Spring's Tender Starts

I've fallen off here again.  I apologize for my negligence.....not that there's a gargantuan crowd beating down my blog, but I'm indebted to those who do stop to read what I've put up.  I surmise this is mostly for my benefit, to see the progression they have made over the years, but for others who are searching for suggestions/answers.  I hope you'll find some nugget of truth you can take from here and run with to defend your optimism.

We've endured a long winter season and are happy to emerge to welcome Spring.  The kids are overjoyed to feel the warmth of the sunshine outdoors and see their swing set unearthed from the snow. 
We've been putting down roots here in our new location.  That in itself is a very satisfying feeling.    We've found a new psychologist who specializes in treating childhood anxiety.  She's not well versed in SM kids but I'm not concerned by her lack of knowledge. She still understands kids and family dynamics.   She graduated from a school that taught the Adlerian philosophy.  Adler believed that courage was the answer to many of life's problems.   There's a book she suggested too that I've enjoyed reading.  It's called Positive Discipline A-Z, 1001 solutions to everyday parenting problems.   I like it's approach and feel it's given me some insight.   
We continue to homeschool and have become relaxed about our schedule and curriculum since we school year round. We began reading aloud the Chronicles of Narnia series and they are so engrossed.  They beg me to read it to them.  If I may toot my own horn.  They're both reading at advanced levels for their age.  Yeah us!!!  I've not found a large variety of Co Ops in our area however there's a very large homeschooling mom's group I've found helpful.  They meet routinely through play dates, organize independent classes and share ideas on a social media website.  That's how we found and have been attending an art class on Friday mornings.  Friday afternoons are then spent meeting with friends or doing other educational things like going to the science museum, or botanical conservatory.   It's our girlie day out, have a restaurant lunch and socialize.
As far as the SM goes, they've made some progress.  No spontaneous speech on a continual basis, but they will answer multiple choice questions with strangers with a little prompting.  They've made strides when we practice being brave by saying "Please" and "Thank you" to whomever we're practicing with.  Our initial psychologist said names, please and thank yous are the hardest for SM kids.   So I'm thankful we've crossed a hurdle.  I believe it's evident the kids are feeling more comfortable in our new surroundings.  As we visit friends and family members more consistently, they continue to surprise me with their courage.  My sister in law, can get them to answer her questions (multiple choice) without any help from me.  On occasion we've let them spend the night there to spend time with their cousins and they follow the other kids giggling and playing with no apprehension.  They don't carry on conversations but will answer questions/talk with their cousins spontaneously. GINORMOUS! 
I recently stumbled across a research study on www.selectivemutism.org.  I called to inquire and quickly decided it was not for us but it prompted me to do some thinking and research on my own.  I saw on Dr. Oz the benefits of using chamomile to treat anxiety.    This is the study I think Dr. Oz is referring to, not sure.   Here's another article I found explaining chamomile's benefits.  Chamomile has had a long history of treatment in a variety of ailments, it is even used to treat upset tummies in babies with no reported side effects.  In this article I read children only need a third of an adult dose.   The kids take a snack before bedtime and I'm planning on sneaking it in their smoothies.  Surely we'll reap the anti anxiety benediction and get some compliance in them falling asleep at a respectful hour!

I'm confident we're going to practice all these approaches and see if we see any more advancements.  I understand brain function enough to know a well worn path is not easily diverted from.  If we can foster the feelings of confidence and lessen the anxiety then the brain begins making new paths to travel upon and the old one get grown over.  That's cognitive behavioral therapy.  I'll post my findings when I notice a difference. 

Praying this Spring is the season of many new tender starts.
With God's Grace anything is possible. 

What a Summer!

It's been a summer I won't soon forget.  Can't believe it's over already,  (with a sigh of relief) I'm glad it is.  We as a family have finally hit a few "life goals."  My husband changed jobs and we've moved to another state.   We now live in the same state as most of my family resides in so the girls have had plenty of opportunities to see relatives.  I thought the girls might regress in their bravery after the move, but they haven't, which I'm so pleased to report.  We had a huge family reunion in August and there were so many cousins their age I couldn't count them all.  By the end of the day the girls were playing in different directions from one another and were answering yes and no questions and laughing out loud with those around them, which is so out of the box for them.   One step closer to our dream.  We found an old farm house with a little land out in the country and are striving to become more "self sustainable."   I've noticed the girls being just as comfortable in our new house as they were in our old and when asked, if they want to move back, I get a resounding "NO!"  They love being able to roam the backyard, hideout in their clubhouse and play under the pine trees.  We've collected shells at the beach, feathers wherever we can find them and are soon to start our leaf ID collection.  We've hiked my old stomping grounds, the woods,  I grew up in as a child and I'm also starting to introduce them to sewing.  We've watched a moth change from a fuzzy yellow caterpillar to a Virgina Tiger moth, I even have to admit that was a pretty cool!   We're planning for spring already,  with growing a garden and starting a 4-H compliant project raising chickens in our backyard. 
I have to report, we've switched curricula.  Another homeschool mom I love and respect, suggested Sonlight and so I looked into it and was impressed.   The girls and I Love LOVE Love books.  I lean toward a more eclectic/Charlotte Mason with a touch of unschooling thrown in kind of teaching style.   In my opinion, Sonight so far, is a much better fit for us.  
We've plugged into our local library and we started attending the same church my family goes to.  The church has been a tremendous resource for us and we're meeting other homeschool families around the area.  One family we've met lives right around the corner from us on 6 acres.  They also homeschool and are into homesteading.  My husband and our newly found friends are talking about joining forces to dive into aquaponics together in the neighbor's pole barn. I find it refreshing that there's an abundance of  people who share our values and ideas about how we think life should be lived close by.
I hope to impart upon my children a sense of community and being responsible for themselves as well as the Earth they've been blessed with.  My hope for them is that they grow braver everyday being surrounded by a close knit group of folks they can look up to and count on.  "It takes a village to raise a child."  I'm so happy to say after a long road around the world, we've finally found our very own village to plant some roots in.  Plants some roots and watch the children grow.   
 Praise be to Him , for God and Life IS so good! 

I hope you have had a splendid summer as well.  May your children be blessed and feel secure in the love and care you're giving to them.  Furthermore, if you're here seeking support or advice about your SM children, I hope they're blessed with a big brave bold voice, one small or gigantic step at a time.  Don't give up!  May God bless and keep you all.

  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.      Deuteronomy 6:5-7