by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Mar 16, 2022 | Holidays and Special Events
WHO WAS SAINT PATRICK?
As a protestant, I'm ashamed to say that I have never heard about St. Patrick in church. Maybe somewhere he was discussed, however, I don't remember learning about him in church in the 30+ years I've been a Christian. I researched him on my own when my son was younger. So, I am familiar with his life. However, today, I decided to revisit his story because St. Patrick's Day is this month. So, who was Saint Patrick anyway? A brief biography follows.
St. Patrick was a Christian missionary who lived in the late 4th-Early 5th Century.
He is considered the “Patron Saint” of Ireland. In the strictest sense, a “Patron Saint” is someone who is supposed to be a heavenly guide or protector of a particular group of people and/or a particular geographic region. In this case, Ireland.
Perhaps this is why the Protestant church is hesitant to discuss him as we don't believe in praying to saints. However, you don't have to pray to Patrick to genuinely appreciate him and what he represented. If you read his “Confessions,” which are his own words, you will find that he was a very humble man who did not consider himself anywhere near holy. Also, he spoke straight out of the Bible.
As a role model, Patrick is a good example of how a Christian (true believer) should view himself. His words remind us of how a true believer should trust in and rely on God as our source of strength and comfort.
When Patrick was 16 years old, he was kidnapped by pirates from his home in Great Britain.
He was taken as a slave to Ireland where he took care of animals. In his confessions Patrick discusses how he believed he was being corrected by God when he was kidnapped and that the Lord used the experiences of hunger and deprivation as a means to bring him to knowledge of the true God.
Patrick had a dream during the six-year period before he escaped and returned to his home in Great Britain. In the dream, God spoke to Patrick and he was converted. He states that before this experience, he had heard of the truths and laws, but did not apply them to himself. His conversion opened his eyes to his own sinfulness and need for God.
Patrick Heads Back to His Hometown
While working with the animals in Ireland, Patrick had a dream. In the dream, God revealed to him that he would be going back home on a ship. And that’s just what happened. He escaped and found the ship. However, at first, the crew of the ship wouldn’t allow him to board. As a result, Patrick went to where he was staying and prayed. A short time later, the crew came looking for him and said he could come along with them on the ship.
While on the voyage home, part of which was on land, he and his comrades were starving and losing faith. Patrick prayed to God and, shortly thereafter, they came upon a herd of pigs. Patrick saw this as an answer to prayer and as an opportunity to witness to the people he was travelling with. The meat from the pigs sustained them, along with wild honey, until they arrived at their destination. Patrick states in his “Confession” that he did not eat the wild honey.
Patrick's Spiritual Battle
Patrick discusses that during this trip, while sleeping one night, Satan attacked him and he had a giant boulder on top of him. Apparently, he overcame this, though it is not clear exactly how, because he made it home in one piece.
When he returned to his home, his parents were so happy to see him that they begged him to never leave again. However, he felt led by God to return to Ireland to witness to the people who did not know the true God.
He did not immediately leave, and according to his “Confession,” sometime later he was accused of a sin that he had previously committed before becoming a Christian. He states that he had already confessed to this sin before being accused, and that he did not understand why the person he confessed to shared the information with others in the church.
Regardless of why, Patrick believed that this was the method God used to correct him to push him to do what he had been called to do: “Go to Ireland and preach the gospel.” Many people became Christians because of Patrick’s missionary work in Ireland.
Was St. Patrick a Christian Martyr?
Patrick was not martyred in the traditional sense. That is, he was not executed. However, based on his “Confession,” he was persecuted by the leadership of the church in Britain, probably because they were offended by his pointed discussions of our sinfulness and need for repentance.
Very similar to the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, the leadership was offended by him and wanted to shut him up by accusing him of sin in order to delegitimize him. God used this persecution to send Patrick where He wanted him to go: Ireland. (Matthew 15:12)
The Legend of the Shamrock
While in Ireland, Patrick followed God’s leading and “drove out the snakes” (snake is symbolic of Satan). The Legend of the Shamrock, which is often connected with the driving out of snakes, refers to the 3-leaf clover, which Patrick used to represent the 3 persons of the Holy Trinity. The “driving out of snakes” and the “the shamrock” are often connected in stories.
It is not clear how Patrick died, but many sources say he died around 461 AD.
In addition to this short article, I have created a fun “Who was St. Patrick” Activity Pack for your kids.
I included the delicious recipes we created for “Kid-Friendly Reuben Sandwiches and Baked Sweet Potato Fries as well.” So don't miss out!
See also:
Who was Nicholas of Myra? Activity Pack
St. Patrick's Day Recipe Cards
Venturing with God to Congo – A Missionary Story
Religious Freedom and the Church
Free “Wings of Fire” Novel Study Guide
10 Surprising Facts about St. Valentine
References
The Confession of St. Patrick
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Mar 19, 2021 | Education Materials, Homeschooling
4 Ways to Involve Kids with Disabilities in the Arts
(Post contains affiliate links).
Children who have learning disabilities can become extraordinarily successful individuals (think Walt Disney, for instance); they might just take a different route to get there if traditional classroom instruction isn’t working well for them.
One way to instill confidence in kids with learning disabilities is through the arts – a paintbrush or a musical instrument might be just the ticket a child needs to unlock their confidence and self-esteem.
Here are 4 ways to help your child with learning disabilities enjoy and learn from the arts.
4 Ways to Involve Kids with Disabilities in the Arts
Explore all the Arts
The term “the arts” includes a wide variety of activities, including music, performing arts, visual arts, dance, crafts and more. Explore one or more styles to determine what might work best for your child based on their interests and learning personalities. If your child is an auditory learner, for example, music might be a better choice for them than painting. A few quick descriptions will help:
- Art: Enhances creativity and gives an appreciation for shapes, dimensions, and textures. Also helps communicate ideas and emotions.
- Music: Helps develop rhythm, sound, pitch, rhyming, math and more. (See below for more on music.)
- Crafts: Let kids solve problems and express themselves.
- Dancing: Helps with motor skills while teaching rhythm, counting, following directions, and working with others.
- Drama: Performing plays can help with memory retention, teamwork and appreciating literary forms and structures.
How Music Helps
Music promotes brain development in all kids but learning a musical instrument can be particularly helpful for children with learning disabilities. It helps them feel good about themselves and relax, while the rhythm and beat give them a greater sense of logic and organization. Singing can help them focus, while the motions required to play an instrument help improve motor skills; playing music also helps kids to multi-task and become more confident in what they can do.
Choosing the right instrument for your child will depend on a combination of things, including their interest and ability. A child who likes to move around, for instance, will do better with an instrument that allows them to stand and move such as a string bass, clarinet, or percussion instrument. The cello gives kids who have motor skill difficulty room to move their fingers. Read here for specific suggestions about which instruments work well with which disabilities.
Create Space
You should give your child a particular space in your house where they have the freedom to express themselves through the arts. Include a desk or table to provide a clean work surface, and stock the room with everything they might need – paints and paintbrushes, paper, crayons, scissors, musical instruments and much more. While the room should be fairly organized to start with, it should also be a place where your kids can make a mess and it really doesn’t matter. Include a designated place in the room to display any work they do and give them a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Keep in mind that you could use this space to teach other children about the arts. For example, if you play an instrument and want to share that knowledge with others, give lessons and teach classes from the comfort of your home. Just remember that you’ll need to make sure you follow local regulations about registering your business with the local government. If you plan to register as an LLC before you start teaching classes, make sure you brush up on your state's guidelines to ensure you protect yourself and your business.
Join In
Kids will be delighted if you join in experiencing the arts along with them. Learn a musical instrument at the same time as your child. Sit down to paint with them. Take them through an art museum. Stay for their dance practice. These gestures will help ease any discomfort or embarrassment kids might feel because of their disability. You desperately want them to succeed, so give them the greatest chance possible.
Teaching the arts to kids with learning disabilities is a fantastic way to help them develop. If they are not using ideas and techniques like this at your child’s school, consider promoting the concept with their teachers. A little creativity goes a long way in raising talented kids with disabilities.
Photo from Unsplash
Article courtesy of Alyssa Strickland
Alyssa Strickland created millennial-parents.com for all the new parents on the block. Alyssa believes the old adage that it takes a village to raise a child, but she also thinks it takes a village to raise a parent! Millennial-Parents is that village. Today’s parents can be more connected than ever, and she hopes her site will enrich those connections. On Millennial-Parents, she shares tips and advice she learns through experience and from other young parents in three key areas — Education, Relationships, and Community.
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by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Aug 14, 2020 | Homeschooling
How to Make Video Games Fun and Safe for Your Family
Playing video games can be a fantastic way for a family to spend time together, but it’s important to monitor your children's usage if it consumes all their free time. The gaming experience can be healthy and fun, but if your child is left to their own devices they may be subjected to inappropriate material, which is why it’s important to keep an eye on safety settings and time spent in front of the console.
Choosing the best technology
When you’re ready to invest in a gaming console—whether it’s just for yourself, your children, or the whole family—be sure to get a device that’s high quality. For computer gaming, you can find a great monitor for any budget, which will make the gaming experience much more enjoyable. Look for a model that has a widescreen IPS display, high resolution, and a zero-frame design.
Because so many games are played online nowadays, it’s important to have an internet connection that can handle game streaming. Cloud gaming is increasingly more popular and can allow you or your children to engage with other game players all over the world. If you or your kids want to get into multiplayer games, you’ll need a connection that can handle the workload. Fiber optic connections can help minimize buffering and lag-time, making games smoother to play online and much faster to download.
Best games for family play
For some families, video games have replaced board games for spending quality time together. There are plenty of exciting games out there for families to play together; look for games that allow you to compete against one another, or collaborate to solve a problem together, or ones that are enjoyable simply for their aesthetic value.
Video games are also an excellent replacement for watching TV. Rather than having everyone zone out in front of a TV show, video games can provide your family an opportunity to play together in a way that appeals to each family member.
Tips to manage heavy usage
While games can be a great outlet for kids, it’s important to keep an eye on their usage. Kids who play too many video games can become withdrawn and antisocial—even if they say they’re playing with friends online.
To help manage heavy video game usage, set boundaries for what time of day they can play and for how long. Help them understand that game playing is a luxury, and not something they should do every time they’re bored.
If your kid has been spending too much time playing video games, encourage them to get exercise, whether it’s helping them to sign up for team sports at school or simply bringing them to the park to throw the frisbee around.
Safety settings for devices and consoles
With many games being played online, it’s crucial to monitor your kids’ activity and instill healthy online habits. Check the ratings on games they choose to play. And consider playing it yourself to see if the content is age appropriate.
Some games have built-in parental controls such as blocking in-game purchases, access to the internet, and location tracking. There are even games that allow you to control who your child can play with. It’s also a good idea to help your child understand how to be anonymous online. Unfortunately, playing online video games can leave your child vulnerable to dangerous individuals; be sure to keep your child’s personal information private when playing with anonymous gamers.
Video games can provide a wonderful opportunity for your family to spend time together. So, it’s important to find a monitor that can make game-playing more enjoyable. Invest in a fast internet connection so you can download games quickly and play online without long buffering or lag-times. And while gaming can be fun and healthy for everyone in your family, it’s important to monitor your kids’ video game usage. It is also important to take advantage of parental controls to keep your kids safe while playing online.
Alyssa Strickland created millennial-parents.com for all the new parents on the block. Alyssa believes the old adage that it takes a village to raise a child, but she also thinks it takes a village to raise a parent! Millennial-Parents is that village. Today’s parents can be more connected than ever, and she hopes her site will enrich those connections. On Millennial-Parents, she shares tips and advice she learns through experience and from other young parents in three key areas — Education, Relationships, and Community.
Homeschooling Dietitian Resources
Dinosaurs and Fossils Activity Pack and Jeopardy Game
Vitamin Cheat Sheets for Teaching about Nutrition
Meal Planning for Kids Curriculum
Byron's Games Stationary Kit for Kids
Healthy Alternatives for Picky Eaters
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