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Let’s Talk About Tech

I am guessing if you are reading this, you grew up in a pre -cell phone era. You remember Encyclopedia Britanica, phones with cords, pay phones, and going to a neighbours house to see if they could play. You remember signing books out from the library to write a report. Not so for our kids. They are growing up in a much different time and we’d be unwise to not admit that and educate ourselves about it.

First of all, I’m just going to go ahead and admit that I, AS A GROWN WOMAN WHO DID NOT GROW UP WITH SCREENS, have a very hard time responsibly monitoring my screen usage. I know I do not want to be “addicted” to my phone, but looking at the hours tracked begs to differ. So if I, with my fully developed brain, struggle to make wise choices when it comes to technology than how on earth can we expect our kids to regulate this. I have recently put a time limit for social media on my phone and it’s pretty eye opening. If you haven’t done this for yourself, I highly recommend it. I do think it is wise for us to understand how we are modelling this behaviour as we look at kids and tech. This is a hard pill to swallow. Do I want my kids to use technology exactly as I do? No. I don’t. And thats a humbling thing to admit. Once you admit that, you can’t ignore it. Ask yourself that question, mama. Do you want your kid to use technology exactly as you do?

Having said that, I just want to clearly say that YOU ARE THE PARENT. You get to decide if they have access to screens. full stop. Let’s not utter excuses like “well all their friends have it”. You are responsible for only your kid. Sometimes we need to go against the grain and I strongly believe this is one of those times. Maybe chat with friends who have kids the same age as yours and make a commitment to each other to not give your kids a device. If you can’t find anyone to join you on this journey, go it alone. Our kids are worth it. You need to believe that. “Right is right, even if no one is doing it and wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it”. Let’s be brave enough to do the hard thing for our kids and protect their childhood.

Another big reasoning I hear is that these devices are educational or they need them for school. Well, let’s stop right there. Are kids smarter these days than we were growing up? I honestly don’t find that to be the case. I actually think we are doing our kids a disservice by having so much of their schooling online. There are too many kids in jr high that cannot spell. They didn’t have to! All schoolwork was typed and spellcheck could be used. As well as the fact that once a brain gets used to the fast based learning apps and other online tools, slower paced things like BOOKS no longer hold their attention.

I am not a scientist, a researcher or an expert on this topic so I am going to point you to some of my favourite resources on this topic:

The Book “Glow Kids”. This book is outstanding and eye opening. Every parent, educator, or anyone in a position of influence over kids NEEDS to read this book. I cannot recommend it enough. I would buy one for every parent if I could. And I would read the entire thing out loud on my instagram if I could. Get this book, read it, take what it says to heart. It speaks in great detail about all the dangers and harm technology can cause to kid’s brains. It speaks to video games and social media alot, but the books focus is on any screen.

The youtube documentary Childhood-2.0. This is long, but it’s important. Guys, we cannot keep sticking our head in the sands about this. This documentary has lots of teens speaking as well as parents, psychologists and researchers. This is crucial information. It is our job to protect our kids and part of that is STOP GIVING KIDS START PHONES. Did you know that in 2019, porn sites had more traffic than Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined. There are the big offenders like pornography and sex trafficking; but there are also things like cyber bullying, screen addiction, mental development, relational skills and so on.

Follow Collin Kartchner on Instagram. He is extremely vocal about his #savethekids campaign and goes into schools to give talks on the dangers of social media. Follow him and watch his stories for a few days and you will never feel the same about your child having access to social media.

Follow Greta Eskridge on Instagram. She also has a “fight porn” highlight and travels to speak about it.

Watch The Social Dilemna on Netflix. (If you are still using Netflix and haven’t cancelled it)

Read my post where I share some resources to use to talk to your young kids about these topics. I have discovered many more since I wrote this post but this is a good jumping off point.

I could go on and on about this topic, especially as I continue to learn more, but I will instead refer you to those resources. I do want to say, it’s not too late. If your kids are using screens too much, it’s not too late. In the “Glow Kids” book, the appendix gives tips on doing a screen detox. In the end, you are the parent and you make the decisions. Let’s not fool ourselves by saying our kids will be behind if they don’t use technology. They will not. You can learn that stuff so fast. But they may be behind on creativity, human relationships, ability to focus, ability to find enjoyment in real life things, and so on.

One big way I combat this in our family is by always having a chapter book I am reading with the girls and bringing it in my purse wherever we go. So if we are waiting at the doctor or anywhere else, instead of passing them my phone I pull out our book and read. I do this sometimes at restaurants as well, on long drives, and anywhere I need their attention or to entertain them. We also encourage lots of outside time and sibling play. I am not afraid of their boredom, in fact, I think it is an important part of building creativity and character. This is not to say we never use screens, but we do try to keep it mainly to when we decide to watch a family show together or the occasional TV or learning app time. When it is less frequent, it feels more special and they don’t ask nonstop.

May I encourage you to please choose a resource about screens and look through it. At the very least, educate yourself and make an informed decision. I think we can all do that for our kids, don’t you?

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About Me

Hi I am Kristin Stewart. I consider myself so lucky to be a homeschool mommy! Before I was a mother, I was a teacher in both public and Christian boards and I loved teaching so much. However, once my first daughter was born I knew God was calling me to be at home with her. So when it was time for her to start school, homeschooling was a natural fit for us. Read More…

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Kristin Stewart
*GIVEAWAY* 🥳 I am giving away a set of Theology *GIVEAWAY* 🥳 I am giving away a set of Theology and Doxology cards from @septemberandco ! This is the cutest little set to start a conversation with your kids! 

To enter; like and save this photo, follow me and @septemberandco (this giveaway is not affiliated at all with their business but since they made the cards I think you should follow them), and tag a friend! Every tag is an entry! Sharing in your stories is an entry as well (you must tag me or I won’t see if!).

 Closes Sunday at midnight AST. 

This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram in any way. 

Good Luck!
Today’s morning line up from the couch on this d Today’s morning line up from the couch on this dreary day. (Not pictured is Haileys Bible. She read it from the other couch) I love doing grammar together and I love leading the kids through some apologetics together. Our kids have questions and they have smart, impressionable minds. Don’t underestimate the conversations you can have with them. 
This Case for Christ for kids book goes through the different arguments some have on why Jesus isn’t the Christ and works in helping kids learn to critically think and look to scripture. 
As parents, let’s not rely on the church and Christian kids programming to disciple our kids.
That’s OUR responsibility as parents. The church can, and should, come along side families but let’s not shirk our God given responsibility to disciple our children. 
Start small and encourage discussion and questions. Use resources available if you wish but don’t forsake the Bible itself. Teach our kids to use the word of God. 
Let us not grow weary in the battle for our children’s souls.
For many years I worked hard to make sure I was ne For many years I worked hard to make sure I was never alone. Early morning play dates and late night tea dates if thomas was working. If he was going away making sure I had friends lined up to visit with each evening. I was so terrified to be alone with the thoughts in my head. 
Now, I enjoy my alone time. I enjoy the quiet and time to think. I even crave it. 
Maybe this is what healing looks like.
Here are a few resources we love for our morning t Here are a few resources we love for our morning time. Character cards from @septemberandco and Choose Wisely cards from @bear__squirrel. 
I’ll show them in my story today
Teach them to bless you and serve in the home with Teach them to bless you and serve in the home with a few daily chores. It lets them learn to serve with joy and learn responsibility. 
Tip: don’t expect them to know to do things they haven’t been taught. Whatever you want them to do, be sure to take time to teach them how to do it and give clear expectations. 
Then have fair expectations of them and thank them for a job well done and for blessing your home. 
Putting these 2 in charge of breakfast dishes has blessed me so much. They rotate days but often end up helping each other even when it’s not their day.

(Many days there is complaining. Fair enough, I also dislike doing dishes. We all can use practice on diligence and serving with a joyful heart as unto the Lord. We don’t always get it right as adults either. Gentle reminders and expect them to work diligently at their task)
Today was day 1 of our Easter Unit called An Expec Today was day 1 of our Easter Unit called An Expectant Easter by @treehouse_schoolhouse. When we use these theme units we sub them in instead of other copy work, narration and printing we are doing and do this instead.
Along with many other things, each week has a song to learn about and sing together. It’s so important to me that the girls understand, as much as they can with their limited life experience, the meaning of the words in the worship songs we sing. 
The week one song is one of my faves, In Christ Alone. As I read the lyrics through with the girls, pausing frequently for explanation, the tears were right there behind the surface. As we started the music and joined our voices to sing it together, the tears didn’t want to stay hidden anymore. 
This song always gets me in my feels. 
“And as He stands in victory, sins curse has lost it’a grip on me.
For I am His, and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ.”
And my tears burn with the overflowing gratefulness of one who knows what I deserve. Who has tasted and seen what life looks like without Him. Who knows what it feels like and looks like when sin does have a grip on you. And I sing those words through tears as one who knows that sin has lost its grip on me. Hallelujah. I’m bought with the blood of Christ. Those sins weren’t cheap and He paid the price. And that humbles me to tears on my knees. Cause I can see the sins laid on Him and how I put them there. And how they’re paid with His precious blood.
And when you know that, how can you not praise Him. 
The emotion of it all overwhelmed me this morning. What He did for me. And the absolute honour of teaching my kids what He did for them. For the visual we followed it up by watching Sophies fave “Flawless” by Mercy Me to see all those sins be washed away and we are then presented before God white as snow. Bought with the precious blood. 
I’m so forever thankful for the freed to homeschool and to centre our learning around that which matters. 
I’ll leave you with the words on my heart today:
“Oh what a Saviour. Isn’t He wonderful. Sing hallelujah, Christ is risen. Bow down before Him, for He is Lord of all. Sing hallelujah, Christ is risen.
What. A. Day! We had such a great afternoon hiking What. A. Day! We had such a great afternoon hiking here all the way out to the lighthouse and enjoying the view
*GIVEAWAY!!* 🙌 I’m getting settled into my ne *GIVEAWAY!!* 🙌
I’m getting settled into my new place and so thankful for all of YOU and the connections we’ve made in this little space. To thank you I’m giving away my favourite thing...BOOKS!! 

😍The Tale of the Three Trees
😍 Easter Egg by Jan Brett
😍Nate Saint from the Heroes for Young Readers
😍 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

To enter, you need to do the normal giveaway stuff:
✅ save this post 
✅ follow my account 
✅ like this post
✅ comment your fave book to read to your kids 
✅ tag a friend ( 1 entry per tag)
✅ bonus entry if you share this post in your stories. 

I will personally check these things and keep track. This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram or anyone but me in any way. 

Closes at midnight on Friday, March 12!
I think we’re going to quite enjoy exploring our I think we’re going to quite enjoy exploring our new home
I haven’t posted about my awesome felts from @tw I haven’t posted about my awesome felts from @twigndaisy lately but I still love them. I brought this map of Canada one with me to quarantine so they could practice it. Since we just drove from AB to NB it means a little more to them now and they can use a real life experience to remember
Cross posted from my personal account: I should h Cross posted from my personal account:

I should have expected it really. Other than her baby/ toddler years, the hardest seasons with her have been our last move and when we were evacuated. I know she doesn’t do change well.
I always think she will be affected the least because she’s the introvert, and then it always takes me days to figure out why she’s acting out and being difficult.  It looks a little different every time because she’s older. 
Then I remember. I remember the other times and the pattern. I remember that being out of her comfort zone is a problem for her.
And that she doesn’t regulate well.
And I remember I need more compassion, more patience. Not excusing or allowing rudeness, defiance, disobedience; but a gentle and loving approach to handle and correct. 
I remember I need to connect with her before I can correct.
And I remember she needs forced alone time because she won’t take it herself and she needs it to reset. 
So I’m reading right by her and she’s playing alone. She will come over when she’s ready and then we will chat.
Forever my refiners fire. Always keeps me on my toes. 
Worth every time I have to figure it out again.
I don’t want to give the impression that there a I don’t want to give the impression that there aren’t hard days of homeschool, there are. They get grumpy. I get grumpy. We all get tired. Some days they don’t want to do school. There’s mess. There are distractions. We have bad attitude days. We fight. 
But I am also careful with what I share to protect them and respect them as they get older. I don’t want to air out all their dirty laundry or embarrass them publicly. Trying to find that balance. 
This one is struggling. New move, new house, new time zone, none of her stuff yet, lots of feelings she struggles to regulate. She’s not wanting to do school. 
We’re taking it slow. Pushing just the right amount. And I have the privilege of knowing what that amount is. Because she’s mine. Because we spend every day together. Because I’ve learned it by trial and error. 
So I lowered my expectations a lot for today and met her where she was at. Instead of writing in her book I let her write on her dry erase board. She likes that. It’s still writing. So win win. And we did her math verbally. Accomplished the same outcomes. 
Takeaways: it’s not always easy, you have a unique advantage because you KNOW your kid, meet them where they are, know the limits, think outside the box. 
And if that doesn’t work, remember relationship is the most important. Hug it out and save the rest until tomorrow.
Talking about the books I got for my girls (8 and Talking about the books I got for my girls (8 and 6) for our upcoming 10 day road trip in my stories today if you need ideas.
We love using our big 100 floor chart for math. Us We love using our big 100 floor chart for math. Used it for adding 10 for grade 1 math and now skip counting review visual for grade 3 math.
Thank you so much for joining me here in the is li Thank you so much for joining me here in the is little space and joining me in the conversation about homeschool, faith and intentionally raising our kids.  I am so thankful for the friendships and the love you’ve shown me and my family this year.  See you in 2021! Happy new year!
Walking and seeing the hoarfrost never gets old. D Walking and seeing the hoarfrost never gets old.
Due to lots of upheaval over the next few months, I’m starting a slow launch with math tomorrow. We can’t get behind in math as I don’t want to school through the summer!! 

(I know..behind isn’t a thing in homeschool but I have certain goals for math I like to reach!)
Read this for the first time tonight and it might Read this for the first time tonight and it might be my fave ever
Sophie and I loved this book but be warned, it’s Sophie and I loved this book but be warned, it’s like 30 pages and the pages are covered in text. We started for bedtime last night without knowing how long it was so had to finish it this morning. 
A heart warming story about an orphan girl, a doll no one wants and a kind police man and his wife. Beautiful photos and endearing story.
Such a heart warming story about a boy who gives a Such a heart warming story about a boy who gives a sweater to a man who needs it and then at the end all his family comes through for him as well. I don’t want to give the story away but we love this one! It’s a longer one, but such a beautiful story! 

I know I’m slacking! I never wrote my blog post on these. (Sorry Mandy!) Lots has been going on here that I had no control over. I’ll get to it soon!
This is a very silly little interactive book. If y This is a very silly little interactive book. If you’re familiar with the other crayons book you’ll know the humour. This one comes with little paper dolls and built in envelopes and lots of fun extras. A very silly little Christmas story about a box of crayons.
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