Pokemon Go: Why I Love this New Game My name is Bekki and I play Pokemon Go. Sounds like an AA confession, right? So Here’s my Pokemon confession. Important information: · I have been married for over 25 year to a wonderful man. · We have 5 boys ages 10-23. · I HATE video games. · I mean I HATE video games. When I was a kid and my parents took us to an arcade, I would pocket the quarters my dad would dish out rather than play the games. * The night before the release of this new app, our 10 year old showed my husband something he had created and then cheerfully ran to create something else. My husband whispered to me, “Sometimes I forget how young he still is. I need to remember he is still a little kid.” That comment was burned into my heart. The next day, our oldest (23) can home and excitedly announced that “The Pokemon App was released” and he had accidentally lost his ‘Pikachu’. (That’s a character in the game… hang with me for a second). By Monday the two memories had merged. Our youngest is still little, and our oldest is fully fascinated by this new game. So, sitting at the doctor’s office with son #3 I downloaded the app. I was convinced I could shock all five sons simultaneously. I had no idea what was about to happen. Son #3 exclaimed, “YOU are downloading Pokemon?!” The nurse saw my phone and gasped, “You’re playing Pokemon Go? I was out all over my neighborhood last night catching Pokemon!” I came home and quietly talked with my husband. I said, “You will be tempted to roll your eyes and dismiss what I am about to say, but please listen for a second. I decided today to download the Pokemon Go app and be “cool mom” and embrace this game with the kids. I think we should do it as a family.” He stared at me blankly for a second and said, “Really?” I said, “All I ask is that you pray about it.” Well the game has been out a week. Here are my favorite moments: · The look on my oldest sons’ faces when they were talking about the game and I casually shared that I was on level 3. There are no words to describe that moment when your kids suddenly see that you are not an alien from a different time period. Priceless. · The joy that oozed from all five sons when my husband said, “Let’s go catch Pokemon!” They all started running and talking to themselves… “Did he just say what I think he said?” · Watching our sons teach their dad (and I) how to play the game. They are so eager to have us understand. · Relating the game to our loves as Christians: o We should be looking for God’s fingerprints more intensely than we hunt for Pokemon. o We should pray for the people we see playing the game. o We should be light. · Seeing hundreds of people out and about, exploring and playing as groups. · Smiling, laughing and talking with people in the community. · Seeing new places. (The game sends you to landmarks, signs, churches, libraries, parks, and more). · The time with my family. For this short period of time, all 7 of us are playing the same game, going to the same places, experiencing the same fun at the same time. Since my husband and I are “all in” we are included in their circle of fun. It’s crazy. Pokemon? I know there are many great reasons to avoid such “silliness”. Remember I HATE video games. I HATE wastefulness. But this is not wasteful. This is spending time with our kids, exercising, exploring, socializing, teaching, and witnessing all wrapped up in a bouncing Pokeball. Thinking about going all in for a week too? Let me give you some insider tips to help you blow your kids’ socks off as well.
Backyard Water Fun Due to unseasonally warm weather, the swimming area at our local lake closed. (flashback to 2015) To say our boys were bummed when we walked toward the water is an UNDERstatement! My husband said, “I have an idea! My sister and I did this when we were little… Go buy some huge garbage bags.” I baulked. I gave him the look. Yet he insisted… “Trust Me,” he said. So I did. Voila! A memory was born. Recipe For ‘Fun In a Garbage Bag’ Materials: hot kids large garbage bags a hose a flat place Directions: Have hot kids stand or sit on the inside seam of the bag. Have “volunteer” Spray them fill the bags with water from the hose. Observe the fun. Confession: I was absolutely sure the kids would hate this activity. I was absolutely positive they would not participate. I was absolutely, positively, completely wrong! Lessons learned: Trust husband. Don’t take life so seriously that I neglect the overly simple. Divide “I’m too cool to try” kids from the “Sounds awesome!” kids. This varies in each home. Our 22, 17, and 13 year olds said, “No way.” Our 11 and 9 year old reluctantly tried and loved it. Warning: The water was from our well. We stopped when the boys truly began to shiver in the 95 degree yard. This activity would have been better in the shade. ALL water activities should be supervised. Use discretion with younger children. Good luck getting your older kids to try!!
MLA Citation, Plagiarism, and Paraphrasing- Preparing for High School Inside: MLA citation worksheet packet (link) and a free writer’s rubric printable. I’m Preparing to Teach High School Next Year High School Scares Me. There I said it. Our older two boys both graduated high school by attending charter schools or the local community college. That was easier for me. They went to school and then I was available to coach them through syllabus organization and scheduling, editing papers, and life skill teaching. This year, I feel like I am on my own. (I’m really not, but it feels like it) We have our third son entering high school (and very quickly after are his two younger brothers). Within a few years, we will have three kids in high school! Yes. Pray for me. So I am spending the summer praying, studying and planning. … Read More »
Summer Fun Dragonflies Free is good, right? Here’s a fun freebie for you! You will find this product in my store. 14 Fun Facts about Dragonflies More Dragonfly Fun
Father’s Day Craft Father’s Day is a few days away… I am so blessed by my husband! He helps cast a vision for our homeschooling. He keeps me focused on the Lord. He reminds me that character trumps curriculum. Every. Single. Time. He reminds me to focus on life skills and “an attitude of learning” rather than any particular topic. He helps me regulate my own schedule so I do not spin myself into the ground. He trusts me to choose curriculum and teaching topics that align with our family while educating our boys. Here are two Father’s Day Crafts for you! More: Father’s Day Ideas Father’s Day Crafts for Toddlers Preview of the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Master Class. We need to STOP measuring success by grades, achievements, awards, and worksheets.
Dad’s Role in Homeschooling One of the hardest lessons I have learned over the years is that I should ask my husband for homeschooling advice. I asked teachers. I asked girl friends. I asked other homeschoolers. I even googled. But I neglected asking my own husband for help or guidance in homeschooling. I share this with the hope that you will learn from my mistakes. I was never intentionally ignoring his wisdom, I was simply wrong in my thinking. You see, I have always been the primary teacher for our five boys. I cook, I clean, I teach. My husband has always worked very hard as the provider of our home. He is a brilliant computer guy who is always up to his eyeballs in the latest technology. I always thought this meant he didn’t know what the boys needed as far as “school” was concerned. Boy was I wrong! True. Hubby is too busy at work to: pick out science experiments choose curriculum grade math tests. That’s where I always failed. I thought since he wasn’t involved in the “small” homeschooling things that he wouldn’t have anything to offer besides support for me. Sheesh. I was so wrong. While I do still struggle with this mindset from time to time, I have learned to prioritize not just including my husband, but rather allowing him to lead us in our homeschooling adventure. How does My Husband Lead without being the day to day teacher? He helps cast a vision for our homeschooling. He keeps me focused on the Lord. He reminds me that character trumps curriculum. Every. Single. Time. He reminds me to focus on life skills and “an attitude of learning” rather than any particular topic. He helps me regulate my own schedule so I do not spin myself into the ground. He trusts me to choose curriculum and teaching topics that align with our family while educating our boys. While that is not an exhaustive list, it is an important one. My husband and I have very different homeschooling roles and we are dependent on one another. Without his guidance and wisdom I would quickly chase the wrong rabbit down the wrong path. For those of you homeschooling alone, I can only imagine how challenging your journey is for you. If there is anything I can do to make your homeschooling journey easier, just ask! Preview of the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Master Class. We need to STOP measuring success by grades, achievements, awards, and worksheets.
Hindsight: 18 Years of Homeschooling If I could rewind the tape and begin homeschooling my kids today with the benefit of my 18 years of experience, what would I do differently? 1. I would spend the first 6-12 months to a year organizing my home, working on establishing a daily rhythm, and study my children. 2. I’d go to the library at least once a week allowing them to choose books that interest them, and hand picking random books for me to read aloud. I would be watching for what they are interested in, what makes them excited, what they find boring, etc. 3. I would rely on my husband more in creating a vision for our children, rather than trying to figure out what everyone else is doing. I wouldn’t waste a second trying to make what works for your kids work for mine. I’d keep my husband in the loop about our daily escapades and accept his advice more quickly. I mistakenly thought that because he worked outside the home all day he would be unable to see what the kids needed. This piece of humble pie would have been better to consume early in homeschooling. 4. Rather than spending countless hours worrying about this curriculum or that, I would begin with the family goals we have now: Put the highest priority on sharing our love for Jesus with our children. To insure the kids know their math facts inside and out. Period. Forget learning them, they need to over learn them. To inspire a love for literature by exposing the kids to a steady flow of great books. (I would read aloud daily no matter what their ages). I’d be picking the brains of the veteran homeschoolers, librarians, and authors that are in my sphere of influence for suggestions and I would prioritize a daily reading habit. I would focus all learning to develop excellent written and oral communication skills. I would find my children pen pals so they could perfect the friendly letter. I would have them do copy work from the masters and discuss why the sentences, paragraphs, essays, or stories are so great. I would understand that excellence in writing really comes from being well read and practice, tactics, practice. 5. I would find opportunities for my kids to stand and share in front of others, whether it is during a family BBQ or performing with the local theater- giving them the skill and confidence to speak in front of others. 6. I would view curriculum, tests, quizzes, and state tests as resources to help me customize each of the kids education, not the substance of their learning. 7. I would relax more. I’d let the kids get dirtier. I would get dirtier. We would play in the rain, build in the snow, chase rainbows, cloud watch, visit the farm, play at the beach, collect more leaves, examine more bugs, watch more plays, attend the theater, interview our doctors and dentists, locate inspirational guests like missionaries, mechanical engineers, artists, poets, and ace mechanics to share their passions with the kids. I would put a map of the US and the world under glass or plastic across my kitchen table and every single time we read or heard about a place we would locate it on the map and discuss how close/far it is from us. 8. I would hide the duct tape… 9. I would do it all over again. And again. And again. I know my children so much more intimately because of homeschooling. I am forever grateful for the vision my husband was given for our family. How about you? What are the top few things you would change if you could rewind the tape and homeschool those beginning years with the wisdom you have today? Preview of the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Master Class. We need to STOP measuring success by grades, achievements, awards, and worksheets.
I Quit: Again! (write down your bad days. you’ll laugh later… This was one of my “bad days” last year-enjoy) Today is definitely one of those days. I should have quit when: The ceiling started dripping. I realized the water was coming from the upstairs bathroom. When I called the landlord to tell her that the upstairs bathroom was leaking into the downstairs bathroom. When my 7th grader decided I was “wasting his time by trying to get him to write down a few math steps”. My 7th grader was shaking in frustration, confusion, and rebellion. The plumber came and asked me where the main water turn off was for our new home. My 6the grader decided that 2 hours was an appropriate time limit for a lesson that was begun with the words, “honey, I am letting you do this easy math lesson today so you can practice three things: neatness, discipline, and timing…” I looked at my 6th grader’s paper only to discover he had only neatly written the lesson number after 30 minutes. My 4th grader disappeared from the school area… AGAIN. My 7th grader announces to me, in front of the plumber, “mom, ______ just bit ______” (no names to protect the guilty) Related: The Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Ok, I really should have quit when: I realized that one of my kids bit another of my kids. (Really? I have No kids under the age of 9!!!) The guilty child was just “play biting in order to get his toy back…” (I repeat. My kids are older than 9). The plumber asks, “So… You homeschool?” I reply, “Yes sir. Only today is one of those days that I question homeschooling!” I really, really, really should have quit when: The boys almost hung the dog. Accidentally of course. So, I quit. Just now. I sent the boys to bed until tomorrow. (Or until I cool down, whichever comes first) Do you ever keep going on a day that clearly communicates, “STOP!” Tell me, I’m not the only one!! [leadpages_leadbox leadbox_id=142a79846639c5] [/leadpages_leadbox] Print this free homeschool mom reminder. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… Download Your Free Printable Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.
Teenagers: Secure Their Parachutes By the time our kids reach high school, we can bend to the pressure to “let them go” and “cut the cords”.Teenagers need the help, guidance, and strength of their parents even more than toddlers do at times. The transition from middle schooler to adulthood is like running a medieval gauntlet. While some kids skate through their adolescence unscathed, many need extra care and attention. Unfortunately we do not get to pick and and choose which kids need extra help, and which ones do not. As parents we need to “go the distance” with each and every child and teen. Our job does not slow down when our kids hit high school, actually this is when the real “fun” begins. Truth’s About Parenting and Teaching Teens This is not the time to loosen the reigns. Honestly, adolescence is the time when kids really buck against authority, but should not be the time we let go. With the crazy flooding of hormones, teen brains can really struggle with rational thought and emotion. They need us desperately. Letting them make their own mistakes in their own educational journey should not mean we “Let Them Utterly Fail”. While we cannot complete their homework assignments for them, we need to stay on top of our teens. Some students flourish during this time and become “Captain of their Own Destinies”- even conquering the world. But, many students put on a realistic smoke screen that implies that they have the world by the tail, but are drowning in the amount of responsibility and work required in their life. By the time parents become aware of the fact that their students are struggling, they are facing a mountain of makeup work. Not fun on any continent. What does this mean? We stay on top of our kids. Continue to monitor their eating and sleeping habits. Maintain (or regain) parental control over things like tv and screen time so that we help them learn to manage these time-vacuum activities. While each family establishes what is acceptable to them, parents should be in control. Many teens need us to be firm over these things so they can safely flourish. Not doing acceptably in school should dictate less “fun time” with technology, social media, and texting. Be willing to go the distance WITH our kids. They are struggling in math? Either tutor them or find them one. Sit at the table while they finish their assignments. Model what it looks like to be confused, but to press through confusion to comprehension. There are adults who are willing to sit and mentor/coach not only our kids, but us parents as well. If you do not understand an assignment, concept, or assignment reach out and find help. Even You tube can be a great resource! Some kids will be easy to guide, others will be challenging, but all of our kids need us. They need to know that they are not stranded on a deserted island, abandoned to figure out how to create a flowchart demonstrating how to name a chemical formula from its scientific name, write an expository essay, or solve a quadratic equation alone. There is a whole team of adults, teachers, and mentors ready to help them, but first they need us. Do not be intimidated by the amount or subject of material they need to assimilate. Let them see you confused. Let them see you research solutions. Let them see you ask for help. Let them protest as you take them to a tutor. Just do not give up and let go. God gave us the responsibility to secure their parachutes, no matter how loudly they protest! Print this free homeschool mom reminder. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… Download Your Free Printable Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas! Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal. Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.
Science: Water Rocket I pretty much fail at teaching science. I try. I really do. But we just can’t be great at everything. On my list of “Things I am not great at Doing” is teaching science. My saving gracing, besides Jesus, is childhood ingenuity. With the help of a teacher friend, my 8th grader not only made a water rocket, but launched it successfully. While I may not be the best “science teacher”, but kids are the best independent learners! Here are some easy instructions for building your own Water Rocket. Be safe, and have a “BLAST”! New from my Store: Buy now Download your FREE “Science is Curiosity” {Printable}
Insects and Spring: The Perfect Homeschool Pair Spring has sprung! We live in the Pacific Northwest and there is no doubt that spring is in the air (Ah-choo!).While everything is covered in pollen so thick that you leave footprints in the yellow, the boys are in heaven. Sunshine Warmth Birds Bees Flowers Trees Take advantage of the spring in your area and do a unit study on one or more aspects of God’s Creation. This is a read along video about BUGS! Great for emerging readers! Unit Study on Insects Insect Documentary 50 Art Projects for Spring! Science Experiments! Have Fun! Download your FREE “Science is Curiosity” {Printable}
Create a Home and Life you Love Now There’s only one catch: It’s available for just six days only. (April 11-16, 2018) Making a home is harder than it looks. It’s not any one thing — the family members who lack toilet aim or the daily kitchen duties or the budget woes or the parenting what-am-I-doing moments or the basement flooding- no, it’s not any of those things in particular. It’s ALL of it. Photo by Priscilla Du Preez … Read More »
Brain Teasers for Kids Don’t you just love whiteboards? Recently I began writing a brain teaser of the day on the whiteboard for the kids to solve. They love it. Photo by Pietro De Grandi SAMPLE BRAIN TEASER What is greater than God, more evil than the devil, the poor have it, the rich need it, and if you eat it, you’ll die? … Read More »
From 8th Grader to Man: Homeschooling through High School Son #3 is currently wrapping up 8th grade. That’s right, high school is just around the summer corner. It is time to make “the list”. What list? The “Everything I want to teach you before you graduate from High School” list. … Read More »
Welcome to A Better Way to Homeschool!! Before you start looking around, go ahead and grab a copy of my book, Homeschooling from the Inside Out It’s completely FREE. Just click over and fill in your first name and primary email below and we will send you a digital copy immediately!! Life is busy in my neck of the woods, so I can assume it is for you as well… But we must never be so busy we can’t pause and say hi and share the advantages of homeschooling! Oh, not every time. More than once, I’ve passed dear friends with a smile that said, “I see you but don’t have time to pause.” Don’t you love friends like that? If you’re new here, I’d love to learn more about you. Are you still changing diapers or teaching teens to drive (or both?). Do you love homeschooling, coffee, or board games? There are no rules here, I poured myself a cup of coffee and am ready to listen. Just hit reply. When you come to my house for the first time, I will give you a tour and show you every room. As an introvert, it gives me something to do with confidence and the walk around gets the conversation started. I’d love to give you a guided tour:). Who Am I? One of the only Professional Nerf Bullet Dodgers on the Planet! Opening the Front Door Let me give you a tour to my online home:) A Better Way to Homeschool is the location of our homeschool blog. We’ve been living here for over ten years. It’s filled with memories, pictures, ideas, activities and resources. In the old days, I’d have you write the address in the black address notebook you carried in your purse, today I suggest “bookmarking” the page. We’ve been homeschooling for over 20 years and still have five healthy, intelligent, wonderful sons. And that’s me and my husband, still smiling… Pretty cool, huh? Five sons. It’s as crazy as it sounds. Here is rare footage of what it’s like feeding teenage boys. {14 second video} Ask me! If you need something specific, just ask. With that much time under my belt, I likely have just what you’re looking for! I’ve met some of the best homeschooling bloggers/coaches along the way too. I promise you, If I don’t have what you need I will know the person who will and I’ll introduce you! You can reach me at abetterwaytohomeschool@gmail.com While you’re here I want to point out a few of my newest articles Typing for Kids made Easy A Secret list 97 Simple and Inexpensive Ways to Teach Math Surviving the 12-year old son Buffet Style Eating. We usually serve guests from a buffet-style spread. It’s just more comfortable. I have a buffet for you too, filled with way too much for you to actually digest in one sitting, but here are the favorites from other homeschool moms. Homeschool Mom’s Huddle: A Wonderful group of homeschool moms who meet twice a month online to learn about a focused area of homeschooling, teaching, or parenting. Established in August of 2018, new huddle members gain instant access to all the previous videos and printables shared during the huddles. The best part? When you join the huddle, you get instant access to ALL of the past huddles! Topics like: Praying for our kidsHow to teach kids to writeHands-on activities for mathHow to teach kids mannersInternet SafetyCommunication skills and so much more! The huddle is a subscription that gives you 2 huddles (LIVE and comes with forever replays), printables from each new huddle and a growing community of homeschool moms ready to make this special “club” specialer. (Yes, I was taught to create words like Dr. Seuss!) Join the Huddle here. My Favorite Hangouts Home! It is truly my favorite place on Earth. Facebook: A Better Way to HomeschoolFacebook: Our Lives as Homeschool MomsYouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/BetterWay2Homeschool/Pinterest!!! So many homeschool goodies My Hobbies ArcherySharing what I know with other homeschoolersCreating classes for homeschoolers and moms: Inside Out Homeschooling, Make and Sell Printables on Teachers Pay Teachers, and My newest Class Starting an Online Business for Absolute Beginners (Presale. Class is still under construction)Partnering with other BIG homeschool bloggers to bring wonderful resources to you!! Now… About you. I read every single email from my wonderful readers and I try to reply to most. But I would LOVE to hear from you. Find one of my emails in your inbox and simply hit reply!
Animals that Hibernate Preparing for winter. Nature does this without any whisper from you and me just a quiet nudging from the Lord. Summer and Fall are its time to prepare for the long cold season ahead. Some animals snuggle in for the bitter cold in a deep deep sleep called hibernation. Kids LOVE to study animals. There are so many lessons they can learn by watching critters run, jump, fly, and work. Animals that spend the bitter and unforgiving cold winter months curled up in sleep are a wonderful unit study! What is hibernation? Hibernation, also known as ‘winter sleep’, is a state of deep sleep or dormancy that an animal undergoes during the cold months of winter. During this phase, body metabolism and heart rate of the animal go down drastically and the animal practically sleeps for various days to months. There are two types of hibernation, namely ‘true’ hibernation and torpor, or temporary hibernation. In true hibernation, the animal falls into such a deep sleep that it appears to be dead. The body temperature, breathing, and the heart rate drops down. Torpor is a state of short sleep, where the heart rate and body temperature goes down but the animal is able to move around. There are various types of hibernation and not all animals go into a complete state of hibernation. Do Squirrels Hibernate? Mr. Squirrel and his family teach us about working hard and being prepared. If at all possible, go quietly into the woods to watch the squirrels carry its nuts to his pantry in his mouth. Do squirrels hibernate in winter? The answer lies in where the fluffy critters live. All squirrels hate the bitter cold and will chose to sleep when the temperature gets too low. In the northern regions, squirrels can hibernate for up to six months to survive the bitter cold! Hands on Activities that teach about hibernation. Source: https://fun-a-day.com/engineering-project-kids-dens-winter-animals/ Source: https://amzn.to/2E6GI7o It was almost winter and Bear was getting sleepy. But first, Bear had a story to tell… Do Bears Hibernate? Bears are a classic example of animals that undergo hibernation. Bears are found everywhere, from swamps and mountains to the cold Arctic regions. Before the winter arrives, a bear hunts for an appropriate place to spend the cold months in. Once the place is found, it eats huge quantities of food and stores it in its body in the form of fat. During the months that it sleeps, the bear utilizes the stored fat till the winter is over. Meanwhile, it does not eat, drink, defecate, or urinate during this period. Chart Activity A simple, but powerful activity for kids as they study bears, squirrels, or any type of animals. As they learn about the animal, add to the Can, Have, Eat chart. What can bears be or do? What do Bears Have? What do Bears Eat? Download free printable Blueberries for Sal: A Classic Children’s Story about preparing for winter Making Blueberry Jam: A Tasty Lesson! Source: https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/blueberry-jam-64061 We need to prepare for the long winter months if we live in areas where the temperature drops and the snow falls too! We are blessed to live in a time where we have access to food and supplies via our cars and computers, but we still need to prepare. Winter clothingChains or auto socks for our carsExtra batteries and candlesemergency supply of non-perishable food
Teaching the U.S. Constitution Teaching the U.S. Constitution Confession. I was not excited to teach the boys about the Constitution. I have never been interested in this precious document. Terrible, I know. Funny how your heart changes as you study something… We have fallen in love with this document as we read and discuss our Constitution and the power of what was written. This past week, we were studying t and foche first few sections of the Constitution and have focused on the fact that the founding fathers kept journals of all their meetings. My boys keep journals, so I thought it would be fun to dig back through the House of Representative and Senate Journals. What a treasure! I had the boys choose a period of time in our country’s history that interested them. (They chose the Great Depression) We then searched the journals to see what was going on in the legislature at that time. Things the boys discovered: Just a few… The members of the legislature had to wait until a voting majority arrived before discussing any governmental business. (It took weeks for them to assemble enough voting members) Most of the action items we boring everyday necessities: Like budget. You can glean what was happening at the time by reading through the journals: The need to improve highway safety Death penalty revisions What a treasure to dig through historical documents with the boys! I would highly recommend seizing opportunities to dive in deeper with your own kids: regardless of what you are studying together. Do you want to browse the journals of the House of Representatives and Senate? Follow the links and see what you can discover about our nation! United States Journals
Homeschooling with Babies and Toddlers: Quiet TIme Inside: Homeschooling with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers-Let me introduce you to my greatest secret for Survival Crib-time, Play-pen time, and Room time. Without a safe place to play, and a routine, my boys literally climb the walls… Parenting has changed so much since my oldest son was born, we need to clear up some basic vocabulary, so there is no confusion. Parenting Vocabulary: Room time: a block of time ranging from 5-60 minutes built into your child’s schedule where they play alone in a safe and secure environment. Alone: child is in a safe, and confined play space just out of sight of parent. Out of sight: baby/child cannot see mom, but mom is fully aware of what child is up to. Parent: the one in control of child’s routine. Child: little person being trained for future success as a functioning adult. Parent guided: parent decides what child will do. Period. Choice: the opportunity to enjoy the activity or go without fun time. Neglect: never a part of healthy child rearing and training. Controversial: Talking about parenting techniques that put the parent in control. 1. Prepare Place toys in bins, preferably in an area that you as the parent can easily control. Choose which toys are for crib-time/room-time. Safe Place From as early as the time when a baby can sit safely, begin setting baby in a playpen/crib with a safe age appropriate toy, or bin of toys. Timer Set timer for 5-15 minutes. Turn on music. Say “It’s play time”. Leave, But Be Attentive Leave the area, but stay alert. I have some children who are more prone to danger than others. ReEnter When timer “dings” quietly re-enter and say something like “play times over, time to clean up”. I always sang the cleanup song. Help child clean up their space. Mama, please remember, “If they can empty a basket/bin, then they can be trained to fill it!” Take the time to teach your children to clean up after themselves. Routine Schedule a play time in the morning, before snack time or outside time; one for just before nap time in the afternoon, or just before dinner prep time. Practice Makes Perfect Over time, slowly increase the amount of time, until the child can self-entertain for 45-60 minutes. Why build in quiet play time? Maintains parental control over baby’s environment Provides safe play area Keeps baby/toddler right where you need them to stay Provides an area of focus Encourages self-entertainment Stimulates concentration Unlocks creativity Creates peace and stability in the child’s day Vary locations: Remember: the goal of playtime is to train contentment while simultaneously creating a safe environment for learning. I recommend varying the location of playpen time at least once a week. This helps the child be more flexible. I have one child who craves routine far more than his other brothers, this varying of location helped him a great deal! Safe Environments: I added age appropriate toys and activities to the play area Crib Playpen High Chair Baby gate to keep child safely in the room I chose. Pet corrals (like the one picture above. This one worked beautifully for outdoor play! Car Seats. That’s right. I used a car seat in my home to help little ones sit for a short period of time. Rewards of Scheduled Independent Play: All five of my boys enjoyed this quiet and controlled play environments. I can’t tell you all the benefits I have seen over the years, but here are a few of the best ones: Kids learn to focus Kids have time to really explore a toy, story or idea I could use these pockets of time to focus on older kids and their harder subjects. Kids developed and created incredible “inventions” This pocket of time transitioned to quiet reading time (or Lego Time) as the boys got older. Encourages self-control Still a highlight of each boy’s day I wish I could help you understand how big of an asset it has been for me to have this pocket of time trained into my boys’ days. Here are some things they have created or completed during quiet time: Cowboys in action. He made glasses. He followed the directions and built his robot. Notice… I have him on my kitchen counter. I am right there preparing a meal. The other boys were in their quiet zones, but this little guy was required to play quietly with the stickers I gave him:. He knitted his own beanie on a knitting loom. )All five of my boys were taught to knit on a loom.) This is his OWN Lego Creation! He made a huge Turkey. (The picture doesn’t do it justice) He solved his rubik’s cube. Notice, most of these pictures show older kids: ages 3 and up. That is on purpose for two reasons: 1. My baby pictures are not digital and I am lazy:). 2. We train our babies so that they can reap the rewards later. Babies and toddlers that learn to sit still, play quietly and concentrate grow up to be incredible artists, builders, musicians, thinkers, readers, writers, gardeners, etc. Last word: Have patience. Any child can be trained to accept and love quiet time, but it takes thought and patience on your part. When I first learned about this possibility I already had a wild 5 year old and an infant. It took time to retrain the 5 year old, but I was patient and always made it a positive activity. Last, Last word: Are my kids perfect? (she gets up from laughing on the floor…) No way! There were days that the kids “chose” to complain or whine through their quiet time. I still pressed on. 98% of the time, they settled down and focused within a few minutes. (music helped set the mood) There were days that they refused to help clean up cheerfully. (They still were required to clean up.) There were many, many days that they threw fits because they did not want quiet time to end. (Never give in to fits. I always said, “If you want to play a few more minutes you need to ask cheerfully and nicely… Let’s try that again.” Then I would leave the room and say, “ready to try that again?” Then I would re-enter and give them a chance to ask correctly. The goal was training:) There were days they did not want to play with what I chose for them. But I was pretty firm. Some days I gave them a choice. I always gave them a bin/basket of books I chose. If they were done playing, they could read. They were not allowed to simply pull out other toys. **as they got older, they would clean everything up and ask if they could “please switch bins”. I never lost sight of the fact that “I was training them in the way they should go”. It is my job as mama to teach my boys how to play, how to speak, how to listen, how to concentrate, how to respond, how to clean-up, how to sit still, etc. Your Turn: Do you train/schedule parent controlled quiet time in your day?
New Year; Renewed Focus I have a love/hate relationship with the New Year. Every year I fall in love with Christmas break. I mean, I fall in love with the break… Late nights. Late mornings. Long walks. Christmas. Lights. Lots of coffee and cocoa. Celebrating Jesus. Family. Ahhh… heaven. Then comes the longest day of the year for me. New Year’s Eve. I am not a late night owl. (Yes, I said late nights were on my love list just a few sentences ago, but I meant late like ten o’clock). My kids seem to think that it is awesome to stay up until midnight to ring in the New Year. Me? Not so much. I hate New Year’s Day because it reminds me that Christmas break is over and that I have not thought about school for a few weeks. Drat. Well, we are now three days into this year and I am less prepared than ever. Each morning I am scrambling to make a to do list for each of the boys. As I remind myself of my priorities, I thought I would share them with whoever may be in the same boat with me. If you are brand new to homeschooling, you may find comfort in knowing that even us seasoned homeschoolers short circuit at times! New Year Resolutions Reminders My attitude sets the tone for the entire home: Make time to spend with the Lord each morning. My relationship with my husband trumps every other relationship: Focus on blessing, encouraging and loving my man. My kid’s character is waaaay more important than curriculum: focus on diligence, discipline, integrity, kindness, and love. Plan. This is a big one for me. I need to set aside at least a couple of hours every week to wrap my head around where I am leading the boys in “school”. I am behind. I need a big chunk of time to plan the rest of the year. Kids can smell when I do not have a plan… Relax. The best lessons in homeschool are found off the beaten path. Loosen up on the to do list and keep my eyes open for opportunities! Look ahead. I have one child graduating High school and another entering high school this year. I need to wrap my head around that. Make time (and a cup of coffee). Focus on the eternal. Yes, I am a Christian. I believe the Lord is coming back, just like He said He would. The daily news could have been taken right out of Old Testament Prophecy. I need to share my faith with urgency-especially with my kids! Take care of me. I am usually the last person on the list of people to help. I need to make sure I do not forget me. I tend to forget to eat and drink water. I need to lace up my shoes and get outside. I need to lose a few pounds. How about you? What would you remind yourself?