Today is day 3 of the Pray For Your Husband for 30 days Challenge. Today’s challenge:
“…love suffers long, and is kind…” 1 Cor. 13:4
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19 Love indeed suffers long and is kind. As you consider your Encouragement Challenge, determine today that you will not say anything negative to or about your husband. Speak kindly to him with words of genuine encouragement.
I found a great new site – it is totally COOL: http://www.famoushomeschoolers.net/educators.html
Mount Rushmore, the world’s largest stone monument, is a tribute to four Presidents – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.
Do you know what else each of these men have in common? As children, none of them had any regular, formal schooling. They were all self-educated or taught at home!Homeschooling is defined as the education of children at home rather than at any school or institution. Homeschooling is a modern term but it is a form of education that has been around for centuries. In fact, until the mid-19th century, most children in America were educated at home. This was before the push for development of public schools began in the 1830s-1840s.
I am having a blast, and spending too much time, reading the lists of authors, educators and leaders; this all ties back to my post on Classical Education and the fact that until very recently home education vas the norm and the standards of public education have never been as high as the achievements of the previous generations taught at home.
Big Brother had his first ever eye appt today. This was on the recommendation of the OT evaluation. The appointment was not BAD, but I felt like I had been wrestling a jellyfish after it was over. we got in the exam room fast and the tech that did all the first stuff did a great job with Big Brother even making him a cheat sheet of the numerals up to 15 so he could point to the answer rather than have to say it after I explained that Big Brother is not so reliable at numeral recognition (he could have done letters). Sitting in a room full of cool machines, lights, buttons and things that move is hard on any boy, especially an almost 5 yo one. We were kept waiting in the exam room too long. Way too long. Most of his “being cooperative time” was spent sitting around waiting. That really really bothers me. This was a PEDATRATIC Optometrists. Recommended to work with a young child; in fact, suggest BY NAME to see a child that has extra needs beyond the age-typical ones. If you are a professional that deals with children ALL THE TIME, you should be able to plan to be on time and not keep little ones waiting like that. My son is not the best waiter, but he is not the worst. He is not even 5 yet. They should plan better; they would have happier more cooperative children to work with if they did. Not like he was the only child there; it is a child’s practice, it really annoys me when places that are supposedly “for children” can not be bothered to be child friendly. The last part of the appt I held him in my lap, but the arms were constantly reaching for stuff and he would glace at the doctor, do one “game” then try to get down asking to see something else. During the ‘just vision test’ I was amazed at the small icons he could identify at a distance, minus my glasses I would not have done as well. The results: all the things the OT was concerned about she DID see, but he has the ABLITY what he is lacking is ‘endurance;’ or ‘good control’. So the OT concerns are there, but they are use issues not medical or physical ability issues. Kind of like the fine motor stuff, his control and use and ‘lasting ability’ is well behind where he is age-wise. This should not be too big a surprise; his speech is behind, his fine motor is behind, his sleep patterns have been that of a much younger child for a long time (about ‘age correct’ now, finally) and so on. The Dev Ped we saw 18 months ago said that he is just “brain’ behind; like a pre-mee or something. That seems to still be the case. For example: he can track a moving object without moving his head; he just can’t stay on task very long and will move his entire head to ‘cheat’ if he can; he has the physical ability, just not the skill to use it very long. This is true of all the OT concerns. So there are no physical issues, no medical issues, it is all use and application (again). He is somewhat far sighted, but that is 100% age typical due to size / growth of the eyes and head. It should self correct. He DOES of the congenital cataracts that I (and the entire paternal side of my family) has / had – I have had lens replacements so I don’t, technically have them any more. I was 97% expecting that, I had them; dad had them, my aunt, their dad and so on back in time; so I had no expectation that my boys would “miss” them. I am not that upset; the advancement in corrective measures have been amazing; the difference in what the medical profession can and will do now as opposed to when I was Big Brother’s age is STUNNING, I am confident by the time he is 10 or 15 or 20 the advancements will even more stunning. There are many other issues that I would worry much more about, him (or them actually) getting my eyes, is the least of my concerns. The cataracts are “small and slight” and not effecting his vision at this point in time. Nothing in today’s evaluation needs to be addressed by her professionally. She will write it all up for the OT and advise on exercised and “activities” she is going to forward me a full copy of that report. He does not need vision correction at this point and he is healthy and sees fine. Great appointment; but totally physically and mentally draining for Momma
This afternoon called for a trip to the park. 55 degrees and SUNNY on Nov 3 is a great fall day. Only stayed about 30 minutes due to the wind; but they boys got sunshine and to stretch their legs.
Once home we played CandyLand. Big Brother is “all about” getting to play. He carries it around and presents it to me at the oddest times, like as I am helping them strip for tubbie. Today we played. I told Big Brother he had to follow the rules, or I was putting it up and not playing. He did a great job. Only once did I have to suggest putting the game up; but only once. Little Brother started the game with us, all excited, and got up to turn 3. He carefully took cards for each turn and carefully moved his plastic person; 2 of the 3 turns he was able to “do it alone” (that is find the next correct color). Then he wandered off. It took a lot of “ok Big your turn, what is on your card, where is that, move you piece …ok my turn, let’s see what I got, ok I moving …” and so on to keep the game on track, but Big Brother did better than any other time we have tired to play. But not a “game” for “fun” for momma really – :). I am glad to see his ability to play improving.
Life, faith, homeschooling, growing and FUN 