sowingseeds

Growing Season-The number of days between the average date of the last killing frost in spring and the first killing frost in fall. Vegetables and certain plants require a minimum number of days to reach maturity, so be sure your growing season is long enough.

I was reminded of this idea through a couple of comments I heard today. We all know that our children do not all progress and mature at the exact same rate. Each one is unique and struggles with individual things, as well as possess their own personal strengths.

One homeschooling mom was somewhat lamenting the fact that if her child was in public school, he would be considered "behind" in a particular subject. She was feeling bad, both for herself and her son, when she realized the joy that she has found in the fact that he is progressing within his own "growing season". He is being allowed to move at a pace that is right for him, he is learning, he is comprehending and he is enjoying it. What could be better for a child's growth? Even if it does not fit perfectly into another's ideal time frame of maturity.

As parents we can be sure that we will watch our children progress at their own individual rate. We can take pride in his or her own special growing season. This time passes by all too quickly as it is. We need to be sure that we are allowing the child to grow and progress at a rate that will keep them out of the frost, but will also provide enough time to allow them to reach their own full potential. 

KNOCKING OUT -- The temporary removal of a plant from its pot in order to check the condition of the root ball.

Although I have a teenager, I am NOT refering to an actual KO to curb unwanted behavior. The gardening term "knocking out" means to remove the plant from its pot to check the condition of the roots. As we are raising kids, this could apply to times when we simply sit down with them, alone or as a family-and away from the stimulus of the media and peers, to check the condition of their roots. Talk about what is going on in their life, about their friends, school, music, church, activities, current events. See what they are feeling and thinking about these things. Lead the discussion into ways of healthy growth and thought stimulation, laced with family values. You may be surprised to find that you can get a good feel for your child's root system by these simple quiet times, removed from their element of peers and media input. You will gain vaulable insight into what direction they are moving and any nudging that may need to be done to help them re-establish their root system a little more securely.