It's Saturday... Calling All Soccer Moms/Dads... Where are you today ?

For the last SIX YEARS on Saturday morning during the fall and spring months, you can find my husband in the same place....the SOCCER FIELD.

Now, I hate the term "soccer mom" or "soccer dad". Soccer has been my husbands passion since he was in high school. He played high school soccer, coached high school soccer, coached college level soccer, then (and currently) coached my daughters teams from age 3 - 10 (depending on how old Shayna was), coaches All Stars for the town and started coaching high school soccer once again. So, on Saturdays during September, October, April, May and June Shayna and her father are on the field.

When Shayna was a ripe young age of three, she put on her first pair of cleats. She spent more time laying down on the soccer field looking at clouds and then walking around picking flowers than playing. When she was on the field, all the kids ran in a "clump" anyway. There was no real game. However, 6 years later, through 12 different soccer seasons (2 fall, 2 spring EVERY year) this kid has gotten good. It is amazing to watch her development. What is amazing, is her brain can handle the intensity of the game and know exactly what everyone should do. However, her body and skill hasn't caught up with her brain. Give her just a few more seasons. This kid is going to be fabulous !

Good coaches are hard to find. Now, realistically, we didn't have to "find" any coach. Donnie (my husband, her father) is her coach. I need to fully admit he is a GOOD coach. Winning isn't the goal. (although they have placed first or second for several seasons). The goal of the game is to improve, have fun, create teamwork and build sportsmanship ! Put it this way, other coaches put their kids on my husbands team. He is well thought of and sought out !

I need to admit, I take "soccer practices" and "soccer games" as my "time off" as a mom. I am with Shayna transporting her, educating her and entertaining her 24/7 EXCEPT for soccer. Since my husband is her coach, I let him handle soccer. The parents all joke around when I show up at a game. "Who are you ?" they tease. "We forgot Shayna had a mom !," they continue. This season they have been especially "brutual" as I have actually showed up for each soccer practice and the first game this past weekend. (with Donnie's coaching schedule he can't make it home between HS practice for his JV girls and the Under 10 Park/Rec league that Shayna plays on). The other parents are amazed that I am actually present.

If you haven't ever met a "soccer mom" just show up to any field. The "soccer mom" are the ones with the coolers full of food, sitting on camping chairs, with three other kids running around with their "schedule" of everyones games for that day. It is an amazing site !

A unique passion

"On Guard"..... "Retreat" ..... "Advance".....

These are the typical words that I hear every week at fencing. It is amazing that one year ago my daughter came home and said, "I want to learn how to fence." At that moment I thought to myself, fencing... how about ice skating or gymnastics. Those are typically easier and I know where to find them. But, she wanted fencing. She was 100 % sure of this decision. Thank goodness her camp, Camp Emerson, offered fencing. I figured that would give her her fill. I should of known. When our daughter makes a decision she is 100 % that she wants to do it and give it her all. One year later, she is still beyond passionate about fencing and plans to continue and compete for years to come.

After camp, we search and search to find somewhere that would give Shayna what she needed. She wanted a coach that would be fun, patient and caring. We went to three different fencing schools to find what we were looking for. We then found Jill at Dominion Fencing. Dominion Fencing Club is run by Jill and Alan (who are getting married in just 2 weeks !). There style is saftety and fun ! Shayna loves it ! She even had her two best friends join with her. Together they are the "three musketeers !"

This sport has surprised me so much ! The kids get a GREAT workout. They are able to focus and strategize ! It is almost a logic puzzle but they are exercising. Shayna is hoping to get good enough to compete in the future.

Writing Co-op ..... Trying to Choose Topics that Would Please Shayna

We participate in a writing coop. To be more specific, I am the "organizer" of the coop. It is based on the curriculum of Andrew Pudewa's called Institute of Excellence in Writing. Shayna has used this curriculum since 2nd grade and is a good writer. She loves to write. When she was younger "back in the 'good ole days'" as she puts it.... writing coop was much more relaxed and we did about four units a year. Now that she is at the "ripe old age of nine" we have moved onto a few unit that certainly challenged her. This month we are working on research writing from three different sources.


We have already gone through this process once. For the first research paper's topic, Shayna choose Nathan Hale since she is being him for a "Living Wax Museum". Now, we are going to practice this new skill again.


You would not beleive the struggle we had choosing a topic. We went directly to the library to discuss this because she would NEVER think of "speaking in an inappropriate tone at the library -which is our favorite house of worship."


First struggle: Getting Shayna to NARROW DOWN her big topic. She started with "Cats". I told her that was too general. She then decided on the behavior of cats. Great ! Off we to go the computer card catalog.


Side note: Do you remember those "index card - card catalogs" that we used in school ! WOW ! I feel old now !


So we are at the computer and come up with a list of books and they are simply way, way to simplistic for her. We go to the encyclopedias. Everything is written for a four year old to understand how to take care of a kitten. I encourage her to get a new topic.


Second Struggle: Her second and third topics are.... deers and then reindeers. I encourage her to move AWAY from the animal research topic. Everything we were finding was way below her level. She knew most of the information and unless she did something totally unique like some snake from South America there might not be anything for her to learn.


Third Struggle: I get her to look at magazines (kids) such as Cobblestone, ASK, Discover, National Geographic for Kids to see if a topic sparks her interest. She looks at me with the sweetest smile and says "I think I can really learn something new about cats." We are back to the cat issue. I told her "Mom is pulling a 'mom moment' and using her veto power on this one. Find a topic or I will find one for you."


We are back in the magazines. We talk about the topics we are finishing up the year with. Might as well "kill two birds with one stone" and make the best use of our time. She finally decides on her topic...... Women's Roles in the American Revolutionary War. Awesome topic ! I am beyond impressed. She came up with this on her own. But can you seriously believe this child went ON HER OWN from CATS to Woman's Roles in the American Revolutionary War. No wonder some days I have the WORST headache. I can't keep up with this kid's mind !


We picked out three resources (nonfiction book, magazine article from Cobblestone and Encyclopedia Entry), photocopy them and put them aside until today. I am seriously scared that when I pull them out in fifteen minutes she will say - "I thought I was doing CATS".


Ahhhhh ! What we go through to homeschool our kids !

A Wonderful Summer Experience Where Kids Can Be Kids !

Camp Emerson ! Ahhhh..... Camp Emerson ! The place that we found that is a safe environment that we can 110 % trust !

Shayna had the opportunity to go as a first time camper for 3 1/2 weeks in July-August of 2005. This year she is going for 8 weeks (yes, the whole summer !)

Camp Emerson, www.campemerson.com , as my daughter puts it "Is the only place in the world I completely fit in". That is a big compliment from a pint sized girl. (obviously the picture is from 2005 as she hasn't attended yet this summer). If you ask her to elaborate on her comment she would continue along the lines of, ....Camp Emerson is a place where kids who love learning and trying new things come together and help one another. There are no bullies, no making fun of, no laughing at.... Just a bunch of kids who want to really be kids and adults who VALUE and TREASURE kids ideas and suggestions. You can try fencing, water skiing, cooking, drama, robotics, electronics, rocketry, bead work, pottery, junk art, game board design, gymnastics and so much more and find out if you are interested in them, good at them or like them.

Quite a testimonial from a kid. She is going back for her 2nd year. This time, Donnie and I are joining her, to work at camp. The camp director has wanted Donnie to spearhead their ropes, project adventure, outdoor learning component of the camp. After a few years, we broke him down and we are off. However, we promised our daughter 3 things. 1. We would NOT comment on her clothes - even if she looks ridicilous. 2. We would NOT ask her if she brushed her hair or teeth. 3. We will NOT be her parents - that is what the camp director and counselors are for; however, we are allowed to hug, high five and kiss her IF and ONLY IF she comes up to us. We "agreed" (for lack of better words) to this as we do want her to have independence.

Camp Emerson is designed with the kid in mind. They can be kids. They can safely try new activities and learn from experienced counselors. Most counselors are GRADUATE students. (not the typical 18 year old counselor). Emerson is "target as a GIFTED AND TALENTED" type camp; however, a more accurate description is if you have a highly motivated learner in any of the areas they offer - your kid will fit. NOW, Camp Emerson is really targeting HOMESCHOOLERS. They have a GROWING population of homeschoolers attending the camp. Homeschoolers like camp because it is constant learning, a safe environment, ratio of 200 campers to 100 staff (one eye for each camper) and a famiy atmosphere.

Camp Emerson is family owned and operated since 1967. If you would like more information about a camp I endorse 110 % you can email me at eva@luvthesebks.com or www.campemerson.com . Tell Sue that Eva sent you ! It is NOT too late for summer 2006 - Sue will fit your kids in ! You will NOT regret it !

Why we should love READING and turn off that TV !

This week is officially TV Turn-Off Week. If you love televison, you just might not want to read today's post, because I don't find much about TV watching that's very beneficial. There are lots of educators and physicians who agree.


The average U.S. household has the television on more than 7 hours a day; almost 50 hours a week! In contrast, what's the average amount of time per day that a child 6 or under will read or be read to? 41 minutes. TV Turnoff Network tells us: "On average, children in the US will spend more time in front of the television (1,023 hours) than in school this year (900 hours).


My personal opinion is that TV slowly destroys the desire to read. It has a numbing effect because it requires no interaction, no activity, no imagination, and no communication; yet at the same time it demands our attention. It replaces people. You can't plan, strategize or fulfill responsibilities while watching tv. TV robs families of basic communication. It can create an environment of laziness. Have you ever really thought about the strangeness of this habit -- sitting in front of a box, escaping from your real life by living thru others' experiences, all the while exposing yourself to violence, sexual innuendo and more? You'd never invite someone into your home to do these things, yet daily we invite TV to affect us this way. Not a very pretty picture.



Then there are the physical implications:US Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher said at the Kick Off of TV-Turnoff Week 2001, "We are raising the most overweight generation of youngsters in American history...This week is about saving lives."


Look at this article by Sherrie Le Masurier, co-owner of Family Sanity Savers, a site offering smart solutions for busy parents:


"Research shows children who consistently spend more than ten hours per week watching TV are more likely to be overweight. Okay, so maybe you don’t have an overweight child, but consider the fact that most children get a great deal of information about health from television. Much of this comes in the form of an ad. Typically, ads don’t give true or balanced views about healthy lifestyles and food choices. Many TV ads encourage unhealthy eating habits. Two-thirds of the 20,000 TV ads the average child sees in a given year are for food and in particular, foods with high-sugar counts.



And just think of how television shows, even educational, non-commercial ones, replace physical activity in your child’s life. TV-viewing takes away from participating in sports, music, art and other activities. Regular viewing encourages a sedentary lifestyle which in turn, can lead to poor physical fitness down the road. Further it decreases time spent in social interactions with family and peers.



Research also suggests that television viewing may be associated with decreased attention spans in children. A recent study from Dimitri Christakis, a researcher at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle, indicates that pre-school aged children who watch television face increased risks of attention deficit problems by the time they reach school age. The study was published in the April 2005 issue of Pediatrics:

'For many years, teachers and doctors have told us that, in their experience, many of the children who have the most difficulty focusing and paying attention are also the heaviest TV-watchers. This study provides scientific data confirming their belief, says TV-Turnoff Network Executive Director Frank Vespe. The network sponsors TV Turn Off Week which is held each year at the end of April. In 2006, families are encouraged to turn their televisions off April 24 to 30th. This report underscores that the early years of a child's life are absolutely crucial to the development of a healthy brain. It makes clear that each hour of daily television-viewing in very young children is associated with a 10 percent increase in their risk of suffering attention deficit problems.'


TV also influences children’s attitudes toward themselves and others. After seeing the stereotypes represented on television over and over, children begin to take them at face value."


So, what are YOU going to do about it? This week is the perfect time to start. When we've had TV free weeks at our house, we rediscovered the excitement and fun of reading and lots of other activities. We talked more, lingered at the dinner table longer to talk, and spent more time outside or simply relaxing. You could start by choosing a good book or two to read with your kids this week. Usborne has hundreds of them! Peter Usborne specifically created his books to grab a child's attention and wrestle them away from the lure of televison. Happy Reading ... and enjoy real life this week! I hope it will be the beginning of a permanent change in your home !

Happy Birthday Mr. Shakespeare !

"Small Cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast." ~ The Comedy of Errors, 3.1

Today was William Shakespeare 442nd Birthday. Can you imagine being that old ? Seriously, another delightful day of learning and experiences while celebrating at Folger Shakespeare Library on East Capital Avenue, SE in DC. If you have the opportunity to visit this "museum/library" do so ! If you go, just for kids, the museum has a scavenger hunt that will allow them to explore the "400 year old English House" (musuem). The Folger was built by Henry and Emily Folger to hold the world's largest collection of books by and about William Shakespeare. Be sure to get the "Just for Kids" scavenger hunt/question pamphlet.

Today, at Folger, the READING ROOM was open to the public. This room contains some of the collection (but not near all) held by the museum. Only researchers are able to use the "reading room". However, today everyone could go on a tour to view the beautiful artwork and books that reflected Shakespeare's work and life.

To celebrate, there were "stations" for the kids to participate in. Some were Mayflag dances, Elizabethain games, quill writing, drawing contest, penant making and mask making. There were performances, play scenes and deomonstrations (the Fire Eating and Sword Swallowing were our favorites !). Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth I even made a guest appearance. Docents were in costume entertaining and educating the kids.

This festival ALWAYS happens in late April. If you are ever in the DC area - don't miss it. Also, online there are a tons of activities that are great for kids. www.folger.edu.

Happy Birthday William !

Caution: Unsocialized Homeschoolers on Board

CAUTION: Unsocialized Homeschoolers On Board

Yesterday was the first curriculum sale of the "season" in my area. My dd wanted more of a "say" in what curriculums she would use, so she came with me. Two other families that we know brought their children. It was crowded and the kids noticed a group of tables with chess games and other strategy games laid out for them.

Within a moment, my dd requested permission to hang out at the game table. She grabbed a few of her friends (from the other families) and went directly to play games. The next time I looked over in that direction, there were a TON (15 - 20 ???) of homeschoolers of various ages playing games all together. My dd only knew four of them. However, by the time I was ready to leave she discovered she had another 10 good friends. She asked me if she could exchange emails so that they could stay in touch.

Now, where else would you find kids, playing nicely for almost 2 hours that NEVER BEFORE knew eachother. These kids entertained themselves, took turns, did NOT argue and included all ages (there were a few kids who looked as young as 5 .... and others that could of easily been at least 12).

The next time I hear the "S" word..... this scene will flash into my memory. Not only are our kids socialized, but they know how to include all kids AND make them all feel delightful !