Last Friday our family went on a homeschool field trip to the Hidden Villa Farm. We had a great time learning about nature, farming, and animals.

The children wandered around a two acre farm and saw a number of different fruits & vegetables being organically grown.  We actually harvested some of these for our lunch!

Here’s a picture of Matthew cutting a lemon cucumber in preparation for lunch, which was prepared by a number of the homeschoolers (and parents) participating in the day’s events:

Later on, we got to watch a recently killed rat (not from the farm) being dissected:

Here is Matthew looking at a resting pig:

The children having a seat in a “vine house” in an educational garden:

For our science lesson today, we did a Color Changing Milk experiment. By the way, the Steve Spangler Science is a great website for easy science experiments that can be done at home. The website has many videos of different experiments. Not only do my kids enjoy doing science experiments, I enjoy learning alongside them. Thanks to my husband who found the website for me!!!

The children learned that milk is composed of water, vitamins, minerals, protein, and fat. When the soap molecules are introduced, the bonds in the protein are weakened and the soap tries to bond with the fat molecules in the milk. This reaction creates a swirling movement of all the colors in the milk.

5, 3, 2, 1.

These numbers denote each of my children’s ages. Interestingly, someone commented that it sounds like a lift-off, but we’re just missing the number four. Because we have four little ones, many have asked and wondered how I take care of four high maintenance kids, and here’s my answer: do things in assembly lines as much as possible. To offer you a glimpse of what I mean, here are some of the things we do in assembly line fashion:

1. Baths: Hose everyone down with water, then shampoo all the hair, next wash all their bodies, and finally, hose everyone down again. Thank the Lord for six-foot long bathtubs.

1. Potty: No, we’re not trying to save water by all going to the potty at the same time. But since we’re potty training two of them right now, it’s just easier to get both of them up to the bathroom at the same time. Naturally, the other two feel left out so they want to join in too. So, there you have it, four at a time, in an assembly line fashion.
2. Brushing Teeth: Our children still need much training in the personal hygiene area so once again we have to use our assembly line method of brushing each of their teeth. Each child has a color-coded toothbrush and I still haven’t learned which belongs to whom.
3. Hair: I spray their hairs with water, then comb, and style. With the girls, I tie a pony tail or a whale spout.
4. Vitamins: Eating a vitamin is like eating a candy for my children. Whenever I take out the vitamin bottle, the kids line up to get their treat.
5. Medication: There was a time when all three of the older ones had colds / runny noses. So they all had to take some cold meds, one of which they really liked the taste of. We made it a chance for a toast:

Life with four lil’ ones can be dizzying at times. Maybe much of the time. But there’s also potential for a lot of fun when we do it together!

In recent months, several moms of boys have told me that they don’t want to have a girl because it is difficult to raise a girl in this day and age. They explain that they don’t want their girls to go through what they went through during their teenage years. The pressure to be attractive, sexy, and well-liked was too overwhelming and detrimental to their emotional health. The fear they expressed is largely reinforced by the promiscuous culture we live in.

While I understand these moms’ fears, as a mom of girls myself, I do not share the same fear of the potential challenges of raising daughters.  I do not dispute their assessment of today’s culture and how difficult it is to ensure your girl’s safety and well-being. But as a Christian, I believe that whether I raise boys or girls (by the way, we have two of each), I should raise them in “discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:3) and entrust my children to God’s sovereign care. We should really trust God and not be paralyzed by fear. The alternative is to miss out on what is good by instead trusting our own fear and anxiety. Let God rule over us and not fear.

Trusting in God is, however, not merely a passive “quietist” activity characterized by mere hopeful observation on our part (like an observer watching a car crash hoping no one gets hurt).  Parents have an immense responsibility before that same God to train their children and impart wisdom to them. We are to be faithful to God’s Word and nurture our children to the best of our abilities. We are to model for them what a godly man or woman look like. We should also hold on to the truth in Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

I sincerely believe that if we follow these two principles, trusting God and in faithfully raising our children, we will not be governed by fear. Yes, challenges and trials will come our way, but God will provide the grace to handle each trial as they come.

For Part 1 of this review, please go here.

Fourth Factor: Endocrine Disruptors

The fourth factor on endocrine disruptors is the most intriguing chapter to me, given that I have majored in life sciences in college. Dr. Sax alludes to evidence which suggests that polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is used to produce plastic bottles, contributes to early onset of puberty in girls but delayed the process in boys. The use of plastics is prevalent in the West as seen in bottled water and sodas, pacifiers, and baby bottles (just to start). Research in laboratory animals has shown that phthalates mimic the female hormone estrogen and can damage the nucleus accumbens, an area in the brain that is responsible for motivation in boys. Thus, Dr. Sax proposes that a key factor in causing boys to “go adrift” is the indiscriminate use of PET-based products in our society.

While there seems to be some evidence to suggest the use of plastics may have damaging effects on the human brain, I am not entirely sure this is a proven concern. I am not disputing the research, but I believe there should be more research conducted to clearly show the damaging effects of the chemicals in plastics. It is probably prudent to be more educated on this topic.

Fifth Factor: The Loss of Positive Role Models

The last factor which to which Dr. Sax attributes the decline in “manly” men in recent generations is the loss of positive role models. In this generation, Dr. Sax points out that we often see young boys modeling after convicted felons/”artists” such as Akon and 50 Cent instead of positive role models. [And too often, their fathers are absent (in spirit if not in body)]. In contrast, Dr. Sax suggests that a crucial element in helping boys become men is surrounding them with a community of men who can exert a positive mature influence. Of particular interest to me was his reference to true manhood being defined by the words of Jesus: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15;13, KJV)

I agree with Dr. Sax wholeheartedly regarding the importance of having positive male role models for boys. I find it interesting that what he wrote in this chapter has already been written in the book of Titus of the Bible. Titus chapter two lays out the framework for the social construct: Older women are to teach younger women and likewise, older men teaching younger men.

Conclusion

I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it for those who are interested in this topic. I’ve found Dr. Sax’s research to be helpful to think carefully (as a woman) about how I parent and educate my boys, so they grow up to be men. This book provides a very helpful corrective in our “politically correct” culture that so frequently works both to de-emphasize traditionally understood differences between men and women, as well as demean traditional male roles in the name of “gender equality.” Kudos to Dr. Sax for being willing to stand up and offer a counter-cultural analysis to help change that trend.

Below is a conversation I had with my son Matthew, and it cracked me up as much as it warmed my heart. I was preparing some chicken and he climbed up on a chair next to me to watch.

“What are you doing, Mom?”

“I’m prepping some chicken and then deliver them to our good friends who are sick.”

“Mom, you should give them some strawberries.”

“Errr. . . we don’t have strawberries.”

“We have some frozen ones.”

“Why do you want to give them strawberries?”

“That’s what my ‘Body IQ’ says!” (At this point he got down from the chair he was standing on, and went and grabbed a ‘Body IQ’ chart that we use for school) “It says: ‘Strawberries contain vitamin C, which helps you fight off an illness‘ so you should give our friends strawberries instead of chicken.”

I cracked up and then went and tackled him. This little boy of mine sure is resourceful and clever.

For our science class today, the kids learned about the brain, and we made brain hats (from the Easy Make & Learn Projects: Human Body book).

First, the children colored:

Then, they cut out the shapes:

Finally, they wore the finished products:

They even jumped for joy: