The Best Part About Homeschooling

I was thinking about this yesterday, and since today is Thanksgiving, I thought it very fitting to post.

I am so grateful to be able to homeschool my children and be home with them all the time.  The 'home' part in homeschooling is the best part for me.  I love being with these funny little people.  I love the cuddle time we get.  (Watch out if we don't get enough one morning!  The kids will let me know they feel cheated.)  I love helping them learn, and watching them develop.  Because we are home together for the best parts of each week, they get to spend most of their time learning how to nurture family relationships, and how to contribute to a home.  These kids are best friends and they are eagerly involved in all our family affairs.  They still follow me around!  They want to help, they want to learn, and they want to be an eternal family.  There is nothing better.  I love my job and am filled with gratitude that it is mine.

Thanks to Jim and a wonderfully respectful discussion group (the TJEd MUSE group I reference at the top right on this blog) I have had a wealth of information and viewpoints coming at me for a long time.  I suppose I finally have a little confidence to contribute now.  I've had many thoughts sparked by a short article I read recently, and I want to share the article here.

It is very important that we understand the difference between a republic and a democracy and that we remember that our Constitution frames this great nation to be a republic.  Our pledge of allegiance says, "...and to the republic for which it stands..."  This is a relatively new understanding for me, but I believe of vital importance.  So even if you think you know the difference be sure to read this.  I found this here but it is quite short so I've copied it below.  I've put in bold a few statements that really stood out to me.  After you read this, go back and read my post on the electoral college if you haven't already.  This is what sparked that post.

Republic vs. Democracy

Rule by Law vs. Rule by Majority

Just after the completion and signing of the Constitution, in reply to a woman's inquiry as to the type of government the Founders had created, Benjamin Franklin said, "A Republic, if you can keep it."

Not only have we failed to keep it, most don't even know what it is.

A Republic is representative government ruled by law (the Constitution). A democracy is direct government ruled by the majority (mob rule). A Republic recognizes the inalienable rights of individuals while democracies are only concerned with group wants or needs (the public good).  

Lawmaking is a slow, deliberate process in our Constitutional Republic requiring approval from the House, Senate, Executive (President or Governor), The Supreme Court, and individual jurors (jury-nullification). Lawmaking in our unlawful democracy occurs rapidly requiring approval from the whim of the majority as determined by polls and/or voter referendums. Voter referendums allow legislators to blame bad law on the people. A good example of democracy in action is a lynch mob.  

Democracies always self-destruct when the non-productive majority realizes that it can vote itself handouts from the productive minority by electing the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury. To maintain their power, these candidates must adopt an ever-increasing tax and spend policy to satisfy the ever-increasing desires of the majority. As taxes increase, incentive to produce decreases, causing many of the once productive to drop out and join the non-productive. When there are no longer enough producers to fund the legitimate functions of government and the socialist programs, the democracy will collapse, always to be followed by a Dictatorship.  

Even though nearly every politician, teacher, journalist and citizen believes that our Founders created a democracy, it is absolutely not true. The Founders knew full well the differences between a Republic and a Democracy. They repeatedly and emphatically said that they had founded a Republic.  

Article IV Section 4, of the Constitution "guarantees to every state in this union a Republican form of government".... Conversely, the word Democracy is not mentioned even once in the Constitution. Madison warned us of the dangers of democracies with these words,

"Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths...",  

"We may define a republic to be ... a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure for a limited period, or during good behavior. It is essential to such a government that it be derived from the great body of the society, not from an inconsiderable proportion or a favored class of it; otherwise a handful of tyrannical nobles, exercising their oppressions by a delegation of their powers, might aspire to the rank of republicans and claim for their government the honorable title of republic." James Madison, Federalist No. 10, (1787)  

"A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority. There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men." Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Our military training manuals used to contain the correct definitions of Democracy and Republic. The following comes from Training Manual No. 2000-25 published by the War Department, November 30, 1928. DEMOCRACY:

• A government of the masses.
• Authority derived through mass meeting or any other form of "direct" expression.
• Results in mobocracy.
• Attitude toward property is communistic--negating property rights.
• Attitude toward law is that the will of the majority shall regulate, whether is be based upon deliberation or governed by passion, prejudice, and impulse, without restraint or regard to consequences.
• Results in demogogism, license, agitation, discontent, anarchy.

REPUBLIC:

• Authority is derived through the election by the people of public officials best fitted to represent them.
• Attitude toward law is the administration of justice in accord with fixed principles and established evidence, with a strict regard to consequences.
• A greater number of citizens and extent of territory may be brought within its compass.
• Avoids the dangerous extreme of either tyranny or mobocracy.
• Results in statesmanship, liberty, reason, justice, contentment, and progress.
• Is the "standard form" of government throughout the world.

The manuals containing these definitions were ordered destroyed without explanation about the same time that President Franklin D. Roosevelt made private ownership of our lawful money (US Minted Gold Coins) illegal. Shortly after the people turned in their $20 gold coins, the price was increased from $20 per ounce to $35 per ounce. Almost overnight F.D.R., the most popular president this century (elected 4 times) looted almost half of this nation's wealth, while convincing the people that it was for their own good. Many of F.D.R.'s policies were suggested by his right hand man, Harry Hopkins, who said,

"Tax and Tax, Spend and Spend, Elect and Elect, because the people are too dumb to know the difference".

Children at Work

"Play is the work of childhood."  I don't disagree, hence the delight I expressed in my previous post.  However, this is the time for children to learn to work hard when it's not fun, for that will lay a good foundation for life.  They are very open to learning the satisfaction and joy that comes from working hard right now.  They aren't my little slaves or anything, but already they have responsibilities of their own.  They are pulling their weight in our family.

 

The reason I write about this is because it is an area that I feel we've had success with so far.  My hope is that this will lay the foundation for a lifetime of hard worthwhile work.  Perhaps sharing this will be beneficial to someone, and recording it will be beneficial to me or my children at a later date. 

 

As I decided to write this post, I quickly clicked a picture of what each child is doing.  Logan and Annie have earned extra chores for poor behavior in addition to their regular responsbilities which is why they are working when I'm writing.

 

Logan is currently putting away clean laundry.

Annie is currently folding blankets and straightening the house.

Alex was making a mess five minutes ago which will fall under his siblings normal responsibilities later (I'll explain this).  Now he's taking his nap.

Our system for family and individual work/ chores was a little bit of an accident.  I won't deny that.  I've always wanted to teach my children to share the load, and to take care of a home, but never had a plan.  I don't know if what is working now will continue to work, but I hope it will.  I will admit that I like a clean house more than the average person.  I love organization.  I've let go of some of my perfectionist attitude about that now that it's unreasonable with little kids, but I still strive to maintain a certain level of cleanliness.  I'm actually pleased with myself when I can let a mess sit! 

Anyway, I suppose teaching my children started with my own example.  They observed from day one how I daily care for our home.  They've seen that it's important to me.  As toddlers they mimicked me to a certain extent, but convincing them to pick up after themselves was horrendously difficult!  So the first step I suppose was them recognizing that it was important to Mommy.  I have to remember that their priority for the home will never be the same as mine since that is one of my primary roles as a mother.

The next thing that helped us have success was when we consistently started expecting them to pick up the basement.  At first this required us to have a hard law.  Anything that they didn't pick up went into a trash bag for a month.  If anything else went into a trash bag during that month, the month started over.  After a couple of months I realized that I hadn't picked up any toys or books, and they could be entirely responsible for their messes.  That was a wonderful moment!

The third thing that helped us was our system for behavior.  Anytime the children misbehave they earn an extra chore.  The chore isn't prescribed beforehand, so I can name anything that needs to be done.  The most likely thing they will earn is to pick up a certain number of items.  With kids in the house, there is almost always something to be picked up.  Laundry and unloading the dishwasher usually come next if everything is picked up.  If the house is already totally clean, I can always find a window or wall to wash or cupboards to be wiped down.  :)  The reason this helped us is because it increased the frequency that the children were doing chores, and so they gained confidence in their abilities.  (They also started thinking before acting, because who wants to clean instead of play?)

Once I realized they could be responsible for more and they had some experience doing a variety of chores, our system fell into place.  We didn't intentionally put it in place, I simply realized one day that we actually had a system and that it was working!  This has been a huge blessing.  The children have really lightened my load, especially for the months I was so sick, and they are finding joy and satisfaction in a job well done.  (Annie is a great example of this right now.  Their extra chores today were rather heavy due to the seriousness of their behavior.  She has been cheerfully working hard for over an hour and is rather pleased with her work.)  It has increased the harmony in our home.

Here's what we do:

The children are responsible for picking up the whole house (except parent's bedroom) all the time, but not necessarily all at once (hence they will be responsible for Alex's mess today).  They are required to put things away correctly, and so they help keep our home organized.  They are also responsible for putting away their own clean clothes whenever we fold laundry.  When they choose not to fulfill their responsibilities they earn extra chores.  Failure to accept consequences and follow instructions can result in loss of all privileges.  They've only lost all privileges once this year.  They typically choose to just fulfill their responsibilities.  Everything else falls to me and Jim.  We feel this is fair because everyone is contributing to the family work. 

We typically do some family work twice a day.  By family work, I mean we are either working together or at the same time.  The first time of the day is typically just after everyone is dressed in the morning.  During this time, I will attend to little chores I see (i.e. scrubbing a bathroom, laundry, dishes, etc...) while the children pick up anything that is out.  This usually takes about half an hour.  The second time we have family work is usually before or after dinner.  Once again, the kids pick up anything that is out while I prep dinner.  Other daily maintenance often occurs when the children earn extra chores.

As for heavy cleaning, we have a few ways we accomplish this.  For the most part, I vacuum and scrub as I see the need.  That works out to be a little here and a little there while the kids pick up.  The children help with vacuuming and scrubbing a little bit at a time.  Because they aren't competent in these areas, they aren't responsible for them yet.  I will invite them to help me at times, and at other times they will earn these things as extra chores.  Occasionally they will decide they want to be extra helpful and will do these type of chores entirely on their own without being asked.  They are practicing in these areas for now.

Our family also has a unique way of doing the heavy cleaning at certain times.  When I'm extra busy, extra stressed, or it's very important that the house is clean all at once we will have a family cleaning race.  Jim and I divide the desired chores amongst individual family members or in teams, and then we race to get everything done.  Sometimes we offer an incentive if everyone is done by a certain time.  We can get a very decent clean accomplished in less than an hour this way.  We've also done this when we had company for three weeks, except our company helped us.  It took 30 min.  One of my neices thought this was a fantastic way to get the housework done.  :)  I like it because it gets done quickly and the whole house is done at the same time.  There have been times that we did this on a weekly basis, and times that it was only once in a couple of months.  Nevertheless, it's been helpful.

Alex's part in our household responsibilities is very slight right now because he's only two.  Right now he has no responsibilities, but he is asked to help pick up.  He is becoming competent at putting away shoes, toys, and books right now.

As for allowance, we don't feel that it's a good idea.  I think that doing family work is part of being a family, and so is a reasonable expectation.  I also don't think that giving my children money for nothing helps them learn to work hard in life.  They can earn money from us, though.  If they desire to work for it, we will give them extra jobs that don't fall under normal children responsibilities.  For example, last winter Logan wanted to earn some money, so we made an agreement that I would pay him to shovel snow.

I didn't mention school work in here, so I'll add one more thing.  While 'Inspire not Require' is one of the keys we use in TJEd, it doesn't mean the kids can do whatever they want all the time, and that we don't believe in requirements.  What it does mean is that I don't hammer hammer hammer reading, writing, and arithmetic and thus produce a 'hate of learning'.  We certainly learn these things, but our approach is different.  They aren't prescribed a certain number of workbook pages or lessons to accomplish every day.  (Actually, we don't even use workbooks or planned lessons.)  It's up to me to keep it appealing and watch that we go at their pace.  As much as they love it and beg for more, there are times that the kids don't want to have kidschool.  Or rather, there are times that they don't want to start kidschool because we do the hardest stuff first.  This is when I remind them that is important that we work hard every day and that working hard is a family requirement.  I admit to them that, yes, school is work.  Then I give them the option of having kidschool or doing housework.  They always choose kidschool, and then always enjoy it.

Just in case I'm painting a wrong picture of perfection here, I won't deny that the kids don't always want to do their part, or that messes don't happen in our house, or that we don't get behind sometimes.  If anyone shows up at my house unexpected, they will very likely see a mess somewhere (or everywhere depending on the day).  Our home does stay reasonably clean most of the time, though.  That and teaching my children to work are my goals in this area for now.   

Children at Play and a Perfect Day

I really owe my wonderful children a post.  I love watching how these kids choose to spend their time.  I can honestly say I approve of 98% of the things they choose to do with their time.  They are anxiously engaged almost all day.  Our recent exception was the week it rained and rained and rained...I can really believe the idea that weather changes behavior.  They packed more naughtiness into that week than they had in the last six months!  Enough said.

 

Anyway, I wanted to record some of the things I catch them doing.

 

Lately, I've been catching Logan either reading to his siblings or helping Annie read.  Oh how this makes my heart swell!  Logan has had his nose in a book since the day he was born.  He really was the funniest baby because he would stare at a picture book for very long periods of time before he could even sit up.  There was even a time as a toddler that he didn't touch a toy for months because all he wanted to do was look at books.  Annie wasn't quite that way, but has loved books from the start.  Alex has also loved them.  It has always been common for these kids to spend hours perusing books every day.

 

I caught him helping Annie to read one Sunday afternoon here.

Some of the other things they do are building and imaginary play.  They love to build with legos, blankets, patio items, etc.  In fact they use just about anything to build.  The other day we discovered quite the creation in the family room.  They'd used chairs, the piano bench, blankets, and toys to create a covered wagon.  They were pretending to be pioneers crossing the plains.  Across the room they had created the Salt Lake Temple. 

Their favorite imaginary play lately has been 'Little House on the Prairie'.  They've been playing at this for weeks.  They pretend to build log cabins, farm, and then pack up to move on again.  They reenact the situations described in the books.

The thing I love about their imaginary situations are that they are always real and things that real adults do.  It pleases me because I can see they are seeking to become responsible adults someday.  I love seeing that they take these roles seriously enough to mimic them.  They don't play ninjas or superheroes (not that it's necessarily bad to play these things) because those things aren't part of their world.  I'm also pleased that they don't pretend to do bad things.  This is huge for us because I believe that the things we think shape who we are.  Acting something out through play really engrains that something on a child's mind.  Therefore our standard for our childrens' play has always been, "We don't pretend to do something that would be bad in real life."  This may explain to friends why we don't play guns, swords, or bad guys, and we don't have those type of toys.

Something else I catch them doing a lot are puzzles and drawing/ writing.  They have a desk in their room that is full of random drawings and writings that they've done over the last six months or so.  These are too precious to part with (in their opinion).  They will spend hours working on puzzles when I let them get into the school closet.  Lately Logan has started enjoying word puzzles too.  I love that they enjoy working their brains! 

I've said it before, but I firmly believe the reason these kids play so well and choose such worthy occupation most days is because they don't have a digital media option.  With no tv or video games they literally have zero digital time every day.  The exception only comes in when we watch a movie as a family, or I use the computer to show them information that we can't find in our books (that is even very rare).

Last week we had one day that was pretty much perfect.  While the other days were good, this day was one to remember.  It started with five hours of school versus our normal two or three hours.  That was a result of the kids, not me.  They just didn't want to stop.  In fact, we didn't even stop while we ate lunch.  We poured over a USA map during lunch while also discussing George Washington.  The only reason we stopped kidschool after five hours was that I was tired and ready to move on.  It was amazing.  This was five hours of intense concentration and curiosity.  I sent them outside to play (they played Little House on the Prairie) and put Alex down for his nap.  Before long they were back inside and doing this: 

I was impressed.  After so many hours in books (history books no less!), I thought they'd be ready to move their bodies for the rest of the afternoon.  After Logan read to Annie for a while, they pulled out the USA puzzle again.  Then until dinner went something like this, "Mom!  Did you know Salt Lake is the capital of Utah?!  Mom!  Michigan is next to Canada!  Mom, where did George Washington live?"  I was impressed again.  This was our day from 9-5.  They had a full adult work day of serious concentration!  We had absolute harmony all day long.  Wow, wow, wow. 

The Beauty of the Electoral College

I'm not talking about the electoral college as it functions today; I'm talking about how it was formed under the Constitution and operated originally.  It was genius, it was inspired, and I'm only now realizing that!  It is designed to represent the voice of the people in a much better way than how we vote today.  I shall explain this.  I've spent my whole life misunderstanding the electoral college.  It always seemed unfair to me.  As Jim and I have talked about it recently, and studied it direct from the Constitution a light bulb turned on!

Are you ready to be impressed?  That's how I feel about this.  Here we go.

First here I am putting the actual text from the Constitution that explains the electoral college.  Second I will go into my explanation.  You can reference the Constitution here.

 Article II - The Executive Branch Note

Section 1 - The President Note1 Note2

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

(The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not lie an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; a quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two-thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice-President.) (This clause in parentheses was superseded by the12th Amendment.)

The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.

No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

Amendment 12 - Choosing the President, Vice-President. Ratified 6/15/1804.Note History The Electoral College

The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate;

The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;

The person having the greatest Number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.

The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

Now for my thoughts.  Initially I thought the electoral college unfair because the electorates were the only ones actually casting votes for the President and Vice-President.  I felt that every individual has a right to be a part in the election process.  Further, I was frustrated with the way the electoral college functions today.  Today a state can be split 50/50 between two candidates, yet the one who has slightly more is the one awarded ALL of that state's electoral votes.  (FYI: This is actually mandated by the state governments.)  I won't go into how it operates today aside from that statement.  

Now let's get back to the original electoral college.  Under the original plan, each state is awarded a certain number of electoral votes based upon that state's number of senators and representatives which number is based on population.  Each state appoints these electors based upon their individual legislatures. 

Now let's imagine what this step of the process would be like.  I, the citizen of a certain state, would participate in an election process to choose my electors.  The individuals I would be choosing between would be fairly accessible to me because they live in my state, and are only campaigning in my state.  Further, multiple electors are to be chosen, so I imagine I would be choosing the elector to represent my specific region.  I would have great opportunity to get to know what these individuals stand for and make an informed decision when I voted.  I, and others in my region, would have a much better understanding of who we were voting for than if it was a national contest.  I cast my vote, and an individual is chosen to be an elector for my region.  This may or may not be the person I voted for, but this person represents the voice of the majority of citizens in my region. 

Who would these individuals be that are chosen to be electors?  I imagine they would be persons of education, and specifically people who understand government, the role of the President and Vice President, and the various issues that are important for a President/ Vice President to manage.  So we now know one thing.  No vote would be cast in ignorance by these electors.  That is VERY important. 

Important decisions are to be made after proper study and thought.  When I participate in elections, I always study every individual and every proposal that will be on my ballot.  If I haven't found adequate information, taken adequate time to understand, or find that I missed researching a candidate or proposal, I do NOT vote on it, for I feel I have no right to vote on it.  My vote would be like pulling straws, and that is not helpful to my county, state, or country.  A large number of votes are cast this way in our country, especially during every presidential election.  Yes it is important to fulfill our duty to vote, but it is more important that we understand who and what we are voting for when we do so, for we can hurt our nation without intending to do so.  This doesn't mean that we need a perfect understanding to vote or that we will all vote the same way, but we should absolutely try to reach a solid understanding before we place our vote.  I sincerely believe that there are men in our government with evil intent who use the ignorance of the people as a way to influence our country.  We should never vote in ignorance.

Let's go back to the electoral college again.  Once educated and well informed electors are chosen, I as a citizen place my trust in them that they will represent what I feel is best for my country.  By choosing them we've eliminated any ignorant votes or drawing of straws.  I have no doubt they would continue to meet with the people to receive their input.  Then they would have access to meet with the presidential candidates.  I visualize them having many small meetings and some large ones where they discuss the issues, and learn about the candidates backgrounds.  It would be entirely feasible for EVERY member of the electoral college to personally speak with EVERY presidential candidate.  They would have the opportunity of becoming incredibly well informed before they cast their votes.

When it came time to vote, the electors would meet according to their state, and each cast two votes which would be sealed and sent to the President of the Senate.  I was puzzled initially as to why each would cast two votes instead of one, but then I started playing this out in my mind.  By casting two votes they would be indicating their 1st and 2nd choices.  Ultimately this means more votes for the true favorites, and then reflects who the true favorites are.

Here's an imaginary breakdown to illustrate this.  Let's pretend there are 100 electors to make simple math.  Say 60 of the electorates like choices A and B, and really don't want C.  To continue simple math, imagine an even split between these 60.  With one vote A and B each receive 30.  The remaining 40 have C as their 1st choice.  If you look only one vote, C would seem the winner.  This is what the numbers would look like:

                A             B             C
                30           30           40

If all parties had a second vote, in this scenario the original 60 electorates would cast their second vote for A or B depending on which had been their first, because none of them wanted C at all.  So each A and B would receive 30 more votes.  The remaining 40 electorates would also cast a second vote.  I'll pretend they had a split of 10/30 between A and B.  In this case, B would be the ultimate winner, with A the second winner.  Here's the math:

                A             B             C
                30           30           40 
                30           30          
                10           30
_______________________
Totals:   70           90           40

In this scenario 30% got their first choice.  However it works out that another 60% got their second choice, and only 10% their last choice.  If you consider that in the electoral college set up presidential candidates don't run in pairs and the second place winner is appointed as Vice President, the outcome is even better.  It means that 60% of the electorates see their top candidate appointed to an office, and 100% see their second choice appointed to an office.  Everyone is represented.   

In the first scenario, 40% got their first choice, and 60% had their last choice.  60% would be absolutely unhappy with the person elected for President and only 40% would be happy. 

Amendment 12 (shown above) changed the electoral college somewhat, so that each electorate would cast two votes, but would indicate which was their first and second choice (in other words their choice for President and Vice President).  It works out about the same, though. 

I played with these numbers to see what kind of outcomes could be made.  I used anywhere from three to eight candidates to keep it simple, but it was really enlightening to see the wisdom in casting two votes.  It is a much better representation.  Also, I think that the second place winner being appointed to Vice President is wise, and a much better representation of the people.  For if the people (or the electorates in this case) are split evenly between two very good or two very popular candidates, both will be appointed and thus the vast majority of people (or electorates) will be satisfied.

Once the electors cast their votes, the President of the Senate in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives opens the votes and counts them.  The decision is then made based upon majority, and the above text from the Constitution lays out how it is handled if there are ties.  I won't go into that because it's not my purpose, though it is also a wise way of keeping things fair.

If it's not already obvious why I was so impressed when I finally understood the electoral college, here's a recap. 

1. It allows the people to have a more intimate and informed position to influence the choosing our nation's most responsible leaders. 

2. It eliminates ignorant voting. 

3. It allows a state to be evenly represented vs. ALL of a state's votes automatically going to the candidate with a slight majority. 

4. It allows for greater satisfaction with the election outcome among citizens because the 1st and 2nd place choices are appointed to office.  

5. It eliminates the possibility of a worst candidate being elected because the greater majority were split over two better candidates.

As A Nation and As Individuals

I'll give you one attempt to guess what is on my mind today.  Of course, it's been on my mind for months, but I felt it wise to refrain before.  With yesterday's election, a lot of feelings have been stirred around our nation.  A lot of opinions have been shared.  My opinion in this election was strong, and my voting decision was difficult to come to.  I won't hesitate to say that I am disappointed in the outcome.  For while I struggled to determine how I would vote, I wasn't debating between the two main parties.  That's all I will say on that for it is not the purpose of my post.

At this point many are concerned for the welfare of our nation.  I am among those individuals.  I've been concerned for as long as I've understood anything about politics and our American heritage.  Our country has been heading in this direction for a very long time, much longer than my lifetime.  Things didn't suddenly change overnight (last night specifically), though I have no doubt last night's outcome will increase the speed at which our nation is heading in this direction.  The need to prepare has been present for a long time, and becomes increasingly more urgent. 

Last night we did watch the polls.  Afterward Jim and I discussed what this means for us and for our nation.  My mind was drawn to certain scriptures that speak of government, and we spent some time reviewing these.  We also discussed what we need to do to further prepare for coming times.  This is my purpose in writing today.  I felt these verses and chapters to be a good reminder and a direction to look.  While these scriptures come directly from the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, I would point out to those reading this not of my faith that these uphold our Constitution.  Whether or not you believe as I do religiously, you may find these of value in considering our nation.  I won't quote much of them, but I will provide the links for easy access to read them in full.

The first verses that came to my mind are found in Mosiah 29.  In this chapter King Mosiah is preparing to die and the people have voiced their desires for a new king.  However, the sons of Mosiah whom they would have chosen, decline.  This prompts counsel from Mosiah in which he speaks of judges to watch over the people rather than an all powerful king.  He says in verses 13 and 17:

"Therefore, if it were possible that you could have just men to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God, and judge this people according to his commandments...I say unto you, if this could always be the case then it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to rule over you. 

"Now I say unto you that because all men are not just it is not expedient that ye should have a king or kings to rule over you.  For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to be committed, yea, and what great destruction!"

He then instructs them on points of good government.  The result is that they choose judges, appointed by the voice of the people to maintain their laws.  They also set in place a type of checks and balances where there are higher and lower judges.  This is very similar to our Constitutional government.  He also points out what happens when the voice of the people chooses wickedness in verses 25-27.

"Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people, judges, that ye may be judged according to the laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them by the hand of the Lord.

"Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law-to do your business by the voice of the people.

"And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you..."

This chapter is great to read through.  I see a lot of parallels to our government as designed by our founding fathers under the original intent of the Constitution.  I also see warnings to us in this chapter.

Another verse that came to my mind is in 2 Nephi 1.  Verse 7 speaks of the land of America:

"Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring.  And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever."

History shows that the Lord blesses those who follow His commands, and He cannot bless those who do not.  Many nations have prospered and fallen.  We have a promise that on this land, we will enjoy liberty as long as iniquity does not abound.  This is why our country is in trouble.  Much goodness and much wickedness abound.  The voice of the people have elected many politicians for many years who do not uphold God's standard and that inspired document which is our Constitution.  Many individuals do not uphold God's standard and our Constitution.

The last scripture I will refer to is Doctrine and Covenants 134.  I highly recommend reading it through.  This outlines our church's belief regarding governments and laws in general.  It is a very good reminder of what we should uphold and focus on in regards to our government.  It supports our Constitution.

One further read is the official church statement put out today; you can read that here.  It's not very long, but worth reading.  I suppose their words may be a surprise to those not of our faith, seeing as Mitt Romney is a member of our church.  This is however an important reminder that we should be praying for the leaders of our country, however much we feel they were or were not the right men for the job.

So what are we to do (aside from praying for our nation and seeking to improve our government)?  For many years we have been instructed to prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually for days when bad things will happen.  Temporal preparedness includes food storage, having a 72 hour kit, gaining skills and the ability to be self sustaining (such as gardening and home repairs), gaining education and stable employment, setting aside useful resources such as money or other valuables, getting out of debt, and securing a permanent shelter for our families where possible. 

Spiritual preparedness entails doing those things which will give us strength and allows us to act in a Christlike manner when we are under extreme pressures.  This means following God's commands to the best of our ability and knowledge, seeking to understand Him and His ways, and striving to act as He would.  This one is much harder.  With temporal preparedness I can pretty much make a checklist of things I need to have on hand, and skills I need to acquire.  With spiritual preparedness, I need to work every day.  I need to lovingly nurture my relationships with my own family especially.  For in times of stress, I will be inclined to act the easiest way.  If I'm accustomed to becoming angry easily, I guarantee I will respond in that extreme.  However, if I've constantly molded myself to respond in kindness and love, it will be much easier to remain kind and loving when hard times happen.  I need to study the words of God and seek to understand and follow. 

As I've read history from many different time periods and places in our world, I've encountered many sad and devastating events.  I've read different accounts of how individuals have met their difficulties.  Many have sunk under extreme pressures, and some have been an amazing inspiration to me of enduring well.  Should we encounter similar devastating periods in our own lives, our personal preparation will determine how well we endure.  I do firmly believe that devastating times are ahead for our nation.  I don't pretend to know exactly when, but I believe it will be in my lifetime.  This is why I urge all to prepare, for we can weather the worst storms well if we only seek to do God's will and prepare to be self sustaining.  I pray that this is a message of hope to all who read it, and that we will all seek to prepare ourselves and our families.

For anyone interested in ideas for self reliance and world welfare, here is one resource: Provident Living      

A Tribute to My In-Laws

I guess I'm really on a roll here.  I've really had the itch to write, and I can't rest until I record my thoughts anymore.  :)

My post last night resulted in turning my thoughts to my in-laws and just how much Jim is like his parents.  As one looking at him, rather than as I've been looking at myself, it seems almost easier sometimes to see how much he has been shaped by his upbringing.

I was so grateful when I met Jim that he had certain priorities that I also had.  For example I had determined that I didn't want a tv, which is almost unheard of.  So on our first date, I was amazed and impressed to discover that he felt as I did!  (Again, I'm saying nothing against having a tv; I've written about this before if anyone wants to hear about this decision of ours.)  He also had goals relating to education and debt which were joyous to my ears.  That first date really was impressive...for both of us.

Anyway, when we started seriously dating, I had the opportunity to start learning about his life and his family.  I started seeing that these priorities came from his parents.  They've felt very strongly about certain things in life, and have been able to do some wonderful things as a result.  One thing is that they paid off their home in a short time frame because they felt it was so important to stay out of debt.  Jim had a firm conviction that this was a great plan, and desired that for his future family.  I was thrilled!  (And can't wait until we get to that point.)  He also had valuable insight, thanks to his parents, that helped me understand how this was possible.  I desired it, but really didn't know how to do it.

Their desire to be out of debt led them to prepare themselves in other ways.  This was a visible thing when Jim and I got married, and it encouraged me to begin my own preparation.  I'd always wanted to do it, but it was daunting because it was the unknown.  Jim's mom helped me with my first canning experiences; she even took me to the cannery when we started our food storage.  It was the step up I needed to feel like I could do it.

Another thing Jim carried into adulthood was a love of learning.  I've explained before that I gained this in college.  Jim has always had it though!  He's a very serious, meditative thinker.  He LOVES to think on hard topics and he REALLY thinks.  His dad started teaching him Algebra (much to the frustration of his teacher at school) when he was in second grade.  Jim has always said that this was so much fun to learn with his dad.  He used to go to college classes with his dad when he was a little boy, and came away knowing that education was important and exciting.  Jim's favorite topics are science, mathematics, politics, and economics.  Those are his dad's favorite topics too (as far as I can tell).  I have no doubt the apple didn't fall far from the tree here.  Thankfully, because of this, Jim has brought my knowledge a long way in these areas.  (I wasn't even slightly interested in politics or economics before marrying him!)  He's been able to bless our family with an important and appropriate concern for our nation.  I can tell Jim really looks up to his dad's knowledge because he has always sought him out to discuss these topics, or when he's wanted to understand something.

When Jim and I were dating, it was he who brought up the idea of homeschooling.  His parents had the courage (it really is daunting) to pull him out of school when he was halfway through 4th grade because they could see that he wasn't having the experience he needed.  He was homeschooled from then on.  I know I would have never considered homeschooling if it weren't for Jim, and he probably wouldn't have considered it if his parents hadn't.  Doing this with my own children has been one of the best experiences of my life!

I was grateful for the high standards Jim had when we met, and I came to learn that he carried these standards from his parents.  They taught him very clearly what was and wasn't appropriate between boys and girls, what was and wasn't appropriate in the media, and so on.  Because I wanted to make the best choices with all my heart, high standards were very important to me.  It was important to me that my husband love the Savior, love the scriptures, and honor the Priesthood.  His parents taught him the Gospel, and encouraged him to serve a mission when he was old enough.  After his mission he lived with his grandparents who encouraged him to live the Gospel.  His desire to do what was right was strong when I met him, and that was his most attractive feature.  It still is.

I am married to a man who cares about people.  In fact, he cares so much that it hinders him sometimes because he is so heartbroken when he is disappointed.  He anxiously desires to lift others and see them make the choices that bring happiness, especially his family.  His mom in particular is very much this way.  She would make huge sacrifices if it meant she could save one of her loved ones heartache or assist them in some way.  She has done so many things for us in the time we've been married.  She's loaned so many items, helped us when we couldn't afford clothing for our kids, babysat for long periods of time, showed up at our apartment in the wee hours of the morning when it was time for one of our babies to be born, helped us with physical work, and many others.  She refuses to give up on someone she loves.  This is the way I see Jim reflect his mom the most.  They both have such a strong love.

Maybe I've been thinking about our families so much because we're getting ready to visit them.  We are looking forward to that visit so much.  In fact, it's my greatest excitement right now. 

A Tribute to Mom and Dad

I've been pondering a lot more than usual on a lot of subjects.  I don't know what's gotten into me, but it must be something good;  at least it's been good for me.  :)  Anyway, I've been thinking about my parents a lot lately and have been wanting to write this for a while now. 

I love this joke because there is so much truth in it; at age 30 I'm finding myself seeking their knowledge more and more.

4 Years Of Age - My parents can do anything.
8 Years Of Age - My parents know a lot.
12 Years Of Age - My parents don't really know quite everything.
14 Years Of Age - Naturally, my parents don't know that, either.
16 Years Of Age - My parents? They're hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 Years Of Age - Those old people? They're way out of date.
25 Years Of Age - Well, they might know a little bit about it.
35 Years Of Age - Before we decide, let's get Mom's and Dad's opinion.
45 Years Of Age - Wonder what Mom and Dad would have thought about it.
65 Years Of Age - Wish I could talk it over with Mom and Dad.

I went to bed last night thinking about how much like my mom I am, and then I starting pondering on the ways I'm like my dad.  I'm realizing that they taught me a lot more than I realize, and that my character was developed in a lot of ways through their examples.  It's taken adulthood to begin to realize and appreciate this. 

First I'll start with my dad.  When I was a little girl I remember having absolute faith in his ability to protect me from anything.  He was a super hero in my eyes.  I couldn't wait to be an infallible and all knowing adult like him.  (It's too bad that dream didn't come true.)  He must have been gentle with me and that's why I felt so safe.      

He has always been a hard worker, and expected no less from us.  While I know I whined and complained about having to work as a child, he nevertheless taught me to work hard.  I think he did it right, too, because I didn't come away resenting it.  Though unconscious it had anything to do with my parents, I always put my all into school work, sports practice, and employment.  Then as a wife, mother, and homemaker I expected myself to put everything into those roles.  I can't accept laziness from myself, and I feel really guilty when I am lazy. 

My dad is very kind to people he meets.  I hadn't realized this until I really thought about it, but I honestly have a hard time imagining him being unkind to a stranger, neighbor, or friend.  When we were growing up he always fostered friendships with other families.  Our family is still great friends with some of these families.  He has a very friendly personality.  I used to run into people all the time that knew my dad someway or other.  It honestly astounded me how often it happened.  I used to joke that everyone in town knew him.  People have always liked him.

I remember my dad being willing to help others a lot.  I recall many times he assisted elderly neighbors, one in particular.  He placed a high emphasis on maintaining family relationships.  His grandparents (my great-grandparents) lived in the same city and we would visit them once a week.  He frequently helped them with things they needed. 

My dad is really fun.  As children, he always coached our sports teams, and he taught us to ski.  He planned fun vacations every year; these vacations are some of my favorite memories.  He took us on family outings.  He and my mom gave us opportunities to try a lot of different things.  There are so many activities I enjoy as an adult because I had the opportunity to try them as a child.

Most importantly my dad loves me.  He's sought to help me make important decisions, and encouraged me on my path in life.  At one point, he prevented me from marrying the wrong person.  I have been ever grateful he had that inspiration.  He praises me and lets me know he's happy with the choices I am making.  His praise makes me feel good, and motivates me.

He and my mom took us to church every Sunday, and stressed the importance of attending seminary when we were in high school.  That has literally directed my every day life.  If I could say there was one thing my parents did that was best for me, this would be it.  I am so grateful my parents gave me the opportunity to learn the gospel.

I'm not sure who this comes from, so probably both of my parents, but I was raised knowing how to forgive.  It's been a shock to me in my adulthood to encounter grudges.  I don't know how because I have no examples, but I suspect the blessing of being able to forgive came from my parents.  It seems to be an attitude in our family overall.  We try to keep peace and kindness in our relationships with each other, even though we are so very different in some ways.  We have plenty of opportunities to clash, but most are averted because everyone wants to get along and love each other.       

I know that I'm a lot like my mom.  We even look alike.  When a family member comments that I do something just the way Mom did, I usually take it as a compliment.    

My mom is an organized person, and I know I get that from her.  She tries to be prepared for everything; that's yet another quality I've taken with me.   She's a bit of a perfectionist and quite stubborn and determined; these describe me to a tee.  I didn't realize she was stubborn for a long time, because she does it in a quiet way; I'm loud about it.  :)  She's a go-getter.  Both of my parents are actually.  I have no doubt I get that from them.  She, too, works hard in all that she does.  I'm grateful for the way this example shaped me.

My mom is very likeable.  She is someone that people enjoy being around.  She's friendly and fun to talk to.  As a teenager, my friends loved being around her.  I hope I can be as likeable as she is.  I like to think that I've been able to enjoy good friendships in part because my parents taught me how to nurture those relationships.  I hope I'm a good friend.  She's also quite funny.  I can't explain exactly how because she doesn't really crack jokes, but there is always a lot of laughter when we're with her. 

One of the most distinct impressions I have of my mom when I was young is that she was patient.  She does not yell, and on the rare occasion she tries it's not much louder than her speaking voice.  I wish I'd inherited this from her, but I like to think that this has helped curb my temper.  It does give me something to strive for.  Patience is my biggest struggle. 

I do know that she was a very loving and gentle mother.  I know that is part of my God given nature as one of His daughters, but I believe the ability to nurture my children was helped by her example.  I've always known that I was very important to her, and that has prevented me entering motherhood with a selfish attitude.    

My mom is very thoughtful.  She's always tried to remember birthdays and give some token of her love.  In fact, she was so worried about forgetting Jim's birthday this year that she starting asking me a month and a half ahead of time when it was and what she could do for him.  :)  She puts a lot of care into the things she does for others and seeks to lift them.  I love to serve, really love it.  Perhaps this is another way my parents shaped me.

She really strives to nurture relationships.  This is probably one reason I'm so close with her.  I'm sure I'm not as good about this as she is.  She sends me text messages and e-mails almost on a daily basis.  She even sends Jim text messages a lot!  He has no doubt she loves him too.  She would give her left arm if it meant she could help her children more.  I talk to her often, and I've been finding myself asking about her experiences as a mother a lot lately.  She does and says things a lot that let me know we are ever in her mind. 

I've been aware of personal struggles she's had for as long as I can remember.  I recall being very aware of these when I was a teenager especially.  Yet, I didn't consciously realize until recently that she still put her best foot forward when she was feeling down.  She was cheerful and had fun with us, and she put energy into everything she did.  That must have been so hard for her at times.  I don't know if she'd call herself an optimist, but the way she's reacted to life has been optimistic.  She's never given up.  She always had positive words for us, strove to take care of our family, and put her whole heart into her church callings.  She always had time and love for me, and I've always loved being around her, even when I had a teenage attitude.  I'd say my mom looks for the joy in daily life.  I know I'm quite the optimist, and I'm sure I get this in part from her example.

I really am grateful for the love and care my parents put into raising me.  I hope I've taken with me their good qualities.  I have no doubt they've influenced who I've become.