Why Blog?

Well, I'm not sure I'm up for a blog, but thought it might be a good idea considering I'm trying to encourage my younger children's language education. In TJEd, one of the key points is YOU not THEM. Which means I need to set the example. "The best mentors are continually learning and pushing themselves...In our modern society, whenever education is the subject, we always want to talk about the kids. We care about them, and we know their education is important, but we also find that it's easier to talk about their education than to improve our own. In reality, you are unlikely to pass on to your children a better education than you have earned yourself, no matter how much you push them or how good the teachers are in their private school. Children tend to rise to the educational level of their parents, and maybe a little above if their parents have shown them that this is important.  The most effective way to ensure the quality of their education is to consistently improve your own." (A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation Of Leaders, by Oliver DeMille)

So here I am. I want them to learn how to communicate in ways other than grunting or texting. Not that they grunt a lot but sometimes I read their supposed wants before they have to ask so they might feel that they don't have to communicate with me. I've been working on not solving everyone's problems before they become problems so that they can learn from their choices. Last night I had to put Collin to bed without eating. We came home from Brett's basketball game and found Collin still on the computer after over four hours. He was told to get off after one hour. It was late and he had earlier been offered food by Danae and David but he said he wasn't hungry. It was soooo hard for me to send him to bed, but I knew he wouldn't learn to obey the rules if I gave in. It's taken me 26 years to be this mean. But I think he learned his lesson and I learned mine. I HAVE to be consistent or nothing works.  Consistency is probably my biggest weakness which means I'm going to make it my strength.