I Know My Phone Number! I Know My Phone Number!! But do my kids? We have been struggling to memorize our new phone numbers together. It is amazing how confusing it can become when you begin to throw out the old numbers and learn the new ones. Our family has four phone numbers that need to be memorized. Phew! That is a lot! I created this fun little foldable to help out our youngest. In the event of an emergency, can you kids simply pick up a phone and call you or your emergency contact? If not, I would recommend that you begin memorizing phone numbers together. (I confess, I JUST memorized my oldest son’s cell number. Since I simply dial by contact on my smart phone I never committed his number to memory. Bad mom.) How do you teach your children important phone numbers? ***Just a final nudge*** My home phone does not work during a power outage. Does yours? We have a back-up phone. you know, one of those plug into the wall types. I would recommend you not only have a back up, but teach your kids how to use it! Do You Have a Minute? You might enjoy: My Son Almost Died Today
Parenting: How to Survive a 12-year-old son My son almost died today. That’s right, I almost killed him. If you just sucked in all your breath and blurted, “How can she say that?”, then I will assume you have daughters, have never had a 12-year-old son, or your sweet little boys are still under the age of ten. Like this love-bug. Now, of course, I would never harm my children. I adore them and see them as precious gifts from the Lord on High. This, however, does not get them to stop testing my limits of self-control daily. My 12-year-old son didn’t wake up hoping to severe the last shred of my sanity. He woke up thinking he was in charge of the universe and that I should bow to his every need. Silly child. What was he thinking? He woke up: believing that he is invincible. Why would I question his ability to run across a busy street while dodging cars? Or that he can catch an arrow between his teeth? with a full measure of resolve. Apparently, what I have been teaching him no longer applies to him because he is 12, after all. He is ready to go toe-to-toe with me over cereal, showers, and anything else that can be spelled out in English. arrogant. And a genius. I can retire because “He knows everything”. a weeping mess. This one confuses me most. Division and handwriting never made him cry before today. This is a problem because I am his teacher. tears cause him to get angry. I mean screaming and stomping and huffing and puffing angry. This too is a problem. Anger is normal for everyone, but outbursts of anger are unacceptable- call me old-fashioned. Can you say, “HORMONES?” As a mom of five sons, I would testify in a court of law that nothing tests a mom more than a hormonal 12-year-old son. Nothing. I mean NOTHING. Nothing except maybe being crazy enough to have five sons, like me. That’s five 12-year-old sons to survive. I should get a gold medal. Do you have a Hormonal 12-year-old Boy (maybe 11-13)? My advice: Watch Captain America together. Pop popcorn even. I am being perfectly serious. Watch the scene where the wimpy Captain Rogers is willingly strapped into the apparatus that transform him into Captain America. Explain to your son, “this is EXACTLY what you are going through right now. You are the pre-captain. Son, you are strapped in for the ride of your life. You will be pumped full of hormones that will stretch your bones, increase your muscle mass, cause hair to grow in strange places, confuse you, give you endurance and courage and will ultimately transform you into being the man you are destined to be.” Son, It will hurt. It will cause pain, not just for you but for those of us watching. But you will come through the other side. I promise. Mama, your job is to help him through this “gauntlet of change”. His job is to realize that while it is painful, scary, and down-right hard, there are some definite boundaries. Attitude, determination, drive, self-control, humility. You need to talk about these. A Lot. That’s why this is clip is so great. Expert tip: Remember, popcorn makes it better. Anytime you feed your son you have better access to his attention. The captain goes through an excruciating transformation, but he never gives up. …even when he is closed in and no one can see what he going through. Not even when he is scared. Or when it hurts. The woman in the scene (like a mom) just wants the pain to stop. She can’t stand seeing the suffering. As moms, we cry, “STOP!” We can’t stand to see our kids struggle. We are confused that our sons, who used to worship the ground we walk on, no longer want us to coddle them. How can we help them through this gauntlet? Show your son what happens in this scene of Captain America: The captain screams in agony. People line up to watch. The Mom figure cries out in horror. The Dad figure swears. Sparks fly. Things explode. Machines break. Suddenly, hero music breaks through, the machine tilts, smoke provides the backdrop for the final results: Captain America is Born. No one questions the results, no one regrets the struggle, everyone beams with pride. It was all worth it. Yes. Watch this with your boys. Over and over again.Talk about it often! Transitioning from childhood to manhood is painful. People will watch him closely. Moms will cry, dads may swear, sparks will fly and things may explode. Sons will feel trapped and may suffer in agony. Growing pains, acne, uncontrollable body functions and emotions are confusing and can cause real pain. But he can make it through the process successfully. Don’t Let Him Be Confused Watch the clip and explain the process his body is going through. Be specific. Talk about the man he hopes to be on the other side but describe him in detail. He needs to know what his “Captain America” looks like, acts like and feels like. Truthfully, you do too. He needs to know what his “Captain America” looks like, acts like and feels like. Quite honestly, you do too. Mama, don’t despair about your hormonal son. He can make it through his transformation alive. Although, it may not be fun for either of you, though. It doesn’t have to be fun for either of you, just successful. Sorry to break your bubble, but “fun” is overrated. Remember, You are raising a future man. How Can you Help Your Son? How can YOU survive the Process? If you are married, trust your husband’s instincts in regards to your son. He will instinctively know how to help him transition to manhood, although you may think he is being harsh. He’s not. Men are hard-wired to expect strength, dignity, respect, honor, and hard work. Let your husband lead. Have a backbone. This is not the time to coddle him. Love him, yes. Coddle? No. Do not allow your son to walk all over you. Work that boy! Make sure he sweats daily! Forget what society says and hand that son a shovel. If you do not have a yard big enough to keep him busy, lend him to the neighbors. (Obviously use discretion, but someone always needs help in their yard. Who knows, maybe he’ll earn a few dollars as well) Give him purpose: He needs jobs to run and lead. Boys need to know they make a difference. Teach him to do chores, change a tire, split wood, cook meals, and change diapers. Be careful, though. There is a difference between keeping him busy and training him to be truly needed. He knows the difference! Pray often. You need supernatural help to be the best mom you can be. Pray hard. This world sees prayer as weakness when it is actually the definition of strength. Be warned: Prayer is hard work. Trust the Lord. Because He promises to never leave or forsake you- even when your son is 12-years-old! Hang in there! I have been through this four times so far and the results have been the same. Pretty soon the music will play, the smoke will clear and you will be looking in the eyes of a great man. Your man.
Don’t Rescue Your Kids Don’t Rescue Your Kids from Boredom, Second Place, or Hard Work! We recently moved to a beautiful new rental nestled on 4 acres in Washington. The place is stunning, the yard a haven. The boys have an absolute ball playing in the wonderland, but don’t necessarily enjoy the yardwork needed to keep it looking wonderful. Today, our 11 year old was cutting his section of the grass. Since we are in fact in Washington, I was trying to make sure the main yard got cut before this afternoon’s rain. I did not succeed. With 40 x 6 feet left to mow, the skies opened up and it began to pour. I mean pour! I shouted to my son to stop mowing so he could get out of the rain. He didn’t hear me. I stood there under the over hang of the roof watching him mow. He was smiling. Smiling in the pouring rain. Why was my instinct to “save” him from the downpour? It must be a mom thing. Not only did he finish cutting the grass with a huge grin, he also stumbled upon a beautiful little frog that he caught and relocated to our pond. The boy was in heaven. Some of the best experiences in life are on the other side of trials, downpours and boredom. We need to let our kids push through. I’m talking to myself right now as I reflect on this, but I know I am not alone. Kids today don’t have the same gumption as kids of the past. They need to work harder and be less entertained and coddled… Don’t you think? Maybe it’s because We have 5 boys and are very aware of our responsibility to raise future men that I feel this way. Yes, it’s ok to make your kids do chores. It’s even ok to make them redo them if they did a lousy job for their age, or if they have a lousy attitude. Make them go get the trash bag out of the can and place it back in the kitchen and take it out again. 5, 10, 100 times if necessary. Yes, it’s ok to let them cut the grass in the rain, or the sun, or under a rainbow. Supervised of course. (FYI- I almost always work right alongside the kids. If they are mowing, I’m weeding…) Yes, it’s ok to have them vacuum, wash dishes, or fold laundry. Trust me, it will not kill them. Yes, it’s ok for them not to win a game or trophy. If they did not win, then they lost. Teach them to win with humility and lose with grace. Don’t Rescue Your Kids from Boredom, Second Place, or Hard Work! We all need them to grow up to be creative, humble, hardworking, gracious adults who are not afraid to work hard until the job is done right! Amen? Who knows? Maybe they will smile in the rain and relocate a few frogs along the way…
Math Steps and Military Troop Safety: What they have in Common Should I make my boys show all their work in math? If you have 11-14 year old boys, you know why I am asking. They see no point in doing something, unless that something has a point… …let me tell you a little story… I once had a brilliant student in my 5th grade class. (Back in the days I taught 5th and 6th grade) I mean crazy brilliant. We all knew he would grow up to create Iron Man for real or blow up the moon. This student refused, I mean refused, to write down the steps in math. But we stayed on him. We kept making him and he kept refusing. We were determined to help him learn the discipline of showing his work. **************************************** That was about 10 years ago. This morning I woke up curious, so I decided to ask him. Here is the core of my message: Hi there! I wanted to ask you a homeschooling question, that truthfully, you are the most qualified to answer from personal experience… When you were in 5th/6th grade we used to “make you” write out all the steps in math. We argued that as you got into higher and higher math (and problem solving in general) that this would be necessary. …I’m curious from your perspective as a now extremely successful adult… Were we right? Do you now see the value of writing out the steps logically? Why the heck am I asking you? I am now teaching my own younger boys (4, 6, and 7th grade) and every time I am “making them” write out the steps I think of you and wonder. ~Mrs. Sayler His response made my day… “Well, to be fair I am one of the few people in the world that benefited from it.I went all the way through calculus 3 and ended up becoming a non communication signal intelligence analyst in the Air Force. I use high level electro – magnetic theory on a daily You can let your boys know if they want to break apart the signal of a missile guidance or reverse engineer the jammer blocking out all the GPS systems of our troops on the ground, you are gunna have to show your work because it only gets harder the cooler the stuff is.” **************************************** There you have it. Make ’em show their work, otherwise they will be reverse engineering important things in their heads!!! Related: Math Fact Mastery Kit
I Should Have Quit Homeschool days are NOT all sunshine and rainbows. Some days we’re better off hiding every academic activity and simply be “only” the mom. I should have quit trying to get the kids to do schoolwork 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. Ok, I really should have quit when: I realized that one of my kids bit another of my kids. (Really? I have No I 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, which ever comes first) Do you ever keep going on a day that clearly communicates, “STOP!” Tell me, I’m not the only one!!
Moving and Homeschooling In case you have been wondering where I have been… Our family is relocating to Washington State. My home is in complete chaos. School has been virtually non-existent. It has been crazy! I have not had time to even think about blogging lately, not to mention the fact that this is happening so quickly that it is a shock to all who know us. Out of love and respect for our family and friends, I wanted to make sure they heard about the move from us first, before reading about it here. This is the actual week of our move, so I expect to be continuing with my internet silence for another few weeks, or until I can find my materials again. For now, I am thankful for the flexibility of homeschooling! The boys have been champions at packing and disassembling. They are super excited for their adventure. Washington, Here we come!
Snow Days!!! Learning About Snow During School My boys and I are learning all about snow! I set aside our “normal” curriculum and wrote a unit study on snow. The boys are loving the break from the norm and are dreaming about our first snowfall. Hopefully we will be sledding before the new year. In the meantime we are learning about all the different types, colors, and sounds of snow. From Blood Falls to Surviving an avalanche, we are all amazed! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I am purposing to break from blogging until 2015! May the Lord bless you and your family!!!
Learning to Speak in Front of Crowds One of our goals as home-schoolers is to teach our boys to be effective communicators. We strive to teach all of the boys to be excellent in both their written and oral communication skills. As future Godly men, we believe they need to have the confidence necessary to stand in front of a crowd and deliver a speech.Without dying. Without breaking into a sweat. Without cowering in fear. One of the things we do for our boys is to look for speech competitions. One of our current favorites is called Oral Language. The Boys select a piece of literature three to five minutes in length that they not only commit to memory but then perform dramatically in front of a panel of judges and an audience. All three of our younger boys competed this year, two of them are moving on to the next level. The reason we are so proud of the boys has nothing to do with how they perform their pieces, but rather how they handle the stress of being in front of a crowd.They are all champions to us! This is not a small task for either the boys or me. It takes FOREVER to find acceptable pieces. It takes weeks to memorize the pieces. it takes dozens and dozens of practices to figure out how to act the piece out. It takes me hours and hours to help them perfect their enunciation and timing. It is always worth it!Today I recorded two of the pieces to share with you and your children. Enjoy! What kinds of things do you do to help your children become comfortable in front of a crowd? This is his first year competing. He is nine years old and was terrified to go in front of the crowd. It has been a HUGE growing experience for him to participate. This guy is one of my “ham children”. This piece is hysterical and he does a masterful job performing it. Thanks to Anchor me Designs for the cute graphic above~ [leadpages_leadbox leadbox_id=145b7a846639c5] [/leadpages_leadbox] [leadpages_leadbox leadbox_id=142a79846639c5] [/leadpages_leadbox]
Thanksgiving Week I am not sure where this year went, but it is actually Thanksgiving week. It is a bit bitter sweet for me, because our oldest son is actually not going to be able to make it home for the holiday. sniff, sniff. (He is blessed to go visit his sweet girlfriend’s family!) Many years ago I gave up trying to get much school done during Thanksgiving week. Instead, we clean, decorate for Christmas, bake and truthfully just bask in the goodness of God. My Secrets to Thanksgiving Success I begin to thaw my 25 pound turkey on Sunday. I Decorate for Christmas. (Why do I decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving?) Hang Outside light. The kids are being trained to be good husbands and daddies someday, so we have been teaching them how to do this task for the last two years. Put up our tree. (Yes, its an artificial one . But it is Gorgeous!) We string the lights and place the ornaments under the tree until after Thanksgiving. Decorate the house. My mom gave me a sweet Christmas scene that I always put out each year, this too goes out before Thanksgiving. I Plan School for the two weeks in between the Thanksgiving Holiday and our Christmas break and the first week back after the New Year. I do not know about you, but I need these few weeks to be light and preplanned. All copies need to be made long before I need them! If I do not have these key weeks planned out, we do not do school. I bake pies and breads on Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday I pull out clean and label all my serving dishes and utensils. I put little post its on each dish with the name of the entrée or side that is destined to be placed there on Thursday. Nothing is worse than finishing your gravy and having to look for your gravy bowl right before dinner. Pull them out ahead and you will be more relaxed. Pulling dishes and labelling is a great kid job! Thursday. Thanksgiving Day. This will be my 30ish time cooking and serving Thanksgiving Dinner. We have had years when we celebrate two times so everyone can make it. Here is my staple Thanksgiving Menu! Have a Wonderfully Blessed Thanksgiving! Bekki I am excited to share some of my learning packs with you! This freebie has some easy and fun Thanksgiving Activities. Great for K-1 graders. The Pilgrim packet above is full of activities that are great for 2nd-4th graders. Color by Divisibility is a fun 4-6th grade activity pack. Here are three of my newest packets. 15 Advent and Christmas Activities Easy Practice for Order of Operations Learn and practice the hardest multiplication facts with this fun game A fun collection of Christmas themed activities
21 Thanksgiving Math Activities for Little Ones I am super excited about this next activity pack! 21 Thanksgiving Math Activities for you pre-K- First graders. While I wrote it with Kindergarteners in mind, it would be fun for your little ones:). This activity pack is loaded with fun coloring and math activities for your little ones. I loved holiday and themed pages because it seems even my older kids want to use them. It must be the “holiday buzz”! More Thanksgiving Activities Here Thanksgiving Math, Reading, Science Activities for 3rd Grade 30 Thanksgiving Activities, Crafts, and Games for K-2nd Grade 21 Thanksgiving Math Activities for Kindergarten 4 Thanksgiving Jokes Solved with Divisibility Fall Math and Literacy Super Bundle- Grades K-2 Did You Enjoy this Article? Subscribe to receive our latest and greatest: right here
11 ThanksgivingActivities for Toddlers and Preschoolers! 15 days of Thanksgiving Homeschooling ideas: 11 Thanksgiving Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers! I love Thanksgiving. The decorating, the preparation, the cooking, the whole kit and caboodle. Everyone has their own expectations for this fun day, even the little people in your life. Here are some fun ideas to make the day special for your toddlers and preschoolers, that do not take too much of your time to throw together. Have Fun! Turkey Feather Hunt Parenting knows what my younger kids love to do: Parade around declaring they are the winners to whatever game is being played. (current character lesson: humility). This one is a simple, yet fun idea. Collect some feathers at the craft store and have the “turkey” hide them inside or outside… Then let the hunt begin! Make their own Turkey Cups This one is a two-for. Kids love creating their own special cup, and parents do not have to go through three times the amount of disposable cups! Fruit Gobbler Food.com suggests a cute craft/snack. Make eating a healthy snack fun while waiting for the turkey! Make a Thankful Tree I love this one from Artful Homemaking! Gather some twigs, place in a solid container and supply the kids with leaf shaped coloring pages. They color, write what they are thankful for and then decorate their tree. Fun! Mayflower Hand print: Too Cute! Preschool Crafts for Kids is loaded with cute (and easy) ideas for your little people! Become a Native American Kids love to dress up. Although I know how to do this craft in my sleep, I gathered this link at Free Crafts for Kids. A few paper bags, some construction paper, scissors and glue and viola! Kids are busy and happy for at least 30 seconds:). ***Warning*** I have 5 boys. When they dress up as Native Americans they also “become” Native Americans. They forget the history lessons about how wonderful and peaceful these people were and become savages on a mission. In my house, they dress up and then go outside:). Thanksgiving Movie Festival Build an indoor Fort Pop a Turkey:) Pop some popcorn and create your own Popcorn Turkey! Isn’t this cute? One Charming Party has the directions for this fabulous bird! Pam at Over the Moon has put together a short list of kid friendly Thanksgiving movies. Pool Noodle Toss! Bubble Break! All kids love chasing bubbles. If the weather permits, make a few fun bubble wands, some super duper bubble solution and head outside! More Thanksgiving Activities Here Thanksgiving Math, Reading, Science Activities for 3rd Grade 30 Thanksgiving Activities, Crafts, and Games for K-2nd Grade 21 Thanksgiving Math Activities for Kindergarten 4 Thanksgiving Jokes Solved with Divisibility Fall Math and Literacy Super Bundle- Grades K-2
4 Fabulous Thanksgiving Day Activities 15 days of Thanksgiving Homeschooling ideas: Day Seven : 4 Fabulous Thanksgiving Day Activities 4 Fabulous Thanksgiving Day Activities is a post from Bekki @ A Better Way to Homeschool where we learn to train our children to become lifelong learners. If you have enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Bekki on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+! Thanksgiving is next week! AS you are busily menu planning, shopping, and decorating you might want to prepare a few fun activities for the family. I know we will be preparing our second annual “Turkey Shoot” where we will be shooting balloons and turkey targets with bows and arrows and BB guns… Yes, I live happily with my husband and 5 boys. Here is My Top 4 List of Simple and Fun Activities Thankful Pie Spinner by Simply Modern Mom I love this idea. Trust me, even older kids will enjoy making a spinner wheel. Turkey Feathers You’ll find the directions and the cute printable at by The Idea Room. Thanksgiving Story Bracelets All you need is a pipe-cleaner and a handful of beads and you can lead a wonderfully memorable story time for your kiddos while the turkey is baking. My Monetessori Journey has a nice story printable and the directions for the beads. Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt Kids of all ages will love participating in your first annual scavenger hunt. I love this starter list by Family Fun. Have the kids brainstorm and add a few fun items to make it your own. More Thanksgiving Activities Here Thanksgiving Math, Reading, Science Activities for 3rd Grade 30 Thanksgiving Activities, Crafts, and Games for K-2nd Grade 21 Thanksgiving Math Activities for Kindergarten 4 Thanksgiving Jokes Solved with Divisibility Fall Math and Literacy Super Bundle- Grades K-2 Did You Enjoy this Article? Subscribe to receive our latest and greatest: right here I’d love to here about your Thanksgiving Traditions…
20 Thanksgiving Themed Math and Reading Activities I just uploaded my latest learning pack, just in time to help you celebrate Thanksgiving with your kids. I made this one with a 3rd grade focus, but many of the activities are great from k-4. Click on the image to go to my store to preview the pack! Here is the list of fun activities included: Addition: “Owl” Show you my facts! Multiplication: “Owl” Show you my facts! Math: Round to the nearest 10 Math: Round to the nearest 100 Math: Round to the nearest 1,000 Addition: Color by SUM Math: Who, who, who is first? (ordinal number practice- 2 pages) Math: A-Mazing Turkey Math Game: What’s the Number? Math: EASY-Color by Number- Number Recognition Math: Medium-Color by Number Multiples of 2, 3, 4, 5 ,6, 10 Game: Thanksgiving BINGO (4 game boards, 7 pages game pieces) Reading for Facts! It’s all about the turkey! Reading: Color by Sight words Writing: Thanksgiving Acrostic Nouns: Thanksgiving Nouns Verbs: Thanksgiving Verbs Adjectives: Thanksgiving Adjectives Science: Life Cycle of a Pumpkin (2 pages: booklet and labels) Science: Life Cycle of a Thanksgiving Turkey More Thanksgiving Activities Here Thanksgiving Math, Reading, Science Activities for 3rd Grade 30 Thanksgiving Activities, Crafts, and Games for K-2nd Grade 21 Thanksgiving Math Activities for Kindergarten 4 Thanksgiving Jokes Solved with Divisibility Fall Math and Literacy Super Bundle- Grades K-2
Creativity and Boredom My dad always said creativity and imagination lived just on the other side of boredom. I watch this truth play out not only in my own life, but the lives of my children as well. I have 5 very talented and creative boys. Yes, I am biased, but I am telling you it’s true. My boys are Lego architects, writers, painters, musicians, and simply a whole bunch of fun to be around. Before I sound too much like a snotty prideful mom, I want to repeat what my dad always told me: “Creativity and Imagination live just on the other side of boredom.” Here is the secret to growing amazingly creative and imaginative kids… …Let them be bored! Allow your kids to get bored. I mean really bored. Do not rescue them (unless there’s blood). Do not turn on the TV and absolutely ban “all things electronic. Tell them all you have is an endless list of chores for them to complete if they come to you for suggestions. If the weather permits, send ’em outside and tell them they cannot come in until the timer dings. At least an hour! Sit back and wait… Depending on how over-stimulated and over scheduled your kids are, there will likely be a delay between their first boredom appointment and the flow of creativity. It could be a few minutes, or a few days. Trust me it is worth the wait! Plan for periods of boredom regularly. Daily is best. Summer is meant for this type of schedule- embrace it. You may think I am crazy, but I am quite sane. Its the bored kids who create the “new games”. Its the bored kids who create awesome forts. Its the bored kids who write creative stories. Its the bored kids who think painting a fence is fun. Its the bored kids who weave complicated characters and events into their make-believe playtime. Its the bored kids who change the world. Now, if you just cannot handle the thought of allowing your children to become really bored, or if the thought of the possibly whining makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck: cheat. Go to the local thrift stores and let them buy some new dress-up clothes. Pick up a few (or a few dozen) empty cardboard boxes. Buy an assortment of PVC piping and let them create. Find a spell-binding book to read aloud at breakfast or lunch. Be sure to stop reading at an exciting part! This is a great time to send them off. My kids end up personifying literary characters often! Buy some spiral bound notebooks and “special pens” to help them write a creative story (Tell them you will not correct spelling and grammar… just let them write). Invite a “cool big kid” over to play. As homeschoolers we can over schedule our children’s lives to the point of physical and mental exhaustion. Slow down. Let the lull of summer on the horizon remind us that it is more than OK to slow down. We need to allow our children to come to the end of their schedules in order to provide time and opportunity for creativity. Download your FREE “Creativity and Boredom” {Printable}
How the Heck to Plan a Successful Homeschool Day Inside: How the Heck to Plan a Successful Homeschool Day and what to do when everything goes wrong. Homeschool kids smell an unplanned day like wild animals smell fear. Normally this is not an issue. I take the time to sit and think through what we are doing in our homeschool day about 4-6 weeks at a time. I create an easy to follow calendar for each of the boys so they know that- “mom has a plan for today, so I better get busy.” I am a little stressed right now because my current calendar/plan runs out in less than 36 hours. Related: I have a free homeschool Success plan Printable for your refrigerator! The fact that I am not ready for the next step is like a ticking time bomb.Come Monday morning, if I do not have a clear plan of attack for our homeschooling week, my boys will eat me alive. Kids KNOW when we do not have a plan. The run, they hide, they break out the Legos right after breakfast, they seem stunned that we expect them to clean their dirty faces, fix their bed-heads and GASP- learn something. If you do not have a plan, your kids will suddenly forget how to get up, make their beds, add and subtract, multiply and divide, and write legibly. They may even forget that they are homeschooled. I think it is a conspiracy. “Psst-Maybe if we pretend to forget how to do school mom will let us play all day and live in our pajamas.” Can you relate?If kids do not see that we are well prepared for our day, week, or topic they do not buy in to whatever learning experience we set before them. They see us grab our teacher’s manual and then say, “OK, let’s get going. We have a lot of school to do today.” They see us begin reading the lesson and make that certain face that says, “what am I supposed to They see us begin reading the lesson with a confused expression and they silently whisper, “She doesn’t know what to do, let’s slip away”. When we, the teachers, finally grasp the core of today’s lessons they have snuck away from the school area and are resentful that we try to lasso them back to school. If you are honest, you would resent attending a class where the teacher wasn’t prepared too. I took the time to come to school, surely she could have prepared in advance to teach me. You took the time to come to school, surely she could have prepared in advance to teach you. Right? Our kids are no different. They need to see that we have invested in their education by taking the time to become familiar and excited about the learning material before we declare it is time for school. Kids smell a day without a plan and begin wiggling to get out immediately. What can we do: Plan school for 2-6 weeks at a time. In pencil. Become extremely familiar with the material before we try to present it to our kids. (remember the teacher from Ferris Beuller? Help us not be like him! I know this is hard. It takes time. I am currently teaching High School Algebra and Biology to our freshman- no fun. But I have to put in the time to study, otherwise, I confuse the hell out of him.) Schedule lessons out for 2-6 weeks in advance. Write them in pencil, so that when life happens you simply erase and begin again the next day. Never try to teach the school week without a plan. Even if you take a rabbit trail because your kids show a sudden interest in penguins, you will be much better prepared. As homeschoolers include a dinner plan/menu into your school day. Be excited about what you are learning together. How do I plan? I have 4-5 weeks of student calendars printed and ready to go, labeled with their names and dates. I teach 5 core subjects: Bible, Math, English, History, and Science FIRST, mark off all school holidays and family days. I schedule math in first. Cause, it’s easy. It usually is just the next number lesson. I include activities like flashcards, videos, and games in my calendars. If I do not schedule flashcards, the kids do not do flash cards. Kids need reminders. Next, I schedule the rest of the “do the next page” assignments. Handwriting, handwriting, phonics workbook pages, and spelling. Now I have to think. I plan a weekly memory verse and Bible reading. True brain power needed. I have a 5-6 week history focus. History is my core, my golden thread. I look for 3-5 main ideas to pull from a lesson and look for English, Math, and Science activities that go along with what we are learning. I have to skim the readings, pull vocabulary and scour for student activities that will work with my boys. This year I am using Story of the World and they have a great Activity Book from which I pull reading comprehension, map, art, and cooking activities. And then, of course, there is Pinterest. I have a whole series of Homeschool boards to help you and help me. Science is my weakest subject as a teacher. Alas, I am not entirely sure why, but even superman had a weakness. Science is mine. Again, I deal with science in chunks: main idea, 3-5 learning objectives, and at least one hands-on activity per topic. (This is ideal. I am lucky to get 2 experiments in a year). I plan English last. The older my kids, the more I plan. Younger kids need lots of time reading, being read to. Older kids need more and more time writing. Here is a great list to help you teach writing. Lastly, I double check my pencil calendars against the master calendar looking for conflicts. Are we home all of the days I planned to teach school? Are there any obvious monkey-wrench days (days that are destined to fail before they begin). I make adjustments whenever necessary. Sacrifice While every homeschool family has different goals and ambitions, talents and abilities, we all sacrifice something to homeschool.My husband and I personally sacrifice time. Lots of time. It is not easy homeschooling a troop of boys of various ages, grades, interests and learning styles. After 18 years I have learned that the key to success is being prepared before the day begins. Grab your FREE copy!
Medieval Science: Sundials, Candles Clocks, and Water Clocks I have been disappointed with our science curriculum this year. We are studying Medieval History together and I really wanted to integrate our science as well. I found a great little picture book with medieval science, inventions, and discoveries but it was lacking with hands-on activities. What’s a girl to do? Well, I decided to make my own activity pack. This 9 page pack has a reading and reading comprehension activity, copy work pages that match each of my kids handwriting levels, and 3 hands on projects. The boys doesn’t know it yet, but we will be making a sundial, a candle clock, and a water clock. I am super excited! I will add in pictures as we do the activities. Happy Learning.
Army Men, Competing, and Inventing: A Great Morning Our morning began like this: This cute little guy found an old army parachute guy amongst the toy collection in our home. This one discovery turned into an all morning endeavour and had my husband and I enjoying the simplicity of childhood. Hubby taught this guy how to throw the army man, and then the fun truly began. Enjoy the photo journey! Hold him kinda like a baseball . Chuck him high in the air . Watch his chute deploy! Bigger brother tried to outdo him, by digging into the toys and finding the “Super G.I. Joe” with Parachute. Here is his explanation for how you throw the army man. This guy looked around and discovered there were no more army men with parachutes, so he made one! One grocery bag with the handles cut off Gut a length of paracord, and pull out the 7 fibers (strings). Find small pebbles… Using the pebbles wrapped in the bag, tie the cords onto the bag. (Apparently the pebbles help the bag not rip! Great tip hubby!) Will it work? Fly, Bionicle, fly!!! Success! This was such a fun morning. There is something about watching your kids delight in simple childhood pleasures that truly delight the soul! Of course, Hubby had to show us video. An 80 year old woman has a major parachute malfunction and lives to tell the tale. Have fun with your kids today! Preview of the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Master Class. We need to STOP measuring success by grades, achievements, awards, and worksheets.
Insider Deal: Kindergarteners and Preschoolers “Oh my goodness, Jane! I just found my favorite shoes on sale for almost 75% off!!” Don’t you love it when you find an amazing deal? I shout it from the rooftops when I can save money. My husband works hard to provide for our family and he LOVES it when I save money too!! Get ready to shout from the rooftops my friend! Check out my Kindergarten Bundle of fun! This Kindergarten Bundle sells for $25 in my store. That is a great deal. That’s already over 50% off. Want to see everything that is included? View the product in my store here, but don’t buy it at that price! One of the ways I am able to stay at home with my children is to run my homeschool website and create and sell fun activities. It’s such a blessing to hear how other’s are able to learn from my homeschooling journey or how their kids love my teaching materials. It’s goose bump exciting for me. I already work hard to keep my prices low for the general public, but homeschoolers have a special place in my heart. I never had a large homeschool budget. Actually, I had No Homeschool budget most years. So for my homeschooling friends, I try to offer the lowest price possible while sill being able to help put milk in my kid’s cheerios. Let’s face it, dry cheerios are just not as awesome as milky cheerios! If you looked at my store, you will see that this Kindergarten Bundle is only $25. But that’s not a good enough deal for you, my friend. As an Insider you receive the special price of only $15. Full price is not for you, my friend. Come back here to get your special deal:). Yes, you have my permission to share this with your very best, best friend. Everyone else, please encourage them to visit and join us here. If they subscribe, they will have access to all of the same goodies you have had so far! Homeschool 101 Guide Homeschool Notebook Set Up Guide {printable} Homeschool Mindset Checklist {printable} Homeschool Goal Sheet {printable} Unit Study Planner {printable} Babies and Toddler Survival Plan {printable} Notebooking Samples {printable} Math Concepts to Master before Graduating High School {printable} History Concepts to Explore {printable} If you are already a subscriber and are missing any of the things on this list, please email me here. I have made wonderful changes to benefit your homeschooling journey. If you are not a part of our secret club, simply click on the “Yes I want Help!” Button and jump on board! (OK, it’s not a secret club, but it is cool). Download your FREE “Kindergarten Fun” {Printable}
Mosaic Craft: Learning about the Byzantine Emprire and Mosaics Did you know that you can make beautiful crafts with painted eggs shells? My boys and I are studying the Middle Ages right now. We were fascinated with the incredible mosaic displays of the Byzantine Empire. Talk about patient artists! We did some internet research, looked at incredible mosaic designs (like in the Hagai Sophia!) So we decided to give this type of art a try. We collected and painted eggs shells (using nail polish borrowed from a friend with girls), then began creating our own terra cotta pot designs. The kids loved this activity so much! It is funny how easy it is to bypass the messy crafty things with our kids and to opt for the quick “read and discuss” strategy. Things like this take time. It took us two weekends to collect and wash enough eggshells for 3 boys, another few days to paint them (since we opted for nail polish it was stinky!), and then 3 sittings so far to work on the actual mosaics. We have had many discussions as the boys work about how incredible the ancient mosaics are and they are beginning to truly understand that they did not just “happen”. I created an activity packet to go along with our Story of the World study. The inspiration for this packet and activity is from chapter 4, in case you too are reading Story of the World with your kiddos. You can get your copy by clicking on the image.
Fall Giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway I am excited to share some of my creations with you! My Fall math and literacy super bundle has a wide assortment of fall and Thanksgiving themed activities. Beginning sounds, roll a turkey game, big, bigger, and biggest activities, make your own clock, lacing cards and more. This bundle is truly lacked with fun and learning. How do you enter? It is easy! Choose a way to earn points and you are automatically entered! This giveaway ends Monday night (10/6) at midnight. Click on the images to see what you may win! Prize: Fall Math and Literacy Super Bundle and your choice of any of my products listed in my store! No, you do not “get me”, but you do get to chose one of any of my products at my store!