Who We Are

When people ask about our children we can say that we have three of each, three blonds and three brunettes, that is. But in the gender department we have chosen to specialize in boys ( and we make them pretty good too.) Yes, we do boys, that's what we do. All boys, all the time. Alex, Nathan, Derek, Dylan, Caleb, and Luke. It has a nice rhythm to it, don't you think. (You should hear how it sounds being yelled!)

In her book "The Parenting Breakthrough", Merilee Boyak suggested families specialize in about three activities, and that becomes part of the family's identity. Well we are the taekwondo, scouting, piano family.

Several years ago we did all the sports in season - everybody does - soccer, basketball, baseball, etc. But we got to the point when we had kids on 4 different teams, with Dad coaching two of them. We were at the park every weeknight, and all day on Saturday, waiting for one child at a time to practice or play. We never ate dinner together anymore or got to spend time together on weekends. And the older our kids got, the longer the seasons lasted, and started flowing into one another. It was chaos, and it wasn't working for our family. We began to realize how crazy it was to split up and play on different teams when we have our own team right here. We needed something to bring our family together instead of pulling us apart. So I am a soccer mom no longer - now I am taekwondo mom. How cool is that! We discovered martial arts, and it has been such a great blessing for our family and our family-ness. We can do it all together-Dad, Mom, and brothers. The schedule is completely flexible, we can skip on busy days, and double up classes on days when we have more time. And there are never classes on Saturday, so our weekends are always ours! It turned out to be just what our family needs. We practice together, help each other grow at their own pace, learn about respect, self-control, and character development. Oh yeah, and the boys love all that kicking and screaming!


Scouting is a given, of course. We currently have 2 cubs (bears both), 2 scouts (star & tenderfoot), and a scout leader (eagle). In fact Dad, Alex, and Nathan left for scout camp on Fiesta Island, San Diego yesterday. (In just nine short years they can all go to camp, and I can have the week to myself - I am already making plans!) The whole scouting thing was crazy and confusing at first, and every year of cubs is different, but now we've got it down. This is where gender specialization comes in handy. Mom does cubs. Dad does scouts. The boys love it, and are learning and trying so many exciting and interesting new things, and accomplishing something at the same time. Whenever that boys complain of being bored, I say, "pull out your scout book."



Piano is on mom's insistence. They whine about it sometimes, but Shari Thatcher is the best teacher in the world and when they get to play song from Star Wars or Sponge Bob, they love it. After so many years is it just so nice to spontaneously hear real and lovely music being played in our home. It makes it all worthwhile!


Of course, the boys have a few individual things that they like too do, but these three activities pull us together as a family, and give us an identity and common purpose. Of course our only true common purpose is to work together to serve our Lord, Jesus Christ. We have a 10 foot long saying on our family room wall -"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15." We consider our home a F.M.T.C. (Future Missionary Training Center) and are working very hard to prepare these boys for the service they will give the Lord on their missions and throughout their lives. VanBuskirks always follow the prophet. Always.

That is who we are. We are the taekwondo, scouting, piano family that always follows the prophet.