Bible for Homeschoolers Why Teach Bible? The easy to read version of Isaiah 55:11 says it best, “In the same way, my words leave my mouth, they don’t come back without results. My words make the things happen that I want to happen. They succeed in doing what I send them to do.” Reading The Bible is like drinking pure natural spring water. Not only will it wet your whistle, it will bring much needed minerals to support your body. It is also an excellent springboard for studying history! Bible 101 for Homeschoolers: Read the Bible together Read from different versions (Choose an easy to understand version for young children) Read the Proverbs of the day (There are 31 Proverbs. Look a the calendar. If today is the 5th, read Proverbs 5. If today is the 29th, Read Proverb 29) Study the history of the Bible. You could spend your lifetime studying Biblical history and comparing it to what you read in “school books”. Choose Bible focused Curriculum. Pray together. Listen to Worship music. Write hymns as creative writing assignments. Use Bible verses as copywork and handwriting exercises. Focus on great Bible stories (like David and Goliath, or Ester) read the stories, draw pictures about the events. Read a Bible story and then enjoy a movie that correlates to it. (Joseph King of Dreams, Veggie Tales, Prince of Egypt, etc) Compare and contrast the biblical account and that of a movie or book. Creation Science Resources Homeschooling through the Holidays Advent Ideas My Opinion: My husband and I are Bible believing lovers of Jesus. We believe the Bible is the written word of God and can be trusted as completely accurate and applicable. If you have never read a bible before, or even do not own one of your own, you can access scripture at Bible Gateway for free. Not sure where to begin? Try the Book of John and Proverbs!
Arts and Crafts for Homeschoolers Art resources, deals, tips, and encouragement. This page is continually updated with new resources! Why do we teach and explore art? Francis Bacon said, “The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.” Art is beauty, majesty, and creativity. Monet said, “Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.” Explore art. Create art. Share Art. Do not make the mistake of pushing this critical area aside! If you need help, find some art classes! Short List of Mediums of art: Drawing with crayon, pencils, colored pencils, colored markers Finger paint Pudding painting water color oil pastel cutting and pasting sculpting with paper clay Bread dough sculptures woodcarving soldering needle-work crocheting mosaics *studying the art created during the period in History you study together. jewlry making welding music dance Click on the following links for Art Resources: Subscribe below. New links and activities are posted all the time!e Hand Paining Projects Footprint Art Subscribe here so you do not miss any new resources
Make Your Kids Play Outside- Every Day I can almost say, “YES!” to this one. A fellow homeschooling mom shared an article about schools in Finland comparing them with our wonderful educational system in the United States. Interestingly enough, Finland’s kids have the highest test scores, yet their kids spend much less time in an actual classroom each day. News Flash: In Finland, the kids spend a short amount of time studying a subject and then they are sent outside for a 15-minute recess. Rain or Shine. I immediately tweaked this to apply to my household of boys. Multiple times a day during “school” I send my boys outside to play. At first, there was almost a full-scale revolt. I didn’t realize how much I had chained them to the kitchen table until I began sending them out during school. Benefits: They are getting plenty of exercise. They are starting to get along better on a more consistent basis. (Except right this second. One child is copying one of his younger brothers and it has caused some drama, but no one is perfect). The boys are basically best friends most of the time. The rest of the time they act like little tyrants, giving me plenty of time to practice patience and creative parenting. Anyone else in my boat? That healthy glow is not photo-shopped. The kids not only seem happier, but they look healthier as well. There’s nothing quite like a daily dose of fresh air. Surprisingly Challenging: I found that over the years this is one of those areas that I overlook and neglect. There is always one more book to read, one more paragraph to write, a few more math facts to perfect, chores to be done, and errands to be run. The simplicity of letting the kids get outside and play wasn’t a simple thing for me. I have to purpose to let the kids play. Its so very important, not just for their ability to get out some of that energy, but for their problem solving, creative, and eager little minds. They are better when they have played outside (OK, usually). Quite honestly, I am better when they play outside. It allows me a few moments to form an individual thought, make dinner, or simply regroup. It’s so very important, not just for their ability to get out some of that energy, but for their problem solving, creative, and eager little minds. They are better when they have played outside (OK, usually). Quite honestly, I am better when they play outside. It allows me a few moments to form an individual thought, make dinner, or simply regroup. How about you? Do your kids get enough outside time? Evaluating What Works and What Doesn’t. Click here to read “Spring Fever” to help you take a good look at what you are doing. More from Bekki So, God made YOU a homeschool mom Choosing a chore system that works for your family Inside Out Homeschooling A Better Way to Homeschool
Let’s Be Honest: When I Walk Through My Home, Do I See Order or Chaos? Let’s Be Honest: When I Walk Through My Home, Do I See Order or Chaos? I definitely have some spring cleaning to do! At a quick glance my house is tidy, but I’d never pass a white glove inspection! As I do a self inventory of my home I am fighting the urge to clean everything so I can tell you I have stayed organized this year. Nope. I said Let’s Be Honest, Right? I see multiple areas that need attention: School “Stuff”I have an eclectic homeschooling style. I love to tailor the books and materials I place in front of my children based upon their passions, talents, gifts, weaknesses, and my own curiosity. I also am blessed and cursed with an embarrassing short term memory. I have no idea what I wore yesterday, what chapter I am on in any of our current readers, or even what color my own house is unless I write it down in my journal. (See, anyone can homeschool as long as they are determined to learn and never quit!) I have piles of projects, worksheets, books, readers, lapbooks, books, and more books that I simply leave visible so I do not forget them. What does that look like? Embarrassing photo #1 Yes, that right. This is our school area.Although I have created worse messes in the past, currently everything is piled and mixed up. Sure, that closed door hides more of the mess, sure my high-schoolers supplies are not in this picture, sure I have a bazillion reasons why I stack and not file. Being Honest: I need to go through everything in my school zone and purge what is unnecessary. It’s amazing how chaos creeps in, isn’t it? Do you collect curriculum and art supplies throughout the year? How do you deal with these intruders? More School Stuff. Well, more like art supplies… Embarrassing Phone #2 I am not a shopper, so I do not have tons of supplies pouring out of my cupboards, yet what we do have is a mess! My 7-year-old is like a tornado through our supply cupboard. I have to admit this is a bit humbling. Since my kids have a laminated chore chart posted on my fridge, I fully and naively assumed that I’d have a clean child’s bedroom to report: Embarrassing Photo #3 This is our 3 Musketeer Room. Apparently, a bomb went off because there is no other explanation as to why I should be tormented through the necessity of sharing this disaster with you. What a mess! The issue goes back to the title of this post, Do I see Order or Chaos. Yes, I see chaos. It’s late in the school year. We need to fix that broken picture frame (casualty of the latest Nerf battle), purge a few thousand toys, and pull out summer clothes with the goal of getting rid of torn pants, donating things that are too small, and somehow convince all the young boys that being handed down their older brother’s clothing is a blessing. This chore is way over-due, but always nags me at this time of year. That’s all the “Full Disclosure” my time (and pride) will allow. My honest answer to this question is that I can see through the piles of chaos. I know with a few days of hard-core organizing and purging and a reward of something sweet and wonderful we will soon whip our home back into shape. The order/chaos battle never ends and effects more than my pride.I find it hard to think straight when the home is in disarray.I am less patient and easily distracted when the piles grow faster than I can sort them. It’s a wonder we get any school done in an atmosphere of disorder… Yet, somehow or other, we do. Your Turn:What condition is your home in right this second? [leadpages_leadbox leadbox_id=141f60546639c5] [/leadpages_leadbox]
Apple TV and Homeschooling Apple TV and Homeschooling 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+! My husband was right. There I said it. Go to Code.org and watch the short video on their home page and see what caught my attention and made me decide he was right. Years ago, my brilliant husband began talking to me about computer programming. I refused to listen because just the thought of software code gave me a migraine. He had just bought one of the first iSomethings that had games on it and said we should learn to develop applications. I nodded and walked away with honestly no intention of ever looking beyond a pretty internet site. Funny how things change over time. About a month ago, my husband and I celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary by blessing each other with his and her iPads and while at the Apple store he threw an Apple tv unit into the pile. Apple tv is this little box that plugs into our current telelvision and allows us to share whatever we are looking at on the computer right there on the big screen. Netflix, websites, YouTube: anything. I fell in love with this $100ish device. I began using it for homeschooling videos and games. I do not receive anything for telling you it is worth the $100, but I have to warn you. It may cause you to change your mind. I had resisted computer programming for well over a decade, up until that little Apple tv entered our home. I didn’t see it coming. After a few weeks of sharing his favorite YouTube Videos, this past week he crossed the line. He (brilliant husband mentioned in sentence number 3) made all 7 of us sit on front of the television on a beautiful sunny morning to watch videos.on.Python programming!! Yes, I protested internally (which means I left to clean the kitchen and start laundry), but eventually I caught glimpses of what was being shared on our big screen and began to wander closer. (you can read and watch on code.org.) There are currently 400,000 computer science students projected to be employed by 2020. Modest estimates say there will be 1.4 million computer jobs open by 2020. Computer Science is one of the highest paying degrees 9 out of 10 schools do not even offer computer programming classes. By this time I came into the room to watch some of the interviews. Seriously. GO watch the video on their home page with an open mind. Want to dabble in coding? There are a bazillion coding languages, where should you begin? Here’s a great visual of some popular computer languages. What computer code should you learn? Did You Enjoy this Article? Subscribe to receive our latest and greatest: right here
Notebooking Testimonials If you’re like most homeschooling moms I meet, I bet you’re tired. I WAS TIRED. Tired of chasing after the perfect homeschool method, curriculum, and schedule. Tired of worrying about whether my kids are behind or ever going to catch up. Tired of endless hours spent preparing, teaching, and grading lessons no one enjoys. For six years, we did school right up to dinner, trying to check all the right boxes. Of course, my day didn’t end there. After dinner, I had piles of worksheets, workbooks, and tests to grade FOR MULTIPLE CHILDREN. It was exhausting! It wasn’t working. It certainly wasn’t sustainable. I WANTED TO GIVE UP. I wanted to give up the boring textbooks. I wanted to give up the complicated curriculum. I wanted to give up the busywork that was sucking the life out of my kids. I was in a constant state of self-doubt. What is homeschooling supposed to look like? Am I doing enough? Am I ruining my kids? How long can I keep doing this? Am I good mother? On-and-on the spiral went. I WANTED MORE FOR OUR HOMESCHOOL. I wanted more than just checking off boxes. I wanted more than just grades on a report card. I wanted more than just doing “better” than public school. I wanted to simplify our homeschool, make it more engaging, more life-giving. I wanted to cuddle on the couch with interesting and inspiring books and have engaging conversations. I wanted to follow rabbit trails and my kids’ interests. I wanted to to develop thinkers, writers, lifelong learners. More than anything, I wanted the freedom in our homeschool to enjoy the journey wherever it led us day-to-day with no regrets. AND THAT’S WHEN I FOUND THE PERFECT HOMESCHOOL TOOL… Notebooking Pages LIFETIME Membership I am a homeschooling mommy of four children, ages 4-14. I am also a missionary in a remote African village. I have been teaching my children for 10 years, and haven’t yet found my fit in the curriculum world. I have my kids creating binders for Bible history and geography with pages I create & they fill in & decorate. I had no idea that what I was doing was called notebooking or that anyone else did it. I stumbled upon your site a few days ago and can’t get enough! We only have internet access three times a year when we’re in the capital city, so I’ve ordered your CD with ALL your pages. I am really excited about incorporating your pages into my kids’ binders that they started last year. You have blessed our family tremendously. I plan to tell all the other missionary – homeschool moms here about your site. Most here use Sonlight, and these pages would be fabulous for the kids to use to keep a record of what they’ve learned from the books they’ve read. Tina Gebhard West Africa My kids and I absolutely LOVE your notebooking pages! They look incredible and are so easy to use! I love that you can use them for older or younger ones also! All the options for each product page is wonderful!!! Thank you so much for such a helpful and affordable creation! Julie Tennessee Product: Nature Study Pages Wow! Notebookers and Charlotte Mason fans pay attention! Here is a great resource for you. And for those who don’t fit the above descriptions, you may very well like this, too. I think everyone from unschoolers to the classically minded could make good use of this nature-journal facilitating software. The first part of this computer CD contains a slew of nature notebooking pages. At the beginning there is a Nature Study Notebook Cover and suggestions for using the pages themselves, which are categorized in eight sections. First comes the “7 Days of Creation,” with several templates for journaling and illustrating. All of the pages that have writing space include pages with primary-style lines (with a dotted line between two solid lines) and pages with standard lines for older students. Next is “All about Animals,” which has six sub-sections: Amphibians, Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Mammals, and Reptiles. Among the myriad options, there is a page for drawing animal tracks, an “observation jar” page for drawing little captive creatures, and lifecycle pages. The spider page has a place for sketching the web, and there is an arthropod page with a sectioned template for drawing the head, thorax, and abdomen. A nice feature found here and in the plant section is a “word bank” where specific terms are printed at the bottom of the page for student reference–good for building vocabulary and spelling skills. The “Habitat” chapter is most comprehensive: arctic, beach, creek and pond, desert, forest, jungle, mountains, plains, prairie, rain forest, streams and rivers, rotting logs, savannah, sea and ocean, under a rock, underground, and yard. I especially like the last one, as that is a familiar and convenient habitat for children to explore! Rotting logs and under a rock sound like fun too. The “Nature Log and Journaling Pages” are lined with “date,” location,” and “notes” column headings. There is a generic page and one for each season as well as various template pages with space for writing and drawing. “Plants, Flowers, and Trees” come next. The flower pages have places for leaf and flower/petal detail. The tree pages have spaces to illustrate the bark, leaves/needles, and the flowers/fruit/nuts/cones. There is also a place for bark rubbings. The last three sections are “Rocks and Minerals,” which includes igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks as well as minerals; “Seasons”; and “Weather,” with all kinds of daily, weekly, and monthly weather logs among other things. There is even a page for the water cycle. Each section contains a cover page for separating each category and organizing your nature notebook. The template pages are most attractive, with beautiful illustrations and pleasing layout. At the end of this Nature Notebooking half of the CD is a bonus section. It is an amazing assortment of nature-themed fun frames and borders. These could be used as additions to your children’s nature journal or would be perfect for letter-writing or stories. The author also suggests using them for copywork and dictation. There are rainbows, birds, flowers, leaves, seashells, snowflakes, frogs, and butterflies to name a few. Some are black and white, most are in color and range from quaint to “cartoon-y” in style. In general, they lean toward “girly” in their appeal. Whew! Okay, so now comes the second half of the CD, which is North American Birds Notebooking Pages. There are 680 notebook pages for 97 types of birds, and there are blank templates for adding other birds. Again, you will find both primary and regular-style line options for all the pages that have journaling space. Seven different page templates are available for each bird. Some are full-page illustrations for coloring. Where it applies, male and female species are shown. Many of the pages have a space for the common and scientific name. One template has a range map printed on it. We usually school year-round, trying to plug in some fun stuff in the summer months along with the usual catch-up. I’ve added “Nature Notebooking” to my summer to-do list, and the kids are 100% behind me. I will also make sure we take pertinent pages (animals, habitats, birds, frames, and borders) with us on our family vacations from now on!
Favorite Family Games Family Game Night!! Jenga Settlers of Catan Risk Scrabble Chess Make it memorable! Why not make homemade pizza?
Budgeting for Beginners- 1o Easy Budget Tips Getting a hold of your money is a key step to having peace of mind. Great news! Budgeting for beginners isn’t that hard. There are simple things anyone can do to get their budgeting under control, even if you’ve never learned how to handle money. If, like me, you want to stay home with your children during their educational years, then getting your budget under control is super important. Let’s do this! 1. Learn how to budget from a Preschool Teacher! 10 Simple steps to Becoming Financially Whole This book introduces financial wholeness, the 10 aspects of your financial life that work together for your greatest good, your biggest benefit, and your richest life. Tiffany is a former preschool teacher and brilliant educator. This is the first budgeting overview that makes sense to my teacher brain. She covers the 10 Aspects of financial life and teaches you how to get each one under control. Like a great teacher, each chapter is laid out as a lesson plan and contains: Objective: basic overview of what you’ll learn The DO: actionable step by step lesson The Review: She circles back and makes sure you understand 2. Write it down! Budgets can be fancy computer programs, or simple budget journals. The idea of a budget is to understand, track and plan for every penny that flows into and out of your life. Even that five dollar bill you found in the empty parking lot yesterday. If you really want to save some serious cash, establish a budget and stick to it! My husband always wants our budget in a spreadsheet, since he’s computer saavy. But, if you’re a paper girl like me, you’ll want a pretty journal. It makes it easier to face budgeting when the journal itself is fun. 3. Teach your Kids about Budgeting The best way to learn something is to teach it to someone. Because you get to learn it twice. Even if you don’t understand all the areas involved in budgeting yet, teach your kids what you are learning. This will help set them up for their financial future! Plus, it counts as a math unit! Related: Printable Personal Financial Literacy Project for Kids 4. Food Spending Cook at home. Bummer, I know. But making meals from scratch is cost effective. Cooking in bulk and freezing meals can save you valuable time and money on those days that you barely have time to eat dinner, let alone prepare it!. Here are some freezer meal ideas! 5. Organize your recipes. Take the time to make a list of all the recipes you know how to make. (this is easier if you brainstorm with the whole family). If you are like I used to be, you may be staring at a pretty short list. Make it a goal to add 1-4 new recipes a month. I made this commitment when I was 24, and now have dozens and dozens of amazing family/budget friendly meals! 6. Make a 2 week- one month menu. Cooking according to a plan will save you. period. It saves you time and money. I make a bi-weekly menu every pay-period and stick pretty close to it. I love knowing what I am making for dinner before lunchtime. It is amazing how stressful it can be to look at a clock reading 5:00 and have no idea what’s for dinner! 7. Plan shopping around your menu. Again, it is all in the planning! I organize my shopping list according to my menu. I eat before I shop and I have dinner planned before I leave for the grocery store. (This saves me from ordering pizza after buying $300 worth of groceries!) Buy in Bulk, but compare prices. 8. Look for deals on clothing This is not a huge issue for me since I HATE shopping and have a bunch of boys who have no idea what a name brand is. I cut costs with clothing by purchasing everything I can from a second hand store. I have no issues buying used clothing and dress shoes for my boys while they are still growing! Ebay is an amazing place to get great deals and save hundreds if not thousands a year. 9. Clip Coupons There are coupons for almost everything! Many moms can shave their grocery bills in half by using coupons. Before you buy anything, hunt for coupons and discount codes! 10.Discount Gift Cards Did you know you can buy discounted gift cards online? At Raise.com you can search from a gazillion cards that others are offering for sale. You can save money by buying these cards online and then buying what you need with the gift card. This is a new discovery for me! Super exciting! 11. Electricity Unplug any appliances that are not in use. They drain electricity even when they are powered off. Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms. Better yet, install motion sensor switches! You can spend close to $150 a year simply by leaving your bedroom light on all day. Turn it off and buy a new outfit instead! More ways to lower your bill! 12. Evaluate Extra Spending. I make the personal choice to stay at home rather than require manicures and highlights. I do my own hair and nails. I also cut all my boys hair. If you add all that up, I am saving anywhere between $160-$300 a month because I choose to be the hairdresser/barber. Granted, I have all boys and I wear my hair long, but this is a conscious choice. 13. Cars We traded in our fun sports car for a gas efficient model. We now have a gas guzzler and a Prius. When the whole family needs to be there, we drive the Guzzler. When I go anywhere else, I drive the Prius. The difference is 14 miles to the gallon vs. 50. It’s a no brainer. The difference is spending $120 on a full tank or $30. We drive a Prius: Add it to your wishlist for later. Standing at the gas pump, a crotchety old man snorted as he glanced at my car while filling his truck. “I can tell you exactly how you vote by looking at your car.” I took the bait. “No, you can’t.” “YES, I CAN.” The poor guy had nothing better to do than to harass a woman pumping gas. As I finished filling my car and paid my $24.37 for a full tank, he kept pumping, and pumping and pumping… Sir, all you can tell from my car is that I like to spend my money in a different place other than at a gas station. My little car will go over 500 miles on that $24.37. His jaw dropped. How far will your truck go on your, I glanced at his rising cost, on that ‘over $73’? He shrunk. “Not far.” I smiled sincerely. “Don’t judge me based on my car. This was purely a wise economic decision for my family. Have a nice day!” And now we’re thinking about getting a new one. Which color should we get? Bonus tips Simple Living Quite honestly, we simply try to live within our means. That means we try to look at any new purchase with the “is is a need or a want” mentality. Technology My husband works from home and we homeschool. Technology is woven into our loves more than most, but we do try to make very wise careful decisions. Our four kids each have chrome books. But they are older and need the ability to work online. I create and sell teaching materials and use a Mac. I saved up to buy it. Bottom Line By making some very intentional choices, over time I have been blessed to stay at home with my children. These choices are not always easy, and often we choose to go without a want to satisfy the need. But it is worth it! Did you take your financial wholeness quiz? How about YOU? What are your favorite budgeting tips and tricks? Were you taught budgeting skills? Have you begun teaching your kids about money? Let’s do this!!
Busy Homeschool Mom Fitness Yes, I am lazy. sad, but true. The reality is that I am not just lazy, but my picture is in the dictionary beside the word “Busy”. I have 5 boys. I home-school 4 of them and design and write my own curriculum. I run a few websites and blogs from home. Did I mention that I adore my husband and love serving him? I’d come up with a few more excuses, but I think those are sufficient. I stumbled on the idea of embracing “the lazy way” a while back and it has transformed my exercise life. No, I may not be able to squeeze a 10 mile run in today, but I can do lunges every time I walk my hallway, or do torso twists while waiting for the ground beef to brown. I love this gals approach and I invite you to take a few minutes and browse through her exercises. There is something here that you can incorporate into your busy day as well! Take a trip to Lazy Girl Fitness and get inspired! Before you leave: Subscribe to this blog so you do not miss anything! Share me on facebook, pinterest, twitter or wherever you hang out socially online! Have a great day! (I’d love to hear which lazy exercise you choose first!)
Teaching with Toddlers and Babies Have a nightmare with me Imagine being pregnant with baby #4 and being on bed rest. Now throw in an 18-month-old who is terrified of umbrellas and balloons. Not enough? How about a kindergartener scheduled for MAJOR surgery. Oh heck, why not toss in a 12-year old hormonal 5th grader. Now decide this is a perfect year to begin homeschooling! Teaching with Toddlers and Babies Yes. That was my first year of homeschool. So how did I survive? medication prayer The key to my homeschooling survival was three-fold. I had the heart and attitude that no one was going to be more invested in my children’s success than I was. I took the time to create a plan with my husband. I found successful homeschool moms and asked a lot of questions and implemented their methods that were successful. You can grab a copy of my Survival Plan Overview at the end of this article. It’s all Attitude When you school around toddlers and infants you have to be dedicated. There is no other way to describe it. It is exhausting to chase little ones and teach algebra simultaneously. The first question to ask yourself is whether or not you are committed to “Stick and Stay”. Our kids desperately need to see us model a never quit attitude. The great news is that, with a few adjustments, it is absolutely possible to do a great job! Your Plan If a plan is going to succeed, there must first be a plan; a goal. It was here in my life’s story that my husband and I focused and formed our foundational goals; our Mission Statement if you will.I would encourage you to do the same. Our goals were simple. Pass on our faith Teach our kids basic math facts Foster a love of reading while exposing our kids to great literature Begin the lifelong journey of becoming an excellent writer and communicator. Over 20 years later, three kids are in college, including the umbrella/balloon hater and the babies are now in high school. But our goals are the same. Asking for Help from Experts I would never have survived that first year of homeschooling had I not taken the time to seek advice and ask for help. Some people have a really hard time asking for guidance, not me. I knew I was a good teacher, but I also knew my house was a mess and I had no idea how to teach with little ones around. Here’s what I gleaned from experts. Organization: I actually had a new friend come and help me organize my home. She taught me how to clear and organize clutter. She taught me how to store things in to clear bins. She taught me that taking the time to organize my home, even above the time I took to teach would save me countless hours. Fast forward to today. This was the smartest thing I ever did. It took me about 3 weeks to completely clean. purge, and organize my home yet I have been able to maintain it for over a decade. Toddlers Crave routines. (Actually, we all do, but toddlers thrive when they can anticipate the next thing). One of the moms I “interviewed” encouraged me to schedule my toddlers into manageable time-chunks. It can best be compared to kindergarten “stations”. I established a cycle of activities that followed this order: eat, quiet activity, busy activity. If I could give any advice it would be to glean this “quiet-time”/controlled environment mentality. I used a high chair, a car seat, a booster seat, a playpen, a crib and a gated area for quiet time activity centers. I chose activities that were age appropriate and safe and gave the toddler their own space. Related: Engaging, Pre-planned Activities that Help Create Magical Moments together I honestly did not let them “roam”- that’s when they would get into trouble. Sometimes they were in the same room and even at or near the same table; other times I had them “play” in the next room or in their room. This was something I trained into their day. I began with 5-minute intervals and slowly worked up to 30-45 minutes. It worked beautifully with all my little ones. There are many, many, many kinds of activities to entertain and educate your toddler available online. Keep it simple. I always kept my school activity time toys out of reach so they were fresh and new when needed. Toddlers: crave consistency. thrive under a schedule of rotation of activities. need to have set boundaries for their own development and safety, as well as the sanity of your homeschool environment. Download your FREE “Babies and Toddlers Survival Plan” {printable} Easy Preschool Crafts and Activities Homeschooling with Babies and Toddlers: Quiet TIme
When Mom is Down I had minor surgery yesterday. I left my 9th grader in charge of my 3 musketeers and was chauffeured to the hospital by my best friend (the love of my life for 23 years now). Everything went well with me and I eventually made it home around 6:00pm. This is what I found. The house was clean and most of the laundry was done. All 5 boys helped. Dinner was ready. My oldest makes pizza better than I do now. The house was decorated, cards were made, and there was a gift wrapped. Did I mention it was my 44th birthday? You might say, wow she’s such a blessed and lucky woman. While that is true, it’s taken years of training to get here and I want to encourage you today. Take the time today to teach your children daily living skills. If they can make a mess, they can be taught to clean it up. Give your kids daily team tasks (chores) and mentor them until they can do them independently. Teach your kids to cook. Let your kids decorate, wrap, and prepare for birthdays. (I say “let” because I hogged this price ledge for too long). Allow your older kids to babysit if they are responsible, loving, and kind. If they are not then begin working with them so they become that way. As a homeschool mom, I cannot tell you how great of a blessing it was to come home last night and find my children healthy, happy, and excited that they had worked so hard together because they knew it would bless and help me. Spend the time now to train your children to be the adults they are to become. Great adults do not appear by accident. They are nurtured and trained on purpose. While it is important that my kids read, write, and do math it is more essential that they grow up to be productive, hardworking, loving, and kind men (all my kids are boys). I would love to hear from you… What life skills are you teaching your kids?
Magnet Math Perfect storm: One asthmatic down with a respiratory infection + Just enough energy to have him bouncing off the walls + freezing cold weather= desperate mom looking for an activity to reduce some energy yet not aggravate his lungs. Drum roll… Introducing “Magnetic Math” Skills Exercised: addition hand eye coordination tally marks good sportsmanship self control Materials needed: One (or more) hyper, under -the-weather children one backyard filled with freezing cold weather one metal door one (or more) soft magnets post-its + sharpie Directions: Add at least 5 post-its to your metallic surface (I used a door) with varying number values. (I chose 1, 5, and 10) Have child stand a predetermined distance away from the door. Have Child toss (Not chuck) the magnet while trying to hit a number value. Have child use tally marks to keep track of their score. First child to a certain predetermined score wins! Variations: Vary the number values to reinforce whatever math facts the child is working on mastering. Do a subtraction game. Have the child start at 50 (or any other number) and subtract any number values they land on. They should have their final turn requiring them to land on a specific number to win! Sit Over the shoulder Blind fold Isn’t homeschooling wonderfully fun?
3 Fabulous Footprint Crafts 15 days of Thanksgiving Homeschooling ideas! Free of course! Day Two: Pitter-Patter of Little Feet I love little footprints. The smaller the better, don’t you think? I have been searching for footprint art and guess what? This “genre” of art is a bit tricky to find! Here are the best crafts I could find for you to capture those cute feet. Cute Footprint Keepsake Plate by Handprint and Footprint Art Follow in His Foot Steps Stool I love this idea by Simply Kierste! When I make it, I will add the scripture: John 12:26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Sick Kids Best laid plans of Moms and Homeschoolers jump out the window when the kids spike a fever and feel miserable. (Note I said, “and feel miserable”. In my home, a fever could be coupled with a child that has absolutely no other symptoms. That would = normal homeschool day for me!) Today, I have 3 sick kids and I do not feel so well myself. I know we will curl up and read and watch an educational (or fun movie) at some point, but I wanted to share this recipe with you. It’s fast. It’s easy. It brings cheerfulness into the morning. Gingerbread Men Eggs! Visit my cooking blog by clicking on the link above and check it out:). Not sure what to do with your sick kids? I liked this article! 9 At Home Activities for Sick Kids
I Wasn’t Ready for a Fire… Are You? Please pass this on to everyone! We were so lucky… Life happens. I have heard this saying before, but yesterday it caught up with me in a very forgiving way. We had a neighborhood emergency and it revealed that our family does not have an emergency plan in place. I am writing this as a way to get my mind around t we should do in an emergency, but also to warn you. We were very lucky. I pray we are never tested on our new plan, yet I want to be ready just in case. Early in the morning we smelled smoke. It was a none threatening smell. Actually, it smelled wonderful, like someone was burning some wonderfully aromatic wood in their fireplace. It was relaxing. It was too warm for us to start a fire, but the smell did make us check the temperature just to make sure. Yes, it was too warm for us to burn a fire. We had a lovely morning. We talked about everything from pumpkins to raising chickens. I remember even talking about the fact that I was not willing to get up in the middle of the night to check on baby chickens. Random, I know. My husband commented that they make warmers to keep baby chickens warm. Even more random… Or was it? I went for an hour and a half walk with one of the kids. When I stepped back onto our front lawn I smelled the fire smell again. Mmmm. Smelled like fall. I went inside and commented to my husband that it must be a fireplace, because I could only smell it here. I sent the kids outside to play and they came bursting back inside within 5 minutes… “Mom! There black smoke right out front. I think it’s the neighbor’s house!” I walked outside (Not sure I believed the kids…) and saw the smoke and the flames… our neighbor’s yard was on fire… Throw all reason out the door. I called to have my son bring me the phone and dial 911. My husband was in the shower and I did not even think to go tell him. I was working on less than rational thought. I had no logical trains of thought, just OMGoodness, that fire is close. Fast forward about an hour. The fire was out. No one was hurt. The only loss was a… CHICKEN COOP! Can you believe it? We learned a few lessons that morning. We don’t have an emergency plan We can’t think rationally in an emergency We should trust the Lord’s whisper of a voice (He was trying to tell us the chicken coop was on fire!) So I have to ask you. Are you and your children ready for an emergency? As a homeschooler, this is my responsibility to equip my children. We are currently forming our official plan and we will be practicing weekly for a while, then monthly. Do you have a plan? What would you and your kids do if there was a: Fire Earthquake Tornado Flood Hurricane National Disaster If your family was separated, Where will you meet? Do you use cell phones and cordless handheld phones? They do not work when cell towers go down and power outages happen. Do you have one of those “old fashioned” phones that simply plug into the wall? You’ll want one! Start garage sale shopping. Do you have a list of emergency contacts in your wallet? Do all of your children? Do your kids know how to make collect calls from a pay phone? (Don’t laugh. When I taught my then 18 year old he tried to tell me there were no pay phones in our town. He was so used to cell phone technology that he didn’t even see them!) My day yesterday showed me that even though I love my Scarlet O’Hara mentality of “I’m not going to worry about that today, I’ll worry about that tomorrow”, if I do not have a plan to follow then I will be up a creek without a paddle in an emergency. Need a starting point? Here is a great Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book by FEMA Here is FEMA’s Make an Emergency Plan Site Our family feels like the Lord protected us in our little emergency. It could have been so much worse! All the trees within 5 feet of the fire are crispy dry. We are all surrounded by fires favorite food, dried brush. The wind is notorious in our town, we even have one of the largest wind farms! We could have lost everything. We are thankful for our neighbors who never hesitated! They knocked the fire down from a 30 foot wall of fire, down to about a foot by the time the fire department arrived! If you do not have a plan, set aside school work for a few days this week and develop one with your children and start drilling! The year-round support and guidance you need to succeed in your homeschool journey. Welcome to The Homeschool Sisterhood! Learn more…
Coffee Break: To Pay or Not To Pay Your Kids I was blessed to sit and visit with a group of about 12 homeschool parents this morning. It was so refreshing. There’s something magical about sitting and visiting over coffee and treats. I was again reminded about perspective, but from a different, well, perspective this morning. Just a few days ago, I was teaching my boys that an acorn could be either a beautiful sign of autumn, or a safety hazard. This morning I was reminded that each and every family in a unique and amazing self-contained unit. I do not, but what works for me may not work for you and vice versa. The incredible truth is that it’s OK. The important thing is that we settle into what works for our own families in the current season of life that we are walking through at this moment in time. Here are some of the differences between the families I sat with this morning: Chores. Some children never lift a finger around their home, some are paid to make their beds, some have a whole list of to do tasks to be completed. Television. Some families have art easels where a television would typically be found. Some kids earn “coupons” to buy TV time. Some families only watch on the weekends, some have no television boundaries. Meals. Some people eat out more than 4 times a week, some never eat anything unless it is prepared in their own kitchen. Some kids learn to cook when they are 5, and some of us have to wait until we are grown up to learn how to boil water. Curriculum. Some homeschoolers try to duplicate a traditional classroom atmosphere, even building mini school rooms to occupy 5 days a week where some kids are left to govern their own days and learn as they go. Some homeschoolers buy textbooks, worksheets, quizzes, and tests, while others use their local library as their curriculum. School work. Some kids complete an endless chain of worksheets and regurgitating questions while others are covered in dirt as they build their own catapults in their backyard. We are all so uniquely and wonderfully made. No two homeschool families are alike. The important thing is that we take the time to discover who “we are” and then blossom with our kids. No one can really tell you how to homeschool your kids. You know what they need to work on (not any particular worksheet, but maybe learning to read or master their math facts). Take what makes you and your children unique and allow yourself to grow into the best you can be. Definitely spend time with other homeschoolers, either in person or on-line, and get to that place where there is open sharing. Glean ideas, tips, projects and encouragement that you want to incorporate into your life and let go of the rest. Every year, things will change. That’s OK. Actually that’s the beauty of homeschool.
Homeschooling: How To Move From Newbie To Veteran A Newbie Homeschooler is one who is still in that honeymoon phase of homeschooling. It lasts for about one to three years and can honestly hold you back from the best homeschooling has to offer. So how does one move from the newbie side of the homeschool line to the coveted veteran side? It’s different for everyone, but it all starts here: Do not quit. Homeschooling is one of the more challenging endeavours that a parent can undertake. Imagine sitting in your home, surrounded by all of your children. You are the chief cook and bottle washer. You decide what they eat, what they wear, what they learn. Honestly, the task can be daunting. Complicate the homeschooling experience by the fact that humans are competitive by nature and we tend to want what others have. That translates into having our children involved in too many activities and ordering their school days with an ivy league quality set of assignments to be completed each day. New Homeschoolers tend to make a huge mistake. They run out and order a curriculum because it looks good, long before they discover who their children are as students and who they themselves are as teachers. A Newbie still believes that “this curriculum” or “that curriculum” will help their child learn. Veteran Homeschoolers are a different breed entirely. While we are all unique, we do share some concrete similarities. Veterans know their child’s strengths and weaknesses. Veterans tailor their child’s education to fit in between the lines of their students passions and abilities. Veterans are confident in their ability to teach, yet humble enough to ask for help when necessary. Veterans are more interested in their child’s character than how many math facts they can fire off in 60 seconds. So how does a Newbie move to the Veteran Side? Spend more time studying what makes your child tick than you do shopping for curriculum. Ask for help determining your child’s learning style and your teaching style. Have fun learning along side your children. Choose to ignore the laundry and play in the mud. Realize that your primary goal is to teach your child to love to learn, not master XYZ of your states standards. Being a newbie can be a wonderful season in your educational career. This is where you can honestly glean wonderful pearls of wisdom from educators around you. Enjoy the process of discovering who you and your children are as homeschoolers. It is never about how well your child knows page 214 of their science book. It is about how well you equip your child to seek knowledge daily. Your goal should be to reach the veteran camp as soon as possible. Sure, there is more laundry here, but the kids are having a blast at learning, living, and growing!
Teaching Older Children About Business I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about how to better prepare my young men for this new and crazy world. My oldest son is a sophomore in college and we are constantly discussing his future, his career choices and the fact that what he does today profoundly impacts his tomorrow. He is well on his way to earning his degree and reaching his lifelong dream of being a history professor, but he has dreams or being a business owner. So why build an online business with him? Because I can. Because I am learning the processes myself and am very excited to see what the Lord will do in our lives and my enthusiasm is contagious. One of the mental challenges of homeschooling, for me, has been the process of breaking out of the molds that society would label “education”. Why wouldn’t I take the time to teach my children something they want to learn, something they see value in, and sneak in a few “educational lessons” along the way. The same way that we might puree carrots and squash to add to a sauce and sneak in nutrition, I sneak my core goals into everything I teach my kids as we research and pursue their passions. Does this make sense? Well, in my home, this idea has caught fire. I have 5 boys and three of them are in the start up phases of their own on-line companies. Cool huh? As soon as they come on-line I will share them with you, but for now I’d like to ask you to consider asking your older kids if this is something they might want to explore. I say explore, because I have been on this road for about 6 years. It has taken me an embarrassing amount of time to get to where I am today. I will assume that many of you may have a child (or maybe you yourself) who would love to start a business. The good news is that I love to share! Ask your kids if they are old enough. “Would you like to learn how to start an online business?” If either you or they say yes, be sure to enter to the right. I am giving away 2 copies of a special report designed to help you get started!
Experience First: Flight Every time the Space Shuttle launched I cried like a baby. “Mission Control, This is Endeavour are we cleared for launch?” “Endeavor you are cleared to launch in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…” I get goosebumps just thinking about it. Now, teaching kids about aerodynamics is another subject altogether. I get a headache just thinking about it. For me, this is a dry and dull subject (if you are an aerospace engineer who may visit this article, forgive me). Related: Your preschools don’t need to sit still, they need to move! So how do I teach my kids about things I find dull and boring? I find someone who is passionate about the subject and get my kids in front of their enthusiasm! The funny thing is when I am with my children I catch the enthusiasm. In our “who you know” world, our family was invited to watch the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour as it made its California Tour. (My husband worked for NASA at the time). I have to say this was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in my life. We were able to have a front row seat to view the shuttle fly by on the back of its 747 and then land and park directly in front of our family ( and a few thousand other blessed people). Wow. I still cannot believe we were able to see this. Now let me ask you. Do you think my boys are going to be interested as we learn about flight and aerodynamics? You tell me… While it is true that not everyone can get an invitation like this, everyone has opportunities all around them to explore something amazing. Seize every one of those opportunities as you homeschool. I hear of homeschoolers that farm, raise chickens and cows, build an organic homestead and store, visit local (and not so local) museums, participate in living history days, attend plays, play musical instruments, attend art shows, shadow professionals to preview jobs, design and build computers, and more. What do you have available to you and your kids? Maybe it’s fishing. If you want your kids to learn about the fish of the sea, begin by taking them fishing. Don’t know how to fish? Ask around. My hubby took two of our sons out with a friend today to participate in their first fishing derby. Look at that King Salmon! You can bet that boy will be primed and ready to learn about the life cycle of a fish, and the impact of the Salmon on the health of the Pacific Northwest where we live. He’ll likely even be ready to help protect fish to ensure that his kids can experience this same thrill. It could be anything, but usually kids don’t say, “Hey, I’m passionate about this thing I’ve never done before!” Kids need to experience first, become intrigued and then they’ll be excited to learn. Always lead with EXPERIENCE Ask a neighbor or two for their top ten sites in your town for their top ten list of places to see Visit your local chamber of commerce Order your national parks map and visit 3 parks this year Read your local paper and attend things that you may think are boring (just do not say that aloud to your kids) Then stand back. As your kids taste and see this amazing world, they will be primed and ready to receive the “educational” activities rolling in your imagination. Just be sure to hook their curiosity before you blast off into learning! How to Make Learning Fun: EASY! Hebrew for Homeschoolers High School Electives for Homeschoolers