What You Really Need to Homeschool Homeschool Supplies at Your Fingertips When we had our first son, we had all the gadgets. Bassinet, stroller, carrier, car seat, bouncy seat, playpen, baby gate, huge diaper bag, and a baby monitor for our 425 square foot apartment. …Read More »
10 of the BEST Homeschool Subscription Boxes for your Kids Inside: Top picks for homeschool subscription boxes by moms like you. These subscriptions will spice up your homeschool Travel to the future with me, and let’s give each other a virtual high five today. Ready? HIGH FIVE There are two boxes and an envelope on the kitchen table for your child. YOU are so excited, you can’t contain yourself. Visit Ivy Kids Kits here You close your eyes and think to yourself: “Don’t say they’re for school!”“Don’t say they’re educational!”“Don’t say they’ll be fun learning lessons!” You are squirming with excitement, because you know your child is holding the future in their hands and waiting with anticipation for the go ahead to peek inside. They hold up one of the boxes. “This one?” YOU: Not, yet. They try to hide disappointment, and hold the the other box. “This one?” What’s inside?!?!? YOU: Maybe you should open the envelope first.((Insert wink.)) They tear open the paper and read, “You are about to get a glimpse of the future. Something that will some to you every month for the rest of next year!!!” At this point, tell them to pause while you get another cup of tea or coffee and ask them to guess what’s inside. YOU: What do you think it could be? ((Insert virtual high-five here)) They are so excited, they can barely contain themselves. What is in the boxes? 💛 Excitement💛 Curiosity💛 Fine motor Development💛 FUN How is this possible? Something for everyone Related: Learning by Surprise Enhances Memory I polled hundreds of homeschool moms and compiled their favorites list of kits into a list for you. My own 15-year old gets the Kiwi Co Tinker Crate each month. When it arrives, he places it on the ottoman and waits for the end of the day. That evening, he opens the box with great fanfare, making sure his DAD sees and is equally impressed. Then he gets building. Careful reading of instructions Fine motor development Engineering and design Problem solving and math skills Those are the words we HIDE AWAY from his ears and replace them with WOW! FUN! Let me see. MAGIC. You have time to make this happen. Most kits take a few weeks to get to you and there is one for almost every kind of child and passion. Just be stealthy and I promise… …I won’t spoil the surprise. Food for thought: These make GREAT gifts for people in nursing homes too!! Quick Links to the top Homeschool Subscription Boxes Green Kid Crafts KiwiCo Mel Science Bitsbox Ivy Kids Young Woodworkers Let’s Make Art Rock By Rock Raddish Letter from Afar Highlights Little Passports Think Outside Craftsman Crate Sensory Therapy Play Box BarkBox DIY Preschool Earth Box Plan DIY ABCs of God Plan Free Science for three months from Mel Science? Here’s how you register! When you really want to know what’s best you ask the experts, right?Kids LOVE getting stuff in the mail! Surprise them with a special gift – A subscription box just for THEM! Perfect for birthdays, holidays and more! But, if you’re like me you’re wondering which are the BEST Subscription Boxes for kids. So I asked all the moms On our Facebook page: I’m looking for subscription box and membership ideas for homeschoolers. Most subscription boxes are chosen to meet a specific need, want, or interest. Throw in the fact that you don’t need to look for duct tape, buttons, or instructions for how to whip together something cool and BOOM. Your kids will think you’re the coolest mom on the planet. Not sure which boxes will best fit your family? That’s exactly why I asked a few dozen of my homeschooling friends. Check out all the AMAZING subscription boxes other Homeschool Moms love. …Read More »
I Just had a Homeschool Heart Attack Inside- You’ll find a craft that is out of this world. {pun intended} Usually, I see it coming. But this year it snuck up on me. I was minding my own business, sipping a cup of coffee, and scrolling through Facebook when I saw it. 13 Days until Thanksgiving. I almost snorted coffee through my nose. … Read More »
Will You Kids be Ready to Leave Your Nest? Inside: If you’re hoping your kids will live with you forever, don’t read this. In the old days, children were given a suitcase for their 18th birthday. That’s right. “When you graduate, be ready to hit the road, Jack!” photo by Mike Birdy Take my dad.… Read More »
Chores Made Simple Free Chore Printable 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.
But What if “I HATE” Poetry? How can I Teach it? Inside: 7 Steps to Accidentally Teach Your Kids Poetry. I promise it won’t hurt. Recently, I was talking with our local librarian and I chuckled. OK, I laughed at her. photo by kazu end I know it’s not nice, but she had set a fishing book out for all to see. FISHING. Her eyes twinkled as she told my youngest son about one of the funny snippets between the covers. Nope. He didn’t believe her either, but we checked it out anyway. … Read More »
The One Skill Your Homeschooler is Missing As a homeschooler, I can struggle with pride. I can become so puffed up about the skills that my sons have developed under my watchful eye. It’s an easy challenge. We’re right there guiding them from crawling, to walking, to reading, and eventually to solving quadratic equations. We even require that they keep their art supplies neat. But, honestly… Sometimes I miss the mark entirely. … Read More »
Forget Math Flashcards! This is the Best Way to Learn Math Facts Almost pulled out my hair today. My 11-year-old Stephen, woke up more bouncy than usual. That’s saying something. (I’m guessing Winnie the Pooh’s buddy, Tigger, was inspired by an 11-year-old ADHD boy. Just sayin’.) While I am not a big labeler, if this son of mine were in a “traditional classroom”, I’m confident he would have been stamped as dyslexic, ADHD, and an overall handful. He is, it’s true. But that’s why God gave him to my husband and me. (Big toothy grin) Most days, his bounciness is controlled by sitting on one of those exercise balls at the table, or knitting when we read aloud. But some days, like today, there is no way possible to get him to unbounce. You see, tomorrow we venture 8 hours to visit our beloved In-N-Out Burger joint. The fact that there isn’t an In-N-Out in Washington state was almost a deal breaker when we relocated here. Anyhoo, Stephen is so excited. He barely sleeps. He has been counting down the days, hours, and now minutes to our departure. Every few minutes, he lets us know that the reason he swinging from the ceiling is that he is excited. Now, Try to teach Tigger a traditional math lesson. Yea, I spit out my coffee too. It ain’t gonna happen…. Read More »
Teaching with Legos! How to Look Beyond the Mess Sometimes going up the stairs is enough to ruin your day. … Read More »
Tips for Driving Safely in the Snow They laughed at my husband. “You’re gonna get stuck,” they teased as they all stood around watching him put autosocks on his car. Autosocks. Yes, they’re real Visiting from California, those native Iowans thought he’d lost his mind. How could he possibly drive in the ice and snow with socks? “You need chains!” My husband is what we affectionately call a research-a-holic. He doesn’t just read about something; he dives deep. Multiple articlescase studiesspecification sheets You Tube videosReviews. If he says something is the best, I’ve learned to simply smile and say, “ok!” Autosocks were one of those discoveries I wanted to debate, but I kept quiet for the sake of peace in the home. Really. I forced myself to keep quiet and it was a good thing I did. Once again, my husband proved he’s brilliant. We moved into the mountains after spending most of our marriage in San Diego and he wanted us to be prepared for snow. So he dug in. Being from Chicago, the man had nightmares about chains. If you love in snowy areas, you are well acquainted with the drama. So he searched alternatives. I still remember him staring at his computer and turning his head sideways, like a puppy trying to understand your last sentence. “Hmmm” A few days, and many hours of research later, autosocks arrived at our home via AmazonPrime. He couldn’t wait for it to snow so he could give them a spin. His First Chance Came when He traveled to Iowa for Grandma’s Memorial Service. Eight inches of snow fell during the memorial and he pulled out his new socks. Folks gathered ’round to see what the “crazy Californian” was doing to his car. Everyone lined the streets to mock him. Family. Enough said. He quickly slipped them over the tops of the tires, then drove forward and snapped them into place. All the bystanders gave the “yea, right head nod” as he drove away. Mouths dropped open. That day, many of his family members got stuck in the snow. But not my brilliant man. I had my own opportunity to try the socks recently. I kept sliding down the last hill to civilization. I needed to get to the grocery store, but the hill was a sheet of ice. I smiled at the son sitting next to me. “You get to learn how to use the autosocks today!” My neighbor hung out the second story window and told me I was crazy. “You need chains to get up that hill!” I smiled and told her about the socks. She replied, “I’m just gonna hang out the window and watch you slide.” Really, she’s wonderful. She’s kind, friendly, and helpful. She just couldn’t believe those things were going to work. Her mouth dropped open as I drove right up the hill. Tips for driving safely in the Snow According to AAA, these tips will help keep you safer on the road: Stay home. Only go out if necessary. Even if you can drive well in bad weather, it’s better to avoid taking unnecessary risks by venturing out.Drive slowly. Always adjust your speed down to account for lower traction when driving on snow or ice.Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Apply the gas slowly to regain traction and avoid skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry and take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.Increase your following distance to five to six seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads will just make your wheels spin. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill slowly.Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill. Tips for Teaching Teens to Drive in the Snow by The Brad Connection Make sure you have the right equipment in the car (shovel, snow brush, ice scraper, etc)Turn on your lights so others can see youDrive slower and leave three times the room needed to stopBrake gently so you don’t skidNever use cruise controlBe careful of ice on bridges and overpasses. “Black Ice” is transparent and may look like a wet spot but can put you in a spin.Four wheel drive doesn’t mean you can drive on ice or in snow at the regular speed.Don’t pass snow plows. Staying behind them can make a clear road for you to drive on.Brake gently and if your brakes lock up, ease off the brake I know it’s tempting to go for a drive when it’s snowy and icy. It is truly beautiful. I’d recommend waiting for the roads to clear, but if you find yourself in need of being on the road, grab your socks!
Homeschooling Magic: Lessons From A Stranger’s Purse Inside: 8 Steps to help you create a plan for house management, meals, routines, fun, and homeschool. The first time we flew across the country with our then 3-year old, we thought we were ready. The flight was only supposed to be a few hours long- how bad could it be? We made sure our son slept well the night before, we ran him ragged before the flight, we packed some of his favorite toys and snacks, and we boarded the flight with a smile. We were sure we were ready. I was sure I was ready. Ha. … Read More »
Kindergarten: The First time I Got in Trouble in School Inside: Warmth for your taste buds and your soul. When I was in kindergarten, my teacher got mad at my mom. When Mrs. House asked me what I enjoyed for my healthy breakfast, I cheerfully replied, “Cereal and a cup of coffee!” Yep. Mom got a call that day. Of course, that is also the day the Mrs. House learned that my mom wouldn’t tolerate anyone telling her how to parent. Go, mom! Do you have a gold membership to the “I drink Coffee” club? I began drinking coffee before my first birthday, so I am a platinum member. … Read More »
How to Teach a Topic You Hate Inside: The 6 things you need to remember when teaching something you think you hate. Plus a nifty {freebie} Today, as I tried to explain “lesson 5.2 of linear functions”, (gag) to my son Isaac, I realized I forgot to duct tape the younger boys. …Read More »