Today we're making the big switch: two of our kids are coming back home and three more are going to stay with grandparents. So next week we'll be a family of five again. We'll fit in a regular car. Getting at table at a restaurant will be easier (and the bill will be more manageable). Bedtime will be easier.
But I can't wait until we're all together again.
Now for the links:
Learning
- 9 Blogs Every Classical Educator Should Have Bookmarked by David Kern at CiRCE. I'm thrilled to called a few of these writers my blog friends.
- 8 Rules to Follow to Make Library Visits Work with Kids by Amy at Sunlit Pages. Lots of practical advice here.
- 10 Classic Schoolyard Games: Americans vs. Brits by Ruth Margolis at Mind the Gap. I think my kids would like to learn some of these Brit games. (Side note: it's kind of funny to read someone trying to explain the "rules" of Duck, Duck, Goose or Mother May I?)
- Just for fun: If the Friends Were Homeschooled from Vita Familiae. This is homeschool life illustrated with GIFs from Friends and yes, I laughed out loud (really), especially the listening to early readers part.
Living
- "Better Safe Than Sorry" is Wrong from Free Range Parenting. Better safe than sorry is a false dichotomy suggesting that there are two options: total safety or total disaster. That's not really how life works, even for our kids.
- Be Careful of Nice People by Tim Challies. Do you realize that "niceness" is not a fruit of the spirit? Challies explains why. (My husband and I were just talking about how some people who think they are being nice or doing nice things can actually make situations worse.)
Loving
- Our Babies, Our Bodies, and Life Itself by Sarah at Clover Lane. Many of the posts I saved this week are related to abortion, the Planned Parenthood videos, and miscarriage.
- How We've Responded to Miscarriages by three editors at The Federalist. I really don't think there's one "right" way to respond. I do know that I don't want my loss ignored, but I didn't want to make a big deal about it at the time either. Here are my top pieces of advice, if you're wondering how to respond to someone who's miscarried: 1. Pray. 2. Send a card or letter. 3. Tell your own story (if you have one). Women who have lost babies are in a club together, whether we like it or not. 4. Don't say stupid stuff. ("You can try again." "It's better this way." "There was probably something wrong with the baby." "At least you have other children.") Seriously: don't. 5. Allow your friend or family to grieve as much or as little as she needs. Don't have expectations for what that needs to look like, whether you think she's over-reacting or under-reacting.
- Planned Parenthood: Our Wilberforce Moment from Josh Howerton. I love this parallel (and I think it's accurate).
- What's It Like to Abort Your Own Child? by Bethany Jenkins. Great piece looking at the life of Bernard Nathanson.
Here at Living Unabridged we had Words on Wednesday: Never Despise the Mundane and a quick review of Shaunti Feldhahn's latest book Through Man's Eyes.
What caught your eye this week?
