Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “School Days”
So, today my Nile rushes before me. It’s the door of the kindergarten classroom. It’s the car keys jangling in his pocket. It’s the foster child walking away with my heart. It’s the church aisle and bouquets of flowers. It’s the goodbye before the train, the car, the plane leaves.
And I must open my hands to release.
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it,” (Proverbs 22:6). Open enrollment is underway at local schools in my area, and it’s a crazy season for many moms. No really. School choices literally make us crazy. A few days ago I got a frantic text from a friend, asking how many days a week my daughter’s preschool meets. Turns out the only options in her town are either five days a week or full days, neither of which is ideal for her family. So naturally our conversation …
Do you read to your children? When my children were young, I loved curling up against the headboard with my boys in my arms and a book in my hand as I read a story to them before I tucked them in. I LOVED story time – and so did they… even when they were older. But to be honest, with dishes to do, baths to take, teeth to brush, homework to finish and laundry to fold, I often struggled to settle down long enough to read to my children. Maybe you feel the same way too. Always something to …
When I found out I was pregnant with our fourth child, I was already 10 weeks pregnant. To say that we were joyfully surprised is such an understatement. But early on, I heard the Lord whisper to me, “This one will be both a comfort and a joy to you.” And she is exactly that! An August baby, we made the call to enroll her in kindergarten earlier rather than later. She had already been in pre-K for a year and she was ready! Or so we thought. Within two weeks, the teacher had her pulled out regularly for extra …
Did you know that today is National Grandparents Day? It’s a day to celebrate all grandparents and thank God for our heritage and the legacy these precious grandparents have passed down to us and to our children. My husband and I are the proud grandparents of 11 grandchildren, who are spread all over the United States. We make the rounds at least once a year to see them all, but even though I can’t be with them face-to-face on a regular basis, I do come face-to-face with the Lord daily praying for these special gifts He has blessed us with …
Homeschooler I don’t wear it like a badge of honor, but it is my label. A job I accepted last year with fear and trepidation. And this year I take it up again a little wiser and still concerned that I educate my children well. I am a mom who longs to raise kids who love to learn. I want them to be life-long learners. I want them to love good books and communicate well in both written and spoken word. I secretly hope they love science and learn to look at math as a challenge, not an obstacle. I …
It is that time of year, so I have some Back-to-School Tips for you! Some of you have already begun your first week. Summer is shorter every year, it seems. This year we have two in our local public high school, one in sixth grade (in our school, they still have 6th grade in elementary, which I LOVE) and one in second grade. I am homeschooling her. So back to school in the Smith household can be rather crazy, trying to get everyone established–forms filled out, doctor and dentist appointments, school supplies, new clothes and curriculum gathering and planning. It kind …
Are you ready for the lessons that come with a new school year? It’s the time of year when so many moms prepare to head back into the school year with all their might. Hoping to capture treasured moments and launch kids well, we try to make special Back-to-School traditions as deposits into the hearts of our children. We do our best to buy folders on sale, notebook paper in bulk, and extra crayons to share. We determine to be a parent teachers will love and commit to being real moms praying for real teachers. We hope there won’t be …
You’ve heard it said before, “You are what you eat.” So are our children. Recently, statistics have unveiled a startling truth about our children’s eating habits. It seems as though the number one food that children eat is chicken nuggets. Some chicken nuggets aren’t so bad, but I think because we think they are eating chicken, we forget that most of them are deep friend in hydrogenated oil. In The Making of a Mom, I wrote about how loving our children well includes making sure they eat well. But healthy doesn’t always come easily in a world full of drive thru’s …
Still, school is starting. The dog days of summer lead to full backpacks, lunchboxes filled with mama’s love, pens, pencils, paper, binders, and homework. School has the potential to be so much more than the tools of school. Have you ever felt like the old adage, “Oh, honey, just do your best,” sounds more like, “Aw, I realize you really can’t do better, so you don’t have to try so hard.” Listen the next time someone says that. Are they really promoting someone doing their best work? I realize different children have different gifts. I realize not every gift turns into an …
