Essays

We haul the box that held our Christmas tree for the last 10 months of its hibernation up the basement stairs and slit the tape holding it closed with a butter knife. My kids unpack one section of pre-lit bunched artificial greenery after another, and we plug each section into the one below until we reach the top. She’s a lopsided cone now, standing in the corner by the living room window. When we straighten her out and plug her in to the outlet on the wall, she looks like sh

"A new personal best. Yes! " Since I first became involved in fitness and health 24 years ago, I have been setting new goals each time. And now with my three children, I want to be able to teach them the same principles. Whether it be running, lifting a new weight, or preparing for a race or sport, one thing I found I always needed was strength . I do admit that when I was younger, it became about self reliance. I thought I could do things like parenting, being a teacher, or

a fun math activity (and a carpet in need of vacuuming) Surprises are not my favourite. I would rather know what's coming. I would rather be prepared. I would rather not be caught off guard. Enter parenting, followed a few years later by homeschooling, and the closest it seemed I ever got to a "Would you rather?" was "Would you rather help a frustrated kid with math or clean up the box of Cheerios that the toddler emptied onto the kitchen floor?" The unpredictability of those

Did you know there are 5 components of Physical Fitness? Each component should strive to improve your overall health and life: 1) cardiovascular endurance 2) muscular strength 3) muscular endurance 4) flexibility 5) body composition Although we should aim for a well balanced approach, have you stopped to consider what a spiritual approach might look like in these five areas? As we start our co-op year together, I want to encourage you to seek ways to grow in each area. In a s

“You have to let go of her sometime.” She’s given me parenting advice before, but I pause at this comment. I’ve just shared that our oldest will not be starting grade one at our local public school in September, and I’m not surprised about yet another unconvinced reaction to homeschooling. Dodging questions about my children's future social skills from near strangers and tolerating skeptical silence is my specialty. I have heard it all. It will hold them back. It will make th