Gretchen Ronnevik

Yarn Along

knitting

I’ll be honest and say I’m not pleased with my progress this last week.  I’ve been crunching the numbers on the sleeves on this sweater so many times.  It should have been done by now, but I’m still adjusting to life with school.  I’m finding that the toughest thing to get done is meals.  In all of my school planning, I left out the meal planning and when meals aren’t planned, the right groceries aren’t in the fridge, and I’m staring at 4 pails of tomatoes from the garden and my family has no desire to have fresh tomato soup…again.

So I’ve got my meal planning back in order, and I’m starting to adjust to school, and hope my kids will soon make the adjustment as well.  Hopefully now that the chaos of “what’s for dinner” is under control, I can get this sweater and subsequent pattern writing complete.

I’ve just so barely started another book up for review.  This is a Timberdoodle review, though so a bit different.  I set my goal on finishing it sometime before Christmas.  It’s about raising boys (obviously) and is written by the parents of 6 boys (and 2 girls) and specifically addresses homeschooling boys as well, which perked my interest.

Their philosophy is a bit Duggar-ish for lack of a better term.  I like the Duggar family, so that’s okay with me.  What I like from it so far is it talks about not trying to change your boy because his masculinity is difficult to deal with.  Is your boy aggressive?  Don’t make him passive.  God might have made him aggressive so that he can be a soldier, or police officer.  Talk to him about defending the helpless, being the hero, etc.  Funnel that aggression into a way he can honor God.

So far I’m liking it more than Dobson’s Bringing Up Boys because it’s less quoting psychological studies, and more practical approaches with sons.  I nearly welled up reading the first chapter when I read about how important it is to see the gift in your child, and how often your child’s gift is also what is often the most annoying to the parent.  We fight so hard to mold them into these agreeable little yes-men and God designed them for something bigger and greater. I felt like someone else understood my David (especially).  He’s so passionate, and so physical, and so strong willed, so loud, and I see that so much as his potential, or his gift but I feel pressure from all over sometimes that it’s a sign that I can’t control him well enough.  I know I have more than one boy, but he’s the one coming up in school and I’m going to need all the help I can get.

I can’t say much more, because I’m not that far into it yet.  I’ll let you know if it’s any good. 

To see more knitting inspiration and good book ideas, head on over to the party at Ginny’s Blog.

Comments

  2. That book sounds great! My boys are still little but sometimes I’m still overwhelmed by their boy-ness.
    I hope everyone settles into the new season soon 🙂

    Reply

  3. visiting from yarn along, oh how I wish we had that book when mine were young. I did have Dobsons book and mentors, most especially Gods word. I pray that God covers the mistakes you know? I am so thankful for the resources available to parents now. I agree about the meal planning! I mentioned the same exact thing to my husband, that over the summer I had fallen out of the habit and needed to get focused again. Staring into the cupboards and fridge for an hour trying to figure out what I can make with what I had is dragging me down at the end of a long day.

    Reply

  5. I have been curious about all the books out there on raising sons, but wasn’t sure as I hadn’t really heard what people thought.
    Thank you! I will check them out now.
    Also, love the orange! 🙂

    Reply

  6. Oh this sounds so familiar. Meal planning is something that I overlooked when starting this school year and I really need to get on it. And rather than canning my tomatoes as planned, I had to freeze them! (It’s a first, and I’m heart broken!) I’m on bed rest though for the rest of my pregnancy, so really, what else is there to do?
    I might check out that book-I didn’t mind “bringing up boys”, but I like the sounds of this one as well.
    Looks like it will be a sweet sweater once finished!!

    Reply

  7. Good luck finishing up your sleeves! I always find it helpful to think about the strengths that are often the flip-side of things that we find challenging in any other person in our lives. If a friend is always late, is that maybe the flipside of someone who is generous with their time and actively involved in their community? Is a roommate’s terrible cooking also a part of his/her willingness to try new things and experiment? Honoring the people we care about for who they are and trying to find the good in all of them, I think, makes us better people in the bargain.

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  8. I’m going to have to look into that book. My four year old is all boy and very boisterous and loud. Coming from having only sisters growing up to just having sons and no daughters, sometimes I am surprised by the “boyness” in my house and I’d love some practical advice.

    Reply

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