The Key to Learning Easily

Posted on February 13, 2009 by Barb

Early on, I discovered that my older three children learned the things that interested them much more easily than the subjects they didn’t care so much about.

For one, writing came easily while math was a much slower process. For another, vacuuming the living room properly (i.e. in more than 30 seconds) was far too difficult, while learning to design a Web site based on a much-loved hobby was fast and easy. For yet another, reading Shakespeare was a piece of cake while reading history from a textbook was torture.

Then there’s #4. He’s the one with Down syndrome, and homeschooling him has been a much slower process all the way around. He’s had a particularly hard time with reading. We continue to review words that he learned years ago; if we don’t, he forgets them. I got kind of depressed the other day when he blanked out on “is” and “find,” because they’re easy and he’d known them for a long time, up until then.

However, my husband discovered something that same day which reminded me that dsds15 can easily remember the words that mean something to him. He loves video games and movies, and one of his favorite subjects in both categories is “X-Men.” He especially likes to pause the game whenever it displays a character so he can write down the character’s name. He will often print long lists of these characters as he plays.

My husband took one of these lists and asked my son to read the names on it. These are names like Professor Xavier, Mystique, Magneto…..15 or 20 of them on a page. And he could read every name we pointed to! That stinker…..like his older siblings, if something interests him, he has a much easier time with it.

The 1970s: When Simple Living Was The Norm

Posted on February 11, 2009 by Barb

James Garner

The detective shows of the 1970s hold a special place in my heart. There were several that I really enjoyed. Now that so many shows are available on dvd, I can relive those days pretty easily.

One thing I’ve noticed is that people’s homes in these shows were actually pretty basic compared to today’s homes. The typical house shown in “The Rockford Files” (watch for free at this link) or “The Streets of San Francisco,” to name just two series, was modestly decorated in mostly functional furniture with some pictures on the wall and, of course, the requisite large console television.

Even the depictions of wealthy people’s homes weren’t nearly as packed full of expensive furniture and decorations as what you see on television and in movies these days. Back then, we didn’t keep up with designer furniture, if there even was much of it. Now, most everyone has to have the latest of everything.

I think things began to change once “The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” became popular. Until then, I doubt most people cared about what celebrities had in their homes. Not that no one ever cared, but the focus that we’ve seen in recent years on who’s got what wasn’t an issue until around the time that show came on. I guess it created a lot of envy.

I like to watch the 1970s shows because they reflect a simpler time, when people weren’t so hung up on having things. You see people dressed normally but not in anything spectacularly eye-catching. Designer duds had not caught on yet. I like the casual way Jim Rockford threw on his sports jacket if he had to go to police headquarters, or the old clothes he wore to go fishing with his dad Rocky. No flash, that’s for sure. Even his home, an old trailer on the beach, reflected utility rather than impressive design.

When I drive through areas with McMansions built over the past decade, empty all day while their owners work to make the massive house payments that came with the houses, I think about how most people used to consider their homes shelter, not something to impress people. They wore clothes for practical reasons rather than to make a statement about their wealth.

Maybe I’m just getting old, but I think life was a lot simpler then. That might be why I like those 1970s television shows so much.

50 Ways to Improve Your Life in 2009

Posted on February 4, 2009 by Barb

U.S. News and World Report recently came up with “50 Ways to Improve Your Life in 2009.” I don’t agree with everything they’ve put on their list, and a few of them are things I already do, such as “Put Your Cash in Safe Accounts” and “Watch TV Free Online.”

A couple of others are already long-time habits of mine, such as “Lose the Microwave Mentality” and “Air Dry Your Laundry.”

But there are just two that I would like to try this year: “Keep a ‘Clothes Hanger’ Journal” and “Get Fit as You Get Older.”

How about it? Do any of them strike a chord with you?

First Sign of Spring: Homeschool Convention Brochures!

Posted on January 23, 2009 by Barb

Convention season is on the way. It won’t be long before that brochure shows up in the mail box again, offering early bird discounts and listing a stellar line-up of homeschool speakers.

Some homeschoolers avoid conventions, believing that they can learn what they need to know from Web sites, books, magazines and of course, like-minded friends.

Those are all good resources, but there’s an energy found at the convention that you can’t get anywhere else. Being around so many other homeschooling parents is quite invigorating. Some speakers are really encouraging. And having the opportunity to flip through new homeschooling resources for hours is a huge plus.

The homeschool convention makes a good outing for the couple that can get someone to watch their children. My husband went with me a few times, which gave us a really good opportunity to talk about our children and how the homeschooling was going (what our goals were for the kids, etc.) in a way we could never find time for in our daily lives.

There are things you can do to make your homeschool convention experience a fantastic one. Ive experienced many homeschool conventions as an attendee and also as a vendor. You’ll find my tips for a great homeschool convention experience in “Keys to a Successful Homeschool Convention Experience.”