Choosing a Chore System that Works for Your Family Inside: Age Appropriate Chores {printable} We have always believed in the philosophy that children are a welcomed addition to our family. We love, eat, live, play and WORK together as a family unit. We also make messes faster than the chicken can cross the road to prove to the opossum it can be done. … Read More »
Pincer Grasp Activities for Fine Motor Development Your son is using all of his fingers to rake small items into his palm rather than pinching them together with his thumb and index finger. Your daughter is choking her crayons rather than carefully holding them between her fingers. Maybe your kids need some help strengthening their pincher grasp The development of this fined tuned grasp is influenced by a child’s growing interest in objects and desire to hold them. Kind of curiosity’s way of helping our kids. We all need great pincher grasps to: zip zippersbutton buttonstie shoesthread needleswrite beautifullyhold pencils without crampingbeating someone at tidily-winksputting on make-uppainting nailsand so much more! 8 Hands-on Toys to Help Kids Develop Pincher Muscles Sewing Buttons!! Buy on TpT Related: Fine Motor Activity from Hands On As We Grow Super easy!! More Pincher Grasp Activities! Simple Activities to Improve Pincher Grasp and Help Your child Hold a Pencil Peel Duct Tape: Place strips of duct tape onto surfaces like the sidewalk, garage walls, or the floor. Your child simply peels the tape!Squishy Sponge: Give your child a sponge and bucket of water. Have them water plants by squeezing the water out from the sponge!Tongs and tweezers: Give your child a pair of tongs, and egg carton, and a bin of small things (pom poms, beads, pasta, etc). Have them fish out objects with tweezers and sort them into the egg carton. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RZNG5PW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=abett06-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07RZNG5PW&linkId=c20a374356badff2b7b81f0fe672daf8 Classic Games are the perfect way to sneak in Pincher Grasp Development Don’t Spill the Beans Ants in the Pants Kerplunk Jenga Hi-Ho Cherrio Perfection Medical schools are noticing a decline in students’ dexterity, possibly from spending time swiping screens rather than developing fine motor skills through woodworking and sewing.The New York Times The great news is Pincher Grasp Development is easy to weave into your child’s day. A Little less swiping of screens and a little more of old fashion fun and these intricate hand muscles can get a good work out! For Older Kids Crocheting and knitting Embroidery Tin Foil Art Using a sock to improve pencil grip (Brilliant) 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.
22 Simple Manners Every Kid Should Know By High School Has this ever happened to you? You beam with pride with joy at how wonderful, caring, and thoughtful your kids are; and without warning, they prove your heart wrong. Before you beat yourself up for being a terrible mom, Before I drag my ungrateful son away from his new pile of gifts, I need to tell us something. They’re kids. … Read More »
Ways to Say Happy Father’s Day Husband Let’s join our kids and celebrate their father with these fun ways to say Happy Father’s Day Husband to their dad! Let’s get creative this year and celebrate Father’s Day, with FUN and creative ways to Say Happy Father’s Day. Sure, the mud pie and t-shirt with handprints are amazing, but so are these! 5 Amazing Gift Ideas for Father’s Day 1. Camping Gifts for Dad Camping Gifts for Dad Maybe it the fact that being dirty is just part of the fun, but most kids LOVE camping with their dads! Help their next camp out be amazing. Fun camping gifts HammockGreat multi-toolGloves with flashlights in the fingers! 2. Father’s Day from Bump From your little bump If you’re expecting, your husband may still feel like a deer in the headlights. Help him feel extra special with a fun gift from that moving bump! 3. Best Dad By Par Best dad by par If your hubby loves golf, he’s gonna love these. 4. Cycling Gifts for Dad Cycling Gifts for Dad These are my personal favorites, because all five of our sons enjoy biking with their dad. They can’t revisit the feel of hero dirt! Hero Theme to help celebrate dad! 5. Ways to Make Dad a Homeschool Lesson Interview himCreate a Power point presentation “My Dad”Oh! How about a a secret message with your own special code that he will need to break to readMake a dad collage! Have dad lay down on butcher paper and trace his body. Yes, kids LOVE this one. Then color, decorate, or label with all the things dad loves!Print, cut, color, and create your own keepsake craft while sharpening fine-motor skills Get your kit here There are many, many ways to let your husband know how important he is in the live of your children. Father’s Day can get overlooked because it falls right after the school year ends and all the kids scatter into doing summery things. Take some time to pause and celebrate Father’s Day for and with your husband! More about Fathers Dad’s Role in Homeschooling: The Powerful Man Behind the Scenes
Life Skills for Kids of All Ages This is where the rubber hits the road in homeschooling and raising up the future generation! “We NEED these!!” Be nice to peopleHow to make a bedThe proper handshake5 ways to cook an eggHow to sew a buttonHow to iron a shirtDigital mannersHow to tie a tieHow to secure passwordsWhat to do if locked out of your houseGross habits to STOP and avoidSmall talkHow to pass on a complimentSmall talkand so much more!!! These mini units are hands-on, FUN, and guaranteed to be filled with things your kids REALLy need to know to ROCK Life! Don’t miss a lesson! The Proper Handshake Buy Now! PRINT THIS FREE HOMESCHOOL MOM REMINDER. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on those important life lessons. 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. WANT MORE POSTS ON HOMESCHOOLING FROM THE HEART? 120 is the number of classics you need to read Don’t homeschool your kids Godly women and homeschool You don’t need to apologize
Forget Healthy Super Bowl Snacks; Let’s Fix Half-Time Together Are you with me? You may be die hard football fans. Me? I choose who I wan to win based on weather and uniform colors. It’s very scientific. But I’ve always loved watching the Super Bowl. Fun Healthy SnacksDelicious not-healthy snacksHilarious and heart warming commercialsAmazing Half-time shows This is not a “Don’t watch the Super Bowl Rant”, but there is a BIG problem and our kids can help!! What was once a wonderful family afternoon has morphed into a hide your kid’s eyes event during half-time. No matter where you stand, we all agree that the half-time shows are Anti-Family friendly. Let’s teach our kids how to attack hard things like this head on. Do something. Refuse to complain. Be the change. Write to everyone important you can think of who CAN make a change.Get your family and friends, schools and co-ops, churches and sports teams to join in too. Refuse to participate. This one means being willing to say no to things you love. Big changes may need a financial cost attached. With the Super Bowl, money will talk. If enough people refuse to watch or buy products from advertisers who endorse the anti-family half-time show… things will change. But I’m just a kid! You have time and energy that CAN make a difference! When you get mad or offended, come up with a solution and get your voice or idea in front of the correct people! Who is in charge? Decide to write. What’s their address?Email address?Facebook profile?Instagram? Get creative! Make a video and shareWrite an essay and submit it everywhereInterview many people and collect data. Are you the only one who sees the problem? Let’s teach our kids how to FIX things. Life Skills for Kids of All Ages 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.
Practice Bullying with Kids When my friend’s husband (Anthony) called and asked for me to bring my son to their house for a few minutes, I happily loaded him into the car and drove over.There was a heaviness in the room when we walked through the front door and I began to sweat. “Please, sit down,” Anthony motioned to their sofa.Within 34 seconds I realized what was going on.My son had been bullying their son during play time and I was clueless. I opened my inbox yesterday and read a note from a mom asking for advice. She is friends with a sweet mom and while they are visiting, her son is watching her fiend’s son bully and hurt his younger sibling… And now her son is acting out at home. “I’ve decided to give the friendship a break for a while.” She wrote. And then she asked me how I would handle the situation. Suddenly I was back on the sofa listening to Anthony. So I shared… One of our sons really struggled with bully behavior. He was sarcastic, aggressive and had a mean streak when his pride was challenged. His favorite target?–> My best friend’s son who was a couple of years younger than him. Honestly, I had been blind to it, and then my friend and her husband invited me and my son over. The parents, explained that this type of behavior would not be tolerated. Their son adored my son, but often felt bullied and had begun to take on my son’s habits. Not gonna be allowed. “Buddy, we love you. We are giving you a chance to learn and correct your behavior, but if you do not our son will not be aloud to play with you.” Gulp. They were so loving, united, clear and determined to help my son while protecting theirs. Related: What does Bullying Look like? I was horrified of course, but we only grew closer as friends… Not all friendships survive this kind of family coaching and correcting.But that would be my advice. Get together and explain. Mom, sometimes it’s our kids who are the bullies.Other times it’s our kids who are being bullied. I needed to witness how my friend and her husband addressed the negative behavior head on. And so did my son. Related: 6 Tips for having a conversation about cyber bullying There are consequences for bad behavior, but we are to extend grace. ***If my friend has simply stopped hanging out with me because of my son, we never would have learned this lesson and her son would simply learn to avoid problems rather than lovingly deal with them. Plus, we would have missed the sweetness of a friendship that has grown into a lifeline over the past few decades… How to Address Bullying Open our eyes. We need to see the world with clarity.Watch for opportunities to show kids good, bad, wrong, and cruel behavior and then talk about how to properly handle the situation.Practice. Find a 5 minute pocket of time and play-practice.Address it head-on. No one wins when we put our heads in the sand and run. If our kids are bullies, invite the parents over and lovingly ask for forgiveness and correct the behavior. If our kids are being bullied… do the sameProtect our kids! We were blessed our friends address bullying head on. But if your kids are in danger, protect them. If necessary, get the authorities involved. What would you add? How have you witnessed bullying behavior dealt with that WORKED? We need to learn from each other…
Music Lessons for Children I’m sitting here listening to one of my sons finger pick his guitar. It’s better than having the radio playing any day of the week. I still remember the day he asked me if he could look up a tutorial on YouTube. Fast forward to today… YouTube is where that child learned to play. Do you have kids who want to to learn to play instruments? Maybe you want to find easy ways to integrate music into your homeschooling. …Read More »
Amazing Handwriting Worksheets Teach Life Skills I walked into the bathroom and saw the empty toilet paper roll. The kitchen’s trash can is overflowing and there’s an empty milk jug in the refrigerator next to an unsealed bag of cheese that now is as hard as a rock. You would think we don’t teach basic chores and life skills in our homes, but I know you battle against these same issues in your home too. Kids need a lot of practice to allow common sense and practical skills to become second nature. As a homeschool mom, you may find that finding time to teach these life skills gets squeezed out by academic pressures, like learning to write beautifully. Boy, do I have good news for you! …Read More »
5 Free Recipes to Empower Your Kids In the Kitchen Inside: Teaching kids to cook the easy way, {5 free recipes- Printable}, and Cooking Camp for Kids Mama, Picture this. Onions being diced by an 11-year-old. Broccoli being steamed by a 13-year-old. A mouth-watering, oh my goodness I cannot believe he just made that, sauce being whipped up by an 18-year-old. All to the soundtrack to your favorite movie playing in the background. Recently, I had minor surgery on my foot that has required me to be off my feet for about three months. Three painfully slow months of no standing, no driving, no walking. And you guessed it, no cooking. Did you know you need to stand to cook? My husband wisely decided that each of our five boys would take over one meal each week to help feed our wonderful family. Yes, he’s a brilliant man! … 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!
How to Master the Art of Communication .inside: a seat for your kids to help them with communicating! My 14-year old looked at me with huge eyes. He took a deep breath, “mom…” “I was in the middle of talking with a girl. She’s a friend. She smiled and chatted. And I got more and more awkward. I couldn’t figure out what to say. I could feel the blood draining from my face and I started sweating. I knew I needed to walk away, so I said, “you’re creepy.” … Read More »
So, You Think You Need to Teach Life Skills? Life Skills Trump Curriculum What does it matter if my son can solve an equation but can’t change a tire, cook a meal, or look you in the eye as you are interviewing him for a job? Choosing a Chore System that Works for Your Family Cooking Camp: Teaching Kids to Cook From 8th Grader to Man: Homeschooling through High School Driver’s Ed :Texting and Driving Game Will You Kids be Ready to Leave Your Nest? Preparing Kids for Blood Work and Needles Budget Project: Real Life Math Why you should teach your kids to gossip What Does Relaxed Homeschooling Really Look Like?
Chores Made Simple Free Chore Printable Print this free homeschool mom reminder. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… Download Your Free Printable Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas! Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal. Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.