youth group response

we met with the youth pastor last night and had a quick but good conversation.  he let us know that he wished more parents would come to him with questions and concerns (isn't that kind of the norm for homeschooling parents, though?) and said that if we wanted Halo 2 removed from the church we could consider it done.

that wasn't our intention, though it was tempting ... and he told us that that particular room is supposed to be locked during service.  apparantly some smart (aleck) kids propped the door open and were, then, gainfully employed in the worship of the video game.

hmmm.  my mom told me that had I not explained to her the basic premise of Halo 2 she was content to believe it was a game about celestial beings.

right.  welcome to the youth group I never had growing up ...

(and, for the record, Halo 2 is also said to have been "over" rated to mature, not teen as it would be rated now.  It is not my intention to get into a debate or onto a soapbox, I just know that I was surprised to find my boys playing the game at church, once the service had started, and that they were not alone.)

why is it?

that women think they all need to do things the same way or one of them is doing it "wrong"?

this might touch a nerve

here is a letter my husband e-mailed the youth pastor at the church we have gone to exactly twice ...

D,

 I have a question (or questions) about the youth ministries, that I should have asked you about at lunch yesterday:

 When we picked up our boys from Sunday School (in the H2O room) when church started, we found them playing Halo 2, which we understand has a “Mature” content rating. We try to be cautious with which games we allow them to play but occasionally let them play some “Teen” games although they are technically not teens. I was surprised that there would be any games of this kind of content in the church.

I also was surprised that there were a bunch of kids in the youth room hanging out and playing video games when church had already started.

 I guess my question(s) is: Who monitors what games are at the church and would these be a part Sunday School and SONIC nights?

 Thanks,

So, can anyone explain to me how continuing to try church after church is better than just going back to the beach? 

seriously.  I have non-Christian friends who freak out over games like Halo 2 being played by kids the ages of mine. 

what does that say?

 

 

maybe the Lord is trying to tell me something

I went to a ladies night last night at the church we chose to attend last Sunday.  It was a nice evening of cheesecake, music and testimonies.  I was particularly interested in hearing from the momI wrote about earlier this week, desperate to make a connection at a new church with someone else who homeschools.  

Her testimony was excellently delivered but so was my acute disappointment.  She stopped homeschooling this year and her son is two years older than my oldest ... in high school ... too "cool", I am sure, to be interested in hanging out with 11 and 12 year olds.  Too bad. 

He is really all I need; this I know. 

Since my local homeschool support group has had to deal with some issues and I like the post from Walden's Wits from this morning, I decided to link to it.  I am really lax with my comments for the most part (just too lazy to take the time to log in and leave my thoughts, though I really do think them).  

food for thought.

I know you all hate youth groups, but ...

For us, youth group is a necessity this year.  I won't bother to tell you why unless you specifically ask, but will, instead, tell you what my boys heard last night :

kid : why would you want to be homeschooled?  You don't have any friends if you are homeschooled.

son number one : yah we do ... we have lots of friends ...

 leader (who just happens to be a homeschool mom) : that's right, sure, you have tons of friends ... and as a matter of fact, we went to Disneyland while you guys were in class!

kid : silently wishing, staring off into space for a few moments.

sweet two feet from where I was

heard at my house

Heard at my house this afternoon ...

Jonam, walking by the computer on his way to the spare room:

"I don't know if this affects you and dad the same way as it does me, but I've noticed that the clothes I wear affect my day. Like today, I'm wearing my s l o w   day boxers.

I take some time to process how accurate he is in his description, then I hear:

"But it's a good thing we went to French class today. These are my "event" pants. Hope I don't wear my "restless night" pjs.

~ who teaches this kid?

the hunt for a new church continues

while we have gone to a conveniently located, wee baptist church here in town the last two sunday mornings, I am reluctant to visit again tomorrow.  how quickly my fervor is squelched due to my insatiable need to speak honestly and expect honest answers.  I kid you not ... if you have never yet had the priviledge to witness my talent in this area for yourself, you will not fully comprehend how many hopes I can have dashed in only one conversation.  hopes, that is, of actually finding someone who not only respects what I "do', but also comes across as at least a tiny bit supportive (read: not repulsed).

last weekend was the local hick-fair and we enjoyed it very much.  we had an opportunity to meet and converse with the pastor of the church we had attended the prior week.  the pastor was on vacation so a visiting guy spoke.  I liked the pastor well enough as he is on the young side and seemed to laugh a little at enough of the things I said to make much hope arise in me, that is until ...

you know, I have to say it still baffles me how many Christian folk actually take the time to confront me about my homeschooling practices.  seriously.  why would someone who knows and believes and follows Christ even wonder to themselves, let alone out loud, why I homeschool? 

this young pastor, and father of one child, actually questioned why I would homeschool in the first place, not to mention even consider homeschooling past grade eight. not only did he not agree with our education choice, but he did not comprehend it either.  I am also quite convinced that everything I said to him in response went in one ear and completely out the other.  which is not to say that I believe every single child on this planet ought to be homeschooled ... (pausing to imagine this concept) ... but it would be nice, truly nice, to find just one pastor around these here parts that did not look at me like I was doing something utterly ridiculous and incomprehensible.

perhaps it is conviction

at my house

Evan and I sat down to do some cursive penmanship today.  I only torture him with this on a Wednesday.  The book we are using is actually a grade four Rod and Staff penmanship book that, for the record, he picked out himself back in June at a curriculum fair.  Incedentally, when I pulled it off the shelf to begin using it last week, he grumbled.  I asked him why he was cranky since he, himself, had said he was all geared up and ready to learn this skill (in grade six).  His reply?  "yah ... that was in May". 

Today's lesson, being lesson number two and a review on slant print, made me chuckle.  Here is how it reads:

The children might lack enthusiasm for printing and be inclined to do a poor job at this age.  Remind them that when they grow up, they will often need to print.  Give some examples, such as filling in forms or making signs.

My mind began to wander at this point, as Evan droned on in the background, and I imagined the signs he might decide to print, like 

"wanted: new curriculum".

To Whom it May Concern

MIght I suggest, for future reference, that any form letter   rejection letter  responses to inquiries about positions in your company be amended to read as follows:

 Thank you for your interest in Sylvan.  Unfortunately, one of the requirements at Sylvan is that you be a qualified teacher  available during the day.


   Again, thank you for inquiring.

I only make this suggestion to point out that I do, actually, possess the necessary qualities, am completely competent, fit and legally entitled to tutor, and am not below a fixed standard, willing to fulfill your conditions, able to pass an examination or take an oath and more than capable of making myself available.

Unless, of course, you actually meant to use the word certified instead of qualified.  Then, unfortunately, I am absolutely uninterested.

Thank you.

what I wouldn't give ...

well, it has been one of those weeks again where things just kind of fall into place and I end up sitting back and pondering my spot in and among it all.

we decided last night to NOT send our boys to scouts this year, which is kind of funny when I consider that just last week I let you all know that badge-gettin was our biggest method of schooling for this new year.  we will still do the work, we just won't get the stuff to sew.  jonam is really showing both and interest and a talent for writing and filming etc, so he will continue in the professional theatre group here in town.  evan, with his second place win in the adult competition at the local fair (I know, I know ... a FAIR! but the other photographs really were well executed) will be encouraged with the purchase of a new digital camera.  neal will join him in the next month at the inception of a new club in town ... the petrolia photographer's club, as long as it really, truly does commence.  we are sad to leave scouts behind, but, like my good friend said "you cannot do it all" and jonam's theatre group would have him missing the first three months of scouts as it is.  evan had little desire to do scouts and, truthfully, would have had a difficult time of it for many reasons.

on monday night my brave husband accompanied me to a 'mandatory' homeschool meeting which was attended by approximately 1/3 of lambton county (surprise, surprise).  being the only man after the first 15 minutes, I had visions of him standing up and announcing 'well, I think I've heard about enough' and escorting me back home to never have to be at another meeting again (a book club in the big city near us was to discuss emma, on the same night and at the same time as the meeting and I really wanted to go and try to re-create my tn book club experience).  needless to say, we both stayed for the duration of the meeting.  I graciously handed over my anally-prepared secretary binder and rolled my eyes whenever appropriate.  I bit my tounge on many an occasion but am still holding out hope that this town in which I have been planted will see some change for the coming school year and lots of fun activities can still be planned.

alas, while reading blogs and checking out various videos on youtube, I had a fleeting thought.  there is a village, for real, about a 6 minute drive from here.  in it lives a bestsister.  and for her I am incredibly thankful ... but what I wouldn't give if the name of that town, with her still in it, were called alcoa ...

Homeschool Lesson Number One

This is for clarification purposes ...

THESE are Rockets:



And THESE are Smarties:

"Fair" results

Well, literally speaking, the results were more than just "fair", they were fantastic.  We have had a great weekend so far at the Petrolia Fair, and will be going back tonight for the antique tractor pull (but NOT for the BX-93 dance).  Tomorrow afternoon is the demolition derby. 

I love being a bonafide hick ...

Here, the town crier and his wife start the parade.  He knows all about our heritage home and loves to talk to the boys about the history of Petrolia.



In the car ride the Petroia fair Queen and the two runner-ups.  Beautiful Queen Bethany happens to have graduated from homeschool this past year ... way to represent!  (she is in the middle)



This next picture cracks me up.  If you look really, really closely, you can see MY entry ... strawberry freezer jam.  Apparently it was not up to snuff, since the judges clearly tried to hide it from spectator view.  sheesh.  It won first prize two years in a row in the next town over ...



My "single stem of sedum", however, faired much better ... see the perty red ribbon?



Now for the boys ...  I was particularly proud of Evan's photographs in this category, as it was an adult competition, and he placed second for his collage of "day on the farm"



Here are a few of the other items the boy-o's entered:



 



This was a "special"  and won Jonam $10.00.  "a monster made out of vegetables"



Evan has finally mastered my prize-winning chocolate chip cookie recipe, taking first place.  He now goes on to compete in the District level in November, and, hopefully, the Provincial level.  I tell you, chocolate chip cookies are tres importante around here, folks.  And if you ever do make the drive up here, I promise I will bake you up a batch ... or maybe Evan should from now on ... way to carry the torch, young man!

Lastly, a picture of two fellow homeschooling friends. Bethany the Fair Queen's sister Holly was named Petrolia Fair Princess, and Nathan, named "man of the future", Jonam's goal for next year's fair.  Homeschool families in this area take the better part of the first couple weeks of "school" to prepare for the fair.  We only found the fair book on Wednesday this week and spent Thursday concocting.   Guess we better start early for 2008 ...

 

I could really say something else here ...

Hi Kristina,


   Thank you for your interest in Sylvan.  Unfortunately, one of the requirements at Sylvan is that you be a qualified teacher.
   Again, thank you for inquiring.

Susan Mitchell
Director

 

... but I won't.

I laboured all right

So, for tomorrow, I have the following to try and work into a nice, pat schedule that flows beautifully each and every day of the week that we decide to step into the stream.  In other words, here is what we have chosen for our new school year to look like.  Jonam is in grade 7 (gasp) and Evan is in grade 6 (I will need the Lord's help here)

The Scout Handbook ... seriously will be the crux of our year.  there is a plethora of science and lifeskills badges to be earned here, and we plan to get them all

The Dangerous Book for Boys ... oh yah!  while eating cheap hotdogs at target, neal actually said to me "you know, we could practically throw out everything else and just do this book here.  I wisely said nothing.  I was hoping he was for real.   (I am still hoping)

Cheaper by the Dozen (with study guide I made up)

the Swiss Family Robinson (with study guide I made up)

Intermediate Language Lessons, by Emma Serle ... old as dirt but fantastic.  serious favourite of mine.  this is just for Evan, along with practice in cursive writing (that was actually his idea)

Art study ... I am supposed to teach a couple of boys in exchange for French lessons from a good friend  who is bilingual.  not a bad deal.  we will continue to do art as a family as usual, too, looking forward to our annual studio tour open house at the end of this month

Basketball lessons ... from another homeschool mom who wishes I was teaching her kids art, but I will, instead, find myself doing an aquafit class while the boys bounce.  I don't want to work out any more than son 1 and son 2 want to learn basketball, so it should be interesting to watch this play out.  (that was terrible)

Blogging and assorted creative writing ... these are not hard things to do

Saxon math 7/8 and finishing Abeka 6 ... thanks to blogless leigh who generously gave me the 7/8 when I met her, back in may.  abeka will be tolerated by Evan, who has no choice.

I actually think this is pretty much summing it up.  sounds hollow but it won't be in reality.  we will still be plenty busy and tired at the end of our days.  Presuming I can actually lead us all to the water ...