No Child Left Behind

No, I’m not getting political.  Rather I’m being reflective.

You see, I feel this school year was in many ways a failure.  It was a tough year.  “Joy” wouldn’t be a word I would use as a common characteristic of the year.  Though I had planned a very academic year, as we plowed through the work load, somewhere along the way we lost momentum. Add health problems and a crazy travel season (with Schoolhouse Publishing) to the mix.  Joy was no longer our fuel, and we limped through to the finish line.  Our “highly academic” year ended up being highly deficient.

Why? Continue reading

The Best Toys…Ever!

Becca's Deep FryerWhen it comes to purchasing educational toys for your kids, I have a suggestion.  If your son or daughter is interested in realistic toys (like cookware or tools), I would suggest that you forget all the glitzy toy versions.  We’ve spent more money  on pint-sized kitchen items and tiny tools than I care to remember. In nearly every case, these little toys did not entertain for long, and in many cases, they just frustrated the kids. That child-sized “real” sewing machine was so annoying, it nearly insured my daughters would never sew again. The mini-bake oven was pitiful.  My sons’ little tools weren’t strong enough to build anything.  They just broke. Continue reading