Rhe’s Bookshelf : The Christian Mama’s Guide to the School-Age Years

Summary:

Prepares moms for the time when their school-aged kids take their first few steps into the world and away from mama’s nest.
Sending a child off to school is a whole lot more than stocking up on school supplies and packing a (somewhat) healthy lunch. This helpful guidebook walks Christian moms through:

  • discovering a long-term vision for the person that Christ has purposed for your child to become
  • instilling a sense of “who I am and where I came from” in your child
  • choosing a school for your kids
  • helping your kids to develop key attributes—courage, kindness, perseverance—that lead to success in school
  • dealing with teachers, sports, and lessons
  • navigating those difficult conversations that will come sooner rather than later
  • a special feature includes sidebars “From the Principal’s Office” with insights from a 35-year elementary school principal and educator

Moms will learn how to cover their children in prayer so that their launch into the world, and away from her control, is done with grace and wisdom—helping them grow into the men and women God intended them to be.

What I thought:

So, here’s the deal.  I’m trying to look at this book with fresh eyes so to speak.  I think it may have done more good before my son actually started school.  I think it would have given me encouragement and a “hug” as I was preparing for my oldest to start Kindergarten.  It was a little scary for me, especially since I wasn’t sold on the whole public school thing in the first place.  But I’m very blessed to be able to stay at home with my children, therefore getting involved in the school, as a room mom, and being there as much as possible.  And despite my confidence in general sending my baby off to school was hard.  I prayed about, and talked about it, and hoped with all my might that I had prepared my little guy, in the six short years he’s been on earth, to handle all that he would soon encounter.  Did I make the right decision in not sending him to pre-school, would be be ready for all day preschool?!  I wasn’t sure.  The book contains some great advice and encouragement, but I think it’s be served for someone with children not yet at this stage of life.  I wasn’t a fan of the writing style, it was sort of conversational, but at times seemed scattered.  The “notes from the principal” were a cool idea.  It’s fairly quick and easy read.

2 1/2 – 3 stars (Lol, depending on how you look at it).

post signature

Continue Reading

The last days of summer…the first day of School

Greetings all and happy Tuesday. I don’t know if anyone else out there reading this is a list person, but I am. Ask my mom and she’ll tell you that I’ve been a list person for a very long time. I had a planner in jr. high and have one to this day. And yes, it is a paper one that you have to write in. My IPhone is wonderful, and lists are there to be found as well. But, nothing beats a good old fashioned paper and pen list and calendar.

 I even posted about my little planner on instagram

           One of the posts I’ve had in my brain (and on my list(s)) that I think I’ve been putting off is my First Day of School post. My oldest started school, kindergarten to be exact. I’ve been nervous about it for awhile. Probably a little bit more than a year ago I really started worrying about it. I used to be a Liberal Studies major, with the intention of becoming a teacher. The politics of teaching in California, or most other places for that matter, was something that just felt I couldn’t deal with. There are many days I regret the decision, but what’s done is done. The concerns about putting my child in the public school system are what they are too; and I don’t particularly care to argue about that either. But like just about everything in my life God is totally in control. He’s watching over us.

         We are very fortunate to have moved to a great state, an even better school district and one of the better elementary schools. My fears about teachers have been eased. My fears about my little guy have been eased. I’m a firm believer in letting kids be kids. Letting them play, get dirty, run around, be silly, build an imagination and just have plain ‘ole fun. I just don’t think kids get to do this enough these days. Many kids just don’t play like when I was growing up or my parents. Too much tv, video games, baseball teams, soccor, dance, cheerleading, and the list goes on and on. Don’t get me wrong, my kids are in stuff too. My son does karate and my daughter right now is doing gymnastics. I think interaction and team activities are important for kids, but kids are shuffled around from thing to thing at such a young age now. I was worried about the fact that I’d let my kids be kids and how that would translate into a classroom. I was worried it would be too rigid, to structured and too education focused. And don’t worry, we discipline, I did pre-k work with him at home and we have rules, so its not like I let them run amuk.

First Day of school – 6 years old!

          June 2007 – 10 months old

          In the end I’ve been so happy. I didn’t have to do the whole “I told you so” speech to the hubbs (which I might have secretly been bummed about,lol). He’s doing so well. No additional emotional outbursts (boys at this age are super emotional people!). He’s been a little bit more tired than normal but not a lot. He likes his teacher, is making friends, likes his work. He’s doing music and PE and finally got to play with the play kitchen set in the classroom, which he was convinced was there purely to taunt him. He’s succeeding and I’m so proud. This mom can now breathe a sigh of relief.

 First day of school!  Apparently he would like to be a Doctor/Driver – it’s probably quite complicated 

 How bout you all? Any sighs of relief going around after the first couple weeks of school? Everyone getting into a rhythm with their schedules?

Continue Reading

The last days of summer…the first day of School

Greetings all and happy Tuesday. I don’t know if anyone else out there reading this is a list person, but I am. Ask my mom and she’ll tell you that I’ve been a list person for a very long time. I had a planner in jr. high and have one to this day. And yes, it is a paper one that you have to write in. My IPhone is wonderful, and lists are there to be found as well. But, nothing beats a good old fashioned paper and pen list and calendar.

 I even posted about my little planner on instagram

           One of the posts I’ve had in my brain (and on my list(s)) that I think I’ve been putting off is my First Day of School post. My oldest started school, kindergarten to be exact. I’ve been nervous about it for awhile. Probably a little bit more than a year ago I really started worrying about it. I used to be a Liberal Studies major, with the intention of becoming a teacher. The politics of teaching in California, or most other places for that matter, was something that just felt I couldn’t deal with. There are many days I regret the decision, but what’s done is done. The concerns about putting my child in the public school system are what they are too; and I don’t particularly care to argue about that either. But like just about everything in my life God is totally in control. He’s watching over us.

         We are very fortunate to have moved to a great state, an even better school district and one of the better elementary schools. My fears about teachers have been eased. My fears about my little guy have been eased. I’m a firm believer in letting kids be kids. Letting them play, get dirty, run around, be silly, build an imagination and just have plain ‘ole fun. I just don’t think kids get to do this enough these days. Many kids just don’t play like when I was growing up or my parents. Too much tv, video games, baseball teams, soccor, dance, cheerleading, and the list goes on and on. Don’t get me wrong, my kids are in stuff too. My son does karate and my daughter right now is doing gymnastics. I think interaction and team activities are important for kids, but kids are shuffled around from thing to thing at such a young age now. I was worried about the fact that I’d let my kids be kids and how that would translate into a classroom. I was worried it would be too rigid, to structured and too education focused. And don’t worry, we discipline, I did pre-k work with him at home and we have rules, so its not like I let them run amuk.

First Day of school – 6 years old!

          June 2007 – 10 months old

          In the end I’ve been so happy. I didn’t have to do the whole “I told you so” speech to the hubbs (which I might have secretly been bummed about,lol). He’s doing so well. No additional emotional outbursts (boys at this age are super emotional people!). He’s been a little bit more tired than normal but not a lot. He likes his teacher, is making friends, likes his work. He’s doing music and PE and finally got to play with the play kitchen set in the classroom, which he was convinced was there purely to taunt him. He’s succeeding and I’m so proud. This mom can now breathe a sigh of relief.

 First day of school!  Apparently he would like to be a Doctor/Driver – it’s probably quite complicated 

 How bout you all? Any sighs of relief going around after the first couple weeks of school? Everyone getting into a rhythm with their schedules?

Continue Reading