Predictions, Patience, and Peace in 2015

January 07, 2015 by Michele Cherie in Contentment, Parenting Books, Reflections on Parenting

I'm predicting some changes for our family in 2015--good changes, but startlingly big. There's the little one who's due date is today. (Whenever you're ready, little one, we'd love to meet you!). There's a summer-long stay in France that may extend into autumn if I stay a few weeks longer with our children. And once we're all home, we may begin building a house if God opens the door to some land that we'd like to purchase. All of these changes hold so much hope! Just knowing that they are possible reminds me that we are extravagantly blessed beyond anything we deserve.

39 Weeks Pregnant with Baby #3: Thoughts & Actions

December 31, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Reflections on Parenting, Home Management

Happy New Year's Eve! Today marks the 39-week point in my pregnancy with our third child, so in addition to reflecting on the past year and the possibilities ahead, I'm also highly aware that our family is about to embark on the adventure of birth and postpartum adjustments. It's like being at the front of the line for a roller coaster that you haven't actually seen. I'm not fearful, only excited, but I also have the sense that the next few weeks and months could be quite a ride!

Here's what I've been doing in these days before baby's birth:

Simple Christmas Crafts & Activities for Little Learners

December 11, 2014 by Michele Cherie in American Culture, Home Management, Reflections on Parenting

C'est la saison de Noël! This December I've enjoyed the gift of time with my children to do some simple crafts and activities: beeswax candle rolling, making gingerbread houses, and biking the Christmas lights at Portland International Raceway. If these experiences are new to you like they were for us, you'll appreciate a few details about how they worked and what we learned.

Our First Autumn Homeschooling: Rhythms & Realities

November 20, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Education, French Resources, Learning Resources, Reflections on Parenting

Winter doesn't officially arrive here in Oregon until next month, but strangely, we've already had our first light snowfall and an ice storm, so it feels as though autumn is already past. In addition, my daughter has started learning a Christmas song on violin, so I've been reflecting on how our first autumn of homeschooling went now that we're transitioning into winter.

Returning to the Heart of Discipline

November 05, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Reflections on Parenting

This month is bringing the harder days of parenting--days when the children wake too early, when fatigue coils around us a bit more tightly each hour, when tantrums have the power to bring a wave of anger or a rim of tears to my eyes. But the struggles are teaching me to reflect on my responses, particularly those that proved unhelpful. On occasion, when I put my children to bed, I have to apologize for my meanness and for reacting too harshly. I pray aloud that we can be more patient with one another.

Raising a Toddler Boy: On Patience, Expectations, and Joy

October 29, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Reflections on Parenting

My son is two-and-a-half. At this age he is a challenge and a joy. (I expect he always will be, only in different ways). When I'm seated, he delights in hugging my neck from behind, nearly choking me. He insists on pouring his own rice milk, opening the garage himself, and starting each day with a formidable pile of books to be read to him. He plunges underwater fearlessly during swim lessons but refuses to kick or follow instructions.

Suzuki Violin Lessons at Age Four? One Year Later

October 21, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Education, Learning Resources, Reflections on Parenting

If you've read my blog for a while, you might remember that my daughter started taking Suzuki violin lessons last fall at age four and a half. She had expressed an interest in learning violin after listening repeatedly to a fictional story featuring Vivaldi's music. I was concerned that formal music lessons might require too much rigor for her age, but we took the leap after talking with friends who had started Suzuki lessons at a young age. Now, a year later, I'm thrilled that we started lessons when we did, and my daughter has loved playing! Here's my quick summary of the Suzuki method and what I've learned about music lessons as a parent:

An Encouraging Podcast and Sweet Reading

October 18, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Cultural Reflections, French Language Learning, Reflections on Parenting, Education

Bonjour les amis! It's been quiet on the blog this week, but today I'm glad to share with you two linguistic resources that may delight you:

First is a children's picture book called Little Treasures: Endearments from Around the World. Published in 2011, each page features several terms of endearment that parents use with their children in their own language. From mon petit chou (my little cabbage) in French to docinho de coco (little coconut candy) in Portuguese, it features sweet nicknames along with their translations and pronunciation in each of fourteen languages--German, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, etc. We discovered this book at the library, and my daughter has loved choosing the nickname that she would prefer from each language.