Archives for September 2016

As a parent we are making hundreds of decisions for our children every single day.   Decisions that we hope will help our children to become the adults we dream them to be.

As parents we try our best to model what we want our children to become.   We try to instill values and morals in our children that we hope will become a deep part of our children and will be adopted by them as things they deeply value as adults.

As parents we are stuck in the little picture,  even while trying our best to parent in the big picture.  We are bombarded with little picture failure on a daily basis.   And very rarely we see the big picture successes.  In fact some of the little picture big failures are actually signs of big picture big successes.   I see this frequently with our youngest son.   And I find myself realizing that some of his failures today are really successes.   His immense independence and amazing and creative problem solving that get him into trouble today… Are actually the exact values and traits I want him to have fully developed in the future.   Perspective.

This year our oldest daughter moved to high school.   She chose to attend a school downtown.   So every single day she takes public transit through downtown.

Recently I became aware of something she has done and does do that gave me such pride in her.   It came up in conversation that some mornings she sees a cold homeless person  and offers to buy them coffee.   She has do e this several times.   Sometimes the person won’t even come inside the McDonald’s with her but wits outside.   Sometimes they do come in.  But she does this completely on her own.   She doesn’t get an allowance or any money from us.   It’s her babysitting money.   It was a moment that I realized that despite all the parenting fails clearly here is a success.   Perspective.

Last year I found out that our oldest son would sometimes purchase gift cards and give them to the homeless when he saw them.   Something he did privately and also completely out of his own money he had worked for.   Another parenting success.

So for all the parenting failures,  keep perspective.   It’s getting into their brains and is forming their character.   And sometimes the little picture failures are really a part of the big successes you are striving so hard for.

Well,  school’s back.   The summer is over and I am back to work.   Early mornings return and schedules resume.

This year we have 5 kids at 5 different schools. And one is being home schooled.   I am pretty happy with the teachers and courses each of the kids has.

And today is our first day back at homeschooling.   I’ve decided to ease us back this week and next week we will start our weekly expectations.

Months ago I had my son’s grade 3 Homeschooling plan approved.  Last night I sat down and reviewed it and sorted through his stuff from last year.   I made my weekly evaluation forms for the first month and figured out how much work we need to accomplish each week to complete grade 3 on time.

I decided what we would study first in science and I decided that each week we will try to have a field trip of some sort.

Homeschooling isn’t the plan I had for Keilan,  but it’s what he needs.   And we managed to survive last year,  so we will make it this year too.

As much as I hate routine,  I also am grateful for it.   It helps the days go more smoothly and predictably.   Predictability is important for Keilan.   It helps him be more successful.

So today I put back on my hats of school bus driver and homeschooling teacher.   And I hope and pray we have a successful year full of learning and accomplishments and learning emotional management and finding social success.

Today we made our school rules and went to a couple playgrounds we will write a story and go on a bike ride and do some math too.   And that’s OK.   That is a successful start to a new year for us!