Welcome!

About this blog

I started this blog in September 2009, as a way to document my journey homeschooling 4 boys.  Since then it’s evolved into a space where I share my voice on a range of topics from homeschooling to parenting, to fun at home with kids to my own spiritual journey.  I read a lot and like to share the things I learn.  I also teach a week-long seminar on child development and attachment and I like to post about those things too.  The blog is called “real child development” because I love to take the study of child development and apply it directly to my real, everyday life with kids.  I hope in some small way the things I write can be an encouragement to other moms.  Far from “having it all together,” I’m just one mom who’s learning all she can!

About Me

My life’s passion is children and more specifically children at risk.  I’ve worked with kids in the U.S., Thailand, Cambodia, South Africa and now live in Costa Rica.  My heart is to see families become whole so that children grow up in a safe and secure enviroment.  Right now, though, my main purpose is homeschooling these four wild and crazy boys entrusted into my care.  They rock my world. each. and. every. day. And just for fun, here’s 20 random things about me:

1. In our home we call bottoms “booties.”
2. I always always always put lotion on after a shower. I love to moisturize.
3. I have the really awful habit of laughing during really tense sitautions – like funerals, etc. It’s horrible, but uncontrollable and very awkward.
4. I’ve been discovering that I think I’m really deep down an introvert. weird.
5. My husband is the most crazy, funny, random, silly, carefree, happy person I know. I wish I could be more like him.
6. I’ve eaten pig ear – it’s pretty much like cartelidge and very chewy.
7. Our family never says the word, “fart,” instead we say “otote” which means fart in tagalog.
8. The day I got my driver’s license I hit a parked car and totalled it. (I hit the gas pedal instead of the brake pedal)
9. Though I was known for being messy and disorganized, I’ve turned into a really organized, clean, neat freak.
10. I don’t like driving. My most feared mode of transportation is a car.
11. It really bothers me when people judge me or are judgmental in general. I hate that.
12. Sometimes when I’m watching a movie or reading a book I find myself praying for the characters.
13. My perfect day is to go to the beach early and stay there all day until the sun goes down.
14. I don’t like feet – and I don’t like feet to touch me.
15. I’ve been pulled over for mooning a cop.  On accident.  We didn’t know it was a cop. Panty moons were a big part of highschool for me.
16. I tried to cut my hair myself once and it ended up being one inch long all over.
17. Sometimes I laugh so hard I pee my pants. It hasn’t happened in awhile, I miss those days.
18. I dyed my hair shiny blue black and kept it that way for awhile – I’ve never dyed my hair since.
19. My first car cost $250 – it had no power steering or power brakes or turn signals, I had to do arm signals out the window to turn.
20.  I think my 30′s will be even greater than my 20′s, I’m excited about getting older.

Meet the Family

My husband of over nine years and our four boys, Kai, Ezra, Jude and Koa are the light of my life.  I love them more than I can even express.  God has blessed me more than I could ever have imagined.

You can read more about our life and work with children at risk in Costa Rica here: www.scottandleslie.com