Working Class Parenting: Motivation, Education and Inspiration For Parents

Growing up there was two distinctive toys a boy would have; Transformers or G.I. Joe’s. Some may want to add in Lego’s or Star Wars, but these two were my staple with G.I Joe being my toy of choice. I would scrape every penny and would cry, if needed, to get my hands on an action figure. Ten figures turned to fifty and fifty soon turned to 120. I would live vicariously through these guys. They had the coolest military outfits and the latest and greatest weapons. I would plan elaborate battles, buildings, bunkers and hand sown sand bags (no judging please). I would strategically place every soldier and its foe some where in the room. All poised for battle. I spent a many hours screaming, Goooo Joe (fist pump)! Not really, but you get the picture. To this day as a 37 year old father of two, one a ten year old boy, everything about me is a covert operation type play. Man hunt, paintball, air-soft, working out, etc. you could say, my toys reinforced a personality trait or help create one. ...

Every so often, especially during the holidays, it would benefit us to stop... reflect and be mindful of the season.Despite our best efforts and attempts, we seem to unwilling and almost hypnotically get pulled into the holiday rush. We only realize we have circum to the rush when we are in the mist of the hassle and bustle. Distractions, one of Working Class Parenting's greatest nemesis. However, despite all of this I find it no coincidence that people are more drawn to giving and more open to investing in ours during the Christmas season. It is as if the air is rich with the spirit of giving and love. Despite the distractions, there are clear moments, when we see the need of others and are complied to act. Almost as if we are instinctively drawn to surrender personal needs to see needs of others met. Could it be, that perhaps, the atmosphere is rich with spirit of Gods love? Maybe the air is still charged with the birth of Love in that lonely stable, maybe its coincidence, or cou...

Guest post written by Jomary Schulz, 3 rd  grade public school teacher Today as I drove up to my Elementary School I took in the surroundings and viewed it a bit differently than I did last Friday when I had left and had not heard of the tragedy that happened in Connecticut. This morning as I drove up to park my car, on the radio I heard the brief discription of 2 of the children that lost their lives during the unspeakable last Friday. As I walked into my classroom this morning and got ready to unlock my door, I couldn't stop thinking about it all..... About the parents of my students mostly. Thinking about how everyday they send their child to school expecting to see them when they get out. I thought about the immense responsibility that is laid upon us as educators and classroom teachers. As I taught at school today I thought about the young lives sitting in front of me, each and everyone of them. How special they are to their parents, how special they are to our God, and ho...

"...And seeing them...he cried, Great God, how is it that a loving creator can see such things and yet do nothing about them?".... God said, "I did do something. I made you." -Author Unknown As the families in Connecticut deal with the darkest day of their lives, let us be the light of Christ with our prayers and actions to help these families. and if you don't know what to do - Pray- Pray for comfort Pray for peace Pray for the Lord to surround these families with his love Always remember God did do something to help, he made you. Parents helping parents through insight, encouragement, and prayer.  "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4 (NIV)

Guest post from Amanda , former teacher and homeschool mom of two. There are approximately 2 millions students in the U.S. that are home schooled according to an article in A to Z Homes Cool .  In 2007, the number of homeschooled students was about 1.5 million, and from 850,000 in 1999 according to the U.S. Department of Education. This presents a continual rise in parents who are choosing the avenue of home schooling. Homeschooling was not even an option for me.  I even stated, “I will never home school!”  I am now in my fourth year and can’t imagine going back.  I remember spending whole summer beforehand looking for materials and curriculum.  Even as a private school teacher, I was a nervous wreck, thinking I couldn’t home school my two children (14 and 10 year old).  I will admit, home schooling is not for every family, but if you are thinking about taking the plunge, here are a few tips to help you in your first year.

Guest post written by Jomary Schulz, 3 rd  grade public school teacher As your child's Christmas Break slowly approaches it may be a good idea to begin thinking about how you will keep their minds engaged while out of school. Any length of time a child spends away from their normal, consistent, school schedule could be a "holiday recipe" for a learning gap to begin. Now granted, all kids will not suffer from a week to two weeks away from school, but their tendency to become lazy about problem solving or keeping their brains active is pretty normal for any child. Even before they fall into their habit of t.v. watching or video game playing vacation routine, get your children involved with the everyday family tasks that may involve a little problem solving. Here are some excellent way to get this kind of thinking going:

Eric Thomas delivers powerful message to fathers in "Thank God I'm Married Season 1 Episode 2".