Praying for Our Kids: A Plan for Prayer Inside: Free Printable Plan to help you in your journey of praying for your children. Miss Clara calls it a strategic battle plan in the movie, The War Room.Beth Moore teaches about Praying God’s Word over others.Stormie O’Martin writes about the power of a praying wife and mom. God says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16 The first time I talked to the Lord was at a friend’s wedding. I’d never heard anyone simply talk to the Lord before and my heart beat faster and faster and faster as the Spirit fell. I wanted more of whatever that was in my life. The first time the Lord “unlocked His word to me” was in the middle of the night at a moment of desperation. I had no one to talk to, nowhere to run, no place to go, so I hit my knees and opened my Bible. “Lord, if You’re truly there I need You to speak to me now and tell me what to do.” My eyes fell to His book and words jumped off the page. Since becoming a Christian at the age of 24, I have learned that I need a few lifetimes to learn what it means to follow the Lord and to be more like Jesus. I am no expert. I’m just a girl who believes the words in red and spends a great deal of time talking to the unseen, but very real Lord of the Universe.~Bekki Sayler I am convinced that prayer is the main “thing” that God wants me to do in my day, and yet I am consistently shocked at how hard it is to pray and how quickly my life falls apart when I do. Related: {FREE} Simple Plan for Praying for My Children {Printable} And yet I’ve also tasted and seen that the Lord is good. I’ve seen Him move mountains, soften hearts, and do things that shouldn’t be possible. Not because I prayed, but because He is God. I truly believe prayer is God’s way of whispering in our hearts that He is working. He doesn’t want us to miss it. He wants us to see Him in action. So, He burdens our hearts and draws us to our knees. If we are asking the Lord to move a mountain, that means we are looking right at it when He places His hand on the base and scoots it to the side. We get to stand there in shock, eyes popping out of our heads and hearts beating 1000 x’s faster because He caught our attention and made sure we were looking before He did anything. Because He delights in us and wants us to delight in Him too. So our hearts are heavy for our kids. That’s a really good thing. We want to be looking right at them when God moves in their lives. The God of the universe is tapping on your heart, my heart, our hearts to get us to look… so we can glorify Him when He does His work. The enemy Wants Us To Be Distracted. Checking Facebook, watching silly cats on YouTube, or fighting with our closest people. He wants us to be overwhelmed by how Far behind our kids areOut of control the laundry isTight our jeans are He will do anything to keep us from “looking”. He wants to rob the Lord from being able to share His Goodness, Grace, Mercy and Truth with you and me. He doesn’t want us to see. It’s like being in the theater to watch an amazing film, when right at the climax of the story, the woman two rows in from of you, just to the right, opens up her phone and begins scrolling through Facebook. The light on her phone draws our eyes away from the screen and we miss the highlight of the movie. All because someone needed to scroll through Facebook. We Need a Plan. Not a step 1, 2, 3 type plan. More of a revelation. God wants us to see Him in action. He taps on our hearts to show us where to look, where to wait, where to anticipate. Our job is to turn our heads and keep our eyes open. For as long as it takes. Because God likes the revelation to be mind-blowing. So He builds up anticipation. We need a plan. Acknowledge that burdens of our hearts are there to get us to “look at ME!”The right filter to look at situations (God’s word)A pocket of time set aside to gaze at Him.A battle plan for when the enemy sudden turns on his cell phone. “I Don’t Have Time to Pray!” “I don’t want to pray. Every time I spend time in prayer all heck breaks loose!” Prayer is the single greatest thing you can do for your kids. You need to dedicate yourself to be knocking on the Lord’s door continually for the sake of your kids.~Bekki Sayler Not with a laundry list of “I wish my kid would, or wouldn’t do this,” but bathe them in scripture filled prayer. Before I go any further… I am nothing without Jesus. He is the very air I breathe, and yet I have to confess. There are many days that I hardly acknowledge He is right here with me. I become so overwhelmed with my life, my dreams, my expectations that I neglect my first love. I need this reminder as much as the next mom. Although I have spent a lot of my saved life in prayer, I feel like I’ve barely touched the surface. I can pray more often, more earnestly, more consistently. I want to be looking where the Lord wants my attention to be focused. Thank goodness the Lord loves me, loves you, loves us right where we are! Condemnation is NOT from the Lord. When you hear whispers about how unfaithful you are- remember: The enemy will be against you spending time with the Lord. The toilet will overflow The puppy will wake up earlyThe kids will have a fever Be prepared to take whatever plan you come up with “on the road”. Find times where you will be reminded to pray everyday. We all have repeated habits or behavior. A simple plan is to convert that time to prayer time. Lesson from my husband. My husband taught me to pray when doing the repeated brainless tasks in the day. “Find something you do over and over again and use that as a reminder to pray.” ~Craig Sayler For me, it’s when I dry and style my hair. I converted my hair dryer into a prayer dryer. As I am doing my hair I spend time in prayer. Not because I’m holy, but because I’m forgetful and have really long hair. So I took a sharpie pen and wrote Prayer Dryer on the side of my blow dryer. It’s there to remind me. That 5-20 minutes drying my hair can be used for eternity. I’ve even written peoples names on the dryer so I remember to pray specifically for them. Yes, I really am that forgetful. But The Lord is THAT faithful. He never forgets! I’m so thankful for tip from my husband! In my 25 years as a believer I’ve found different pockets of consistent prayer time. It always comes under incredible attack. My heart knows, “the bigger the attacks mean I’m heading in the right direction and the enemy is running around turning on his cell phone trying to distract me.” Every person has different pockets of time that can be used for focused prayer: early in the morning, driving hither and yon, styling hair, or nursing a baby. But the Lord wants us to be chatting with Him all day long too. While pockets of “just me and Jesus” are amazing and necessary, so is the unceasing prayer as we weave praise, worship, intercession, and silence throughout our day. We need to look for the Lord in everything we do. He’s right there with us. Grab your {FREE} Simple Plan for Praying for My Children {Printable} …Read More »
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. He took the boys to the hardware store and bought them each a snow shovel and told them, “You kids are about to make some money.” He wasn’t joking. After two full days of shoveling, I can’t imagine that they’re gonna be excited about the six inches of snow that fell last night, or the four inches that are supposed to fall today. In honor of the record level snow that is falling in our back yard and covering our city, I am putting together a collection of Snow day fun. Related: Free Snow Day Activities Printable Make Some Extra Cash I’m still gonna start here. So many people can’t shovel their own snow without pulling a few muscles or truly causing injury. A smiling kid with a shovel is gonna earn some extra cash. Just don’t forget the smile and a bottle of water. Shoveling snow is hard work! Pro tip: How to shovel snow fast. My husband’s genius A new Snow Shovel for each child = instant business and excellent sleep! More creative ways to earn extra money when the snow falls. Hubby bought each son a snow shovel. Boys+Shovels+record snowfall= Cha-ching (and some exhausted teens) Make a Snow Creation! When I was a little girl, my father took his snowblower and created a mound of snow the size of the empire state building. Actually it was about 12′ feet high. He then led us kids in our effort to shape Puff the Magic Dragon out of snow. When the dragon was formed he piled us into the car and drove us to the hardware store and bought some spray paint. Puff the Magic Dragon is one of my favorite childhood memories. Get creative! (source: https://www.boredpanda.com/creative-snowman-ideas/ Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/207306389077497721/ Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/268597565252153660/ Outdoor Snow Fort Before you dig in the snow, you’re gonna want to set firm rules. Can’t say it any better than Dad Goes Round. Snow Tunnel Safety Rules No one goes in the tunnel unless there is a spotter. A sister, friend or adult are all acceptable.Only one person in the tunnel at a time.Anyone going through the tunnel has to do it on their belly.If parts of the tunnel start to fall out on the inside, get out immediately and don’t use the tunnel again. If there is a snow tunnel collapse; The spotter must immediately attempt to help the person in the tunnel out. If they cannot get the tunneller out immediately, they are to come inside to get assistance from an adult.The person in the tunnel should use their arms and hands to create an air pocket in front of their face (hence the belly travel) so they can breathe until rescued. Snow Tunnel Collapse Prevention Dig down, not up so as to maintain as much strength in the roof as possible.Don’t walk over or jump on the top of the tunnel. Source: http://www.njfamily.com/How-To-Build-An-Amazing-Snow-Fort/ Print FUN Snow Day Themed Activities These are best for day two or three of a big snow. A Growing Collection of Snow Day Printables! Did you get your snow day activity printable? Learn a New Skill Being snowed in provides an excellent opportunity to teach your kids something new. They’ll be more content standing by your side learning a skill than sitting in from of a screen for hours. While a little screentime is a wonderful way to relax for a short while, too much will cause attitude issues. Have your kids tie on an apron and learn how to help in the kitchen. It’s scientifically proven to help boost their development. Cooking Camp for Kids Source: https://happyhooligans.ca/3-ingredient-delicious-vanilla-snow-ice-cream/ Surprise Craft: Grab cardboard, scissors and yarn. Let me and my boys lead your kids in a surprise craft. (About an hour video tutorial) Build an Epic Fort Really, kids don’t need a lot of encouragement to do this snow day activity. “Let’s Build a fort!” Don’t let your BIG kids roll their eyes. They’ll LOVE this too! Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/7318418122646987/ Materials You WILL NEED: IMAGINATIONblanketssleeping bagssheetssofa cushions and pillowsmattressestarpschairsBroom stickclothes pins, rubber bands or safety pinsNerf weapons for defenseFlash Light You Might NEED Twinkly lightssnacksbooksumbrellatablemusical instrumentsmore blanketspvc pipingCardboard boxessewing machine and materialvelcrotvstuffed friendsreal friendsfunny hats and costumes When you’re done playing, and BEFORE you tell the kids they need to clean up, write out your recipe for a “perfect indoor fort”. Fun Things to do with Snow Pro Tip: Bring snow INSIDE for your littles! You can put the snow in the tub and give them some fun accessories! Like Mr. Potato Head Parts Source: https://happyhooligans.ca/creative-snow-play-ideas/ Play Tic Tac Toe Source: https://www.parents.com/fun/activities/outdoor/snow-activities-kids/ Paint the snow! Source: https://alittlepinchofperfect.com/winter-snow-play-ideas-with-pain/ Create an Indoor Obstacle Course to warm them up! All you need? Painter’s Tape Source https://www.pinterest.com/pin/566749934343282183/ Use Crepe Streamers Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/640426009481038701/ source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/28851253849666318/ Read Aloud Together It seems so obvious, but we can be guilty of skipping the simple activities. Just grab a stack of your kids’ favorite books and curl up together on the sofa for read-aloud time! Related: This is the BEST list of delightful books for preschoolers (and their parents) Rest One of the BEST aspects of big, unexpected, or terrible weather is the fantastic opportunity to rest. Curl up with a stack of books with your kids and read until you are all sleepy, then smile and sigh. The nap juts around the corner will feel like heaven. Snow days, Ice storms, hurricanes, and terrible weather don’t have to mean stir crazy, grumpy and boring. Think ahead and grab a few fun snacks and supplies to prepare for your own unexpected time indoors. Maybe even grab the last banana.
97+ Simple Inexpensive and FUN Ways to Teach Math Inside: A master list of simple, inexpensive, and fun ways to teach all the basic math principles your kids need to thrive. PLUS- Free Math Roadmap Most homeschoolers overcomplicate math with fancy curriculum, worksheets, quizzes, stop-watches and tests. We choose to be different! Related: Grab your FREE Math Roadmap Printable Stripping math back to its basic foundational core, we can set our kids up for success in life by giving them a solid foundation with allows them to add, subtract, multiply, divide, count, measure, weigh, and estimate. Most kids are not mathematicians hiding inside little bodies. They are dancers, chefs, architects, designers, farmers, mechanics, bankers, writers or yet-to-be-decideds. Let’s give our kids a solid foundation in the area of math so they can balance their checkbook, decide which deal is the best bargain, measure that granite with accuracy, give an estimate for that remodel, or plan out their crops. If they decide that math is their universe, then we can strap on a deep sea diving suit and bring them face to face the parabolas, quadratic formulas, and matrixes in the last years of high school or pass them off to a college professor. For now, we serve our kids and their future best by giving them a solid foundation in math. Table of Contents of 16 Math Concepts Covered Here: Fine motor skillsColorsShapesPatterningSortingMath artAddition/subtractionTally marksNumber linesMultiplication/DivisionEstimatingFractionsDecimalsMoneyTimePercentages 4 Ways to Build and Strengthen Fine Motor Skills According to studies, “fine motor skills were a better predictor of early maths ability than they were of early reading ability,” (source) Safety Tip: You know this, but I have to say it anyway… Kids like to put things in their mouths. Always closely supervise your kids when they are working with things they might choose to taste. Like Legos, marbles, pom poms, and play dough. If it fits through a toilet paper roll, consider it a choking hazard and watch them closely. Pom-Pom Sorting by Busy Toddler Texture Balloons for Kids by Little Bins for Little Hands Pasta Threading Activity by Laughing Kids Learn Play dough Fun Trays by Pocket of Preschool Fine Motor Skills Printable Bundle by A Better Way to Homeschool https://laughingkidslearn.com/pasta-threading-activity-for-toddlers/https://www.prekinders.com/songs-teach-kids-colors/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+prekinders+(PreKinders+Blog) https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fine-Motor-Skills-BUNDLE-Over-100-Activities-2223410 8 Fun Ways to Teach Kids Colors and Shapes Songs about colors collected by Prekinders Goldfish sorting by Live Like You Are Rich Hungry Monster Sorters by Like Like You Are Rich Easy Color Wheel Sorting by Craftionary FREE All About Colors Learning Pack by This Reading Mama Learning shapes unit by Planning Playtime FREE Dab a Dot Shapes by 123 Homeschool 4 me 36+ Fun Patterning and Sorting Activities FREE Bear Counter Strip Patterns by The Measured Mom Introducing Patterns to Toddlers by Busy Toddler Shape Sorting for Toddlers by Mess for Less My Favorite Shape Sorter by Melissa and Doug Graph that Pattern by A Better Way to Homeschool 25+ Fun with Math-Art Ideas 21 Math Art Ideas by What Do We Do All Day Print and Color Tessellations by Frugal Fun for Boys The Art of Circles by Nurture Store Radial Symmetry by Art with Mrs. Nguyen Compass Painting by Housing a Forest 7+ FUN Addition and Subtraction Activities and Ideas Whack a Ball Subtraction Game by Planning Playtime Addition puzzles to 100 by Teaching Products Addition and Subtraction Fun Sheets by A Better Way to Homeschool Addition and subtraction BUNDLE by Rebekah Sayler Fun with Uni fix Cubes by Homegrown Learners 4 Tally Mark and Number Line Activities Tally Marks: Right Start Math Activity by Two Happy Homeschoolers Tally Marks Activity by Kindergarten Smorgasboard Related:A Printable Math Roadmap Walk the Number Line by PBS LEGO Number Line by Royalbaloo 7 Fun Multiplication and Division Activities and Ideas Star Wars Multiplication Practice by A Better Way to Homeschool Multiplication Bundle by A Better Way to Homeschool How to teach multiplication and Division with LEGO by Math Geek Mama Hands-On Division Activity by Rainy Day Mum 2 Fun Estimating Activities for Kids Estimation Jars for Preschool by Mama Papa Bubba Estimating Task Cards FREE by You’ve Got this Math Related: Why Teaching BOTH estimation and accuracy are important. 7 Fun Ways to Teach Kids Fractions Cooking Camp for Kids by A Better Way to Homeschool Pizza Fraction Project by 4th Grade Frolics Fraction Mats by ABCs with Mrs B 5 FUN Decimal Activities and Ideas Rules of Decimals by Moore Resources How to introduce decimals by Classroom Caboodle FREE Multiplying and Dividing Decimals Game By Math Geek Mama 4 FUN Money Activities and Ideas Budgeting for Kids by A Better Way to Homeschool FREE Counting Money Flip Cards by Life Over CS Coin Caterpillar by Miss Kindergarten Money Sorting Mat by Mrs. Hodge and Her Kindergarten Kids 4 Fun Activities and Ideas for Teaching Time Making Clocks to Practice Telling Time by A Better Way to Homeschool Hula Hoop Clock by Creekside Learning It’s Always Time to Pray by A Better Way to Homeschool After School Routine Clock by Heathered Nest https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Clock-Craft-Making-Clocks-to-Tell-Time-2765448https://amzn.to/2FJvHLhhttp://creeksidelearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/hula-hoop-clock.jpg The Easy Way to Solve Percentages Free Cheatsheet Full Class Free Confidence Come inside Masterclass
Many Homeschoolers are Delayed Readers Too Inside: Ways to inspire your late reader. {Plus free cheatsheet} Don’t Panic if Your Kids Cannot Read Yet! Just keep reading to them. Leave them hanging in stories. Grab an exciting book and suddenly have to “Stop Reading” at an extremely exciting part. Talk to them about the books you are reading. Listen to audiobooks in the car. Give them access to books, lots and lots of books. Gather books that are below their reading level and have them “hanging around”. You, mom, pick up children’s literature and read silently to yourself. Let your kids see you reading kid’s books, grown-up books, funny books, well, any books. Help them see that a good book is fun. I have had 5 reluctant readers myself. Five. I chose not to panic about it, but to follow my own advice. Our youngest was the most reluctant yet. He didn’t begin reading until he was ten. Yes, TEN. I always read aloud to him and kept giving him the opportunity to read, but it never “clicked”. One day, that all changed. I was walking all over our home looking for him one day. He was silent… I was shocked to stumble over him reading quietly in a corner while snuggling with the dog. Did I say I was shocked? I knew it would eventually happen, but I was still shocked when it did. He fell in love with the Magic Tree House Series. As a matter of fact, he has read a whole book every day since the day I took this picture. Amazing! Do you have a reluctant reader? Keep reading to them. Supply them with lots of books. Visit the library. Often. Leave ’em hanging in a story. Just never give up. They will read. Never make it a negative, reading is fun. The only thing that matters is THAT they learn to read. Free Cheatsheet Full Class Free Confidence Come inside Masterclass
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 teach the workshop again. Related: Everything you need to make and sell printables Twice a year I host a free LIVE workshop where I walk moms through all the steps necessary for selling printables online. ~Because I REALLY do make $300-$1200/month selling printables JUST on Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT)~I really do WANT to help other moms learn to do the same.~I BELEIVE making Printables is a skill all of our kids should learn (Taking ideas from concept to completion while using text boxes, charts, and clip art) I know what you’re thinking. Spare time? What’s that? Is spare time that moment our eyes pop open 30 seconds before the alarm clock goes off and we peek with one eye at the clock to see if we can roll over and go back to sleep? LOL.Spare time? I think I had some when my kids were little, but I can’t remember. Why I teach my kids to how to make printables and the process of selling printables online. (In my spare time) Teaches them to work from an idea to a finished product. This is a huge life skill. Being able to develop a solution to a problem and then packaging that solution in an attractive package is a skill that will give them an edge later in life. Gives them a tool for their toolbelt. Creating documents, adding textboxes, creating and adding graphics, creative design are all valuable skills for their futures as business owners, managers, designers, employees and even as parents. They’ll be equipped to create a presentation or report that will stand out and grab attention. Empowers them to earn cash from their ideas with some hardwork. Making and selling printables online is one of those funny abilities. Once kids create and upload some quality products they might experience the same joy that my youngest son feels when someone buys the snowman pack he created when he was 9-years old. Can You Earn Extra Cash Making and Selling Printables on Sites like Teachers Pay Teachers? With the right knowledge, some creativity, and a full skill set, you can have a great chance! It took me a few years to move from “I wonder if I can earn any money selling printables online” to where I am today earning between $300-$1200 each month on sales from printables just from Teachers Pay Teachers. Now, I am helping other moms learn the process faster than I did! I offer a FREE Selling Printables Cheatsheet. I Host a FREE and LIVE workshop twice a year to walk moms through all the step live. (With a free copy of the workshop itself) You get on that guest list simply by grabbing your cheatsheet here. I even created a complete Step-by-Step Class with video tutorials for moms who are ready to begin their journey selling printables online, or who want to teach their kids how to make printables as a homeschool/life-skill unit. I’ve been Selling on Teachers Pay Teachers for quite a few years, and earning measurable income for that past 4 years. I’d love to help you do the same! Free Cheatsheet Full Class Free Confidence Come inside Masterclass
Mitosis: Cell Cycle Flip Book I remember the first time I wore my contact lenses to bed. Everything was fine and dandy until I woke up the next day. I was dumbfounded. I could see every leaf on the tree outside my bedroom window! I had been wearing glasses since forth grade and never could see clearly without my glasses. I just laid there gazing at the leaves blowing in the morning breeze. I couldn’t believe how beautiful they were. That’s what really seeing something for the first time does for us. It amazes us. My kids had that kind of experience today. We are learning about cells and cell division from a boring book science text book and we were not impressed. What happened? The stars aligned and we unexpectedly gained access to a microscope, some plant cell slides, and a science teacher all at the same time… excitement was born! Amazement was release. The kids were hooked. While all I could say was, “That slide looks neat,” the science teacher was able to share his love for cell division with the boys. In five minutes, the boys transformed from “boys trying to use a microscope for the first time”, to biologists trying to identify the different stages of cell division. God’s creation is truly amazing! Here’s how I helped fuel the flames of excitement: First: We watched a few videos on cell division: We loved Crash Course: Mitosis (He a fast talker, but does great overviews!) We also loved Bozeman’s “Phases of Mitosis” Although these video’s are targeting high schoolers, my boys caught the main ideas without a hitch! Then I stayed up waaay too late creating a Cell Cycle Flip Book kit for each son (for both plant and animal cells). The boys have been busy today coloring, cutting, arranging and flipping about cells. It’s been a fun and productive morning! I posted my cell flip book kit for anyone to grab a copy just a while ago. Download your FREE “Science is Curiosity” {Printable} Preview of the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Master Class. We need to STOP measuring success by grades, achievements, awards, and worksheets.
Ant Farm Kits: An Easy Science Lesson for Multiple Ages Our boys exchange names every year for Christmas and then are blessed to buy gifts for their selected brother. This year, our youngest picked out an Ant Farm for his brother. Not only is this an excellent gift for the animal lover of our family, but it has turned into an amazing “cross-grade” science lesson. I find it crazy that I have been the mom of boys for over 22 years and this is the first ant farm, don’t you? The boys were beside themselves when the ants finally arrived. Note: ants are not included in the ant farm. We ordered them from AntsAlive. The crazy cold weather caused them to be behind in shipping, but the ants arrived safe and sound! It has been fascinating to watch these industrious little creature go to town! 6 Lessons from Kids Learn from Ant Farms Ants are Purpose Driven. “By purpose, I mean having a clear long term objective or goal which shapes everything you do. For example, one ant’s sole job description is to find food for the colony. This is his purpose, and all that he inputs this time and energy into, and so it compounds his chances of success.” – Diana Quartey Ants are Well-Organized. They are so well organized, that they carry out their entire task through the division of labor. Nothing is left undone in the Ant colony, because of the well-organized structure, which has already been put in place. Ants are Unselfish. If they find something eatable, they immediately spread the word to others. Ants are Efficient. They take the shortest path possible. Ants Communicate. They take the time to pass on all information. Ants are Know their Limits. They only carry what they can handle. The Coolest Ant Farms Available! When my boys received their first ant farm, I simply ordered it from Amazon. It’s that clear blue get filled farm above. And it worked just fine. And then we met Thomas and his son from Formica Ant Farms. We started ant keeping a few years back. There is something new to learn every day and it just never gets boring. Ants are such exciting creatures! One day we realized that all the ant farms you can buy are kind of boring and almost all look the same. So we came up with the idea of creating witty, easy to maintain yet serious ant farms for beginners and pros alike. All of our products are compatible with each other. So the ant farm can grow with the size of your colony! Thomas & Eric Download your FREE "Science is Curiosity" {Printable} More from A Better Way to Homeschool Insect Bundle: Bees, Ants, Butterflies, and Spiders (Yes, I know spiders are arachnids)97+ Simple Inexpensive and FUN Ways to Teach Math Easy Survival Tips for Living with a 12-Year Old Boy Don’t Panic if Your Kids Can’t Read Yet How Parenting Books Make You a Better Mom So God Made a HOMESCHOOL Mom, Like YOU The Beauty of Leaving Kids Hanging in a Story Choosing a Chore System that Works for Your Family Banana Blueberry Muffins: It’s That Kind of Morning Should I Homeschool: Am I a Good Enough Teacher to Homeschool My Kids? New to Homeschooling? Here are Mistakes to Avoid! 5 Free Recipes to Empower Your Kids In the Kitchen Minds In Bloom: Unexpected Hobbies for Kinesthetic Learners 4 Tips to Homeschooling Multiple Grades Simultaneously For the win! Homeschooling from the Inside Out 71 Easy Adorable And Inexpensive Mothers Day Crafts The Beauty of the Perfect Picture Book at the Right Moment Letting Teens Go Too Soon= Disaster Childhood Should be Filled with Joy, Imagination, and WONDER 7 Things You Need to Get in Order to Have a Peaceful Home Why didn’t anyone tell me this BEFORE I started Homeschooling?
Easy Survival Tips for Living with a 12-Year Old Boy Inside: The secret to surviving life with your hormonal 12-year old son, 3 must reads if your raising boys and {Free printable: Raising Godly Men} My son almost died today. That’s right, I almost killed him. If you just sucked in all your breath thinking, “How can she say that?” then I can tell you’ve never had a 12-year-old son, or your sweet little boys are under the age of ten. 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, doesn’t stop them from fighting, arguing, rolling their eyes, huffing and puffing, backtalking, second-guessing, and testing the limits of my love, patience, and self-control daily. Twelve is a funny age. As a mom of five sons, I would testify in a court of law that nothing tests a mom more than a 12-year-old son. Nothing. I mean NOTHING. Do you have a hormonal 12-year-old boy (maybe 11-14)? Are you at your witts end with that hormonal pre-man? Are you looking for a way to reach his heart and pull him safely through the adolescent gauntlet that taunts him day and night?… Read More »
Don’t Panic if Your Kids Can’t Read Yet Don’t Panic if Your Kids Cannot Read Yet! Just keep reading aloud to them. Grab an exciting book and suddenly “Stop Reading” at an extremely exciting part. Leave them hanging in stories. Talk to them about the books you are reading. Give them access to books, lots and lots of book. Gather books that are below their reading level and have them “hanging around”. You, mom, pick up children’s literature and read silently to yourself. Let your kids see that there are no age-appropriate kid’s books. Help them see that a good book is simply that, a good book. I have had 5 reluctant readers myself. I chose not to panic about it, but to follow my own advice. Our youngest was the most reluctant yet. He is almost ten and had never really picked up a book on his own… until recently. Last week I couldn’t find him. I was walking all over our new home looking for him. I was shocked to stumble over him reading quietly in a corner while snuggling with the dog. I was shocked. I knew it would eventually happen, but I was still shocked when it did. He fell in love with the Magic Tree House Series. As a matter of fact he has read a whole book every day since the day I took this picture. Amazing! Do you have a reluctant reader? Keep reading to them. Supply them with lots of books. Visit the library. Often. Leave ’em hanging in a story. Just never give up. They will read. Never make it a negative, reading is fun. The only thing that matters is THAT they learn to read. Preview of the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Master Class. We need to STOP measuring success by grades, achievements, awards, and worksheets.
Raising Independent Learners You stumble into the kitchen to start your coffee and you find your 8th grader already plugging away at school. You rub your eyes and look again. Sure enough, there he sits quietly working on his math for the day. Can you imagine?… Read More »
How Parenting Books Make You a Better Mom Inside: 7 Steps- Use the Parenting Books you already own to make you a better mom. Last week I decided that all those parenting books on my bookshelves are only good for one thing: starting a bonfire. A big one. I was pulling my hair out. photo by Tamara Bellis My youngest two sons had been at each other’s throats all day. They fought about breakfast dishes. Almost went to war over why their stretchy gecko toy thingy shouldn’t be touched ‘under any circumstances’. And they dared go toe-to-toe with their loving, kind, and unraveling mom. … Read More »
Snowman Fun Pack: Perfect Snow Day Activity after Building a Snowman When our youngest son was 9-years old, he was “chomping a the bit” to create something for my Teachers Pay Teachers Store. He loves the idea of pulling an idea from his brain and creating something cute, useful, educational and FUN for kids while putting a few pennies in his pocket. Although you must be 18 to open a sellers account, he decided to begin studying the process so he’s ready to go on his 18th birthday. Impressed with his artwork, I taught him how to use the Layers App on an iPad to create a fun clip art set. Then we took his images and made them into transparencies so they could be easily added to any documents. Aren’t they cute? You can grab a set here. He couldn’t stop there. He used his images as inspiration and created a fun little snowman activity pack. I am so impressed by this fourth-grade mind! This pack includes: Create your own snowman scene Create your own snowman poem Snowman maze Color me snowman Build your own snowman Snowman word search 9 Lessons from Creating a Printable Brainstorming Taking a concept to product How to upload an image and create transparency (png image) How to use Google Presentation Create text boxes Add images Change fonts and sizes How to create an activity Need to give credit for images Have you or your kids ever thought about creating Printables for fun or as a way to earn extra income? You’re not alone! I received so many questions about creating printables to sell on Teachers Pay Teachers, that I created a self-paced class! What you’ll learn: Elements of a Printable Creating a Printable in Google Slides Organizing Text Boxes and Fonts Adding Images Template to get you started How to upload onto TpT Where to share your product This makes a PERFECT homeschool unit for kids!
So God Made a HOMESCHOOL Mom, Like YOU God said, “MY kids need to be… dependable, honest, trustworthy and kind. content while folding laundry, going on a million errands, or picking up dog poop. able to pursue their unique talents. …So God made a homeschool mom. God said, “You see, Each of MY kids is uniquely and wonderfully made.” They need to be loved and cherished. They must learn the value of cleaning up after playing with glitter. And they need to have the freedom to explore, run, jump, swing, slide, and hike through my creation. …So God made a homeschool mom. … 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. “Wait!” he shouted. I smiled. I knew I had him. “Maybe it’s an OK story…” photo by Aaron Burden Ha! I had him. I have played this dirty trick on each of my boys, many times actually. One of the keys to becoming an excellent writer is simply being exposed to lots and lots of great literature. LOTS. So, I still read aloud to my kids. My teenaged kids. … Read More »
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. Related: Age-Appropriate Chores List {freebie} Even though our boys are now teens (or older), they still have an unbelievable ability to create chaos and disorder. To combat the life-threatening danger of being buried alive by dirty laundry, we divide and conquer our home. Translation– The boys do chores. While chores can be controversial, we have found that our kids love it when they work together for the good of the team. Benefits of assigning age-appropriate chores to children: by the Flander’s Family Chores “give children a sense of belonging, a sense of ownership in the world.” Chores “teach responsibility and independence.” Chores “enable kids to meet the challenges they’ll face through life.” Chores help “develop self-esteem and prepare children for the future. It takes a lot of training to become a competent adult. When are they supposed to learn this?” Chores “teach teamwork.” Chores teach children “how to manage their time and be accountable for themselves.” Chores give children “the joy of doing a good job and of helping others. Children who know they are helpful to those they love are ones who understand that they can make the world a better place.” Chores combat “laziness, self-centeredness,” and “feelings of entitlement.” Chores “turn children into good, productive, hard-working citizens.” Chores make kids “feel important in the family structure.” Chores give kids an opportunity to “learn through participation. Children gain confidence by mastering new skills, especially skills they perceive as ‘grown-up.’” Chores give children “hands-on job training for life!” Chores serve to “instill a strong work ethic. Children are more capable than a lot of people think.” Chores show children “they can be competent and can do tasks well. We should teach them that while they’re young — they won’t magically learn it when they grow up.” Setting up chores can be overwhelming. I personally needed help. I couldn’t figure out where to begin. How many chores are acceptable? What kinds of chores? Should the kids do EVERYTHING? Photo by Catt Liu … 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. I know. Bran? But trust me, this is like no other bran muffin. (I used to work at this fantastic Bakery. If you’re in San Diego, go visit. Tell Lynn and Gerry Bekki sent me…) By the time I grabbed all the ingredients and made my way home I had made other plans… I feel free to defy my recipes and create one of my own. (Notice, these are no longer bran muffins) Banana Blueberry Muffins, by Bekki 1/2 c. Butter 1 c. Sugar 2 eggs, beaten 3 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. vanilla (because, vanilla.) 3 smooshed bananas 1 tsp. lemon juice 1/2 c wheat flour ( you can use just plain, all purpose too…) 1 c flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1 c blueberries Quietly combine all ingredients except blueberries. (Quietly… My kids are still sleeping). Fold in blueberries. Bake 325, 50-60 minutes. (It’s done when the kids wake up and a toothpick comes out clean when you poke the bread) You can bake in muffin cups or loaf pans, just adjust the time. I bet you want an exact time adjustment. I am a by sight baker. Set your timer for 45 minutes if baking muffins, 50 minutes if baking loaves. Check for done ness. Bake slightly longer if necessary. Ovens, elevation, humidity, and life itself can effect baking times. **freeze for quick breakfast or snacks!! Free Notebooking Pages Product Sampler from NotebookingPages.com.
Should I Homeschool: Am I a Good Enough Teacher to Homeschool My Kids? I wrestle with feelings of insecurity when it comes to homeschooling our boys. Sometimes I wonder if I am the best teacher for my children… Am I alone? Last week I picked up the novel my son was reading to help him with comprehension. He is reading Call it Courage. As I read the first chapter I realized that this book was not about a boy’s struggle with war. (That’s right! I never even noticed the cover) Good Lord, help my children! OK. I am not the most literate adult I know. In fact I did not read one book in high school. I was that student that could scan and skim, gather the right information and quotes to get an “A” in the class while never really having to read anything. I was pleasantly surprised by the plot of this tiny little book my son was reading, yet it made me question my ability to lead him. How could I possibly teach this child when I couldn’t even scan a book in advance to know it was about an island culture and their worship of courage? How could I look myself in the mirror and be confident in my ability to help my son love learning? After about three days of feeling bad, I realized my son’s interest had awakened as he read about and drew the setting of the story: an island surrounded by a beautiful coral reef. I picked up a Coral Reef book filled with fantastic photographs and we began exploring the complexity and delicacy of these living structures. Oh my, we were and continue to be captivated! In our research we discovered a new creature: The mantis shrimp. Holy smokes! This little guy is fantastic. Supposedly this creature has the fastest movement in the animal kingdom as it punches its prey. We had to learn more… A quick internet search, led us to one of my favorite YouTube Channels “Smarter Every Day” and viola, there was the beautiful, powerful, and astounding mantis shrimp. This one is worth watching with your kids! So there you go. A ride on my homeschooling merry go round. First I allow my son to read a book that I know nothing about. second, I form an opinion about the book strictly by its title. Then, I am struck “dumb” as I read to catchup with my son. next I see an opportunity to follow a rabbit trail down an area of interest. Then, we become engrossed and amazed in a little creature we didn’t even know existed. Yep, a successful homeschooling week I’d say. Of course, I failed again when I fell for the “Finding Nemo is all about a coral reef”: hook, line and sinker. How about you? Do you ever struggle with feeling like you fall short as a homeschooler? Preview of the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Master Class. We need to STOP measuring success by grades, achievements, awards, and worksheets.
Preparing Kids for Blood Work and Needles We need to train our kids for real life, while not scaring the pants off them. I had such an opportunity today. My youngest son needed to have blood drawn and I decided to prep him before we got there. He was all set and ready to go. Brave face, brave smile, ready to face danger head on. Then his kind brothers piped in. As we pulled into the parking lot one of the brothers says, “Hey, maybe they will use a chainsaw with blood sucking needles all around the blade!” Before I could reign them back in the older wiser brothers had filled the munchkins head with a few wonderfully horrible images to ponder as he silently walked toward the lab. Are you kidding me? After I rebuked the brothers sharply, using my best mean mommy face. We went inside. I am thrilled to report, the seven-year-old did great! He followed instructions perfectly and didn’t shed a tear or even utter the word “ouch”. Half way through the many viles of blood he says, “I can’t even feel it mom.” Victory! How to prep your children for medical tests that would make a grown man cry. You need to stay calm. You need to breath. They need to look at you and see a parent that knows that this is for their good. Tell them often that they can trust you and that you will never let them be surprised by a needle or painful procedure without advance warning- except in the case of an emergency. Role play doctor scenarios. Please do this at least once a year. Gather “supplies” while at doctors offices. They are usually glad to help. Let them know exactly what will happen. Do not down play a shot or surgery. Kids can handle the truth, especially if they get it delivered to them in a non-threatening moment. Give them coping skills. Remember Lamaze breathing? It works for shots and minor owies. Breathing does wonders. Holding and squeezing a hand works. Teach them to breath as they cry. Use the next scraped knee episode to practice. Explain long before they are strapped into a chair that struggling and having a fit will increase their pain and suffering. Show them. Hold your arm out and breath and relax. Have them feel your arm. Now strain and tense up and have them feel the difference. Stress and fear cause us to tense up… Each them to breathe. Let them know it’s ok to cry, just to breathe and trust you. Take them with you when you need blood work done and put on a brave face. I recently went to a lab for my own blood work up and there was a 3 year old named Gabriel having a full on panic attack. It was obvious that he had been there before and had not been warned or prepared in advance- he met the lab tech with horror. Poor thing:( While I know that prepping our children does not always guarantee eventless medical procedure, it really does help. Talk to your kids. Role play in advance. *I’ve been there. One of my boys has had 10+ surgeries, been under anesthesia over 20 times, and countless shots and needle pricks. 3 of my boys have needed IV’s at one point or another. I am the one who always held them down. But my husband is the one who insisted on prepping them in advance… It’s made a day and night difference. What have you done to prep your kids for shots, bloodwork, and surgery? More Helps: 6 simple ways to prepare child for blood draw Preview of the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Master Class. We need to STOP measuring success by grades, achievements, awards, and worksheets.
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. I made a promise and got lazy. There I was, sitting next to my 9th grader explaining his algebra lesson for the day when I was suddenly caught in my lie. Crud. I had a sudden flashback to the time I broke a window as a little girl. I was about 5 years old and was throwing rocks at the corner of the house. I missed. Actually, I hit my mark. I intentionally threw the rock at the window and it shattered. Crud. I was five. I did not know I had the super-human ability to shatter glass! I ran inside to try to fix the broken glass (because I was five) and cut my finger. I was not only in trouble but dying from my wound. (yes, I was a drama queen). Of course, my mom saw through my lie when I told her I was not trying to break the window. She was gracious with me, but I still remember the guilt over 40 years later like it was yesterday. So there I was next to my son, stumbling over his lesson while trying to put up the front that I knew exactly what I was doing. I am the teacher after all. I couldn’t let him know I lied to him when I told him I would always be at least one lesson ahead of him in math (so I would not confuse the tar out of him). But there I was like Brer Rabbit stuck to the Tar Baby. (I love Uncle Remus. If you have never read these aloud to your kids you are missing out!) I had decided I had this “Algebra Thing” by the horns. And then I didn’t. How is the ratio of the volume of two figures related to the ratio of the corresponding sides of the figures? What?! I tried. I panicked. I was tempted to swear. And then I confessed. I had not even looked at the lesson before we sat down. I gave him a lighter math assignment and sent him on his way and then I repented of my sin. I found a quiet place and worked out the math. I may have shed blood, but I don’t want to freak out any of you who are still teaching your kids shapes. Finally, I figured it all out and I created my notes. I am happy to report that the next day I was able to happily teach my son about ratios being related to one another. Half way through the lesson I paused and said, “This is what it like to be taught by a teacher who is prepared. It’s better isn’t it?” He said, “Definitely!” Question: What is the Most Critical Mistake to Avoid when Teaching Algebra (or challenging subject) Answer: Faking itAs a Homeschooler, you may struggle with the math level your children are currently learning, but if you are no prepared you will frustrate them and set them up for failure. They may even just adopt our “You don’t need this skill to buy milk” attitude and never press into the subject. By being unprepared, we teach our kids it’s ok to do mediocre work. Yikes!Steps to Teaching Algebra (or other challenging Material) 1. Admit that it is challenging for you. Do not fake understanding. 2. Commit yourself to learning the material. I know. There is laundry in the living room, the baby needs their diaper changed, and dinner needs to be made before tomorrow’s breakfast. If you are going to teach the material, you need to understand the material. Set aside 30 minutes to study tomorrow’s math/challenging subject. Take notes Do the lesson (I do at least half of my son’s Algebra lesson before he does so I can explain it properly) Get help if needed. There are all kinds of online helps to assist you. Khan academy is one of my favorites. Work through the challenging material together. For instance, my son knows I do not remember chemistry or advanced biology. We work through the vocabulary and concepts together. But with math, I have to be a step ahead of him. Math is challenging enough without having your teacher say, “first, you do this. Wait, that’s not right, try this. Shoot, that didn’t work either.” 3. Get Help. If you simply cannot figure out how to do the material, you can get your kids tutors. Not all tutors need to cost you an arm and a leg. It’s not a crime to enroll your child in a high school or community college class either. Our local high school allows homeschoolers to take single classes. That’s a great option. Our local community college allows students to take their junior and senior high school classes and they earn both high school and college credit. When I tried to fake my way through my son’s Algebra lesson I really created quite a dramatic scene. He deserved better from me. Truth: Our kids may not all be learning Algebra and ratios today, but they do all deserve our best. I can’t say that I will never fail again because that would make me a repeat liar, but I am determined to be better prepared each day. How about you? Have you ever “lied” to your kids? Confession is good for the soul… Download your FREE “Math Concepts to Master Before Graduating High School” {Printable} Preview of the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Master Class. We need to STOP measuring success by grades, achievements, awards, and worksheets.