A Picnic With White Snuit

Before this morning’s Q&A;, I just wanted to share with you a special moment from this morning. It’s a good reminder of the wonderful, simple joys of being home to enjoy your children.

Maegan came up to me this morning with her little Snow White book and wanted me to read it to her.

It’s a short, simple book, so it only took me a few minutes.

We followed Snow White through the forest, picking berries, and having a picnic at the end.
Maegan was pointing to all the picnic items and telling me what they were. And, when she was done, she said, “I want to have a picnic with White Snuit.”

That just tickled me. I don’t know how many times I read the words “Snow White” and how many times she’s heard that story.

But, since she calls her snow suit a “snow snuit”, I guess “White Snuit” was just a natural deviation.

Do you remember any cute sayings your kids did – or maybe still have? I just love them. There’s nothing more delightful or more precious.

Now, on to some Q&A:
Laura, I am looking for big and simple pictures for my little child 3 years. Thank you. Celinda

L.B.: Celinda, I have a lot of preschool ages coloring pictures at one of my web sites:

Free Kids Coloring Pages

Also, don’t forget about the free coloring contest and drawing contest so your kids can win 100 Chuck E Cheese tokens!! The deadline is coming up, so don’t miss out:

Kids Coloring Contest

Kids Drawing Contest

Laura, I’m considering Homeschooling for my 4 year old, pre-K. I prefer that my children are at home so I know what they are being taught. I also feel that they will learn better with one on one attention. Picked on heavily for being the nice girl in class. Dawn

L.B.: Dawn, I totally understand! I don’t want people I hardly know anything about teaching my children things I don’t know about. You know, every person’s world view is expressed through their ideas and actions. No matter how “neutral” they say they are, they can’t keep it out of their thoughts, words, and actions. Your wise to so carefully guard what will be put into your young child’s mind.

About being picked on for the nice girl in class, I’m not sure if that is for you or another child, or preschool, or what. Anyway, it’s a sad thing when children are teased at a young age. They are not emotionally prepared to handle it.

Just yesterday, I was working with my son on the “l” sound that he still makes the “w” sound – like “wight” for light. We were actually working on the word “lightning” since we had a thunder storm, and I heard “wightning” about 30 times.

So, anyway, we practiced the sound and the word and some other “l” words. I told him that I was going to start helping him by stopping him and having him repeat the “l” words the right way – he does the “w” sound mostly out of habit now than the inability to pronounce it.

But, when I was done telling him the plan, I told him that I promised never to do that in front of other people.

He stood there thinking for a few seconds and said, “why – will it make them feel bad?”

I forget that unlike myself, Ryan hasn’t been teased. Even at 6 years old, he’s not worried about what others think. He’s secure about who he is. And I feel really good about that.

Dear Laura, I tried to register for the free tele-seminar and got an error message so I'm not sure what the problem was and I 'm not sure I'm registered. Thanks, Karen

L.B.: Karen, there was a problem the first day with the registration form, but that has been fixed. In fact, we had a ton of registrations yesterday – so if you haven’t already, head back over there before it’s full. I can’t say “sold out” since it’s FREE – but we can only have as many guests as lines that I have reserved. Here’s the link if you need it:

Thanks! And, have a great day – and enjoy those kids!!!

Laura Bankston

COMMENTS:

“Hi Laura: Well, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO LAURA AND WADE!!!!!!!!!!! We just celebrated our 15th Anniversary this past July 22nd. My husband, Kenny, and I have known each other since we were four years old, and now we've both just turned 40 this year. Little did we both know back when we were teasing each other, etc., that we would wind up spending the rest of our lives together (here on earth and in eternity). ISN'T GOD JUST SO AWESOME!!!! He has planned our lives so far ahead of time! So HAPPY ANNIVERSARY...ENJOY!!!!!!!!!! Be Blessed Today, Denise Graham”

“CONGRATULATIONS!!! I like to tell my husband that the years I have been married to him have been the happiest of my life! And it's true! I'm very happy to hear your wonderful news. Melanie”

“Congratulations! I celebrated my 10th anniversary this year with my sweetheart, and I feel the same way. We met in high school and he used to send me cards "To my Wife-to-be." I love him so and desire no other. I just saw a movie last night (a rare thing), "The Notebook" with some girlfriends and cried and cried (perhaps also because I ma 9 months pregnant). It was a sweet story of a true first love. I don't think any movie can be whole-heartily recommended nowadays, as there is always some inappropriate scene(s), but I related to the love the couple felt all these years. You may enjoy it too. So happy for you and your true love! Kristine”

“Dearest Laura, Congratulations on your 15th wedding anniversary! Have another wonderful 15 years! And 15 more after that . . . and after that . . . and after that, etc! Lord be with you both! And your family! Enjoy our Lord as you continue to glorify Him, Chrissy”

"You know, you'd think someone home schooling their own kids would have better grammar and spelling. Ms. Stephan"

“Laura- Thank you for those encouraging words. I have a little story for you. Our youngest, Corinne, has a small hole in her heart. The doctors were uncertain for a few weeks whether or not she would require open heart surgery. On August 12, they repeated the test. She will not require open heart surgery at this point and will be reevaluted when she turns 3 or 4. So we will definitely celebrate August 12th with you. Congratulations on your anniversary! God is so great! Kara”

Blind Man Who Can See

6 days ago, I arrived here in Tampa, Florida.

And I want to tell you

I came for a mastermind meeting with my coaching group and then to stay for a seminar.

At the end of the master mind metting, my coach, Matt Furey, said to me,
"Laura, you know sign language, right?"

"Yep," I said.

"On an advanced level?" he asked.

"Yep." I said. Maybe I should have answered that so quickly.

"Well," he continued, "I have a deaf man coming to the seminar and his interpreter bombed out at the last minute. Would you be able to do that?"

"Sure. No problem."

"Great," Matt said. "There will be a deaf man and a blind man attending."

I was really interested and curious. I've been around the hearing impaired a lot, learned sign language in college, interpreted and tutored in elementary school, and interpreted in our church. I knew it would be a struggle for the deaf man coming.

But, a blind man at a seminar that I knew was going to be highly visual? I was interested to meet them both.

I'll have to tell you more about my marathon interpreting later; but, this I have to tell you first.

His name was Michael. He was quiet, sat with his friend who helped him get around, and didn't say much the first day.

No one said much to him that first day. I felt kinda bad - people just don't know the right way to respond to people with "disabilities".

But, this man had no disability.

When he wanted to get around, he used his stick to navigate between tightly packed tables and an aisle with video/computer equipment.

He walked around the hotel hall by himself, moving his stick side to side to find his way.

The second day, I got opportunity to learn more about him.

First, he can't see a single thing.

Secondly, he makes money online!! Not what I would expect from a blind person.

Third - he can see! Now, he can't see with his eyes; but he had an incredible "sense". He could tell how far you were standing. He copied and did stretching exercises he had never seen. It was amazing. I wish you could have seen it. I swear it was like he was wearing sunglasses "pretending" to be blind.

But, I know he wasn't because he was kinda reaching out in my general direction to shake hands when I introduced myself.

Anyway, on the last day of the seminar - today - he said a few words.

He reminded all of us "seeing" people...that we needed to know what we wanted, and when we knew that, to know that there was nothing to stop us.

"You need to use your imagination to figure out a way to do something you want when everyone around you is thinking that it's impossible."

Man.

And I thought I could see.

He saw with his mind things that most of us never see. The eyes in his body never reveal a image to him; but without those, he saw one of the greatest things most people never see...what your imagination, determination, and spirit can dream and see for you.

I'm blessed to have met Michael. He has the best eyes I've seen in a long time.

Sincerely,
Laura Bankston

P.S. Do you have any blind children? It just occured to me when talking with Michael that the blind people want to enjoy life just like everyone else and use technology adapted to help them experience it. And, with the homeschool cooking in a box, the included audio tape with all the recipe instructions would work perfectly for the blind children who may still be learning braille or can't find a braille cookbook.

Maybe in the creation of this product, God had in mind that someday I'd be meeting Michael and he would reveal this unique aspect for blind children to have an awesome cooking experience.



Laura Bankston is author of Internationally selling Cooking with Kids Curriculum: “Homeschool Cooking in a Box” and the “Homeschool Cookbook”. She currently home schools her three children, maintains home school support websites, and manages their family-owned service business. For information on her curriculum and free home school support services, please visit http://www.homeschoolcookbook.com

Copyright 2004, Abundant Learning Publications. All Rights Reserved.

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