JOYn9Kids Catholic Blended Family

Go to my new websites

2011-06-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

Hello World,

In case you do not know yet, I have migrated to several websites.

If you are interested to find out how to homeschool through college, visit my new website called "STUDY AT HOME WITH JOY"

If you want to get an idea of how Catholic Robinson Curriculum works, visit CATHOLIC ROBINSON.

ESSAY on CONSPIRACY

2010-02-09T14:06:00.001-08:00

Joseph, 16 year old wrote this Essay:

The Conspiracy

There is a high probability that the United Nations are planning to unite the whole world. A step they taken is through the uniting of currency of the European nations which are now called Euros. It wouldn’t be surprising if the whole European continent decided that they are going to be under one ruler. Knowing this, I have made a prediction on how the world will be within fifty years. The world will be divided into three regimes: United Nations, America, and the Taliban.

United Nations will have control of the entire Eastern Hemisphere and eventually found a way to control the Chinese. Since the United Nations have control of one of the largest manufacturing countries, it’s come to the point where if you do not side with the United Nations, your benefits on everything are severely reduced. This means that if a person isn’t siding with the United Nations, everything they buy will be very expensive which creates a system where it will be very disadvantageous to be in opposition.

America represents freedom and occupies the North and South American continents. Despite this, America’s influence doesn’t stretch far beyond its borders because everything is censored. America would be the only nation that still allows freedom of speech but the President is decided by the higher-ups. America’s role is trying to spread the word that living on peace and freedom will bring prosperity to all nations instead of forcing unification.

The Taliban is the terrorist organization that creates unease in the world. It is hard to go after the members blindly because they have infiltrated the high offices of both America and the United Nations. When corruption becomes so deep, it is very difficult to root out the evil. Also, the main reason the Taliban is able to exist is because high ranking officials are bribed for the safety of their family. Also, there are rumors circulating that the President himself pays off assassins from the Taliban to kill certain key people to secure his position.

At this point, the world can change dramatically depending on which side gains control. When America is able to influence United Nations in adopting a policy to promote freedom, the war against the Taliban as well as against corruption will soon be over. However, if the power falls into the hands of the enemy, darkness will soon spread.

Our Current Life with Saxon Math

2010-01-29T08:28:00.000-08:00

There are many details in our family's Catholic life that will not be interesting in my other blog (mrstreasures.wordpress.com) so I decided to write back here like a journal.

In 2002, I used Saxon 5/4 with my 4th grade boy. Ever since that time, he was getting high grades in math in public school.
Now, that we are using Saxon Math program again with my children, I can see where other parents may have a difficult time with this program.

It is challenging because you have to do 25-30 mathematical problems a day. In the elementary and middle grades, there is a 20 minutes MATH fact drill, 5-10 minutes mental math exercises, lesson (another 10 minutes), practice set problems, and the 25-30 exercises. It takes one hour and a half to do it. It is very self-teaching. There is almost no teacher help required. I personally allot 2 hours for Saxon Math with my children.

The concepts are explained very simply. The exercises spiral back to previous lessons and skills. Thus, you will not really forget the lessons as they are delivered in increments.

Yet, the difficult part for most students is to be “accurate”.

Many parents using Saxon Math just do even numbers one day. Some parents allow for odd numbers on another day. I did that with my 15 year old when she was in 9th grade last year. It was a huge disaster. She had to repeat the book this year. She was not able to master the concepts and skills required. And she hated it so much.

I had to insist to her because I believe in the program. But, does it work for ADD kids?

Honestly, ADD kids, if not medicated, may possibly have a hard time focusing on Saxon Math. It is very easy to get distracted because it is hard work. ADD kids like anything easy so they can go in their own world. They cannot pursue tasks that are super boring.

Saxon Math becomes boring because it is a discipline, a mathematical training and conditioning. Even if it is presented in bits and pieces, it does not have the “funfare” that would entice a child to stick with it. I took the risk and jumped into the program with 7 kids. We are doing Saxon 5/4, 6/5, 7/6 , 8/7, Algebra 1/2, Algebra 1, Precalculus.
The first few months were peaks on some days and valleys on others. It is not just consistent. On good days, the kids get 1-2 mistakes. On bad days, they get 6 mistakes.

Eventually, I realized that I have to be there when they are doing Saxon Math. I check their work. Yet, I cannot force them to have a good day. But, I noticed that if they try their best, they really do well. So how do you motivate kids for the rigors of Saxon Math.

I do not have the answer. I hate motivating kids for what will be eventually good for them. Bribing them to study is not my cup of tea.

So, to cut to the chase, I am like a policewoman in our house during our Saxon Math study period. I make sure they are on task. If they are distracted, I let them read aloud the problems.

This January, my goal is ”accuracy”. If other kids can do it, why can’t my kids do it. Well, in the past, when I was a student. I was not good in math. I did very well with teachers that were patient, approachable and clear. I discovered that mathematics is accurate. There are many ways to do a problem. Thus, many roads to lead to a solution. Yet, the answer is exact.

So, I always tell my children that “accuracy” is possible. It is very likely that if they will be able to discover where they are being “careless” and why they are making the same mistakes over and over again, they might have made an important discovery in their way of studying. What is the point that makes their mind careless? Why can’t they achieve accuracy when it is not impossible? Why can other kids be accurate and why can’t they be accurate? What are they doing right? What are they doing wrong?

They can wait until they are adults to figure this out or we can help these kids explore their weaknesses in an environment where you can cheer them up to do better. We can encourage them to try again. We can help them understand themselves.
Recently, I tried to do 5 exercises at a time in Saxon Math. I let them re-do those 5 exercises. I let them note the differences with their first set of answers and compare it to their second set of answers. I let them check if they copied the numbers right to be able to calculate it right. I make them re-read the word problems again to make sure they have the “givens” and the “mathematical sentence” right. I let them double check their decimal placement. I let them look if it requires a “$” sign. I let them take a quick look if they put the right “units” in word problems. These are common errors in Saxon Math that hinders them from achieving 100% error rate. It is very frustrating for a child to know how to solve a mathematical problem and to realize that their error was due to carelessness.

I give them credit for trying their best. I grieve with them on having the right process and the wrong answer. The hardest part is encouraging them that there is a purpose for to this “accuracy” thing.

For my 16 year daughter doing Prealgebra 1/2 she finally is getting 100% accuracy for the last four days. We initially tried doing exercises 1-30, and then re-doing it and checking the difference. She had 1-2 errors using this technique. So when I switched to every 5 exercises, her error rate went to zero. Well, except today. We figured it was because she has tonsillitis.
I tried the every ” 5 exercises and then check” method with my highly distractible son and it is not really working for him. He memorizes his previous answers which defeats the purpose the re-check.

I’m afraid I had to let 4 kids start from the beginning of the lesson for various reasons. The 17 year old started on Saxon Algebra II and gave up. So, I had him do the placement test and he is on the Saxon Algebra level. So far, I am not getting feedback yet on this.

My 16 year old volunteered to start over again with his Precalculus after being stuck somewhere.

My 12 year old started Saxon 7/6 from the beginning again after showing severe erratic scores. I just learned a few days ago that he forgot to multiply two-digits which was extensively covered in Saxon 6/5.

But, we are not giving up because I am not allowing them to give up. If I had Saxon Math when I was younger, I would have done better in Math. I mean, I would have felt confident with my mathematical skills. In Saxon Math, the method gives you considerable confidence that you can tackle math problems because the repetition makes mathematical calculations automatic.

Detractors say it discourages word problem solving. For me, it helps the kids see “patterns” in identifying the appropriate mathematical sentence and solution for the word problems.

So, that is our life in Saxon. And, yes, despite being challenged with my children, I highly recommend it.

My bottom line with this long post is Saxon Math is what “strengthening, conditioning, endurance” exercises are to our body. It is a discipline to achieve accuracy, endurance and confidence to make the mathematical part of our brain invincible and strong.

Too Many Blogs

2010-01-07T04:36:00.000-08:00

It is not easy to maintain many blogs, yet I want to write for specific audience. However, I have realized that I cannot separate my Catholic identity to how I raise my children, to what I want to become and contribute in our world.

It is for this reason, that I decided to go back to my original blog www.mrstreasures.wordpress.com, the scratch pad of my ideas. So, if you cannot find me in this blog, feel free to visit me over there.

The Discrimination Against Large Families

2009-12-23T06:42:00.001-08:00

Is there such thing as discrimination against large families in the US?

Oh yes!!!

It is very difficult for many to imagine how two people can raise so many children without snapping. Traditional families with 2 to 3 children are already overwhelmed.

The family of Maria Howard is now experiencing such discrimination. The DSS in their area has decided to investigate the family for abuse or negligence. This came about due to the recent incident when Maria had a brain tumor. THe person who filed a complaint is saying that the parents of Maria Howard are medically negligent by bringing her a bit too late for medical attention.

For all the drama they experienced in finding out their daughter has an inoperable brain tumor, the surgery and recovery, DSS knocks in the door (not literally, by protocol DSS has to give them advance notice) to tell them that they are going to be investigated for an indicative abuse and neglect.

WOW... call that a misuse of precious taxpayer money. Why are we paying knuckleheads to do this?

The least I can do for this family is to pray the Chaplet of St. Michael, the archangel to protect their family from evil.

The knuckleheads are not evil. But, Satan sure does know a way to stir a boat.

Tridium Christmas

2009-12-19T09:54:00.001-08:00

I want to test how google analytics work

The Grace of Hope

2009-12-05T21:26:00.000-08:00

Maria in ICU now...

From Julie:

We just got out of the recovery room and are now in ICU in the children's
hospital. She only had a strip of hair removed during the surgery so that is
good as that was one of Maria's worries. Bald at 12 for a girl is rather
unappealing.

I hope you will remember her beautiful smile as it might be a while before we
see it again. There is drooping in her left side which wasn't there before
surgery. She did speak to us, though it was a big effort. The right side is
not functioning well at all. The big party in the recovery room was she wiggled
her toes on command a tiny bit.

On the bright side her nurse is wearing a shirt with pictures of Jesus, Mary and
Joseph, the Blessed Trinity, The 3 Kings and the Flight into Egypt.

The Power of Prayer- Update on Maria

2009-12-05T16:52:00.000-08:00

Surgery is done. It was hours. This is an update from Maria's mom:

The neurosurgeon just came down. They had no problem getting to the tumor, they had to go through a couple milimeters of brain to get to the tumor but he had no problems pulling the brain down to get to it. They removed what they think is all of it. They will know Tues. or Wed. whether it is benign or malignant. He said she may be worse for a while and gradually improve or she may be much better. She's going in to recovery now. We are waiting for them to call one of us to go up there (they will only let 1 in). After that she will go to the children's ICU.

What can we say for the power of prayer. Keep them coming.

Update of Maria - Please continue prayers for her

2009-12-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

This is an update from Julie, Maria's mother:

Dr. Albright, the neurosurgeon, seemed confident. (at least he has a good name! haha) The tumor itself is about the size of a marble but there is a good amount of fluid surrounding it about the size of a golf ball. They will put a drain into the top of her head to drain the fluid. Then they will go in from the back left side of her head and attempt to remove the tumor which is in
mid-brain. She is in surgery now. I will keep you posted , pass it on wherever you can.

Healing Prayer for Maria Howard

2009-12-04T23:08:00.000-08:00

"Heavenly Father, I call on You right now in a special way. It is through Your power that Maria was created. Every breath she takes, every morning she wakes, and every moment of every hour, she lives under Your power.

Father, we ask You now to touch maria with that same power. For if You created her from nothing, You can certainly recreate her. Fill her with the healing power of Your Spirit. Cast out anything that should not be in her. Mend what is broken. Root out any unproductive cells. Open any blocked arteries or veins and rebuild any damaged areas. Remove all inflammation and cleanse any infection. Let the warmth of Your healing love pass through Maria's body to make new unhealthy areas so that her body will function the way you created it to function.

And Father, restore Maria to full health in mind and body so that she may serve You the rest of her life. I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

UPDATE ON MARIA FROM HER MOM

Maria's surgery is Saturday Dec 5th at 7:30am CST.
They said that she may not make it through surgery as worst case, medium case is
that she will be crippled and have brain damage of some kind or she may come out
just fine. It's a 4-5 hour surgery at least. First they will put a hole through
the top of her skull and put in a drain. Then they will put a hole in the back
of the skull. My dad is a doctor so here are his words (after talking to Tom):
"Maria has a brain stem tumor on the Rt. Side.
This is in an area of very critical nerve centers. This makes surgery difficult.
The tumor mass is the size of a golf ball but it is mostly fluid."

Maria needs prayers

2009-12-04T13:24:00.001-08:00

Maria is 12 year old. She has been having problems with the right side of her body (thankfully she is left handed). This has affected her walking, her balance, ability to lift things and any fine motor skills as well as her ability to read, write, spell. She is seeing double, etc, etc, etc. Dad took her to the doctor on December 03 but he referred her to a peditrician in Madison. The Ped called back and said to bring her into the Emergency Room right away. Today, Maria is diagnosed with a brain tumor in the middle of her brain. Her prognosis is not good. They are seeking another neurosurgeon who can operate on her. If you have any prayer line, kindly remember Maria Howard in your prayers.

Offering Up House Chores that I Wanted to Give the Kids

2009-12-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

Five of my children are with my in-laws. After Thanksgiving, my parents-in-law said that they needed help with yard work. My husband and I obliged. We would take the opportunity to do our own cleaning at home.

So I have a 3 year old boy, 8 year old boy, and 16 year old teen with me since Saturday.

My 16 year old teen goes with my husband to for his job internship.

To my surprise, there is tremendous house chores to be done in the house. We have by now let the kids do the kitchen and the cupboards are a disaster. Food crumbs, unwashed small kitchen appliances and other yucky stuff. And, that is only on the kitchen front.

I walked into the kid's bedrooms and yikes... more things for me to cry about.

I almost felt defeated. Would it be better for me just to do all the house chores? Might be impossible for the rate of mess is faster than my cleaning speed.

Instead of whining here, I will do things one at a time. Let me start with this George Foreman grill. My teen cook used this grill to cook my fish (fat free) dinner prior to my gall bladder surgery. Yikes... no wonder I had those tummy pain.

Before I end this post, even if it is contrary to what I feel, I will go and clean each dirty appliance in our kitchen. I have much to offer. One of my friend's daughter is going to ER at the moment. I will offer up these kitchen chores for her intentions.

St. Anthony, pray for us.

Come Holy Spirit, grant me the spirit of fortitude.

Thanksgiving Family Pics: 3rd Grader

2009-11-27T15:15:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving Family Pics: My Girls

2009-11-27T15:09:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving Family Pics: The First Born

2009-11-27T15:07:00.001-08:00

My twenty year old son, my first born ...

Essay: The Shroud of Turin from the Eyes of My Teenager

2009-11-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

The Shroud

There are skeptics for everything. It’s fascinating how some people are more inclined to believe that the world was created purely by the smallest chance possible than to believe there is a living God. Even when all the evidence lines up in front of them, people will still turn their head the other way in attempt to disprove ideas. This is especially the case surrounding the Shroud of Turin. With the Shroud, there is some controversy, history, as well as evidence.

The fourteen-foot cloth said to have been the burial linen of Jesus of Nazarene, (or Christ) has been attacked by skeptics for years. One strong argument was that carbon dating of the Shroud proved that it was, in fact, not around 2000 years ago but rather in the medieval times. Going by this, another dispute then comes to say that an artist simply painted a picture of Christ in the Shroud. Yet a dispute goes on to say that how does anyone know for certain that it is the actual Jesus’ face in the Shroud and not any other man? First, we have to look at the evidence before we can draw a conclusion.

The story of this relic, many discrepancies surround its origins mainly because of the fact that there are no records of the Shroud until around the 1300s. Going back before that, however, there was a cloth known as the Cloth of Edessa, which around 900 AD was transferred to the city of Constantinople. According to a description by an archdeacon, when the cloth arrived in Constantinople, he described it as a “full length image with bloodstains from a side wound.” With this information recently recovered by the Vatican, it is easy to therefore connect the Cloth of Edessa and the Shroud of Turin as one and the same. More evidence supports this idea as microscopic amounts of pollen, from ancient flowers found only in areas such as Constantinople and around the Middle East, were found in the cloth.

In around the year 1988, scientists claimed that the Shroud was dated close to 1300 due to carbon dating. This theory was then disproved as with scientific advancements, scientists were able to prove that the material was chemically different than the rest of the cloth. The samples taken for the carbon dating were actually a part of a medieval repair patch to the cloth. With this in mind, the cloth was then later tested to be at least twice > as old as the carbon estimates. Only one scientist claimed that the Shroud’s image might’ve been painted. It is agreed however, that through the chemical composition of the Shroud, by chemical and spectral analysis, the Shroud is not painted. If, however, one assumes that it was painted, first, how the image was created needs to be put to consideration. The image was a negative, which means that an artist of the medieval times has to do everything backwards with the image mind. It would be truly difficult to reprogram the way your brain processes things and to reverse everything. Imagine writing your signature upside-down and backwards. That alone is an extremely difficult task as the artist must make black into white and turn the light shades of grey into the dark and vice-versa. In addition to this strenuous process, why would an artist go so far as to make a hoax of this magnitude on a fourteen-foot cloth, instead of finding a piece of thorns and claim it as part of the crown of thorns that Jesus himself painfully wore.

All scientific evidence clearly proves that the cloth is very probable to have been around the 1^st century originating near the Middle East very likely to be in Palestine. It is also safe to conclude that the Shroud bears the wounds of a man crucified and the bloodstains are truly blood. The image of the Shroud has not been proved to have been man-made by any way, be it painting or intricate stitching and also cannot be reproduced by any natural process ever recorded or thought of. The theories concluding that the Shroud was constructed in the medieval times have been disproved and it is safe to assume that the Shroud is not a hoax, fake, or fraud of any sort. An unanswered question remains as with all the evidence presented, how do we know for sure that the image on the Shroud is the actual Christ himself? The answer to this is simple: God will not spoon feed us the fact that we have possession of the burial cloth of his son Jesus Christ, instead he calls each one of us to take that leap of faith necessary to believe in something more than mere facts and evidence, but rather, to explore the spirituality deep inside us and to be unconcerned with what physical wonder he blessed us with and instead fill ourselves with his loving grace to believe in something we cannot yet see.

Teacher's Comments: What an awesome conclusion!!! Your essay brought up some facts that may gleaned from factual sources. It is good writing to cite those sources and put it part of your essay. For example, Mr. Iggy Campbell, author of the book "The Shroud Phenomenon", argued that " blah, blah, blah". Yet, another scientist, Rudolf Reindeer reiterated that "yadi yadi da".

Essay: Sugar and Teens

2009-11-25T05:59:00.000-08:00

Joseph, 16 year old wrote an essay on the topic of Sugar. This is how it looks after I give it back to them for editing.

Sugar

Sugar or sugar-free: That is the question. The question of eating this necessary nutrient sparks debates among many people as some claim that sugar is an evil. Granted, it is true that when taken in excess it will have serious side effects such as hyperglycemia and lead to diabetes. However, anything taken above recommended levels will cause an imbalance in the body and with this in mind, one has to understand why keeping things in moderation is important, how sugar nurtures our body, as well as what others argue against it. (run on sentences)

Keeping things in balance is a very important part in everyone’s lives. By being deprived of sleep, one gets emotionally unstable, while too much has been linked tobeing depressed (depression) or even obesity. Drinking too much alcohol might create an undesired circumstance for the heavy drinker. Alcoholics are always advised to drink in moderation. Even going on the emotional level, someone’s strong feeling of hatred towards an object may cause deeper feelings inside the person and later cause them to commit a murder. So the question remains: How much is too much? Before answering this question, first we must understand why sugar is important to our body. <>

Sugar is our brain’s fuel. The brain depends on the blood supply for its dosage of sugar. Glucose, the main sugar in the blood, is so essential to the functioning of the brain that without it, the brain won’t last for more than two minutes. Blood sugar levels are determined by what is eaten, and how fast sugar is transported from one place to another. When there is an excess of sugar, a hormone known as insulin transports it to muscle cells and the liver. When all the stores for sugar are filled up there, then the sugar is stored into fat tissue. Yet even with this knowledge, people still criticize and regard sugars an evil.

A strong argument that is commonly associated with sugar is that an excess of it will cause obesity rates to sky-rocket. Another goes on to say that eating a lot of sugar may rot your teeth and poses a risk of a various amount of unwanted diseases such as arthritis, hypoglycemia, and diabetes. One thing all these arguments have in common is this: <All the arguments have one thing in common: They require an excess of sugar. How do you solve an abundance of something? Simply by cutting down and going in a state of equilibrium.

People of today are too concerned of pointing out the wrongs of something instead of looking at the positives. Though it is true sugar can cause some life-threatening diseases, it is also true that our body, our brain especially, needs it to survive. Moderation is the key word to battle many things that “experts” say will kill you. More people will rather believe in the slim chances of something going wrong than in the huge percentage of it never happening.

Teacher's Comments: WEll thought out...excellent essay. I'm impressed with your ability to make topic sentence for each paragraph. Nice intro, great ending. Way to go.

Essay "Procrastination and Essay Writing"

2009-11-25T05:51:00.001-08:00

As part of his essay requirements, Joseph wrote this essay.

To Start

“It is as difficult to start things as it is to finish things” goes a famous saying. At first glance, I impulsively deemed this statement false, but when thinking about it, I find myself saying otherwise. Great things happen when something is finished: Satisfaction, experience, and the knowledge of being able to finish something. Starting something requires initial planning and steps to see it through.

Though brainstorming is seen as something uncomplicated, the idea on what exactly to start thinking about is the main problem. Let’s say Johnny has a problem starting an essay. Based on experience, Johnny knows that when he has the main idea as well as facts to support it, writing an essay is a breeze. However, before that even happens, he is at his desk fiddling with his pencil as hours go by and not a single word has been written. He has an idea of what to write except he can’t express it in words. Suppose he was to write an essay about animals, he now has to think what exactly about animals is he going to write? This is the main problem I experience when trying to create an outline for an essay. I find it very frustrating because with all the things I want to write about, I also have to organize my thoughts in a paragraph form. Finishing something is entirely different.

When an engineer designs plans, he has already relieved the builders on the planning process. The project has already begun and they need only to follow through in accordance with the plan drawings. Few fix along the way, but otherwise a straightforward process. The same thing goes for writing an essay because when an outline has been created, the writer just has to look over and add sufficient details to support sentences creating a paragraph. Finishing itself is not an entirely effortless task, but in comparison to starting something, it would seem almost trouble-free.

Pleasure comes from starting then finishing something. As a part of human nature, most people want to see something followed through all the way to the end. Very few, relish in beginning a project about halfway and completely abandoning it and no longer bothering with it. What a world we would be living in if everything was half-finished. Ultimately, the most stress comes from thinking how something’s going to start and relief follows when it’s finished so get the job done and put worries behind.

Cheating in Saxon Math

2009-11-19T14:44:00.000-08:00

My 12 year old is a very smart boy. Yet, he gets very easily stressed out. He is very sensitive. I have posted that he was getting 100% Saxon Math the past three days. I was very happy. Good academic performance has been used by psychologists as a good indicator of emotional health.

It has been one whole month that I noticed him unable to focus in his homeschooling. This is not unusual for him because he gets easily stressed out. I always use his focus as a gauge if something is stressing him out. You could just imagine my relief knowing that he was doing well.

Sad to say, I found the answer key hidden in the futon where he does his Saxon Math. I had two answer keys and I thought the other one was in his Dad's car. I recall telling him four days ago that I am going to sell the other copy of Saxon Math. I noticed a change on his face but did not think anything to that.

So finding out that he was using the answer key doe not come as a surprise for me. With this sensitive child, we have our challenges. His good behavior was never consistent.

But, I restrained myself from getting upset. I tried to understand him and brought him closer to me. I told him that I have been noticing his lack of focus the past month. I told him that our 6 hour school work is very rigorous and he needs to balance his life with looking forward to "fun" things to do for him.

Being an introvert, he did not really have any suggestions. But, for some reason, I let him draw a house, a tree, and a person. Hopefully, I can let an art therapist find out what is going on with him.

Essay of 16 year old

2009-11-19T14:34:00.000-08:00

Power corrupts, hatred destroys, and war obliterates. With all these destructive natures, it would be impossible for mankind to prosper. The complete opposite of death is life and creating and that’s exactly what art is. An artist is gifted with the ability to use their mind to create something new. Michelangelo didn’t just rearrange simple patterns together; instead, he brought them to life. Shakespeare defied the laws of language and created an entirely new form which has survived hundreds of years even in modern times. One of the astounding mysteries that surround us today is the act of creation. Scientists know the inner structures of a living being as well as what it’s capable of doing, however, how we just have life and its origins have always been unanswered. Many theories and radical explanations are brought up, but something concrete is still pending. There have been great kings who are remembered as only footnotes in the history books. A challenge that presents an artist is if their work can outlast them or simply die out. Mozart, Bach, and Dante are just a few of the names that haven’t been forgotten. They brought to mankind a gift which we have cherished and kept with us. With the gift that they present to us in the form of their art, it would be selfish for us to simply receive it with only the mind. It is necessary therefore, to use not only the mind, but feel as though you were the great artist who with a stroke of a brush created a masterpiece. Sadly, art isn’t always used to bring life, but also to bring death and suffering. This would be known as the art of deception. People gifted with intelligence are known to waste it and use it to their advantage. They deceitfully manipulate people under them to get what their priority at the time achieved. Some use their innocent face to steal from the pocket of a victim. Others use fear and blackmail to command weak-minded souls. An intervention is necessary to bring these blackened souls to the light as well as to direct their art in the way of truth. People boast that some artists aren’t talented at all and their works can be replicated in full. When one actually sits down and tries to write a work of poetry with the same emotion as that of Shakespeare, or compose a piece as brilliant as Beethoven, one will find himself walking away disappointed.
******
My 16 year old wrote this essay today. I would say it was a nice reflection of art and giftedness. He also touched on the human possibility of using creative tendencies for evil. For those interested to know, I allot one hour each day for Essays on a topic chosen by my children. The books that they are encountering are good writing prompts. After 3 months, they are very adept on choosing topics that they are interested to write about. In the beginning of our homeschooling, I allowed them to choose their own subject but I found their essays were very shallow. So, I researched college level writing prompts and challenged them to it. The result is their content is much deeper. Now, I revert back to allowing them to write topics of their choice.

Offering Up Little Sacrifices

2009-11-18T18:31:00.000-08:00

My body is like a weather detector. The pressure in the environment affects my degenerative spine and I get stiff with back pain.

Yet, the children did not do a good job with the kitchen today so instead of getting upset about it, I asked God to help me bear the little sacrifice of cleaning up our kitchen. Did I enjoy it? No way, it was painful and I knew I would have problems before I sleep. Yet, I offered it up to our Lord for a friend whose having problems with her marriage.

I want to write more about the topic of offering but it is getting late.

Reading Aloud

2009-11-13T05:57:00.000-08:00

My children have a tendency to be distracted. In their reading, I have encouraged them to read aloud. It practices their oral reading. It also helps their brain to comprehend using three senses (oral, hearing, sight).

God's Word by X.M. Elijah - Essay November 11, 2009

2009-11-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

As a requirement, I let the children write an essay for one hour. It can be a topic of their choice. Elijah will sometimes ask me for a prompt.

Elijah is 12 years old. For his essay, he wrote the following:

God's Word

AMDG

God's word is the Bible. The Bible has made many miracles happen and God has talked to many people through the Bible. In the Bible, there is the entire history before and after Christ. The Bible could hold all of the answers to your problems. The Bible might say something that could relate to something you need to work on. The Bible might bring you to a closer relationship with God. The Bible could tell you what God is calling you to do.

When Jesus was born, the Bible became flesh. Jesus was really a walking, talking, breathing, living Bible. The Bible could answer a question about your faith. The Bible is like a history book but better. The Bible could solve a problem like bullying or a mean teacher or a bad friend by the story in the Bible that really happened. David and Goliath are good examples about dealing with bullying. The Bible is one of the very best resources to know about your faith. Why? Because it is the Word of God.

Two Consecutive Days of 100% in Saxon Math

2009-11-12T10:22:00.001-08:00

Elijah did it again for two consecutive days. He got an A in his Saxon Math. He works slow but sure. In his bad days, he gets up to 9 mistakes, a signal for me that he is stressed out with something.

After two weeks of seemingly inability to focus, I decided to keep him close to me, as in very close physically. I monitor him every 10 minutes, then gradually increase it to 20 minutes. In his reading, I let him read aloud.

3 year old teaches himself

2009-11-12T05:39:00.000-08:00

Pio, my 3 year old, is a ham.

He would come up to me and say " Read to me, Read to me" in a demanding voice and then when he gets my attention he says "Plzzzzzzzzzzzz" lovingly. Then, I tell him.."I would love to read to you".

He changed it all of a sudden to "Read to me, read to me... AGAIN...". I will say the same thing. Then after he is done with the books (around 20) in one sitting he would say "Learn please" and this means he is ready for learning his letter sounds.

I would open his software and then he operates the menu. He has learned to click the hyperlinks to go back and forth and he can match the letter sounds to objects. He also can distinguish things that do not belong. I leave him there to tinkle with the software and I am impressed that he diligently works out the exercises one by one trying to master it.

He is also good in balancing. He tried to reach for a glass ball decoration in my bathroom, the shelf was falling and he was trying to make sure the glass ball would not fall by holding it and he was crying for help. I finally came after 5 minutes. Then he told me, "do not want glass to break". He was holding it until I came to help him.

Since everyone is homeschooling, he says 'want to do homework".

He is too adorable. He is very strong though... he can lift up our dog ( 50 lbs boxer)

Impure Thoughts in Children

2009-11-12T05:12:00.001-08:00

My 8 year old son approached me this morning while he was doing his math. He said that when he blinks his eyes he sees sexy girls.

He had just prayed his Guardian Angel prayer. I commended him for coming up to me and letting me know. I prayed over him. I told him that these are normal feelings for a boy his age. He must not feel guilty but try to remove those thoughts through prayer. Sometimes, he will fail but he must not give up and let these thoughts take over him.

What the Kids are Reading - Second Week of November

2009-11-11T06:03:00.000-08:00

Jude, 17ds:

The Law" by Bastiat for Literature.

Algebra 2. I just bought him a solutions manual.

Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis (done last Friday)

Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton

Joseph, 16 ds:

Twenty Leagues by Jules Verne (done last Monday)

The Vicar of Wakefield, Goldsmith

The Biography of Benjamin Franklin

Imitation of Christ by Kemphis (done last Monday)

Heretics by G.K. Chesterton

Uniformity in God's Will by St. ALphonsus

Precalculus

Faith 16 dd:

Pilgrim's Progress by Bunyan

Helena

Algebra 1/2

Rose 14 dd:

Up and Slavery (done)

Anne of Gables

St. Theresa and the Little Flowers

Saxon 8/7

Elijah 12 ds:

The Hound of Baskersville (done by Monday)

Up from Slavery

Teen Catholic Bible

Saxon 7/6 #77

Chris 11 ds:

Four Naval Heroes (done by Monday)

Heidi

St. Theresa

Writing Apprentice

Saxon 6/5

Noah 8 ds:

Saxon 5/4 Lesson 47

Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

Catholic Bible for Children (Genesis)

Sacrifice as a Homemaker

2009-11-11T05:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was very tiring. I was in Mt. Washmore without any dryer. With the heater on, I started hanging clothes and putting it on the third floor. Heat rises. My clothes were dried at the end of the day. I did that the whole day.

In between, I was checking closely Noah and Elijah. Noah is 8 years old. Elijah is 12 years old. Both of them have ADHD, so it is not easy for them to be on track all the time. Sometimes, I find Noah drawing. Sometimes, I find Elijah daydreaming.

Rose and Chris are downstairs in the kitchen area. They are more reliable with their studies.

The sad thing is the 3rd floor was a mess. I wished I cleaned it up before their Dad came. However, I know I would not have handled it well if I did it alone.

I was starting to have back pain by late afternoon but I offered it up and continue to help the kids with the kitchen. My dear hubby pitched in. I love my husband. He is the best one out there.

The Mysterious Island - Essay

2009-11-10T07:53:00.000-08:00

Joseph wrote an essay on the book "Mysterious Island".

The Mysterious Island written by Jules Verne was a fascinating book. It starts by giving the setting which takes place in the late 1800’s in an uninhabited island off the Pacific. Four men, an engineer, a reporter, a sailor, and a sixteen year old, are stripped off every possession and are expected by nature to survive by their own hands. Thanks to the leadership and knowledge of the engineer Harding, the castaways were able to put themselves to great use. When days turned to months and months into years, progress was easily seen as they developed the land, domesticated animals, as well as fending off invaders.

The island was later named Lincoln Island and it had a mysterious secret. Events took place that neither of the castaways was able to explain. For one, during one of their meals, Pencroft (the sailor) almost broke his teeth off by biting into a hard piece of metal which later turned out to be a bullet. This raised plenty of uncertainty within the four castaways as they simply could not explain how it came to pass that a bullet was found on an island where they found no one. Another event was when a box of medicine suddenly appeared in the most critical of time. Circumstances in the island proved beneficial to the new colonists as one thing after another resulted in the prosperity of the four men.

At first, the work was hard and consisted of creating the tools necessary. The engineer stressed priority on finding food and shelter so weapons as well as finding a suitable place were done first. By implanting a bomb-type device in the heart of a mass of granite, the explosion was able to create a hole in the interior thus giving the men a place to stay. The new inhabitants of Lincoln Island rejoiced when they found one grain of wheat stuck in the jacket packet of one of the men. Within a few months, they were able to cultivate the wheat and have an abundance of crops.

It is no doubt that living in the earliest era was truly difficult. The castaways in this book had previous knowledge of a civilization, whereas in the past, cavemen were exploring possibilities of everything. After discovering fire, they had to learn how to tame it. The men knew that by creating enough friction to generate the heat, a fire will eventually spout out. How grateful one should be to live in a period where necessities are just around the corner.

Joseph Writes an Essay based on Orthodoxy

2009-11-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

I have discovered G.K. Chesterton from Father Dwight Longenecker's website. However, it took me two years to actually find out more about him.

I am using his works as a major part of our reading list for our Catholic literature. So far, my 16 year old son is in awe with his works.

Read his essay below:

The work of Gilbert Chesterton titled, Orthodoxy, is an interesting read. He describes himself, in his teenage years as an atheist at one point to an agnostic in another. His moral compass really started ticking after he started asking question after questions. It seemed as though Christianity was being attacked in all aspects. One accuser might claim that the Christian Church forgives too easily, while another would accuse the Church for being too strict and not forgiving. This put him in a state where he simply did not believe that something can be one thing but also the complete opposite at the same time.

A sudden thought struck him and he was enlightened to say that what if the Church was the one that was normal and the only ones criticizing her are the maniacs. Picture this: Jesus walks in a town filled with different ethnicities of people and spends one night with them then leaves the next morning. When a person asks a short man what Jesus looked like, the short man might reply, “He was rather tall” while a tall man vice versa. A dark skinned person then would say, “He was rather blonde” while a fair skinned person would recall him to be darker. These are just a few of the things that might occur in descriptions of things. It’s very easy to derive one teaching, by yourself, and interpret either what you want to get out of it, or mistake it to mean something else.

Human race is not perfect. We are filled with flaws so we use science and technology to fix it. The imperfection doesn’t just stay within the physical boundaries, but also on the intellectual side. When a person is appointed to the important position to spread the word of God, misconceptions may arise. Being an imperfect race, there are members of the Church who were and might still be corrupt. People use the flaws of someone held in high esteem to justify their judgment on any aspect. For example,Martin Luther blamed the Church and nailed his 95 Thesis s resulting in the branching out of many different denominations. Had Martin Luther humbled himself, he would’ve not only prevented the branching out to different churches in his era, but able to strengthen the faith of the Catholic Church by putting his trust in her.

Chesterton emphasizes many times how individuals have their own way of thinking. Prone to misunderstanding, mankind needs something that is consistent as a foundation to follow. The Church appointed by God will never change; it is only the ones that carry out her mission. The Word of God doesn’t change; it is only the ones that try to interpret it. The tradition of the Church never changes; it is only the ones who practice it. Ultimately, God does not change; it is rather only the ones who believe in him.

First Confirmation Rite of Rose

2009-11-10T06:11:00.000-08:00

Father Arnsparger blessed the Confirmation students last Sunday. Our daughter, Rose, is 14 years old and in 8th grade. She received a certificate of the "Apostle's Creed". She wanted Mary to be her confirmation saint. However, she was recommended to choose another saint. She chose St. Catherine of Sienna.

First Saturday Mass

2009-11-10T05:59:00.000-08:00

Elijah Tackles The Hound of Baskersville

2009-11-04T07:23:00.000-08:00

Elijah has been very distracted the past two weeks. I checked his Saxon Math and he was making a lot of errors. He is also a bit difficult.

My strategy with children that give me problems is to get them off me for a certain period until I feel courageous enough to bring them closer. The ideal strategy is to bring them close right away to you. This my goal. I am working at this goal. To transcend my desire to get them off my back through a timeout but instead bring them in closer to me when they err.

So until he stabilizes, I will let him do his schoolwork beside me and whereever I go.

For articles on children, check these out:

5 Quick and Proven Ways to Calm a Child

Conflicts with Stepchildren: What You Don't Know

The Role of a Father in a Family

2009-11-03T07:07:00.000-08:00

As I recall my youth, my father played an important role in raising me as a Catholic. He was educated in our Catholic faith. He ensured that we all go to a Catholic school.

I am grateful to God for giving my my husband. He is so deeply rooted in his faith. I admire his complete trust in God.

Check out my article which recounts the many miracles in our lives.

Mystery Woman Gives $500 Cash to Mother of Nine: True Story

My 17 year old Teen - Jude

2009-11-03T06:59:00.000-08:00

Jude is the last of our teen rebelling against homeschooling. Last Saturday, I let him hang around with me to do my errands. It was great. In the car, he read aloud the book of C.S. Lewis "The Screwtape Letters". We discussed it chapter by chapter. He was so interested.

Check out my other articles:

"Raising Your Teens: What You Want to Avoid"

All Saint's Day at the Cemetery

2009-11-03T06:56:00.001-08:00

The youth group with their parents at Belmont Abbey College.

Check out my article on

"Spooky Halloween for Large Families"

2009 All Saint's Day Photo

2009-11-03T06:52:00.000-08:00

The family joined the parish youth activities last Sunday. For All Saint's Day, we went to Belmont Abbey College cemetery and prayed the rosary.

For family traditions, check out my other articles:

Form New Traditions in Catholic Blended Families

Spooky Halloween for a Large Blended Family

Joseph Starts Job Internship at Architectural Woodworking Firm

2009-10-31T06:35:00.000-07:00

The schedule of Joseph is at follows:

5:45 Wake up

6:00 Depart Home

7:00 Arrive at Workplace and start Schoolwork: Saxon Math Advanced Mathematics

9:00 -3:00 Job Internship on being a Receptionist and Administrative Assistant

3-5 Continue Schoolwork: Reading/Literature

5:00 Go Home

I will let you know how it is going.

Teaching a Child to Cook

2009-10-26T07:09:00.000-07:00

It really depends on a family's values but when I was kid, I was not allowed in the kitchen. For some reason, my parents did not think I would love cooking. The truth is I do not like cooking. I feel it is a waste of time when I can buy food somewhere else. However, I have much respect for those who love cooking.

I taught all my children to cook. Family meals are now the responsibility of the older children in our family. Here is Joseph learning FAJITAS for the first time.

Read article "Top Questions Asked of Large Families"

Our Lady of Fatima Visits our House

2009-10-26T06:59:00.001-07:00

Raising Catholic kids is one of our mission in life. One way to do so is to form traditions in your families. I had fond memories of the status of Our Lady of Fatima visiting our house when I was young. I am so glad that I can provide the same memories to my children.

Read article o n "Form Your Family Traditions With Your Blended Families"

Noah and Chronicles of Narnia

2009-10-23T12:48:00.000-07:00

Noah, 3rd grade, is currently reading the Chronicles of Narnia series.

So far, he has read the "The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe". The second book that he read is "The Magician's Nephew".

We cannot find the third book so I let him read a book of Laura Ingalls. He likes it.

The Robinsons were not able to get a copyright of the Chronicles of Narnia but they highly recommend it.

Read about the ROBINSONS CURRICULUM REVIEW here.

Noah was St. Ignatius of Loyola

2009-10-23T12:45:00.000-07:00

A priest costume is very easy to make. Use a white short sleeve shirt and turn it around with the button side at the back. For detailed instructions, read my article at associated content.

Rose was Joan of Arc

2009-10-23T12:43:00.000-07:00

We used the knight costume available at Walmart. It looked good on our daughter.

Read the article "Catholic Costumes for Halloween"

Faith was St. Philomena last year

2009-10-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

St. Philomena costume would entail a pink, feminine skirt, a long sleeve blouse, some flowers as a head dress and a pink sash.

Read my article "Last Minute Halloween Costumes for Catholics"

Priest Costume for Toddlers

2009-10-23T12:37:00.000-07:00

All you need is a black shirt of Dad and a white shirt inside.

Read my article "Last Minute Halloween Costume for Catholics"

Washing Dishes as a Chore

2009-10-23T12:34:00.000-07:00

Small for his age, 11 year old Cris is assigned to do dishes everyday, every meal. He procrastinate but does it very well. He has devised a system.

Potty Trained at 3

2009-10-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

Our 3 year old is starting to be dry when he wakes up in the morning. He usually tells us when he needs to go potty. But, there are days that he just feels lazy to tell us. He is still afraid to go to the big potty chair though there are some days he insists on it.

We are not in a hurry. He is the baby in the family.

Great Study Room

2009-10-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

Noah is very antsy. When we began homeschooling, it was difficult to find him his quiet space. He either distracts everyone or gets distracted easily.

The laundry room is a great place for him. It is a small room with no distractions unless I am in Mt. Washmore.

Piano Lessons and Homeschooling

2009-10-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

I'm going to incorporate "piano lessons" in our curriculum soon. I need to spend 30 minutes each child every week.

Sunday Nap

2009-10-21T06:46:00.000-07:00

We were watching a Lord of the Rings movie marathon last weekend. Guess who fell asleep?

My Girls and Taylor Swift

2009-10-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

My girls are into Taylor Swift these days. Faith drew a picture of Taylor Swift last week.

I really do not know if Taylor Swift is a good girl to emulate. I still have to find out her bio.

Meanwhile, I am hoping she is a good girl.

Sunday Nap

2009-10-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

We had a movie marathon this weekend. We watched "Lord of the Rings" to "Return of the King". We started at 5 pm and ended at 11:00 pm.

Chris is reading Tolkien books while Noah is reading C.S. Lewis books.

What Every Homeschool Mother Dreams About: A Bookshelf

2009-10-14T06:48:00.000-07:00

Women can never stop appreciating a bookshelf. For one of his romantic surprise gifts, my dear husband made me a bookshelf out of mahogany last Friday. He spent hours and hours making it beautiful. At around 11 pm, he stopped to have his dinner. He had a glow in his eyes. Beside him was "my bookshelf".

We still have one teen in rebellion

2009-10-14T06:31:00.000-07:00

Jude is still quite rebelling with our homeschool program. He definitely wants to go to public school. His reason is he wants to wrestle. At least, he thinks he wants to wrestle. He even made an essay about it. I'm waiting to read it. He is an excellent writer.

Being a good kid, he is reading the books in our curriculum. Diligently? I really do not know. Probably just those he thinks is "worthy". He wants "chemistry" or "biology" as one of his subjects.

Jude doesn't trust his father nor he trusts me. I already had a heart-to-heart talk with him. But, he is a strong-willed child. The trust issue is coming from some "attachment issues". His biological mother failed him. His father failed him. He learned to depend on himself as he was growing up. He took care of his siblings and fed them while they were with their biological mother. When I married their father, he was assigned to cooking because he loved it. The bad side to this is he thought, that he is already grown up and can take care of himself. He thinks he already knows what he needs in his life. So, when his Dad and I made a decision to homeschool, he violently opposed the move. He said, it was nothing personal about us. He just wants to go and reach his dreams "his own way".

We are waiting for the right moment to talk to him again and spend time with him. He is a good kid. I know he will come around. I promised him I will offer some sacrifices and intense prayers for his intention this week.

I wrote an article on "Public School versus Homeschooling: Which is Better?" Read it here.

JJ is working on SAT and AP English Language and Composition

2009-10-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

JJ is in 11th Grade. He joined our homeschool this October. A late starter since coming out of "teen rebellion", after a heart-to-heart talk he decided to join the homeschool bandwagon. Since then, he was very diligent and a great example to his younger siblings.

I am currently exposing him to Economics literature. We are starting with "Economic Sophisms" by Frederic Bastiat. In the beginning, he is unable to "get it". The language and topic were different. I had to sit with him as he read aloud the first four chapters. Now, he is independent and near completion.

He is also doing Advanced Math (Saxon - Precalculus). There are exercises that he is confused about, so we have to ask the Saxon Math help desk. The Saxon Math help responds very quickly to our questions. They are very helpful.

JJ also enjoyed the "Screwtape Letters" of C.S. Lewis. I am still currently reading the book. He finished it in one day. That is how interested he was on this book.

He wakes up at 9 am and starts work at 9:30 and ends up finishing work at 4 pm. He is required to also do AP English Language Review. Today, he will start with SAT review too. So, this will add aditional 2 hours in his 6 hours daily schedule.

His essays are fun to read. It can be quite humorous at times. But, often, I do not see any "usage and mechanics" problems. Even, organization and coherence are excellent.

To find out more about our self-teaching homeschool curriculum, read it here.

What the Kids are reading currently

2009-10-14T06:08:00.000-07:00

Currently, the children are reading the following:

JJ is reading "Economic Sophisms" by Frederic Bastiat.

Rose is reading "The Boy Knight" by G.A. Henty

Elijah is reading "Do and Dare" by Horatio Alger, Jr.

Cris is reading "Lord of the Rings" by Tolkien

Noah is reading "The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe" C.S. Lewis

Jude is reading "Don Quixote" by Cervantes

Faith is reading "Captain Courageous" by Kipling

For their Religion Studies and Character Formation, the kids are reading the following:

JJ is reading "The Screwtape Letters" by C. S. Lewis

Rose is reading "Don Bosco"

Elijah is reading "The Virtues on Honesty", by William Bennett

Cris is reading "Padre Pio"

Noah is reading "The Virtues of Honesty, Selected Stories" by William Bennett

Read about our curriculum here "The Self Teaching Method of Homeschooling"

Shroud of Turin

2009-10-14T06:04:00.001-07:00

The children was excited to hear a talk on the Shroud of Turin. The author presented new evidences in his talk at our parish last week.

Alex wanted the kids to post in front of the Shroud as if "Jesus is embracing them." I would have wanted them on the side. But, for whatever purpose he deems necessary... here are some pics.

Reading Books to One Another

2009-10-14T05:51:00.000-07:00

One of the beauty of homeschooling is when an older sibling bonds with a younger one. In this pic, 11 year old Cris wanted to distract Pio from me. He got a binder with pictures of wild animals. He ended up getting engaged to the book. In the process, he got 3 year old Pio excited too.

Living Rosary

2009-10-05T05:07:00.000-07:00

A Living Rosary is a rosary done with "children" acting as the beads. The rosary contains "beads" that represent the "Our Father", "Hail Mary", "Glory Be".

Each child in the Living Rosary will lead the group in the prayer that is assigned to them.

Last Sunday, my family participated in one. It was so awesome to hear my children say it. I can recognize their voices even if I was far from them and I cannot see them up close.

Noah Got an A in his Saxon Math Test

2009-10-05T04:49:00.001-07:00

It is very difficult to get an "A" in Saxon Math, that is, 100%, no error. However, that is the goal of Saxon Math: accuracy.

For my Noah, it is not easy. This is his first year to take Saxon 5/4. Pretty much he is doing ok except when he gets very distracted.

I let him do one lesson of Saxon Math. I tear off the page from his notebook and let him do the entire lesson again. Then, he checks those numbers that resulted to a different answer. It takes him 2 hours to do this. However, he started to get perfect scores. I wish to do this only until he feels some achievement in getting 100%. The goal is to really find out for himself, what he needs to be accurate or get a perfect score.

It is too bad that other students think that a perfect score is unattainable.

Perfect score is attainable with hard work more than intelligence.

I've seen children who are so intelligent who is satisfied with mediocre scores. My 17 year old is this way. It is enough that he gets most of the problems right.

How Blogs Can be Time Consuming

2009-10-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

It is not right. I just spent 3 hours blogging. It used to be therapeutic for me but it is consuming my time. I have to rethink my goals.

I am maintaining several personal blogs. One blog is my life as Mrs. Treasures. It is my scratch pad for ideas as a writer. The second one is my piano practice blog. Third is my blog on Catholic homeschooling and Catholic Blended Families. Fourth is my blog on Catholics with family members needing healing.

I also am pressured to write articles for Associated Content just to ensure I gain some writing skills. I am not a natural born writer. I am a writer -wannabee.

I am an Economist, I need to translate "time lost" to monetary outcomes. However, the opportunity cost for writing blogs is the time I can help other people through my experiences. This is the one that makes my life fulfilling.

JJ starts his Homeschooling today

2009-09-29T13:34:00.001-07:00

JJ is 16 years old. This summer, he had vehemently objected to being homeschooled. After doing a 40 day consecration to our Lady, he started his work today.

This is his schedule for today:

10:00 am Saxon Precalculus (2 hours). He has to redo it. He does not feel confident.

12:00 pm Read "The Personal Memoirs of US Grant", 50 pages. (History -2 hours)

Lunch

3:00 pm Read "What Jesus Saw from the Cross" (Catholic Literature 1 hour)

4:00 pm Read topic of choice from Encyclopedia (30 minutes)

4:30 pm Essay on topic of choice. (Air Gun)

He did everything according to schedule. He did not get distracted or frustrated. Praise be to God.

09 Eucharistic Congress Photo Blog -Fr. Leo "Grace Before Meals"

2009-09-27T20:00:00.001-07:00

Father Leo is a Filipino priest who immigrated to the US in his youth. He graduated magna cum laude and summa cum laude in his priestly studies in Rome. His vocation is to spread the Gospel through "cooking".

In the 2009 Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte, he explained what his vocation is all about. The bottom line of his talk is "you do not know when you will be challenged to a "throw down". Are you ready?"

What a profound statement!!! Are we really ready to pass life's trials?

From the website of Fr. Leo www.gracebeforemeals.com

Flay traveled to the Mount St. Mary’s campus in June and challenged Father Leo to the “Throwdown” marking the first time the Iron Chef has faced off against a priest. The two prepared Fusion Fajitas for a select group of families, members of the Mount St. Mary’s community and other guests outside University President, Thomas H. Powell’s home. “Having Bobby Flay challenge me to a Throwdown was a complete surprise and shock,” said Father Leo. “I’m a huge fan of his and Food Network so it was an honor just to be on the show and cook alongside of an Iron Chef. It was a fun day having people come together and enjoy our fajitas…it’s what the concept of Grace Before Meals is all about.”

09 Eucharistic Congress Photo Blog -"The Donut Man"

2009-09-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

The Donut Man, whose real name is Robert C. Evans, is a Catholic children's singer-songwriter. He is called the Donut Man because one of his first songs included the line "Life without Jesus/God's Love is like a donut; there's a hole in the middle of your heart."^[1] He is a convert to the Catholic faith, having previously been a Protestant Evangelical.

Economics - Top Books for Homeschoolers

2009-09-25T11:15:00.000-07:00

As an economist, these are my recommended books for any high school homeschooler to study. It is the works of great economists themselves.

Read my article here.

College Preparation: Top Books and Resources on Economics

Thomas Jefferson Education Method and Catholic Homeschool

2009-09-25T10:18:00.000-07:00

I've come across Thomas Jefferson Education Method when I was researching about appropriate classic books for my children. It just didn't stick with me at that time until it was brought again to my attention.

The focus on the 3 R's, that is, Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic is one of the basic educational philosophy of Thomas Jefferson. The Robinson Curriculum has this too for his underlying focus.

I also agree with focusing on the 3 R's first before anything else.

I disagree though with Thomas Jefferson himself when he said that the other "r" for Religion and the study of the bible should be left out of the hands of students.

The study of faith takes precedence in my homeschooling goals. I used the Robinson Curriculum on the assumption that there is no questionable books against the Catholic Faith. I used the Robinson Method because I like the book sequence and its ability to advance the reading level of my children. But, the 4th "R" is very important for any Catholic Homeschooling Families. It is for this reason, that I do not recommend this education method for Catholic Homeschoolers.

Hard Copy of a Book is Better than Online Reading

2009-09-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

Steph comments:

You mentioned the suggestion of having a hard copy even if it is online.

I just heard on Sacred Heart radio -( EWTN/St.Joseph radio) that there was a study done on reading comprehension. Reading online is NOT good for some kids. Something about holding it an actual book, working other areas of stimulation. ( the heaviness, smells, touch etc) helped comprehension. Don't read this as a blanket statement.. but for some kids having an actual book in hand really helps.

I said:

The marketing of RC is very poor. I passed it up in 2004. Now, that I am using it, I am very impressed with the book choice especially on Economics (which is my graduate degree). I also like the rationale of the mental discipline of math
if your children will be pursuing the science and graduate studies. I also like that the books are not too technical and scholarly but enjoyable to their reading levels. I do not worry about workbooks etc. I am not pressured to fit a curriculum to my lifestyle. And, with highly sensitive, RADish and ADHD children, they do not get "stressed out".

In the beginning, I just had second thoughts on how I can address my goals for a Catholic education for my children as a priority. I came to the conclusion that if I can immerse it through their essays and bring up their reading level so
they handle the actual Catechism of the Church, the bible, Catholic literature in raw form. Also, I incorporated what the Catholic HS providers are aiming in giving a superior Catholic education.

I do not think though this curriculum will fit everyone. But, the results for my emotionally challenged children are amazing. And, it is very affordable. I did not have to spend over $1,000 to educate the 8 kids. You just need a laser
printer and the desire to go "thrift shopping" for vintage books.

God Bless,
Joy

Visit my other blogs:

mrstreasures.wordpress.com - my scratch pad for ideas to write.

joyinpiano.wordpress.com - my piano teaching studio

Teach Science After Calculus

2009-09-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

In my Catholic large family discussion group, Patti made a comment on Science in college.

I wrote:

"Science is after calculus. I know this will create dissent. But, I have no problems with it. I do not stop the kids from enjoying nature and reading about it in the encyclopedia. There is just no formal study until after calculus."

Patti comments:

Actually, being a chemical engineer major in college (although I met my dh and decided that was NOT what I wanted for my life anymore ;-), I tend to agree about the formal study of science AFTER the study of mathematics. I believe that SERIOUS study of the sciences is very difficult without the proper mathematical background...too much must be taken for granted and not fully understood (particularly in physics and chemistry, but even to an extent in the other sciences). The Apologia high school series has math requirements for each level...but I even think they are a little lenient in this regard.

This all being said, I love the Apologia younger series for an introduction to science from a natural science point of view. This can be easily understood, particularly when you bring the Creator into it, without higher math. I'm sure there are plenty of other series that focus on natural sciences that can be used for younger children....I just happen to like this series -- we're even lapbooking it this year!

I personally love the idea of TJE and Robinson....I actually own the Robinson curriculum. But I have problems implementing it with our learning issues here (two dysgraphic, highly kinesthetic learners). But I keep hoping for a child that it will work well with....still have four that have yet to be determined ;-)

Blessings,
Patti

Catholic Homeschool and Self Teaching

2009-09-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

I like the Robinson Curriculum Book Sequence. I feel no pressure or resistance from the kids. I am very tempted to use the book sequence of other Catholic homeschool curriculum providers but for now I will stick with RC to put other "variables constant".

I am of course adding one hour to the mandated 5 hour a day studying. I added Catholic Studies/Bible/Catechism/Literature. So our family is doing 6 hours a day.

My goals are to train them the habit to self-teach themselves and not be afraid to handle old, thick books and actual historical writings/memoirs/documents. Before, my kids were averse to old prints and they prefer the glossy, shiny
attractive books. Now, they appreciate books that are yellowish, thick and in the early 1900s. When I am able to buy a vintage book, their eyes widen and lit up. Again, the goal is for them to critically analyze history through actual
historical documents and make their own conclusions. I recall doing that in college with my history professors. I hated it because I was not used to the smell of old books. But, the lesson that I got was clear: history is from the perspective of the writer.

I want to bring up their reading level to the point where they can handle college and graduate studies work. The results of their reading manifest greatly in their essays. Their choice of words are improving. In correcting their essays, they see the pattern in their errors in writing. So learning grammar is in the reverse. Grammar studies are from "parts to whole". In this approach, it is from "whole to parts". Either way is good.

In terms of critical analysis and reading comprehension skills, I sort of do a check when I discuss the books with them but not to challenge them but to engage them in an intellectual discussion. I want them to be able to study and learn
as much as they want without me (but of course I know what they are reading). I like our discussions after I implemented the program for two months because I do not have to go down to their level. They go up to where I am.

The 6-hour schedule for me a day is already rigorous. But, remember it is 6 days a week, year round. The rationale for that is it takes time for your brain to gear up after a long vacation. WIth a five day schedule, by Friday you feel like already doing a TGIF thing and your concentration drops dramatically. The mandated 5 hour in RC aims for you to do chores and other interests the rest of the day so it does not all accumulate on a Saturday.

On Math, it is time-based for 2 hours. Some kids can do 2 lessons a day. But, the average is 1 lesson per day after 1.5 hours. So, I encourage them to proceed to the next lesson but they don't follow me and just stick with one lesson. They must be already drained by one lesson. The older kids say that they can go faster but with the 5% error rate they do not want to take the chance of repeating the lesson again, so they rather work slow.

It is a tough call on delaying science. But, the rationale behind it is the "real science" requires a solid understanding of high level math.

Explaining the Catholic Robinson Curriculum to Fellow Catholics

2009-09-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

Karen, a discussion group member in my yahoo group, has this question for me.

Joy --

It sounds like you are following the Thomas Jefferson Education
model...with two hours of math, writing, and reading. Is that so? I
don't know any more about it than that idea. Can you tell me more
about how it works and what material/curriculum you are using?

Thanks!!!

Blessings,

Karen
+AMDG+

Karen,

Thomas Jefferson Education, Robinson Curriculum and A2 sort of use the same method. You focus on the 3 R's - math, writing, reading. There is no lesson plan and syllabus. You just go through the sequence of books recommended. I follow more the Robinson Curriculum and I joined the Catholic Robinson Curriculum group where we discuss any "questionable books" in the book sequence.

You put 2 hours to math, 2 hours to reading, 1 hour to essay writing.

Children under 10 do copywork for essay. Children under 3rd grade do their phonics and math facts review.

You do not teach. You guide them to self-teach. You can let them narrate to you to give you feedback or you can do activities with them. However, the 5 hours required must focus on the 3'Rs using "self-teaching". You train them to
acquire the habits of self-teaching, Monday to Saturday, year round.

The book recommendations of the above proponents are literature-based, living history, actual historical documents, classics. You can do the program without any cost to you except the printer costs. All the books are available online for free. But, it is recommended you have a hard copy of the book. For me, reading online gives a false illusion to the child - one page at a time. It makes them have phobia with thick books. So, I hunt the books at thrift shops, ebay and amazon or library so they can actually experience a thick book and not be afraid of it.

Their book list is engaging (so far) to my ADHD and RADish kids. There were occasions where they wanted to quit on the first few chapters but I encourage them and tell them that it gets better on the next few chapters. So far, it did. After finishing the book, some like it, some do not like it as much except for some parts. I use that as a teaching moment to tell them that they have to learn to handle books that are not interesting for them but considered of great literary value. All of them are excited about their next books.

RC uses Saxon Math for the mental discipline of doing 30 to 60 exercises a day with 5% error rate. I think of it as putting the "math muscle" in your brains. When they take SAT, they will persevere (or have the mental discipline) because they are used to the long hours of computing and problem solving taking into account "accuracy".

Vocabulary is taken from the recommended literature from Grades 3-12. Same goes with grammar and spelling. There is no formal instruction unless there are obvious difficulties. But, I try not to worry about that until they progress in their reading list.

The Essay part is a minimum of one page a day for one hour. Average is 2-3 pages a day. Topics can be their own choosing or sometimes I give them prompts. I think the goal is to write effortlessly and make it part of their daily routine.

I added one hour to reading Catholic literature/scriptures/saints/catechism. I avoid "short stories" but use the reading lists of all Catholic homeschool curriculum providers.

In the afternoon, the older kids study for AP Tests for an hour.

Sometimes, kids read 2 different books within the 2 hour frame. I now require them to spend 30 minutes on a topic of their choice using Encyclopedia Britannica and Book of Knowledge (1920's).

Science is after calculus. I know this will create dissent. But, I have no problems with it. I do not stop the kids from enjoying nature and reading about it in the encyclopedia. There is just no formal study until after calculus.

The reading list for this method is available online for free except the Catholic literature.

http://www.hstreasures.com/robinsoncurriculum.html

You have to be in the room to make this program work though or it won't work. If our 3 year old is too playful and distracts them, we move away to a different room or I let them go to another part of the house. My daughter who used SETON last year prefer RC method but still reads the required literature for SETON and MODG on top of her RC books.

The rest of the day is devoted to chores and what other areas of interest they want to pursue -->creating chaos :).

God Bless,
Joy

Visit my other blogs:

joyinpiano.wordpress.com

mrstreasures.wordpress.com

The Shortest Prayer for Kids but Most Effective

2009-09-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

Rose, my mother-in-law, called me after my gallbladder surgery to say one thing. "Joy, I want you to pray "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" as often as you can. Write it down on a card and put it in your pillow."

I got the small crucifix. This was given to me by the priest who officiated our marriage. I felt that if I see the crucifix, I will be prompted to say "Jesus, Jesus".

She called me again on another day. She told me, "I hope you told the children to say "Jesus, Jesus" as much as they can." Honestly, I just told my 8 year old son this short prayer. Noah was giving me so much problem that I taught it to him first.

When we went to my mother-in-law's house last Saturday, I found her house filled with labels of Jesus. I went to the bathroom and there it was on the door. Cool.

She handed me a plastic sandwich baggie with cutout cards with her writing of Jesus in it. She is making a clear point to me. How can I not get it?

So, I asked the most troublesome kid at the moment, my Noah, to have the privilege to go around the house to stick the "Jesus labels". He got tired.

I continued to cut out the "Jesus" labels and posted it on areas where it is more noticeable for the children and on eye level for the little kids.

For our evening meditation, I read the history of the short prayer from a small booklet called "The Wonders of the Holy Name" to everyone. They enjoyed it.

Jesus, Jesus, Thank you for this gift of knowing Your Holy Name.

Raymond Clarke III, Murder of Annie Le, Rages in Children

2009-09-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

Check out this article "Intermittent Explosive Disorder: Possibilities in Annie Le's Murder"

The persona of Raymond Clarke III does not evoke a chilling fear in us. Here is a young man, just a few years older than my first born. He doesn't look like a bum at all to me. You can see that he was somber and exhibiting a certain level of anxiety in photos taken during his arrest.

However, all evidences are leading to him. It will be very difficult to find another suspect when DNA results, the scratch marks on his chest, interviews all point about a great possibility that he murdered Annie Le.

The story made me ponder about the motive for awhile. First, I am concerned about the fragility of mental health disorders and how it can manifest in subtle, unpredictable ways. Second, the motive that the police said about "workplace violence" case, does not resonate with me. How can a young man, well-built hurt a fragile, looking Asian girl?

It is for this reason, that I concluded that something "snapped" with Raymond Clarke during those moments when he hurt Annie Le. For sure, we will know in time.

Since the age of Annie Le is not so far from Raphael, my first born, I can relate very well to the parents of Annie Le and Richard Clarke.

Are we able to predict the "choices" that our children will make once faced with extreme amount of stress? I feel sadness for the parents of Annie Le and her fiance. Annie Le is a smart young girl taking a doctorate in pharmacology in an Ivy League school. It is an accomplishment in itself. The future of Annie Le could have been equivalent to success. There is no doubt that in her youth, she was a stellar student. One day, Annie Le's mother woke up and her daughter is gone.

On the other side, Raymond Clarke's mother is grieving. She is experiencing so much regret and fear for her child. She is probably blaming herself for what she was unable to do when Raymond was young to prevent all these.

The story is very sad. It makes me stop my world for a second to write this article on "Intermittent Explosive Disorder" and try to relate it as a possible cause of this violence. Read the article here.

Pulling my children out of Public School System

2009-09-12T08:17:00.000-07:00

I always wanted to let my children go to a Catholic private school. It is beyond our means though. So, while Alex and I worked on the healing of children, we put their education as a second priority.

As long as they were functioning well in public school, that is, excelling we thought we can address the public school issue later on.

We did not realize that public school contributed to our problem instead of helping us. No matter how much effort, the peers in public school have so much influence on our children.

In the beginning of this blended family situation, Alex thought I could not handle homeschooling everyone. You see, I do get stressed out quite easily. He cannot imagine homeschooling 9 children when I was just used to 2 children prior to our marriage.

So, here we are beset with so many peer-related family problems. Our sons and daughters, who were 9 year old to 12 years old at the time of our marriage are now 14 to 17 years old. And, no matter how much we were a "prayerful" family, we cannot save our children from "peer pressure".

Here is an article I wrote about public school versus homeschooling. It gives a synopsis on why you should pull your children out of public school. Click the link.

Daily Catholic Homeschool Schedule

2009-09-12T08:01:00.000-07:00

A typical homeschooling schedule using Robinson Curriculum, the Catholic way:

7-8 am Wake up, Morning Prayer, Prayer in Honor of Your Guardian Angel and 7 Glory Be’s

8-9 am Breakfast, Walk the Dog or Daily Mass

9-11 am Mental Math, Math Facts, Saxon Math

11-12 pm Reading (Literature from the RC core reading list for appropriate level or grade)- first part

12 pm Recite the Angelus

12 to 12:30 pm Continue Reading – second part

12:30 to 1:00 pm Read topic of choice in “Book of Knowledge Encyclopedia”

1 pm Lunch

1:30 -2:00 pm Read Catholic literature, Catechism, Bible

2:00-3:00 pm Essay writing or vocabulary

3:00 pm Divine Mercy Novena

3:30 -4:30 pm Chores/ Free Time/Play Time

4:30 – 6:30 pm Chores/Free Time/Play Time

6:30 pm Dinner/Clean up/ Baths

8:00 -9:30 pm Family Prayers/Novena/Consecration/Scripture Reading/Rosary

To learn about the Robinson Curriculum, please read my article "Self Teaching Method: Robinson Curriculum"

Saturday is a school day for us

2009-09-12T07:04:00.000-07:00

The Robinson curriculum suggests 6 days a week, year round education. For now, I am trying to go with this schedule for a month.

Let me tell you about the Robinson Curriculum in a nutshell, please read the article "A Self-Teaching Method" here.

It is not easy to follow a 6 day schedule. A part of me just wants to relax. Yet, there is some sense to what the Robinson Curriculum is prescribing. It takes time for your brain to go back to speed after a vacation. Robinson Curriculum is a very challenging curriculum.

Keeping them busy with school work will eliminate cluttering other parts of the house. You can account for all of them when they are homeschooling.

Talking about clutter, see the evidences.

2009-09-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

Is there such thing as a Catholic Robinson Curriculum for Homeschooling?

Though I am not a pioneer in this philosophy, I have decided to use this curriculum for 8 of my 9 children that I am raising. My first born is already in a Catholic college at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. I have a 17 year old boy in 11th grade, a 16 year old boy in 11th grade, a 15 year old girl in 10th grade, a 14 year old girl in 8th grade, a 12 year old boy in 6th grade, a 11 year old in 5th grade, a 8 year old boy in 3rd grade and a 3 year old boy in K-3. A total of 8 children.

There are many Catholic homeschooling curricula in the market. I will try to write a short article on the strengths of each of this homeschool Catholic resources in the near future. But, for the purpose of this blog, I want to explain how I am implementing the Robinson Curriculum in the light of our Catholic faith.

If you have heard about the Robinson Curriculum, you might have passed it up for another curriculum in the past. I actually did that. But, for some reason, it caught my attention when I read that it won “First Place for Middle School and High School curriculum ” awards in the Homeschooling Parenting Magazine for consecutive years. I won’t pass up such a recognition so I decided to research on this curriculum in depth.

If you want to know about the Robinson Curriculum in a nutshell, here is my article entitled
“A Self-Teaching Method in Homeschooling: Robinson Curriculum”.

I believe strongly in the educational philosophy of Dr. Robinson, a scientist who put together this curriculum based on his experience in homeschooling his children after his wife died. In college and graduate school, a student has an easier time navigating the ropes of the academic life, if the student has excellent reading skills, writing skills (essay writing) and math skills. The RC focuses on mastering these skills as a priority.

My family is a late bloomer in the homeschooling movement. After serious soul searching, my husband and I decided that we must live up to the ideals of our Catholic Faith. It is an important legacy that we will give to our children. Everything in a child’s life change dramatically around them. Our Catholic Faith is their stabilizing force. It makes them feel secure. It becomes the foundation of their moral values. It is the backbone of our family’s core values. It is the duty of each Catholic parent to provide a Catholic education for their children.

he Robinson Curriculum was formulated by Dr. Robinson, a Protestant. However, his educational philosophy does not contradict the Catholic faith. His philosophy revolves around the premise that the best way to learn is to acquire the skills of self-teaching. Thus, the education of the child lies primarily on the child. The parents are the “guides” for this is the scenario when they become young adults. We cannot make the choices for our children. We will watch our children decide for themselves on what they want to learn or do in their life. The RC curriculum trains our children to view their academic studies as their responsibilities. It trains them the natural consequences of being lazy in your school work and the sense of accomplishment one feels when they have taught themselves.

With the core reading list of 150 books, I add my own reading list of Catholic literature, doctrines, scriptures and catechism. As each child progresses in intellectual development, they reach out to their Catholic books to know about their faith. I encourage them to be “critical readers” to question their new-found knowledge and seek the answers to it.

God did not force His love on us. He gave mankind the choice to love Him. However, in giving us the choice, He never failed to let us know that He is around us. And, that we can always turn to him in life’s obstacles and challenges. This is the beauty of homeschooling, particularly a Catholic homeschooling curriculum. Your child is learning in his own pace about his or her faith. You see their eyes lit up when their Catholic traditions and beliefs make sense. You are there to witness it on a daily basis. You see them struggle on their math problems and they “offer it up to God”. You praise them for their good deeds for the day and they respond “All Glory to God!” You check their essays and on top of their writing work is an inscription “A.M.D.G” and sometimes “JMJ”.

AMDG for AD Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)

JMJ (Jesus, Mary, Joseph)

Public School Vs. Homeschooling: Which is Better?

2009-09-11T17:46:00.000-07:00

The article 'Public School Vs. Homeschooling: Which is better?" is one of my recent articles with the purpose of encouraging Christian parents to pull their children out of public school. Read the article here.

I was educated in a Catholic private school from Kindergarten to High School. It was run by the Maryknoll sisters. We have nuns to teach us for Religion classes. I recall quite well Sister Clotilde. She was an American around the age of 75 years old. She would walk and check out each room and interrupt the lessons to give us some piece of advise. She was very outspoken and direct. She would not hesitate to tell you what she thought.

I recall quite vividly one personal encounter with her as a 4th grade student. Sister Clotilde visited my classroom and talked about apples in the basket. She asked us "If there is just one single apple left, would you take it or leave it alone?" My world stopped for a moment. I usually take the best portion in the meals that my parents served us during dinner. It was really something to think about. It is very funny that I never forgot that incident.

I have such wonderful experience with my Catholic school that I vowed that my children will go to a Catholic school too.

Well, I did send my children to private school for the first four years of their lives in a Catholic school until we immigrated to the Virginia in 2000. Private school was not affordable to me as a single parent. I justified and rationalized everything that my children will be in good hands.

In 2001, I moved to California. I was very disappointed with the school system so I homeschooled my two boys. My younger son then 9 years old was taught using Abeka. The older son, who was 13 at that time, used SETON.

I was pleased with both curricula but SETON caught my attention because my older son, who was a reluctant reader liked it very much. He loved the Saints stories and was able to follow through the curriculum without any problems. Meanwhile my younger son was just too young too complain.