Jump to content

Menu

WinsomeCreek

Members
  • Posts

    355
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by WinsomeCreek

  1. - Bible study that is age appropriate, more reasoning

    - strong mentorship and support

    - gender separation, with emphasis on EF for boys especially

    - not intended to indoctrinate so much as educate using philosophy, history etc

     

    I feel like this ds has a great foundation, but is able to fool himself. I'd like for him to have a peer group available to discuss faith and philosophy. I'd like to find positive peer pressure.

  2. Hopefully the litmus test of character isn't swearing...

    I am generous, kind, usually compassionate, and I try very hard to be a good mother to my tribe of scoundrels.

    But in the right company I swear like a pirate.

    As does my Dh, but it's knowing when, matey. From what I can see you have fine qualities and character!
    • Like 1
  3. I beleive that we act out of free agency. This kid, poor kid whose action is getting rather magnified under my overly analytical eyes, made poor choices. When my kids and I talked about it, we went through the kids we knew and imagined each of them making similar choices. Truth is, that I find LOTS, if not the majority (that will earn me some nice unlikes) like to think actions occur in isolation. They do not. Our choices, even mistakes, are part of the continuity of our pasts and lives and influences and characters. The kids we can imagine making such choices do not do so in isolation. It is indicative of character. That is not to ignore that it is all a process, we are all fallen and that grace is available to us all. But society has definitely gone the way of demonizing useful, logical and right discrimination (the making choices kind, not the -ist kind).

     

    My kids make mistakes too.

     

    I won't mention the program name. It is daily immersion, but not at all fundamental or like the Duggar stuff. It is a perfect fit on paper.

  4. 😊 No worries. I know tone is wierd online. No mama bear since the kid and mine were buddies and mine couldn't care less. It's more that there are parts of the program that really, really appeal to me. I'm tempted to put one of my kids in, largely because he is currently agnostic and I'd like for him to have an environment of amazing teens that support the probing of faith and encourage growth. He's on the cusp of his teens. While wicked smart, he's still going to go through the confusing years.

     

    This program looks so good on paper. It is very expensive. And this interaction with someone actually in the program is all I have to go on. I want it to be amazing.

  5. Heh, no. Mine is the 'knows enough not to cuss unnecessarily in front of a bunch of kids' younger one. And he actually said, "dude..." With raised eyebrows.

     

    The kids were playing cards, spit, as they had each day together. This kid lost a game to another kid. He said the f word in response to losing spit. It was in the hallway where the program is offerred, but we were there for a different event. My kid wasn't fazed at all by his retort, just said he was trying too hard to be what he thought was cool.

     

    The whole thing just struck me because the mom is head of the parent support part of the program.

     

    My Dh can swear with great flair and color, to my dismay, so it isn't about that being the sole measure of character. And I said that this is little to go on. But given the environment, occassion, response etc... can you blame me for not thinking all that highly of the program this kid has been in since he was in k?

  6. How would you see this situation:

     

    There's an expensive church based character program. The point is to support and develop good character. Kids, tweens to mid teens, are playing cards in the hall when one of the teens in the program uses the f word. This teen has been in the program for years and has a family heavily involved. A younger kid not in the program tells him to watch his language, but teen retorts that the game is for 13 and up (implying that language is ok and kids should leave).

     

    Small issue, but how much of a red flag is it that this program is not so good for character development?

     

    If the program looks amazing on paper, would this be enough to make you walk away?

  7. I have always been up for a big adventure when it comes to moving, and I always told my husband that I would be willing to move wherever he needed in order for him to be successful in his career. I'm a kind of "make it work" type of person.

     

    That being said, I think I would hate living in NYC. I just went there a few months ago for vacation. The crowds! The prices of everything! The noise!! I would live in other cities in a heartbeat, but NYC is unlike most.

     

    What really got to me, though, were the people. Any time I needed to ask directions or something I would be met with such suspicion and literally no help. People are very guarded (and rightly so - it is NYC) but my sister and I are two 50 year old ladies who were obviously tourists! No one was friendly at all. Everyone walks in their own little bubble, and when you approach and say "excuse me?" they would jump as if shocked and immediately back away. Then I would say "I was just wondering if we keep walking on this street will we reach such and so" and they would mumble something or just shake their head or whatever and then close down into their own bubble again.

     

    I think NYC can do that to you because it is so fast paced with everyone rushing to get where they need to be. New Yorkers pride themselves on being brusk and hurried. I would not like to change into that just to survive there.

    I'm sorry you had this experience. Ours was not at all like that. We found people to be friendly and helpful. Maybe having kids helped? Maybe it was where we went? Maybe it was Dh, who has a knack for putting people at ease?

    • Like 2
  8. Yes. I moved four kids from the country to the city (seattle area, in our case). We downsized to nearly 1/5th our prior living space. I am a nature loving introvert and ... I am LOVING it!!! Shopping is actually easier, except for bringing groceries up to the apt, however I have used the grocery delivery service when the kids were sick and would use it again for convenience. Costco has a cart that works well for towing grocery bags and kids.

     

    We took the four kids to Manhattan for a week earlier this year. I was surprised to find the metro easy to use and rather safe feeling. I would not take a car to NY. I also felt like the city was extremely kid friendly with activities everywhere. I didn't want to leave. On the other hand, you have more little ones. The stroller was necessary for the baby, but it was a hassle to take. My next oldest was old enough to get around on his own. You will need a hand on your 3 yo, right? I also had the help of my older kids. If I were in your shoes I would spend less on housing and have a nanny.

     

    This is probably more unique to our situation, but my kids had not made great friends in the half decade we lived in the countryside. They have already found kindred spirits in the city. I suspect it's a matter of numbers and having more people to interact with, but it has been extraordinary.

     

    Can you go for a week or two with all of the kids? Get a feel for what life might be like before making such a huge commitment?

    • Like 1
  9. There's truth on both ends. After a decade at this I have learned some of what doesn't matter. More importantly, I have found that each kid has such different needs that what matters and what I stress about changes. I can't win!

     

    Here's to small victories! And gaining steam! And pats on the head (I'm old, but cute- that counts)!

    • Like 14
  10. My mathy kid was a bike riding, trampoline flipping bouncy boy (sensory seeking). But in the midst of his activities his mind was rummaging through relationships. He made change and played with money at 3, figured out multiplication at 4, had an origami phase (oy, the papers!!), by 5-6 was working his way through EPGY and life of Fred fractions on his own, that I now realize was an attempt to get somewhere more interesting. He would have loved delta camp!! I do think the camp works best for kids interested and passionate, not just good at math. I don't think the delta campers need to have a lot under their belt so much as possess the ability to grasp what they're exposed to and find it fun. I personally would not spend the money in an attempt to get a kid interested. It is a lot of math all day for two weeks with kids excited about doing just that.

    • Like 2
×
×
  • Create New...