I Wasn’t Ready for a Fire… Are You? Please pass this on to everyone! We were so lucky… Life happens. I have heard this saying before, but yesterday it caught up with me in a very forgiving way. We had a neighborhood emergency and it revealed that our family does not have an emergency plan in place. I am writing this as a way to get my mind around t we should do in an emergency, but also to warn you. We were very lucky. I pray we are never tested on our new plan, yet I want to be ready just in case. Early in the morning we smelled smoke. It was a none threatening smell. Actually, it smelled wonderful, like someone was burning some wonderfully aromatic wood in their fireplace. It was relaxing. It was too warm for us to start a fire, but the smell did make us check the temperature just to make sure. Yes, it was too warm for us to burn a fire. We had a lovely morning. We talked about everything from pumpkins to raising chickens. I remember even talking about the fact that I was not willing to get up in the middle of the night to check on baby chickens. Random, I know. My husband commented that they make warmers to keep baby chickens warm. Even more random… Or was it? I went for an hour and a half walk with one of the kids. When I stepped back onto our front lawn I smelled the fire smell again. Mmmm. Smelled like fall. I went inside and commented to my husband that it must be a fireplace, because I could only smell it here. I sent the kids outside to play and they came bursting back inside within 5 minutes… “Mom! There black smoke right out front. I think it’s the neighbor’s house!” I walked outside (Not sure I believed the kids…) and saw the smoke and the flames… our neighbor’s yard was on fire… Throw all reason out the door. I called to have my son bring me the phone and dial 911. My husband was in the shower and I did not even think to go tell him. I was working on less than rational thought. I had no logical trains of thought, just OMGoodness, that fire is close. Fast forward about an hour. The fire was out. No one was hurt. The only loss was a… CHICKEN COOP! Can you believe it? We learned a few lessons that morning. We don’t have an emergency plan We can’t think rationally in an emergency We should trust the Lord’s whisper of a voice (He was trying to tell us the chicken coop was on fire!) So I have to ask you. Are you and your children ready for an emergency? As a homeschooler, this is my responsibility to equip my children. We are currently forming our official plan and we will be practicing weekly for a while, then monthly. Do you have a plan? What would you and your kids do if there was a: Fire Earthquake Tornado Flood Hurricane National Disaster If your family was separated, Where will you meet? Do you use cell phones and cordless handheld phones? They do not work when cell towers go down and power outages happen. Do you have one of those “old fashioned” phones that simply plug into the wall? You’ll want one! Start garage sale shopping. Do you have a list of emergency contacts in your wallet? Do all of your children? Do your kids know how to make collect calls from a pay phone? (Don’t laugh. When I taught my then 18 year old he tried to tell me there were no pay phones in our town. He was so used to cell phone technology that he didn’t even see them!) My day yesterday showed me that even though I love my Scarlet O’Hara mentality of “I’m not going to worry about that today, I’ll worry about that tomorrow”, if I do not have a plan to follow then I will be up a creek without a paddle in an emergency. Need a starting point? Here is a great Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book by FEMA Here is FEMA’s Make an Emergency Plan Site Our family feels like the Lord protected us in our little emergency. It could have been so much worse! All the trees within 5 feet of the fire are crispy dry. We are all surrounded by fires favorite food, dried brush. The wind is notorious in our town, we even have one of the largest wind farms! We could have lost everything. We are thankful for our neighbors who never hesitated! They knocked the fire down from a 30 foot wall of fire, down to about a foot by the time the fire department arrived! If you do not have a plan, set aside school work for a few days this week and develop one with your children and start drilling! The year-round support and guidance you need to succeed in your homeschool journey. Welcome to The Homeschool Sisterhood! Learn more…
Coffee Break: To Pay or Not To Pay Your Kids I was blessed to sit and visit with a group of about 12 homeschool parents this morning. It was so refreshing. There’s something magical about sitting and visiting over coffee and treats. I was again reminded about perspective, but from a different, well, perspective this morning. Just a few days ago, I was teaching my boys that an acorn could be either a beautiful sign of autumn, or a safety hazard. This morning I was reminded that each and every family in a unique and amazing self-contained unit. I do not, but what works for me may not work for you and vice versa. The incredible truth is that it’s OK. The important thing is that we settle into what works for our own families in the current season of life that we are walking through at this moment in time. Here are some of the differences between the families I sat with this morning: Chores. Some children never lift a finger around their home, some are paid to make their beds, some have a whole list of to do tasks to be completed. Television. Some families have art easels where a television would typically be found. Some kids earn “coupons” to buy TV time. Some families only watch on the weekends, some have no television boundaries. Meals. Some people eat out more than 4 times a week, some never eat anything unless it is prepared in their own kitchen. Some kids learn to cook when they are 5, and some of us have to wait until we are grown up to learn how to boil water. Curriculum. Some homeschoolers try to duplicate a traditional classroom atmosphere, even building mini school rooms to occupy 5 days a week where some kids are left to govern their own days and learn as they go. Some homeschoolers buy textbooks, worksheets, quizzes, and tests, while others use their local library as their curriculum. School work. Some kids complete an endless chain of worksheets and regurgitating questions while others are covered in dirt as they build their own catapults in their backyard. We are all so uniquely and wonderfully made. No two homeschool families are alike. The important thing is that we take the time to discover who “we are” and then blossom with our kids. No one can really tell you how to homeschool your kids. You know what they need to work on (not any particular worksheet, but maybe learning to read or master their math facts). Take what makes you and your children unique and allow yourself to grow into the best you can be. Definitely spend time with other homeschoolers, either in person or on-line, and get to that place where there is open sharing. Glean ideas, tips, projects and encouragement that you want to incorporate into your life and let go of the rest. Every year, things will change. That’s OK. Actually that’s the beauty of homeschool.
Homeschooling: How To Move From Newbie To Veteran A Newbie Homeschooler is one who is still in that honeymoon phase of homeschooling. It lasts for about one to three years and can honestly hold you back from the best homeschooling has to offer. So how does one move from the newbie side of the homeschool line to the coveted veteran side? It’s different for everyone, but it all starts here: Do not quit. Homeschooling is one of the more challenging endeavours that a parent can undertake. Imagine sitting in your home, surrounded by all of your children. You are the chief cook and bottle washer. You decide what they eat, what they wear, what they learn. Honestly, the task can be daunting. Complicate the homeschooling experience by the fact that humans are competitive by nature and we tend to want what others have. That translates into having our children involved in too many activities and ordering their school days with an ivy league quality set of assignments to be completed each day. New Homeschoolers tend to make a huge mistake. They run out and order a curriculum because it looks good, long before they discover who their children are as students and who they themselves are as teachers. A Newbie still believes that “this curriculum” or “that curriculum” will help their child learn. Veteran Homeschoolers are a different breed entirely. While we are all unique, we do share some concrete similarities. Veterans know their child’s strengths and weaknesses. Veterans tailor their child’s education to fit in between the lines of their students passions and abilities. Veterans are confident in their ability to teach, yet humble enough to ask for help when necessary. Veterans are more interested in their child’s character than how many math facts they can fire off in 60 seconds. So how does a Newbie move to the Veteran Side? Spend more time studying what makes your child tick than you do shopping for curriculum. Ask for help determining your child’s learning style and your teaching style. Have fun learning along side your children. Choose to ignore the laundry and play in the mud. Realize that your primary goal is to teach your child to love to learn, not master XYZ of your states standards. Being a newbie can be a wonderful season in your educational career. This is where you can honestly glean wonderful pearls of wisdom from educators around you. Enjoy the process of discovering who you and your children are as homeschoolers. It is never about how well your child knows page 214 of their science book. It is about how well you equip your child to seek knowledge daily. Your goal should be to reach the veteran camp as soon as possible. Sure, there is more laundry here, but the kids are having a blast at learning, living, and growing!
Teaching Older Children About Business I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about how to better prepare my young men for this new and crazy world. My oldest son is a sophomore in college and we are constantly discussing his future, his career choices and the fact that what he does today profoundly impacts his tomorrow. He is well on his way to earning his degree and reaching his lifelong dream of being a history professor, but he has dreams or being a business owner. So why build an online business with him? Because I can. Because I am learning the processes myself and am very excited to see what the Lord will do in our lives and my enthusiasm is contagious. One of the mental challenges of homeschooling, for me, has been the process of breaking out of the molds that society would label “education”. Why wouldn’t I take the time to teach my children something they want to learn, something they see value in, and sneak in a few “educational lessons” along the way. The same way that we might puree carrots and squash to add to a sauce and sneak in nutrition, I sneak my core goals into everything I teach my kids as we research and pursue their passions. Does this make sense? Well, in my home, this idea has caught fire. I have 5 boys and three of them are in the start up phases of their own on-line companies. Cool huh? As soon as they come on-line I will share them with you, but for now I’d like to ask you to consider asking your older kids if this is something they might want to explore. I say explore, because I have been on this road for about 6 years. It has taken me an embarrassing amount of time to get to where I am today. I will assume that many of you may have a child (or maybe you yourself) who would love to start a business. The good news is that I love to share! Ask your kids if they are old enough. “Would you like to learn how to start an online business?” If either you or they say yes, be sure to enter to the right. I am giving away 2 copies of a special report designed to help you get started!
Experience First: Flight Every time the Space Shuttle launched I cried like a baby. “Mission Control, This is Endeavour are we cleared for launch?” “Endeavor you are cleared to launch in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…” I get goosebumps just thinking about it. Now, teaching kids about aerodynamics is another subject altogether. I get a headache just thinking about it. For me, this is a dry and dull subject (if you are an aerospace engineer who may visit this article, forgive me). Related: Your preschools don’t need to sit still, they need to move! So how do I teach my kids about things I find dull and boring? I find someone who is passionate about the subject and get my kids in front of their enthusiasm! The funny thing is when I am with my children I catch the enthusiasm. In our “who you know” world, our family was invited to watch the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour as it made its California Tour. (My husband worked for NASA at the time). I have to say this was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in my life. We were able to have a front row seat to view the shuttle fly by on the back of its 747 and then land and park directly in front of our family ( and a few thousand other blessed people). Wow. I still cannot believe we were able to see this. Now let me ask you. Do you think my boys are going to be interested as we learn about flight and aerodynamics? You tell me… While it is true that not everyone can get an invitation like this, everyone has opportunities all around them to explore something amazing. Seize every one of those opportunities as you homeschool. I hear of homeschoolers that farm, raise chickens and cows, build an organic homestead and store, visit local (and not so local) museums, participate in living history days, attend plays, play musical instruments, attend art shows, shadow professionals to preview jobs, design and build computers, and more. What do you have available to you and your kids? Maybe it’s fishing. If you want your kids to learn about the fish of the sea, begin by taking them fishing. Don’t know how to fish? Ask around. My hubby took two of our sons out with a friend today to participate in their first fishing derby. Look at that King Salmon! You can bet that boy will be primed and ready to learn about the life cycle of a fish, and the impact of the Salmon on the health of the Pacific Northwest where we live. He’ll likely even be ready to help protect fish to ensure that his kids can experience this same thrill. It could be anything, but usually kids don’t say, “Hey, I’m passionate about this thing I’ve never done before!” Kids need to experience first, become intrigued and then they’ll be excited to learn. Always lead with EXPERIENCE Ask a neighbor or two for their top ten sites in your town for their top ten list of places to see Visit your local chamber of commerce Order your national parks map and visit 3 parks this year Read your local paper and attend things that you may think are boring (just do not say that aloud to your kids) Then stand back. As your kids taste and see this amazing world, they will be primed and ready to receive the “educational” activities rolling in your imagination. Just be sure to hook their curiosity before you blast off into learning! How to Make Learning Fun: EASY! Hebrew for Homeschoolers High School Electives for Homeschoolers
Welcome to A Better Way to Homeschool Thank you for hopping over to my blog from my Teachers Pay Teachers Store! Before you leave, please subscribe to my blog. (enter your email on the right! Why? I have special giveaways and freebies for my readers often. I would love to bless you with my next “Insider Gift”. I update this blog a few times a month with new homeschooling ideas, tips, and words of encouragement. One more jump. When you are done browsing, please return to my Teachers pay Teachers store and follow me. I always have new products in process. When you follow me, you will be the first to see these new creations! Last thing. If you have any questions about homeschooling, or if you have need for a specific product to meet your needs, email me here. Have a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by.