This is a story review by Tyler Johnson (age 15) on the story of Genghis Khan and his Hawk.
He writes:
A very good story with a good moral. Genghis Kahn was a fierce general who ran his army. He went hunting with his hawk. I believe this is a very happy and sad but fun story.
The main characters are Kahn and his Hawk. Kahn is a large, fierce man. His Hawk is an agile bird with long wings. They are motivated by their love to hunt. Khan is very rash. The hawk is a little too prideful.
Kahn needs water. He was chasing a deer and got lost. He then thirst. He found a stream. But, the hawk wouldn't let him drink. He moves toward the source of the stream, but the hawk still won't let him drink. Kahn is angered.
In the end, Kahn kills his friend, and throws his cup only to find the water was poisoned. He grieves over his friend. He learns that it's not always for pleasure or gain someone does something. It has an overall theme of friendship and loss.
Khan is very relatable. We all have been too harsh at times. We all have been like the hawk, trying to help and only being punished. It's kind of ironic. Kahn was super smart and strong yet wouldn't listen to his best friend. I think that Kahn killing the bird makes the story so much more powerful. I was very intrigued by what would happen. It added to the story to keep the venom hidden because then when he found it the poison was all the more surprising.
I was quite surprised by the snake. I had no idea the snake would be there. I felt very sad about the bird dying to save one. It is obvious the author is trying to tell us sometimes we should just listen. It teaches us that standing up for another is never wrong. It is motives that can go astray. I found it a fun, sad and interesting read.
Tyler read the version of this story by Lori Verstegen, through the Institute for Excellence in Writing curriculum.
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult a book review
Our book club just read Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult.
She has an interesting theme in her books of tackling an environmental or social issue through her story. In Leaving Time, Picoult spends a lot of time discussing elephants and their emotional responses to their environment, specifically grief.
She accomplishes this by creating a character whose job it is to study elephants and their emotional responses.
One thing that really sticks out in this novel for me is the Point Of View changes. They seem to be a common technique among contemporary writers, but I find them aggravating as a reader. They make the whole book FEEL like fiction.
Character viewpoint changes force me as a reader to do extra mental work of keeping up with who's talking when. I want the author to do that work for me, so I can benefit from the enjoyment of being drawn into the imaginary time and place and just enjoy the story.
Fiction shouldn't be so hard.
Picoult is not the first author I've read that does this, but it is very frequent in Leaving Time.
As to this specific novel, there is a lot of spirit/ghost/reincarnation conjecture presented as truth, right alongside the scientific information about elephants. One being so far-fetched makes me wonder if the facts about the elephants are real or made up. I don't know enough about this author to know how she does her research.
The changing Point of View combined with the presentation of the Netherworld come together in the end to bring about a surprise ending to the book, which I won't give away here at all, except to say that everyone in our group was not expecting it to end the way it did, and you probably won't expect it either.
Even though, in the end, I did see the benefit of the techniques she used and how it brought the story all together, I did not enjoy the journey.
So, if you like to read for literary analysis, or because you promised your book club that you would, there is an ending that will give you something to talk about. But, if you like a novel simply for the pleasure of it, I can't recommend Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult.
She has an interesting theme in her books of tackling an environmental or social issue through her story. In Leaving Time, Picoult spends a lot of time discussing elephants and their emotional responses to their environment, specifically grief.
She accomplishes this by creating a character whose job it is to study elephants and their emotional responses.
One thing that really sticks out in this novel for me is the Point Of View changes. They seem to be a common technique among contemporary writers, but I find them aggravating as a reader. They make the whole book FEEL like fiction.
Character viewpoint changes force me as a reader to do extra mental work of keeping up with who's talking when. I want the author to do that work for me, so I can benefit from the enjoyment of being drawn into the imaginary time and place and just enjoy the story.
Fiction shouldn't be so hard.
Picoult is not the first author I've read that does this, but it is very frequent in Leaving Time.
As to this specific novel, there is a lot of spirit/ghost/reincarnation conjecture presented as truth, right alongside the scientific information about elephants. One being so far-fetched makes me wonder if the facts about the elephants are real or made up. I don't know enough about this author to know how she does her research.
The changing Point of View combined with the presentation of the Netherworld come together in the end to bring about a surprise ending to the book, which I won't give away here at all, except to say that everyone in our group was not expecting it to end the way it did, and you probably won't expect it either.
Even though, in the end, I did see the benefit of the techniques she used and how it brought the story all together, I did not enjoy the journey.
So, if you like to read for literary analysis, or because you promised your book club that you would, there is an ending that will give you something to talk about. But, if you like a novel simply for the pleasure of it, I can't recommend Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult.
Monday, May 9, 2016
Homeshooling How We Do It
Welcome to homeschooling, year 14. As this year comes to a close and I start to face year 15, I noticed a theme that seems to keep repeating year after year. Perhaps you've noticed it in your house too.
We are ready to be done, physically and mentally, but not academically.
So, about this time of year, I start thinking about how to make next year better.
7 of the 8 children are still here in the house, and still need my time and attention daily. This year I taught 11th grade, 9th, 7th, 3rd and 1st grade all at once, with a three year old who likes to yell at me
"MOM, WHERE'S MY SCHOOLWORK!"
and a one year old who until recently was still nursing.
I often hear this question: "HOW DO YOU DO IT?" and almost always, the person asking is either not a homeschooler and completely clueless, and there is no answer that I can give them, OR the person is a homeschooling mom who is really asking, "HOW CAN I DO IT?"
So, I'm going to try to help answer both of those questions, without too much snark, and try to keep it real.
TIP #1 MAKE LESSON PLANS AND LISTS
REALITY #1 YOU WILL PROBABLY ALWAYS BE BEHIND SCHEDULE
After trying all sorts of things, I've learned that for my personality, I need to spend the summer researching curriculum and developing lesson plans. I have publishers I like Veritas Press and I usually start with their recommendations and tailor it to each child (I'll talk about that next). I use a grid from Sonlight to plan out our daily lessons or goals.
The first page always looks something like this ALL IN PENCIL with subjects along the side column and children's names at the top. It's a worksheet, a place for me to plan out what I hope to accomplish over the course of the year.
Then, I create a page for each day (Monday - Friday for 36 weeks) - this is important for those of you who have to report attendance or record a certain number of school days per year - at the end of the year, this can serve as your record book as well as a help for planning out the next year.
An individual day plan looks more like this.
TIP #2 MAKE ALL YOUR PLANS IN PENCIL
REALITY #2 PLANS CHANGE
I use a yellow highlighter to put a line through each item as we complete it. Notice not box is full. You do not have to do every subject every day. Also, we don't finish all the planned items on the day I plan them, so if we finish something the next day, I don't move it in the planner, I just highlight it whenever we finish it.
So, what to put on the plan?
I spend a lot of time really thinking about who each child is, what matters to them, what motivates them, what they want to learn about and how I can teach it to them while still having them learn the things I want them to learn.
For my high schoolers, I asked them this year to make a list of the classes they wish were offered at their school, classes they would take if they could. I'm using that list to direct my curriculum choices.
Some packaged curriculum come with an already laid out lesson plan, so I just transfer that to our daily chart. Most of them are at the very least designed to fit into an 18 week or 36 week plan, so it's just a matter of sitting down with the curriculum and sorting out what makes sense to do each day.
If you are creating your own curriculum then you will have to decide how to break down the work into daily bites. This is not difficult, but it does take more time. But, if you are developing your own curriculum, then you are already investing a big chunk of time. I've done both over the years, and I prefer to write my own for some subjects, and prefer a canned curriculum for others - it depends on you and your child.
TIP #3 RELY ON YOUR OLDER CHILDREN TO BE INDEPENDENT AND HELPFUL
REALITY #3 SOMETIMES THEY ARE SICK AND/OR GRUMPY TOO OR PROCRASTINATORS OR WELL, JUST HUMAN...
In real use, I pull out this binder every day and it helps keep us focused.
If I'm sick, or away from home, or taking a child to the doctor or nursing the baby, an older child can open the binder and know what to do and can help younger children to know what to do.
As the year progresses, we tend to get ahead in some subjects (you don't have to stop reading just because your lesson plan says that you've done one day of work - you just mark off what you accomplish), and you'll fall behind in others. That makes using the binder a little more challenging for a child.
I keep bookmarks at the spots where we are in each subject and move the bookmarks as we go along. I use sticky notes so they don't get accidentally moved.
TIP #4 MAKE LISTS
REALITY #4 SOME CHILDREN WILL IGNORE THEIR LIST IF YOU DON'T HOUND THEM
To keep the day running smoothly, it usually helps to start with everyone at the dining room table. I begin with math, since most of them can work on practice problems or reading their next lesson in their books on their own while I work with them one at a time. I check their previous work, and write down their next assignment.
Then, we do Grammar. As I work with each individual child, the others start on their math assignments.
I work through each subject this way, reviewing material, answering questions and writing down the next assignment.
When all goes well, each child has an assignment sheet to work through in just a couple of hours, allowing me to help children who need extra explanation, prepare "schoolwork" for the three year old, plan meals and it allows older, independent children to leave the table and go find quiet spaces to work.
When all goes sour, well then we sit at the table for awhile and still get some things done, but I don't have to try and make a judgement about how "good" of a day we had. This gives me an objective perspective on our year as a whole. I can look back over weeks and months, not just one bad day, and I can see what we've accomplished.
TIP #5 GIVE OLDER CHILDREN QUIET SPACES TO WORK
REALITY #5 SOME CHILDREN WILL STILL TRY TO WORK ON THE COUCH IN FRONT OF THE TV.
Our older children have tables in their room that they can use for studying. We also have a couple of small tables in our basement that can be used for younger children to do art projects and Playdoh or for older children to study at if necessary.
If they show that they are having trouble doing their work with the freedom to get their work done at their own pace, then I make them stay at the dining room table and work there. When they show a more diligent work ethic, they get their freedom back.
For especially difficult lessons, I will also ask older children to take the Littles to play with their toys so that I can work with one child alone who needs extra help.
TIP #6 DON'T LET THE LIST LIMIT YOU
REALITY #6 THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT ARE EDUCATIONAL THAT YOU WON'T THINK TO INCLUDE IN YOUR LESSON PLANS
As fun and interesting things present themselves, go do them. Take time off of your schedule for swimming lessons, theater productions, hikes in the woods and whatever other things your family likes to do.
This year we discovered the Performing Arts Center in our area and their educational series. So, when we do those things, I pencil them into the lesson plans, or in the side margins if necessary. This year, we've added speech and essay contests, 4H projects, theater productions, drama club, youth group, swimming lessons and more to our original lesson plans.
How do I do it all? Here are some tips, but my answer is really by the grace of God go we.
So, don't forget to pray.
We are ready to be done, physically and mentally, but not academically.
So, about this time of year, I start thinking about how to make next year better.
7 of the 8 children are still here in the house, and still need my time and attention daily. This year I taught 11th grade, 9th, 7th, 3rd and 1st grade all at once, with a three year old who likes to yell at me
"MOM, WHERE'S MY SCHOOLWORK!"
and a one year old who until recently was still nursing.
I often hear this question: "HOW DO YOU DO IT?" and almost always, the person asking is either not a homeschooler and completely clueless, and there is no answer that I can give them, OR the person is a homeschooling mom who is really asking, "HOW CAN I DO IT?"
So, I'm going to try to help answer both of those questions, without too much snark, and try to keep it real.
TIP #1 MAKE LESSON PLANS AND LISTS
REALITY #1 YOU WILL PROBABLY ALWAYS BE BEHIND SCHEDULE
After trying all sorts of things, I've learned that for my personality, I need to spend the summer researching curriculum and developing lesson plans. I have publishers I like Veritas Press and I usually start with their recommendations and tailor it to each child (I'll talk about that next). I use a grid from Sonlight to plan out our daily lessons or goals.
The first page always looks something like this ALL IN PENCIL with subjects along the side column and children's names at the top. It's a worksheet, a place for me to plan out what I hope to accomplish over the course of the year.
Then, I create a page for each day (Monday - Friday for 36 weeks) - this is important for those of you who have to report attendance or record a certain number of school days per year - at the end of the year, this can serve as your record book as well as a help for planning out the next year.
An individual day plan looks more like this.
TIP #2 MAKE ALL YOUR PLANS IN PENCIL
REALITY #2 PLANS CHANGE
I use a yellow highlighter to put a line through each item as we complete it. Notice not box is full. You do not have to do every subject every day. Also, we don't finish all the planned items on the day I plan them, so if we finish something the next day, I don't move it in the planner, I just highlight it whenever we finish it.
So, what to put on the plan?
I spend a lot of time really thinking about who each child is, what matters to them, what motivates them, what they want to learn about and how I can teach it to them while still having them learn the things I want them to learn.
For my high schoolers, I asked them this year to make a list of the classes they wish were offered at their school, classes they would take if they could. I'm using that list to direct my curriculum choices.
Some packaged curriculum come with an already laid out lesson plan, so I just transfer that to our daily chart. Most of them are at the very least designed to fit into an 18 week or 36 week plan, so it's just a matter of sitting down with the curriculum and sorting out what makes sense to do each day.
If you are creating your own curriculum then you will have to decide how to break down the work into daily bites. This is not difficult, but it does take more time. But, if you are developing your own curriculum, then you are already investing a big chunk of time. I've done both over the years, and I prefer to write my own for some subjects, and prefer a canned curriculum for others - it depends on you and your child.
TIP #3 RELY ON YOUR OLDER CHILDREN TO BE INDEPENDENT AND HELPFUL
REALITY #3 SOMETIMES THEY ARE SICK AND/OR GRUMPY TOO OR PROCRASTINATORS OR WELL, JUST HUMAN...
In real use, I pull out this binder every day and it helps keep us focused.
If I'm sick, or away from home, or taking a child to the doctor or nursing the baby, an older child can open the binder and know what to do and can help younger children to know what to do.
As the year progresses, we tend to get ahead in some subjects (you don't have to stop reading just because your lesson plan says that you've done one day of work - you just mark off what you accomplish), and you'll fall behind in others. That makes using the binder a little more challenging for a child.
I keep bookmarks at the spots where we are in each subject and move the bookmarks as we go along. I use sticky notes so they don't get accidentally moved.
TIP #4 MAKE LISTS
REALITY #4 SOME CHILDREN WILL IGNORE THEIR LIST IF YOU DON'T HOUND THEM
To keep the day running smoothly, it usually helps to start with everyone at the dining room table. I begin with math, since most of them can work on practice problems or reading their next lesson in their books on their own while I work with them one at a time. I check their previous work, and write down their next assignment.
Then, we do Grammar. As I work with each individual child, the others start on their math assignments.
I work through each subject this way, reviewing material, answering questions and writing down the next assignment.
When all goes well, each child has an assignment sheet to work through in just a couple of hours, allowing me to help children who need extra explanation, prepare "schoolwork" for the three year old, plan meals and it allows older, independent children to leave the table and go find quiet spaces to work.
When all goes sour, well then we sit at the table for awhile and still get some things done, but I don't have to try and make a judgement about how "good" of a day we had. This gives me an objective perspective on our year as a whole. I can look back over weeks and months, not just one bad day, and I can see what we've accomplished.
TIP #5 GIVE OLDER CHILDREN QUIET SPACES TO WORK
REALITY #5 SOME CHILDREN WILL STILL TRY TO WORK ON THE COUCH IN FRONT OF THE TV.
Our older children have tables in their room that they can use for studying. We also have a couple of small tables in our basement that can be used for younger children to do art projects and Playdoh or for older children to study at if necessary.
If they show that they are having trouble doing their work with the freedom to get their work done at their own pace, then I make them stay at the dining room table and work there. When they show a more diligent work ethic, they get their freedom back.
For especially difficult lessons, I will also ask older children to take the Littles to play with their toys so that I can work with one child alone who needs extra help.
TIP #6 DON'T LET THE LIST LIMIT YOU
REALITY #6 THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT ARE EDUCATIONAL THAT YOU WON'T THINK TO INCLUDE IN YOUR LESSON PLANS
As fun and interesting things present themselves, go do them. Take time off of your schedule for swimming lessons, theater productions, hikes in the woods and whatever other things your family likes to do.
This year we discovered the Performing Arts Center in our area and their educational series. So, when we do those things, I pencil them into the lesson plans, or in the side margins if necessary. This year, we've added speech and essay contests, 4H projects, theater productions, drama club, youth group, swimming lessons and more to our original lesson plans.
How do I do it all? Here are some tips, but my answer is really by the grace of God go we.
So, don't forget to pray.
Friday, April 8, 2016
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah book review
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah was awful.
I don't mean to say that the plot or the writing was bad, but it made me feel awful.
I cried, and cried. Which means she did her job well, I suppose, but it also means this book is not for everyone. I believe the reality that she portrays in the text is probably an accurate depiction of the world during WWII, even though it is fiction. The story weighs heavy on my heart.
WARNING: As always, there will be spoilers.
Before I get too into the heart-wrenching stuff, I'll start with some literary observations. Kristin Hannah does some interesting theological things in The Nightingale. In the beginning, the main character tells us that she believes, or at least wants to believe that those who've died are "...in a better place." but then the character tells us that she knows that's not true. This start to her character made me watch for other clues to her faith because I wondered, Did she have no faith, or did she believe that they were doomed to Hell?
She says that she wants the "hope of forgiveness" But, she knows better. This sounds like a faith that has been lost. It sets the tone for the rest of the story.
In chapter 23, the Jewish people of the community are being fired and arrested and deported, and she wonders how can these things take place just because "...they pray to a different God" Earlier in the story, we are told that she is Roman Catholic. This idea that they are praying to and worshiping a different god is a perspective I don't normally see.
But, it is confirmed later, when Vianne's daughters best friend dies, and she tries to comfort the girl by telling her that Sarah has gone to heaven and Sophie replies, "I'm not stupid." If she believes what she is hearing in church every Sunday, then she can not also believe that her Jewish friend is in heaven. This is a harsh reality for this young girl. And, the story for her family, only gets worse.
By Chapter 30 of The Nightingale, I was feeling sick, depressed... not one good thing had happened in the entire story.
Kristin Hannah plants an apple tree in the middle of this story, where our characters tie ribbons of fabric to a branch to remember the lost. By page 368, the tree that produces fresh, sweet apples for them in the beginning is dead and black, twisted and rotten... a literary parallel to the rest of the story.
I've kept reading thus far because I said I would, and because as sick as I feel about it, I do hope for an ending of redemption.
One page 380, Babineau tells Juliette "Some stories don't have happy endings."
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is a book without a happy ending. You will not come away feeling better about anything.
In terms of writing quality, the story draws the reader in from the beginning, and with the exception of the time jumps (which seem to be a current fad in newer fiction, but annoy me personally), there were no blatant errors that stood out and made me remember that it's only fiction.
Now, for the part that wrenches at my heart...
The two main characters in this book are sisters, in Paris, in WWII. They both face challenges and wonder what to do. Both are faced with a situation where they feel they MUST do something, but what? One sister leaves home and seeks out that something, the other finds it in her own home.
They are not Jewish. They are not German. They are French Roman Catholics. They are bystanders, witnesses. But, they do not remain bystanders.
The emotional pulls of the characters in The Nightingale are sympathetic and make a reader wonder, "What would you do?"
It reminded me of a book we read last year. Elie Weisel Night. This autobiographical piece, translated by his wife Marion tells of Weisel's experience during the war, in the concentration camps and afterward. In one scene, he describes lines of people being marched up to the incinerator, the smell of burning bodies, and the German residents in their homes along the road. I remember picturing women hanging clothes on the line to the smell of burning flesh, young German girls flirting with the soldiers who passed by... I remember wondering then, what would I do? What could I do?
I remember my oldest daughter coming to me at fourteen and telling me that she had learned that one third of her generation had been killed by abortion.
ONE THIRD
What had I done while they were dying? Did I know about it? How could I not know? Was I complicit in it? Was I trying to stop it?
How can I stand in my yard, hanging up my laundry, while knowing that millions of children are being slaughtered alive?
This book. This story. These characters. They bring all of that emotion to the surface.
And, I weep.
I don't mean to say that the plot or the writing was bad, but it made me feel awful.
I cried, and cried. Which means she did her job well, I suppose, but it also means this book is not for everyone. I believe the reality that she portrays in the text is probably an accurate depiction of the world during WWII, even though it is fiction. The story weighs heavy on my heart.
WARNING: As always, there will be spoilers.
Before I get too into the heart-wrenching stuff, I'll start with some literary observations. Kristin Hannah does some interesting theological things in The Nightingale. In the beginning, the main character tells us that she believes, or at least wants to believe that those who've died are "...in a better place." but then the character tells us that she knows that's not true. This start to her character made me watch for other clues to her faith because I wondered, Did she have no faith, or did she believe that they were doomed to Hell?
She says that she wants the "hope of forgiveness" But, she knows better. This sounds like a faith that has been lost. It sets the tone for the rest of the story.
In chapter 23, the Jewish people of the community are being fired and arrested and deported, and she wonders how can these things take place just because "...they pray to a different God" Earlier in the story, we are told that she is Roman Catholic. This idea that they are praying to and worshiping a different god is a perspective I don't normally see.
But, it is confirmed later, when Vianne's daughters best friend dies, and she tries to comfort the girl by telling her that Sarah has gone to heaven and Sophie replies, "I'm not stupid." If she believes what she is hearing in church every Sunday, then she can not also believe that her Jewish friend is in heaven. This is a harsh reality for this young girl. And, the story for her family, only gets worse.
By Chapter 30 of The Nightingale, I was feeling sick, depressed... not one good thing had happened in the entire story.
Kristin Hannah plants an apple tree in the middle of this story, where our characters tie ribbons of fabric to a branch to remember the lost. By page 368, the tree that produces fresh, sweet apples for them in the beginning is dead and black, twisted and rotten... a literary parallel to the rest of the story.
I've kept reading thus far because I said I would, and because as sick as I feel about it, I do hope for an ending of redemption.
One page 380, Babineau tells Juliette "Some stories don't have happy endings."
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is a book without a happy ending. You will not come away feeling better about anything.
In terms of writing quality, the story draws the reader in from the beginning, and with the exception of the time jumps (which seem to be a current fad in newer fiction, but annoy me personally), there were no blatant errors that stood out and made me remember that it's only fiction.
Now, for the part that wrenches at my heart...
The two main characters in this book are sisters, in Paris, in WWII. They both face challenges and wonder what to do. Both are faced with a situation where they feel they MUST do something, but what? One sister leaves home and seeks out that something, the other finds it in her own home.
They are not Jewish. They are not German. They are French Roman Catholics. They are bystanders, witnesses. But, they do not remain bystanders.
The emotional pulls of the characters in The Nightingale are sympathetic and make a reader wonder, "What would you do?"
It reminded me of a book we read last year. Elie Weisel Night. This autobiographical piece, translated by his wife Marion tells of Weisel's experience during the war, in the concentration camps and afterward. In one scene, he describes lines of people being marched up to the incinerator, the smell of burning bodies, and the German residents in their homes along the road. I remember picturing women hanging clothes on the line to the smell of burning flesh, young German girls flirting with the soldiers who passed by... I remember wondering then, what would I do? What could I do?
I remember my oldest daughter coming to me at fourteen and telling me that she had learned that one third of her generation had been killed by abortion.
ONE THIRD
What had I done while they were dying? Did I know about it? How could I not know? Was I complicit in it? Was I trying to stop it?
How can I stand in my yard, hanging up my laundry, while knowing that millions of children are being slaughtered alive?
This book. This story. These characters. They bring all of that emotion to the surface.
And, I weep.
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Talking to Girls in "How Can You Say That?" summary and book review
How Can You Say That? by Amy Lynch with Dr. Linda Ashford is a book about girls and talking, and talking to girls and listening to girls and understanding how girls use words to control their environment.
"[They] understand the power of saying things aloud to people who matter to them." (6) According to studies quoted, psychologists have found that high estrogen levels increase linguistic abilities - helping girls to remember exactly what you said, and come up with just the right word for the situation.
Our girls are exposed to language that is MEANER than it used to be, whether it's language they hear at school, on television, from the internet or on the street. (7) This makes it that much more important for us to really hear what our girls are saying, underneath the words themselves, as they hear and say things beyond the words themselves, such as tone, lilt, cadence, syntax, and pitch.
For example, girls know a fine line between interruptions and interjections. An unwelcome, off-topic comment is an interruption, but an on-topic, supportive comment is an interjection and is perceived as relating, not interrupting. This is why groups of girls carry on conversations apparently over the top of one another. "Researchers have found that girls are less likely than boys to end speaking by actually falling silent. Sometimes when girls have said all they want to say, they just start repeating themselves, and that's an invitation for us to begin speaking." (11)
After a chapter of academic support for the ideas proposed, the authors Lynch and Ashford go on to address specific areas of struggle in communicating with our growing girls. They ask parents to consider the following questions in the midst of conflict:
1. How can I bring some calmness to what is happening?
2. What can I do or say that will show her I'm listening?
3. What can I say that will validate her feelings, or at least not make things worse?
4. What can I say that will express my own feelings, and not make things worse?
Then, they continue to present chapter by chapter, answers to these questions as they apply to specific situations. Chapter 3 tackles picky eaters and more in 'body size and food issues'; Four helps parents take on the 'you embarrass me' statements; following chapters address competition, bedroom conditions, disobedience and disrespect, boys, boyfriends and sex, and household chores.
Overall, I learned some interesting things about how my teenage daughters and I communicate with each other and possibly even learned some insightful ideas about how she hears the things I say to her. But, while I was reading this in reference to girls who are 17 and 19 years old, the examples in the book are often much younger.
For example, what do you do when your fifth grader tells you she's "going with" a boy; or your sixth grader wants to go to a party; or a ten year old who can't leave the bathroom because she has to look 'just so' in school or suffer for her imperfections.
Homeschooling does have it's advantages. It's difficult for me to imagine girls so young in these situations, but Lynch and Ashford have research to back up the age-range for their examples - many of them come from real families who were actually in these situations.
I found their advice on some of these circumstances to be too liberal - not saying 'no' to a ten year old with a steady boyfriend, but instead encouraging her discovery of romance.The answers they offered seemed more appropriate for older girls, but I do recognize that young girls who attend public school are usually more worldly in their knowledge and experience than their homeschooled counterparts, making this book a relevant source for their target market.
"[They] understand the power of saying things aloud to people who matter to them." (6) According to studies quoted, psychologists have found that high estrogen levels increase linguistic abilities - helping girls to remember exactly what you said, and come up with just the right word for the situation.
Our girls are exposed to language that is MEANER than it used to be, whether it's language they hear at school, on television, from the internet or on the street. (7) This makes it that much more important for us to really hear what our girls are saying, underneath the words themselves, as they hear and say things beyond the words themselves, such as tone, lilt, cadence, syntax, and pitch.
For example, girls know a fine line between interruptions and interjections. An unwelcome, off-topic comment is an interruption, but an on-topic, supportive comment is an interjection and is perceived as relating, not interrupting. This is why groups of girls carry on conversations apparently over the top of one another. "Researchers have found that girls are less likely than boys to end speaking by actually falling silent. Sometimes when girls have said all they want to say, they just start repeating themselves, and that's an invitation for us to begin speaking." (11)
After a chapter of academic support for the ideas proposed, the authors Lynch and Ashford go on to address specific areas of struggle in communicating with our growing girls. They ask parents to consider the following questions in the midst of conflict:
1. How can I bring some calmness to what is happening?
2. What can I do or say that will show her I'm listening?
3. What can I say that will validate her feelings, or at least not make things worse?
4. What can I say that will express my own feelings, and not make things worse?
Then, they continue to present chapter by chapter, answers to these questions as they apply to specific situations. Chapter 3 tackles picky eaters and more in 'body size and food issues'; Four helps parents take on the 'you embarrass me' statements; following chapters address competition, bedroom conditions, disobedience and disrespect, boys, boyfriends and sex, and household chores.
Overall, I learned some interesting things about how my teenage daughters and I communicate with each other and possibly even learned some insightful ideas about how she hears the things I say to her. But, while I was reading this in reference to girls who are 17 and 19 years old, the examples in the book are often much younger.
For example, what do you do when your fifth grader tells you she's "going with" a boy; or your sixth grader wants to go to a party; or a ten year old who can't leave the bathroom because she has to look 'just so' in school or suffer for her imperfections.
Homeschooling does have it's advantages. It's difficult for me to imagine girls so young in these situations, but Lynch and Ashford have research to back up the age-range for their examples - many of them come from real families who were actually in these situations.
I found their advice on some of these circumstances to be too liberal - not saying 'no' to a ten year old with a steady boyfriend, but instead encouraging her discovery of romance.The answers they offered seemed more appropriate for older girls, but I do recognize that young girls who attend public school are usually more worldly in their knowledge and experience than their homeschooled counterparts, making this book a relevant source for their target market.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Don Quixote, the Crusades and slowly reading still
Nearly a year ago, I began a journey through The Well-Educated Mind. The first novel in the reading list is Don Quixote.
It's been a year.
I'm still trying to read Don Quixote.
It is SO long. Well, really, it's just a little over a thousand pages in paperback. It shouldn't take me this long. But, I suppose what I'm learning is that it isn't a speed read kind of book. The language is above my reading level. I have to read slowly to grasp the meanings and the many nuances of his language.
I've realized that Cervantes will need more than one blog post to make a book review. The plot starts out rather silly, with our poor addle-minded lead thinking he is a character from one of his treasured tales of knights errant. He goes off on adventures that are simply ridiculous.
But, the author often surprises me with his wit, as I discussed in this earlier post.
This morning, as I venture to read more of Don Quixote's silly antics, I am nearing the halfway point of this novel. For the first time, I find myself actually interested in the tale he tells as he describes his experiences as a soldier in the Crusades.
Of his fellow soldiers who fell in battle, he writes:
It's been a year.
I'm still trying to read Don Quixote.
It is SO long. Well, really, it's just a little over a thousand pages in paperback. It shouldn't take me this long. But, I suppose what I'm learning is that it isn't a speed read kind of book. The language is above my reading level. I have to read slowly to grasp the meanings and the many nuances of his language.
I've realized that Cervantes will need more than one blog post to make a book review. The plot starts out rather silly, with our poor addle-minded lead thinking he is a character from one of his treasured tales of knights errant. He goes off on adventures that are simply ridiculous.
But, the author often surprises me with his wit, as I discussed in this earlier post.
This morning, as I venture to read more of Don Quixote's silly antics, I am nearing the halfway point of this novel. For the first time, I find myself actually interested in the tale he tells as he describes his experiences as a soldier in the Crusades.
Of his fellow soldiers who fell in battle, he writes:
'O happy souls, delivered and set free
By heroes in a sacrosanct campaign
from the dark prison of mortality
to soar aloft to heaven's supreme domain:
Your breasts with noble zeal and fury glowed,
you tireless sinews braved prodigious toil
your blood with that of Turks and Arabs flowed
to stain the sea and drench the dusty soil.
Your earthly lives but not your courage failed
in bodies from which all the strength had flown,
victorious though defeated and bewailed
on perishing between cold steel and stone;
because for such a death before such foes
its fame the world, its glory heaven bestows.'
It makes me think that Cervantes could have been a hymn writer.
Monday, March 7, 2016
The Flipside of Feminism by Suzanne Venker; a book review
First, I wanted to love this book. I wanted to be on Venker's side. I knew going in that this book would address some things that I have felt for a long time needed to be addressed. I also knew I would run the risk of having my review jaded because I already agree with some of her precepts.
However, the first chapter was so harsh, she almost lost me. In fact, some of the members of my book club stopped reading after the first chapter. Venker comes out of the gates strong, rallying for a fight, and I appreciate her passion to give a voice to women who have been silenced for two generations.
I do believe that women who choose family over careers and spotlights are without a voice. We are too busy being the mothers and wives that we want to be; the administration of a household requires a great deal of energy, intelligence, creativity, frugality, ingenuity and most of all, time. Writing a book demands those things, and many of us are not willing to split our time and energy between the two tasks.
I take pride in the job I do in my home. I like it to be neat and orderly, and efficient. I enjoy the work of caring for and teaching my children. My job is much too important to be set aside so I can go rallying in Washington D.C. to make policy changes. I am not alone.
There are many women who are doing the exact same thing - putting their families above all other earthly things; money, fame, prestige, etc. We think liberal ideology (by this term I mean "free for all" not a reference to a political party) is generally ridiculous. We think the ideas, such as late term abortions, easy-peasy divorces, tax penalties for married couples, marriage that is anything other than one man & one woman, for example are so ridiculous that they won't possibly happen. But, then, they do, and we are shocked. We sigh, and we pray, and we're disappointed in the people who are supposed to represent us. But, in the end, we refuse to sacrifice the most important job in the world to go do their job. We'd love for our husbands to do it on our behalf, but they are too busy working double shifts to earn enough money for our families to survive in a world where all the prices reflect households with two incomes. So, we lament. And, mostly, we are silent.
Venker is trying to break that silence. I think her first chapter is meant to be a rallying cry to these women. Or maybe it is meant to incite the opposition. I'm not sure which. Likely, it's both.
Some of what she says speaks directly to my own experience, particularly the extreme feminist ideology in public education. I saw many of the same things twenty years ago as a high school and college student, again five years ago as a returning adult student, and even today as I listen to my daughter talk about her college experience. I don't think these situations are outliers. I think they are the norm.
**Anecdotal evidence does not a good argument make, however.
By chapter 3, she gets to the meat of her argument, so hopefully you make it that far.
She tries to answer questions like, If we listen to the message that casual sex is "liberating" for women, and we pass out condoms in elementary schools like this one in Massachusetts, or this one in Oregon, what does that do to our society?
Chapter 4 is about marriage. Venker asks questions like What happens to marriage if we tell women that their number one priority in life should be their own personal happiness? If we tell children to only do what feels good, what happens to our neighbor?
My favorite quote from this chapter is this one by George Gilder, "The crucial process of civilization is the subordination of male sexual impulses and biology to the long-term horizons of female sexuality. In creating civilization, women transform male lust into love; channel wanderlust into jobs, homes and families; link men to specific children; rear children into citizens; and change hunters to fathers. The prime fact of life is the sexual superiority of women."
Why would we willingly give that up?? What fantastical ideas must we have to make us think there is something more valuable to chase after than what we already had?
Venker tries to answer questions like, what happens when we tell girls that they can't possibly WANT to stay home with their children? That if she thinks she wants it, the she must be delusional, brain-washed or under the influence of old-fashioned and backwards ideas.
But, we are not just sitting around watching the world go by. We are teaching our children, as best we can against the tirade of media messages that oppose us, Truth. And, we are finding each other. Secret groups are popping up all over the internet for women to share their experiences, have conversations about these issues and figure out how to bring them to light without abandoning our families.
Women who believe that one marriage to one man is enough. Women who believe that children are a blessing, not a curse. Women who believe caring for their home and family is the most important job they will ever do in their lives. Women who believe their husbands are good men who provide for their families and that's exactly what they want their husbands to do. These women are from all over the globe reaching out to one another, encouraging and uplifting one another.
They are not alone.
But, they are also not loud.
Venker is screaming on their behalf.
If you feel like feminism has chipped away at all that makes women feminine, and that the conservative woman (conserving means to keep the same, not a reference to a political party) has been silenced for too long, then you might love what Venker is doing here. I appreciate what I think she is trying to do.
In Chapter 5, she tackles the concept of the working woman, two-income households, and the ultimate decline of overall care for the raising of children.
In the 1960's, feminists proposed a narrative that women were being forced into what they equated as slave labor by men who got them pregnant, trapped them in tenements, and spent all the family money on booze and binges. Someone needed to step in on her behalf because she was certainly unable to defend herself, and feminists said that someone needed to be the government.
First and foremost, the only way for her to really get out of her predicament was to eliminate the children that she had to care for. The simplest way? Kill them before they are born.
They didn't use the word kill, of course, because they weren't stupid. They knew a campaign of "Kids wearing you down? Hit man for hire. Cheap!" would not have gone over very well. But, it's essentially the plan they had in mind.
By the 1980's (my growing up years), the message was Girl Power! - Girls can do everything boys can do and girls can do it better. Men are unnecessary, so leave them behind; children are a trap, kill them before they kill you. By then, it was pretty clear that a human fetus is an actual baby - not a fish/lizard evolving in the womb (remember those old health class videos?). So, the messages were more along the lines of 'It's human, but it's really a parasite because it can't survive without a host.' Parasites are bad, right?
Today, the message is 'you poor, poor woman' You could have had it all, if only you hadn't gotten knocked up (more birth control needed), or if you hadn't had to keep the baby (more accessible abortions needed). But, don't worry, you can still have it all. Just, don't marry the baby's father, and sign up for these government programs: free food, free health care, free job training, free day care and free schools. You still don't need a husband, the government will be your provider.
Women who do get married are still portrayed as victims, with popular sitcoms making fun of wives who must always 'fix' the mistakes of their buffoon husbands.
And, there I go, rewriting her book. Which is probably a good lead in for my conclusion. In our book club discussion, this question was posed: If conservative women feel silented in the public media, and if these women want to have a voice in the public square, is Venker the voice they want to represent them?
Yes. - I want the passion and commitment she brings to the table.
No. - She does not cover all the issues that I think matter.
Yes. - She does speak to my own experience.
No. She makes some strokes that I think are too broad, and her research is not deep enough.
Yes. - There are not enough voices. Many of us are unwilling to sacrifice our family time to pursue such a project.
No. - One voice will never speak to all the issues.
Yes. - Someone must be the voice, why not Venker?
If you want to read it for yourself, and I think you should, you can find it here. The Flipside of Feminism by Suzanne Venker
However, the first chapter was so harsh, she almost lost me. In fact, some of the members of my book club stopped reading after the first chapter. Venker comes out of the gates strong, rallying for a fight, and I appreciate her passion to give a voice to women who have been silenced for two generations.
I do believe that women who choose family over careers and spotlights are without a voice. We are too busy being the mothers and wives that we want to be; the administration of a household requires a great deal of energy, intelligence, creativity, frugality, ingenuity and most of all, time. Writing a book demands those things, and many of us are not willing to split our time and energy between the two tasks.
I take pride in the job I do in my home. I like it to be neat and orderly, and efficient. I enjoy the work of caring for and teaching my children. My job is much too important to be set aside so I can go rallying in Washington D.C. to make policy changes. I am not alone.
There are many women who are doing the exact same thing - putting their families above all other earthly things; money, fame, prestige, etc. We think liberal ideology (by this term I mean "free for all" not a reference to a political party) is generally ridiculous. We think the ideas, such as late term abortions, easy-peasy divorces, tax penalties for married couples, marriage that is anything other than one man & one woman, for example are so ridiculous that they won't possibly happen. But, then, they do, and we are shocked. We sigh, and we pray, and we're disappointed in the people who are supposed to represent us. But, in the end, we refuse to sacrifice the most important job in the world to go do their job. We'd love for our husbands to do it on our behalf, but they are too busy working double shifts to earn enough money for our families to survive in a world where all the prices reflect households with two incomes. So, we lament. And, mostly, we are silent.
Venker is trying to break that silence. I think her first chapter is meant to be a rallying cry to these women. Or maybe it is meant to incite the opposition. I'm not sure which. Likely, it's both.
Some of what she says speaks directly to my own experience, particularly the extreme feminist ideology in public education. I saw many of the same things twenty years ago as a high school and college student, again five years ago as a returning adult student, and even today as I listen to my daughter talk about her college experience. I don't think these situations are outliers. I think they are the norm.
**Anecdotal evidence does not a good argument make, however.
By chapter 3, she gets to the meat of her argument, so hopefully you make it that far.
She tries to answer questions like, If we listen to the message that casual sex is "liberating" for women, and we pass out condoms in elementary schools like this one in Massachusetts, or this one in Oregon, what does that do to our society?
Chapter 4 is about marriage. Venker asks questions like What happens to marriage if we tell women that their number one priority in life should be their own personal happiness? If we tell children to only do what feels good, what happens to our neighbor?
My favorite quote from this chapter is this one by George Gilder, "The crucial process of civilization is the subordination of male sexual impulses and biology to the long-term horizons of female sexuality. In creating civilization, women transform male lust into love; channel wanderlust into jobs, homes and families; link men to specific children; rear children into citizens; and change hunters to fathers. The prime fact of life is the sexual superiority of women."
Why would we willingly give that up?? What fantastical ideas must we have to make us think there is something more valuable to chase after than what we already had?
Venker tries to answer questions like, what happens when we tell girls that they can't possibly WANT to stay home with their children? That if she thinks she wants it, the she must be delusional, brain-washed or under the influence of old-fashioned and backwards ideas.
But, we are not just sitting around watching the world go by. We are teaching our children, as best we can against the tirade of media messages that oppose us, Truth. And, we are finding each other. Secret groups are popping up all over the internet for women to share their experiences, have conversations about these issues and figure out how to bring them to light without abandoning our families.
Women who believe that one marriage to one man is enough. Women who believe that children are a blessing, not a curse. Women who believe caring for their home and family is the most important job they will ever do in their lives. Women who believe their husbands are good men who provide for their families and that's exactly what they want their husbands to do. These women are from all over the globe reaching out to one another, encouraging and uplifting one another.
They are not alone.
But, they are also not loud.
Venker is screaming on their behalf.
If you feel like feminism has chipped away at all that makes women feminine, and that the conservative woman (conserving means to keep the same, not a reference to a political party) has been silenced for too long, then you might love what Venker is doing here. I appreciate what I think she is trying to do.
In Chapter 5, she tackles the concept of the working woman, two-income households, and the ultimate decline of overall care for the raising of children.
In the 1960's, feminists proposed a narrative that women were being forced into what they equated as slave labor by men who got them pregnant, trapped them in tenements, and spent all the family money on booze and binges. Someone needed to step in on her behalf because she was certainly unable to defend herself, and feminists said that someone needed to be the government.
First and foremost, the only way for her to really get out of her predicament was to eliminate the children that she had to care for. The simplest way? Kill them before they are born.
They didn't use the word kill, of course, because they weren't stupid. They knew a campaign of "Kids wearing you down? Hit man for hire. Cheap!" would not have gone over very well. But, it's essentially the plan they had in mind.
By the 1980's (my growing up years), the message was Girl Power! - Girls can do everything boys can do and girls can do it better. Men are unnecessary, so leave them behind; children are a trap, kill them before they kill you. By then, it was pretty clear that a human fetus is an actual baby - not a fish/lizard evolving in the womb (remember those old health class videos?). So, the messages were more along the lines of 'It's human, but it's really a parasite because it can't survive without a host.' Parasites are bad, right?
Today, the message is 'you poor, poor woman' You could have had it all, if only you hadn't gotten knocked up (more birth control needed), or if you hadn't had to keep the baby (more accessible abortions needed). But, don't worry, you can still have it all. Just, don't marry the baby's father, and sign up for these government programs: free food, free health care, free job training, free day care and free schools. You still don't need a husband, the government will be your provider.
Women who do get married are still portrayed as victims, with popular sitcoms making fun of wives who must always 'fix' the mistakes of their buffoon husbands.
And, there I go, rewriting her book. Which is probably a good lead in for my conclusion. In our book club discussion, this question was posed: If conservative women feel silented in the public media, and if these women want to have a voice in the public square, is Venker the voice they want to represent them?
Yes. - I want the passion and commitment she brings to the table.
No. - She does not cover all the issues that I think matter.
Yes. - She does speak to my own experience.
No. She makes some strokes that I think are too broad, and her research is not deep enough.
Yes. - There are not enough voices. Many of us are unwilling to sacrifice our family time to pursue such a project.
No. - One voice will never speak to all the issues.
Yes. - Someone must be the voice, why not Venker?
If you want to read it for yourself, and I think you should, you can find it here. The Flipside of Feminism by Suzanne Venker
Thursday, February 4, 2016
The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins: Book Review
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins takes the reader on a unique voyeuristic journey The authors voice makes you feel like you are listening in on a stronger tell her dirty little secrets. The characters never really become your friends because none of them have any truly redeeming qualities. Rather, they are all lying, adulterous vultures pursuing the pleasures of their own flesh - all of them with some addiction or another.
The story is riveting. The murder mystery is intriguing and will keep you guessing to the end. It's a fast-paced plot and a fast read. Like a tragic, bloody highway accident, it's impossible to turn your eyes away.
But, there are a few challenges to overcome. The three primary female protagonists are each presented in first person and the author frequently jumps from one person's viewpoint to another while also leaping from one date to another - sometimes back and forth over the course of the year. About a quarter of the way in, I found myself making date and time references just to keep track of whose version of the story I was reading. This does distract from the story, although the way the three women's lives are intertwined throughout the story plays well in this method.
I give the author credit for attempting it. It was difficult to keep up with as a reader, I imagine it was a great challenge to keep it all straight as a writer.
I did find the voices of the characters to be an even more challenging obstacle to overcome though. I was able to take notes to keep track of timelines, but throughout the story the voices of the three female protagonists were much too much alike. I found that even when I had the timeline straight, I lost track of who was talking.
I also found the male characters blended together as the primary's were both portrayed as angry and physically violent. The women who submitted to them were all defenseless and fools, who only had their sexual wiles to manipulate the men around them. The back stories that brought these three women together made the plot one that could not be left unread, but the characters themselves felt flat and too stereotypical. Without their tragic pasts, they would have had nothing of interest to say.
There are a couple of minor troubles with the plot, such as [spoiler alert] Megan doesn't know she is pregnant a full two months after the supposed last time she saw the man who is the father of the child. Also, on August 4th, Rachel calls Scott and they agree to meet in the morning, but then she goes there in the section marked for that evening while the dialogue appears as though it is actually the next morning. I might not have noticed these discrepancies if I hadn't had to keep a written timeline alongside the book.
Overall, an enjoyable novel in the crime drama, thriller variety.
The story is riveting. The murder mystery is intriguing and will keep you guessing to the end. It's a fast-paced plot and a fast read. Like a tragic, bloody highway accident, it's impossible to turn your eyes away.
But, there are a few challenges to overcome. The three primary female protagonists are each presented in first person and the author frequently jumps from one person's viewpoint to another while also leaping from one date to another - sometimes back and forth over the course of the year. About a quarter of the way in, I found myself making date and time references just to keep track of whose version of the story I was reading. This does distract from the story, although the way the three women's lives are intertwined throughout the story plays well in this method.
I give the author credit for attempting it. It was difficult to keep up with as a reader, I imagine it was a great challenge to keep it all straight as a writer.
I did find the voices of the characters to be an even more challenging obstacle to overcome though. I was able to take notes to keep track of timelines, but throughout the story the voices of the three female protagonists were much too much alike. I found that even when I had the timeline straight, I lost track of who was talking.
I also found the male characters blended together as the primary's were both portrayed as angry and physically violent. The women who submitted to them were all defenseless and fools, who only had their sexual wiles to manipulate the men around them. The back stories that brought these three women together made the plot one that could not be left unread, but the characters themselves felt flat and too stereotypical. Without their tragic pasts, they would have had nothing of interest to say.
There are a couple of minor troubles with the plot, such as [spoiler alert] Megan doesn't know she is pregnant a full two months after the supposed last time she saw the man who is the father of the child. Also, on August 4th, Rachel calls Scott and they agree to meet in the morning, but then she goes there in the section marked for that evening while the dialogue appears as though it is actually the next morning. I might not have noticed these discrepancies if I hadn't had to keep a written timeline alongside the book.
Overall, an enjoyable novel in the crime drama, thriller variety.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Do Girl Scout Cookie Sales Pay For Abortions?
The link between Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood has been a direct connection in my mind for years. Recently, my mom friends have started posting photos of their adorable little girls on my Facebook page with pleas to buy the cookies they peddle. Also, along with these pleas, has come a link to this SNOPES article which claims that the rumor stating a link between GS cookies and Planned Parenthood is FALSE.
Now, I generally think of SNOPES as pretty good at investigative journalism and give them the benefit of the doubt on their due diligence. But, this article does not demonstrate good investigative journalism. The search is on for the truth, because I don't want to keep spreading a rumor that isn't true.
I think SNOPES dropped the ball on this issue because they only asked one person one question. The GSUSA rep who gets paid to make this organization look good in the public's eye, said "no." Now, to be fair, she only addressed this claim:
Some or all of the proceeds of Girl Scout Cookies are disbursed to Planned Parenthood.
So, on this claim alone, the Snopes writer finds the premise to be false. But, I have to wonder if this is like Planned Parenthood's claim that no federal dollars pay for abortions? Because as we all know, receiving a large chunk of cash for one part of your business frees up your other funds for the other parts. So, where does cookie money go?
CBS asked one Minnesota council this question and got this answer. In the response, twenty percent (after paying for cookies to be baked and distributed of course) goes to the local troop. The rest is used for camps, administration, etc. Twelve percent goes to leadership programming. So, if the only question we ask is this: When I buy a box of Girl Scout cookies, will that money be used to directly pay for someone's child to be aborted? The answer is no. Is this enough to settle my conscience? The answer is also no.
I think we need to ask more questions. What is included in leadership programming? Does it include paying for speakers who promote Planned Parenthood? Does it help pay for the awards they give out, like honoring the Planned Parenthood CEO as a Woman of Distinction and presenting her as a role model for the next generation of girls?
The girlscouts.org website claims that the national council makes money from every box sold through licensing fees. This is not part of the $4 you pay to that little girl, rather it is based on the total number of boxes sold. So, if the only question we ask is will the national organization of GSUSA get money because I buy this box of cookies? The answer is yes. Yes, they will. They will receive funds from every box sold.
The writer of the Snopes article, and others, claim that cookie-cotts" organized by pro-life groups begin from false rumors. However, the Waco, Texas cookie-cott of 2014 had specific roots in the partnership between their local council and Planned Parenthood. The two organizations partnered to offer a sex education program for girls called Nobody's Fool that included the Girl Scout logo in their advertising materials and contained material on masturbation, birth control, homosexuality and abortion that many parents called graphic and some claimed that the material being taught was in opposition to their family values. These materials are in opposition to my family values too.
Some pro-life groups are concerned about not only the direct financial links, but all the associations. Planned Parenthood is just one of the global organizations that promote or provide abortions.
The website girlscouts.org explains their relationship with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts like this: "Every Girl Scout and Girl Guide organization is a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts - and each Member Organization, including Girl Scouts of the USA, pays dues. WAGGGS operates in much the same way as the United Nations: Each Member Organization pays dues based on the size of its membership and per capita income of the country in which the organization resides." and explains the finances like this: "The national funds that GSUSA sends to WAGGGS come solely from investment income."
Anna Maria Chavez, CEO of GSUSA says her favorite quote is "Tell me who you hang out with and I'll tell you who you are."
If we take her advice, we might wonder about the GSUSA membership in WAGGGS - which they pay over $1 million dollars in membership dues to. Which according to the GS website, these dues are based directly on the number of girls who pay membership dues to GSUSA. Pro-life parents did wonder in 2013 when WAGGGS participated in a worldwide conference with the following partners: Featured speakers: late-term abortionist LeRoy Carhart, philosopher and supporter of infanticide and euthanasia Peter Singer, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; breakout sessions titled "Outing and Addressing Abortion Stigma" and "Why I Perform Abortions." Exhibitors included abortion and population control advocates such as Amnesty International, Guttmacher Institute, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Marie Stopes International, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, United Nations Population Fund and WAGGGS.
Pro-life parents should be wondering what their girls are gaining from their membership in GSUSA when the organization is used to honor Wendy Davis as "Incredible Woman of the Year," after what ABC News called her "marathon filibuster against abortion restrictions" in Texas.
If we ask just one question: Will the $4 I give you to purchase this box of cookies be used to kill babies? the answer will be a resounding no. But, the truth lies deeper. The answer is more like, no, not really, but it might pay for pro-abortion speakers to come and teach us Planned Parenthood curriculum. The national organization will receive licensing fees for the sale of this box you are purchasing and that organization will pay membership fees to a worldwide organization that will be promoting abortion around the world. So, if you would like to subtly support abortion, while pretending you don't, then yes, your purchase will do that.
Final Personal Note: I would not consider this to be investigative journalism either. But, the beginning of an investigation is to ask more than one question. You could easily find much more information and documentation of the link between these organizations with a little time.
I was convinced to pull my girls from Scouting when we received a new Junior book that stated in parentheses after the phrase "On my honor I will try to serve God and my country..." a side note claiming the word 'God' could be replaced by any appropriate word that represented the girls faith.
It was a year or so later that we learned that they CEO of PP had been honored by the Girl Scouts and knew that we were right to pull out.
I have not questioned this decision since then, until a mom whose daughter is selling cookies posted the Snopes link. I thought I should revisit the issue to see if things had changed. If anything, it is worse.
I still believe that the links between Girl Scouts and the abortion industry are too many to ignore. I'm not asking you to boycott your local girls or start yelling at them about abortion when they ask, but do a little digging for yourself and let your conscience decide.
Now, I generally think of SNOPES as pretty good at investigative journalism and give them the benefit of the doubt on their due diligence. But, this article does not demonstrate good investigative journalism. The search is on for the truth, because I don't want to keep spreading a rumor that isn't true.
I think SNOPES dropped the ball on this issue because they only asked one person one question. The GSUSA rep who gets paid to make this organization look good in the public's eye, said "no." Now, to be fair, she only addressed this claim:
Some or all of the proceeds of Girl Scout Cookies are disbursed to Planned Parenthood.
So, on this claim alone, the Snopes writer finds the premise to be false. But, I have to wonder if this is like Planned Parenthood's claim that no federal dollars pay for abortions? Because as we all know, receiving a large chunk of cash for one part of your business frees up your other funds for the other parts. So, where does cookie money go?
CBS asked one Minnesota council this question and got this answer. In the response, twenty percent (after paying for cookies to be baked and distributed of course) goes to the local troop. The rest is used for camps, administration, etc. Twelve percent goes to leadership programming. So, if the only question we ask is this: When I buy a box of Girl Scout cookies, will that money be used to directly pay for someone's child to be aborted? The answer is no. Is this enough to settle my conscience? The answer is also no.
I think we need to ask more questions. What is included in leadership programming? Does it include paying for speakers who promote Planned Parenthood? Does it help pay for the awards they give out, like honoring the Planned Parenthood CEO as a Woman of Distinction and presenting her as a role model for the next generation of girls?
The girlscouts.org website claims that the national council makes money from every box sold through licensing fees. This is not part of the $4 you pay to that little girl, rather it is based on the total number of boxes sold. So, if the only question we ask is will the national organization of GSUSA get money because I buy this box of cookies? The answer is yes. Yes, they will. They will receive funds from every box sold.
The writer of the Snopes article, and others, claim that cookie-cotts" organized by pro-life groups begin from false rumors. However, the Waco, Texas cookie-cott of 2014 had specific roots in the partnership between their local council and Planned Parenthood. The two organizations partnered to offer a sex education program for girls called Nobody's Fool that included the Girl Scout logo in their advertising materials and contained material on masturbation, birth control, homosexuality and abortion that many parents called graphic and some claimed that the material being taught was in opposition to their family values. These materials are in opposition to my family values too.
Some pro-life groups are concerned about not only the direct financial links, but all the associations. Planned Parenthood is just one of the global organizations that promote or provide abortions.
The website girlscouts.org explains their relationship with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts like this: "Every Girl Scout and Girl Guide organization is a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts - and each Member Organization, including Girl Scouts of the USA, pays dues. WAGGGS operates in much the same way as the United Nations: Each Member Organization pays dues based on the size of its membership and per capita income of the country in which the organization resides." and explains the finances like this: "The national funds that GSUSA sends to WAGGGS come solely from investment income."
Anna Maria Chavez, CEO of GSUSA says her favorite quote is "Tell me who you hang out with and I'll tell you who you are."
If we take her advice, we might wonder about the GSUSA membership in WAGGGS - which they pay over $1 million dollars in membership dues to. Which according to the GS website, these dues are based directly on the number of girls who pay membership dues to GSUSA. Pro-life parents did wonder in 2013 when WAGGGS participated in a worldwide conference with the following partners: Featured speakers: late-term abortionist LeRoy Carhart, philosopher and supporter of infanticide and euthanasia Peter Singer, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; breakout sessions titled "Outing and Addressing Abortion Stigma" and "Why I Perform Abortions." Exhibitors included abortion and population control advocates such as Amnesty International, Guttmacher Institute, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Marie Stopes International, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, United Nations Population Fund and WAGGGS.
Pro-life parents should be wondering what their girls are gaining from their membership in GSUSA when the organization is used to honor Wendy Davis as "Incredible Woman of the Year," after what ABC News called her "marathon filibuster against abortion restrictions" in Texas.
If we ask just one question: Will the $4 I give you to purchase this box of cookies be used to kill babies? the answer will be a resounding no. But, the truth lies deeper. The answer is more like, no, not really, but it might pay for pro-abortion speakers to come and teach us Planned Parenthood curriculum. The national organization will receive licensing fees for the sale of this box you are purchasing and that organization will pay membership fees to a worldwide organization that will be promoting abortion around the world. So, if you would like to subtly support abortion, while pretending you don't, then yes, your purchase will do that.
Final Personal Note: I would not consider this to be investigative journalism either. But, the beginning of an investigation is to ask more than one question. You could easily find much more information and documentation of the link between these organizations with a little time.
I was convinced to pull my girls from Scouting when we received a new Junior book that stated in parentheses after the phrase "On my honor I will try to serve God and my country..." a side note claiming the word 'God' could be replaced by any appropriate word that represented the girls faith.
It was a year or so later that we learned that they CEO of PP had been honored by the Girl Scouts and knew that we were right to pull out.
I have not questioned this decision since then, until a mom whose daughter is selling cookies posted the Snopes link. I thought I should revisit the issue to see if things had changed. If anything, it is worse.
I still believe that the links between Girl Scouts and the abortion industry are too many to ignore. I'm not asking you to boycott your local girls or start yelling at them about abortion when they ask, but do a little digging for yourself and let your conscience decide.
Friday, January 15, 2016
Train Cake DIY How to make a simple train cake
With 8 kids, there's always a birthday coming up. We only do birthday parties on the 5th, 10th and 15th birthdays, but I try to make a special cake for every birthday.
It would seem like I would be pretty good at cake-making and decorating by now, but no.
So, I'm always looking for simple, cute cakes for birthdays. Here's an idea for a train theme that we just used for Noah's 7th birthday.
It starts with two dozen cupcakes.
Then, I laid them out in an oval track shape with a seven in the middle.
Last, I laid the extra track pieces around the edges, added some decorations like trees, signs and train cars. Then, I presented it to the very pleased birthday boy.
It would seem like I would be pretty good at cake-making and decorating by now, but no.
So, I'm always looking for simple, cute cakes for birthdays. Here's an idea for a train theme that we just used for Noah's 7th birthday.
I sprayed the tops with whip cream - easier and faster than trying to frost them. Also, it's a January birthday, so the snow look fits with the theme.
Then, I laid Kit Kat "tracks" around the oval and on the center pieces.
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Family stick figure auto decals on a budget
Over the past few years, I have looked for them in stores and searched them out on websites, but they are always 5-6 dollars per figure plus shipping and I could never quite decide which ones I liked the best. At that price, it seemed like such a permanent decision.
But, I kept wanting them.
So, for my Sunday afternoon relaxing creative activity I decided to make some.
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| Sketches |
I traced one of the magnetic sheets (2 for $2.99 at Walmart in the craft section) onto a piece of printer paper, and fit the pencil drawings inside that space.
Then, I colored in my little people. My husband the pastor, and me with my Higher Things t-shirt, and my oldest daughter with pink hair. She doesn't actually have pink hair, but it goes well with her personality, so there it is.
I used permanent markers that we already owned, so I didn't figure these into the cost, although you would if you were planning this activity for a group or if you don't already use giant packs of multi-colored permanent markers for a million other projects. (probably less than $20 for all sorts of colors and then they would have lots of ink left in them when you finished this small project)
Next, I cut out the rectangle.
Then, I peeled the backing off of the peel and stick magnet and laid the rectangle of paper on top of the sticky side. |
I cut out a piece of laminate to fit over the paper.
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DISCLAIMER: I've never done anything like this before, so it's all guesswork.
I'm just hoping it works. A huge roll of laminate cost us $5.78 and I used about 6 inches of it. We bought it for another project and having it here is what actually gave me the idea to do this. But, if you were planning this activity for a group, you would need to calculate this cost also.
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| I smoothed out the laminate and then started cutting out each person. |
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| But, then, I decided to cut out just the rectangle around the figures. This works for me because our van is white. I may change my mind later, but I think it will look okay and the greater surface area will help them stay put. |
This was so easy and so much fun. I think I am going to pick up some more of the magnet sheet and make some "paper" dolls and other objects for my 3 year old to play with on the refrigerator.
Friday, January 8, 2016
Five Steps to a Clean Bedroom
I found a short list for cleaning kids rooms that I thought was great. I tweaked it to fit our family needs and have the following 5 STEPS to a clean room posted on my daughter's bedroom wall. She uses it nearly every day to help her keep her room tidy.
It's simple, fast and even little kids can do it.
So, here it is:
Step 1. Push everything off the bed onto the floor and make the bed.
Making the bed can be as simple as laying a blanket over the top of it and calling it good. Military corners on sheets and all that is not what we're going for here. Just presentable.
Step 2. Put laundry on bed.
This might seem counter-intuitive since you just made the bed, but it might be the only clean spot in the room and this is about sorting the clothing, towels and such from the rest of the stuff on the floor. So, just make a big pile of everything that would be considered laundry on top of the bed.
Step 3. Put toys in bins/on shelves.
If your kids don't have this, get it. Bins don't have to be fancy or labeled, just bins. We do bins on book shelves or dresser drawers for special items. Again, this isn't an organizing adventure, so put away the label maker. This is simply getting everything they care about up and off the floor and into some kind of container for storage.
Step 4. Throw away trash/Vacuum floor.
There always seems to be garbage on the floor, even if we just vacuumed yesterday. But, if you don't have that issue, then you can just throw out any trash that might have found its way into the room, and call it good. I think running the vacuum over the center gives it a more finished look.
Step 5. Sort laundry.
Remember that pile of laundry on the bed? Now is the time to tackle that. Clean stuff gets put away, dirty stuff goes in the hamper. You, parent, can decide what 'put away' means. For some, it might just be throwing it all in a laundry basket, or shoving it in a drawer - we have labeled bins on shelves for this too, so all the shirts go in one, pants in another and so on. Dirty clothes go in a hamper, and older kids can take that hamper all the way to the laundry room if you want them too.
That's it. Done. Not perfect, but tidy and presentable.
Good enough.
It's simple, fast and even little kids can do it.
So, here it is:
Step 1. Push everything off the bed onto the floor and make the bed.
Making the bed can be as simple as laying a blanket over the top of it and calling it good. Military corners on sheets and all that is not what we're going for here. Just presentable.
Step 2. Put laundry on bed.
This might seem counter-intuitive since you just made the bed, but it might be the only clean spot in the room and this is about sorting the clothing, towels and such from the rest of the stuff on the floor. So, just make a big pile of everything that would be considered laundry on top of the bed.
Step 3. Put toys in bins/on shelves.
If your kids don't have this, get it. Bins don't have to be fancy or labeled, just bins. We do bins on book shelves or dresser drawers for special items. Again, this isn't an organizing adventure, so put away the label maker. This is simply getting everything they care about up and off the floor and into some kind of container for storage.
Step 4. Throw away trash/Vacuum floor.
There always seems to be garbage on the floor, even if we just vacuumed yesterday. But, if you don't have that issue, then you can just throw out any trash that might have found its way into the room, and call it good. I think running the vacuum over the center gives it a more finished look.
Step 5. Sort laundry.
Remember that pile of laundry on the bed? Now is the time to tackle that. Clean stuff gets put away, dirty stuff goes in the hamper. You, parent, can decide what 'put away' means. For some, it might just be throwing it all in a laundry basket, or shoving it in a drawer - we have labeled bins on shelves for this too, so all the shirts go in one, pants in another and so on. Dirty clothes go in a hamper, and older kids can take that hamper all the way to the laundry room if you want them too.
That's it. Done. Not perfect, but tidy and presentable.
Good enough.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
Following Your Kid's Lead
I'm learning to follow my kids lead. They are creative and fun and smart and they have great ideas.
The 17 year old wants to be a Broadway star! Here's her Facebook page.
As her mom, and her guidance counselor it's my job over this next year to make sure that she builds a resume that will boost her chances of getting into the college of her choice and accepted into their musical theater program.
As a small private school, it is difficult to offer some of the things that might look good on that application. Things like drama club, band & orchestra, dance, choir, etc.
So, we are trying to be creative.
The 15 year old wants to work in computers. He's not sure what, but maybe building them, repairing them, etc. Also, hard to create a technical lab on our school's itty bitty budget.
The 9 year old wants to be famous on YouTube. He's convinced he can sit around playing Minecraft, recording himself talking about it and get paid for it. I would laugh, but there are people actually doing it, so who am I to tell him he can't?
But, neither of us has any idea how to begin.
So, as the first semester of our homeschool year is nearing it's close, I'm pondering the curriculum and lesson plans for semester #2. What can we do differently to help these children work toward their goals while still meeting my idea of "schoolwork"?
I'm following their lead.
We now have a family YouTube page.
It's called 8 Kids Playing, a perfect name for our little actors and actresses, musicians and gamers.
AND, the kids are working on starting a newsletter. THE JOHNSON JOURNAL!
They are learning writing, business planning, and computer skills all at the same time. But, the part I like the best is the TEAMWORK because it was all their idea.
The 17 year old wants to be a Broadway star! Here's her Facebook page.
As her mom, and her guidance counselor it's my job over this next year to make sure that she builds a resume that will boost her chances of getting into the college of her choice and accepted into their musical theater program.
As a small private school, it is difficult to offer some of the things that might look good on that application. Things like drama club, band & orchestra, dance, choir, etc.
So, we are trying to be creative.
The 15 year old wants to work in computers. He's not sure what, but maybe building them, repairing them, etc. Also, hard to create a technical lab on our school's itty bitty budget.
The 9 year old wants to be famous on YouTube. He's convinced he can sit around playing Minecraft, recording himself talking about it and get paid for it. I would laugh, but there are people actually doing it, so who am I to tell him he can't?
But, neither of us has any idea how to begin.
So, as the first semester of our homeschool year is nearing it's close, I'm pondering the curriculum and lesson plans for semester #2. What can we do differently to help these children work toward their goals while still meeting my idea of "schoolwork"?
I'm following their lead.
We now have a family YouTube page.
It's called 8 Kids Playing, a perfect name for our little actors and actresses, musicians and gamers.
AND, the kids are working on starting a newsletter. THE JOHNSON JOURNAL!
They are learning writing, business planning, and computer skills all at the same time. But, the part I like the best is the TEAMWORK because it was all their idea.
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