Lets Talk Homeschool

I’ve turned into a bit of a health-nut
….pretty funny for a girl who happily snacked her way through childhood on Little Debbies,
lots of Coca-cola, and neon orange chee-tos!   But a little over 
4 years ago I started making some dietary changes that have paid
HUGE dividends for our family in the area of our health—

*My husband’s cholesterol and bloodpressure are lower than they’ve
been in years

*My kids hardly EVER get sick—in 4 years they have not had the flu,
strep throat, and rarely do we have ear or sinus infections any
more.  When we do get the sinus mess, our bodies almost always heal
themselves up with no antibiotics needed.  In fact, we’ve been so healthy, we’ve only needed to go see the nurse practitioner once this past year and a half about an illness and this was to confirm that my son had Chicken Pox.

*We actually get satisfied more quickly when eating and feel hungry less often.

After stumbling across some information in a book, we made the decision that the way we were eating was not good for us and we have just started eating more naturally—-good fats, whole
grains, more fruits and veggies, less preservatives and food colors,
very little refined sugar,etc.

But here is why I’m posting this today.  I know that all of you are
loving, involved parents or you wouldn’t be homeschooling.  But some
of you are daily frustrated with behavioral issues that seem to have
no rhyme or reason.  You discipline and teach them and set good
examples but some of your kids continue to have irrational mood
swings, out of control emotions, severe temper tantrums, acting out
with violence, and other inappropriate behavior issues.  Others have
kids with behavior/mental issues that have been diagnosed such as
ADHD and Aspergers.   Some have physical conditions that meds just
don’t seem to cure or work very well for—asthma, bedwetting,
rashes, etc.   Many of my friends and folks I know through
homeschooling have found help through dietary changes. Many of
their children are sensitive to foods that they are eating (whether
its a natural food such as milk or something unnatural such as red
food dye or petroleum that is indeed found in many processed
foods). 

It is hard to homeschool a child who has out-of-control behavior, is
moody a lot, or just can’t seem to concentrate.  Its hard to watch
our child suffer from physical ailments that we can’t fix.  Its hard
to WANT to be around a child who is constantly acting out.  It just
seems easier to send him back to school.

FEINGOLD DIET is a wonderful plan that helps target the things that
are negative triggers for so many kids and adults.  For some
families, its been the difference between night and day and made
their lives so much easier and happier.  We personally are not doing
FEINGOLD but do follow many of its principles.  And the changes we’ve made have vastly improved my ADHD son’s ability to focus, obey, and not have such highs and lows where energy and emotions are concerned. 

I hope this helps someone.  Homeschooling can be challenging enough without us unwittingly sabotage it by what we’re feeding our families.