Snow Day Activities for Kids that will Make them Smile We don’t usually get measurable snow where we live. I ran into the store to grab a few vegetables for dinner and barely made it out. We are in the “perfect storm” for snowfall for the next week and people are in a frenzy. Maybe I should have bought that banana? My husband is from Chicago. He didn’t rush to the grocery store or fret about fruit. …Read More »
It’s Exciting To Earn Extra Cash By Selling Printables Online One of the things I do in my spare time is teaching moms how to turn their creative ideas into sellable printables on sites like Teachers Pay Teachers. Well, just the other day I received an email from a reader who is desperate to make money from home, and I thought… Yup. It’s time to give you a behind the scenes glimpse. Related: Everything you need to make and sell printables SO I created a FREE video series bootcamp to show you what is needed, what it takes, and how to get you started. …Read More »
The Beauty of Leaving Kids Hanging in a Story Inside: The Secret to Hooking Kids into the Habit of Reading- Teaching Kids to Read “I hate that book!” I couldn’t believe my then 3rd grader was turning his nose to a book I loved. Especially since he hadn’t even cracked the cover. “That’s OK,” I said. “But, you may not move from your seat and I will simply read it aloud to myself because I love it…” I began to read and read. Just when I could tell he had fallen in love with the story, and just at the height of excitement I shut the book. … Read More »
Banana Blueberry Muffins: It’s That Kind of Morning It’s That Kind of Morning! I have this crazy craving for a yummy muffin, but can’t quite wrap my taste buds around it. It all started when I remembered a Bran Muffin from my favorite bakery, Edelweiss Bakery. … Read More »
The Real Secret to Teaching Homeschool Algebra and Higher Math Inside: The real secret to Teaching Algebra in Homeschool. I’m a liar. What is worse? Getting caught by my 9th grader. Now, I never meant to lie, most surely I did not. … Read More »
Minds In Bloom: Unexpected Hobbies for Kinesthetic Learners I am extremely humbled and excited to be featured on “Minds in Bloom” today! Please take a few minutes and come join me on Rachel’s fantastic website!! I love Rachel’s heart of teaming together with fellow educators to collaborate and share fantastic and inspiring tips, tactics, lessons, and encouragement! I am confident you will enjoy her website. Be sure to bookmark it so you can find her again. It is LOADED with valuable information and resources!
The Beauty of the Perfect Picture Book at the Right Moment Inside: A familiar tool to help you when your kids fail in school, at home, or in life. I hate the word pissed. I mean really hate it. It is too harsh, too negative, and downright gross. Yet, in this case, it’s the only word I can use to describe how my sister felt. I had royally pissed her off. What made it so bad, was that I was clueless. One day, we were laughing and talking, the next day she cut me off completely. I spent months trying to figure out why she never answered her phone and was never home. I thought she was simply busy. Boy, was I wrong! … Read More »
Letting Teens Go Too Soon= Disaster By the time our kids reach high school, we can bend to the pressure to “let them go” and “cut the cords”. photo by Erik Scheel Teenagers need the help, guidance, and strength of their parents even more than toddlers do. The transition from middle- schooler to adulthood is like running a medieval gauntlet. … Read More »
Short Homeschool Funny Videos: Hilarious, Free and Fun A reader challenged me to make short homeschool funny videos. “We need these fun, joyful videos! Just make sure they’re short and sweet so that we have time to watch them!” ~Ericka Video Challenge accepted! Building with Legos: Yes, he made a Drum Foot Pedal Because Life’s too short to take yourself too seriously! Homeschooling and juggling The Secret Sauce to Teaching kids to write essays and research papers isn’t what you think! Mothers Against Cardboard Crossbows, Legos, and a Bouncy ball Homeschooling with Confidence {free} Homeschooling with Laundry Print this free homeschool mom reminder. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… Download Your Free Printable Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas! Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal. Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.
Simple Advent Activities that Add Holiday Spirit to Teaching Inside: Christmas and Winter Wrapped into Learning Activities Snow begs to be played in, candy canes plead to be enjoyed, and kids refuse to focus… Crazy Snowman Photo by Matteo Paganelli Sounds like the holidays to me. If you thought is was hard to get your kid’s attention during Thanksgiving, wait until you try during Christmas! I always switch to holiday themed activities during the holidays. Beginning today, let’s snuggle with our kids and slow down. In the flurry of decorations, shopping, and potential holiday madness we need to take the time to share “what really matters” with our kids. … Read More »
Why you should teach your kids to gossip Inside: Good Gossip Rules to read with coffee, teach your kids, and hang on your fridge. Did you hear the one about Kelly? Something in our heart either leaps or panics when we hear someone whisper those words. Gossip is delightfully delicious, contagious and bad. Right? I love what John Courson has to say on the subject of gossip. “between friends”, by Seth Doyle A gossip, or talebearer, hurts three people: the person he talks about, the person he talks to, and himself. First, in a very real sense, people are who we say they are, regardless of whether what we say is true. People will either be lifted up or put down in the estimation of others by what we say about them. Jesus draws a direct parallel between murder and the tongue because we have the power to kill another person’s reputation with our words (Matthew 5:21-22) Second, telling tales, or gossiping, hurts the person who listens because it affects the way he or she will view the person being talked about. Finally, gossip hurts the talebearer himself because every time we gossip, we become smaller and smaller. As has been wisely said, great minds talk about ideas or ideals; good minds about events; small minds about people. In which company are you? … Read More »
Advent Activities 15 Advent and Christmas Activities Math and Reading 3rd-5th Grade Are You ready for Advent? 5 Advent readings for you to use in your weekly Christmas activities, or as your family advent devotionals. 3 language activities using vocabulary from the history of Jesus’ birth. 4 fun math activities that are Jesus/Christmas focused. I made this pack specifically for my fourth grader, but the older kids are already begging to do some of the activities. I have included an advent calendar and a Countdown to Christmas Chain. We always write “prayer requests” and “thanksgiving to God” on our chains. Each day as we tear off a link, we thank god for a specific blessing or lift up family and friends in prayer. The kids love this!! Hope you enjoy this activity pack! Print this free homeschool mom reminder. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… Download Your Free Printable Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas! Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal. Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.
Homeschooling when all the kids want to do is JUMP on the sofa Inside: Free 70 Creative Ideas for Homeschooling when the Kids would rather JUMP on the sofa Now, when I say “Indians” I mean my three youngest sons, not the wonderful Native American people of this country. Just Sayin’. The boys were bouncing off the walls. I tried to get them to sit and listen to the story of Native Americans from a book they affectionately called the Boring Book, but they would much rather pounce on each other like cats with those red “pointing lasers”. Desperate to get their attention, I said… “Let’s make ketchup cookies!”. … Read More »
What to Give Your Teen After an Epic Failure By the time our kids reach high school, we will be tempted to “let them go” and “cut the cords”. But don’t. My son stood before the crowd. He looked sharp. Before leaving for the speech competition, he discovered how to create the coolest known knot for his tie by searching YouTube. Sharp. Poised. Confident. Ready to win this competition. … Read More »
Homeschooling Beyond the Fear of Messing up Your Kids I could sense the tear stains in her email. This young mama talked about all the normal homeschooling things Where to begin How to set schedules How to help her child succeed Choosing the right teaching style to match her son But her real fear jumped out from between the lines. … Read More »
I have Three Gifts for You THREE is the “Magic Number” I have three gifts for you and a friend!🎁 Watch me unwrap YOUR goodies!!!👇👇 🎁Gift #1 (expired) https://bit.ly/2DQSS4x 🎁🎁Gift #2 a chance to win (Expired) https://bit.ly/2raMpKn 🎁🎁🎁Gift #3 Surprise (still available!!) https://bit.ly/2r9m3rZ Who needs these?!? Homeschooling with Confidence {free}
6 Advent Countdown Ideas: Start Now! I love the holidays! I love our Lord Jesus with all my heart and it simply makes my heart skip a beat that, at this time of year, I can celebrate His coming in creative and unique ways. As a homeschooler, I have to confess that I have an incredibly difficult time focusing on traditional studies during the holidays. I’m simply too distracted by HIM to get too wrapped up in anything else! While we will “do school” we will absolutely spend too much time doing other things… And that is just the way it is:). While I will incorporate “school” ideas soon enough, I want to let you know that if you are like me, distracted by the blinking lights and nativities… It’s OK! Actually, it fantastic. … Read More »
3 Insanely Simply Secrets to Teaching Kids to Write Inside: Simple Secrets to teaching kids to write plus 44 Writing Ideas and a tool to help take the guesswork out of grading writing. There I was, trapped in the back of the car, seatbelted and wind-whipped. I was terrified because the teenage jerk behind the wheel thought it was hilarious to speed down the road at over 100 miles an hour. Out of control, scared and trapped, I tried everything but couldn’t get him to slow down. … Read More »
7 Thanksgiving Science Experiments Kids love science experiments. Me, not so much. I do not know what my problem with science activities is, but I tend to leave them for the end and then run out of time. Thanksgiving week is a perfect time to have a science experiment bonanza! Why not? Why only 7? That’s all I can even think about tackling during a holiday week. I am hoping to get to at least 2:) Drum roll once again… My Top 7 List of “Kid Friendly and Mother Approved” Science Experiments. Solid, Liquid Gas Balloons I am thrilled to have found Ms. Liz’s site and am anxious to do this one with my boys! What a fun way to demonstrate the properties of solids, liquids, and gases! The Domino Effect I have to admit, my boys need very little motivation to set up a fantastic domino display. I guess I never thought about the science behind this fun activity. Jameson’s lab does a great job of helping us set our kids up for science and fun! What’s That Cloud? I love this one! While I have always loved saying big-hard to pronounce words, like cumulonimbus, I never could keep the clouds straight. Smmart Ideas has a brilliant way to teach your kiddo’s (and mine) how to identify the various types of clouds… Make a cloud categorize. Brilliant. Follow the link for the directions. Make your own Electromagnet I totally remember making one of these in the 3rd or 4th grade! I of course, could not remember how it was done, so I am so thankful for The Organized Classroom Blog for coming to my rescue. Follow the link for step by step instructions. Be sure to use the cute mini book! Make Music with Water This one from Prekinders speaks for itself. What does it say? Fun! Are Mittens Warm? This one is more up my alley because it has a literature connection. I love Jan Brett’s The Mitten. Get her book and read it to your kiddos, then do the simple and fun activity that Classroom Freebies put together for us! Mad Scientist Potions I stumbled upon this one at Babble. Too fun! With a little dry ice, you will look like a scientific genius! Have Scienc-y Fun this Thanksgiving! 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 Print this free homeschool mom reminder. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… Download Your Free Printable Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas! Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal. Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.