Lots of gaming going on

My kids have been on a gaming streak these past few days, Lego Star Wars, Zoo Tycoon 2 and Battlefield 2 are the choices. They are really working on them, all 4 of them are playing lots.



I think it's great! The only challenge is sharing the computer :)



I guess they were getting burned out on Runescape and needed a change. Usually they don't all want the computer or gamecube at the same time.

Jared just got Lego Star Wars II for his birthday for the PS2, so they have been playing that, dh included.

Brenny is back at Runescape, he was on for quite awhile today. The neighbor kid two doors down wasn't feeling well so he was on also and they were on the phone while playing. They were helping each other out. Brennan is reading more and more each day and he is spelling and typing too, all because of Runescape.

Unschooling

I love unschooling, learning is as natural as breathing for my kids. I have personally completely deschooled, I have no hang ups about school, except for the fact that I was subject to public schooling in the first place.

It makes it hard to explain to people though. Well... we don't follow a curriculum, we don't test, we don't use grades, we don't even know what grade the kids would be in.

I believe that I was born a rebel, a free spirit who couldn't be tied down to some sort of rule oriented life controlled by some other person.

School is a joke and it is damaging and it is a waste of precious time, school is no place for children.

I love the freedom we have, I love that we go to bed when we want and wake when we want. I love that we eat when we are hungry and use the bathroom without asking permission. Oh I could rant on that one.

I love the curiosity in my kids, I like to watch them play, they just go about their day playing, playing, playing. You do know that so much learning happens while playing, learning happens all the time it's everywhere, you can't avoid it. I guess that you could if you were schooled and so ingrained that learning was boring and something that you had to do between 8am and 3pm.

All we can do is plant seeds and be an example, we can't make anyone get it but we can tell people about it who are really seeking out a better way of living and learning.

Offspring

Not the band, LOL! I like them but I'm talking about our kids.

You know our kids are just little versions of us, they have our genes, they have our good and our not so good traits. They look like us, they act like us, I think it's God's way of giving us insight and understanding and for giving us a second chance, providing we don't blow it like our parents did.

I'm not dissing our parents, they did the best they could with the tools they had BUT we know better, we know different and it's our responsibility to step up to the plate and own it.

My little boy, whom I love more than I can express is causing some great heaps of turmoil here. I know his personality, I know he gets frustrated, I know he is a little version of his dad. I want to help him deal with his frustration, I want to help him overcome these issues. When I remain calm and act the way I want him to he does calm down, not instantly it takes a while. He tells me not to look at him, not to talk to him. When he gets like this everything is stupid, he hates everything and he just lashes out.

I understand his frustration and I want to help him but sometimes I talk back to him the way he talks to me and he doesn't like it. I just want him to realize what he is doing.

He is so full of energy and life and he is always acting something out and talking and just being such a sweet boy. He is his father reincarnated, we joke about this, but it has some serious repercussions. My dh never had anyone try to help him and when him and Jared are together they are looking in the mirror.

It's not just those two, I see ourselves in all of our children, I don't want to harbor on the so called negatives of our personalities. Sometimes those qualities are beneficial, we are striving for the best in our children.


After reading what I wrote I deleted a bunch it just seemed to personal and didn't sound the way I wanted. I think it's time for me to talk about unschooling or something.

It's PMS time again

Well... it happens every month do you think we would be used to it by now???????

Today was a rough day but as I observe my life I realize that it's probably no different than any other day except for the fact that my hormones are hopping.

I hate this, I really do because I feel bad and start in on my monthly I'm sorry I'm such a terrible mother rant. I beat myself up one side and down the other. Why you ask??? Well because apparantly I'm fairly sane and patient most of the time according to outside sources. But every damn month I go through this it sucks to be in my skin, I yell easily, I react instead of try to listen and figure out what the problem is. I actually want to have some time to myself, I want to take a bath without taking care of everyone else first. Is this so bad? Apparantly it is when you are me and do so much for everyone that if you want a moment to breathe it isn't accepted very well and therefore you (I) am the bad guy.

I realize that I do things, I give 110% every day except as the hormones mount I have no sympathy or patience and I feel selfish. Which of course I beat myself up for aggin, how dare you want to take a bath, it's only 1:30 am, surely someone needs you... I am being so sarcastic now because the moment is passed and I'm up alone at 3:25 am.

I love my kids I love our lifestyle but sometimes I feel bad for wanting to just be without having to take care of anyone. I realize I'm demented

I also realize that some parents put their needs above their kids and I don't do that and that is why I feel so selfish that I actually want to just go take a bath.

I know there needs to be balance and moderation and all that good stuff But anyone who knows me can see I tend to be all or nothing. I struggle so much with balance and grey areas and middle ground. I'm sure I'll find them someday but who knows maybe I won't. Maybe I am supposed to be piss and vinegar, to blaze a trail and set an example in this life with my beliefs and passions.

I just hate confusing my kids who one day have a mom who is patient and helpful and is a doer and the next day they have the terrible mother rant...

To be continued...

Something funny... to me

We had a barbeque at our best friends house tonight. It was their family, my family and 2 other families, we all homeschool.

We were all having a blast and my friend and I were there with one of the other moms just chatting and laughing and having a good old time.

Then the other mom(I'm not using their names) said that her son had been grounded for a month and hasn't been playing video games. He just started playing again today, he does not have unlimited access anyway, it's not a privilege.
He has to do school and finish before dinner time which is usually around 6pm before he can play video games. He has about 4 subjects a day to do.

Well my friend knows that I am what I am and I just said *what did she say, she is speaking a foreign language*

This may be one of those had to be there moments but I was serious, what do you mean by school and subjects? What do you mean that video games are a privilege? I'm so confused!!!!!

I'm not sure if she knows we are radical unschoolers or what but they all laughed when I said that.

We don't do school we don't do subjects and there are definitely no priveleges, video games are in the house and there for the taking.

AHHHHHH I know that some people will never understand but one thing that is awesome is that my best friend is reading Holt and Gatto and she says I'm rubbing off on her. If I can even help one family relax and deschool it's all good!

So much to say...

Oh my gosh... I haven't blogged in a few weeks, why you ask? My ds slammed my hand in the sliding door of the van, on accident.

My birthday was May 18th, my mom and new stepdad came to visit from TX, we had such an awesome time. I haven't seen my mom in 3 years and this was the first time to meet Hank. I do have pics that I will post just not right this minute.

We went to the zoo and to the Opry Mills Mall and Gaylord Opryland Hotel and to Outback Steakhouse and Cinco De Mayo and I had the richest chocolate cake, oh my.

Grandpa Hank bought Kieran and Brennan guitars, he plays and collects them and my boys are interested in playing. That is when my hand got slammed the minute we got to the guitar store, OUCH!!!!

I was screaming, I thought it was broken, it swelled and bruised and I couldn't do anything right handed.
I applied arnica several times a day and here I am almost fixed up.
I admit that I hate being dependant and I had to be a left handed person because my right hand was not working.
Oh the mental and emotional trauma I went through is excruciating to think about.

My husband and kids had to do what I normally do and I couldn't participate in email or even sign my name, UGH!!!
I had to write left handed and eat left handed and do other things I won't mention, LOL!

Gosh it seems like a lot has happened te past few weeks, I'll post more soon with pics of course. Brennan turned 9 and we had a box turtle for a day and we have been exploring with a metal detector and playing music and swimming and ,and ,and that's all for now.

Book Quiz

www.bluepyramid.org/ia/bquiz.htm
This is interesting, I took the book quiz, it's 6 questions and this is what came up for me.

You're Anarchy, State, and Utopia!
by Robert Nozick
If it were up to you, there would probably be no government at all. But then you'd have to deal with there being no government, and nobody likes that. So you've decided that hiring a few security guards is okay. Getting rid of that nasty tax collector would sure be nice, though. He keeps getting in the way of you making the money you so richly deserve! Everyone who believes in you happens to be fairly well off.