Jump to content

Menu

OhM

Members
  • Posts

    1,133
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by OhM

  1. We would check yesterday's work at the start of today's lesson. That would show us together (not just me pointing out mistakes) what needed more explanation or practice to master. (This worked especially well with grammar and math.)

     

    As for getting work done day by day - here's what it looks like here:

     

    "Mom, can I (go to Sarah's) (watch TV) (make some cookies) (ride my bike)?"

    "Are you finshed with X, Y, Z, and W?"

    "Yes"

    "Show me."

     

    This is followed by a heavy sigh and bringing all the requested assignments. I don't usually check at this point, just make sure that honest effort was made.

     

    If not, "You can go/do when your work is completed."

  2. I was going to say laundry - maybe he could be responsible for his laundry - that way he's not messing up your good stuff if something bleeds. :D (I mentioned elsewhere that my kids took over their own laundry around that age - maybe more like 8 - because they didn't like my rules;))

     

    Dishes? Do you have a dishwasher - even at my kids' ages (11 & 15), they only unload - I still like to load because I can do it more efficiently (and spend less on soap & water!)

     

    My kids have always been responsible for recyclables - keep them sorted, and assist us loading the car and taking them to the collection bins.

     

    Correspondence w/relatives? Younger dd has an ongoing mail relationship w/MIL (even though we see her on a regular basis - several times a month.)

     

    Hopefully someone else has more meaningful ideas. I know what you mean - there's no wood to split, no bears to guard against, no fences need painting, the grocery supplies our food, what is there to do?

  3. Question: Would Do Hard Things be appropriate for a family whose beliefs differed significantly from the average mainstream Christian's beliefs?

     

     

     

    I think it could be appropriate, or it could be annoying & heavy-handed... many of the examples given were in the context of the teens' Christian beliefs. (A few were not.) I think their "worldview" shows through pretty clearly, but maybe not obnoxiously? (It's hard for me to judge since I have many of the same beliefs as them.)

     

    Maybe someone else who's read it and doesn't share their beliefs could speak better to it. The core message that teenage years are a great time to accomplish much is useful for anyone, though.

  4. Subtitle: Or how to prevent a 26yo couch-dweller when you want to have an empty nest? :D

     

    The recent threads on maturity, along with a recent reading of "Do Hard Things" really have me thinking about how to allow my (now)15yo dd to find her wings and get ready to fly! (Despite the groan-inducing analogy.:lol:)

     

    Compared with the IRL status-quo around here, I feel that she's doing okay, but then I hear of some the things going on in your families, and feel that she could be doing more than (a) she's naturally inclined to and (b) that we're permitting her. (Does that make sense? Does my internal conflict show?)

     

    Anyway, here are some things going on in our family, and I'm wondering what's going on in yours?

     

    -4-H - junior leaders - opportunities for leadership and mentoring younger members

    -4-H projects & National History Day competitions

    -She has responsibility for meeting application deadlines on her own (NHD, 4-H, PSEO participation, state fair choir, to mention a few)

    -She's working on her resume to help procure her first job, and looking for contacts for that first job. Will be submitting applications soon.

    -Allowing her to take responsibility for her own schooling. She's managed her own studies this year through an online charter. Looking into options for next year (online charter again; PS; homeschooling; other charter opportunities).

     

    We as parents look for behaviors and accomplishments showing her maturity and reward them.

     

    What about you all?

     

    ETA: I didn't even mention some things that have been going on since she was very young:

    -packing her own bags for overnights and extended trips

    -travelling w/o parents - 4-H camp, school trip to DC, overnight trips w/choir

    -expected to complete daily & weekly chores

    -allowed (but not required) to fix dinner (she does this about 2-3 times/month)

    -has been responsible for her own laundry for 3-4 years now (we didn't require it; both girls preferred this to the rule "if it isn't in the dirty clothes basket, I won't come looking for it!")

    -responsible for pet care

  5. Focus on your relationship with God, not on a church schedule. I think it is fine as long as you make your plans known well enough in advance so that people aren't relying on you.

     

    :iagree: Participate in a way that is meaningful to you. We're lucky to have low-key and meaningful observances that don't stress anyone out (except possibly the Pastor - with extra services!:D) I find myself eager to attend all the observances, because I feel it's my choice to do so. If I were compelled, well, let's just say my human nature gets the best of me sometimes...

  6. I've been to one training session so far, and can't picture any of those women distributing such things. So ... I think I can trust my local council. Bigger picture? I don't know. But I *do* believe that we as local leaders can set a lot of influence ...

     

    In our area, the service unit definitely has similar ideas as me, but I'm not so sure about the council. It's located "up in the big city" and most of the women I've met working there are more of the social change mind set than the "activity" mind set.

     

    But what you're describing is working well for our troop - there's no shortage of old and new programming material through GS's - as long as you're happy running your own troop, and not hung up on comparing with others (who has the latest and greatest awards, etc.), you can successfully run it pretty much however you please. (And by successful - I mean the girls learn to become self-sufficient leaders, and HAVE FUN!)

     

    I do have to admit, based on the stack of forms I received at said training, I'm really wishing my daughter could be a cub scout! As den leader I've got way less paperwork to handle than this Daisy troop is going to be! Yikes! I think our pack leader is sparing me some work somewhere...

     

    Ha - we have some unpleasant names for the ladies who are forever harping on our paperwork. We're not completely in compliance, but we've found a way to meet the spirit of what they're trying to do... Just do your best!

     

    4-H is the way to go. It's for both boys and girls. It if family oriented. It is NOT just about animals. In 4-H my girls give speeches, do community service, learn about anything they want to learn about, gain leadership skills, enter into competitions and receive awards, learn to become involved, active citizens, make friends with commom interests, make friends with different interests, learn co-operation and team work and much, much more. 4-H is just plain uncomparable.

     

    As a GS leader - I totally agree with this! My kids have gotten so much more out of 4-H with so many fewer "girl issues"! They made friends through the entire county - boys and girls, of all ages. If we were going back to do it again, we'd skip GS and just do 4-H. (I was already troop leader when we "discovered" 4-H.) Where in GS we have to push leadership, in 4-H it's a foundational program goal.

  7. I sincerely do not understand the taboo with correcting someone's grammar. Really, I absolutely think it's rude NOT to tell someone when they using double negatives and sounding otherwise like an uneducated fool. Certainly, I wouldn't suggest correcting a complete stranger, your boss or even your parents if they would feel disrespected, but dh, friends, kids? Absolutely. I would also like to know if I have a big black hair on my chin, spinach in my teeth or a lowered zipper. Politely and not in front of other people, it's only beneficial. I don't get it.

     

    I agree, most people would appreciate being lovingly corrected, in private, by someone who they are well-acquainted with.

     

    By a "friend" on Facebook, for all to see? Not so much.

  8. I almost wonder if there is a disconnect from the local level and possibly a corporate level. :confused:

     

    As a girl scout leader, this is absolutely my opinion. A girl's experience in GS will depend almost entirely on the attitude and standards of her local leader. Our troop is run like the co-leader and I remember GS - earning badges (we stick to the "doing" badges rather than the "issues" badges - they're more fun;)), doing service projects, taking trips, learning about leadership, and becoming a well-rounded person.

     

    However, we have seen that the national leadership has different goals than us. Another leader in our area attended the nat'l convention a couple summers ago, and came back with stories that girls as young as 10 who visited one of GS's South America sites that year (some do on "Wider Op" trips) were treated to workshops to practice putting condoms on a banana. :001_huh: (The "World Thinking Day" theme that year was "Help stop the spread of malaria, HIV, and other diseases.")

     

    Your local leader is the filter. However much she buys into the GSUSA ideas will determine your daughter's GS experience.

  9. If I ever come to y'alls house for dinner...I should let you know I only eat lobster freshly caught from the Sea of Tears by gray eyed virgins bearing jewel encrusted fishing vessels

     

    :lol::lol::lol:

     

    Would you call the acquaintance a bit of an @ss?

     

     

    Yes. Yes, I would.

     

    And you are much nicer than I would have been. I probably would have said, "Oh, gee, it's too bad that I did not know that ahead of time, or I would have fixed <misc. fish dish> instead of the lovely <other meal> that I've already prepared! See you tonight; bah-bye."

  10. Huh? I'm sorry. Did you say something?

    (7 pages and no one's said that yet? We must be sluggish today.)

     

     

    LOL SAME here. But I am also a member of the invisible club IRL too :D

     

    Me too - IRL & here. But it's okay, since I prefer invisible. I have trouble keeping you all straight anyway. I have enough trouble w/real people, let alone a bunch of avatars. :D

     

    And for the record, I don't have anyone on ignore. I just manually ignore you by staying away from the treads where I know otherwise sensible & likeable people are going to say doltish things. :lol:

  11. They also can not leave the building for a field trip or other event (clubs, etc) without a consent form signed unless they are 18+ and living independently.

     

    Pending what's in the consent form... it might be legal - or not.

     

    :iagree: If she signed consent for unspecified "treatment" by the clinic - maybe no grounds to complain there, but our school district doesn't allow students to leave school grounds during the school day. If they turn up missing, parents are immediately notified. They also must have signed consent to leave w/staff supervision for field trips, etc.

  12. Also, read up on pasturization. Many people feel that it is not necessary and that it removes many of the benefits of the milk. Others swear by it and would never drink raw milk. IMO, each family has to make their own decision regarding this issue. However, if you decide in favor of raw, check the laws of your state before giving or selling it to someone outside your family. In Ohio, it is a very big deal these days. A dear friend of mine got fined for selling cheese made from raw milk, lost her dairy license, had to wade through the court system, and finally won a big battle against the Ohio Dept. of Ag. regarding the case. So be very careful there.

     

    Wow - thanks for this advice.

     

    And about the pens! The property where we would keep them is near a golf course - that could get interesting! :)

×
×
  • Create New...