Under the Golden Apple Tree

Don't Miss March's Free Printables

Tips for Forming a Homeschool Co-op

Homeschool co-ops can be a blessing or a nightmare. Careful planning can help make your co-op a dream come true. If you ever thought about creating a homeschool co-op then this is the place to begin. Learn all about how to avoid the major pitfalls.

Dolch Words Bingo

Featuring Open Dyslexic Font, this bingo game comes with 4 sets of bingo games using all different dolch words. Make learning sight words a game!

Did you miss last month's subscriber freebie?

Get it now for $3.00.

Family Christian One Day Sale {2/28}: 30% OFF ENTIRE KIDS Department

Go warm up the car, find you keys, find your kid's shoes, and get ready to run to Family Christian. If you have never been or haven't been there for a while then now is the time to go. If you were just there last night then go again. On February 28th ONLY the entire kids department is 30% off! You don't have to worry about seeking out the sale items. You won't have to say, "honey, pick something that is on sale." It's all on sale. It's all 30% off.

Top 5 Reasons My Girls Love Shopping at Family Christian

1. Veggie Tales: Need I say more? My 6-year-old loves Bob and Larry as much as my 17-year-old did at the same age. Bob and Larry have seen 4 kids growing up in my house. My husband and I still love King George and the Ducky, but each child has a favorite. I think Esther is the current favorite for my 6-year-old.

2. Adventures in Odyssey: We were first introduced to Adventures in Odyssey on the radio. Now we love to shop for devotions, books, and audio right at Family Christian. Fun in store for children who love adventure.

3. What's in the Bible: Stamped with approval by my teens for their younger sisters, this series is a favorite in my house. The videos are entertaining and educational. Each video sparks awesome family conversations. It has the same goofiness as Veggie Tales but will be enjoyed by older children.

4. Bibles: I started the tradition of buying my son a bible every Easter. It began when I saw how his bibles hardly made it through a year intact. You would think he brought them on an adventure in odyssey. As he grew, his bibles finally had a fighting chance but the tradition still continues. Now, my younger girls want in on this tradition as well.

5. Games: We love games in our house so, of course, the game section gets our attention. We love the bible trivia games the most. Games are a fun way to reinforce biblical lessons and are a great way to end a family devotion. If you are not familiar with Blink then you need to check it out. It is one of our favorite card games. I do not have the bible edition one and I don't think one is needed. However, at 30% off, this is the time and place to buy it.

Have a great time shopping at Family Christian!

Why is virtual schooling not homeschooling?

Proclaiming that virtual schooling is schooling at home rather than homeschooling is not pride or intended to be offensive. Those who choose a virtual public or charter school often take offense to the distinction. The distinction is not semantics or a homeschooler looking down her nose at a parent who uses a virtual school. The difference is not about quality of education but in legality. Homeschoolers have a different legal battle then a parent who sends her child to school or to a virtual school.

Areas Virtual School Controls:

Curriculum: parents cannot change the curriculum if they find it ineffective or disagree with the content.
Grade levels: students are placed in a grade level on all subjects and can advance as a whole and not in part.
State testing: students are required to take state testing.
Attendance: parents log in attendance and agree to the number of days and/or hours the child will be in school.

A child who attends a public, private, charter or virtual school is registered in a school system. The reason for the rules or restrictions is because a public or charter virtual school must follow guidelines set by the state therefore it is state regulated. The child is registered in a school system and graded by outside teachers using that system. Legally, changes in homeschool laws will not affect the virtual school student.

Areas a Homeschooler Controls:

Curriculum: parent has full control over choices and may change at any point for any reason.
Methodology: parent may employ any teaching method she feels suits her children.
Attendance: parent has control over vacation times, how to divide up the school year, and how to organize the day. Some states, however, do require a certain number days or hours.
Testing: homeschoolers are not subject to state testing, such as the PARCC and AIR.
Lifestyle: homeschoolers enjoy the freedom to teach based on their own lifestyle and family needs at all times.

A Little Q&A...

Does this mean a parent who chooses virtual schooling is wrong?

Of course not. You must make the educational decisions for your family based on your family's needs.

Does this mean a parent who chooses virtual schooling cannot join a homeschool co-op?

I don't see any reason why this person should be excluded. We are all parents who chose an alternative route to education.

Does this mean virtual schooling is a lesser form of homeschooling?

Absolutely not! It is simply not homeschooling as defined by law.

Does this mean the parent is not actively involved in their child's virtual schooling?

No, ask any parent of a virtual schooling student and she will tell you that is not the case. However, the parent is not the educator but more like an education coach.

Are you just a mean spirited, militant, homeschooler who hates all educational choices but your own?

No, and I certainly hope I do not give that impression. I have used a virtual school in the past and currently I have two homeschooled kids and two public schooled kids.

Is it just semantics that homeschooling and virtual schooling need to be distinguished?

Not making the distinction may end up violating the rights of homeschooling parents. The fight is not about what form of education is better or how can join an exclusive group. The fight is about the rights of the homeschooling family. The law concerning virtual schooling and homeschooling are quite different. If the terms get mixed in the wash then some of the clothes will come out discolored and that hurts everyone. Even if you do not choose this path the first steps to taking away parental rights will be through the homeschoolers. Let’s protect our rights and our children.

My spunky daughter speaks her mind without apology. You can imagine my anxiety as her 6th birthday party drew near. I feared my daughter would express undeniable rejection of any gift that did not conform to her taste. My challenge was clear; to avoid a future of being banished from having or attending birthday parties.

Birthday behavior concerns are common among parents. We want our guests to feel welcomed and appreciated, but the unpredictable nature of children can turn a birthday bash into a birthday blunder. Will my child express disappointment over a gift? Will my child make time to play with all the guests? The solution lies in a preemptive strike by discussing behavioral expectations before the party.

How can you prepare your child?

1. Discuss the party in detail from a logistics point of view. If your child understands the order of the party it may alleviate impatience with respect to opening gifts, eating the cake or playing games.

2. Talk to your child about what it means to be thankful. I explained to my daughter that every gift should be appreciated because it is a symbol of love. Ask your child to imagine how she would feel if a gift she gave was rejected by the recipient. Keep in mind, a child may have difficulty understanding the concept but the lesson is important and may have to be repeated over time.

3. Talk to your child about the meaning of a good host. A good host addresses guests individually. A good host includes all guests in games and does not play favorites. Young children may benefit from role-playing to understand this concept.

How can you prepare yourself?

4. Stay positive. Try to understand that your birthday child is very excited about the party. All the emotion could easily be misdirected into a meltdown.

5. Stay flexible. Changes may have to be made so be prepared.

6. Stay calm. You put a lot of time and energy into this celebration. Acting stressed will cause your guests discomfort. Now it is time to enjoy this special day with your child and your guests.

How do you handle poor behavior in guest?

7. Enlist the help of other adults. A group of excited children is a challenge to maintain. I have found that children who are five and under need a parent to stay.

8. Appropriate "drop off" age. Decide what age you feel is appropriate for allowing children to be dropped off. Never feel shy about asking parents for a way to be reached while their child is in your home.

9. Offer a private area for parent to calm a child. If a child is misbehaving while the parent is present, then allow the parent to handle it in a private area. Keeping the matter between the child and parent will prevent awkwardness for everyone.

10. Use redirection. Consider giving a misbehaving child a task. It is my experience that a task distracts the child by giving him something to focus on.

11. Quiet place for an overstimulated child. If a child is still unable to calm down and the parent is not present then ask another adult to sit with the child in a quiet place. Some children get over stimulated easily and just need time to regroup.

12. Avoid boredom. If several guests are becoming wild use this as your queue to switch activities. It is not unusual for boredom to cause children to get out of control.

Birthday blunders happen to all us. Even with the best preparation, surprises can still happen. The best remedy is a positive attitude.

A Mother's Influence

One morning while brushing my teeth, I looked up and saw my mother staring back at me in the mirror. Toothpaste hit the back of my throat as I sharply inhaled and my dropped toothbrush in the sink. Without haste, I ran into my bedroom and what I found stopped me dead in my tracks. I stood in a replica of my mother's bedroom. The shoes, the clothes, the décor...it was astonishing. Just then my eyes caught a glimpse of myself in the full-length mirror. I squinted hard and I turned around. I dared not look with both eyes. There it was….right there in front of me…well behind me…my mother’s backside!

When I was 11 years old, I distinctly remember making a pact with myself; I would never become my mother. I vowed never to wear comfortable shoes, lose touch with the top 40, or embarrass my daughter by asking her friends questions which revealed the mama bear living inside me. Yet, there I stood in comfortable shoes, unable to name one pop tune to save my life and about to ask my daughter’s friend if her mother will be home while my daughter visits. I looked to the left and see my 11 year old daughter standing next to me. The familiar expression revealed the thought in her head. She was making a pact to never become me. Helpless to stop the giggle; I think of the day my daughter will look in the mirror and see me staring back at her.

We are forming a legacy of the women in our families through our words and actions.

The shock of the event highlighted an important point; a mother’s influence lasts a lifetime. With a knowing smile, I often think, “Mom was right after all.” A few times I thought I heard my mother’s voice only realize those words were emitting from my own mouth. It humbles me to think that one day my daughters will discover they are turning into me. Scares me actually.

What will my daughters see in that mirror looking back at them?

What words will my daughters say to their daughters? My granddaughters.

We should never fail to understand that we are not only influencing our daughters but our granddaughters and great granddaughters. We are forming a legacy of the women in our families through our words and actions. What is the legacy of the women in your family? We need to be careful to speak God’s words, show God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness. Our most precious gift, our daughters, should not be carelessly torn open our inability to worship the Lord through raising our daughters.