Destiny Survival

Archive for April, 2008

            “Mom, didn’t we just see that lady buying spaghetti and peanut butter at the grocery store?”  Jenny was observing shoppers rolling carts to and from their cars as Diane began pulling out of the big box store parking lot.

            “Where, honey?”  Diane turned her head to look.

            “That lady there, putting that big TV in the trunk of that blue SUV.”

            “I think you’re right, Jenny.”

            “I think so, too.”  Survival Sally closed her purse and looked to the back seat approvingly at Jenny.  “That’s very observant of you, Jenny.”

            “Don’t those big TV’s cost a lot of money?”

            “Yes, they do,” said Sally.  “But that lady’s not the only one buying one.  It’s funny, but people are cutting corners on groceries and even eating out less, but still buying big screen TV’s.”

            “Why would they do that?”  Diane waited for traffic to give her an opening to join the flow.

            “They rationalize it by saying they need a digital TV, since TV is going all digital next February, and they also say they need a big screen TV to watch movies at home.”

            “Thank you, Lord,” Diane said under her breath as she pulled onto the busy highway.  “I guess I know how that goes.  I wanted to do some major remodeling in our basement, but Duane persuaded me that we had more important things to do with our money, literally for our survival.  Sam’s been quite an influence on him, you know.”

            “That’s the way to be,” said Sally.  “It really is better to invest in things like storage food and a good water filtration system because they’re going to prove to be much more useful, maybe sooner than later.  However, I do think cutting corners on every day expenses is a good idea.  I’m glad our friend John was thinking of his readers when he put a place on the right side of his blog page for anyone to click on ‘Living on a Dime’.  They’re really good at giving helpful money saving tips.”

            “Is that the site that has all those e-books on wise budgeting and smart grocery shopping?” asked Diane.

            “Yes,” said Sally, “and right now they’ve got a super low price on a bundle of several wonderful e-books in a package they call ‘Saving of the Green’.  It covers several practical subjects for any family concerned about their economic survival.”

            “That lady back there with the big TV needs that.”  Jenny smiled.

            “Yes, she does,” Diane said.  “Maybe somebody who hasn’t spent all their money on a new TV can go to John’s blog and get some good ideas from that ‘Saving of the Green’ package from ‘Living on a Dime’.”

            “Yeah,” said Jenny, “That way they can discover how to make good money saving choices.”

            Sally beamed at Jenny.  “You said it, honey!”

            It’s near the end of the school year, and you just know you have to do something different about your children’s situation at school next year, and you really don’t want to fight the system.  Well, it’s time to consider home schooling.  We taught our children at home from K-12 and are so thankful we did.  Below is an article by Joel Turtel with a really great list of the benefits of home schooling.  Each item gets right to the point.  Look it over, then put your best foot forward for your family’s survival and get your children out of the system!

Wow! — 57 Unique Benefits of Homeschooling

Parents, is homeschooling the right choice for you and your children? Maybe you think you don’t have the time to homeschool because you work. Perhaps you don’t have confidence in your ability to teach your kids because you never took “teaching” courses.

But consider the alternative. Public schools can destroy your children’s self-esteem, destroy their ability to read, strangle their love of learning, put them in physical and moral danger, and wreck their future. In contrast, here’s 57 unique benefits homeschooling can give you and your kids. This list was created by Laura B., a smart, wonderful wife, mother of three, homeschooler,
and business owner who works from home and still focuses on her family, and includes a few benefits that I added.

Homeschooling (or low-cost internet private schools), can have the following extraordinary benefits for you and your children:

1. Be with your family
2. Set your own schedule that’s convenient for you and your kids
3. Vacation when you want
4. Choose curriculum that best suits the needs of your child
5. Be totally aware of the state and progress of your child’s education
6. Keep your child away from unnecessary peer pressure
7. Keep your child away from the bad influence of other children
8. Love, nurture, and teach your child the character and morals you value most
9. Make learning fun
10. Make learning as "experiential" as you want
11. Don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn to get your child dressed and fed and off to school where they’re so tired they don’t learn well anyway.
12. Break up the day however you want to fit your child’s learning attention span
13. Teach your child without any "assumed limitations." Teach multiple languages, develop one skill or subject — the sky’s the limit
14. What you teach an older child naturally filters down to the younger child(ren) making learning much easier and faster for siblings
15. Teach at the pace and developmental stage appropriate for your child
16. Avoid educational "labeling"
17. Keep your child as far away from drugs as possible
18. Never have to worry about bomb scares or mass shootings
19. Allow your child to do, think, discuss, and explore in ways not possible in a
rigid classroom setting
20. Constant positive reinforcement and gentle correction. No abusive words or actions that scar your child’s psyche
21. Don’t use the school system as a babysitter. Most parents only need three to five hours a day for homeschooling their kids — the rest of the day is often filled with unnecessary "busy work"
22. Develop your child’s life skills such as cooking, cleaning, and organizing that are easily learned with the additional time spent at home
23. Spend as much time outdoors as you want to enjoy nature and the world around us
24. Teach the value of responsibility by providing daily jobs for your kids
25. To make money management as natural as breathing by allowing even small children to do tasks, earn money, save it, and spend it in an appropriate manner.
26. Never have your child beat up by a bully. Teach self-defense skills that will
enable him to deal with any situation, but not until he is mature enough to handle the emotional aspects of confrontation
27. No pressure or set "expectations" from teachers on a younger sibling that follows an older sibling in the same school
28. Be around when your child needs to talk
29. Take a break when your child needs a break
30. Bond as a family through family group activities
31. Pass on your religious beliefs and morals to your children and stay away from the "indoctrination" of other school systems
32. Teach sex education when and how you want
33. Develop your child’s imagination and teach diverse problem-solving skills, instead of one institutionalized method of thinking
34. Unlimited possibilities for extra curricular activities that interest your child.
35. Not having to live up to the expectations or skills of others
36. Develop the individualism and unique potential of your child
37. Avoid traditional school "group activities" that may leave one student doing
all the work or ruining it for everyone else
38. Never have your child feel the failure, embarrassment, or teasing from "failing" a grade
39. To keep your children out of the care, custody, and control of people you don’t know who naturally teach their (sometimes warped) values to your children, whether they realize it or not
40. No opportunity for your child to "just get by" with academics
41. To have your child learn initiative naturally, because there’s no peer pressure or fear of embarrassing himself
42. Allow your child to have input and say in subject matter and learning style,
so learning will be exciting and an adventure, rather than the boring drudge it is in most public schools
43. Allow your child to focus on growth and development — not following the latest fad or being in a certain group
44. So your child will only be surrounded by people who love him, encourage him, and want the best for him.
45. To make sure your child doesn’t end up graduating without knowing how to read or knowing other basic skills, due to educational failings of your local schools.
46. Keep your child out of private schools that have peer pressure, teacher criticism, drugs, sex, and alcohol that your child never needs to be around
47. Avoid grading scales and testing that gives no positive benefit to your child
48. Not to give local, state, or the federal government control of your child’s mind and future, that they arrogantly assume is theirs
49. To easily pass on your unique heritage or language to your child
50. So your child is not limited by "age" or "grade" to advance in or explore subjects in which they are interested or gifted
51. To teach your children to enjoy life and learning
52. To allow your children to go to work with Mom or Dad when you all want to –not just on the one "go to work with a parent holiday"
53. Go to as many field trips as you want, to places that interest your child
54. To just take a day off when everyone feels like it
55. Flexibility to switch to or experiment with different curriculum and teaching
methods to perfectly suit your child’s interests and abilities.
56. Teach your kids to read quickly with phonics. Not having your child waste 12 years with idiotic “whole-language” reading methods that public schools use, which can wreck your child’s ability to read.
57. Re-ignite your own love of learning, by teaching your kids.

Parents, if you are disgusted with public schools and want your children to have the great education they deserve, why not consider homeschooling? Millions of parents now homeschool their kids, and many of these parents are only high-school graduates.

In the last three chapters of “Public Schools, Public Menace,” you’ll find many ways to homeschool your kids or use internet private schools, even if you work. Homeschooling can be a lot easier, and take a lot less time than you think. It can also bring you great joy in teaching your children.

Joel Turtel is an education policy analyst and syndicated columnist. He is also the author of “Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children" and “The Welfare State: No Mercy For the Middle Class.” Contact Information: Website:
http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com
 Email: jturtel@yahoo.com
 

Article Copyrighted © 2007 by Joel Turtel. NOTE: You may post this Article on another website only if you set up a hyperlink to Joel Turtel’s email address and websiteURL, http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com
 

            You can get a jump on next school year now.   Don’t worry if you’re new and it all looks overwhelming.  Take a deep breath and take things one step at a time.  You can find much needed legal information at the web site for Home School Legal Defense Association, which is http://www.hslda.org.  They can also help you find someone near you to offer support.  Then come back here and click on the logo for ChristianBook.com below, or on the right sidebar, to see their curriculum offerings.  Remember, make this part of your family’s survival strategy.  You can do it!

            “What’s that paper you’ve got there, Sam?”  Duane drained his orange juice and set the glass heavily on the table.  It was another Saturday morning outing at the Café 23.

            Survival Sam held up the page in question as Tina stealthily took his plate and silverware.  “This is a list of tips to prepare for facing a possible job layoff.  I found this recently and thought John might want to post these on his blog.”

            “What a coincidence,” Duane said.  “My brother-in-law Bill is worried about getting laid off.”

            “Sorry to hear it,” Sam said.  “Tens of thousands are losing their jobs now nearly every month, so it’s something to prepare for.”

            “Yeah,’ I chimed in.  “It seems some company’s always in the news saying they’re going to cut 3,000 jobs here, or 9,000 jobs there.  It may be months before all those people lose their jobs, but the numbers are always pretty big it seems to me, and they sure add up.”

            “So, what’s the first tip?”  Duane leaned forward with his elbows on the table.

            “First, establish an emergency fund.  Set aside enough money to cover your basic living expenses for three to six months.  I’d call it a survival fund.”  He put his hand down on the page.  "It goes without saying in my book that you should have food and basics on hand as well."

            “The money would be enough to pay bills for a little while,” Duane said.

            Sam read on.  “Second, live within your means.  Don’t spend beyond what you bring in.  That should include setting some aside in that emergency or survival fund.”

            “Easier said than done,” I said.

            “Yes, but you have to remember the goal here—preparing for job cuts.”  Sam flattened out the paper in front of him.  “Third, use credit cards with great caution.”  He looked up.  “I’d say cut them up altogether and pay them down.  You don’t need to add to your debt and the stress it brings with it.”

            “Good point,” I said.

            ‘Fourth,” Sam went on, “Talk about money with your partner.  Communicate.  Make sure you’re on the same page, so to speak, with plans and goals.”

            “Yeah,” Duane frowned.  “It’s not hard to assume everything’s OK and that you understand each other, only to find out you’re going in different directions.  I guess it happens in the best of marriages.”

            Sam shifted his reading glasses.  “Fifth, tackle high-interest debt.  Move high interest credit cards into lower interest cards if possible.  I think it makes sense to practice what one financial counselor calls the snowball effect.  Pay off smaller bills first so you feel you’re accomplishing something, then hack away at the bigger bills.”

            “Good advice.”  Duane leaned back.  “What’s next?”

            “Sixth, network, network, network.  You know the old saying.  It’s not what you know, but who you know.  Make sure you know people in your line of work or the work you want to go into next perhaps.”

            “I’ve been able to get jobs over the years because of contacts I’ve made and friends I’ve known,” I said.  “I’ve also learned that you make new friends along the way when you’re searching for a job.”

            “You have to,” Duane said.

            “Seventh, try to get disability coverage before you lose your job.  That’s closely tied with number eight on the list.  Investigate your medical insurance policy at work.  You should determine whether you’ll be able to afford the full cost of the COBRA plan.”  He looked up from his reading again.  “By law, when you lose your job, you have the option to continue the medical coverage your employer arranged.  Personally though, I’d suggest looking into a Health Savings Account.  Premiums are lower on HSA’s than other plans, and you have the option to set aside some money in a dedicated medical savings account.  This way you’ll have portable insurance you can carry from place to place and not worry about losing medical coverage on a future job.”

.

            “Not a bad idea,” Duane said.  It really means biting the bullet and being prepared, doesn’t it?”

            “You have to be thinking ahead,” I said.

            “You have to really study some important issues very carefully,” Sam said.  “And that brings me to number nine—last on the list–pursue higher education while you can.  This is a good idea if your company offers opportunities to further your education.  It will help your skills and perhaps earn some college credits for you.”

            Sam handed me the list.  “Duane, I hope things turn out all right for Bill.”

            “Yeah, thanks.  He’ll be a bear to live with if he loses his job.”  Duane pulled on his jacket.

            “I’ll get you a copy of this list to give to him,” I said.  “I’m sure he could use it.”

            Survival Sam has been saying for a while now that stocking up on survival supplies, including food, is a good investment.  Would you believe it?  A Wall Street investor is saying the same thing, literally.  He says buying food is a good investment because, with prices going up the way they are, you get a greater return on your money than you would by putting it in a bank or money market fund.

            Sam’s no prophet.  He just wants people to have what they need in a time of need.  It’s pretty amazing when someone who looks at the numbers says the same thing.

            If you want to stock up and get all you need at once, click on the Mountain House Ultimate Pak logo.  Order a supply of freeze dried food that will last a year for one person or three months for four.  It’s simple to do, and it’s a great investment.

            I realize it’s perhaps a bit late in the season to bring this up, unless you live up North, but having several Wall O’ Waters to protect your delicate plants is a good idea.  The weather’s been so crazy this season, you never know what’s coming next, and we could still have a cold snap before the really warm weather comes to stay.

            Over the years a number of favorable accounts have appeared in gardening magazines from gardeners throughout the country who have used Wall O’ Water.  In case you’re not familiar with the Wall O’ Water, here’s how they work.  When they’re filled with water, the tubes form a protective, insulated wall around plants.  That shields your plants from cold and frost.  Each Wall O’ Water soaks up the sun’s heat during the day and then releases it slowly during the night.  Wall O’ Water will protect those little green baby plants down to 16 degrees F.  Your tomato or pepper plants can get an early start so they’ll grow bigger and produce more, too.  In fact, you can plant up to eight weeks earlier.

            Even if you think you can get by without them this season, think ahead.  Remember, you’re gardening for survival, so get some now and have them on hand for next year.  If you click on the Lehman’s logo and type Wall O Water (without the apostrophe) on their home page search box, you’ll go right to a picture of one.  Click on the picture to find out more.  Wall O’ Waters come six to a set, and they’ll last 3-5 years with proper care, so they’re a good survival gardening investment.

            A form of food rationing has begun in the U.S.  You don’t believe it?  There are spotty shortages of rice, oil, and flour at stores like Costco’s in the Northeast and West Coast.  Buying limits are imposed so it’s not possible to buy what someone considers to be too many bags of rice.  Of course, prices are going up, too.

            Here’s an important point to keep in mind.  Merchandising is handled differently than it used to be, and stores simply don’t have inventories like before.  They order on demand.  When you buy something off the shelf, the item usually has to be reordered before that item reappears in the store.  We have such giants as Wal-Mart to thank for innovation in computerization that cuts their cost of doing business and increases competitiveness and efficiency.  Most often this system works, but it’s based on the assumption there will always be adequate product to replenish store inventory.  What happens when that is no longer true?

            It is certainly time to look out for the survival of yourself and your family.  If you’re going to buy more than what you need when you go grocery shopping, don’t panic.  Be deliberate, but keep a low profile.  Don’t arouse suspicion or give anyone cause to question your shopping habits.  Don’t forget about growing some of your own food as well.  Even if you live in an apartment, there are ways you can grow such things as herbs or lettuce.

            You may already be aware that storage food companies are experiencing delays getting food products to customers as demand has greatly increased.  A few days ago I heard of one storage food company whose suppliers were asking them for certain items.

            Should we experience more widespread shortages of food items throughout the country, I anticipate the government, in typical form, will respond slowly if at all.  It wouldn’t surprise me if there are no official rationing programs as in World War II.  The mantra will be, “Let the free marketplace work things out.”  Take them at their word.  It will be even clearer that you and I are left to be responsible for our personal survival.

            This brings to mind an incident from history.  Do you recall the account of a certain French queen in the 18^th century?  Upon being told there wasn’t enough bread for the people, she is reported to have said the famous words, “Let them eat cake.”  My favorite is angel food, but as survival food it’s strictly the last resort.