On Secular Parenting

I've seen this article going around, and I am so tempted to re-share it on Facebook.  But since I am still semi- in the closet regarding my heathen status there, and this is my space to say and share whatever I want... it's going here.  It's a great article about a study on how secular family values compare to those in religious families.  Maybe I will yet get up the nerve to share it elsewhere...

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0115-zuckerman-secular-parenting-20150115-story.html

What We Did Over Summer Vacation - Part 5

This post has been sitting in my drafts folder since October - it's the last one I wrote about stuff we did over the summer.  I guess I'll go ahead and post it now, in January.  :)

The same day that we visited the Lake County History Center, we spent the afternoon at a second field trip - at the Fairport Harbor Marine Museum and Lighthouse.  Until I saw both of these field trips posted by Kim of Kim's Ohio Homeschooling Events, I had no idea there were any local lighthouses available for touring.  I knew the kids would dig it.

First, we stopped for lunch and to play a bit at the beach, before walking up to the lighthouse.

Mast from an actual ship.

This room that was added onto the building was originally the wheelhouse of a Lake Erie ship.

The view from the top

The museum's creepy mummified "ghost cat".

I was fascinated with this simple, old-fashioned way of lighting the decks below.

I liked this painting.

The boys had a roll down the hill afterward.

What We Did Over Summer Vacation - Part 4

Also in August, we visited Lake County History Center for a pioneer day field trip.  We got to learn about life in pioneer times by performing some hands-on tasks such as doing chores in a log cabin, making johnny cakes over the fire, hand-dipping candles, and participating in lessons in a one-room schoolhouse.  It was great fun and you could really see the information being absorbed and "clicking" in the kids' heads.  I overheard Monkey saying to another boy in our group when we were in the log cabin, "This sure would be a neat life," and Bug still occasionally says "yes ma'am" to me, many weeks later, after being taught that's the proper way that children speak to adults in the schoolhouse that day.

Hand-dipping candles

Blacksmith

The little boys (including Bug) were sent out to fetch wood, with one big boy in charge.  Monkey's group was sent to bring back buckets of water.

She was really entertaining.  She taught us about pioneer life and showed us how to grind corn and make johnny cakes over the fire, which was a daily breakfast staple.

 

The teacher, calling the children in to school.

Leading everyone in a "blab" lesson.

Monkey doing his lesson on his slate.  Notice the woodstove in front of him - the teacher discussed how that kept everyone warm in winter and required work from both teacher and students to keep it going.