DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW. I WAS NOT REQUIRED TO WRITE A POSITIVE REVIEW NOR WAS I COMPENSATED IN ANY OTHER WAY.

As fun as preschool learning activities are, it’s pretty fun to dive into subjects that I can actually learn more about. The age ranges of my kids certainly keeps things interesting for me as a teacher and this review has given me a glimpse into middle and high school. I’m sure not mad about it! Getting to discuss the structure and history of our government through a Biblical lens is such a blessing. Today we’re talking about Homeschool Court Student Worktext, a judicial system curriculum from Homeschool Court.

What We Received:

We were given access to digital files that included a Student Worktext, Teacher Manual, and 3 Case Summaries each with a student and teacher manual file.

How It Works:

This curriculum is designed to work in a co-op or family classroom with the goal of a mock-trial. There are 9 chapters total that introduce the concept and origin of law, discusses elements of court, and then builds understanding of cases to equip students to participate in a mock-trial. Each chapter contains reading content, a worksheet or two, and a ‘Digging Deeper Enrichment Activities’, a list of activities to continue the learning. The Teacher’s Manual includes instruction for a group setting or individual, making it very versatile to a variety of learning environments. Each case summary includes the case facts, witness statements, use of evidence at trial, laws considered, jury instructions, and a verdict form. The information in these summaries sets the stage beautifully for a fun mock-trial.

How We Used It:

While Homeschool Court made every effort to provide materials for a group to use this curriculum - especially to accommodate a mock-trial, we didn’t have a large group available to participate right now. Our local co-op semester had already started when this review became available, but I am going to look into possibly using it for a course next semester. In the meantime, I walked through the material with my 10 year old son one on one.

What We Thought:

Due to the review period, we only got to chapter 4, but the discussions it prompted were really rich. As a teacher, I found it to be a great blend of overview and in-depth discussion. In chapter 1, the author gives an overview of important law events that impact todays law and then in chapter 2 talks about the Ten Commandments. The content and questions laid a great framework for nurturing a respect for God’s role in American government. Considering my son is only in the 4th grade, he learned a lot just in the basic reading of the material. In one section it asks the student to use scripture to prove their answer, which was a great exercise for my son. Older students would have an even greater opportunity to practice their knowledge of law (and scripture) and debate throughout the course. I highly recommend this curriculum for any government or civics credit, especially because of it’s foundation in and connection to Biblical teaching.

Follow Homeschool Court on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HomeschoolCourt
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HomeschoolCourt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homeschoolcourt/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/HomeschoolCourtDBurton/_created/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjXgvZzIUtMU4nZe-jFeisw

Homeschool Court offers High School supplements that several of our Review Crew families utilized. Check out their reviews through the link below if you’re interested in seeing how this program works with High School students.

Offending people is getting harder and harder to avoid these days.  Have you noticed?  Everyone is mad about anything and EVERYTHING! The other day I ran across a homeschool meme that listed several things that are likely to discourage a homeschool parent.  It mainly focused on complaints about having children at home or how hard life is when kids aren't in school. Being a homeschool parent myself, many of them resonated with me and caused me to chuckle.  In the caption, the author asked, "What would you add?" As I read the comments, I royally got more than I was expecting.  I seriously thought we were just having a good time, trying to lighten the mood, but the comments sucked the wind out of me.  Just about every complaint was pointing out something they hated seeing on social media.  And, yes I agree there are some annoying and offensive things people post, but ya'll, I just unfollow those accounts!  One woman hated seeing posts about kids and sports because she couldn't afford them herself.  Another commented about pictures with grandparents because her children didn't have living grandparents.  There were complaints about pregnancy posts, promotion posts, negative posts, sibling posts, spouse posts and they just went on and on.  The discussions got more pointed with expectations suggesting that everyone in their chosen category needed to stop posting about that thing because of how it hurt the commenter.

And in that moment I realized how ridiculous we all sound.  Our society has truly bought into the idea that life is fair and social media just hasn't gotten the memo yet.  I agree that there are always more polite and respectful ways of doing things, but if I were to base my posting  on these people's suggested criteria, I literally couldn’t.  I could not post pictures of my children (the most common thing people do on social media) because many suffer from loss or infertility.  I could not post about any hardship, because someone has it worse (and they aren't complaining).  I could not post about my husband because it's anti-single or full of made-up lies.  Don't talk about money, religion or politics because 2020!  Don't post pictures of your purchases because some can't afford it.  Don't even mention a garden because it's making those without the space or the want-to feel bad.  Spoiler alert!  Under those conditions, everyone has the 'right' to be offended about something because we are all lacking in some way.  It's just as surreal as it is ridiculous.

To be fair, I have certainly found myself in a tizzy over other people's posts.  I absolutely do NOT agree with a lot of things that get touted around.  This last year has been worse than ever.  The temptation to let others know how wrong I think they are is huge some days. So, I am not in denial about disagreeing with what other people choose to say or post.  But that is really my point.  It is impossible to create a healthy environment in which I agree with everything other people say.  Impossible. I'm not able to champion all the causes you think I ought to without offending everyone else.  So everyone just needs to stop perpetuating this lie that YOU have to stop being you in order to make ME feel better because it isn't sustainable and certainly not healthy.

Since it is a foregone conclusion that my entire existence and life choices are offensive to somebody somewhere (according to social media consensus), what should I do? What CAN you do?  Some choose to remove social media from their life, which isn't the worst option depending on the day.  Others go on the offense with a blast of lunging aggression at anyone who might not adore everything they say or post.  Maybe you have a good suggestion that's a little more balanced than those two.  I sure would be happy to hear it.  The best course of action I have come up with is to focus on my people and pray that you do the same for yours.

No one else is in the greatest position as I am to love and support my children and husband. Whoever your people are, you are in a unique position to love and serve them. Since I try really hard to not be hateful, spiteful or insensitive already (especially online), at the end of the day I owe my kids and my husband love far more than I owe Jack or Jane in Anywhere, USA silence about my joys and tears because they are struggling too. The victories of making our marriage work (when it can be incredibly hard) or navigating an ADHD discovery that affects all of my children is real to my life.  Just as real as the thousands of dollars in school loans I walked out of college with or the severe allergic reaction to Ben & Jerry's ice cream that resulted in a pus-filled rash all over my body the spring before we got married.  In this age of bait and switch marketing, I feel like we owe each other real life more than carpeting the world for everyone's  short stick situation.

Real life really stinks sometimes. For everyone. But real life isn’t all bad either. For every rotten thing that happens to you in your life, there’s half a dozen more great opportunities. Let’s work harder at caring for our people and give less space for getting our feelings hurt.

DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW. I WAS NOT REQUIRED TO WRITE A POSITIVE REVIEW NOR WAS I COMPENSATED IN ANY OTHER WAY.

In a couple of weeks my baby will be 4 and we've already entered this next phase of homeschooling - Preschool!  After 10 years of a homeschool mindset is, this really is one of my favorite stages!  That doesn't mean I don't have to fight off waves of sadness at the thought of this being the last time I get to teach one of my kids to read.  It is a beautiful privilege and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  And today our review is going to look at an online program designed to support young students in their journey towards literacy, LeapFrog Academy® from LeapFrog®.

What We Received:

We were given a 1 year subscription for multiple students to a LeapFrog Academy®, an online interactive learning program ideally intended for 3-6 year olds.  In addition to the annual, they also offer a monthly and 6 month plan, though the annual subscription offers the greatest discount.

How It Works:

 After setting up the student profile, the program takes the child on an introductory tour of the LeapFrog Academy world. Initially, the student learns how to move around, where the activities are, how to collect marbles for the reward bank, and eventually become familiar with their Learning Adventure. There is a dashboard where everything is directly accessible as well.

Within each student's virtual world there is a highlighted path they can take which brings them to a variety of puzzles and games. However, they can go anywhere they want and at any time head back to a red tent where they can change colors and clothing. As they travel around and complete activities, the student is rewarded with marbles and eventually prizes, like pets. My son has a pet hedgehog! When they do an activity they really like, there is an option to save it to My Favorites, which is then accessible through the dashboard. Also located on the dashboard are areas for certificates the student has earned, a My Learning Lab for activities focused on what they need to learn next, a reading area, and What's New for recently added elements. The concept as a whole is very open ended, but also structured if you choose to follow it.

What We Thought:

My son hasn’t quite mastered the mouse or track pad completely yet, so there were a few activities that he got frustrated on. Luckily, he has an older brother and sister who are more than happy to 'help' him. Other than that, the activities were fun and engaging, all while reinforcing preschool concepts.

As I have mentioned in reviews before, I am not a proponent of exclusive online learning. While I understand the reality and value of computer and internet skills for my children, I also know the importance of non-screem learning for healthy development. So, in our homeschool we have never relied completely on an online program. That being said, LeapFrog Academy® is a delightful program that was always inviting learning and one my son always asked to use. As a company in the business of learning since the 90’s, they have continued to do a great job of supporting early education!

LeapFrog® Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeapFrog
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeapFrog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leapfrogofficial
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/leapfroginc
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/LeapFrog

Not all preschoolers are the same! Are you interested in another perspective? Read through other families’ reviews of this product to see what they thought.

DISCLOSURE: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

As athletic and sports-loving as my kids are, we haven’t ever tried anything like Tai-Kwon-Do or Mixed Martial Arts. I certainly haven’t ever genuinely considered it for my preschoolers. Even taking an online mixed martial arts course seemed a little far-fetched prior to the last year, but here we are! Today I’m please to share our review of Family Mixed Martial Arts Videos Preschool Mixed Martial Arts from Family Mixed Martial Arts Videos. My 3 (almost 4) year old son was excited to have an activity for him, but honestly, the other two were not happy to be left out so it turned into a family affair.

What We Received:

We received access to an online course, MMA Course for Early Learners, which consisted of 16 video lessons. There were a few printable files for supply lists and certification instructions. Supplies consisted of items you likely have around the house, but easily replaced by something available.

How It Works:

This Preschool MMA online course functions like many virtual courses these days. It is easy to navigate with a table of contents always visible on the left side and every lesson can be accessed in any order, with the previous and following videos always visible at the bottom of the video player. Unless your student has had previous MMA instruction, I doubt there would be any need to skip around. This is certainly a program that requires parents to help and direct students towards good technique and participate as a partner at various points throughout each lesson. The class begins with a few introductory videos that gives you a feel for what to expect throughout the course and then each lesson functions with a similar routine: Warm-Up, Technique, Character Trait, Review, Game, Fun Exercise, Lesson Review, and Closing. Each lesson does build on the last, but there is quite a bit of repetition, making it difficult to truly be lost no matter where you jump to. Even though this is a Preschool or Early Learner class, they do learn techniques such as Jab, Hook, Upper Cut, Single Leg Takedown, and Sprawl. Once a child has completed the course, they even have the opportunity to submit an Application for Certification and also pursue an Application for Belt Ranking. The steps to do so are all lined out in a file included with the course.

What We Thought:

The kids and I were really excited about this course. Even though it was slated for the 3 year old, the 7 and 10 year old were happy to participate whenever possible. The instructor’s approach is certainly geared toward preschool age children and while it does get a little repetitive, the complicated nature of the subject matter, the instructor’s repetition and clarity helps reinforce the concepts for parents and students. The warm-ups consist of typical exercise warm-ups, which are both healthy and fun for the kids. My 3 year old loved every minute of it, though he still doesn’t quite know his right from left. That’s certainly why parent (or older sibling) involvement is necessary. Has he mastered all of the techniques he’s learned so far? No. Does it matter? Not unless we were trying to receive certification or advancement of some kind. Though the instruction is geared towards a younger audience, the actual instruction has left my older two with a beginning understanding of mixed martial arts techniques and approaches. Parents and children alike, it has been a great opportunity to have fun together.

I was very impressed with this course and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an introduction to MMA, especially for kids. Finding another great way to keep kids healthy and active is always a plus in my book! In person courses certainly have their strengths, but if virtual is your reality right now, this digital course is a wonderful way to go for Mixed Martial Arts.

Follow Family Mixed Martial Arts Videos on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Yamane-Championship-Mixed-Martial-Arts-195809473789485
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yamanechampionshipmma/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClheChIVXx81MIxHwOSmcJg

We are a pretty athletic family, but maybe yours isn’t. Take a look at the other reviews through the link below to see how other families enjoyed this course.

Despite the Secret Service/Muscle-Bound vibe Mr. Butler gives off on the outside, this goofball loves a challenge and equally loves to make me happy. Early on in our marriage, he didn’t really think making a big deal over anniversaries or holidays was all that important, but nowadays he goes over and above to make up for it. He certainly spoils me in that department and I don’t deserve it. Regardless, his pragmatic side has convinced him that the happier I am, the better everything in our life can potentially be so he’s decided it’s worth it and I’m not complaining!

So, when we were destined to be snowed in around Valentine’s Day, our options were a little bit more limited in the celebrating/gift department. So, he got creative. If your social media feeds ever look like mine, you have probably seen an ad for Show Her Off at some point over the last year. Apparently, Mr. Butler got them constantly and, like the dog whining at the door finally gets you, he decided to give it a whirl and try out the first level of Date Night Dancing as a surprise for me.

Now, understand this: We are not dancers. We took a ballroom dancing class once almost 10 years ago, but neither of us remember much of it. We have never gone out dancing and have no plans to ever do so either. So on the surface, besides being married, we don’t exactly fit the demographic you would think they were looking for. However, this has turned out to be one of my favorite gifts he’s ever given me - and he’s gotten really good at gift giving!

What We Received:

The introductory online streaming package of Date Night Dancing includes a library of 19 YouTube videos for $67 that teach a series of dance moves designed to be used with any kind of music. It is also available in DVD format for the same price or both for $87.

How It Works:

Since the videos are YouTube based, they are accessible by just about any device and perfect for the living room, which is where we used them. They move in succession and build on one another, but stopping and restarting is obviously very easy. The lessons are taught from a guy’s perspective mostly to the guys perspective, making the assumption that guys are often naturally more hesitant to participate. Once you feel confident in the move or series of moves being taught, you can continue or stop and try them out with music of your choice. Our Alexa got quite a workout as we tried to come up with music to experiment with.

What We Thought:

First of all, the fact that Mr. Butler was willing to try this out with me - WITHOUT me asking - made the gesture one of the sweetest things. The night of our family Valentine’s dinner, I was busy telling kids good night and I came back to the living room to see the coffee table moved out of the way and him getting the videos set up. So sweet! Secondly, it was such a work out! The amount of steps you take certainly boosts your daily counter, but also there are some dips and spins that don’t happen by accident. Since that first night, there have been more than one occasion when I’ve asked him if we could dance after the kids go to bed just because I felt like I needed the physical boost! We have now done it enough times and learned a few moves well enough that we can pick up whenever music is one. So. Much. Fun!

With this kind of activity, I think most people are going to walk in to it with a lot of assumptions.

“Oh, it would be so romantic!” “I’ll do it once, but never again after that.” “I can’t dance so it would never work.” “We’re never going to go dancing so why waste the money on something like that?”

For us, it has romantic moments, but more than anything we laugh. so. hard. We’re not naturally graceful. It takes concentration and work, but it allows us to work together, be together and just have fun together. And, it just makes you feel a bit like a kid sometimes - in the best way possible! As I write this, it has been a few days and I’m missing it. It allows us to reconnect without us having to watch a show or be on our phones, which, let’s face it is pretty tempting most nights.

Now, I recognize that my husband is always game for adventures and not every guy is going to seek something like this out. Understood. “My husband would never do that!” Maybe you’re right, but I will say this. The actual premise of these lessons (stated by the instructor many times) is for the guy to be able to bring his girl joy, showcase her and simply be the picture frame. The actual moves we have learned so far are fairly simple, easily repeatable in multiple settings, and just not about him all that much.

Often the reviews I do are for something I received for free or might have affiliate links attached. This product is 100% something we bought and get zero kickbacks! Honestly, I just really wanted to share this fun thing because marriage is really hard and finding ways to rise above all of the stress, miscommunication and conflict is not an easy thing. Dancing in our living room has certainly been invigorating on a physical level, but certainly has just brought us closer as friends and partners. The next time you consider a date night with your spouse where you’re likely to spend cash on dinner and some activity, why not stay in and go on an adventure that can be continued for years to come!

I am so thankful he rolled the dice on this and continues to invest in our marriage. It’s been so much fun!

Find yourself carrying around too much stress? There are great herbal combinations historically used for calming stress in the body. Any purchase you make through the link above results in small commissions and supports my family directly, making writing and reviews like this possible. Thank you for your support!

DISCLOSURE: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Preschool-age kids are so fun to teach! My almost 4 year old is nothing like my other two children were, but still so fun at this age. If you are new to the preschool or homeschool arena, let me tell you it isn’t as complicated or hard as it might seem. Play in every form is education so formality is almost entirely unnecessary! Still, having a plan in some form or another is helpful to a scattered parent brain. The Crafty Classroom is a great place for finding the right tools to develop that plan. This past month or so we explored the Fine Motor Alphabet Bundle from The Crafty Classroom. In this review, we’re going highlight some great options for those busy preschoolers to make the best out of a ‘school’ day.

What We Received:

For this review, we were given a link to 19 digital, downloadable files that consisted of a variety of ways to practice fine motor skills while practicing alphabet skills.

These files included:

• Blank Alphabet (to be used however you wish)

• ASL Charts & Books

• Bricks

• Driving Mats

• Listening Skills

• Phonics

• Cuisinaire Rods

• Cut & Paste

• Dab & Dot

• Dab & Read

• Geo Boards

• Dip & Dot

• Play Dough

• Mazes

• Pom Poms

• Craft Sticks

• Patterns

• Snap Cubes

How It Works

As a collection of colorful PDFs, this bundle is ready to use however you wish. They are designed around several supplies you will likely have in your home like play dough, building blocks (like Legos), cars, craft sticks, etc. They are, of course, preschool level, but any parent knows children progress at different rates so some are a little more advanced than others. So, you choose the activities that are best suited for your student and according to the supplies available. In many cases, these printables are designed for Dry Erase Pocket Sleeves like those pictured below. This cuts down on paper and makes each activity repeatable with ease.

What We Thought:

My 3 - almost 4 year old is a busy, busy guy. He loves being given ‘school’ tasks and thrives by being kept (productively) busy. He is working largely on letter and number recognition right now so this bundle is perfect for this stage. Most of these PDFs are in color, but we only have a black and white printer. Color matching, like the Cuisinaire Rods activity shown above wasn’t possible as is, but easily remedied. My son knows his colors so it wasn’t a big loss, but the colors can always be added by a parent where necessary anyway. We didn’t have any of those nifty Dry Erase Pockets so we just did our best to keep up with the papers. It’s not impossible, but just a little added work.

In most preschool and kindergarten curriculum, you find letter formation activities where the student uses fun materials to interact with the alphabet. This bundle really covers several bases in that department and would be a perfect addition to any curriculum. The pick and choose nature lends itself to be used with students at a variety of stages. Like the blocks or phonics activities, there are suggested games that can make the activity a bit more advanced. However, the sheets are useful and fun without if the child isn’t quite ready for added steps.

The Fine Motor Skills Bundle from The Crafty Classroom turned out to be a perfect fit for my very busy almost 4 year old boy. The Crafty Classroom always offers really create digital solutions for your homeschool!

The Crafty Classroom on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Crafty-Classroom-121821161222656
Twitter: https://twitter.com/craftyclassroom
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecraftyclassroom/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/craftyclassroom/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mcclintick02

The Review Crew also reviewed the Superstar Spelling and Tracing Bundle! If you would like to learn more about those bundles, check out the other reviews through the link below.

When we pay attention to the headlines, every day showcases something else people are going to fight about.  Every trend brings out something new we can label and persecute each other over.   The loss and irreparable damage we are experiencing is driving many of us to our absolute limit.  Fear and blame seem to be the real new normal for a lot of us.  And I'll be honest - I have battled anxiety over the world's insanity.  I haven't talked to anyone who hasn't struggled with their mental health in some way over the past year and not all for the same reasons.  But the struggle has been alive and well no matter who you are.  But what if it all had a purpose?  What if every let down and every wall hit was allowed for a greater purpose?

Throughout my 10 years in motherhood, there have been countless times a child has looked to me for assurance that what was happening was okay.  The first time a child experiences a thunderstorm, those questioning eyes come out asking, "What's that?"  In most cases, all it takes is a little explanation and assurance that it's only a thunderstorm and how good the rain is for our plants for the worry to subside.  But what if a bratty older child feeds that fear with threats of a tornado or bad guy at the door?  Before you know it, the fearful child will be in tears and some trauma growing around storms. 

I'm afraid that adulthood hasn't changed us as much as we'd like to think.  As Christians we're happy to profess a firm belief in God and some even try to demonstrate that belief in memes or social media statements, but internally we are still that child looking around for assurance that everything is okay.  The trouble we get into is that we're all so busy listening to that bratty kid who is just trying to rile us up that we completely ignore what our Father has taught us.  Didn't He say all things work together for good for those that love the Lord?  Aren't we warned that trials and tribulations are going to come our way in order to produce perseverance?  Hasn't the church historically grown under times of persecution?  God, in no uncertain terms, has told us to expect trouble and be joyful when it comes.  Why, then, have we convinced ourselves that trouble was never supposed to look like THIS?

Have you considered that this last year of chaos has been preparing you for something?  What if this crazy detour you've been forced to make has been the avenue God is using to make your path straight, as He promises in Proverbs?  Did you think that maybe this was exactly the way things were supposed to go, gut-wrenching losses and all?  In case you haven't noticed, none of us seem to have all the answers to society's woes right now and to claim otherwise is deeply foolish.  Instead, we CAN go back to the author of it all and get our assurance there.  Whatever the purpose is in your weary road, you can be sure it's part of HIS purpose.

What purpose could God have in allowing such strife and commotion?

-To purify our hearts

-To strengthen our faith

-To prepare His people

-To increase the borders of the church

-To bring Him glory

And no matter the suffering some of us are experiencing, what if this was the only way? 

DISCLOSURE: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Explore the Composers!

Now that we have been doing reviews for the Homeschool Review Crew for a few years, we are starting to really pick out favorites and repeat companies have a chance to truly win us over. Today we’re talking about a favorite company and their fantastic games. Maestro Mastery - Explore the Composers is the latest educational game from Byron's Games and we were very pleased to try it out!

What We Received:

Maestro Mastery includes a set of instructions, 104 cards featuring 52 composers, 1 music timeline card, and 1 fold-out poster. It is intended for ages 5 and up and requires at least 2 players. Game play is about 30 minutes.

How It Works:

Maestro Mastery is essentially a matching game for music composers, but loaded with learning opportunities. Each card includes the composers name, years living, historical period they are from (which is also color-coded) and a short description of what they are known for. Game play starts with all cards (you’re playing with) turned over face-side down. A player turns over two cards and announces both names. If no match is found, the next player continues in the same way. When a match is made, it is placed in front of the player, grouping them by era. There are two ways to win - most matches or most matches in a particular era. With 52 matches possible, you can always use fewer cards for fewer players or for a shorter play time. If played in this way, it is a basic matching game. However, there are a couple ways to play that increases learning and (in my opinion) fun!

To encourage a better understanding of music, composers, and time periods, there is a listening element that Byron’s Games provides. It is played the same except for whenever a match is made, you find that composer at http://www.Byronsgames.com/maestromastery and listen to a piece of their music. Depending on the composers and the length of the music provided, this could extend the playing time as well. For Vivaldi, the entire performance of The Four Seasons is provided, which is about 45 minutes long! Another way to play that increases the challenge, especially after students are more familiar with the music, is to play one of the excerpts and have students guess the composer. A slightly easier version is to lay out 3-5 cards, play an excerpt and have students guess the correct composer.

What We Thought:

My 10 and 7 year old children played this, while my 3 year old witnessed it until they wouldn’t let him touch anything anymore! As a game, they were able to play it by themselves with ease, once I explained it. We always played it with listening to the music along side it. If we hadn’t, I think they might have lost interest much easier. Having the music freely accessible on their website, right under each composers picture (that corresponds to their card) is a great idea and great resource for teaching music history. As matching games goes, it’s easy for any age to play, but the content opens up quite a bit of learning to be done. If your child isn’t reading yet, a parent or reading sibling is helpful because some of the pictures look pretty similar.

From a homeschooling perspective where we often include games as enhancements to what we’re already learning, this fits perfectly. It is the type of thing that we will play several times and receive a different education every time. Especially when a parent plays, there are many teachable moments about all aspects of music and history. The games Byron’s games produces are all great additions to homeschool curriculum.

Follow Byron’s Games on Social Media:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/byronsgames
Instagram: https://instagram.com/byronsgames
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/byronsgames
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqc5skcLby7XPMPubub8CRw

The Crew also reviewed The Family Journal from Byron’s Games. Check out other family’s reviews to find out what it’s all about!

You’re not the only one who feels lonely a lot.

For every person who could write volumes of praise about their best friend or circle of friends, there are half a dozen other people who would admit they feel lonely a lot and not satisfied with  the friends they may or may not have.  The disconnection of this past year might feel like a good explanation but I assure you, this was the case long before the world was forced to stop.  Society has been struggling with connection for a while now.

Maybe we need to start an application process for friendships!  Would that save us all a lot of time and heartbreak?  That way we could know someone truly desired a friendship, the application process might determine if they were really compatible.  Like, if I forget to text you back over 18 hours, will you lose interest in me or judge my sincerity? Will you always invite me to come along, even if you think I'll say no?  How many times have you silently, maybe subconsciously held expectations of a friend only to be disappointed?  You get invited to the bigger things that most people on the fringe are anyway, but the just because I want to spend time with you, those are rare.  What about the incompatible ones? You feel like you ought to be the best of friends, but they don't get how you spend your money or parent your kids.  High school friends are often friends out of convenience, but once that common meeting place goes away, maintaining friends is really hard for a lot of people.  Especially if you're in the market for more than a surface friend.  Can you tell them you're having trouble without feeling judged or alienated?  Honestly that is a really unique skill that most of us aren't very good at.

Let's be honest.  Some people aren't good at being friends.  Some people are too busy to be close friends.  Many people define what a good friend is VERY differently.  Some people are afraid of rejection.  Some people are consumed with their own life.  Some seasons of life literally push us down a crack and no one notices until it's too late.  Most of us aren't in the habit of expressing our needs or desires for a friendship.  I'm good at feeling left out or longing to be the it-person for someone I admire, but I would likely hyperventilate before expressing any of that to the person directly.   Maybe you're like that.  And so assumption after assumption gets made about how full other people's lives are and what kind of friends are bringing them joy.  We assume people don't need our friendship.  We assume other people aren't lonely.  The loneliness that people do feel doesn't see much light of day because it typically gets tagged as whining or pathetic. 

So, reality gets hidden and mental health issues continue to grow.

I recently had someone I've known for many years, but have never lived by start texting me regularly with the expressed intent to be better friends with me.  No expectations or judgements, just genuine interest and discussion.    If you know me at all, you know I'm way better at deep soul talk than small-talk so this has led to some bearing of the heart in really great ways.  This really positive thing has me wondering about the rest of the world.  Do people normally do this? Because this is the first time it’s every happened to me. Have you ever purposed in your heart to be a safe friend for someone? I think I have tried to help people from time to time, but I don’t think I’ve been quite so intentional and consistent. I fear I have no clue how most of the world maintains their relationships, but I wonder if this approach has possibilities for improvement.

We're all holding our collective breath and have been for about a year now.  Our fear and humanity has been paraded around like a side show almost. It's taken our disconnected living and put it on steroids.  We've yearned for normalcy and human interaction.  As the world recovers to a better place, what are we going to do about connection? I'm not sure what all the answers are, but I believe we have to do better somehow.  Even if we don’t see it right away, surely you know people are in pain that they don’t feel safe talking about. Maybe we just all need to be a little more honest about our feelings and needs.  If I want my children to grow up with a healthy mental and emotional life, I can't teach them that it's right to ignore pain (mine or yours) until it grows into a forest fire out of control.

One of my children recently had something on their mind, but was struggling with telling me or not.  Turns out they were afraid we would laugh. The beauty of it was how normal of a question it was. But in their child-like mind, they were afraid they were alone in this concern.  We all have concerns or fears that the devil tries to convince us are ours alone.   But it's not true.  Lots of people feel lonely.  Many people struggle with their place in the world.  We are not alone, but more likely just not communicating very well.

Let's work on that.