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One thing that I love about living in Canada is how crazy the weather gets. You can truly experience all 4 seasons in one month. I kid you not, this past February we have experienced antarctic temperatures, ice storms, snow storms, freezing rain, thunderstorms, and a few days of balmy spring weather. While in many places talking about the weather constitutes inane small talk, here it is the one topic which joins us crazy Canadians in solidarity. We shall survive! While we anxiously await the arrival of spring, I invite you to go through my fave stuff of the month.
The Ceili. Our good friends once again organized an Irish dance night. This time we took our two small kids (ages 3 and 5) as well as the big boys, and they had a blast. What an uplifting, fun experience. Wouldn’t it be lovely to start a family dance night revival in your community?
Homeschooling with Joy workshop. A month ago I expressed a wish to one day attend Bonnie Landry’s workshop, and kind angels must have taken pity of me. A few weeks later, I’m watching Bonnie’s seminar at the Canadian Online Homeschooling Conference and lo! She’s advertising her workshop there, for digital consumption. I had no idea that I could purchase her workshop online. Bonnie is a veteran homeschooling mother of seven, most of whom have flown the nest. She certainly knows what she’s talking about! She has taught me that it IS possible to homeschool with joy. I’m sad to admit that this ideal has eluded me all these years. Bonnie Landry is smart, kind, funny, wise and my new virtual life coach (although she doesn’t know it). If you, like me, also struggle with inserting joy in your homeschool, you might just fall in love with Bonnie Landry.
Homeschool Moms who Drink Wine Facebook group. This is a FB support group founded by Bonnie Landry (see above). It’s a place where homeschooling moms can let their hair down and receive encouragement and tips for self-care – which, as the title suggests, often involves wine. When you are admitted into the group, you can download Bonnie’s beautiful manifesto titled What Matters Most: Securing Cooperation without Sacrificing Kindness. It’s an uplifting and practical read – my favorite combination.
Hockey season is finally over!! I might be just a tad excited about it, which makes me the worst. hockey. mom. ever. With two kids playing hockey every weekend from October to March, it gets intense. We are by no means crazy hockey parents – our kids play at the recreational level so there’s no traveling involved. But still, our weekends revolve around hockey. The boys miss many social and family events, and our adult social life is mostly put on hold during the season. But. The kids love hockey and they get so much out of it. They learn how to win, how to lose, how to play in a team, how to be good sportsmen, and of course they get a ton of exercise. One son has fallen in love with the sport. To see him develop such a passion, work hard at improving, and persevering through the lows, is most rewarding. My other son won the MIP award in his team, and I am one proud momma. Now we’re free! Until October.
The Great Homeschool Convention. This one deserves its own post. I haven’t gone to a homeschooling conference in a few years, and it’s negatively affected my passion towards the cause. I had never been to the Great Homeschool Convention, so this year a friend and I decided to attend the Texas event and make it a geeky girls weekend. Oh my goodness. We had an amazing time. We learned, we laughed, we cried, we refreshed. I got my homeschooling mojo back! And my friend got the coolest pair of cowboy boots…to boot. There are plenty of dates and locations left this year — if you are new to homeschooling, or not so new, check it out!
Seth Godin. this guy is giving me plenty of food for thought with regards to art, entrepreneurship, education and more. He’s a fascinating figure for someone like me, who is trying to figure out how else I can contribute to the world. I find his simplicity and out-of-box personality captivating. I’m currently reading The Dip and The Icarus Deception, as well as listening to his podcast Akimbo.
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty. My guilty pleasure of the month. There isn’t a ton of virtue happening in this novel, but it sure is entertaining. Her characters are funny and flawed, and the setting is over the top. Within this fictional world, the author does a pretty good job in addressing serious issues such as divorce, loss of a child, suicide, drug addiction, and excessive wealth. If you are looking for a fun read, you might give this a try.
Last but not least:
A story about Thomas Edison’s mom which brought me to tears: The Heroism of a Mother’s Love
For those struggling with an easily frustrated child, please read: Frustration-free homeschooling? Not quite. and Helping children overcome frustration.
Be inspired by this incredible story: Dr. Tererai Trent: How to achieve an impossible dream.
That’s all for now. Until next time!
