A Net in Time

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Educating Pet Rabbit Buyers

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I have been breeding rabbits for over 15 years now.  I started as a child breeding meat rabbits and selling them at the market.  I simply love it.  I learned, as an adult, the important of educating my pet rabbit buyers.

I admittedly didn’t know a whole lot about raising rabbits as a teen, and when I look back, I made TONS of errors.  This knowledge helps me to be more tolerant of the errors I see others making.  Sometimes a person just doesn’t know any better eh?   To that end, when I sell a bunny I do my best to educate the buyer in how to best care for a bunny. 

Pet Buyer Education

How to Educate Pet Buyers

The education of pet buyers takes many forms for me.

  1. conversation when picking up a bunny
  2. bunny care sheet emailed and handed out depending on form of communication
  3. website information
  4. emails, phone calls and texting

Conversation when Picking up a bunny

If this bunny is to be a child’s pet (Over the age of 8) I do my best to engage the child.  Talking to them about what they think a bunny needs (Carrots and hugs is often the answer) and then telling them what a bunny really needs.   I engage them in learning how to pick up a bunny safely … not only for them but also for the bunny.   Learning how to feed a bunny, water and housing requirements and how to litter train their pet. 

One of things I often ask them is “does your mom let you have a chocolate bar every day?”   Sometimes the answer surprises me with a “yes” but usually it’s no.  I then help them understand that to a bunny, sweet food like carrots and apples is like giving a bunny a chocolate bar every day and do they think that would be healthy for the bunny?

If the bunny is for a child younger than 8, I emphasize that the bunny is a family pet.  They can’t expect a youngster to independently care for the bunny or know what to watch out for. To that end I talk with the parent about care, show them how to pick up a bunny, tricks for helping their child handle the bunny and so forth. 

Some people when they come for a bunny merely want to pick bunny up and then dash off.  It’s hard to engage those folks in conversation, so I remind them I’ll send them a care sheet and off they run.  I can’t force people to learn. 

Pet Buyer Education

Care Sheet

I have a PDF that I send people.  This contains a brief summary of how to care for a rabbit along with links to my website that has a number of helpful articles for people to read.  It contains my return policy and other basic information.  A two page document meant to give information without being overwhelming.

Website

I have worked hard on my website over the years.   Writing articles to help the pet buyer, answering questions, rabbit friendly veterinarians and more.  I think overall I’ve done well though sometimes think some tweaking has to be done. 🙂

Pet Buyer Education

Email, Phone Calls and Texting

I much prefer conversing with people over email.  It’s easier to be clear about what I am saying.  It’s easier to link to articles and websites to facilitate communication. I can easily clarify points made, send pictures stored on my computer, and send files.

Long phone calls require the most patience for me, particularly when people don’t seem to listen to what I say.  I find that often the message is not heard and needs to be repeated.  This gets rather frustrating.  It’s hard to remain patient when what you are trying to say isn’t heard because emotions or agendas get in the way. 

Texting, though quick, and excellent for communicating whereabouts, vehicle descriptions and quick question/answers is not ideal for long discussions or linking to relevant articles. Texting is an excellent way to share a picture of good weed to feed bunnies, or one to stay away from. 

Knowing when to let go

Even though I dearly want to make sure that I am educating my pet rabbit buyers I know there is only so much I can do.  Despite conversation and communication people will choose to think they know better and want to do things a different way.   Sometimes they are influenced by the preponderance of house rabbit society information on the web. Often times they are misinformed by vets and well meaning people. Then there are financial constraints that sometimes hit people and they cut corners and figure bunny is okay so they continue to cut corners.   Things happen that I cannot control.   I can only do my best.  

Others in this Series

alphabet

Letter P Link Up

Each week we will be linking up with the hosts of Blogging Through the Alphabet. Please visit some of these other blogs to get things like book lists, vegan recipes, and wonderful places to visit, just to name the topics I can think of off the top of my head.

In the Cross of Christ I Glory

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Do you glory in the cross? I am slowly starting to really see the significance of it. I know Christ’s death and sacrifice is uber important and believe in it highly. But sometimes I fail to GLORY in it. This hymn helps In the Cross of Christ I Glory.

In the cross of Christ I glory

John Bowring is the author of this familiar hymn. Recalling us to the power of the cross. I found this interesting tidbit on Cyberhymnal:

There is a tradition that while Bowring was governor of Hong Kong, he visited nearby Macao and saw the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral, which had been gutted by fire in 1835. Above the ruins, he saw the church’s cross still standing. The story is likely apocryphal, though—the hymn was published a decade before the fire, and more than 20 years before Bowing was in Hong Kong: He was appointed British consul in 1849, and governor in 1854.

John Bowring was born in England, son of a merchant Charles Bowring, whose main market was China. Over his lifetime he wrote 88 hymns. Worked in his father’s business, started his own company, travelled extensively and learned several languages. He had a good reputation as a political economist and parliamentary reformer.

Lyrics

In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o’er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.

When the woes of life o’ertake me—
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me,
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more luster to the day.

Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.

Well, a poem

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Oh, I am running so late for doing my five minute Friday post. It’s late on Saturday night!   Can you believe it? I do have a good excuse, you see last night I was busy until quite late at night.  I was at the TEACH curriculum sale in Brantford.   I had so much fun.  

Well, a poem

I was delighted to be at a table next to Sarah Wall. She blogs over at Raising Royalty. She’s such a sweet lady and is force to be reckoned with.  She makes me feel capable and like I can do important things too!  🙂   She happily and easily helped me manage a large table of books.  Such a good natured, nice lady.   Anyways!  Enough.. I had so much fun.  I love talking books and selling books and just dealing with books, so going to curriculum sales is just a huge amount of fun for me. 

As I’m writing these words I’m thinking to myself, what does the word well mean to me?  What resonates within me at the word?

Well, a poem

Well
A hole deep in the ground
Water at the bottom?
Or maybe something else.
Youngsters be careful
Not to fall but
If your donkey falls in on Sunday
You help him get out.

Well
A thought or emotion
How do things go?
If things are well
It is good,
A move to the positive.
I wonder though
Would you admit if
you weren’t?

Well
A job finished
Completion
A good job
The thoroughness needed
For something to be done

Well
Are you well?
Is your health okay
Any concerns
Is a doctor needed?
Run that mile
Walk that block
Keep your heart
Going tick tock

Well
Exclamation
A shock you see
Something unexpected
Between you and me
I didn’t know
How can that be?
It’s a surprise!

Well can be
So many things
What is well with you?

How to Homeschool without Boxed Curriculum

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How can I homeschool if I can’t afford a boxed curriculum?  Are there options beyond it?  What if it’s all I know?  Is it hard to transition? But really, what are the options beyond the boxed curriculum? 

These are questions well worth asking. 

The fact is, if you want to learn just about anything, you can find the materials… much of it on-line.   But you can also use the library, real-life people, books purchased, classes taken, public schools (depending on where you live you can take one or two classes) and really, the sky’s the limit!

In today’s post we’ll talk about how you can use a free curriculum or piece together the curriculum that you need.

How to Homeschool without Boxed Curriculum

Free Curriculum up to grade 12

There is a whole world out there to explore and free curricula with which to do so.  Do note the free doesn’t always mean everything is free. You may need to purchase supplies like a microscope, books (novels), science materials, paper, writing implements, craft supplies and more. 

Free doesn’t mean you don’t have any sort of outlay, it’s just that your expenses might be different than if you buy an inclusive curriculum.

  • Easy Peasy All-In-One Homeschool  – EP seeks to free families from the burden of pursuing the “perfect” and encourages them to let it be “enough.”  
  • The Puritan’s Curriculum.  Promoting Puritan Reformation in Family, Church and State.
  • AmblesideOnline is a free homeschool curriculum that uses Charlotte Mason’s classically-based principles to prepare children for a life of rich relationships with everything around them.
  • CK-12- curriculum(K-12)– wanting students world-wide to have access to an education.
  • An Old-fashioned education links to curricula from days gone by to help you educate your child. 
  • Edhelper.com. worksheets and no prep resources. 
  • Free World U– Free flashcard curriculum (k-12)
  • Core Knowledge– (Pre-K-12) The mission of the Core Knowledge Foundation is to advance excellence and equity in education for all children…. offer detailed curricular guidance and materials.
  • Homeschool Share offers unit studies and lapbooks.  Perhaps not a complete curriculum but covers a large amount of information.
  • SAS Curriculum Pathways. Our resources are intended to supplement instruction to engage students in meaningful learning experiences that foster a deep, robust understanding of concepts.
  • Teachers Pay Teachers: Free Resources and Lessons (K-12)
  • School Express gives unit studies for a variety of topics. Multi-age unit studies. 
  • KHAN ACADEMY.  Math, Science, Computer science, art, and more.
  • Bitesize bits of information at BBC.   Even if you don’t have to prepare for national exams you’ll find much useful information. 
  • Charlotte Mason has a free history curriculum.  You can find that here.
  • Moby max-They have a free and paid option, their goal to help cover learning gaps. 
  • Connections Academy– if you live in the United States, check to see if there are options for education. 
  • Hippo Campus has a wide range of videos for middle school through high school. 
  • WatchKnowLearn.org– Thousands of free Educational Videos on a variety of topics.
  • GuestHollow.com– This isn’t completely free as the syllabus as cost and then there’s the question of buying the specific materials needed.  The Kitchen Chemistry course intrigues.  
  • Freedom Homeschooling maintains a list of free curriculum places. 
How to Homeschool without Boxed Curriculum

Piecing together what is needed

Recognize that regardless of what you will do there will be gaps.  It’s best to accept that fact.  My son the other day was upset with me that I never taught him the order of the months.  My response to him was that he refused to learn them when I tried to teach them.  He was stunned!   He didn’t remember being too stubborn to learn. Moments like that will happen. 

The advantage is that you can tailor your child’s education to the child.  You aren’t stuck with “this worked for child A ergo we’ll use it for child B even if child A and child B learn best in different style. Isn’t it great though if you have a hands-on learner and you can meet his needs though?  Or if you have a voracious reader who loves a literature based education?

The fun, yes, the fun of using different companies to educate your children.  Each company has their own philosophy or mind set.  So using different curricula exposes our children to that. One year my son and I read through different history encyclopedias.  It was so fascinating to see the viewpoint of the companies writing these books as they were quite different from each other in how they looked at history.  Because of that we learned so much in discussing, looking back, and comparing, see how the focus on.. say the art aspect of history compared with the militaristic viewpoint of another and how they meshed. 

It does take more work to piece together a curricula than it does to purchase a big box curricula.  To find just the right science, history, math or geography program.   It takes time to understand what should work best with each of children, and how to combine the learning if needed. 

Combining learning is advantageous if you have students close enough in abilities. Group learning adds a dimension that single learning doesn’t have.

Not using a boxed curriculum means you can use your children’s interests as a point of study.   Have a student who loves anatomy?   There’s a science credit there.  Another interested in oceanography?  Geography and science.   My son has a love of the middle ages and weaponry… we have used that so much over the years. 

Use what you can, research companies, spread your wings.  There is more out there than boxed curriculum. 

How to Homeschool without Boxed Curriculum

Want to Learn Some Specifics?

Loving My Actual Neighbor

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I freely admit that I have only read 3/4’s of the way through Loving My Actual Neighbor.  This isn’t the result of lack of trying, rather a result of  a busier than expected month. Alexandra Kuykendall has written a heart compelling treatise to help us love the neighbor who lives right next door.

Loving my Actual Neighbors

What I am Reviewing

Loving My Actual Neighbor.
Alexandra Kuykendall
BakerBooks
220 pages
Reviewed for Nuts about Books.
Christianity, personal growth, spiritual growth, bible study

The Details

Seven chapters, plus and introduction and conclusion round out the pages of this 220 page book.   Written in a personal tone, Alexandra walks us through what it means to love your neighbour, giving us practical helps along the way.

Chapter titles are 

  • Holding a posture of humility
  • Asking questions to learn
  • Being quiet to listen
  • Standing in the awkward
  • Accepting what is
  • Lightening up
  • Giving freely
Loving my Actual Neighbors

Each chapter follows a similar format 

  • Quote along with bible verse
  • Lesson with a personal story to illustrate the point
  • A cut out to help you think more deeply
  • A call to Saturday living
  • Questions for Reflection
  • Practicing the Practice
  • Scripture to digest

Ms. Kuykendall shares freely from her personal life about things she has learned in meeting with her neighbours, and about how she has been challenged in her faith to be involved more deeply in their lives.  It’s a hard push sometimes to be vulnerable, it’s hard sometimes to step into gaps and help others you are not as familar with, but it’s good and necessary.

Loving my Actual Neighbors
A cut out to help you think more deeply

Saturday living.

“A neighborly life marinates in the Saturday life. Saturdays are for mowing the lawn, hanging out on the sports sidelines, and heading the grocery store. They are days of proximity, with natural interactions happening all around us. …… There is another element to Saturday living, a tension we hold as Jesus followers that is found most profoundly on Saturday — Holy Saturday, that is. We are people defined by the resurrection. … While we stand in the Friday pain of the world, we have the Sunday knowledge of the hope found in Christ. We are to operate out of both. This is Saturday living.” (p.21)

Loving my Actual Neighbors

I found the questions for reflections to be well done.  Challenging without being, I’m not sure of the right word, challenging without being wrong, or superficial or asked without meaning.  Sometimes reflection questions just seem to be asked without regard for the reader.  I didn’t find that to be so with this tome.  Ms. Kuykendall really wants her readers to think hard about who are our neighbours are and what we need to do to truly be neighbours.  We NEED to be neighbours who matter and try to touch the lives of those around us, impacting them for the Lord. 

Loving my Actual Neighbors

Once you have listened to the wisdom contained within these pages, scenarios to practice the skills you have been taught are provided. They followed the format of those I’ve shown below. One that I found to be a good reminder for me was “Stop and pay attention to the people you are serving. Let them interrupt you.” This is SO important. I find at the foodbank I can be very focused on organizing shelves that sometimes I forget about the people I am organizing the shelves for.

Loving my Actual Neighbors

My Thoughts

I admittedly like this book.  I do have some hesitations.

  1. Some quotes are from books by people that I question their belief in God. I admit that sometimes a quote is just a quote, but I am cautious about giving the nod to someone who has some questionable beliefs/ideals. 
  2. Often the practice scenarios seem devoid of any mention of God.  It’s like “find a person and see if you can find a way to love them”.  It’s all man done.  I wish the each practice session had a distinct connection with God.  Even “which of your neighbours are you led to pray for, or Pray for your most difficult neighbour asking God to help you love them, and then later on .. how can you show love to that unlovable neighbour?”

I love the focus on “how can we treasure our neighbours?”   That challenge lies before me.  How can I love the people that surround me?  How can I let them know that they matter…not only to me but also to God?

Alexandra Kuykendall has done an great job at challenging me (and will challenge you) in how to show love, in an active meaningful way.

So go on… get out of the house.  Live like Saturday is here now.  Connect with your neighbours, learn to love them well.  Show the heart of God.

disclaimer

Review: Hey, Mama! Homeschool Planner

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I was trying to figure out my approach to the Hey, Mama planner as the physical copy isn’t sitting well with me. GASP!  How can I say that about a product from The Old Schoolhouse®!?!?!!?  Well here’s the thing.  I look at the physical planner and I think cool, but… Why did Gena Suarez lay it out in this manner?   This doesn’t work for me! 

Then I got to thinking as I  looked through the Hey, Mama! Homeschool Planner for 2019/20 Year that this planner also comes in a digital version.  And that means I can lay it out in a way that works for how MY brain and planning style works. 

Same good content, but laid out in a “ME” fashion instead of “Suarez” fashion, and thus a found a method that works. Neat eh?

Hey, Mama! Homeschool Planner for 2019/20 Year

What I am Reviewing

Vendor Name AND Link: The Old Schoolhouse®
Product Name and Links:  Hey, Mama! Homeschool Planner for 2019/20 Year 
Author: Gena Suarez
Price: $22.00 – $53.00
Hey Mama, Schoolhouse Planner, Homeschool Organization, school planner
The Old Schoolhouse

The Details

The start of Hey, Mama planner teaches you how to make a transcript and provides you with a checklist for courses studied and skills learned.   You will also find yearly calendars for 2019 through 2021. 

Hey, Mama! Homeschool Planner for 2019/20 Year

Devotionals

Devotionals are scattered throughout, 21 in all, some of the topics are: Homeschool purpose, Anxious?, God’s Provision, Squabbling Kids, Faith Walk and more.

Lines that caught my eye as I skimmed through: 

“Our children are watching.  Someday when they are grown, they will meet their own troubles.  Will they come to you for counsel, for prayer, for godly advice?  Be that model for Christ, Mama.  Inspire them to fall into His arms during the hardest of times, to cast their cares on the One who cares for their soul.”

“When the bad days come, stay the course.  It doesn’t mean giving up, any more than the Lord gives up on us. He sets us right, we repent and start again.”

“If you are His, walk confidently in His love, just the same way your children know without a doubt that you love them. They too walk confidently because they know you will never leave them.  They are safe in your love.”

Hey, Mama! Homeschool Planner for 2019/20 Year

Lay Flat Spiral Binding

Accompanying each devotional is a lined page so you can jot down notes for each month.  Following the devotional is a month spread out over two pages.  The spiral binding means that it lies flat.  This is an easy way to plot out your months adventures.  In August my son is off for two weeks, so jotting it in means I don’t plan any “go away” time with my lad.  It’s easy to forget if I don’t jot it down you know?

Hey, Mama! Homeschool Planner for 2019/20 Year

Calendars

The calendar runs July 2019 through June 2020.  At the close of June you will discover week long calendar with slots for five children. As someone unused to planners this is one area where I wish they had a sample week done.  I wasn’t really sure what to do with this so I just listed out subjects my lad would be taking.  It doesn’t “feel” right, so I don’t know if I’m using it correctly. 

Hey, Mama! Homeschool Planner for 2019/20 Year

Helpful Charts and Lists

At the close of this section you will find a variety of helpful charts, good for up to 5 children.   Curriculum planning, attendance, books read, along with yearly and semester goals.   

Let me talk abit more about the yearly and semester goals. They are divided up into seven different categories. 

  • Educational
  • Spiritual
  • Physical
  • Personal Talents
  • Life Skills
  • Financial
  • Relational

These categories help you to think through the different ways to help your children be the people that God has called them to be. 

What would I do?

Now that you know what the physical planner contains.  Let me tell how I would print if off with the digital planner. 

  1. Attendance list, curriculum list
  2. Each month with it’s calendar and goals.
  3. Follow this the weekly goals, enough weeks for each month.
  4. Add behind each month the booklist, along with skills checklist.
  5. I don’t know if I would print off the semester and yearly goals.  They seem rather redundant but I suppose it’s good to write them down instead of mentally thinking “let’s get through the semester and make sure the lad knows what he needs to”.  Written goals make it more intentional and provides another conversation with the lad.

My Thoughts

I love how each of the devotionals captures a thought, expands on it, and then draws you in the heart of God.   The month-a-glance calenders are a handy feature, and I enjoy the book lists.  Having a brief walk through on how to create a transcript is very helpful.   

I would strongly prefer having the digital version of the Hey Mama Schoolhouse Planner over the print since I would want to lay things out in a manner that works for me.   Having a small “how to use it” section would be uber helpful to me, a non-planner.  🙂  Overall, a well done and useful planner to help you in the education of your children. 

read the reviews HSRC Schoolhouse Planner

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disclaimer HSRC

Bloggers Wanted

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The Homeschool Review Crew is looking for bloggers.  I know.. big deal right? 

Well except you get access to some wonderful curriculum, you get to use it and KEEP it (or sell it if you hate it).  All you need to do is maintain a blog (write once a week) and offer up your opinion after using it. 

Apply here, tell them I (Annette V) sent you cause then I will be in the running for a prize or two.