Letter P is for Play.

Sometimes we as homeschool moms just need to let our kids play. Let our kids go outside and play or maybe just play inside. You know free play nothing organized or structured! 

This is something I struggled with for a few years. Not that I have anything wrong with play time during school hours it’s just that I have a daughter with special needs and when I let her go play it was a huge struggle getting back into school. We would spend the next hour trying to get her focused to continue with school. For several years I wouldn’t let her out of my site until school was done. It was just too stressful and discouraging for me. 

Then my son was ready to be homeschooled. Let’s just say that he needed to get out of the classroom to play. He came back to the table refreshed and ready to go. I couldn’t let him go play and not her. 

So I let both kids go play. If it’s a nice day they want to go outside and play in our yard. There are times that we go to a playground. The kids are still learning while playing. They are using their imagination, running, jumping, and laughing. Let them get dirty and sometimes even wet! Sometimes they both want to just go play Lego's or create some other adventure inside the house. That’s a good thing also.

My daughter still has a hard time getting back into school. Some days are worst than other days. We also have days now that it isn’t a problem getting back into our schedule. 

The older my kids get the more they want to get up earlier and finish their school up as soon as they can. There are days that they don’t want to go play but, get school done faster. That way they can have the afternoon to play. I still encourage my kids to go and play during school hours.   

Unfortunately, I hear some moms who think the kids doing PE, sports, field trips, or even classes outside of the home are sufficient play time for their kids. I don’t agree as those are structured activities. Not that those activities are bad. Sometimes we just need to let kids use their own imagination and be kids. Sometimes I go outside and play with them!

I know some parents who are afraid to let their kids go outside and play during school hours. If that is the case you can still let your kids go play.

In our small town we can hear the schools during recess time and we actually live several blocks away from the school. I had fond memories of recess time during my school days. My kids are building fond memories of their play time during school hours. 

I think in the long run your kids will be healthier and appreciate the time that they get to be kids and just play.

Other bloggers have joined in Blogging through the Alphabet.  Annette and Amanda are hosting this on their blogs. Stop by and see what they are blogging about with the letter P.

#abcblogging

You can see my other post of this series below:

A is for Aleph
B is for Bee
C is for Crash
D is for Dragonfly
E is for Enter
F is for Friend
G is for Gadol
H is for Horse Therapy
I  is for- Idiopathic Arthritis
J is for Joy
K is for Kadosh
L is for Leaven
M is for Mashiach
N is for Never Again
O is for Old
 

Letter O is for Old

Yes, Old. Hee Hee this has been a topic that has came up often in conversations in my life. The last few years we have had many friends whose kids are either graduating high school or even college. The other scenario we see is that friends are traveling and doing those things when your kids have grown up, have jobs, children, and basically living an independent life. When my husband and I married some 26+ years ago our parents were the age we are when we started our family.

Our kids are still young with Little Man being 11 and Bug is 14. My beloved and I joke with our son often that when he graduates from college (if the decides to go that path) that he will have to start to take care of us. We tell him to make sure he has a big trunk for two walkers. We aren’t a serious bunch and like to joke around. 

 Bug has a lot of disabilities and the reality is that she will most likely need someone to care for her the rest of her life. That leaves Little Man basically. My husband and I both have one sibling living one which is our age and the other is much older. 

Over the last few years we have developed friendships with older parents. I know it’s nothing new being an older parent in our recent generation. I also see others who think that it cruel to put a burden like that on our children. That it will affect our kid’s relationships, careers, emotional stability, and having a child with special needs is a post in itself. The reality I think it’s more of a heart condition with our kids. Also the relationship you have with our kids. They don’t see it as cruel or selfish on our part.

Thankfully, we are healthy and don't have any major health issues. We don’t move as fast as we use to and we have more aches and pains. We don’t need any medications. Praise God that we don’t have any health issues.

This Old parenting has been on my mind lately. Maybe it’s because my mother in law had a major heart attack a few weeks ago and that I have had two recent deaths in my family. 

I’m thankful that I had my children later in life. I see many younger parents that are very immature and they stress out on the little things in life. No, I'm not saying younger parents are immature just some individuals who act like kids themselves. Other parents  are building their careers and have a harder time keeping up with their kids. 

I don’t stress out on the little things that seem to plague younger moms. Trust me it’s not that I don’t have any stress as I’m a mom with a child with disabilities. Hopefully, I’m wiser and I feel that I’m more emotionally stable with all the things that this life throws at you. I feel that my kids are more emotionally stable and secure with who they are because of this. I'm pretty set in my ways already. Not that I can't be compromised with.

Another aspect is homeschooling for my family. My husband and I look back when we were younger and the reality is that the homeschooling path would have not been something we would have considered. Homeschooling is an aspect that I cherish with my kids. Our relationship as a family is a tight knit one. We enjoy spending time and learning together. My kids talk to me about everything. For that I’m grateful beyond measure. My kids aren’t embarrassed at having an older parent. I know moms’ who have kids who are embarrassed with having older parents. Yes, I color my hair as I’m not ready to go gray yet! I have a lot of gray under my hair color! Maybe one day I will go natural.

On the other hand it is a scary thing for my son. My daughter doesn’t understand that we may one day die. He understands that we are older. We make light of it with the whole walker thing. He gets it and sometimes has a fear that we may die before he becomes an adult or that we wont' be around for a long time. We talk about it when he feels that way. He has a big burden that some kids don’t-his sister. We talk about this often. He knows that it won’t be easy but, he loves his sister and wants the best for her. The reality is that he will have to take care of her one day. I hate that it is something he may have to do. I hope that my beloved and I live a long life so he doesn’t have to have that burden. I know his heart and he has a tender heart towards his big sister. 

There is obviously nothing I can do about my age, but I can reassure my son and do everything I can to take care of ourselves so that we can be around for a long time. He also understand that it’s ultimately up to God to when we take our last breathe.  

I’m grateful being an older parent. I don’t know what the future holds for my children. I trust in a mighty God and it’s in His hands. 

Are you and older mom? What do you see as the advantages or disadvantages? I’d love to hear from you.

Other bloggers have joined in Blogging through the Alphabet.  Annette and Amanda are hosting this on their blogs. Stop by and see what they are blogging about with the letter O.

#abcblogging

You can see my other post of this series below:

A is for Aleph
B is for Bee
C is for Crash
D is for Dragonfly
E is for Enter
F is for Friend
G is for Gadol
H is for Horse Therapy
I  is for- Idiopathic Arthritis
J is for Joy
K is for Kadosh
L is for Leaven
M is for Mashiach
N is for Never Again
 

 Letter N is for Never Again!

Today we remember Yom Hashoah or better known as Holocaust Memorial Day.
In 1959 the Israel Knesset passed a law creating Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is observed each year on the 27th day of the month of Nissan, according to the Jewish calendar. This date coincides with the beginning of the revolt against the Nazis by Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto in 1943. The Holocaust was between the years of 1933-1945.

We must never forget the horrific events that happened during the Holocaust. We must remember to prevent such a catastrophe from happening again.

6 million Jews died. Thousands of Non-Jewish also perished during this time. It didn't matter what type of Jew you were rich or poor. Age didn't matter over 1,500 million children perished in the death camps. The Nazis also targeted people with disabilities, political dissidents, gypsies, and homosexuals.

May we never forget! Never Again! Out of the ashes of the Holocaust the State of Israel was born in 1948. After two thousand years the Jewish people had their own land again. Many who came to Eretz (land) of Israel were survivors of the Holocaust.

 “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” — Elie Wiesel

“I had to help them. There was no choice.” — Oskar Schindler

Pray for the shalom (peace) of Jerusalem. Come quickly Yeshua.

Other bloggers have joined in Blogging through the Alphabet.  Annette and Amanda are hosting this on their blogs. Stop by and see what they are blogging about with the letter N.

#abcblogging

You can see my other post of this series below:

A is for Aleph
B is for Bee
C is for Crash
D is for Dragonfly
E is for Enter
F is for Friend
G is for Gadol
H is for Horse Therapy
I  is for- Idiopathic Arthritis
J is for Joy
K is for Kadosh
L is for Leaven
M is for Mashiach