Ann Leach

An excerpt for discussion from John Rosemond's "The New! 6-Point Plan for Raising Healthy, Happy Children."      "Organized sports would seem to be an ideal complement to the needs of this age (6 - 10 y/o), the perfect medium in which to nurture both the inner and outer self. Not so. The primary problem is adult involvement. Adults organize these programs, raise the money to fund them, and draw up the playing schedule. Adults pick the teams , coach them , referee them , decide who plays  and who doesn't, give out awards, and make up the biggest share of the audience ."      "I'm aware that children rarely play pickup games anymore. Somewhere along the line, someone (big business) got the brilliant idea that sports would be more of a meaningful learning experience for children if the games were managed by adults . The adults could see to it that rules were followed, that play was fair, that the children's skills improved through proper coachi...

I got the ok from the library to start a new discussion group, and I've decided to go with Parenting as the topic! I'm sooooo excited!! Meetings will be the last Tuesday of the month, 6:00 pm, at the Wapakoneta Library, downstairs. Our first meeting will be Tuesday, June 28 and will be a meet and greet for everyone to come in, share some of their parenting successes and challenges, and help set the direction for future books. The first book up for discussion is The Secrets of Happy Families by Bruce Feiler. I came across this book recently on a random stroll through the parenting books, am so  inspired by it, and am looking forward to discussing it with other parents. "In  The Secrets of Happy Families ,  New York Times  bestselling author Bruce Feiler has drawn up a blueprint for modern families — a new approach to family dynamics, inspired by cutting-edge techniques gathered from experts in the disciplines of science, business, sports...

In another post, I mentioned joining a book discussion group, which has to be one of the best decisions I've made in a while. I am having so much fun meeting the other members and talking about books. It's adding a whole layer to reading that I haven't ever had before. And I'm inspired to kick off another discussion group (or two). One on sustainable living, much like the one I started back in Australia. And another on parenting. Although I'm not sure I really want to take on two at the same time. I have asked the adult program coordinator at the library about these topics and am still waiting to hear back. But both of these topics are passions for me and to meet with like-minded folks, share ideas, and talk about books on the topics would be wonderful! For the sustainable living, of course it would be driven by the members, focusing on topics the group is asking about and suggesting. But that's not to say I don't have ideas and books o...

Books How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen so Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish Illinois, Indiana,  Ohio Month-by-Month Gardening  by Beth Botts Kindle Books While cleaning up my kindle this week, I came across some books I had started, but not finished. So while I didn't read these books in their entirety this week, I did (finally) complete them. Radical Frugality: Living in America on $8,000 a Year  by Nic Adams Objectivism: What Ayn Rand Left Us  by Ashton Cruise How to Write Great Blog Posts that Engage Readers  by Steve Scott Let's Go! Field Trips for Teachers, Homeschoolers and Active Families  b Traci Matt Blogs   The Non-Consumer Advocate  by Katy Wolk-Stanley   down to earth  by Rhonda Hetzel What are you reading this week?  Please share in the comments. Peace -- Ann

We have always planned to homeschool; although that's really "we" in the Imperial sense because you and I know it means "I" would be doing the homeschooling. And while I've always wanted to homeschool and my belief that homeschooling is a superior way of educating than public schooling, I haven't always believed I could do it. Because you see, parenting a preschooler has been very very difficult for me. And I just didn't know if we could get through homeschooling. My go-to parenting book I mean there were days when she was just so demanding of my attention. And all I wanted was to be left alone so I could escape on facebook or read a book because I was so bored being home all day, every day. But she was bored too. And it was so unfair!! (We both had moments of playing the unfair card.) All the homeschooling books I picked up at the library. But we just keep plugging away, don't we, as stay-at-home parents because regardless of the ...

I am a morning person... no doubt about it.  I naturally wake up about 5:30, and I love getting right to work and checking tasks off my to-do list. My husband and daughter....  not so much. And therein is the battle. In Australia, it wasn't so noticeable that Isabelle isn't a morning person because Kenn had a company car and so, I didn't have to get myself and Isabelle around in the morning to take him to work in order for us to have the car.  Also, her kindy (preschool) didn't start until 8:45 so she could sleep until 8 and still have time to get herself ready for the day. But our schedule here requires us to be on the road by 8 to get Kenn to work on time.  And it's a 15+ minute drive into town, which isn't a big deal except that since we're already in town, I'd like to get all the errands run before coming back home.  And that means I need Isabelle to have her morning routine (use toilet, get dressed, teeth and hair brushed and breakfas...