Choosing Cards for Children

Take a look at all the greeting cards designed with children in mind. Most of them have a cutesy look that adults think children will like. The truth is children prefer designs that are pictures of real things that are interesting to them. We all are created with a natural curiosity and children delight is the world around them in ways that adults have forgotten. All I am saying is that children will generally prefer a photo card of a monkey or a wolf or an airplane or the Washington Monument to a whimsical cartoon type card like the ones available in abundance in the card department.



That said, consider making your own cards for the kids by searching for specific "reality" pictures at a sharing photo site such as Photo Bucket. You can open an account for free, search for monkey, wolf, plane, or monument, then move photos that you like to your album. Then you can have them made into prints mailed to your home. Paste these handpicked photos to blank cards and voila! you have educational and intriquing cards that your children will love.

One thing we have discovered from homeschooling is that learning takes place very naturally and thrives outside of classrooms. Children learn like sponges soak up water. Just surround them with worthy information and you won't have to force them to learn.

NEA Seeks to Limit Homeschooling-Please Respond

I received the following note from a homeschooling message board:

Dear Fellow Homeschoolers,
Many of you may already know that the National Education Association
(NEA) has taken a strong stand against homeschooling in their 2007-
2008 resolution. (You can read more about this at the link site I
have provided in this e-mail.) There is an opportunity for
homeschoolers to sign an online petition citing our stand against the
NEA's resolution. It will make an even greater impact if you make a
comment when signing the petition.

The goal is for 10,000 homeschoolers to sign the petition, and
currently a little over 5,000 have signed; please let all your
homeschooling friends, neighbors, and support group members know
about this petition and encourage them to sign it The link is below:

I signed the petition and added the following note:

Homeschooled students have proven by their accomplishments that homeschooling works well and generally produces educated, well-rounded adults. For the common good homeschooling families save the state tax money and produce adults who can think, not having been educated with assembly line tactics. NEA's proposed restrictions on homeschooling would limit the freedom of choice that has been granted by favorable legislation in most states. How in the world does the NEA know what is best for my child? I have 2 sons that were homeschooled from K-12th grade who are both successful engineers. I have a daughter who is receiving her AA degree at 17 who was only homeschooled before she started college. In addition to superior academics, our children have avoided the negative influences which are often overwhelming in the state schools.
America stands for freedom. Let us teach our children and provide opportunities for them to learn in any variety of ways. Real, vibrant learning more often occurs outside the traditional classroom than in it.

PLEASE CONSIDER SIGNING THE PETITION, TOO.