Well, we are 14 weeks into the school year.  And, I'm not really sure exactly how well things are going.  I do know that my children are learning at a rather amazing rate.  However, I can't say that we really stuck to our lesson plans each week and them learn what *I* had planned on them learning.  But, I think in a way that by taking a step back, and allowing them the freedom to indulge more of their own fascinations, my oldest son now knows more about the solar system at age seven than I did at age twenty!  And my youngest son is slowly becoming the youngest palentologist that I've ever met.

 

Today is a holiday, more or less.  Not a holiday from school, but one to improve one's personal health.  What holiday am I speaking of?  Well, the Great American SmokeOut of course!  This is a very yucky and nasty habit or addiction.  And, it's becoming an ever increasing problem.  Now, there are some employers that will not hire someone if they smoke, going as far as to include nicotine tests in prelimary drug screenings and other companies are firing their smoking employees.  Now, while I do agree that not smoking is best for one's personal health, I can't go as far as to say that I agree with smokers not being able to hold jobs that they are adequately skilled in.  That could (and in my opinion should) be considered job discrimination!  America already has enough unemployed people.  We don't need to increase the unemployment rate by firing smokers, especially if they are not smoking on the job.  Those people wearing nicotine patches, or using nicotine gum would test just as positive for nicotine as someone who is actually lighting up.  Wouldn't this cause more people to be on state and government funded assistance? If they loose their jobs, how are they going to feed their families?  Just something to think about. 

 

But, let's look at today in terms of learning opportunities.  As homeschoolers, today would be a really good day to educate our children on the problems associated with smoking ranging from health to finances.  As parents, today would be a good day to show our children that we are willing to live what we teach.  By this I mean if we're telling our children "don't smoke" and educating them on the consequences of smoking while striking a match, we're sending them mixed messages.  While we may be sincere in what we are teaching them and telling them, we are also confusing them in the process by setting an example of "it's ok for me to do it, but not you".  In the long run, will our efforts at trying to teach or kids not to smoke be successful?  It's highly unlikely.  Children learn what they live.  If they live with smokers, they are thus more likely to smoke themselves.  But, this can be altered as well.  If we as parents are willing to quit smoking, and be honest with our children about the difficulties of doing so, stick with our determination to quit and stay quit, then we just might reverse some of those mixed messages we sent over the years.  And, I'm not just "preaching" at any reader that happens across this message that smokes, I'm preaching to myself as well.   That's right...I'm a smoker.  But, today...for this day....I'm kicking that habit in the butt.  Tomorrow is another day, and as with any addiction, never try to attempt to take more than one day at a time.  You don't focus on being quit on Thanksgiving, you focus on being smoke free for the twenty-four hours at hand.