The Warren & the World is Story Warren’s weekly newsletter, providing a round-up of our favorite things from around the web as well as a review of what was on our site over the past week. We’re glad you’re here!
Around the Web
how you can’t be wrecked by what you’re ready for
In this piece at her blog, Ann Voskamp explores the value of a reading plan and good books.
- Let the next 12 months throw diagnosis and disappointment at us, let a new year come at us because nothing will overcome us, let the arrows fly and the battle rage and let anything step out from behind any corner — because it’s as true as one boy holding his old mama close: what you’re prepared for, you can’t be overpowered by.
Want to Raise Successful Boys? Science Says Do This
This piece at inc.com shows the research behind the need for activity in all of us–especially boys.
- Most of us spend hours each day sitting at work. Science says it’s killing us, and we’ve got all kinds of fads to combat it–from the rise of standing desks to smartphone alerts to get up and move.
Armed with that knowledge, however, what do we force our kids to do each day at school? Sit still, for six or eight hours.
Now researchers say that mistake leads us into a three-pronged, perfect storm of problems.
6 Ways to Early Years You Won’t Regret
Sarah Mackenzie writes at Amongst Lovely Things about the perspective she has on the early years of homeschooling.
- One of the (many) benefits of having children spread across several years is the gift of perspective. With our first three, I felt like I had just figured something out only to find that we were now into a whole new season! There is gift in that too (of course- because only God knows the way He most wants to shape our family size), but I must say- I tremendously enjoy this second batch of babies.
Why Special Needs Moms are Exhausted All the Time but Will Never Ask for Help
This piece helps open the world of special needs families and the unique set of struggles they face.
- “You drink a lot of coffee.” Yep. I do. I hear that one little sentence all the time. The problem is most people don’t want to hear the explanation. Daily life with a special needs child is a series of rapid fire, interrogations that a parent can never answer correctly. In fact, special needs moms have been found to have similar levels of stress-hormones to combat soldiers. I’ve never been in combat, but I do know what PTSD from stress feels like. I know people don’t want to hear this. People are busy. People are tired. But most people are not this tired. Most people are not ‘5-cups-of-coffee-just-to-keep-their-eyes-propped-open’ tired. Special needs moms are exhausted all.the.time…..but will never ask for help.
Around the Warren
Celebrations
We peeked into the quiet Advent season with a couple of posts, including Helena Sorensen’s piece on celebrations. While Christmas is over, this piece is still a good reminder of how we can use such holidays as punctuation in our year.
- The people of ancient Ireland marked their year with eight solar and lunar celebrations. Every six weeks or so, they gathered, performed religious rites, feasted, danced, and held competitions. If a man committed a crime, he could be excluded from the festivities as punishment, for that is how deeply those people valued their celebrations. Celebration was central to their understanding of life and community.
Motown in the Morning (Who Writes The Story?)
Glenn McCarty reminds us of the need to let God write the story of our family’s lives.
- Last December, in some bizarre attempt to be festive, we started the odd family tradition of waking our children for school with the radio blaring Christmas music from the living room downstairs. Don’t judge. So, for a few weeks, they (and we) were treated to Peggy Lee and Nat King Cole at an obscene volume while they fumbled for blankets and buried their heads under pillows.
A Wordless Journey, Quest, and Return
Laura Peterson recommends a trilogy of wordless books.
- It’s not very often that you hear of a trilogy of picture books; I frequently see popular series for early readers or for older kids, but picture books seldom seem to get the opportunity to tell a story longer than thirty-two pages. Thankfully, Aaron Becker’s beautiful wordless Journey trilogy has busted that trend. I first discovered Journey back in early 2014 when I wrote a post about wordless picture books; since then, the trilogy has been completed with Quest (2014) and Return (2016). I think these types of books are so much fun to read; in addition to featuring beautiful art, they present such an opportunity for creativity for the reader as well, interpreting what the characters might be saying or choosing words to add to the images.
Something to Do with Your Kids
In most of the US, winter comes in earnest in January, so indoor activities are often needed. This list at What We Do All Day has tons of indoor activities divided up by age group.
And Something to Watch
Watch a spider build its web with mathematical precision.
Thank you for reading. We’re on your side.
Carolyn Clare Givens is a displaced Northerner exploring the foreign ways of the South. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with her literary cat, Lord Peter Wimsey. She's the author of The King's Messenger and Rosefire and in her free time helps run Bandersnatch Books.
You can find her at carolyncgivens.com or on Facebook or Instagram at @carolyncgivens.
You can find her at carolyncgivens.com or on Facebook or Instagram at @carolyncgivens.
Latest posts by Carolyn Clare Givens (see all)
- The Warren & The World Vol 12, Issue 43 - December 5, 2024
- The Warren & The World Vol 12, Issue 42 - November 30, 2024
- The Warren & The World Vol 12, Issue 41 - November 23, 2024
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