I just recently passed two milestones: Christian registering for 10th grade at Viewmont, and Madison starting Young Women's. As I was counseling with Christian about which classes to register for, I was very aware of how my past experiences have shaped the type of parent I am. Christian is probably brilliant. I mean really. His counselors have always told him to take the AP (college credit) route because he has always excelled academically. My advice was NOT to do this, but to pick one or two classes he really enjoys and pursue those, and not to unduly stress himself out with all honors and AP classes. I then had the conversation with him about learning to listen to his body and his emotions so that he will know when he has taken on too much and should therefore re-prioritize and get rid of something not as important. Learning to know your personal limits is a valuable tool that I wish I had had at his age. I told him that there really are remarkably few things that are worth risking your emotional well-being for in order to "succeed", and a 4.0 and AP classes aren't one of those things. The process of helping plan his high school schedule made me conscious of the fact that I don't think children who are pushed by their parents to excel in something usually emerge as happy, well-adjusted individuals. If I think about the kids I know that excel at a musical instrument, or sport, or academics, it seems they miss out on a childhood. Usually it seems like it starts out as the child's interest, and when the parent sees that they are really good at whatever it may be, they push the child beyond where the child would normally want to go and they miss out on being well-rounded as well as the "fun" that high school years should bring. I'm not saying that I don't want my children to try their best at all their pursuits, I just think that some of their pursuits should also include having fun childhood memories, building strong social skills, setting priorities, and making room for their emotional health.
When I started out being a mother, in my vigor to be the best mom I could be, I had Christian take every class imaginable: Chess lessons, cooking lessons, violin, piano, art, all the sports, play group, museum day, zoo day, etc. But then I realized that those things don't make a happy child...or a happy parent. On Saturday, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend Hunter's blue belt promotion (which is pretty high up) in tae kwon do. I was so proud because this is an interest that he has chosen for himself, and therefore has been very self-motivated--attending 3 times per week for 2 years with NO complaining. And while I would love it if he was still playing the piano, the crying fits that he would have daily when asked to practice and the yelling fits that I would in turn have, were simply not worth it. I cringe when I think back to an evening when I was trying to help Christian practice violin. I got very irritated that he wasn't understanding the beat of a certain song. In frustration, I took the bow from him and tapped it on the floor to demonstrate the proper beat and it broke in half. He was in tears and I felt like a monster. The next day we dropped violin lessons. It just wasn't worth the problems it was causing between us, as well as his constant frustration with learning it. I am reminded of a friend who has children older than mine who gave me this advice on parenting, "always save the relationship." That's not to say that you can't adamantly disagree with your child's decisions, but if you maintain a close relationship, they will be much more likely to change their ways or seek your advice in the future.
My sister was recently telling me of a child whose mother was bragging about how many AP classes he was taking next year. I am sure she was hoping to insight jealousy or reinforce what a good mother she must be, but all I thought was--"That's too bad for him. If he takes all of his college GE courses in high school, he will start college having to jump straight into upper division level courses." It's just not necessary! These are the things that I want my children to value and excel in:
*Knowing how to earn things by hard work
*Treating everyone (including themselves) with dignity and respect
*Self-control
*That life is to be enjoyed, not merely endured
*Honesty
*Seeking knowledge
*Seeking wisdom
*Love of themselves and family
*A relationship with Heavenly Father
So the next time I hear someone brag about their child's abilities, you will not find me being jealous. But you can count on me thinking to myself how happy I am that my children are truly joyful, well-adjusted, deeply loved, and (usually) kind individuals. And that's all that really matters to me.
“[The fact is] most putts don’t drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. …
“Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.
“The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride”--Jenkins Lloyd Jones (quoted later by Gordon B. Hinckley)
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
12
There really are no words that could express my feelings about Madison turning 12. So here is her life in pictures:
*And turn up the volume--there's music!
*And turn up the volume--there's music!
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| Free digital slideshow generated with Smilebox |
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Mormon Humor
You might be a Mormon if...
*You might be a mormon if you have ever inadvertently addressed your boss or coworkers as brother or sister.
*You might be a mormon if you have ever blessed cake, cookies or donuts saying, "Please bless this food that it will nourish and strengthen our bodies."
*You might be a mormon if you have ever used the phrase "With every fiber of my being."
*You might be a mormon if all your dishes have your name written on masking tape.
*You might be a mormon if you have something stuck to your refrigerator for every time you have attended Relief Society.
*You might be a mormon if you have geese or cow decorations anywhere in your kitchen.
*You might be a mormon if you think toys are a normal part of any landscaping.
*You might be a mormon if you know a 300 lb woman who doesn't drink coke because it may cause her to be unhealthy.
*You might be a mormon if you have no idea who ever said Mormons shouldn't drink coke.
*You might be a mormon if you have to lock your car in the church parking lot to keep it from being filled with zucchini, tomatoes, and egg plants.
Utah Residency Test
You must be able to answer yes to 10 or more of the following questions to qualify for permanent residency in the state of Utah. Failure to do so qualifies you as a temporary resident only.
*If you've ever used the phrase "bless those who aren't here this time that they can be here next time."
*Do you have a bumper sticker that says "Families can be Forever"?
*Was the mother of the bride pregnant at your wedding?
*If you shop on Sunday, do you post date the check?
*Does your mother have purple or amber plastic grapes in the attic?
*Were you an aunt or uncle before you attended kindergarten?
*Do you have 2 gallons of ice cream in the freezer at all times?
*Do you consider peanut butter on the seat of your car an accessory?
*When you take a family to a restaurant, do you ask for extra plates?
*Do you consider "dam" a swear word?
*Does your family consider a trip to McDonald's a night out?
*Are at least two of your salad bowls at neighbor's houses?
*Do you think Jack Daniels is a country western singer?
*Do you consider your temple recommend a credit reference?
*When your ward basketball team plays, is it similar to the L.A. riots?
*Do you have an uncontrollable urge to arrive at meetings 5 minutes late?
*Did you meet your spouse at BYU or on "Your Mission."
*Can you make a Jell-O fruit salad without a recipe?
*Do you bring cola home from the store in a brown paper bag?
*Do your children believe that deer hunting is a national holiday?
*Do you negotiate prices at a garage sale?
*Do you feel guilty when you watch Monday Night Football?
*Do you think red punch and green Jell-O are the main ingredients for a successful party?
*Do your kids think Jell-O is a major food group?
*When you pick someone up at the airport, do you bring at least 1/3 of your relatives and have a family reunion at the gate?
*Do you have a "Quiet Book" as part of your library?
*Are you embarrassed if any of your children are more than two years apart in age?
*Do you say "Gawl", "Heck", or "Fetch" more than once a day?
*Do you travel on Morris Air Service at least once a year?
*Do you think "Ignernt" means rude?
*Does it take more than one car to get all your kids over to Grandma's house?
*Does your 2 year supply of food include more than 40 pounds of candy?
*Do you keep a supply of butcher paper on hand to make large "Welcome Home" banners?
*Do you refuse coffee but accept all offers of Excedrin?
*Do you think it is more prestigious to go to BYU than Harvard?
*Do you have relatives in California doing everything they can to "Move Back"?
*Do you shop for wedding gifts at D.I?
*Has anybody in your family ever taken Cheerios in a sandwich bag or Tupperware dish to church?
*Have you ever made a major purchase at D.I (Couches, appliances, electronics)?
*You might be a mormon if you have ever inadvertently addressed your boss or coworkers as brother or sister.
*You might be a mormon if you have ever blessed cake, cookies or donuts saying, "Please bless this food that it will nourish and strengthen our bodies."
*You might be a mormon if you have ever used the phrase "With every fiber of my being."
*You might be a mormon if all your dishes have your name written on masking tape.
*You might be a mormon if you have something stuck to your refrigerator for every time you have attended Relief Society.
*You might be a mormon if you have geese or cow decorations anywhere in your kitchen.
*You might be a mormon if you think toys are a normal part of any landscaping.
*You might be a mormon if you know a 300 lb woman who doesn't drink coke because it may cause her to be unhealthy.
*You might be a mormon if you have no idea who ever said Mormons shouldn't drink coke.
*You might be a mormon if you have to lock your car in the church parking lot to keep it from being filled with zucchini, tomatoes, and egg plants.
Utah Residency Test
You must be able to answer yes to 10 or more of the following questions to qualify for permanent residency in the state of Utah. Failure to do so qualifies you as a temporary resident only.
*If you've ever used the phrase "bless those who aren't here this time that they can be here next time."
*Do you have a bumper sticker that says "Families can be Forever"?
*Was the mother of the bride pregnant at your wedding?
*If you shop on Sunday, do you post date the check?
*Does your mother have purple or amber plastic grapes in the attic?
*Were you an aunt or uncle before you attended kindergarten?
*Do you have 2 gallons of ice cream in the freezer at all times?
*Do you consider peanut butter on the seat of your car an accessory?
*When you take a family to a restaurant, do you ask for extra plates?
*Do you consider "dam" a swear word?
*Does your family consider a trip to McDonald's a night out?
*Are at least two of your salad bowls at neighbor's houses?
*Do you think Jack Daniels is a country western singer?
*Do you consider your temple recommend a credit reference?
*When your ward basketball team plays, is it similar to the L.A. riots?
*Do you have an uncontrollable urge to arrive at meetings 5 minutes late?
*Did you meet your spouse at BYU or on "Your Mission."
*Can you make a Jell-O fruit salad without a recipe?
*Do you bring cola home from the store in a brown paper bag?
*Do your children believe that deer hunting is a national holiday?
*Do you negotiate prices at a garage sale?
*Do you feel guilty when you watch Monday Night Football?
*Do you think red punch and green Jell-O are the main ingredients for a successful party?
*Do your kids think Jell-O is a major food group?
*When you pick someone up at the airport, do you bring at least 1/3 of your relatives and have a family reunion at the gate?
*Do you have a "Quiet Book" as part of your library?
*Are you embarrassed if any of your children are more than two years apart in age?
*Do you say "Gawl", "Heck", or "Fetch" more than once a day?
*Do you travel on Morris Air Service at least once a year?
*Do you think "Ignernt" means rude?
*Does it take more than one car to get all your kids over to Grandma's house?
*Does your 2 year supply of food include more than 40 pounds of candy?
*Do you keep a supply of butcher paper on hand to make large "Welcome Home" banners?
*Do you refuse coffee but accept all offers of Excedrin?
*Do you think it is more prestigious to go to BYU than Harvard?
*Do you have relatives in California doing everything they can to "Move Back"?
*Do you shop for wedding gifts at D.I?
*Has anybody in your family ever taken Cheerios in a sandwich bag or Tupperware dish to church?
*Have you ever made a major purchase at D.I (Couches, appliances, electronics)?
*If you've ever passed a rumor about a major celebrity appearing on a major talk show wearing a CTR ring and announcing that he has joined the Mormon church. (Steve Martin in 1996, Harrison Ford in 1993, Jack Klugman in 1988, Woody Allen in 1982)
*If you still believe that rumor.
*If you still believe that rumor.
*If, during the NBA finals in 1997, you felt guilty when the TV announcer said that Larry Miller was not watching the game because of religious beliefs.
*If you shut the TV off.
*If you felt better when Larry Miller showed up after all.
*If you shut the TV off.
*If you felt better when Larry Miller showed up after all.
*If you were shocked to find out that the 24th of July was not a national holiday.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Holy Cow! (Pun Intended)
As a young teen, I remember being shown an LDS movie entitled, "The Legend of Johnny Lingo". Even at the age of 13, I can remember being disturbed and perplexed as to what the short film was trying to teach. Why I have so many traumatizing memories from my childhood of LDS short films, I do not know. (Click on this link to see my history with church movies http://4peanutsandacashew.blogspot.com/2009/11/i-just-had-to-laugh.html) Here is a short synopsis of this gem of a movie: Johnny Lingo, one of the sharpest traders in the south pacific islands decides to bargain for a wife, and offers a record price of eight cows for Mahana, a plain girl who shuns contact. This causes quite a sensation on the island. A year later Johnny and his wife return for the first time since the marriage, and all find that something miraculous has occurred to Mahana. Johnny explains that by paying eight cows he proved that she was worth more to him than any other woman on the island. He gave her a great gift, that of self-worth. Perhaps the concept bothered me because a woman was being traded for cows. Or maybe it was because it took a man to show her she was worth anything.
Then the other day, I had an epiphany. I think I may be an 8 cow wife! Whoa! What?! Well maybe it's not such a bad thing, metaphorically speaking. Robert didn't pay anything to purchase me when we wed, but his continual ability to see something in me that I couldn't see in myself allowed me to step outside the boundaries that insecurities had created, and develop confidence. When I think back to that 17 year old girl--so shy and insecure, but with lots of potential, I can't help but be in wonderment at how far I've come. When I say this, it is not to give myself a pat on the back because I truly believe that my growth is because of the environment that Robert has always given me; complete acceptance, freedom to say and think whatever I need to with absolutely no judgment, support in anything I choose to pursue, constant praise, and unconditional love. He is a true partner in every sense--always right by my side as we go through life doing everything together. I'd like to think of him as an 8 cow husband too. Falling in love at 17 allowed us both to be very malleable, and so from that point on, we kind of formed each other into who we are today.
I am so incredibly grateful for the friendship, romance, and innocence in those early years that created the foundation for our marriage. I love that we have 2 1/2 years of weekly letters to each other that helped us learn about each other and be a great support to each other. I love that through all of these years (23 to be exact) we have never run out of interesting conversation and our desire to be together. Sometimes I think that if I were to die today, I would have lived the happiest life of anyone to ever walk the earth because I have my Robert. My everything. How I love being his 8 cow wife.
A blast from the past:
Us at a photobooth in the mall.
Then the other day, I had an epiphany. I think I may be an 8 cow wife! Whoa! What?! Well maybe it's not such a bad thing, metaphorically speaking. Robert didn't pay anything to purchase me when we wed, but his continual ability to see something in me that I couldn't see in myself allowed me to step outside the boundaries that insecurities had created, and develop confidence. When I think back to that 17 year old girl--so shy and insecure, but with lots of potential, I can't help but be in wonderment at how far I've come. When I say this, it is not to give myself a pat on the back because I truly believe that my growth is because of the environment that Robert has always given me; complete acceptance, freedom to say and think whatever I need to with absolutely no judgment, support in anything I choose to pursue, constant praise, and unconditional love. He is a true partner in every sense--always right by my side as we go through life doing everything together. I'd like to think of him as an 8 cow husband too. Falling in love at 17 allowed us both to be very malleable, and so from that point on, we kind of formed each other into who we are today.
I am so incredibly grateful for the friendship, romance, and innocence in those early years that created the foundation for our marriage. I love that we have 2 1/2 years of weekly letters to each other that helped us learn about each other and be a great support to each other. I love that through all of these years (23 to be exact) we have never run out of interesting conversation and our desire to be together. Sometimes I think that if I were to die today, I would have lived the happiest life of anyone to ever walk the earth because I have my Robert. My everything. How I love being his 8 cow wife.
A blast from the past:
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| Saying goodbye at the MTC |
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| Outside the MTC right before he left for 2 years. |
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| Us. 17 years old |
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| Us at BYU--inseperable |
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| Whoa! |
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| Notice the twin shirts with our faces on them. |
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Us at a photobooth in the mall.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Personal Sacrifice
We recently had a Relief Society lesson on sacrifice taught by my favorite RS teacher of all time, Kristen Bell. Near the end of the lesson, she asked if there were some who would like to share examples of people that had given great sacrifices in their life. Here are some of the things that people were saying:
*A couple in Africa who walked 18 miles both ways to get a temple recommend even though there was no temple nearby, but were trying to obey the prophet's request that every worth member have a current recommend.
*Mission presidents who gave up everything for several years to go and serve in a foreign country.
*The "brethren" who give up successful jobs to be representatives of the church.
While I thought all of these were exemplary examples of sacrifice, I felt that there was a major point being missed. For most of us, these examples are out of our realm of what would ever be our reality. When we compare ourselves to the sacrifices of these people, we may feel that we always come up lacking because these are things we probably will never accomplish. Secondly, what really draws my attention and admiration to a person is usually a person that most would never notice, but daily endures heavy burdens with grace and dignity. That is my personal definition of a modern day hero. I have never really been a pushover for those who sacrifice for lofty callings, simply because their reward is usually somewhat immediate by having great honor and notoriety among LDS members as well as receiving the accompanying blessings which inevitably come with having a large calling.
Here is who has inspired me lately with their sacrifices:
*A couple in my neighborhood who went through hell and back with their 5 rebellious children, in spite of raising them in all the proper LDS ways. This couple was our ward's nursery leaders for 5 years so they had little support or interaction with other members of our ward. Not only do they serve in the sometimes thankless job of nursery leaders, but they bring their grandchildren every week to church because the parents won't. The burden this has been on the mother in particular is obvious every time I look into her eyes. I can see it and I can feel it. Recently however, because of their sacrifices, two of her children have started attending our ward with their spouses. She is a hero.
*Another quietly courageous person that I have been inspired by lately is my son's preschool teacher who has 6 children of her own, yet offers 2 sessions of preschool everyday to help provide for her family. The other night, I had to get some last minute groceries at the store around 10 pm, and who did I see stocking shelves in her Smith's uniform? This dear preschool teacher who was working the late shift. I was profoundly humbled by her sacrifices for her family so that she could be a stay-at-home mom.
*I have a friend who had a recent bout with an extremely aggressive and advanced stage of breast cancer. I will never forget bringing dinner to her one night after her double mastectomy and her greeting me with her beautiful bald head and glowing smile. The spirit in her home was palpable. Every time I see her, she is positive and brave. She is a hero that has made great sacrifices to give her children a happy, stable home in spite of the heavy burdens she was carrying.
*I also think of my own mother because I have witnessed for years the sacrifices she has given for her children. She has fought like a lion for us to succeed in life, to make our lives better, and in some cases, to turn our lives around. There have been decisions of some of her children that have caused her great anguish, but she forges on, never losing hope and persevering in what outwardly may seem like a hopeless situation. She is a hero.
If you show me a person who is educated, holds leadership callings, has several children, and gives to the poor, I will be mildly impressed. But show me a person who exhibits perseverance and dignity in the face of great personal trials and that is a person who is a modern day hero to me. I am so thankful to have many heroes in my life that inspire me by their sacrifices to reach for more.
*A couple in Africa who walked 18 miles both ways to get a temple recommend even though there was no temple nearby, but were trying to obey the prophet's request that every worth member have a current recommend.
*Mission presidents who gave up everything for several years to go and serve in a foreign country.
*The "brethren" who give up successful jobs to be representatives of the church.
While I thought all of these were exemplary examples of sacrifice, I felt that there was a major point being missed. For most of us, these examples are out of our realm of what would ever be our reality. When we compare ourselves to the sacrifices of these people, we may feel that we always come up lacking because these are things we probably will never accomplish. Secondly, what really draws my attention and admiration to a person is usually a person that most would never notice, but daily endures heavy burdens with grace and dignity. That is my personal definition of a modern day hero. I have never really been a pushover for those who sacrifice for lofty callings, simply because their reward is usually somewhat immediate by having great honor and notoriety among LDS members as well as receiving the accompanying blessings which inevitably come with having a large calling.
Here is who has inspired me lately with their sacrifices:
*A couple in my neighborhood who went through hell and back with their 5 rebellious children, in spite of raising them in all the proper LDS ways. This couple was our ward's nursery leaders for 5 years so they had little support or interaction with other members of our ward. Not only do they serve in the sometimes thankless job of nursery leaders, but they bring their grandchildren every week to church because the parents won't. The burden this has been on the mother in particular is obvious every time I look into her eyes. I can see it and I can feel it. Recently however, because of their sacrifices, two of her children have started attending our ward with their spouses. She is a hero.
*Another quietly courageous person that I have been inspired by lately is my son's preschool teacher who has 6 children of her own, yet offers 2 sessions of preschool everyday to help provide for her family. The other night, I had to get some last minute groceries at the store around 10 pm, and who did I see stocking shelves in her Smith's uniform? This dear preschool teacher who was working the late shift. I was profoundly humbled by her sacrifices for her family so that she could be a stay-at-home mom.
*I have a friend who had a recent bout with an extremely aggressive and advanced stage of breast cancer. I will never forget bringing dinner to her one night after her double mastectomy and her greeting me with her beautiful bald head and glowing smile. The spirit in her home was palpable. Every time I see her, she is positive and brave. She is a hero that has made great sacrifices to give her children a happy, stable home in spite of the heavy burdens she was carrying.
*I also think of my own mother because I have witnessed for years the sacrifices she has given for her children. She has fought like a lion for us to succeed in life, to make our lives better, and in some cases, to turn our lives around. There have been decisions of some of her children that have caused her great anguish, but she forges on, never losing hope and persevering in what outwardly may seem like a hopeless situation. She is a hero.
If you show me a person who is educated, holds leadership callings, has several children, and gives to the poor, I will be mildly impressed. But show me a person who exhibits perseverance and dignity in the face of great personal trials and that is a person who is a modern day hero to me. I am so thankful to have many heroes in my life that inspire me by their sacrifices to reach for more.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Tidbits from our weekend
Yesterday Elisabeth came running into my room saying excitedly, "Come look, Mama! Come see what me and Ashton are doing!" She was obviously very proud of whatever it was, so I quickly went to go look and this is what I found:
They were reinacting a CRIME SCENE where Ashton was supposed to be dead and Elisabeth was the investigator. If they both weren't so thrilled with themselves, I might have been a bit more concerned...
Yesterday, we went out to breakfast as a family. Before entering the restaurant, I happen to glance at a newspaper headline that read, "Utah has the highest number per capita of online pornographic subscriptions in the United States." Really Utah?? Not good. Why is this? There have got to be some major religious psychological issues going on here. I'm going to have to mull over this some more.
One of the few moments Ashbear sat still on our walk. Love those big brown bear eyes.
Yesterday, we went out to breakfast as a family. Before entering the restaurant, I happen to glance at a newspaper headline that read, "Utah has the highest number per capita of online pornographic subscriptions in the United States." Really Utah?? Not good. Why is this? There have got to be some major religious psychological issues going on here. I'm going to have to mull over this some more.
Me and Elisabeth before church this morning. Isn't she precious?
Ashton wanted to take the dog on a walk. Notice the shoes on the wrong feet, as always. Also, Jazzy's paws aren't touching the ground! Goooood girl, Jazzy!!
One of the few moments Ashbear sat still on our walk. Love those big brown bear eyes.
I love when he allows me to hold his "paw."
Hunter and Ashton love to wrestle on the trampoline like bear cubs. I love to watch them.
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| The beautiful river was flowing under this thick sheet of ice. |
Saturday afternoon, Robert and I set out to hike up to a waterfall in Adam's Canyon. The trail was steep and covered in slippery ice and snow. Not wanting to quit, we opted to scale the mountain up to the ridge where we knew there was another trail with little snow because of the way it faced. The mountain was literally almost a vertical 90 degrees. But the view from the top was spectacular! Times like these with Robert are some of my very favorite memories.
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| Taken with our iphone so quality is poor. The view at the top was breath taking! I wish this picture could have captured that! |
Friday, February 4, 2011
Public versus Private School
My daughter Elisabeth has a September birthday which means that she missed the cut off date for kindergarten by 12 days. It was very frustrating because not only is she extremely tall for her age, but was very prepared to start kindergarten with the rest of her friends yet still had to wait an additional year. Because of this, we chose to enroll her in Challenger private school which is just down the road from us so that she could attend all-day kindergarten and would maybe be prepared enough when she started public school to have the option of skipping first grade. I had no idea what the rest of my kids were missing out on until she attended private school. Now don't get me wrong, my children have had excellent teachers at the elementary they attend, but because of the amount of money allotted per child from taxes, there are things the teachers just can't do even if they wanted to. For example:
Elisabeth has 12 children in her kindergarten class. 12!! There is another kindergarten class there as well with the same number of students, meaning instead of combining them for a class of 24, they chose to hire an extra teacher and split the classes. The curriculum requires that every child be reading before they start kindergarten, if they are not at this level, they are offered additional classes to catch up. I happened to be at my friend's house and saw the books that were sent home with her daughter to read for homework for the 1st grade and was absolutely blown away that her books were the same ones Elisabeth was given to read in preschool. Some of the words that were in my daughter's reading for this week were "audition" and "plough". My daughter is able to do weekly science projects where they learn about prisms and the water cycle and boiling points of different substances. They also did a class science fair project. They are taught history every day; about the Constitution and the various presidents and how they can be responsible citizens. They learn in depth about other countries and their cultures, as well as beginning Spanish.
I LOVE all-day kindergarten and think that all schools should have this option, if it were in their budgets. Kindergarten is really just another year of preschool here in Utah--2 1/2 hours every day except Friday which is early out and therefore it is only 1 1/2 hours. Is it even worth going?! I realize there are some people who want as much time with their kids as possible (which I will never understand) and would not want all day kindergarten, but the added amount of time for learning is vital! I have seen first hand the difference a full day can make versus a so-called half day. As a matter of fact, Elisabeth has no early out Fridays and no teacher prep days. Don't most of you get tired of the endless extra days off your kids have? It seems like every other week they have a day off, which just seems disruptive to the learning process to me. Elisabeth's 100th day of school is at least 2 weeks before the rest of my kids!
The public school system is great for most kids who have no learning challenges, but for those like my 12 year old daughter, private school would have been such a blessing! How I wish I would have had the means to put her in private school many years back so that she could have had more one-on-one attention! Although I do not like paying taxes, I would be more than willing to pay more so that my kids could have smaller class sizes and better paid teachers.
It bothers me that Utah has a law prohibiting schools from asking parents to supply basic school supplies for their children. Regardless of this, I always donate to my children's classrooms. I realize that they are trying to be mindful of those who don't have money to buy such things but seriously, if you can't afford a box of crayons and some erasers for your kids, then stop having kids!
I also love that she is required to wear a uniform. Not only do I like it because there are no worries about modesty or comparing clothes between students, but no one looks scroungy and it ends up costing a LOT less money. There are no arguments on what to wear in the morning; she has one uniform so she wakes up and puts it on, no questions asked.
It makes me sad that next year Elisabeth will be integrated into public school because I have seen what level of learning she is capable of and what a school can offer if it has the money. But, I am happy because she has had an awesome start to her education and will now be at the school where most of her friends are as well as her siblings.
Elisabeth has 12 children in her kindergarten class. 12!! There is another kindergarten class there as well with the same number of students, meaning instead of combining them for a class of 24, they chose to hire an extra teacher and split the classes. The curriculum requires that every child be reading before they start kindergarten, if they are not at this level, they are offered additional classes to catch up. I happened to be at my friend's house and saw the books that were sent home with her daughter to read for homework for the 1st grade and was absolutely blown away that her books were the same ones Elisabeth was given to read in preschool. Some of the words that were in my daughter's reading for this week were "audition" and "plough". My daughter is able to do weekly science projects where they learn about prisms and the water cycle and boiling points of different substances. They also did a class science fair project. They are taught history every day; about the Constitution and the various presidents and how they can be responsible citizens. They learn in depth about other countries and their cultures, as well as beginning Spanish.
I LOVE all-day kindergarten and think that all schools should have this option, if it were in their budgets. Kindergarten is really just another year of preschool here in Utah--2 1/2 hours every day except Friday which is early out and therefore it is only 1 1/2 hours. Is it even worth going?! I realize there are some people who want as much time with their kids as possible (which I will never understand) and would not want all day kindergarten, but the added amount of time for learning is vital! I have seen first hand the difference a full day can make versus a so-called half day. As a matter of fact, Elisabeth has no early out Fridays and no teacher prep days. Don't most of you get tired of the endless extra days off your kids have? It seems like every other week they have a day off, which just seems disruptive to the learning process to me. Elisabeth's 100th day of school is at least 2 weeks before the rest of my kids!
The public school system is great for most kids who have no learning challenges, but for those like my 12 year old daughter, private school would have been such a blessing! How I wish I would have had the means to put her in private school many years back so that she could have had more one-on-one attention! Although I do not like paying taxes, I would be more than willing to pay more so that my kids could have smaller class sizes and better paid teachers.
It bothers me that Utah has a law prohibiting schools from asking parents to supply basic school supplies for their children. Regardless of this, I always donate to my children's classrooms. I realize that they are trying to be mindful of those who don't have money to buy such things but seriously, if you can't afford a box of crayons and some erasers for your kids, then stop having kids!
I also love that she is required to wear a uniform. Not only do I like it because there are no worries about modesty or comparing clothes between students, but no one looks scroungy and it ends up costing a LOT less money. There are no arguments on what to wear in the morning; she has one uniform so she wakes up and puts it on, no questions asked.
It makes me sad that next year Elisabeth will be integrated into public school because I have seen what level of learning she is capable of and what a school can offer if it has the money. But, I am happy because she has had an awesome start to her education and will now be at the school where most of her friends are as well as her siblings.
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