Green Light Parenting

It seems like most children enjoy science, especially science experiments. Here are some toys that they will have fun with as they learn.

A primary science set, complete with plastic (not easy to break) beakers and test tubes.

Be Amazing lab in a bag test tub wonders. The Be Amazing brand has several lab in a bag sets.

We got this My First Lab Duo-Scope Microscope for our oldest a few years ago. It has very good reviews.

Elenco Slide Making Kit.

A basic snap circuits kit. We got this set for our oldest when he was 5 years old. It’s been one of his very favorite toys. He’s learned so much about electronics through these kits.

The Snap Circuit Student Training kit. We have this set, too. It combines all of the other snap circuit kits together, with a hard carrying case.

The Usborne book of Science Activities, volume 1. This is a great series for science experiments. Nicely illustrated for children. We used volumes 1, 2 and 3 as a part of our oldest child’s science curriculm in kindgergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade (I think Sonlight had volume 2 for K, then volume 1 for 1st).

The Usborne beginners series is great for preschool-2nd grade. Here is their beginner’s weather book.

Usborne’s How things Work flap book. This is a good choice for ages 4-9.

Magic School Bus: A Journey into the Human Body A couple of years ago, we stopped by a garage sale of a family that was moving out of the country. They had several unopened science kits for a great price. We bought all of them, and this kit was one of them.

We’re working our way through these cds: celebratecalm.com. They contain some of the most encouraging, helpful and accessible information on parenting that we’ve heard. I highly recommend them. Even if you can’t purchase the cd’s at this time, you can still get a lot of helpful information by following them on facebook and receiving their e-mail newsletter. They also do workshops around the country. Check their schedule to see if they will be in your town soon!

I read a lot of positive reviews on this book, Families where Grace is the Place, so I requested that the library buy it.
It’s just as much about marriage as it is parenting. It’s hopeful and very much grace-based.

If you want to look more into all of the scriptures relating to children, get this book. Crystal Lutton explains that the Bible is NOT commanding us to beat our children with a rod. There are also practical tools given to help teach your children. Here is her site aolff.org It’s a great site to share on your facebook page.

Teach Your Own, isn’t just a classic about homeschooling, though it would be a good read just for that purpose. It helped to change the way I viewed education, and the criminal justice system.

I’m going to change a couple things when I make these again. They turned out great, but kind of oily. They taste the best when chilled.

2/3 c. coconut oil
1 c. palm sugar or sucanut
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. almond flour
1/4 c. brown rice flour
1/4 c. cold decaf coffee
1/4 c. chocolate chips
2 eggs
pinch of salt
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. baking soda

Mix all ingredients and spoon into mini-muffin cups. Bake at 350 for about 16 minutes.

This recipe is adapted from one that Crystal at moneysavingmom.com posted today, as part of her freezer cooking in a hour series.

Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Banana Bread
1 1/4 c. brown rice flour
1/2 c. arrowroot
1 c. coconut palm sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
4 eggs
1/4 c. cocoa powder
3 ripe bananas
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Mix ingredients well and pour the batter into a greased bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees, for about 55-65 minutes.

2 1/2 c. brown rice flour
1 c. arrowroot
1 T. baking powder
1 c. water
1 c. mashed cooked sweet potato
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. honey
3 eggs
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients and divide dough into two bread pans. Let the dough sit for about an hour. Bake each one at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Top with cinnamon butter- mix 1/4 c. softened butter with 1/4 t. cinnamon and 1 T.honey

2 bananas
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 c. cream
1 c. whole milk plain yogurt
1/2 c. whole milk
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. liquid stevia

Add the ingredients to your blender. Blend well, and add to ice cream maker. Or, put in the freezer, taking it out a couple of times to stir.

1 large onion, diced
4 T. butter
1 t. garlic
1 t. curry
2 t. paprika

Put the butter, spices and the diced onion in the slow cooker/crockpot together and turn it on low while you get the other ingredients ready.

2 c. lentils (I sprouted the lentils for 24 hours the second time I made this soup, it turned out well).
If the lentils haven’t been sprouted, add a few extra cups of water to the recipe.
2 15 oz. cans of pumpkin
4 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of water
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2/3 c. sunflower seed butter (or any nut/seed butter)
2 cooked and and chopped sweet potatoes (optional, it does add to the taste and texture)

Add the second group of ingredients and cook on low for about 5 hours. Divide the recipe in half if your crockpot is on the small side.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream on the top.

This is a great treat for a hot day (lot of triple digit temps lately)! No oven required.

1 c. oats
1 c. unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/4 c. coconut oil
1/4 c. unsweetened sunbutter (or any nut butter)
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. chocolate chips
2 T. coconut flour (optional)

Mix all ingredients up in bowl, and refridgerate until firm enough to roll into balls (about 15 minutes).

I am very much against abortion.

I find it troubling though, that many pro-life Christians have not expanded their views to include the other vulnerable children. Babies and toddlers, who can’t really defend themselves much more than an unborn baby, have been subject to violence for a long time. The worst part is that its done in the name of God. Encouraged from the pulpit. Even newborns! What happens when these children grow up? Are they going to think God is like their pastor and parents?

There was a church in Wisconsin in the news. Parents were instructed to keep their babies quiet and still in church by hitting them with big sticks. Read this post from the Real Rebecca Diamond blog.

This pastor urges – and at least 6 other members of his church complied with – the doctrine that a SIX WEEK OLD BABY should be hit for making noise in church, being grumpy, crying when handed to someone other than the mother.
Let that sink in for a minute.
And then realize that they advocated, and used, wooden spoons. And EIGHTEEN INCH LONG sticks for this.

Diabolical. To hit a newborn baby so that their day is easier, their ‘church service’ undistracted.

Where do they get these crazy ideas? A mix of pagan and secular sources are where spanking and behavior modification come from. But they mix actual scripture in there to try and defend their positions. How do they come to those conclusions, that are so far from the truth? Kris Vallotton, of Bethel church in Redding, CA spoke about getting truth out of order.

Perversion is truth out of order
Kris Vallotton

Click here for a video of Kris speaking about “The Book leads to the Author.”

this book is a dangerous book without the Holy Spirit
Kris Vallotton

Congratulations to Cindy! She is the winner of the Biblical Parenting book by Crystal Lutton.

Thank you to all who entered! There will be more giveaways coming up. I’m thinking of doing one for the book by Jeff VanVonderen, “Families where Grace is the Place” in August.

Also, I suggest requesting that your local library buy this book. Our library request forms that we can fill out. When they have money to buy books (or audiobooks, dvds, etc.), they take a lot of the suggestions.