In observance of the very first day of life in our post Mayan (calendar(ish) world, I've decided to re-implement...(drum roll)...the checklist. The checklist helps us to stay on track. We each have morning, afternoon, and late afternoon chores, though of course, mine have no beginning or end. My kids seem pretty enthusiastic about getting back to this. Our checklists are in paper protectors and taped to a cabinet in the kitchen. The children enjoy running back and forth and checking off things with their dry erase markers.

A change I will be implementing is that I will have my own list as well. I am always doing something. It just seems lately that my somethings have been less focused. Fuzzy brain's default is Facebook. Responsible Mama would prefer to implement this tool as a guide so that fuzzy brained, sleep deprived, or distracted Mama won't hijack the household, which typically results in chaos.

I like the checklist because it doesn't hold unrealistic expectations, or require that we do very specific things in specific thirty minute intervals of time. Been there, done that, and it always left me feeling kind of inadequate.

And that's what happens when we take things upon ourselves that the Lord hasn't assigned to us, isn't it?

The checklist works for us because it's not overly confining; rather it provides a very comfortable anchor that brings comfort and consistency to our days.

Yet, when creativity starts to flow, I'll set it aside for a bit.

My creative energies are best channeled through writing. Our Creator God crafted each of us with talents and passions, which can't be properly expressed if confined to certain times of the day. For the kids or myself, once those creative juices get flowing, we're gonna loosen our hold on the everyday, and let what He has purposed flow through us, in the hope that He may be glorified through it.

So much of life is about finding proper balance. I'm thankful for the freedom found in Christ, and the abundant life that it brings when we surrender our own expectations and take on His.

First Things First

It's such a blessing when you gain the wisdom to distinguish between God given talents that can and should be used for His glory, and worldly whims. We were created with purpose; He crafted us each individually with talents and passions through which He can be exalted if we keep things in proper perspective, with our eyes set on Him.

We need to remember this with our children as well. Their worth can not be measured by standards (even national ones!) or grades. Their capabilities far exceed any of that.

Their preferences, motivations, and passions can not be measured by checklists. Nor can the condition of their hearts.

Though worldly standards easily distract us from what's most important, we as parents need to keep things in proper perspective. We need to keep the main thing the main thing, remembering that it's not always what someone else says it is.

Let God lead, and He who is faithful will do so.

Priorities

There are a number of things that I will put before formal education on any given day. This has been a change for me because I have taught in traditional classroom settings. Yet over the course of the past 9 and a half years of having kids and raising them, my perceptions have changed dramatically. 

The more I see my kids as they initiate their own learning and develop effectiveness in structuring their days effectively, the more my role is changing from teacher to facilitator of learning in our home school.

So as for my list of the things that come before formal education in our home...

-Reading God's Word and praying daily- As CS Lewis said, "Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil." 

-Eating healthy foods- The nutritional patterns that we create are likely to stay with our children for a lifetime. Food affects the way we feel today, as well as our health long term. It has a huge impact on brain functioning as well as energy levels and whether or not a person feels good throughout the day. 

-Exercise and fresh air are good for the mind, spirit, and body. In order to be healthy, our bodies must move. Concentration is a problem for children, especially boys, when they aren't able to get enough exercise daily. For optimal brain development, we each need to a sufficient amount of exercise daily.

-Chores are extremely important. When children have chores, they develop responsibility, perseverance, and an understanding of how things work. Our kids have indoor chores that we call jurisdictions that they do daily. This includes cleaning bedrooms, the living room, the toy room, wiping off the bathroom counter, washing dishes, folding clothes, and practicing piano. Outdoors, they're responsible for feeding the chickens, collecting the eggs, and taking out the compost and recycling. 

These jobs help them to develop real life skills, and help them to see the value of working together to accomplish a common goal.

-Unrushed time with Daddy and together as a whole family is very important. The kids usually do their chores before Shawn comes home. It helps us to capitalize upon the time that we all get to be together in the evenings. 

-Reading time with all of our children is something that I consider very important. The memory of my fourth grade teacher reading books to our class is special to me. We read to the little ones, and with the bigger ones. We enjoy audio books as well. Book discussions are fun too.

-Time to be creative is prized here as well. Kids need to know that there's generally more than one answer to a problem, and that they're capable of finding it. I can dull their minds with useless facts so that they can re-gurgitate them for a test, or we can spend that time learning how to think or solve problems. One thing that goes unacknowledged in our current educational system is the fact that the information age in which we live is making memorization just about useless. With the click of a few buttons, we can find out about anything we could ever ask to know.

Another significant point is that the retention of information is extremely low when children (or people) are uninterested. Statistics show that over 90% of what we learn in school is forgotten as soon as it is no longer needed. The small percentage of stuff we do remember can be recalled only because it's something that WE were interested in. The result is a lot of wasted time, money, and effort.

-Development of time management skills is highly valued by us. If we micro-manage our children and their lives, they are unable to develop in these areas.  Micro-managed children are the ones who are far more likely to say they're bored and ask for an excessive amount of "screen time" because they've never been given the abilities of self direction that result from autonomy in this area.

-Time with extended family is prized as well. We are better able to enjoy it due to the flexibility we have in our days. My mama comes over almost every day and visits; my brother takes them for walks on my daddy's land almost daily as well. Time with loving and caring adults can provide some of the best socialization that a child can get. It is far more similar to real life than the artificial, age-segregated environments that are set up in schools.

-Time for my children to follow their own interests- This is essential to proper development. Kids are smart, inquisitive, and love learning...until "school" beats it out of them. If children are subjected to an overly academic day, then they are more apt be exhausted and unable to engage in any activity that requires brain cells. If theirs have been fried through misuse for an inappropriate number of hours each day, then there's just nothing left for real learning. When this happens, children are likely to lose a sense of who they are in a sea of adult directed responsibilities that have little relevance to who they are and the lives that they live. It drains me just thinking about it.

-Time with siblings- They become each others best friends! I love to go in the living room to find Brayden and Annacie sitting side by side, reading books, or sharing one and reading it together. Camden and Cassidy have a number of teachers who are always ready to read to them; she "reads" to Camden as well. As children teach children anything, they become more proficient at what they're doing. To teach anyone something that you already know helps to solidify your learning in that area and provides braces to build upon the next level of learning. I love seeing the benefits of my different aged children working and playing together.

I think it's important to often consider why you're doing what your doing, and whether or not the way you're spending your time is directly correlated with what's most important to you. Today's been one of those days of pondering for me!

I do love teaching, and there are days when I enjoy playing a more professional role here. It's super fun! Yet, the truth is that they are learning whether I'm structuring it or not. With books, games, toys, and imaginations, the possibilities are endless. One of the best parts of my job is seeing them as they grow, develop, and learn in a way that's highly individual for each of them!. 

Entitlement

Often we who call ourselves Christians are taking so much time being offended, that we take little thought to the ways the things we say and do might be offensive to other people.

As American Christians, many have come to believe that we deserve certain things. One case in point is all of the controversy resulting from two simple words, Happy Holidays. It seems that many people are offended when they are not greeted with the terminology that specifically lines up with their faith.

One thing we need to remember is that, lo and behold, not every person believes the same as we do. We all have different backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs, each one wanting to be respected for his/her own.

The Lord we serve is a gentleman and does not attempt to coerce anyone into anything; nor should we.

In a world where people are being murdered for their faith, it seems a huge misdirection of energy when we as Christians take offense so easily and spend time concerning ourselves with such trivialities. An excessive focus on such things tends to remove peoples' focus from what's important, and can cripple the good work that God has planned for our lives.

Of the two greatest commandments Jesus spoke of, the second is "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39)

This is far easier to do when we take the time to see things from another's perspective. We are His servants. Only the Lord can change hearts. Our part is to live lives surrendered to Him, being moldable as He breaks down our worldly stereotypes, prejudices, and anything else that hinders us from accomplishing the purposes that He has for our lives.

"God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6)

Do you remember where you were when He found you? Who you were? I don't know about you, but nothing humbles me more than that. It helps me to remember what I'm really entitled to.

Death. "For the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23)

Thankfully, though, there's more...

"...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, encourage the broken-hearted, and pray for all, doing everything to bring glory to His name.

If we do these things, then the specific words used in holiday greetings won't matter nearly as much.

Nor will we need to spend our money on Christian t-shirts, crosses, and bumper stickers. And it won't be necessary for us to share "I am a Christian, and not ashamed" links on FB.

If we live lives surrendered to Him, then we won't need to seek justification through specific words and symbols.

People will see what doesn't have to be said.

That He is truly enough.