Nov/Dec 2006

Christmas - A Study of Love
by Amanda Bennett

The warm feeling of love, the snug feeling of togetherness and family, and the joy and excitement of celebration – all to be found in many American homes this time of year.

Why are you homeschooling? Your answers are important.
by Jane R. Boswell

As veteran homeschooling parents know, some difficult times will come. One day you’ll wake up to piles of laundry that your children are using to play hide and seek in. Ice and snow have locked you inside for days and your teenager seems to be in a comatose state until the phone rings.

Mixed Messages - What to do.
by Shirley M.R. Minster

Our news broadcasts are increasingly filled with terrible stories of school-age children causing physical harm and death to children, family members, and teachers. Making sense of the senseless brutality is not easy and cannot be fully done. Evil can never be fully understood. However we can take a step back and look at what we are teaching the children and if there are things we need to change in what we say to the children.

• Baby Kong by Scott Stroud (NEW BOOK just for Homeschoolers!) • The Illustrated Book of Aesop's Fables • THE ROBOT KIT• WizardsSPELL - Teaching the World to Spell • Teach Your Child the Multiplication Tables, Fast, Fun & Easy with Dazzling Patterns, Grids and Tricks! • LITTLE BOX OF PIRATE TREASURES • MusicCan - interactive fun for early learners
and more...

---

It’s not because I say so...
by Dr. Renée Fuller

Mrs. Brill looked distraught. She was describing the continual fights between her husband and their son: how Ben was unwilling to listen to his father’s demands or even requests. Her furrowed brow reflected her distress as she expressed fear that the son, whose birth they had so eagerly awaited, was turning into a juvenile delinquent both at home and at school.

Pancakes: A Breakfast Tradition
by Jon Remmerde

I turn the electric burner on medium under the frying pan. It takes a while to warm up a cast iron frying pan, but cast iron spreads the heat evenly, so I prefer it. I get the pancake batter ready while the frying pan heats. I prefer cooking pancakes on a wood fired cook stove, but I have cooked pancakes successfully over an open, outdoor fire and on gas and electric stoves. When only three are eating breakfast, I usually use one frying pan. If more join us, I use two or three pans.

Why is art important? by Sharon Jeffus

One of the most important things that children learn from art is problem solving and original thinking. When they put new ideas together and come up with a finished picture or project that they can own (copyright), it is an amazing self confidence builder. Sometimes as parents, we are impacted by having had a negative experience in art when we were growing up, and we love our children so we feel as though we might be "Saving" them from a similar occurence. However, when approached correctly, art can be the jumping off place for engineering, invention, and creativity. Our own God was the master creator.

Seeking Perfection in Homeschooling
by Kimberly Mistra

I have a confession to make. I am on the quest for homeschooling perfection. Not just any perfection, but a gloriously lit, well-dusted, gourmet (yet low-fat!) perfection. While I am happy with the overall path our homeschool journey is on, there are moments here and there when those pesky seeds of self-doubt begin to sprout.

Homeschooling High School the Third Time Around
by Barbara Frank

The baby I carried on my hip while I homeschooled my first two children is now 14. It’s time for me to think about how I homeschooled her older siblings when they were teens, and how I want to homeschool her now that she’s reached high school age.

Gifted Children and Homeschooling
An Interview with Kathi Kearney (Q & A)

If parents have a gifted child, should they look at homeschooling as an option?

Not every parent should consider homeschooling for a gifted child and not every gifted child should be homeschooled. That said, homeschooling is an excellent alternative for many gifted children at some point in their development.

Embracing Life's Curves

Getting up on the wrong side of the bed: idiom or hormones? by Michelle Howe

Everyone has heard them and repeated them. Sometimes they’re merely weak attempts at the poignant. Sometimes they are humorous observances concerning the quirky things people do, think, believe and react to. But women, in particular, seem to relish reiterating these expressions for special emphasis or for getting in the final word.

Family Daze by Debbie Farmer

Equal Rights

People always ask me if I think it's a good idea to have two children and, if so, how close together. I'm not sure why they ask me this. Perhaps it's because my children are only two and a half years apart; therefore, I should have some insight about this. Perhaps it's because they see what a great job I'm doing and respect my opinion. Or maybe it's because the bags under my eyes make me look too tired to lie.

Teen Coach

Raising Teens on a Tight Budget
by Nigel Lane

Let’s face it – the things required these days to raise a child are expensive. Things can cost a lot of money – school fees, fashionable clothes, sports activities to name just some as a scratch on the surface. The way to control some or all of these costs is to train and teach your son/daughter to see things from your point of view and help them understand.

We Hold These Truths by Roni Maddox

Whose Child Are You?

Last night watching the news on TV, I heard about a California law that says HMOs must provide translators for all their non-English-speaking patients. The big story was about the continuing rise of health care costs and how, if HMOs have to pay for translators, can anyone afford to pay for health insurance.

Health and Learning

How every-day foods can adversely effect your child’s health by Dr. John Sherman

Do you know how the everyday foods you are feeding your children are affecting them? Are they really providing the nourishment you hope will enable them to reach their full potential? There are so many hidden ingredients in our foods that can lead to dysfunction in a child’s body which can result in behavioral problems, learning disabilities, growth and development issues, skin problems, and even physical challenges. Before feeding your children their next meal or snack, learn what the most common ingredients are that can have an adverse affect on them.

Family Ties: Tips for a Stress-Reduced Holiday Season
by Andrew Roffman, LCSW

While holidays are often a time of joy and celebration, for many they can be a source of stress and anxiety. Expectations about what should happen around the holidays can collide with the reality of what actually does happen, causing disappointment, anger, and sadness. Some families can find themselves repeating difficult and even painful family dramas year after year. Family gatherings at holiday times may not fit the picture usually seen on a holiday greeting card. Fortunately, something can be done to make the holidays more enjoyable.

About the Publication

Home Educator's Family Times is the homeschool publication perfect for new or veteran homeschool families. This anthology includes articles by well known homeschool and educational experts and includes:

• Research on Child Development, Family Issues, Learning and Homeschool Issues
• Successful Family Learning, Research and Homeschool Strategies
• Practical Tips and Resources
• Special Concerns - Gifted, Special Needs, High School, Learning Styles, and Developmental Issues
• Home Educator's Resource Network - Recommended Curriculum (Online Issue)
• Serving homeschooling families since 1986
• Prepared and published by Experienced Homeschoolers and Educators
• Editor - Jane R. Boswell