Category Archives: Activities to do with Children

Screen addictions : Something NOT to do this Summer

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SUMMER ACTIVITIES

Usually we have lots of interest in an episode about activities to do with children during the summer. This week, we sort of extended that to focus on discussions having to do with better thinking. (See product in “shop” for more of this.) Now, this week, I am running a re-run from all the way back in 2008. A young man shared his experience with gaming. Then in 2017, it was popular again. I think a gaming group swarmed through. While the problem with screen addiction is not just gaming, we increasingly are finding that too much screens are a problem.

Boys might like games. (Overlooked way too much. Get out in the sun with a ball and a friend!) Youth are susceptible to grooming and bad company over the internet. (Intentional depredation.)  Men have long since recognized that they are vulnerable to porn. (Intentional slavery.)   Even older women, ahem, ma like too much the news.  Too much damages our eyes. Too much warps our view of the world. Too much keeps us from doing other things with PEOPLE face to face.

TESTIMONIES OF CHALLENGES AND TRIUMPHS

So, let me share a testimony for 20 more than 15 years ago. I think it may still help. He was homeschooled. He had his parents fooled. Similarly, a rather famous Bible teacher found that his son was near death on drugs and his daughter had been depredated sexually online. In his home. With two attentive parents! Fortunately, both of his children weathered their storm and work in his ministry now. It can happen to anyone. Learn secondhand!

YOUR CHALLENGE TO MAKE SUMMER VALUABLE

The good news in this screen addiction challenge, is that it is a needed lesson in self-control. It is an opportunity for bonding and guidance — like when my parents discussed the vagaries of TV ads and the unethicality of lending based on pay-as-you-go newspaper ads.

Summer Thinking Activity

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:00 — 23.8MB)

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SOMETHING TO DO THIS SUMMER

Thinking skills could be a curricula. If you want that, let me know. For now, following our last episode of things to do with your children this summer, here is an example of a conversation that could be used as a thinking lesson. It just happened to me on … well… another social media platform. Kind of annoyed me this morning, so I thought I would use it as an example.

There are a lot of controversial things going on today. Use a conversation about one as an example to lead your children into better thinking. Just part of the daily conversation. Becomes a lesson – the best kind. And a bonding time, too.

MAIN TAKEAWAYS ON HOW TO THINK

I summarize my main points in how to think well – and how to not get snookered . Here they are:

  • Nail down definitions and keep them nailed down
  • Determine what the proposition is and stay on that one proposition
  • Distinguish between facts and judgments
  • Disallow ad hominem arguments from substituting for actual discussion
  • Ask what the interest is of the interlocutor/ why is this being said?

RESOURCES

Dangerous Times audio series https://greatshalom.org/shop/ on sale now

Oh! I do have something for character, audio episodes on Manner and Character : https://greatshalom.org/shop/

www.teachachildchangeanation.org  course in how to start a licensed childcare center

Learn at Home for Great Shalom  https://www.lulu.com/shop/sharon-sarles/learn-at-home-for-great-shalom/paperback/product-195ym29w.html?q=learn+at+home+for+great+shalom&page=1&pageSize=4

Later addition: Interesting person (Michael Yon, War correspondent/traveling journalist) offers his thinking exercises that made him a good predictor of world events. Minute 25

https://rumble.com/v6v0fyt-israeliran-airports-gell-mann-effect-and-more-michael-yon.html?e9s=src_v1_mfp

Activities to do with your Children This Summer 2025

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:40 — 24.3MB)

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Every year one of  our most popular episodes is this one: what to do with your children during the summer. This year, I have listed 8 categories of things to do. Extend learning! Have fun! Have meaningful fun!

School is not organized to inculcate thinking, reasoning. Often History is given short shrift. Hands-on realia can not be had. And nothing in school is much fun.

Unless you are a homeschool family on summer break!!! And we are all homeschool families on summer break.

Please feel free to add your own ideas.

Grooming the Next Generation for Success – Dani Johnson

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:17 — 10.5MB)

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One of our most popular episodes was when Dani Johnson visited with us about her then new book: Grooming the Next Generation for Success. Prescient. Yes, she was ahead of the curve. Today, I trust you see how important this is.

By contrast, one of my most recent episodes, titled “Children are Important” has been one of my least listened to episodes. Ahem. Yes, this shows the values of society. How many times did I se, even years ago, women spend lots of money on cheap jewelry but nothing on education for their children. How many times have relatively wealthy people told me they didn’t have money for private school. Children are important.

Your children are important to y our future. But children in general are “the canary in the coal mine” for the whole society.

And stuff is coming out now.

Next week we are going to replay Dani’s episode with us that was her crusade against porn. Folks we need to make our children “ungroomable.” More about this the following week. Also, you may see some changes around here. Tune in again, please.

For now, here is Dani’s book: Grooming the Next Generation for Success

And for Dani now: https://www.danijohnson.com/    Please let’s do pray for Dani. She is younger than I am; I am sure God and Dani have even more great plans. Let’ pray for ourselves, that we take up the inspiration, and the torch, and the work.