Go on a “sniffing” expedition through the house. Identify as many fragrances, odors, aromas, scents, and smells as you can. Jot them down (on a clipboard or note pad). Then come back, set the timer, and write anything you want to about what your nose discovered!
Archive for the ‘General’ Category
Friday Freewrite: The boss!
Friday Freewrite: What would you do if you were in charge?
Friday Freewrite: Tough choices
Write about a difficult decision you’ve made and why.
Be the learner
Be the learner you want to see in your children.
Take personal inventory over a cup of coffee this morning:
What do you wish you had time to learn/do/be?
Join a Zumba class? Apply to grad school? Read an art history book? Learn to quilt? Read a novel that is for adults? Garden? Read more about a historical moment? Watch Downton Abbey Season 1 or A&E Pride and Prejudice? Figure out how to calculate the amount of feed you need for your chickens you will hatch next spring?
What can you do related to that aspiration today? Do one thing on your way to that goal – check out the book or movie, go to the website and download the application instructions, visit a quilting store, stop by the library, look up fall plants online, look up math equations…?
When can you do it? After lunch during naptime? Tonight after your spouse or partner gets home? Those work, but they are when you are alone.
How about right now, in front of your kids, ignoring what they are doing for a few minutes? Just dive in and talk as you go: “I think I’d like to understand the abolition movement better. It’s been so interesting reading about the Civil War with you guys. Give me a few minutes. I’m going to put some books on hold at the library.” Or “Hey before we get started today, I want to watch one episode of Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting. I’m curious about art history and know nothing about it. You can watch if you want, or play with Legos. Then we’ll start your stuff.”
Don’t put off your own learning. Your passion for what you want to know IS the fuel of your homeschool. It’s not just a model (like you don’t do it to “demonstrate” passion). You do it because you ARE interested. You live it because you need it to thrive! Which is what you hope happens to your kids with their interests.
You must make time right in front of your kids to do what interests you. The only reason kids want to be adults is that adults do cool stuff. So do the cool stuff—and don’t feel guilty. It’s essential to their growth and your well-being.
What will you do/learn/be today? Let’s share in the comments. 🙂
Guidelines for blogging outside material
This is a fantastic article about how to cite sources when you blog online. Share with your kids or use it for your own blogging experiences:
How Not To Steal Other People’s Content
Blogs are hotbeds of source attribution issues, probably just due to the sheer volume of content that’s posted there on a daily basis (you awesome inbound marketer, you). So let’s walk through a couple common scenarios bloggers come across when creating their content, and figure out how to address them!
