It's been a full week. The weather has been lovely...until today. Since we have outside plans for this evening - an activity rescheduled after a rain out earlier this month - I'm hoping the rain will hold off until late tonight. But, it's not looking good. Which means this mom is yet again trying to come up with a Plan B that will redeem the day. (And can I just say right here: I do not like this responsibility of mom life.)
Anyway, on with the links:
Learning
- Why Doodling is Good for Students by Marci Goodwin at The Homeschool Scientist. This is good news for my kids. I have children who turn in Math papers absolutely covered in doodles.
- So much about this is just sad: How to Make a Virtuoso Violinist by Malcolm Harris at New Republic. I really do need to get around to writing about "the joy of raising an average child" (or similar title).
- What Would Laura Ingalls Say?(about reading) by Maura Roan McKeegan. Yes, to all of it. (H/T: Pastor Dad.)
- Related to the above: How to Handle Kids Who Don't Love Reading by Jimmie Lanley.
- I named this series as one of the 31 Days series I was following and this is a great entry: Day 19 Homeschooling Middle School by Lea Ann Garfias.
Living
- To My Friends Who Aren't Famous by Shawn Smucker. Encouraging words like these:
So today, let’s you and me, in our relative anonymity, follow our calling “with great patience, perseverance, and love.” Let’s be okay with our current platform, no matter how simple. Let’s encourage each other, help each other. Let’s keep creating.
- The Tolerance Jesus Will Not Tolerate by Kevin DeYoung at TGC. Sobering.
- 6 Marks of Healthy Sexuality by Gary Thomas. This is a frank, but necessary article.
- The reminders from Gary Thomas (see above link) are important for a lot of reasons, not least because it is now necessary to write posts like this: Your Husband's Infidelity is Not Your Fault by Julie Roys for CT. I particularly appreciated this reminder from Richard Exley (the author gives this quote more context but this is the central point):
But the more we attempt to appease our lust, the more demanding it becomes.
- Two posts about teenagers or parenting teens this week. The first is from Sarah at Clover Lane: To Teenage Girls, With Love.
- The second is from Tressays: No, Your Teens Do Not Want to Hang Out With You. (Well, maybe sometimes they do, but this is a good reminder about what is normal teen behavior.)
- If you liked my post 4 Things Children Don't Need you will probably like Mary's post Twelve Toys My Children Don't Need at Better Than Eden.
- 4 Simple Steps to Overcoming the Overwhelming by Rachel Wojo at The Better Mom.
- My husband sent me this one: How Friendships Change in Adulthood by Julie Beck in The Atlantic. As someone who much prefers messaging and texting, and as someone who is drained by too much "in person" interaction, I might be inclined to argue against some of her points, but it's definitely thought provoking reading.
- Transforming Your Online Persona Into the Real You by Nicole Russell at The Federalist.
Loving
- Why J.J. Abrams (Probably) Can't Ruin Star Wars by Robert Tracinski at The Federalist. Color me not optimistic. Whatever George Lucas's weaknesses (and they are legion), Lucas did seem to understand that good and evil exist. J.J. Abrams doesn't seem to know that and his storytelling ability is the weaker for it. He ruined Star Trek (see: How Star Trek Explains the Decline of Liberalism for more about this) and now he's poised to do the same to Star Wars. But it's not like I really care deeply about this or anything... [cough]
- America, Please Stop Glorifying Manufacturing Jobs by David Harsanyi at The Federalist. Well, someone had to say it... Loved this line:
If experts excel at anything, it’s being awful at the prediction business. We have no clue what new industry will emerge a decade from now.
- A Note to Entitled Millennials in the Workplace: Give Humility a Try by David French at National Review. (ICYMI: I shared some other posts about this last week.)
- This is fascinating: Inside the Airtight Time Capsule Room Sealed in 1940, to Open in Six Thousand Years.
From Living Unabridged:
- I shared some facts about myself and my family in Will We Be Friends?
Last year I was still sharing 31 Authors Children Love:
What caught your eye this week?
