• September 17th - Rogers, Arkansas
• September 18-19th - Little Rock, AR area
• September 21st - Cincinnati, OH area
• September 22nd - Cleveland, Ohio (NEW!)
• September 24th - Sumter, South Carolina
• September 25-26th - Augusta area, GA
• September 28th - Melbourne, Florida area
• September 29th - Tampa, Florida
• October 1st - Birmingham, AL area (NEW)
• October 2-3rd - Knoxville, TN area (NEW)
• October 5th - Wilmington, NC (NEW)
• October 8th - Carrollton, GA (pending a facility)
• October 9-10th - Columbus, Georgia (NEW)
• January 8-9th - El Paso, Texas (NEW)
• January 12th - Las Cruces, NM
• January 15-16th - Tucson, Arizona
• January 22-23rd - Sacramento, California
• January 29th-30th - McMinnville, Oregon
• February 1st - Vancouver, Washington
• February 5-6th - Vancouver, BC

For detailed information on each conference, our schedule is on our website. We'll list other conferences as they are scheduled. Please watch our website for the most up-to-date speaking schedule and information.

Details are coming together for the West Coast trip early next year. We now have five weekend conferences scheduled, but we have quite a few open evenings in between, which we would like to fill with single-evening conference. For example, between Tucson, AZ, and Sacramento, CA we could do conferences in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Fresno, or other such places. If you or your homeschool group is interested, please contact us right away.

Please see our At-A-Glance Conference Schedule above for the conferences scheduled so far. We are happy to do single-evening conferences between the weekend ones, plus conferences on the way out and on the way back.

We do not charge a fee to come (we go on a love offering basis), and the only major items involved are finding a facility and e-mailing homeschool support groups in your area with publicity about the conference.

This Mom's Corner comes from a request that we had for practical advice concerning how to get children to do what they are supposed to do. Here are the details:

"My concern and quest for help begins in the kitchen. A background on my children is that they are EXTREMELY happy children, almost to a fault. What I mean is that they do not know when to STOP laughing, giggling, and being silly, in order to get down to business. We have used your ChorePack system and for the most part it works wonders in keeping my home clean and well ordered. I especially love that the non-readers can have responsibilities without my prodding constantly.

"My trouble is in the kitchen. They are each assigned a task to do for ‘KP'. They complete this task after every meal. I am there to inspect after it is done, and during the task I am there to ensure that they are doing it. The trouble is that they do the task sloppily, they goof off half the time, and I feel as if I am nagging them to continue.

"I have tried different approaches to solving this problem, including various consequences. Some seemed too harsh for the offense, while others just didn't work. I have tried offering rewards. That didn't seem to motivate for the duration either.

"The other day I had a wrapped gift I had found as we unpacked our boxes from another move. I set it on the table, and everyone was very interested. I told them that they could open it if everyone did their KP WELL and without talking. I left the room to go unpack boxes. They enjoyed their usual meal filled with giggles and noises, and then all of a sudden my house was QUIET!! Not too long after, I heard one or the other begin giggling and chatting, and I thought, ‘Oh well, that didn't work too well.' I walked out to find a PERFECTLY cleaned kitchen!! I was not only floored but somewhat disappointed that it took a wrapped gift on the table to accomplish that for which I have been striving for YEARS!!

"I asked my eldest son later (age 12), ‘What could I do to get my children to clean quietly like that when there ISN'T a reward waiting?' He wisely said, ‘Well, this is just an idea . . . but you could ask a woman who has older children and has some more ideas than you!!' Here I am asking you for some ideas, advice, and prayer!! I am seeing that I am training my children to disobey me, not the goal for any of us. I have gone to the Lord through James 1 and am believing that He WILL give me the wisdom I need to train my children in the way they should go!!"

I opened this Mom's Corner with all of the details from the question we received because I felt that most of us could relate to the mom's situation and struggles. She has tried many ways to get her children to do what they should do, but she isn't having the success she would like to achieve. This then can easily lead to discouragement for Mom.

She has started right where she needs to begin—by depending on the Lord and crying out to him. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. . ." (James 1:5-6). We know that when we are weak, without answers, the Lord Jesus is strong. "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. . ." (2 Corinthians 12:9).

I believe what is being dealt with here is very normal childish behavior. Scripture speaks to this in 1 Corinthians 13:11. "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." Children are simply children—full of life, excitement, and most certainly childish ways. We can expect them to act like children while they are children. Our goal is to help them mature into a godly adult with a heart to serve and obey Jesus. "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4).

This is a gradual process best facilitated little by little with loving encouragement, gentleness, and consistent consequences. Here are two verses that support this approach, "The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning" (Proverbs 16:21). "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:10).

What we want to have happen as we disciple and teach our children is to tell them what they are to do, demonstrate it for them, watch them do it, encourage them, and then have them do it perfectly from then on. However, that simply isn't the way it always works. Remember with me and say it to yourself again, "They are just children." It takes a mom's ongoing time, effort, and consistency to achieve the desired goal.

In this case, as in almost every case that involves children's behavior, consistency of consequence is more important than the actual consequence itself. It isn't the exact consequence that matters most, but it is the utilizing of the consequence every time it is needed. It is likely that even though this mom has been in the kitchen with the children, she hasn't been consistent with her consequences.

Let's take a very normal problem and assign it a consequence. The problem is that a child isn't doing his cleanup job but instead is reading the mail sitting on the kitchen counter. If we have designated ten minutes of sitting on a chair during free time as a consequence for a child who isn't doing his kitchen work, then we would give that consequence. I am certain that if the consequence is given and utilized EVERY time the child begins to read the mail, he will soon stop doing it and stick to his task.

What happens, though, is that we remind the child to get back to work or he will receive the consequence. He stops reading but soon is back to it, and again we remind him to do his job. We would do better in teaching our children to be responsible by giving them the consequence right away and giving it consistently every time. If we make it a simple consequence like sitting on a chair during free time, we are more likely to actually use the consequence. If the consequence is difficult to implement or if we feel it is too hard, we will tend to continue with the reminders to help the children avoid it.

We know the children in the example can do what they are supposed to do because they did the job the mom wanted them to do when she had a reward for them—a wrapped present to be opened upon the successful completion of KP. A reward like that is okay once in a while, but we desire that our children learn to do what they should do simply because they need to do it, not because there is a reward for it. This mom found through her little experiment with the package that her children were very capable of doing what she was asking them to do, doing it well, and doing it in a timely fashion. Now she just wants to continue with her training and discipline to bring her children to maturity in doing these things without rewards, reminders, or consequences.

Personally, I would work toward having the children become responsible in their jobs but allowing them to talk and enjoy each other's fellowship as they are in the kitchen together. In our family, this is one of the greatest blessings of tackling a job as a group—being able to talk as we work. While the children are fellowshipping through their KP duties, their work will go much more quickly and they are building those lifelong relationships. Our family loves working together. However, talking can lead to goofiness, which undermines the task at hand, so there have to be consequences that are set in place for playing rather than working and for not doing a good job.

Consider making the consequence for poor quality work having to redo the
job during the child's free time. Since this is an after-lunch cleanup, if a child is required to redo several of his jobs, it will most likely mean he isn't ready to start the afternoon's schoolwork on time. Then are two choices. The first possibility would be to have him redo the poor or undone work right then, and begin school later. For however much later school is started, it would go that much later in the day. For example, let's say it is 12:55 when Mom inspects the kitchen and sees a child's work that needs to be redone. She calls her child to redo the work, and it takes him until 1:15 to accomplish the tasks. School was to begin at 1:00, so he now has to go fifteen minutes later in the afternoon with school than he normally would go.

The second possibility would be to begin school at the scheduled time, and then when free time arrives, have the child redo his work. For example, if the child didn't load the dishes into the dishwasher after lunch and some of those dishes are needed for an afternoon snack, he could be required to wash and dry the dishes by hand. However, if the dishes aren't needed until dinnertime, there might be opportunity after school for him to redo his job. Which way to work the consequence would depend on whether the chore has to be accomplished correctly for other aspects of the day to continue.

If the consequence, consistently used, isn't working, then one raises the impact of the consequence. In this case, the mom could begin adding extra time doing other jobs, doing schoolwork, or for a younger child, sitting on a chair. If that isn't working, add more time. But remember with me, and say it to yourself again, "I have to be consistent." If your consequence isn't working, reevaluate whether you are being consistent.

This mom might try to give her children an incentive to move through their work in a timely fashion, such as free time before the next scheduled activity. For example, breakfast cleanup could be scheduled for a half hour, but you know it should only take fifteen minutes. If the children are working efficiently, they will have fifteen minutes of free time before school starts. However, if they goof off during their meal cleanup, they would be using up their free time. If that happens, then it really doesn't matter much because it was just their free time that was impacted. Just be careful, though, not to always use rewards and thereby teach your children to work only if there is a reward.

I have regularly dismissed all the kitchen helpers and left the work to one child whom I observed not doing his work. Extra work for our children has been a good consequence that I can use consistently. I would also consider using extra work for the child who isn't doing a good job with his task—give him a sibling's job in addition to his own work—particularly if this could reward the child who is being thorough and diligent with his work, releasing him from it for a day or two or more.

After sharing, in a much briefer fashion, these thoughts and suggestions with the mom who wrote the introductory question, she responded a short while later with this result:

"I have really taken your counsel to heart, especially the encouragement to be consistent and the ideas to add more work for those trying to sneak out of work!! I can assure you that these, perhaps obvious, thoughts have truly brought PEACE to my home after each meal!! It was really helpful for me to hear from you that my children WILL grow into maturity!! I believe this is true AS LONG AS I train them in that right direction."

Using consequences consistently is vitally important to gaining results in teaching our children to do what the need to do. We also want to remember that they are children and not expect adult behavior from them. Look back at their level of responsibility two years ago, and it is likely there has been progress. Two years in the future, it will have progressed even further. May I encourage you to lovingly, gently, and consistently tackle any areas with your children—like KP—that have had you discouraged? I believe you will be happily surprised with the results.

Teri Maxwell

Written by Teri Maxwell, co-author of Managers of Their Homes, Managers of Their Chores, Managers of Their Schools, Keeping Our Children's Hearts, Just Around the Corner (Vols. 1 & 2), and author of Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit.

Teri Maxwell is the mother of eight children, grandma of one, and she began homeschooling in 1985. Four of her children have graduated from homeschool, and one is married. Teri is a homeschool conference speaker and has been writing monthly articles of encouragement for moms since 1990.

To subscribe to free monthly Dad's and Mom's Corners e-mails please go to http://www.titus2.com/corners/subscribe-manager/ or e-mail dadsandmomscorners@titus2.com with the word "subscribe" in the subject line.

As I look back over my fifty-eight years of life, I am amazed at the brevity of life. Time passes so quickly, and it seems like a short time ago that we arrived in Leavenworth, Kansas. However it has been nineteen years since our move here from Seattle. It is now September of this year, but it seems like last month it was New Year's Day and last week summer was just beginning. In the blink of an eye, the year will be over.

One of the blessings I have experienced from our nursing home church is a greater awareness of the preciousness of time. We have many dear friends who never planned on being in a nursing home, but there they are. Some are there temporarily as they rehabilitate after an injury or surgery, but most know it is the last place they will live on this earth. The days of driving their cars where they would like to go are gone. Now they have a much smaller set of wheels attached to their chairs and another is pushing them.

Even the simple choice of what one wants to have for a meal is no longer theirs. There may be an option of roast chicken or pot pie, but if you are hungry for a taco or pizza and it isn't on the menu it isn't going to happen. You don't even choose when you want to bathe because someone else comes and tells you it is your turn.

How long before each of us has our own private "push-chair" with wheels, and we are living in a group home of some sort? Maybe some think that their children will care for them when it is needed, when in reality that may or may not happen. Things change, and there is nothing sure about life except we are in the process of dying.

In Job chapter one, we read how Job had a wonderful life but in one day, it was totally changed. His seven sons and three daughters were killed, and his vast livestock holdings lost to thieving bands and "acts of God." Life had been good, and then suddenly it all was destroyed. Yet, Job said, ". . . Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21). In a moment of time, life was forever changed for Job.

Then, it went from bad to worse for Job because he next lost his health when he was covered with horrible sores all over his body. "So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown" (Job 2:7). Job looked so hideous that his "friends" hardly recognized him. Job's suffering was so bad that he mourned the day he was born and wished for death. What a change, and it occurred so quickly.

Yet, with all of Job's hardships, Job was able to praise God. In Job 1:21 he said, "… blessed be the name of the LORD." Then in Job 2:10, Job exhibits amazing maturity and understanding when he tells his wife ". . . shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" We need Job's strength of spirit to deal with the difficulties of life that come our way.

At times we see that strength of spirit in our dear brothers and sisters in the Lord at the nursing home when they face trials and suffering. We see that strength in those who have made it their custom to be heavily in the Word of God through their lives. The Bible gives us God's perspective on life and strengthens our spirit when we face problems and challenges.

Maybe you are having your personal and family time in the Word every day. However, there may be other times available that you could listen to the Bible, but you have not thought of those possibilities. I have Scripture available to me all day everywhere during my day, except in the shower. We are so blessed to be living in a time when God's Word is readily accessible to us constantly. I have a Bible at my desk, in the bathroom, living room, bedroom, in my vehicles, and on my person. The blessings Scripture offer us come from the reading or hearing it and then obeying.

Since life is busy, we often can't sit down to read the Bible once we begin the day, however, we might be able to listen to it. Several examples of this from my life would be when I'm doing projects that don't require a lot of concentration such as painting, yard work, or cleanup of some sort. There are other times when we are driving, and no one is talking to me that I can listen to Scripture. There were times when we were working on the bus that we had Scripture being read in the background via an MP3 player. The children loved it. Now I'm always on the lookout for times when I can turn Scripture on.

Years ago, I purchased a New Testament on CD, which I used for a long time. I woke up to it every morning, and the only negative was that I was tempted to lie in bed listening to it. More recently, a brother introduced me to the New Testament on an MP3 player. I now have it on my cell phone and on an iPod. It is a delight to my soul when I have Scripture playing. I have to use a warm compress on my eyes every day and taking the time to do that was such a nuisance. However, now I've started listening to Scripture during the five minutes I do that and what was a bother, is now a blessing.

The website where I downloaded the New Testament from is FaithComesbyHearing.com. They have the New Testament available in both non-drama and slightly dramatized versions. The dramatized version has some voices that you may not prefer, but both versions are very well done. One example I remember of using a wrong voice is in Revelation when they used some female voices for angels. However, if in doubt go with the non-dramatized version. With MP3 players becoming quite inexpensive, this is a wonderful way to be able to hear the Word of God more throughout the day.

May I encourage you to evaluate your day for ways that you can more fully incorporate reading Scripture or listening to it? Personal and family Bible times are the essentials and starting blocks. Build from there using CD players, MP3 players, and other medias that are available in your home and vehicle. Time passes quickly. Presently, you can make the choices as to how your time is spent, but one never knows about the future. If you invest time in the Word of God, you will find blessings for you now and in the future. As your heart and mind is bathed in the Word of God, I believe you will experience spiritual growth, strength for times of trial, and a heart at peace.

Steve Maxwell

Steven Maxwell, co-author of Managers of Their Homes, Managers of Their Chores, Managers of Their Schools, Keeping Our Children's Hearts, Just Around the Corner (Vols. 1 & 2), and author of Preparing Sons to Provide for a Single-Income Family and Redeeming the Time. He also did a two hour CD album on family Bible time, Feed My Sheep: A Practical Guide to Daily Family Bible Time.

Steve Maxwell is the father of eight children and grandpa to one. His family began homeschooling in 1985. In 1997, the Lord brought Steve home to run his own business, and he now enjoys the privilege of working with his three grown sons and one grown daughter. Steve is a homeschool conference speaker and has been writing monthly articles of encouragement for dads since 1990.

To subscribe to free monthly Dad's and Mom's Corners e-mails please go to http://www.titus2.com/corners/subscribe-manager/ or e-mail dadsandmomscorners@titus2.com with the word "subscribe" in the subject line.

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Selected Dad's and Mom's Corners are available at our website.

(Many years' worth of Dad's & Mom's Corners, have been compiled into two books entitled, Just Around the Corner (Vols. 1 & 2). For more information, please visit our website, Titus2.com.)

All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.

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