Tip: Begin Early to Prepare your Students for College - Part 3

Before I go any further with this topic, we have to agree on something. While being a lifelong learner is necessary and using our God-given brain and talents is important, college is not for everyone. There are many great people in this world who never stepped foot on a college campus. With that being said, let's continue with our college prep tip.

Summer is a great time to visit college campuses. This can be done with kiddos of any age - even those as young as elementary school. This is a great way to plant a seed for the future. It doesn't have to take a lot of effort. As you are on a summer vacation or a short trip, take the time to plan ahead and just drive through some college campuses. Get out and walk around. Walk through some classrooms and take a look at the gym. If time permits, visit with an admissions officer. This can help to narrrow down the options when the time comes to choose.

We did this with our boys. I remember one summer we drove through the beautiful campus of Ouachita Baptist University - a great college in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. I just knew it was a perfect fit for one of our boys. As we drove through the quaint scenic campus in this beautiful small town, I commented on what a great school this is. My son looked around and said, "where's the mall?" When we told him that the largest nearby city was Little Rock and that is was 45 miles away, he was not interested.That slight detour on our short trip was of great benefit because he knew then that he wanted to attend college in a big city.

Have a great day - Robin

Tip: Preparing your Students for College - Part 2

In, But Not Of - A Guide to Christian Ambition and the Desire to Influence the World by Hugh Hewitt is a great book for high school students to read. It is a quick-read and is especially appropriate for those about to head off to college. Although you may not agree with all of his points, overall, the book is filled with insight, wisdom and practical advice. Some of his chapter titles include: Tattoos: Don't, There is No Advantage in Trash Talk, Conflict is a Part of the Christian Life. He covers topics such as church, money, accomplishments, relationships, and success.

Answers to the Memorial Day quiz-
The original name for the holiday was Decoration Day.
The holiday was prompted by the Civil War. It was only celebrated by the North until after WWI. Then when soldiers from all wars were remembered, the South celebrated it as well.
Memorial Day was first observed was May 30, 1868.
Red poppies were sold to raise money for widowed wives and orphans.
No one really knows the city where the holiday first began. However, President Johnson officially named Waterloo, NY as its birthplace.
Source: www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd

By the way, if you would like to learn more about US History and not get weighed down with dates and political terms, read children's books.

Have a great day - Robin

Happy Memorial Day!

One thing my father did for his family was a strong passionate sense of patriotism. He loved his country. Although he served in the army for a short time, he never considered himself worthy of the same recognition as soldiers who fought overseas. After 9/11, I distinctly remember my dad saying, "If they'd let me, I'd go over there and fight right now." When he made that comment, he was 65 years old. His love for the United States of America spilled over into the rest of our family.

Let's take a Memorial Day quiz -
Memorial Day was not the original name of the holiday. What was it originally called?
Which war prompted the remembrance of those who died serving our country?
What was the original date of Memorial Day?
Which flower was sold on this day to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed wives?
Although the actual city is unknown, which city was officially declared by President Johnson to be the birthplace of this holiday?

Tomorrow we will continue with Preparing your Kids for College. I will also give you the answers to the quiz so have your red grading pencil ready.

Be sure to display your American Flag and thank our soldiers and veterans.

Cherish your day of freedom - Robin

Mom Tip: Prepare your student for college. Part I

As a previous high school counselor, year after year I watched students go off to college. I watched parents send off their neatly packaged well-adjusted teen only to have their entire belief system challenged, twisted, and laughed at by liberal profs. Although maybe not as frequent, this can also happen at Christian colleges. There are some things that we can do to arm our kiddos for the battle.

I saw the movie Expelled this week. First of all, it is not an Indiana Jones type action movie. It is a documentary. Using college campuses as a backdrop, it is full of information regarding the ongoing scientific debate over evolution vs. intelligent design. Ben Stein spans the globe visiting beautiful prestiguous college campuses. He interviews some of the most brilliant scientists in the world regarding this issue. What he finds is fascinating.

I would make this "required watching" for my high school students. Offer to buy your child and a friend tickets if that's what it takes. Better yet, take them to the movie yourself and then afterward to dinner so you can discuss it.

More on college prep next time -

Mom Tip: Stay off the court - Part 2

Who would guess that there is a great tidbit of parenting advice nestled in a Stephen Covey book on leadership. In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey relates an experience with his son. He wrote about how his son struggled in school, and how he and his wife often stepped in to rescue him. Then they realized that they were communicating to their son that he wasn't capable of handling the situation on his own and he needed his parents help. This was a great tidbit for me even this late in my parenting journey. One of our boys has his own business. I will often problem solve with him as to how to handle situations that arise. After reading this Covey anecdote, I make sure to say to him, "These are just some ideas. You're in charge and you are more than capable of handling any situation that comes up."

Let's agree that there are times when circumstances dictate that we jump in and advocate for our children. However, there are also times that we should stay out of the way and give them the opportunity to learn how to relate to people. Around the age of 3rd or 4th grade is a great time to begin training your children how to advocate for themselves. When they come home feeling as if they have been treated unfairly by their teacher, resist the urge to react by picking up the phone or off an unkind email. Instead help them to put into words their feelings. Go a step further and practice with them what they can say to the teacher and then saying it in a respectful tone. Even if the outcome doesn't come out favorable, it is a great learning experience.

As a previous school administrator, I watched many moms advocate for their 18 year old seniors in high school. Mom would schedule a meeting, then do all of the talking while her 18 year old just sat there. If the 18 year old began a sentence, mom would sometimes finish it for him. If you can teach your children at an early age to advocate for themselves, you will have done them a great service.

Mom Tip: Stay off the basketball court!

Something happens to us when we become moms. Being a mom brings out every protective, defensive bone in our body. When we look upon our precious baby, we determine that no one will hurt him/her. We will do anything to protect and defend them. This deep seated instinct often causes us to jump in and rescue our "babies" no matter how old they are or how big they are.

If you watched sports this week, you may have seen NBA star, Lebron James, in a playoff game. When he was the ball, a player on the other team wrapped his arms around him and kept him from making the shot. Lebron James's mom, who was sitting on the front row, jumped out of her seat and headed to the court to defend her 6'9" - 250 lbs. baby. While it was out of line for her to behave this way, it is the perfect example of how we jump in and rescue our children.

When our children are part of an unpleasant situation, we have several options. We can jump in and rescue them, guide them to problem solve and advocate for themselves, leave them alone and let them work it out on their own. The best solution depends on the circumstance and our child's age. In the NBA game, the 3rd option would have been best for Lebron's mom.

Have a great day,
Robin

Mom Tip: Great Book Recommendation

Mistaken Identity by Van Ryn and Cerak is riveting. It is the incredible story of loss, hope, faith and love in the midst of unimaginable circumstances. It all began April 26, 2006 with a van accident in which some Taylor University students and teachers were returning from a school trip. Some survived the accident and some did not. Two girls were on the trip who favored in appearance. One of the students didn't survive and the other one was in a coma. Somehow through the events of the night, their identities were switched. The family of Laura Van Ryn sat by the bedside of whom they thought was their daughter for 6 weeks. The parents of Whitney Cerak had a funeral for their daughter. The events during that 6 weeks that led to the awareness of the mistaken identity are incredible. While the story is heartwrenching at times, both families' faith in God remained steadfast through unimaginable circumstances.

Mom Tip: The Value of a Mission Trip

For the past 18 years, we tried to teach our boys that not everyone lives in a 4 bedroom house with a swimming pool AND that America is the greatest country on earth. However, this concept was "brought home" when one of our boys lived in Russia last summer. He lived with four 19-20 year old Russian orphan young men. Because they are orphans, they do not have the option to go to college. They attend a trade school but were not allowed to choose their trade. And, being orphans, they have no family.

This trip was lifechanging. When our son returned, he approached his education, his career choice and his day-to-day life with a different perspective. He now sees college and career as opportunity and is eager to seize the moment. He also doesn't waste time focusing on minor decisions. His daily life is seen from a renewed perspective, and he has a deeper love and appreciation for his family, friends and the privilege of living in America. One of his goals is to return to Russia and visit his friends soon.

Encourage your teen to look for opportunities to serve on a mission trip. It can be overseas or in the city working with the homeless. No amount of teaching can replace the actual experience of seeing other cultures firsthand.

Happy Mother's Day to all Moms and Grandmoms

TWO TEMPLES
A builder builded a temple,
He wrought it with grace and skill;
Pillars and loins and arches
All fashioned to do his will.
Men said as they saw its beauty,
"It shall never know decay;
Great is thy skill, O Builder!
Thy fame shall endure for aye."

A mother builded a temple
With loving and infinite care,
Planning each arch with patience,
Laying each stone with prayer.
None praised her unceasing efforts;
None knew of her wondrous plan,
For the temple the mother builded
Was unseen by the eyes of man.

Gone is the builder's temple,
Crumbled into the dust;
Low lies each stately pillar,
Food for consuming rust.
But the temple the mother builded
Will last while the ages roll,
For that beautiful unseen temple
Was a child's immortal soul.

by Hattie Vose Hall

Hope you have a great Mom's Day,
Robin

Mom Tip: Helpful Hint for our Teens

Last summer, I attended my 30 year high school reunion. A survey was taken. We were asked what is it that we know now that we wished we would have known 30 years ago. Without fail, the most common answer was "compound interest." I am no financial expert but here's an explanation of compound interest in a nutshell.

If a person saves $167 monthly from age 19-27 at 12% interest, then just leaves the money alone and doesn't touch it. At the age of 65, this 8 year savings of $16,000 will have multiplied to 2.2 million dollars.

If a person waits until age 27 to begin saving $167 per month and saves until age 65 at 12% interest; this 38 year savings of $761,000 will have multiplied to 1.5 million dollars.

Time is the best friend of compound interest. That is what our teens have on their side. This is a concept that we want to teach our children and teens. Some teens won't vaule this information; however, for others it could be lifechanging.

What is our motive for achieving this goal? To give it away. The Man Who Hung on the Cross is the story of a wealthy man who took a trip to India. He developed a love for the Indian people and wanted to share the gospel with them. He learned that churches could be built for a reasonable cost. So he called together his family and basically told them that he was going to spend their inheritance to build churches in India. Wow! What a great legacy to leave. We want our kids to accumulate wealth so they can experience the joy of giving.

While there are many books available to educate our teens, Dave Ramsey has a Biblically-based program developed for children and teens, He teaches the bondage of debt as well as the freedom of wealth. It can be purchased at his website.

I'll post again on Mother's Day!
Robin

Mom Tip: One Way to Build a Sense of Pride in our Kids

The other day, a friend of mine told me that her son who is a freshman in college had saved $10,000. She added that he also paid for most of his expenses during high school. When I picked myself up off the floor, I asked her how he did that. After all, he's only 18 years old. He earned it by doing good old-fashioned hard work. Since the age of 9, he and his brother have mowed lawns.

Several years ago, there was a family on a talk show. This family had many kids, and they were all "successful." The talk show host asked the parents if they had it to do all over again, what they would have done differently. They said they would have made their kids work more.

Watch for opportunities for your kiddos (at any age) to work. Talk about work as something we get to do not something we have to do. Working with friends to rake a neighbor's lawn is a great way to spend an afternoon. Seek out opportunities that fit their gifts and abilities. When there is a real need, encourage them to work for free. A hard day's work gives a sense of pride and accomplishment they won't soon forget.

Have a great day,
Robin

By the way, with Mother's Day and Father's Day coming soon, be sure to read the tip in April called A $2 Treasure. This is a great time to implement that idea.

Mom Tip: A Family Reading Journal

While cleaning out the attic the other day, I found our old Family Reading Journal. This was one of my many attempts at trying to instill a love of reading in our boys when they were younger. This is how it worked. Upon completion of a book, we were rewarded by getting to write in the Family Reading Journal. The journal was simply a spiral notebook where every member of the family reccrded the date, title, author, and summary of the book read. Lastly, we wrote whether or not we recommended the book, and then we signed our name (our signature made it official). The boys were around 6 years old when we did this, although you could start at any age.They could also put stickers next to their entry as well. I caught myself having a "mom moment" as I looked through our old journal and read the 6 year old handwriting of our now 21 year old young men. Although it has been years, from car seats to car keys seems like only a few days.

Several of you have asked about how to subscribe to this blog. To subscribe, scroll down to the bottom of the blog page and click subscribe. If you don't already have a google account, you will need to register. Once that is done, you can subscribe. We got 5 new subscribers this week. Thank you!

Wishing you a blessed day,
Robin