Minivan Moments

Getting stuck is a real pain. Getting un-stuck can be a worse pain. But can getting stuck ever be a blessing? I believe so.... Sometimes, i get stuck in a rut. That rut becomes distasteful enough that i look around and realize i'm stuck, then i do something about it. Climbing out of a rut always teaches me something about myself. Sometimes, i get stuck on a problem. That problem becomes so overwhelming that i'm unable to move in any direction. So i pray about it and ask for direction. Many times, a new solution comes to mind or enough time passes that it becomes obvious i'm not intended to solve the problem. So i can move on. Other times, i may be stuck in an internal struggle. When this happens, i turn inward and resort to worry and fretting, which is always so helpful, right? ;) But if i'm stuck in a battle with myself or my emotions, it's often harder to see the way out. I'm learning to focus on the little things i can do right now. And i'm lea...

In the homeschooling world, we get asked a particular question A LOT: "But what about socialization?" And we answer it as kindly and compassionately as possible, because it isn't that person's fault that we've been asked that particular question 1.3 million times before she asked it. ;) However, since i am frequently dealing with that question, i find that my mind pays attention more to socialization issues than perhaps the average adult. And it is in this attentiveness over the past few weeks that i have noticed something quite upsetting: Social media is actually harming the way we socialize. Hear me out. The idea of social media is to connect with others, whether it be friends or family who live some distance away, or within communities of like-minded or similar beliefs as us. And when you hone your followers or friends, you can achieve a pretty good balance of that. The problems that i am seeing come in the form of inflammatory posts made to divide...

Do we even realize how much time we spend on electronics? I am seeing a terrible trend, and i am fighting against it in my own life, and it worries me for future generations. I am reminded about something i used to say to my husband in the early years of our marriage: there will always be something interesting on the internet; you have to know when to walk away.  And that was before Smart Phones! Now, we have the internet at our disposal at all times. And there will always be a video clip, an email, a Google search, or whatever, that we can spend our time on. But suppose the following.... Husband A comes home from work. He changes his clothes, goes to hang out with friends, comes home to eat the dinner his wife prepared, then goes to a club to watch a band play with friends. He gets home after the littlest child's bedtime, doesn't tell her "goodnight" or tuck her in, goes to the garage to fiddle with various hobbies, and then goes to bed when he's tired. Durin...

I am a homeschooling mother. I am also an introvert. This was easier to balance when my children were smaller. Naps were relished, early bedtimes eagerly anticipated, and play-dates with friends who had small children a veritable delight of socialization for everyone involved. However, my children are in high school, middle school, and middle elementary now. And it is much, much harder to find that quiet solitude that once came more naturally. While i was in the trenches of that toddler to preschooler stage, i falsely believed that it was the hardest time for mamas who are introverted. And, may i say, if you don't go on to homeschool your children, this may very well be the case! But as i serve as teacher, lesson planner, curriculum researcher, grade reporter, activities director, and high school adviser, i find my days much fuller and my brain strained at a deeper level than when i was teaching the alphabet, table manners, or colors. Add to that the nature of the high school...