Yeah, we'll...those Davy Crockett rifles were very tempting.....eeeeewwwwww!!! I am going to go bleach myself! I am thinking: Barb Shelton?? Marilyn Howshall?! Far Above Rubies people?? Who were they again??! Veritas Press? Are they ATI?? I know they teach myths....but??! After I read how politicians affiliated in one way or another got their character curriculum into the public schools....well, how much easier to get it into our home schools? Oh, what about the Principle Approach? Is that Gothard sanctioned? Beautiful Feet (Rae Berg?? ) Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!! I don't know about these....asking if anyone does know. Anyone??

My squicky/icky has been heightened! I am going through all my homeschooling materials with an eye toward my own World View....and how these " principles" have affected my life and that of my family...children etc. We never went ATI/ Gothard, but in thinking back to those days when we were being wooed rather than shunned 😠I am realizing how much STUFF infiltrated my home, my own brain and probably contributed to a whole bunch of serious spiritual warfare ( for lack of a better term.). So, just how prevalent are ATI/ Gothardite materials in the home schooling community?? How many of those homespun curricula which grace my hallway have as their foundation some off the wall cultish worldview behind them?? I am kinda sick to my stomache today just thinking about it. NO, we did not buy into ATI or Gothard, but did they get into my home through the back door anyway?? Eeewwww!!! Eeeeewwwww!!!! Icky, icky!!, eeeeewwwwww!!!!!

Beautiful! I love how my ponytail swishes when my hair is straightened!!

Funny thing is, when you think about it....I was being the submissive wife....teeheehee. He said RUN, I asked...how fast? Lol! Another funny thing I see is the husbands seem rather hen pecked and almost apologetic of their wives vigor in backing Gothard. They seem submissive in name, yet really do wear the "pants" in the family....choosing when to let him make decisions, when he should lead, and insisting on him supporting a huge family financially because it is the proper Christian thing to do. They hold that husband "authority " over his head like the sword of Damocles! It is really screwed up!!!! Especially when these strong women have meek husbands! Not all men WANT to have such a huge responsibility of driving the family and making every darn decision. Some actually value their wives opinions and NEED their assistance! I would much rather have a partner than a boss. I just see this whole thing as setting up an idol on the altar and worshipping it. As far as the s*x thing, I have no problem saying YES or NO or MAYBE depending on what the mood of the day is....and neither does my dh. No hard feelings! Marriage is about partnership. It should be fun. It should be safe. It needs to be kept real. Formulas don't work!!!

I hate reading articles like these. At first, I am like: Yeah, Yeah....that makes sense! ☺And then I am like : Huh???😳. Then I am like WTF?? 😖. Which finally just makes me 😡. Seriously, I am always like that....doesn't matter what religious evangelism it is....I am not gullible, but I can see someone's point....up until a point....then I just get pissed. The thing with Duggars and Gothardites, and Pearls, and to be fair Jehovah Witnesses publications, and the Bruderhoff, and the Amish, and Mormon and Islamic publications, even the Chasidic Jewish sects is they all seem to have it together, they all seem to have the simple formula, the do this and this will be your reward. Their peace which passeth understanding....and ME with my chaotic life, and nutto kids, and unbalanced life WANT that peace.....then.... In steps my brain and my logical ability and goes to war against the bull sh!t. My bullsh!t tolerance is very low, but my desire for peace and perfect are high....and thus ensues the battle. It is easy for me to see WHY people, especially women would want a formula. It is easy to see why we can be fascinated by the Duggar lifestyle, yet not want it for ourselves, but, boy, wouldnt it be nice to have such polite, clean, obedient kids....and then i slap myself in the head for even thinking i would want kids without their spirit intact, It is easy for me to see why men would jump aboard especially if it meant they could be in total control. Not all men!! Mine said RUN!!! I was ready to fall hook, line and sinker! I had a terrible childhood, full of chaos and instability. I wanted a rule book. I wanted someone else to take responsibility for our kids. I wanted someone to tell me "do this and do that and it will all be a perfect Utopia!". Hubby said NO FREAKING WAY!!!! He is a wise man! Back when we started homeschooling, Gothard was the MAN in homeschool circles. The biggest homeschool organization in this state is Gothard led. Every Christian homeschool group in the area: Gothard! When we refused to go to a Basic Life whatever conference we were blacklisted. My kids were shunned. They were no longer welcome on field trips or to play homeschool sports. My kids were really hurt. When we started talking college the sh!t really hit the fan!!!! Especially since we were talking girls going to college!!!! I could go on all day long about the nonsense purported and the hurt that was inflicted by these self proclaimed Super-Christians. I can remember asking one Mom how she expected non believers to see Jesus in her and her kids if they were so high on their horse they could not be approached? They seemed to believe you could not be a "real " Christian unless you followed the regimen which included the proper way to pleasure your husband... Which of course should make you SO happy. GAG!!!!!!! Yeah, ok.... Wow!! That was rambley, but after reading this entire thread, I sort of......well.....barfed a little... And probably had a little post traumatic stress.

Now, THAT would be an article!

Debi Pearl is creepy!! < shudder!!!>. The Pearls are creepy....just a different creepy than Gothard, or Duggar. Creepy comes in all sizes and shapes, and not just Christian Creepy. Creepy is definitely universal.

I am getting good at it, but it took me years to figure out that it was ok for me to do NOTHING once in a while. I always used to feel like I had to earn my existence, so...if there was anything needing doing, I was going to darn well do it. That led to health issues and serious burnout. Now, I prioritize what is necessary and what is nice to have done. I try to get the necessaries done, and then if I want to, I do the nices. If I think I need a rest, I take it. No guilt! If I have down time and I am not tired or in need of a rest, I will go for a long run or putz in my garden, or look through my pinterest boards, read a book, watch a movie etc. I learned the world doesn't fall apart because I enjoy my own time and I am not earning my existence.

I just have to say I am totally fascinated by this thread! Please let me know if those diaries are digitized. I would really love to read them. WHAT A TREASURE!

Diane, are any of these diaries available online? I am fascinated by primary sources of Women from other cultures. Seriously, can you get more culturally diverse from 1800's polygamist Mormons to late 1900 Brooklyn Jewish?? LOL!

I do book keeping for my husbands business. Before that, I did book keeping from home for other small businesses.

My kids are using Education Portal and You Tube videos ( Horrible Histories, Time travelers etc., anything funny we can find, History Teacher Videos are hilarious!). I am actually using SOTW as a timeline guide. Dd loved them in Elementary and loves the stories now. The activity guide will provide maps and I add to the geography portion from her map studies in her high school text. I use her text book as a tool....not a slave master!! Documentaries are great! Don't skip GOOD picture books!!! Teens can get a great deal from them, even primary documents are included in many. (Maestro, Fritz, Dianne Stanley etc. excellent stuff....learn more than a paragraph in a history textbook!!! Begin with literature, or music, or art, or math, or science and branch out! What does your child love??? Where is the connection??? Where in time did it take place?? Why did it happen?? What was the culture, food, dress, religion, geography, political system....how does it effect us now??? History is connected to it all... So connect. OhElizabeth wrote a great post!

My son had full blown Lyme in January. The doctor would not believe he had a recent tick bite....but boy oh bot....those suckers do not DIE!!!

Do Lego count??? OY!

I absolutely work out so I can shovel snow....and turn my garden, and do my housework, and split and stack firewood....and for the fact that I am almost 50 and have a great body after having 7 kids and losing 115 lbs! I am STRONG and I have endurance, and you would want me on your side should their be a zombie apocalypse ;-). I also workout because it is fun and I love getting stronger instead of deteriorating. I like running 5ks and 10ks and I am looking forward to trying out a 1/2marathon this spring.... So yeah, after shoveling for 3 hours, digging out 3 cars, homeschooling my kids and eating. 1/2 a bag of chocolate kisses....I am off to a spin class. :-). Oh, and I figure we are in for lots more snow since I , in allmy brilliance, fired the plow guy this fall because he was a jerk and I didn't want to deal with him this year...sigh. ETA, according to my hr monitor, shoveling burns 600 calories an hour and my heart rate stays in range of when I run! So, 3 hours, 1800 calories....no guilt over those chocolate kisses! Happy Valentines day to me!!!

You bet!!! Right now enjoying my favorite part....hiding in my room eating chocolate perusing these boards and re-reading my WTM during a blizzard! Does life get better??? Oh, I packed away all of the CLE stuff we won't be using...and just that one act made me feel so much better. :-)

We used CLE at the beginning of this year. I would not recommend it even though I think their math, la and reading are wonderful. Science and history are absolutely awful! Basically, it was like my SIL warned: I just paid over $200 to have more paperwork! No support, boring. Horrible!

Thanks for checking in. Worried about you, my friend! Praying.

Me either!! Lol! Right now I feel whiplashed. I am amazed at what is disordered and what is not. We have been in survival mode for so long, that it was the normal for us. I know I need some rest, some fun and some real relationship building with these young people! My house needs some real TLC. I am not good at clutter, so that isn't the issue....but, 7 kids can wreck a house! Lol! Right now, I am just happy....and trying not to let anxiety creep in and ruin it. :-)

Me too. I have one son not following a college path. Dh and I are not college graduates....we are in the " some college" category....sigh. We have seen first hand what that flipping piece of paper means in terms of income, social status etc. Seeing us struggle has not swayed him. Hopefully, a few hard knocks and a safety net will.

A few weeks ago I posted about our homeschooling days coming to an end due to my work schedule. Well, after much rayer, deliberation and temper tantrums, dh and I have decided to lessen my outside work hours and hire an extra office person. This is working out well, so we will be continuing our homeschooling...and better yet, I am now freed up to really focus on my 3 youngest kids! I have not had this freedom with them EVER!! I feel like a new stay at home mom....although, I have been home and homeschooling for 20 years....working and homeschooling for the past 9 years. Anyway, I am beginning to assess my kids....take time to figure out where they are at academically, physically, emotionally etc. ( don't judge me! This has been an incredibly hard season in the life of our family! Holding it together was the very best I could do! Everyone can read, write and do basic math and everyone has a good grasp of history. ). Now, I think I am going to have a workbook burning party! ( just kidding....planning to pack them up and give them to sil as a big giant gift! Her kids love them.....or at least tolerate them well.) I am re-reading WTM and seeing my kids are doing fine on the basics.....I am scouring the web, looking at organization ....setting up notebooks and generally playing! I really love homeschooling, and was so miserable thinking I wouldn't be able to finish this thing. Looks lie we have a stay! I am excited and planning! Thanks for all your prayers and support! I really appreciate them! Faithe

OY!!! :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: You are in my heart and prayers!

I was never into the get it done young crowd. I have just seen too many really " smart " lame brained 17 year olds on their own mess up royally. We graduated both our older boys at 19, but both had jobs at 16 and were able to continue to play high school sports and pursue their passions, since most of their high school level work was finished at 16. ( other than math). I know this is not typical around here....but, I see no reason to hurry up life. It happens fast anyway. ETA: the boys both followed academic and career type pursuits as well as creative ones. These were by far their best and most fulfilling homeschool years.

< hugs > and love at this difficult time. Sorry for the loss of your Mom. I think she is extremely proud of you and your brother. <3

Me too😄