What happened when my kids drove me crazy...

Sometime last year, my kids were driving me crazy.  Not just momentary chaos, but really, crazy. 

While they'll probably always be categorized as "good kids", if yours are anything like mine, they are winsome and charming while out of the house, and downright terrible when I'm on duty all by myself.

At that particular time in our household history, they were picking at each other nonstop, disobedient, and - to add an even greater element of community - completely unreliable when Chore Time came each day.

So one morning, I'd had enough, and decided to put off our homeschool studies that day in favor of the study of some New Rules.  We don't really have "rules" in our house besides Obedience & Respect, which cover most bases.  Occasionally someone will lose the privilege of using scissors, and they're usually not supposed to turn on water outdoors without permission, etc., but being obedient and respectful is the main focus.

However...these children needed some additional focus.  (I always call them Children when they're pesky.  heh)

Martin (then 10yo) had begun memorizing George Washington's Rules of Civility as compiled in The Book of Virtues for part of his schoolwork, so I was probably somewhat inspired by them.  Instead of honing in on good manners/situational ethics and backing myself and the kids into a corner, I chose to make a list of what I call:

Rules for Peaceable Living

1. Speak in a polite way.
2. Show kindness to everyone (even enemies!).
3. Obey quickly and cheerfully.
4. Be honest and trustworthy.
5. Do your work well.

That day, I begin by writing them out on our new handy-dandy white board in the dining room while they watched in somber silence.  I briefly expounded the points, and then we memorized the Rules together.  They each copied them out, even Laura who was doing kindergarten.  We repeated them nearly every day at breakfast, and still refer to them.  Not as frequently as we probably should, and I haven't done anything cool or creative with them (like paint them on my stairs), but they're a part of our family life now.  I hope this post will give you some ideas for making your own Rules.  I'm certainly challenging myself by sharing them.  Isn't Pinterest the coolest?

If only I had some stairs.  ;-)

T-Minus 2 weeks till school starts, Capt...

Since I purchased this particular stack of books on July 15th, this post is slightly overdue, but with homeschool starting in two weeks from today, it's no less pertinent!


July 15th, was a Marker Day in our family. That was the day we realized Half Price Books was hosting a summer reading program. Each child received a $3 store credit for reading at least 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week during the summer. Martin and I immediately exchanged our eyeballs for dollar signs. You see, Martin is 9, and he reads at least 6 hours a day. (8 hours if he can get away with it.) He even takes a stack of books outside with him...until I confiscate them and give him the Play Like a Child lecture.

But back to the dollar signs...

The manager at Half Price Books then proceeded to inform me that we could turn in backdated reading forms. So, not only was this our Lucky Day, but we were going to have repeat episodes. We are a family who lives for books. And with (now) three school-age children turning in reading forms for each week's $3 store credit for the next six weeks. The joy was indescribable.

It was the end of a very long, much-traveled day, and my poor brain could scarcely add up the numbers, but it turned into 13 forms x $3. That equals $39, right...? (See, I like to blame it on cooking 5 meals the day before, arranging to pick up 2 more, and coordinating drop-off times to a missionary-family-with-a-new-baby in Dallas, followed by lunch/fellowship with ministry friends in East Dallas, and dinner/more fellowship with more ministry friends in Arlington - all in 106F/41C T*xas misery - but the truth is that I have issues with Small Math. *cough*)

But whichever sympathy you choose to lean toward, regarding my math, erm, skills...

...it was heaven. And (and!) we happened to be at the nicest location I've seen, with a large and varied inventory. Martin and I took turns clambering over each other and letting out shouts of "Look what I found!!". He got a whole stack to himself, Laura and Philip picked out a few, and I fairly glowed over the pile pictured above - all of which will be Read-Alouds, then Readers for our upcoming school year(s).

They looked so pretty sitting there on my computer desk that I had to take a picture and tell you their story... :-D