November/December 2004
Volume 12, No. 6

How Our Daughters Helped Plan Their Education
by Jon Remmerde
In September, when Juniper was six, Laura started teaching her to read. Before Christmas, Juniper read well enough to read C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe on her own.

Field Trip Hints
by Shirley M.R. Minster
One of the best ways to enhance learning is to go on a field trip. Receiving first-hand knowledge from a skilled worker, observing how something is done and becoming involved physically are all integral
parts of a field trip.

Leading the Way: Redeeming Christmas
by Rhonda Barfield
Every time I write an article about Christmas, I inevitably receive some letters denouncing the holiday. These letters often make good points. It's a fact, for instance, that certain Christmas customs have pagan origins. And it's tragically true that this holy season has, in most Western nations, evolved into nothing more than a gift-buying marathon.

Wake Me In One Hour
by Jill Schafer Boehme
Sometimes I'm so tired I can't see straight.
Do you ever feel that way? It's beyond the nice, drowsy feeling you get before falling asleep at night. It's not the cozy, relaxing feeling that comes with snuggling on the sofa with your hubby on a Saturday afternoon.

The Power of the Sound Bite
by Rénee Fuller
A small group of us had stopped at a newsstand. There was laughter as we looked at the tabloid headline: BUSH TO CITY, DROP DEAD. All of us immediately understood the meaning of those few words. They described in blunt terms the outcome of a political battle. The President had said “no” to the city’s request for extra funds.

Boys Will Be Boys... Or Will They?
by Linda Schrock Taylor
Boys most definitely should be allowed to be boys…and they could grow up more mentally and emotionally healthy…if government schools would stop trying to force boys – whether by the use of drugs, or the use of punishments – to act like girls.

In Fond Memory of Dave Marks
from Jane Boswell
Our dear friend and homeschool advocate, Dave Marks passed away on August 6 after a long struggle with leukemia.
I first met Dave at one of the earliest homeschool conferences I coordinated in the Detroit, Michigan area. At that time, “Family Times” was a very tiny, typewritten hand-out of sorts. I’d just finished passing it out to interested exhibitors when suddenly, a man’s voice shouted after me as I walked away from the exhibit area, “Who wrote this piece here??” ...

Help With Meaning Part II
by Dave Marks
In the last essay I listed and gave examples of exercises that you could use with your young readers to help them better understand what they read. They were meant to increase the meaning of prose for them. This essay continues with additional exercises meant for older readers.

Musician or Bust! (Where Are They Now?)
by Peter Kowalke
Nate Bellon grabbed his acoustic guitar and hit the streets of Chicago as a street musician when he was 18. At the end of a good day, his hat would contain $30 in dimes and quarters.

Family Daze - Mom Advice
by Debbie Farmer
Shocking as this seems, the other day, in the middle of the afternoon, a fantasy of mine came true. Oh, I don't mean the passionate running-away-to-live-with-Jude-Law-in-a-cottage-by-the-sea type fantasy.

Destruction! Lessons from Natural Disaster
by Teresa Bondora
I’ve been without power for a week since we were hit by Hurricane Ivan. While we had it good compared to most, being without power wasn’t fun. But as a scientist, I couldn’t help but love the experience. And it got me to thinking about nature’s awesome power and destructive forces and why they’re so necessary and the wonderful benefits of these destructive events.

A Servant's Heart
by Elizabeth Weix
There is a malady that makes the Black Plague seem as mild as the common cold. Add together the death tolls of all illnesses and epidemics since the beginning of time, and your tally will still fall short of the number of lives claimed by this single ailment. This disease is running rampant throughout our society but it is one that we are, too often, not familiar with. And forgive me for being the one to tell you, but you are also infected. You suffer from it. And you know what else, so do I.

The World's Most Unselfish Act
(Viewpoints) by Karen DeCoster
I was at a baptism party for a friend's baby daughter, recently, and met a couple of young girls who let it slip that they were being homeschooled by their Mom. They were somewhat surprised by my exuberant reaction, because, according to both of them, it is more common that they would see signs of disdain upon an adult learning of this fact.

Not Christian Enough
(Viewpoints) by Rebecca H. Davis
The minister had suggested that the church is "a community of true believers." The class had focused on what it means to be a community and the relational nature of church. But I was hung-up on the phrase "true believers." I wanted to know if I fit within this category of persons who were allowed to enter the community of the church. Was I a True Believer?

Noah's Boat and the Pigeon of Peace
by David H. Albert
Sometimes I think that when I am contemplating my homeschooling adventures, I am writing midrashim. My children are the sacred texts, or at least the vessels for them. I encounter myself within them, even as I try to ensure their essence remains inviolate. Like most parents, I project my own hopes and dreams, successes and disappointments, expectations and excitement on to them. Sometimes I bring with me a healthy dose of perspective, and sometimes, well, I always urge parents to put some money into the therapy fund alongside the college one.

Money Matters: A Flea Market Venture
by Dianne Wilton
Money comes... money goes... teach your children about the ebb and flow of commerce with this fun game you can make yourself.

Give Yourself Permission
by Jane Boswell
These pages are full of words to encourage and equip you. Some will make you smile, others might beckon you to a time of reflection. I won’t take up much time here – I wanted to speak to you personally for just a moment.

Resource Reviews - Books to Grow With (Book Excerpt); Teaching Ink; All You Can Eat; Mr. Button Family Videos

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