Serious about your child's education? Don't send them to school

Rich Tucker says we aren't serious about education. He is right of course, unless he's talking about homeschoolers.

Controversies and parenting styles

I have sometimes read people blasting someone whose parenting model I follow. This usually is a bummer, but it doesn't really change anything I do. I don't follow any one system of parenting but use a little from here, a little from there, and figure out what works for my family. You should do the same. Don't get locked in too tightly with one system. Most people who bother to develop a system and write about it are "true believers" and use what works for their family. They tend to also be very emphatic about it and put demands on others that are unbiblical. That may not work for your family. Something to think about. Keep a balance.

Save the state some money, homeschool

So I see over at the Spunky Homeschool Blog that Georgia's Governor wanted to shut down the schools for two days to save 500,000 gallons of diesel fuel. Man that is a lot of fuel.

Dinner Together part II

I now understand the KFC commercials that make a big deal out of a family eating together. "The Family Dinner is Back!" they say. I wasn't aware it left. I suppose being out of the loop is good on some things.

The Family Meal

Click on the title of this post: Here is a really good article on the benefits of families eating together. To quote a bit:

"having regular meals with their families was a more powerful predictor of success and happiness than time spent in school, studying, church or synagogue, playing sports, or art activities. Read that sentence again"

Wow.

The article also says that less than 1/3 of American families eat together regularly. This astounds me. My family eats together 3 meals a day. Sure, there are times when we are not all there, but good grief, the norm is for us all to be there.

"Oh," you say, "your oldest isn't even ten yet, just wait until they are teens." I doubt it will change even then. Sure, there will probably be times that we are not every one in his own chair, but as a rule, we will eat as a family. I have no intention of becoming an over-busy family running hither and thither. And yes, I am making plans for that now, so it doesn't suprise me later.

Rod puzzle

Proverb 22:15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Proverb 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him

But:

Psalm 23:4 thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Why is the rod a comfort? I do know that children do well with firm boundries. They don't always like them, but they thrive within them. A rod can be used to get the dumb sheep's attention, or to whack it back in line with the others, or, I suppose, to injure it. Discipline is to get our attention and help us see the right way to go. If the only result of it is injury, then anger is the most likely response. Anger causes rebellion. The rod, or indeed any discipline, must be used in such a way as to gain attention, but not create anger. More on this topic later.

Test

Ok, this is a test. First I would like to let everyone know what they are in for if they read this blog. I intend to publish lots of ideas for parents, and some good marriage tips as well.