Sick Days

Keith was sick this weekend. That always makes for a fun time with the family! But the funny thing was – on Friday he was adamant about going to school. He couldn’t hardly keep his eyes open, but he wanted to go to school. And when I told him no, that he was too sick and couldn’t go, he started crying.


At least he was crying about wanting to do something good, and not about the newest LEGO toy or something! So I took ten minutes talking to him about it, and what he can do at home, and how I’d bring him his work and all of those things. I don’t think he was 100% convinced, but at least he wasn’t as upset.

All in a days work!

http://wp.me/pKRIJ-59

Home School Public School

I have a wonderfully unique situation where I have been fortunate enough to teach my own kids for the last 6 years, while at the same time they were allowed a semi "normal" public school experience too.  This has left me with a knowledge and confidence in where my children's education is at, and where it's going, that most parents don't have the luxury of.

It's because of this that I understand the importance of parental education.  I think public school is a great thing, and I also trust and respect the choice to eduate your children at home if you so choose.  But I really think it's important to have MULTIPLE points of education in your child's life.

The kids who aren't home schooled still need to be SCHOOLED at HOME when they come back at the end of the day.  Those are some of the best times to educate, just by talking to them about the world and explaining WHY or WHO or WHAT or WHEN.

Home school is great for that, but don't underestimate the importance of other people in your kids' lives.  Since I know I still have a lot to learn from other people, I can't expect that I alone will be able to fill the entirety of my children's knowledge.

So, as if you didn't have enough to do already, make sure you Talk to your kids, and give them experiences with different people.  It'll be worth it in the long run.

http://www.misteredie1.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/Education-is-important

Candy Hearts

My kindergarten age son brought home a bag of skittles from his Valentines Day celebration.  It was pretty much all he would talk about from the moment he got home until we finally allowed him to share with his brother.  The two of them ate the bag of candy together.

Literally 5 minutes later the younger one was jumping up and down in place, doing jumping jacks, running back and forth in the living room at a frantic pace...Candy is bad.  That much is clear.

http://www.mredie.com/

@MisterEdie on Twitter

Change the Brain

My kids must be my wife's.  People say they look like me, but their personalities are all from her I swear.  Especially when they are doing something I don't like. :)

I think kids are a blessing in that they force us to see things from different angles.  When we get married, we often butt heads (unless you married a clone of yourself) on certain things, because we are so different.  Cleaning the kitchen is a good example.  I feel you shouldn't do it.  She feels we should.  And so we butt heads.

But as the kids get older, and I see that they are on her side on some things, I see that people are just created different.  She's not just thinking wrong.  It's that they (and her) are thinking DIFFERENTLY from me.  Not right, not wrong.  Different.

And different can be very good.

http://misteredie1.wordpress.com/02/09/2012/we-all-don't-think-the-same/

New Thinking is in

Old thinking tells us that we should always eat our vegetables first, and dessert last.  That we should always wear sunscreen, and that more family time is better than less.

One of those statements is still true.  The others need new thinking.  You decide what is what.

http://misteredie1.wordpress.com/02/08/2012/new-thinking/

Challenges? Bring it.

Navigate the videogame of your life.  Even if it's sideways.

\
http://misteredie1.wordpress.com/02/07/2012/life-is-a-video-game/

Just a bike ride

It didn't take very long.  Maybe 25 minutes at the most.  We got all bundled up and ready to brave the cold.  He was extremely excited.  I wasn't so much.

He wanted to take his bike (of course).  It was a little flat from the winter (of course).

It would have been so easy to have just said - no.  We're staying inside.  Go play.  (not that I haven't said those words before) :)

But I was glad I said yes this time.  Best 25 minutes ever.

It wasn't just a bike ride.

Quality Time

I gotta have my quality time.

I've heard other specialists and various books say that "quality time" is not what you need.  You need "TIME" period.  You need to spend a LOT of time with them, quality or not.  Maybe it's just sitting around shooting the breeze, or clipping their fingernails.  And I agree.  The more time spent talking to your kids the better.

But I LOVE the special, quality times when you can get them.

I remember going to the store and getting a frozen treat to share with Kassy and Kitty.  Taking a walk in the little park and watching the squirrels with just Konner.  Running with Keith. It's quality time because it's special one on one time.

One thing I remember as a kid is making cupcakes with my mom.  It's fun to recreate that magic with my own kids.

And I like eating cupcakes.

http://misteredie1.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/make-your-time-count/ for more fun!

Kids - No Fear

When we went sledding the other day, it was pretty icy.  I was picturing us bombing down the hill like Clark Griswold in "Christmas Vacation", with smoke trailing behind us.  It was like a sheet of ice.  It was hard enough just getting to the top.

As we crested the hill, I started to say "okay, now when we go, we need to be careful..." and at that moment, with a loud war whoop, my eldest son was already at the bottom of the hill, laughing with a skinned up nose from when the ice scraped him in his fall.

He was back up and going again before the rest of us had a chance to get our sleds arranged.

No Fear.  I guess as parents we have fear enough for them all.  Lucky us.

http://www.mredie.com

@MisterEdie on twitter