A Chat with Tom Hanks

Dear Tom Hanks,

I read the cover story, "History Maker," about you in this week's issue of Time Magazine. About that cover photo: Gosh, you look really concerned. Or is it just gas?

Anyway, I've always -- meaning, for the last several years -- thought it was really cool that instead of just gracing the screen with your amazing comedic/dramatic presence in everything from Philadelphia to Forrest Gump to You've Got Mail, you seem to have a voraciously curious mind at work on projects of intellectual substance. Do you ever feel a bit alone in Hollywood?

So in this article, after telling us how bored you were with history during your schooling years, your profiler makes the following statement: "What differentiates Hanks from academic past masters is his conviction that the historical experience should be personal."

Well, you can get an Amen here! Here in our home school, we are all about making the historical experience personal. That's why we're currently using Sonlight -- we love the emphasis on historical fiction. Sure, we could read a sentence like "The Civil War was particularly terrible for our young nation because it pitted brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, often for causes they weren't entirely sure of," in a textbook. But why not read books like Across Five Aprils or The Perilous Road instead and understand those feelings at a gut level, the way our flawed-yet-heroic protagonists do? And so we do.

And that's why we've amassed a collection of Greathall CD's for the car, or the Story of the World CD's, which capture my kids' attention and, I suspect, tend to spoil them for my own voice. Let it not be said in this household that history is boring.

So, you and I, Tom, we're simpatico in our approach to history. In fact, I think you'd make a great home educator! Are you free some Friday soon to guest star in my co-op class?

But. I do have a small bone to pick with you. I loved Band of Brothers
-- a perfect example of making history personal. And John Adamswas also quite good. And I was happily working my way through From the Earth to the Moon - The Signature Editionuntil I decided to let the kids watch the fourth episode with me while I ironed some clothes one day (FYI, ironing is the way mortals like us get wrinkles out of clothes. You use this hot metal thingie, and it's kind of rare around here). Hot diggety dog, the language in that episode could make a sailor blush! I had to turn it off halfway through!

I know, I know -- HBO. And Band of Brothers is pretty salty as well. But for the sake of all of us parents moving heaven and earth to make history come alive for our kids, couldn't you come up with some expurgated version we could show during afternoon teatime? I'm thinking a landing on Normandy,  punctuated with "Great Scott!" and "Oh, snap! My parachute's not opening!"

Please. Do it for the children.

Sincerely,
A Fan

Family Games

Angela at Homegrown Mom is hosting a blog roundup of Family Fun Night ideas. I'll be the first to admit that my efforts in that department aren't going to win any creativity awards, but I thought I'd share a few of our favorite family games. It ain't easy, pleasing a six-year age spread. But bravely we soldier on, determined to HAVE FUN AND BOND.

1. Don't Eat Pete!
   You can download this game for FREE, y'all, and print it out for hours of rowdy enjoyment. Yup, I said "free." God bless the lady at Sparkle Power.

2. Harvest Time and  Secret Door
   I'm listing these two together because they're brainchildren of the same company, Family Pastimes, and -- here's the kicker -- they're what's known as cooperative games. As in, everyone works together toward a common goal. As in, no one loses. As in, no tears and no drama. Hooray.

3. Apples to Apples Junior - The Game of Crazy Comparisons!
   Great for a group, ideally of four or more. My oldest child tends to eschew games of strategy in favor of more verbal, open-ended options like this one (if you know him, you're not shocked). And whaddya know, so do I! We sometimes get this one out to play around the dinner table, and refrain from pointing out that they're learning the difference between adjectives and nouns. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

4. ThinkFun Zingo!
   Like Bingo, but with a zippy little gadget. No reading required; one of the few that's equally fun for all the ages that comprise our offspring.

5.  Somebody Board Game
   It feels funny to include this one, since it's really more "educational" than recreational, I suppose, but all I have to say is, we ALL had the giggles about the pancreas the other night. Eventually the pancreas sang them off to their bedtime routines, which was deemed totally hilarious. I guess you had to be there.

6. You've Been Sentenced!
   Ian's current favorite. See item #3 for a description of his taste. More fun if you're flexible on what constitutes a logical sentence. Also, more fun if you can read -- unless you team up with an adult. Still, more fun if you can read.

7.  Snorta
    Don't even think about maintaining your dignity while you play this. You're going to be making barnyard noises, and there's just no way out of it. Your kids will laugh at you, and is there any more important ingredient for a Family Fun Night? (Good for a range of ages because younger ones can play at a slightly easier level.)

8. Wig Out!
   Fun. Quick. Cheap. I rest my case.

Do you have any favorite games in your family? I'd love to hear more suggestions!

Two Cups of Coffee

"You're going to post that on your blog, aren't you?" my friend Greta teased as she watched me snap this shot.

It had been too long since we'd caught up, so, thanks to her initiative, we arranged to meet this morning at Starbucks while the girls were at their co-op and Ian worked math problems in a nearby armchair.

The conversation rambled from my persistent sinus headache (Greta was a doctor in her pre-homeschooling life) to Michelangelo to Mel Gibson to living by faith to Greg Mortenson to mothering challenges to Islam to not judging others to my dad's ALS to Les Misérables to skiiing. Not in that order. Now you know why Greta is one of my favorite people to talk to. Why does she insist on living a whole twenty minutes away? I mean, really.

You know, there are days when I feel like the home educating lifestyle is pretty isolating for a mom who craves a certain measure of adult interaction. But there are many more days when I know the truth: This life we've chosen to lead has actually strewn any number of amazing people across our path. Including amazing mothers. Mothers who are dedicated to their children and yet remain fascinating persons in their own right. Mothers who read, who self-educate, who knit, who write romance novels, who played college ice hockey, who ride horses, who do triathlons, who struggle with their weight, who are never caught up on the laundry, who work part-time, who weave baskets, who knew almost from conception that they would homeschool, who dragged their feet into homeschooling after a school disappointment,  who hold the fort during a husband's 80-hour-plus work week, who all have a story to tell.

It's just a matter of making the time to listen.

Explore UT

Because I am like an eager puppy who always wants to be taken out for a walk, the Professor dragged his tired bones out of bed on Saturday to take his wife and children to Explore UT. This is an annual event at our local university campus that offers opportunities galore for kids to experience hands-on learning in a huge variety of subjects, and also to eat lots of sugar. Because as we know, where two or three children are gathered together, there is a candy bowl in their midst.

Highlights included the water-balloon-hurling trebuchet:

The building of "sweet structures" (do I even need to tell you that Caroline did her own hair stunts?):

The playing of Medical Jeopardy (Uncle Peter, you'd be so proud of your niece's performance!):

Checking out some algae up close and deciding to add "microscope" to the Birthday Wish List:

Admiring some stuffed birds and a feather collection (remember our current bird study?):

The crowd favorite -- ice cream made with liquid nitrogen! 

Walking in paint and plotting stride length on a huge graph:

Blowing freezing bubbles:

And getting behind the wheel of a student-designed car:

We were supposed to meet our friends and traveling companions, the Dixons, but since they couldn't tear themselves away from the liberal-artsy side of campus and we were spellbound by the science and engineering end, the connection never quite happened. Disappointing, but less so when you consider the implications: our children were completely entranced by the experience they were having. 

It's easy to see at an event like this that children are naturally inclined to learn. Learning is both their job and their joy. Of the hundreds, maybe even thousands of children I passed or rubbed shoulders with, not one was whining about boredom or casting about for a DS to play with. A little effort to engage them by adults who love their subject material can pay off in evaluations like this: 

"When I grow up, I'm going to bring MY kids to Explore UT." -- Eliza

"That place was JUST LIKE A FAIRYLAND." -- Caroline

The 3 Little Pigs Go to War (Keeping Kids Safe)

There's been one of those in the news this week. You know, one of those horrific stories of the disappearance of a teenage girl in a San Diego park, followed by news of the arrest of a sex offender in connection with the crime, followed by news of a lifeless body recovered. And guess what? The sex offender they arrested? Already served time for a crime several years ago. When he came up for parole after five years, the court psychiatrist stated that -- wait for it -- he was NOT rehabilitated and would probably strike again. How would you like to be the judge who overrode that advice?

Be still, my boiling blood.

Like any parent, I spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about this crime -- about the innocent victim, about her heartbroken parents, who have to endure the remainder of their lives knowing their daughter experienced intense fear and pain and they were unable to protect her.

But when I step back from the disturbing thoughts, I realize that the media actually, in a twisted way, loves these stories. They're lurid, they're sensational, they prey on every parent's worst fears. They sell. We can wallow in that kind of fear, like the little pigs in their houses of straw and sticks. We can believe the lie that there's nothing we can do to protect our children, especially our daughters, from the Big Bad Wolf who lurks out there. Or we can take action.

Here are a few things we have begun in our family and will continue to do. Don't misunderstand me -- I place zero blame on parents who lose their children to this kind of tragedy. Our circle of control only extends so far. But why not do everything we can within that circle and have as few regrets as possible?

1. We pray for our children, that they would experience the Lord's mercy and protection every single day of their lives. We pray the words of Psalm 23, that the Shepherd's goodness and mercy would follow them unceasingly. We know their angels work overtime for that job.

2. We know that most violence against children actually comes from sources known to the children, NOT strangers. So we do our best to teach them to trust their instincts. There is a time and a place for good manners. There's also very much a time and place to assert yourself and say NO.

3. We (I) read Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane)by Gavin DeBecker. Highly recommended.

4. We expect our daughters to become proficient in self-defense. They will both have the opportunity to train in martial arts for as long as they have the interest (our taekwondo dojang includes self-defense as part of the normal curriculum). If they stop short of a high belt level, they will still continue their self-defense education, learning physical toughness and agility.

5. We teach our son to show respect for girls and women. Non-negotiable! We will have age-appropriate discussions with him about the dangers of pornography and other influences that promote violence toward women.

What about you? What current practices or goals do you have to help keep your kids safe?

The Way We Were

Do you ever wonder which of your children's personality quirks are already permanently packed into the suitcase they'll carry with them into adulthood?

For example, Eliza loves to make pancakes. She'll stand at the griddle, flipping 'til the cows come home. She's a feeder, that one. If given the chance to watch cable, she chooses the Food Network. She soaks up whatever wisdom Rachael Ray, Sandra Lee or Lidia Bastianich has to share. I'm totally in favor of this interest flowering for years to come. Or would that be "flour-ing?"

Then there is her four-year-old sister.

I know, with a pang of regret, that the days of things being "ri-dick-lee-ous" are numbered. One day, I'll realize with a jolt that it's now "ridiculous" and have no idea when that started, and I will be tempted to weep, as I was when her baby feet thickened into toddler feet or her breath stopped smelling like milk.

But it's hard to fathom that she'll ever stop being the person who asked for, and received, a set of real tools and a workbench for her fourth birthday. Or the girl who jealously guards her low-temperature glue gun. Or the child who, yesterday at the chiropractor's office, seized upon the February issue of Martha Stewart Living and ended up asking the receptionist to photocopy two pages' worth of projects for her to take home.

I've learned, conventional bedtime wisdom aside, that when it's eight fifty five and the girl asks for a piece of paper and her scissors, it's the better part of valor to JUST BRING HER THE DARNED SCISSORS and her snip herself into somnolent oblivion, rather than waste ten minutes on tears and high drama.

I've also learned that we cannot read If You Give a Pig a Pancake at that magic hour. For one thing, meltdowns ensue over her longings to own a Polaroid camera YESTERDAY. For another thing ...

Well, here's the story with which the shell-shocked Professor greeted me when I arrived home from tonight's tutoring session:

In a flurry of prebedtime activity at the craft table, Martha Junior could not open the bottle of tacky glue on her own. Rather than employ a minion for the task (remember, the Chief Minion was out), she thought "What would The Pig do?" (cue lightbulb to left of head), remembered the line, "feeling sticky will remind her of her favorite maple syrup," and headed for the fridge. One entire squeeze bottle of real maple syrup later, she had her adhesive surface ready for glitter. Why not just liquefy a wad of cash and use that?

So if you find us slathering a batch of Eliza's pancakes with tacky glue by the end of the month, you'll know why. Blame it on her little sister, that little sister whose soft, warm cheeks I need to go kiss right now, as if kisses could keep them just so for a little longer, beyond this too-brief breath of time.

The Rare Beauty Post

Normally, I'm not a person who spends a chunk of money on the latest and greatest brand name cosmetics. But recently, I've been sucked in by discovered two fancier products worth their salt. And now, a propos of nothing educational ....

Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss has done more for my chronically chapped lips than any other lipgloss I've ever tried. It's made my world a better place. Yes, it's $14 a tube, but it's so thick and concentrated that I can tell just one tube is going to last me until the next time Apolo Ohno decides to skate for his VERY last Olympic gold. Right now I have the "Currant" color in my purse, and the color is quite subtle, so if you're a person who's bashful about lip color, that shade might suit.

Living Proof Straight Making No Frizz Styling Cream comes with a very snazzy little deck of cards explaining how this product was conceived and concocted in the MIT laboratory of world-famous scientist Dr. Robert Langer. Okay, y'all? Once upon a time, I worked right down the hall from Dr. Robert Langer. We attended meetings together. And I feel quite sure that during one of those meetings, Dr. Robert Langer must have looked over at me with my cloud of hair that seemed to explode into helpless frizz with every change in the weather and thought to himself, That girl needs help.

Don't you think I deserve some sort of commission from Dr. Robert Langer?

So of all the various hair potions I have tried to keep the mane under control, this one comes out on top. (Sorry.) I'm not going to pass for Cindy Crawford, but I no longer have to cower in the closet on rainy days. Also, I fully agree with the product's claim that its scientific properties will repel dirt and oil and make your shampoo job last longer. Sounds ridiculous, but manages to be actually be true.

Now, should you feel so moved as to try this (not-so-cheap) product, you will have to make your way to Sephora, the exclusive purveyor of the Living Proof line. And if you are very, very lucky, you will not have to endure the excruciating experience of being helped at the checkout counter by a poker-faced man wearing so much visible eye makeup that you're forced to look anywhere else rather than make eye contact and dissolve into nervous giggles.

But only if you're lucky.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Now, if Dr. Robert Langer could just invent a way to keep my nose from dripping any time the temperature slips below 55 degrees and a force to counteract the mysterious disappearance of every single hair accessory my daughters own, I would be more than happy to file papers for his Nobel prize. Sweden, you're on notice.

P.S. Speaking of lovely things, Beck is having a very cool giveaway on her review blog right now. Check it out.