finally, don’t forget the best alternative of all – reading. Whether you’re reading aloud to your children or your children are reading to themselves, reading IS the best alternative to television. With reading, you and your children can enter fantasy worlds. Actually, the whole family can enter a fantasy world, meet an historical figure, go back in history, or just have fun with new friends like the Happy Hollisters. When you introduce reading to your children as an alternative to television, you’ve given them the best babysitter, the best friend, the best educator, the best option. You’ve given them a whole WORLD of choices and with that option, even the most exciting television doesn’t seem quite as exciting any more.
Sonya Haskins
http://www.thehomeschooladvocate.com/
Whether you’re trying the find activities to keep toddlers busy while you teach older children or you’re simply trying to find some alternatives to television, it really can be done!! Here are some suggestions.
Board games: Pull out the old board games! Even dad is sure to enjoy the old favorites like Scrabble, Monopoly, Life, Chutes and Ladders, Yatzhee, Clue, etc. If you get in the habit of playing these games again, you will not miss television.
Card games: Some families prefer card games over board games. Good ideas are Dutch Blitz, Rummy, Rook, Uno, Old Maid, War, etc.
Outdoor games: When the weather is nice enough, we are not even remotely tempted to watch television! We would so much rather be outside! Just visiting is nice enough, but don’t forget about other options as well – croquet, tag, hide and seek, Frisbee, football, blind’s man bluff, etc.
Hobbies: Develop a hobby. If you give up television or at least limit your television time, it’s a great opportunity to learn a new hobby. You can take up sewing, cross-stitching, scrapbooking, writing, journaling, photography, sketching, etc. How many times do people say, “If I only had time to …., I would do it.” Well, how many people spend X hours a day watching television? Those X hours a day could be spent doing that thing they want to do. Moms frequently ask me how I can possibly get so much writing done when I am sick and I’m also homeschooling five children. I have the same amount of time in a day, but choose not to watch television. Instead I write.
Adopt a pet. There are animals in every neighborhood looking for a family. Bring one home and spend time each day caring for your pet.
Raise farm animals. This involves much more than having a traditional pet. Unlike caring for a cat, dog, hamster, etc., having chickens, goats, rabbits, etc. involves much more care. You will need to build outdoor cages, care for offspring, gather eggs, feed daily, guard against predators, etc.
Write a book. I hear people all the time who say to me, “I should write a book.” Well, if you really think that, then do it. If you want to write your memoirs or if you have the next bestselling thriller, write it. You can’t do that if you spend all your time watching someone else’s ideas all evening.
Start a family business. Whether it’s selling antique books, homeschool curriculum, baked goods, or military collectibles, a family business can be a terrific way to avoid watching television and encourage the family to spend a lot of time together. There are countless business ideas. You would have to decide what your business is based on your own talents and abilities. Do you have a special talent for sewing hand-made clothing, making wooden toys, reupholstering furniture, painting portraits? Pray about this before you begin any endeavor involving a family business.
Sort the plastic lid and bowl drawer. OK, yes, this activity is specifically for the busy little preschooler whom you’re trying to keep busy rather than occupied with television.
Here are some other quick ideas for young children. Keep in mind that some of these ideas may not be appropriate for some children if they still put small parts in their mouths.
Puzzles
Legos
Dolls
Building blocks
K-nex
Costume jewelry
Damp sponge so that they can go around wiping cabinets, stove, fridge, etc.
Small broom, mop, etc.
Dominoes – My children have never actually played the “game.” They just like to stack them and make rows to see them fall down when they push the row over.
Magnifying glass – This is an investment worth spending in any household. Even young children can take a magnifying glass and look in cracks, look for ants, explore corners, etc. for hours.
Invest in art materials – Even young children can use some art materials alone. It’s good to have finger paints, paper, paintbrushes, chalk, crayons, makers, scissors, etc.
High chair time - For very young children, use edible art materials such as yogurt, rice, cooked carrots, etc. and let them take their time eating as they learn to entertain themselves while you do things you need to do. This way children learn to occupy themselves with something other than television. And you don’t have to use food. Sit them in the high chair and give them a couple of soft baby toys. Do this once a day for about 20 minutes. Increase it each time. We would never leave our children alone or crying so that’s not your goal. The goal is simply to teach your child to find things that can be fun – or that doing NOTHING can be fun – other than television.
Finally, don’t forget the best alternative of all – reading. Whether you’re reading aloud to your children or your children are reading to themselves, reading IS the best alternative to television. With reading, you and your children can enter fantasy worlds. Actually, the whole family can enter a fantasy world, meet an historical figure, go back in history, or just have fun with new friends like the Happy Hollisters. When you introduce reading to your children as an alternative to television, you’ve given them the best babysitter, the best friend, the best educator, the best option. You’ve given them a whole WORLD of choices and with that option, even the most exciting television doesn’t seem quite as exciting any more.
Sonya Haskins
http://www.thehomeschooladvocate.com/
Limiting television time - part one
Of course we all know that it’s best to limit a child’s television time, but how do you do that?
First off, you have the option of not owning a television set. I know many homeschool families who do this. That seems to work well for families who choose that option. I think it’s terrific if you can do this. If you’re used to not having television, this will be easier for you, but if you are accustomed to using the t.v. as your babysitter or plopping on the couch after a long day for your own relaxation, you’ll find this more difficult to do. I’ve known families who have done it, though, so if this is your route to limiting t.v. time, then you go for it!
Second, you could move the television to an inconspicuous area of the house. We did this in our last home. We mostly LIVED upstairs. That’s where our bedrooms were. It’s where our living room was. It’s where our books were and our kitchen and our dining room. In other words, it’s where all the essential areas for living were. Our “den” was downstairs. That’s where we kept the television. This worked out perfectly because it was dark and dreary and no one really wanted to hang out down there! Now if your television is in the middle of a brightly lit living room with comfortable couches, a fireplace, and it’s simply a nice area for gathering, this is the perfect place NOT to have your t.v. if you really want to avoid it. Unfortunately, this is exactly where most people have it. So the second suggestion is to wean yourself off the television by moving it to someplace less accessible in the household.
Third, get rid of your cable or satellite services. If you only get two channels with rabbit ears, you’re going to be a lot less likely to spend time watching t.v. This is what we have now and I guarantee you, just like putting the television in an inconspicuous place, it works. We watched the Super Bowl tonight as it’s one of the two or three channels we get (depending on the weather) and that was the first time we had watched the television since we watched the election results in November.
Going along the same lines as the last idea, if your motivation is to avoid a bunch of the bad things on television these days such as immoral commercials, bad sitcoms, ungodly language and behavior, you could follow the last option with a twist. We actually don’t get cable or satellite, which I’m happy to say severely limits our television time, but we do subscribe to an online movie rental service. It only costs us $21 a month and we order as many movies as we want per month. The goal for us is NOT to rent a lot of movies. Instead, the goal is to rent things that our family wants to watch, such as uplifting, quality family movies, or movies, shows and documentaries that will supplement our homeschool studies. Over the past few months, we’ve watched shows on the Great Pyramids, how to build bridges and another on tunnels, the history of weapons, etc. Right now we’re watching the miniseries Roots to help the children better understand the history of slavery.
No matter what you do to limit your television time, I would highly recommend that parents take control of this secret invader into the home. Many people don’t realize it, but the television brings in violence, sex, profanity, immoral behavior, and much more. Even if you monitor your child’s shows, these things can be seen just in the commercials and recently they’ve been found in children’s shows, too.
Kick out the unwanted guests, move your television to a corner in your basement, and rent movies now and then. How are you supposed to keep the children busy if you do this? What are you supposed to do all evening if you can’t watch television? Read tomorrow’s article and find out!
Sonya Haskins
http://www.thehomeschooladvocate.com/
First off, you have the option of not owning a television set. I know many homeschool families who do this. That seems to work well for families who choose that option. I think it’s terrific if you can do this. If you’re used to not having television, this will be easier for you, but if you are accustomed to using the t.v. as your babysitter or plopping on the couch after a long day for your own relaxation, you’ll find this more difficult to do. I’ve known families who have done it, though, so if this is your route to limiting t.v. time, then you go for it!
Second, you could move the television to an inconspicuous area of the house. We did this in our last home. We mostly LIVED upstairs. That’s where our bedrooms were. It’s where our living room was. It’s where our books were and our kitchen and our dining room. In other words, it’s where all the essential areas for living were. Our “den” was downstairs. That’s where we kept the television. This worked out perfectly because it was dark and dreary and no one really wanted to hang out down there! Now if your television is in the middle of a brightly lit living room with comfortable couches, a fireplace, and it’s simply a nice area for gathering, this is the perfect place NOT to have your t.v. if you really want to avoid it. Unfortunately, this is exactly where most people have it. So the second suggestion is to wean yourself off the television by moving it to someplace less accessible in the household.
Third, get rid of your cable or satellite services. If you only get two channels with rabbit ears, you’re going to be a lot less likely to spend time watching t.v. This is what we have now and I guarantee you, just like putting the television in an inconspicuous place, it works. We watched the Super Bowl tonight as it’s one of the two or three channels we get (depending on the weather) and that was the first time we had watched the television since we watched the election results in November.
Going along the same lines as the last idea, if your motivation is to avoid a bunch of the bad things on television these days such as immoral commercials, bad sitcoms, ungodly language and behavior, you could follow the last option with a twist. We actually don’t get cable or satellite, which I’m happy to say severely limits our television time, but we do subscribe to an online movie rental service. It only costs us $21 a month and we order as many movies as we want per month. The goal for us is NOT to rent a lot of movies. Instead, the goal is to rent things that our family wants to watch, such as uplifting, quality family movies, or movies, shows and documentaries that will supplement our homeschool studies. Over the past few months, we’ve watched shows on the Great Pyramids, how to build bridges and another on tunnels, the history of weapons, etc. Right now we’re watching the miniseries Roots to help the children better understand the history of slavery.
No matter what you do to limit your television time, I would highly recommend that parents take control of this secret invader into the home. Many people don’t realize it, but the television brings in violence, sex, profanity, immoral behavior, and much more. Even if you monitor your child’s shows, these things can be seen just in the commercials and recently they’ve been found in children’s shows, too.
Kick out the unwanted guests, move your television to a corner in your basement, and rent movies now and then. How are you supposed to keep the children busy if you do this? What are you supposed to do all evening if you can’t watch television? Read tomorrow’s article and find out!
Sonya Haskins
http://www.thehomeschooladvocate.com/
On our way to socialism?
This is something I wrote last March. There were a TON of responses to it on another blog I have. There has been a lot of talk about socialism in the news lately on shows like the Glenn Beck show, Fox News, etc. I just thought it would be interesting to post the entry again. It's not like it's going to do much good, but there are times when people need to be reminded when leadership is faulty. Sonya
From March 2008:
If anyone has been kind of thinking that there has been a bit of a socialist agenda creeping into our society, I can assure you that it's not paranoia. The trend toward socialism has become increasingly apparent and is similar to something that might be included in a movie about Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany in the 1930s, his deliberate and progressive overthrow of anyone with contrary beliefs, and an infiltration of the educational system that will train children from birth in the government-approved worldview.
Some might wonder how I could make such a leap, but if you look at the facts, the leap is nothing but a small step for the observant mind.
In regards to a rise in power of socialists in the United States, all you have to do is take a look at the Democratic Party’s deliberate trend away from concerns about an individual freedoms and rights toward feminism, universal healthcare, universal childcare, and a one-world economy. In 1992, I believe Bill Clinton was elected because the average citizen didn’t really understand that the Clintons are socialists and socialism typically leads to communism, but now – 16 years later - there is no excuse. Hillary and Barack have both made it clear that they believe that the government should be in control of our money, our children, and our choices.
Concerning the deliberate and progressive overthrow of anyone with contrary beliefs, have you noticed that science used to be a, well, a science? This included testing of ideas, contradicting conclusions that proved to be false, and a constant search for new truths. It is through this type of science that we discovered that great scientists such as Hippocrates, Galileo, and Einstein made their greatest discoveries.
Today in our society, our children are trained not to question scientific ideas such as those proposed by Charles Darwin. Throughout human history, scientists have been the one group of people who absolutely insisted on testing theories to prove them correct or disprove them (even though they sometimes died for their findings). Today scientists are insulted and often lose their jobs for being brave enough to question the Darwinian theories. And yes, they are theories; Darwin’s ideas are not based on the principles of good science set forth in the scientific method – observe, collect data, hypothesize, test. He did do the first three, but without the fourth step, it is still a theory. Regardless of what you think about evolution, religion, etc., you have to admit that there is definitely an opposition to any mindset not willing to accept evolutionary ideas.
Now, for the real test of whether or not we are headed toward a downfall of our democratic system of government, just take a look at our education system. This is where it really starts to get interesting!
From 1990 – 1991, Hillary Clinton, then first lady of Arkansas, was paid $102,000 for her work as a consultant to the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), an organization subsidized by taxpayers. During this time, she and Bill worked with a man named Marc Tucker and to devise a plan for educational reform. When Bill was elected in 1992, Tucker sent Hillary a letter (now known as “Hillary’s Letter”) that reviewed some of the educational initiatives they had planned, such as:
- an educational system that "literally extends from cradle to grave and is the same system for everyone" and is a “seamless web.” Anyone notice the push for children to be in “educational programs” at younger and younger ages? Ever heard of public-funded daycare, indoctrination into liberal worldviews of homosexuality in kindergarten, or states trying to increase homeschool regulation? All of these are part of the “web.”
- encouragement for the Clintons to act quickly and "move like lightning" to implement the agenda set forth in this educational plan, further stating that "major parts of the whole system would be in operation in a majority of the states within three years from the passage of the initial legislation." This did in fact happen.
- Government controlled education linked directly to the marketplace with "rewards [for] students who meet the national standards with further education and good jobs” What about a free-market society and incentive to do well because work in itself is a reward? Since the government decides who gets the rewards, what about non-public school students? (Remember the incident at the Washington County Library when the mayor didn’t want a homeschool program there because we weren’t a government school? Don’t kid yourself – rewards (and jobs!) would go to students educated in government schools.
- Free college to everyone who meets minimum requirements. Are you ready for higher taxes again – to benefit the masses of society?
- Students are referred to throughout the letter as “human resources.” These “human resources” would be trained in specific job-related skills, which would be selected based on the students’ background, family information, educational performance, etc. Let’s see, how many ways can I say this is wrong?!? Privacy invasion? We’re already allowing unborn babies to be aborted and children born with severe handicaps to be denied nutrition and care until they die. If children do not perform to standard, what will be our “solution” for them – euthanasia based on lack of performance?
If you think this was just a letter and I am exaggerating, think again. Do you remember Goals 2000, the Educate America Act, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, and the Improving America's Schools Act? These were all put into place in 1994 and are a direct product of the NCEE initiatives.
One of the scariest points of the NCEE’s educational reform agenda is to require that "All available front-line jobs - whether public or private – must be listed in [the government run employment system] by law." Furthermore, employers would have to pay the government for this service of providing the “human resources” for these jobs. When surveyed, employers adamantly opposed this idea so the NCEE had a slick recommendation:
“We propose that Bill [Clinton] take a leaf out of the German book. One of the most important reasons that large German employers offer apprenticeship slots to German youngsters is that they fear, with good reason, that if they don't volunteer to do so, the law will require it. Bill could gather a group of leading executives and business organization leaders, and tell them straight out that he will hold back on submitting legislation to require a training levy, provided that they commit themselves to a drive to get employers to get their average expenditures on front-line employee training up to 2% of front-line employee salaries and wages within two years. If they have not done so within that time, then he will expect their support when he submits legislation requiring the training levy.”
Now that’s just scary! This is not social fiction, people! Are you aware of increasing government control of personal property (ever heard of eminent domain?), a loss of personal freedoms (ever heard of required DNA testing for jobs, mandatory immunizations to attend school, or case workers visiting homes without revealing any charges against the parents?), denial of religious freedom (do I even need to give examples for this one?). These things are happening and now that the ball is rolling, I fear that it is going to be very difficult to stop.
In a speech in May 2007, Hillary made the following comments:
"It’s time for a new beginning, for an end to government of the few, by the few and for the few, time to reject the idea of an ’on your own’ society and to replace it with shared responsibility for shared prosperity. I prefer a ’we’re all in it together’ society."
Does this not sound like socialism to anyone but me?
Lest it look like I’m solely picking on Hillary, Barack Obama has been involved with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) since 1996. His campaign is not only receiving financial support from socialist groups, but also DSA supporters are helping Obama’s campaign in other ways.
His comments are no less frightening than Hillary’s either, but he has simply been a bit more subtle. When recently explaining the issue of universal healthcare to a group in North Carolina, Obama told a five-year-old, “We've got to make sure that people who have more money help the people who have less money.” He then asked "If you had a whole pizza, and your friend had no pizza, would you give him a slice?" While this sounds like a nice thing to do and YES, I encourage my children to share, don’t you think it is kind of ironic that Obama has a salary of $162,100 per year and the median income for average American families is $46,326. Perhaps Obama would be the first to offer us a piece of his pizza?
The fact that Obama makes a salary almost four times that of the “average” American family. In 2005, Bill Clinton made $7.5 million giving speeches. He and Hillary have a reported owning assets worth between $10 and $50 billion. OK, now while I’d really like to have a piece of that pie, there are many questions that should be asked, but there is one that demands to be asked. Would the Clintons truly be willing to give up all their assets to benefit the “village” of which she is so fond of speaking? If not (and I seriously doubt anyone would), then this is just an example of why we will still always have a gap between rich and poor in our country or, in this case, a gap between the poor and the stinking, filthy rich.
Our founding fathers were so wise in their decisions and I am eternally grateful that they established our country with the freedoms we have enjoyed for over 200 years. I love my country, our Constitution, my Lord, and my family. I will NOT teach my children anything that is mandated by the state that contradicts the truth of the Bible. You do not have to be a Christian to agree with me. You do not have to homeschool to agree with me. As a matter of fact, you do not have to agree with me at all. That is part of the beauty of our country. If you don’t agree with me, though, then it may not be long before Big Brother is telling you exactly with whom you must agree!
From March 2008:
If anyone has been kind of thinking that there has been a bit of a socialist agenda creeping into our society, I can assure you that it's not paranoia. The trend toward socialism has become increasingly apparent and is similar to something that might be included in a movie about Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany in the 1930s, his deliberate and progressive overthrow of anyone with contrary beliefs, and an infiltration of the educational system that will train children from birth in the government-approved worldview.
Some might wonder how I could make such a leap, but if you look at the facts, the leap is nothing but a small step for the observant mind.
In regards to a rise in power of socialists in the United States, all you have to do is take a look at the Democratic Party’s deliberate trend away from concerns about an individual freedoms and rights toward feminism, universal healthcare, universal childcare, and a one-world economy. In 1992, I believe Bill Clinton was elected because the average citizen didn’t really understand that the Clintons are socialists and socialism typically leads to communism, but now – 16 years later - there is no excuse. Hillary and Barack have both made it clear that they believe that the government should be in control of our money, our children, and our choices.
Concerning the deliberate and progressive overthrow of anyone with contrary beliefs, have you noticed that science used to be a, well, a science? This included testing of ideas, contradicting conclusions that proved to be false, and a constant search for new truths. It is through this type of science that we discovered that great scientists such as Hippocrates, Galileo, and Einstein made their greatest discoveries.
Today in our society, our children are trained not to question scientific ideas such as those proposed by Charles Darwin. Throughout human history, scientists have been the one group of people who absolutely insisted on testing theories to prove them correct or disprove them (even though they sometimes died for their findings). Today scientists are insulted and often lose their jobs for being brave enough to question the Darwinian theories. And yes, they are theories; Darwin’s ideas are not based on the principles of good science set forth in the scientific method – observe, collect data, hypothesize, test. He did do the first three, but without the fourth step, it is still a theory. Regardless of what you think about evolution, religion, etc., you have to admit that there is definitely an opposition to any mindset not willing to accept evolutionary ideas.
Now, for the real test of whether or not we are headed toward a downfall of our democratic system of government, just take a look at our education system. This is where it really starts to get interesting!
From 1990 – 1991, Hillary Clinton, then first lady of Arkansas, was paid $102,000 for her work as a consultant to the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), an organization subsidized by taxpayers. During this time, she and Bill worked with a man named Marc Tucker and to devise a plan for educational reform. When Bill was elected in 1992, Tucker sent Hillary a letter (now known as “Hillary’s Letter”) that reviewed some of the educational initiatives they had planned, such as:
- an educational system that "literally extends from cradle to grave and is the same system for everyone" and is a “seamless web.” Anyone notice the push for children to be in “educational programs” at younger and younger ages? Ever heard of public-funded daycare, indoctrination into liberal worldviews of homosexuality in kindergarten, or states trying to increase homeschool regulation? All of these are part of the “web.”
- encouragement for the Clintons to act quickly and "move like lightning" to implement the agenda set forth in this educational plan, further stating that "major parts of the whole system would be in operation in a majority of the states within three years from the passage of the initial legislation." This did in fact happen.
- Government controlled education linked directly to the marketplace with "rewards [for] students who meet the national standards with further education and good jobs” What about a free-market society and incentive to do well because work in itself is a reward? Since the government decides who gets the rewards, what about non-public school students? (Remember the incident at the Washington County Library when the mayor didn’t want a homeschool program there because we weren’t a government school? Don’t kid yourself – rewards (and jobs!) would go to students educated in government schools.
- Free college to everyone who meets minimum requirements. Are you ready for higher taxes again – to benefit the masses of society?
- Students are referred to throughout the letter as “human resources.” These “human resources” would be trained in specific job-related skills, which would be selected based on the students’ background, family information, educational performance, etc. Let’s see, how many ways can I say this is wrong?!? Privacy invasion? We’re already allowing unborn babies to be aborted and children born with severe handicaps to be denied nutrition and care until they die. If children do not perform to standard, what will be our “solution” for them – euthanasia based on lack of performance?
If you think this was just a letter and I am exaggerating, think again. Do you remember Goals 2000, the Educate America Act, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, and the Improving America's Schools Act? These were all put into place in 1994 and are a direct product of the NCEE initiatives.
One of the scariest points of the NCEE’s educational reform agenda is to require that "All available front-line jobs - whether public or private – must be listed in [the government run employment system] by law." Furthermore, employers would have to pay the government for this service of providing the “human resources” for these jobs. When surveyed, employers adamantly opposed this idea so the NCEE had a slick recommendation:
“We propose that Bill [Clinton] take a leaf out of the German book. One of the most important reasons that large German employers offer apprenticeship slots to German youngsters is that they fear, with good reason, that if they don't volunteer to do so, the law will require it. Bill could gather a group of leading executives and business organization leaders, and tell them straight out that he will hold back on submitting legislation to require a training levy, provided that they commit themselves to a drive to get employers to get their average expenditures on front-line employee training up to 2% of front-line employee salaries and wages within two years. If they have not done so within that time, then he will expect their support when he submits legislation requiring the training levy.”
Now that’s just scary! This is not social fiction, people! Are you aware of increasing government control of personal property (ever heard of eminent domain?), a loss of personal freedoms (ever heard of required DNA testing for jobs, mandatory immunizations to attend school, or case workers visiting homes without revealing any charges against the parents?), denial of religious freedom (do I even need to give examples for this one?). These things are happening and now that the ball is rolling, I fear that it is going to be very difficult to stop.
In a speech in May 2007, Hillary made the following comments:
"It’s time for a new beginning, for an end to government of the few, by the few and for the few, time to reject the idea of an ’on your own’ society and to replace it with shared responsibility for shared prosperity. I prefer a ’we’re all in it together’ society."
Does this not sound like socialism to anyone but me?
Lest it look like I’m solely picking on Hillary, Barack Obama has been involved with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) since 1996. His campaign is not only receiving financial support from socialist groups, but also DSA supporters are helping Obama’s campaign in other ways.
His comments are no less frightening than Hillary’s either, but he has simply been a bit more subtle. When recently explaining the issue of universal healthcare to a group in North Carolina, Obama told a five-year-old, “We've got to make sure that people who have more money help the people who have less money.” He then asked "If you had a whole pizza, and your friend had no pizza, would you give him a slice?" While this sounds like a nice thing to do and YES, I encourage my children to share, don’t you think it is kind of ironic that Obama has a salary of $162,100 per year and the median income for average American families is $46,326. Perhaps Obama would be the first to offer us a piece of his pizza?
The fact that Obama makes a salary almost four times that of the “average” American family. In 2005, Bill Clinton made $7.5 million giving speeches. He and Hillary have a reported owning assets worth between $10 and $50 billion. OK, now while I’d really like to have a piece of that pie, there are many questions that should be asked, but there is one that demands to be asked. Would the Clintons truly be willing to give up all their assets to benefit the “village” of which she is so fond of speaking? If not (and I seriously doubt anyone would), then this is just an example of why we will still always have a gap between rich and poor in our country or, in this case, a gap between the poor and the stinking, filthy rich.
Our founding fathers were so wise in their decisions and I am eternally grateful that they established our country with the freedoms we have enjoyed for over 200 years. I love my country, our Constitution, my Lord, and my family. I will NOT teach my children anything that is mandated by the state that contradicts the truth of the Bible. You do not have to be a Christian to agree with me. You do not have to homeschool to agree with me. As a matter of fact, you do not have to agree with me at all. That is part of the beauty of our country. If you don’t agree with me, though, then it may not be long before Big Brother is telling you exactly with whom you must agree!
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