Bah... humbug!

It's the most wonderful time of the yearrrr! That's the hype they spin during the holiday season. I try each year to put on a brave face. I smile, put up excessive amount of decorations all over my home, make arrangements to spend excessive amounts of money on things that really aren't necessities for my friends, family, and for myself. It puzzles me, there is a real problem with the idea of Christmas. Could it be the absence of Christ? As a child I was taught about the Nativity and the importance of this time of year being about giving, blessings, and the birth of the Messiah. I sang religious Christmas carols and even enjoyed the ones that told of old St. Nick. Now that I have children of my own, there is less and less mentioned about The Nativity and those classic Christmas carols. There are less movies shown that depict the birth of Christ, and less talk about the overall spirit of giving. The primary focus is on the consumerism and capitalism of it all. So much hype and spending above one's means. Ads pointing you to buy that bigger TV, more expensive car, or those designer clothes. To me, it puts entirely too much pressure on those in our society that are unable to keep up with that kind of spending. We need to focus on the more important things in life like love, family, fellowship, and community service.

In my family, we focus on the spirit of Christmas and what Jesus stood for. No matter your religion, I feel that in each of our daily lives there is an opportunity for us to help others. It doesn't always mean spending money or "paying it forward". It can be volunteering your time, donating items you no longer need, helping a friend or family member with household chores, cooking for a new mom, or even babysitting a friend's child or family members child. Consider donating your time in a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or battered women's facility. The list goes on. There is a saying: the best way to forget your own problems, is to help someone else with theirs. It's true! It feels good to know you've made a difference. It feels even better to know that you are being your best "you".

I love the holidays, I love gift giving and watching the joy on my children's faces when they open their presents on Christmas day. I'm even happier when I know that I have helped others. 

What are your plans this holiday season?

My review of Time4Learning.com

There was a wonderful occurrence in the lives of my 3 children and I called Time4Learning.com! When I made the decision to homeschool my children ages 6, 8, and 9, I felt bombarded with literature about curriculum's that would meet our needs. I initially tried a secular curriculum and ended up paying over $800 for way too many books and not enough time to handle all the lesson planning and grading. When I found out about Time4Learning, I was intrigued at the idea that a homeschool program could be entirely virtual and hold my children's attention simultaneously. When we first signed up what intrigued me was the cost. Under $50 per month for three children to be homeschooled, with lesson planning, testing, grading, transcripts, and support all inclusive and entirely virtual! Time4Learning holds my children's attention with it's bright and amusing interactive characters and colorful visual displays that any child would think was definitely too much fun to be called "school work".

My daughter Alyssa is a kindergartner that hasn't yet mastered reading and was struggling with the alphabet. She is overjoyed when it's time for her to approach her Language Arts assignments. She scores well and is enthusiastic with each passing lesson. She is excited about her math assignments and regularly recaps at the dinner table all the math concepts she has mastered for that day. My 1st grader Diamond had trouble with reading in public school, and the individualized attention that she gets with homeschooling has made a tremendous difference! She thrives now under the direction of the Time4Learning curriculum and learning program. The program engages her, plays music, and provides positive reinforcement each time something is executed correctly. When she struggles, there is incentive to teach the child an alternate way of learning that concept that makes mastering it so much easier. The great thing about Time4Learning is you are able to repeat modules and tests until whatever challenge becomes mastery! My son Terrill is a 2nd grader and has ADD. It is difficult to hold his attention and he was not very successful in public school as a result. With Time4Learning and the animated lessons, he doesn't feel the strain and structure of a traditional classroom environment, he feels like it is the same as playing a favorite video game or watching a much anticipated tv show.

As a single mother on a fixed income, who wants to be more involved and hands on with my children's learning, Time4Learning.com has made an improvement in their grades,

their listening skills, and comprehension. The staff is available to assist with questions and the virtual classroom is easy for children to navigate on their own. They can be independent learners using this amazing homeschool approach. You can use Time4Learning as a full curriculum or as an addendum to public school learning. Your child will receive all the skills they need for a successful school year. Time4Learning is available for PK-12. You won't be disappointed!

Time 4 Learning :):)

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning can be used as a homeschool curriculum, forafterschool enrichment and for summer skill sharpening. Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.