make joy normal: Catholics in the new springtime

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What do we DO with intense children?  Can they just cry, what does it look like to walk a child through difficult emotions?  We spend so much time in our day managing behaviour, managing emotions and managing our own responses.  Can we make is smoother along the way?  

4:37 - Should I let my child cry it out? 
6:02 - Letting them have distress while nurturing them 
11:24 - Learning how to reduce the stimuli in a child's life 
15:44 - Activities for diversion 
16:58 - Tears of futility and acknowledging emotions 
27:12 - Creating connection 

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Elizabeth asks a loaded question.  What are your family traditions?

Well, there are many that were added one at a time over the years, until describing them becomes a convoluted task.  But so much fun! 

We focus on November, Advent and Christmas.  But here's a special treat.  My daughter created a Jesse Tree reading document for her Dad, and she has allowed me to share it will all of you!

Click this blog post for the free PDF

1:16 - What are some traditions you've practiced as a family? 
2:58 - All Saints Day party 
5:23 - The Jesse Tree and reading A Christmas Carol 
8:11 - Feast of St. Nicholas and letter to the Christ Child 
9:42 - Advent wreath, procession and Martinmas - Feast of St. Martin 
17:08 - Start slowly and build over time
19:36 - What we do at Christmas

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Oh.  Yes.  Motherhood is a guilt trip, no?  

This is a little supplementary episode that Elizabeth and I recorded in the context of a larger episode, but I think we may all need this little shot in the arm.  

0:33 - How do we avoid comparing ourselves to others in our homeschooling? 
3:17 - Staying focused on our gifts and blessings 
4:49 - What to do when angst creeps in 
8:27 - How do we fill all of our children's cups?
11:24 - The rewards of giving of ourselves

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Can you be both a good homeschooler and a good housekeeper?  Does something have to give?  Christina and I discuss the expectations of homemakers and homeschoolers, those we put on ourselves and that others may have of us.  We talk about the comparison game, and growth, case in point: I bare my soul about what I thought about motherhood thirty years ago.  Don't judge.  

https://www.bonnielandry.ca/blog-1/decluttering-a-journey-of-self-over-25-years?rq=housework

2:14 - Deciding what matters most to us
10:22 - Learning in an environment of joy 
14:38 - Being specific when reaching out for help 
18:40 - Letting go of comparing ourselves to others 
24:03 - Decluttering and finding order 
32:30 - Life is about balance 
35:50 - We continue to grow if we are open to it

Contact

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Wow. This was a remarkable episode. John Paul Meenan , professor at Seat of Wisdom Catholic College in Ontario, joins me (and enlightens me…) on the process of discernment - good decision making. 

We make decision, big and small, every day.  One of the things I've found about the Christian life, is: how do we know if we're making the right decision?  How do we discern what's right for our family, and how to guide our young people to right decisions? 

1:00 - The impact of social media on dialogue
5:08 - Vocational discernment and discernment in everyday life decisions 
14:45 - How to discern - practically speaking 
24:04 - How do we know when we are working within the framework of reason? 
28:14 - What is the role of intuition in discernment?
40:35 - What do we do while we're waiting for God's guidance? 
46:51 - The need for silence
49:41 - Everyone is given sufficient grace to go to Heaven

https://catholicinsight.com

www.seatofwisdom.ca

https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2021/10/10/the-limits-of-science-and-the-freedom-to-make-moral-choices/

https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1985/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_31031985_dilecti-amici.html

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Christina and I discuss a big question in two parts.  What can we do when the day has gone sideways and what can we do when we come unglued with our kids...or they come unglued with us?  

We discuss the value of a willingness to repair.  

2:55 - First steps to rescuing the day 
11:18 - Our kids' desire to be connected to us 
14:34 - Appropriate behaviour is a skill set
17:19 - Relationship and walking alongside our children
24:11 - The Can and Can't Change it Buckets 
31:18 - Acknowledging our shortcomings and making repair 
34:21 - The importance of prayer for your marriage
39:45 - Sorry is never sorry if we force it out of them

Contact

• On Instagram at @make.joy.normal 
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We can't take the language out of language arts.  Phonics, spelling, grammar, punctuation and the rest of language arts, are so beautifully learned while we learn the purpose and beauty of language.  Phonics is how letters and sounds work together in patterns.  Placing this step into reading fluency in the larger picture of the patterns of language makes so much sense.  The pattern of poetry, of prose, of sentences, of thoughts expresses in the printed word.   

I am working on a little helps sheet to, you know, help y'all - if you are just starting out dictation.  It's not quite ready yet!! Check my website, it should be up by the end of the weekend.  

1:24 - What is phonics and why is it important? 
4:48 - How is it different from other language arts?
8:23 - How do you learn the phonetic rules formally? 
14:32 - Older students doing phonics and struggling with vowels
22:00 - How do you teach double consonants?
23:59 - What resources do you use alongside for teaching phonics?
30:25 -Example phonics lesson via dictation

Contact

• On Instagram at @make.joy.normal 
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Oh, man. Kids are so impulsive.  What do we do with that? 
Christina and I continue with questions that have risen from our episode about discipline.  What to do when kids are impulsive.  Some books to read!

1:25 - Dealing with impulsive behaviour 
13:16 - The unique needs of boys and girls 
19:16 - Exploring the idea of delaying in-class education 
23:37 - Earlier is not always better 
26:58 - Importance of closeness and book suggestions 
29:21 - Discipline is a place of growth 

Boys and girls learn differently

Rest play grow

Discipline without distress 

No drama discipline

Contact

• On Instagram at @make.joy.normal 
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Welcome back, Elizabeth!  In this episode, we (naturally) talk about homeschooling with a new baby.  Considering the season of babyhood, we address the joyful and time consuming nature of welcoming a little one, and the importance of our relationships in the home.  We talk about the other high-intensity, challenging, stressful or just plain busy times, too. 

5:30 - How to find balance in responding to the needs of the baby and children
14:35 - Waiting for readiness and The Three R's by Ruth Beechick 
18:51 - Is it okay to take breaks? 
24:08 - Getting outside help when needed

https://shop.lalabu.com/products/soothe-shirt

Contact

• On Instagram at @make.joy.normal 
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A short episode from a talk I gave a couple of years ago that I wanted to share with you all.  I talk about how laundry was both ruining my life and changed my life.  Not. Even. Kidding.

I've begun season three, where I have two cohosts now, Elizabeth is back (yay!!) and Christina has agreed to cohosting as well (another yay!!) ...sharing the love!

 0:14 -The laundry problem and the intervention
10:23 - What the new system looked like
13:58 - The ripple effect and the beauty of order
16:49 - Project 333 and feeling empowered by order

Contact

• On Instagram at @make.joy.normal 
• By email at [email protected]
• Search podcast episodes by topic 
• www.bonnielandry.ca
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Thanks for listening to Make Joy Normal Podcast!