Are You Organized?

Here at Family, Faith and Fridays we post about a lot of things, but if you have been around for a while you know that one of my passions is home organization.  Notice I said passions, not perfections!  There is no such thing when it comes to perfection in home organization- only passionate people doing the best they can.   And boy, do I like to do the best I can when it comes to my home.  Call it whatever you like, but it soothes my soul and gives me peace.

So on that note, I am joining some friends from Timberdoodle's review team in posting some of our favorite and "best" home organization tips.  Why not pick just one this week to apply to your life and see how you feel?  Just a few hours in one location of your home will make you feel like a million bucks!  Afraid or too overwhelmed to start? Grab a buddy that will be your teammate and hold you accountable.  I promise it will be worth it!

Two of my favorite series I have posted about household organization are-

Clearing Out the Clutter and 34 Weeks of Clean!

Clearing Out the Clutter address clearing out your homes, heart, head, homeschool, and health.  It helps give you the "whys" behind cleaning and hopefully will motivate you to establish your own whys.

34 Weeks of Clean was birthed a few years ago while my husband was deployed to Afghanistan for a year.  It kept me sane, connected me with amazing women, and allowed me to organize and deep clean my house, one area at a time.  Since then we have repeated it each year and just ended a cycle last week.  BUT, there is no reason for you to wait until January.  Start NOW, you won't be sorry!

Need some help or just encouragement?  Feel free to leave me a message- I would be glad to be come alongside you and be your cheerleader!

Blessings,

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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We Are Back to School

As part of Timberdoodle's Back to School Blog Hop, I wanted to share our most popular homeschooling posts with you.  After 21 years of homeschooling and blogging for many of those, I have had a lot to say about the subject of homeschooling.  It is what we do and in many ways who we are!  I hope you will take the time to get to know us over here at Family, Faith  and Fridays, and maybe eve find a little helpful advice and encouragement along the way!

You Do What? Yes, we are one of those families. Homeschoolers!  For over 21 years now, actually.   And we have loved almost every minute. 

I say, almost, because let's be real, some days are just harder than others.  And some kids are easy to teach than others.

Take, for instance, the Strong Willed Child I am teaching!  Do you have one of those?  I am convinced they are going to grow up, rule the world, and do great things, but until then we must stuck together, fellow moms of the SWC!

And at the other end of the spectrum I have a college graduate as of December 2014.  She duel credited her senior year of high school, spent 1 1/2 years away at college, and then came home and finished a year later at home online.  Not your typical college career but it worked for us and it was the best thing for her!  She is now 25, works 30 hours a week AND runs her own quilt business! If you have a child headed to college you might want to consider a few things.

And then in between I have a 17 year old boy- still loves legos and all things knives and guns! He is such a joy and growing into such a special young man!  Really!  He is one of the sweetest and kindest young men I know- and not just because I am his momma.  If I could only get him to stop growing up.

And then there is my 21 year old drama queen.  And I mean that in the nicest way possible.  Really! She did school differently as well.  She duel credited her last two years of high school, taking multiple on line classes, and entered college as a sophomore.  She attended a Christian college in Mississippi and just graduated, majoring in Musical Theater.  There are BIG things in the future with this girl and she is currently as part of the just opened Medieval Times in Scottsdale, AZ!

Some days are great and some days are not so great.  Just like everyone else.. So Why DO We Do It?  Can you do it too?  You bet!  Put the excuses aside and buckle in for the ride of your life!  There may be Pros and Cons, but it is worth it, I assure you!

Blessings from a Veteran Homeschool Mom,
Michele

Other Homeschooling Posts that might interest you-


Let's Talk About...Series
Schooling Year-Round While Others Have a Break
Even Veteran Mom's Have Doubts
There's a Light at the End of the Tunnel
Life Hacks from a Homeschooling Mom
Aim High, Settle for Less
6 Tips for Dual Crediting Highschool
Schooling Boys
How to Homeschool When Your Days Get Crazy
The 7 Flaws of Standardized Testing
The 9 Lies Every College Student Tells
5 Reasons You Will Want to Homeschool

You are invited to the Timberdoodle Back-to-School blog hop!

Click here to enter

Keeping Your Homeschool Alive- There's A Light At The End of The Tunnel

Day 5 of our 5 Days of Homeschool Blog Hop is here!  It has been an exhausting week, but so worth it.  If you have not had time to explore the linkys this week, I would encourage you to spend this weekend catching up- there are some great posts out there that I KNOW will bless your life.  I do, after all, work with an amazing group of women!

For our last day, we are going to look ahead a bit.  There is, after all, a light at the end of the tunnel.  Although for some of us the tunnel seems pretty long.  27 years total long.  Excuse me while I go hyperventilate.

Ok, here we go.  What do we do when that light is drawing near?

Be thankful!  No, not that you are almost child free, but that you have been blessed with this experience.  I often tell people I cannot imagine my kids not being home all day.  Although every day has not been easy, I consider it a huge blessing to have the opportunity to teach my kids at home.  We have learned together, cried together, and rejoiced together.  I am thankful.

Reach out to others!  Everyday there are people who are just beginning this homeschool journey.  They have a million questions and are looking for answers.  Lots of answers.  You, veteran mom, have a lot of knowledge.  You have learned and grown a lot in those years and you have something valuable to offer.  Offer it!

Bless others!  I bet you have a lot of curriculum sitting around.  I know I do even now and I still have 8 years to go!  Loan it out, or even sell it.  No need for it to gather dust when someone else can be using it.  It really is one of my greatest joys to loan out curriculum we are not currently using.

Develop you!  I don't know about you, but I chose to put myself and a lot of what made me me to the side when I started homeschooling.  It was just what I needed to do so I could focus on the task at hand with fewer outside distractions.  But soon (well, in 8 years), I will be back to just me in the house during the day.  While my hubby is at work, I would like to do more than sit around the house and twiddle my thumbs.  Whether it is professional development or just returning to old hobbies, be looking for things to do with your time that will bring you joy.

So that light at the end of the tunnel you see?  Embrace it.  Celebrate it!  Look to the future with joy and anticipation.

You deserve it, friend!


Blessings,

Keeping Your Homeschool Alive- Even Veteran Moms have Doubts

 I love learning new things- trust me, even after 19 years of teaching there are still new things to learn!

19 years???

Yep!  I can hardly believe it some days.  You would think by now I would be facing each day with complete confidence and NO doubts!

HA!  Right?!

Yes, even after 19 years I still swim in doubts some days.

Am I teaching them enough?
Am I teaching them at ALL?
Could they learn more from someone else?
Am I preparing them for the future?
Is this really the best idea?
Are they even listening to me?
Should they go to public school?
Have I lost my mind?  (Don't answer that one, please!) 

Of course, most of those questions are rooted in fear and should have no place in my thought process.  But yet, they pop up from time to time. Even after 19 years.

So what is a homeschool mom to do?  Where can we go to get support and encouragement when we need it?

Our Spouse- Hopefully you entered into this as a team.  You should have.  And if not with a spouse then at least with some support.  Knowing what you are doing, and more importantly, why you are doing it, is vital.  Having someone on your team who can remind you of those things is also vital.  On the days that are my hardest, just sitting down with my husband to talk about why we first made the decision to homeschool is a huge lift for me.

Our Friends- Here again is where team is so important.  Walking through life with others who are doing the same things we are just makes life easier.  Knowing we are not the only ones struggling, that we have friends in the same boat, just helps, right?  If you do not have friends doing what you are doing, find some.  Whether through your local homeschool group or friends in your neighborhood, find someone that you can encourage and can encourage you.

The Word- Around our home we often say to our kids "what does the Bible say?"  I think it is a good question to ask ourselves as well.  When we fear- what does the Bible say? "Do not fear for I am with you."  Isaiah 41:10  When we worry about the future, what does the Bible say? "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."  Matthew 6:34  When we wonder if we know what to teach- what does the Bible say?  "Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deut. 11:19  God has given us the truths we need, we just need to speak those truths to ourselves.  All. The. Time!

Is it easy?  Not even close some days!  But it is possible with a little help.  Rely on your spouse, your friends, and most importantly, on God to get you through!

You WILL get through.

Blessings,

Keeping our Homeschool Alive- New Curriculum and Resources

Welcome to day three of our 5 Days of Homeschooling Blog!  We are so glad you joined us.  It is my prayer that you will be blessed by the posts of all of those participating.  They are homeschooling moms just like you who have a heart for what they do.  Pull up a seat and stay a while- you might just make a new friend!

Yesterday we talked about the value of breaks but today we want to talk about the heart of homeschooling- Curriculum.  It's the one thing that can excite me and bring out dread all at the same time.  When I see moms posting in late July about choosing new curriculum I giggle because, I admit it, I started planning a year ago.  About two weeks after I have just begun the current year.  Yes, I am one of those people.

I love curriculum.  And I have a lot to prove it!  19 years worth and counting to be exact!

Unfortunately things I loved way back then are not always the best choices for the kids I am schooling now, and some things just get techno'ed out. (yes, I made that word up!)  But you get the point, I have disks that won't even run on newer computers and math instruction alone has changed a lot in the past 19 years!


We have to keep up in some ways!

How do I do it?

Appreciate what you have!
There are just some things that will never grow old.  I am saving my teddy bear counters and tangrams for my grand-kids someday.  Seriously!  Those manipulatives are worth their weight in gold and still teach just the same.  There are reading programs that have worked for us with all four kids and there are books that we will continue to read even if the cover has been taped back on for the umpteenth time.  Sometimes new and shiny just doesn't matter.  If you have something tried and true, keep it, use it, and appreciate it.

Keep an open mind!
Yes, some things are just easier to use because we have before and there is no learning curve involved.  BUT... in this day and time technology can be helpful.  While my first instinct is to run from all kinds of technology, I have to remember that is MY instinct, not that of my children.  In addition, I would be doing them a disservice if I did not at least expose them to new things.

Think outside the box!
There was a day in time where taking college classes before you were in college was unheard of.  Or doing an internship at age 16.  Or CLEPing college classes for credit or even taking a GAP year.  But nowadays, those ideas and many more are a normal thing for students, homeschooled and public alike.  There is no one set way to teach or to learn.  Find what works for your family and pave the way to your child's success!

Re-evaluate each year!
We pray about our decision to homeschool every year.  We do not take this decision for granted or lightly.  I expect you do not either.  We also do not take lightly our curriculum choices.  Yes, I am blessed because my job is now working under The Old Schoolhouse Magazine with their Homeschool Review Crew, and because of that I see a lot of curriculum go across my desk.  But there are other ways for you to do the same.  Attend a conference, browse homechool magazines, or find veteran homeschoolers like me who love to have the opportunity to share what we have!  If you see something works better than others don't be afraid to change.  Even if it is in the middle of the year.  Don't waste your time on what doesn't work- it's not worth it.  Re-evaluate your needs and move on.

There is no shortage of curriculum and resources out there for homeschoolers.  When you keep an open mind, think outside the box and re-evaluate each year, you are bound to find the perfect fit for your family!  Got questions?  Ask!  If I haven't used it, I bet I know someone who has! ;)


Blessings,

Keeping Your Homeschool Alive- The Value of Taking a Break

Welcome back to day two of our 5 Days of Homeschooling Blog Hop.  If you missed yesterday's introduction, we would love for you to take a minute to catch up!

Today, let's chat for a minute or two about taking breaks.  I am ALL about breaks.  I mean, after 19 years I deserve a break, right?

Let's start with what a break is.  One definition I found was "A pause in work or during an activity."  The pause part kind of got me hung up for a while, and I had to really think about that wording.  I was going to talk to you about BIG breaks, not just a pause.  It also got me thinking that there are several kinds of breaks, and we homeschooling moms probably need them all at one time or another.

HOURLY BREAKS- You know, those times that tensions are high, tears are bound to happen at any moment (yours, not theirs), and mom just needs to cry uncle for a few minutes.  Sometimes we just need to take a few minutes to stop and regroup.  Through the years I have found those are the times I need to push back from the table, maybe grab a hand of a little one and pray.  When we get frustrated, when things don't go the way the lesson plan shows, or when kids just are not behaving the way we think they should, the best break we can have is a quick time of prayer.  Not only does it re-position our heart, but it is a good visual reminder to our kids that we are human and that we too need God and His guidance.

MONTHLY BREAKS- I think public school teacher conferences are ingeniously and strategically placed in between holidays!  Have you ever noticed they seem to automatically have at least a day or two off each month for something?   That is just smart planning.  We all need time to rest, play, and recharge!  Over the past few years we adopted a Sabbath Week Schooling Schedule in which we aim to school for 6 weeks and then take a week off.  Sometimes I have to fudge the exact timing with holidays or a college child's plans, but the point is, we do take some time off every so often to rest and lesson plan.  The kids need it and I need it.

YEARLY BREAKS- Sometimes we just need to celebrate and enjoy family.  However that looks to you.  Whether it is a stay-cation with popcorn and movie nights or a lavish vacation to a deserted island (please sign me up) your family needs you!  They need one-on-one parenting time, love, and attention outside of tests and quizzes.  Years ago we made the decision to save money each month towards a yearly family vacation.  Best. Decision. Ever!  Some years are quieter than others, but all have been opportunities to make memories and to rest from the pressures of school and everyday life.

No matter what kind of break you need today, rest assured they are all needed at some point.  The opportunity to come back and start fresh, whether after a minute of prayer, a week to lesson plan,  or a time to just relax and have some fun, is an opportunity worth taking!

Go ahead, give yourself a break!

Blessings,

What Does a Homeschool Veteran Actually Look Like?- Blog Hop

Welcome to day 1 of the Homeschool Review Crew's 5 Days of Homeschool Blog Hop which will run all this week!  This year the sky is the limit with everyone's chosen subjects so make sure you explore the linky, learn some new things, make some new friends, and just have some fun!

As for me- this week we are talking about Keeping Your Homeschool Alive. Before we get started, let's quickly talk about what a homeschool veteran looks like.

Some days my hair and makeup are perfect (well as perfect as I can get) and there is a smile on my face!
Some days I have my pajamas on til noon and I look like something the dogs drug in!
Some days confidence in this journey pours out of me and I am ready to conquer even the hardest college applications!
Some days doubt and worry set in and I wonder if the kids are even learning something.
Some days I wish they were all preschoolers again working with the teddy bear counters and playdough.
Some days I cannot wait to be done homeschooling.
Some days we start at 9 and end at 3 completing all of our daily assignments on time.
Some days we are lucky if we start by noon and get anything done.

Sound anything like you?
I hope so!

You see, the point is, we are not too different. 

Yes, I have been homeschooling for almost two decades (excuse me while I go sit down), but I am much like you.  I have learned a lot of things, but by no means have all the answers.
Some days are good.  Some days are not.

But, by the grace of God, a lot of prayer, and a lot of determination, we forge ahead.

I have a 23 year old daughter who graduated with a BS in Bible who runs her own sewing business.
My second daughter is three weeks from finishing her first year in college, which is actually her sophomore year.
I have a son that is finishing up his freshman year and starting to explore college possibilities.
And I have a 9 year old, yes you read that correctly, that is a 4th grader and he says he is living with me forever.  Oh boy!

So this week as we talk about Keeping Your Homeschool Alive, remember- we are more alike than not.
And we are in this journey together!

Welcome, friend!

Blessings,

Encouragement 101- 5 Day Blog Hop

Welcome to our last day of 5 Days of Homeschool 101!

Can I just take the liberty of addressing ALL the moms out there?  After all, we are moms first and teachers second.

Days can be hard, life has troubles.  None of us, no none of us, have it easy.  

Just because you may not see it does not mean that others are not dealing with "stuff." We all have STUFF!

So here is my simple encouragement to you.

You are not alone!  Ever.  The Bible says there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9) I believe this is true for many things, including our worldly problems.  It may be new to you, but it is not new.  Someone else has experienced it, therefore you are NOT alone!

Someone cares! A spouse, a friend, a co-worker, someone.  But more importantly, God.  Really, He does. 1 Peter 5;7 says, "...casting all your anxieties on him, because He cares for you."

School is just a little detail.  Or work.  Or that other problem you are dealing with.  Whatever it is, it is not the end-all-be-all.  Deal with what you can the best you can and move forward.  In the end, most of the things we worry about are just mere seconds of our lives.

Nothing is forever.  Not the math problem you are trying to teach or the overwhelming problem you are facing.  Not anything of this world.  Only our faith in Jesus Christ and our submission to Him will allow us anything eternal.

If this is your first year to homeschool, I would encourage you to have fun.  Enjoy your time with your child and don't stress over the little details that don't matter in the end.  

If you are embarking on what seems like your 100th year of homeschooling, let me cheer you on to finish the race strong.  You are indeed making a difference in your child's life.

If you are are not a homeschooler but need encouragement in some other aspect of your life, I am honored to be your personal cheerleader!  Consider this your "you can do it" speech!  If you need it to be more personalized, contact me and I will make that happen!

Regardless of your needs- be encouraged!  You are loved!

Blessings, 

Traditions 101- 5 Day Blog Hop

Welcome to day 4 of the 5 Days of Homeschool 101!  We are thrilled you are back!

Today is all about traditions and so I am going to start with a little confession.

I am not big into traditions.  At all.  Call me lazy or just a bad mom, but we tend to change things around a lot and don't adhere to many traditions.  But there are some fun ones out there for homeschooling and IF I was going to be inspired here's what I would do-

Assign each child a color for the year.  Ok, this one I do, but only recently.  Color coding notebooks and school supplies is fun and relatively easy as long as you are smart on your color choice.  That's about where my traditions stop.

Make a special breakfast.  I have seen some moms go all out on this, even taking the children out for a fun breakfast.  I love the idea, just never do it.

Take first day of school pictures.  I know, I know, bad on my part, but it doesn't happen here.  I do, however, look at all the cute pictures you all post on Facebook and feel bad for my kids!

Celebrate the 100th day of school.  Yes, I do keep track of what day we are on, but not once have we treated it any differently.  Again, I love all of the fun ideas I see online, but the thought of collecting 100 of anything goes against my 34 Days of Clean principles and makes me cringe.

Celebrate the holidays.  OK, we do celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter but after that, not so much.  When I taught preschool I actually gave thought to Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day, Presidents Day and such, but now, not so much.  I do dream of a theme decorated room and love seeing yours! ;)

Take off the child's birthday.  Yay me!  I have been known to do this occasionally.  When it fits my schedule well.  Again, I love the idea, but the thought of taking off a random day in the middle of the week makes me cringe.

I am sure there are so many more, but for the sake of my pride I will stop.  I also want you to still like me!  :)  The point is, traditions can be fun and if they fit your family, then have at it!  

Enjoy your time, but most importantly, enjoy your kids!

Blessings,

Home Management 101- 5 Day Blog Hop

Welcome to Day 3 of the Schoolhouse Review Crew's 5 Days of Homeschool 101 Blog Hop.  If you missed our posts about Curriculum and Planning, we would love for you to catch up!

Home Management... I have a love- hate relationship with those two words.  On one hand, I love calendars and charts and organization.  When my home looks and feels peaceful, I look and feel peaceful.  On the other hand, sometimes getting to that peaceful place can be a hard road.

Anyone else agree?

Take for example- many moms do their housework during the day when their children are at school.  Not a judgement, just a fact.  For homeschoolers, that "down" time is not quiet, it is full of lessons and tests and experiments and art and...well, you get the point.  My time is not my own during the day.

It takes work to get it all done.  A little planning and some ingenuity keeps our life semi-organized. So how does a homeschooling mom succeed on the Home Management front?  

Wake up first! If I can get just a few things done before the kids wake up I feel like I am one step ahead.  This was especially true when I had littles in the house.  If I could get quiet time in before little feet hit the floor, I felt like the day was a success.

Assign chores! You cannot do it all!  There, I said it.  Our rule is chores first and then breakfast.  No, they are not my personal slaves, but yes, they are a part of this team.  And teams work together to get things done.  Like laundry and dishes!

Meal plan! Even working moms will tell you that dinner is the hardest meal.  After a long day, whether in your home or outside of it, when you are ready to start dinner is not the time to pull out a pound of frozen beef and decide what to do with it.  I also cook and freeze breakfast foods on the weekends for the kids to pull out of the freezer to reheat on school days.  There is no need to be elaborate but you must be deliberate!  

Love your crockpot! There is nothing easier than popping meat into a crockpot and pushing start in the morning.  Not only will your house smell good but when it is time to eat you will have very little dinner prep left.  

Keep a family calendar! And more importantly, hang it where everyone can see it.  We tend to color code activities and appointments, but you do not have to be that crazy.  Just put all the activities in one place so there are no last minute surprises.  When everyone knows the plan for the day, life tends to go more smoothly.

Minimalize activities! Yes, your child can do three sports and have two lessons, but do they really need to?  Unfortunately the more kids you have and the more activities they are in the crazier your life will be.  Just do the math.  By limiting our children's activities we hope to teach them that our family is priority over anything else.  It is that good, better, best principle- concentrate on the best.

Simplify Life- One thing I learned through our 34 Weeks of Cleaning series was that more things in our lives and homes not only cluttered the living space but cluttered our heads.  When my house is a mess, I feel out of control.  When mom feels out of control, the kids usually follow next.  It is a crazy cycle that can just run out of control.  The less clutter we have surrounding us, the fewer un-needed activities we participate in, and the more we focus on our family and those we love, the better our house runs and the happier we are.

Home Management may seem like a monumental task to many, but it is a task you can conquer...or at least tame!  By taking control of your home, you can have more control of your life.  And your kids will be blessed!

Blessings,

Planning 101- 5 Day Blog Hop

Welcome back to Day 2 of our Schoolhouse Review Crew's 5 Days of Homeschool 101!   Now that you have chosen the curriculum, what's next? How about a little planning! This is the part that excites me.  I live by calendars and schedules and the challenge of planning excites me.  Hey, it's the little things that bring us joy, right?  Panning your homeschool calendar is much like putting together a puzzle.  It may take a little patience and some rearranging, but in the end, a beautiful thing comes in sight! Promise! So where do we start? Grab a calendar!  Most curriculums account for a 36 week school year, so go ahead, circle and number your weeks.  In pencil, of course.  We all know that the best laid plans get derailed sometimes.  If you school year round, you have a little more flexibility.  If you follow more of a public school calendar then you will need to find one online and copy it.  The past few years we have followed a Sabbath school schedule, doing school for 6 weeks and then taking a week off.  That has to be modified occasionally due to holidays or unexpected events, but on a whole it has worked well for us.   Make a chart!  While we do not follow a strict hourly schedule, we do plan our day out.  By having a chart visible with the days' plan on it, your child will know what to expect and when.  We list things like wake up, breakfast, start time, lunch, quiet time and dinner.  We keep a separate family calendar with any appointments and re-occurring events such as lessons on it, but this chart stays in the school room so your child can see at a quick glance what they should be doing and what is next.  If you like a more detailed plan, Managers of Their School and Managers of Their Home are great resources from Titus 2 Ministries.  In our early years of schooling little people, those books helped me maintain my sanity. Use the syllabus!  Thank goodness many homeschool curriculums out there come with a daily schedule.  If that is the case, all you have to do is follow that schedule and you are good.  If not, you will have to do a little math to figure out the pages or lessons you have and the weeks you have to do them in.  A little division later, you should know about how much you need to cover each day or week. Find a notebook!  Last year we decided to write all of our assignments in a plain notebook.  After years of using fancy planners and such, we have found this way to be the easiest for us.  Each week I simply write out all of the subjects in the child's notebook and the corresponding assignment.  When they are done with that assignment, they add a sticker or a check mark so I know they are done.  Easy peasey! Done with your planning?  Time to get started!

Blessings,

Curriculum 101- 5 Day Blog Hop

Welcome to Day 1 of our Schoolhouse Review Crew's 5 Days of Homeschooling 101!  We look forward to having you this week and hope you will be blessed by the many posts that will be linked throughout the week!  Feel free to link up as well!
Whether you are a brand new homeschooler or one that has been in the trenches for years, curriculum is probably the biggest thing you will worry about each year.  Even after 18 years of homeschooling and graduating two already, it is still the area I ponder the most.  After all, it is a decision that can affect how your kids do, how well they learn, and really, determine what your year will look like.   I have written several posts on choosing curriculum, as well as one on what we will be using this 2017 school year, but let me remind you of a few points.  After all, this is all about Homeschool 101, so let's keep it simple!
Do your research! - There are a lot of school materials out there.  A lot!  Before you go buying on a whim, or spend way too much money at your homeschool convention, take a while to look around at what there is.  Gather catalogs, look at websites, read reviews, and ask your friends.  
Know your student(s)! - Every person has a different learning style.  Some, like my oldest son, are auditory learners.  Some, like my youngest daughter, are kinesthetic learners.  Others learn best by reading or doing.
Make it fun! - Yes, school is hard work, but even public school teachers have a little fun sometimes.  Play games, do word searches or sing songs.  Choose a few subjects that lend themselves to more fun.  Your child will still learn and you will have fun together at the same time.
Don't be an over achiever! - Yes, we all want our kids to be smart and succeed, but let's face it, not everyone is going to be the next Einstein.  And no, we cannot do everything.  Trust me on this one, there are so many amazing curriculums out there that it is easy to get carried away and try to fit them all into your day.  After all, we would not want our kids to miss out on any opportunity. I am here to tell you- don't do it.  Right, son?! ;)  Over planning your day is a recipe for not only burnout but also disaster.  And probably a little rebellion.  Focus on core subjects, add a few well thought out extracurricular courses and let the rest go.  Your child will thank you!
Know the laws! - Oh yes, and then there's THAT!  The government still dictates what we do in most states.  Unfortunately, each state is different.  Some require you to maintain immaculate records, others require annual testing.  Regardless of the requirements or what we think about them, it is our obligation to follow the rules.  By following the rules now, you can save yourself a lot of trouble later!
With a little bit of patience and planning, you CAN have a successful school year.  Homeschooling may not be for everyone, but if God calls you to it, He will bless you through it!
Make every moment count!

Blessings, 

Homeschooling High School Blog Hop

Yes, you CAN homeschool a highschooler.  Trust me, I have done it.  Our oldest child graduated from college in December, a semester early at that, and did extremely well.  We currently have a high school "junior" who is technically done with highschool and has enough college credits to be a second semester freshman.  Our goal is for her to enter college as a junior.  We also have an 8th grade son who will begin some highschool level classes in August.  It is not easy, but it can be done.  And it can be done successfully.

One of the keys to doing well is having a solid high school background and one of the keys to having a solid high school background is knowledge.  Lots and lots of knowledge.  About classes, choices, curriculum and more.

Luckily for you and me, there are lots who have gone before us and love to share what they have learned.  My friends, that makes our lives easier.

I am teaming up with a group of friends who have been there done that and are also currently in the trenches of homeschooling.  And once a month for the next 7 months they are going to share their wisdom, trials, tears and celebrations!  We hope you will join us in hopping from one blog to another and gleaning valuable information.  Maybe you will even make a new friend in the process!

Here's what you can expect...

·  24 June - Planning for High School 

·  29 July - Electives 
 

·  26 August - Math, Science, Biology 

·  30 September- Language Arts 

·  28 October - "How am I going to teach High School ...?" 

·  25 November -   How do you fit it all in? 

·  30 December - Graduation 

Here are the gals who you can expect to see participating-

Chareenfrom Every Bed of Roses - Introducing the 2015 Homeschool High School Blog Hop
Jennifer from A Glimpse of Our Life - Meet The Bloggers of The Homeschooling High School Blog Hop
Meg from Adventures with Jude - Hints for Homeschooling High School
Cristi from Through the Calm and Through the Storm - Some Homeschooling High School Friends
Debra from Footprints in the Butter - My Three (Homeschooled High School) Sons
Leah from As We Walk Along the Road - Are You Really Homeschooling Through High School?! The Homeschool High School Blog Hop
Lisa from Golden Grasses - You Can Do It! Homeschooling through High School Blog Hop
Wendy from Life at Rossmont - Introducing High School Homeschooling ... {A Monthly Blog Hop}
Gena from I Choose Joy! - Homeschooling High School monthly blog hop- Introduction
Kym from Homeschool Coffee Break - Meet the Homeschooling High School Bloggers!
Debbie from Debbie's Homeschool Corner - Homeschooling High School
Carol from Home Sweet Life - Homeschooling High School ~ What is it REALLY like?
April from ElCloud Homeschool - Introducing Homeshooling High School
Erica from Be The One - Homeschooling High School
Laura from Day by Day in Our World - Homeschooling High School ~ A New Monthly Series of Posts
Tess from Circling Through This Life - Introducing the Homeschool High School Blog Hop!
Dawn from Double O Farms - Tapping into Great Resources for Homeschooling High School

Who is ready to learn?  See ya back soon!

Blessings,

So Why Do We Do It?

Welcome back to our final day of the Back to Homeschool blog hop.  I hope you have had as much fun as we have and gotten a chance to visit some other blogs.  Here are a few of my favorites to get you started! Marcy @ Ben and Me Lisa @ Farm Fresh Adventures Jenn @ Treasuring Life's Blessings Dusty @ To the Moon and Back Jacquelin @ A Stable Beginning Rebekah @ There Will Be a $5 Charge for Whining  Gena @ I Choose Joy!
It has been a fun week, but man am I tired!  Next week we will have a week off of school, not even our summer school, and then it is back to full time school! So why do we do it?

I have mentioned it before, but it is worth repeating.  I did not grow up as a homeschooled kid.  I did not dream of being a homeschool mom. Nor did my husband dream of being a homeschool dad. When we began homeschooling our first daughter at age 4, it was out of self-preservation. My husband had a crazy work schedule that involved a lot of nights gone and a lot of short-notice trips.  We also had a new baby and I could not even get my preschooler to preschool on time.  Seriously!  I knew if I died unexpectedly, my last possible words to her could very well have been, "hurry up, we are late!" I decided to buy us some time.  I thought we would homeschool the "easy" years and save up money to send the kids to a private school eventually. God had different plans.  Doesn't He always?
I loved having my, then only, girls home.  I loved they were best friends despite the four year age difference. I loved that we could be together as a family even when my husband's schedule was unpredictable.  I loved that we did not feel rushed.  And believe it or not, I even loved teaching them.  Mostly!

Then, enter this guy and how could I not have him spend the days with his sisters?  How could they possibly miss him growing up?

And then we were blessed with this little guy!  He needed stability.  He needed family.  He needed to be around those that loved him best!

And so you see- every day, from 16 years ago until today, God has planted a little more in my heart each time that I needed it.  Just one more reason to continue on the path of homeschooling. It is not about the books, or the test scores, or all that they learn.  Those things are important, but they are not IT for us. IT for us is family!

How can you go wrong spending the day with this group?
Blessings.

You Want Me to Teach High School?

Welcome back!  Yesterday we talked about choices for our 2nd and 7th grader, so let's move right into 11th grade!

High School

The name alone puts fear into many homeschooling moms, I know.

I understand.

It did for me at first.  And then I had one graduate, successfully getting into the college of her choice and make straight A's, except that B in the dreaded Greek class.  And who is going to graduate a semester early in December, after only 2.5 years of college.

I figured we did not mess her up too badly, and so surely I could do it again, and again two more times!

We also learned a few things along the way. About making college decisions, going away to college, going back again, and even about coming home.

We have said a lot of prayers and we have made a few changes along the way.

So here is what is going on in our current high schooler's life, Riley, currently in 11th grade-



History- Civics and American Government from Sonlight

             * We have it, it has worked for us in the past and so we will continue with it again.

Writing- Institute for Excellence in Writing -Advanced Communications Series and The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation.  She will also continue to use Wordly Wise for vocabulary

Math- Math U See's Stewardship (consumer math)
           * This is the only year we use Math U See, but I really like that this program teaches basic life math skills and uses a journal and devotional.

Bible- Apologia's I Don't Have Enough Strength to be an Atheist
           *I have been waiting to use this with a kiddo after reading it myself.

Science- Apologia's Marine Biology
               *We allow our child to choose what they will study for their fourth science.  Therefore our landlocked child is studying about the ocean.  Makes perfect sense, right?

And then here is where we get a bit crazy...

Our daughter just successfully completed her first online college class (dual credit) English Comp 2.  She had placed out of English Comp. 1.

In September she will be taking British Lit 1, Visual Communications and Speech all for dual credit.
She will take four additional dual credit classes in the spring as well as attempt to CLEP four classes, thus completing her freshman year of college as well as her junior year of high school.

For the record, and in case you were wondering if she ever had time for anything else outside of class, YES!  She loves theater and is quite a happy kiddo!

Riley is on the far left, in the bright green!

High school can be challenging, but it can be done!

Tomorrow is our last day together for this amazing Blog Hop!  Hope to see ya back, but until then, check out what some friends are chatting about...

Marcy @ Ben and Me Lisa @ Farm Fresh Adventures Jenn @ Treasuring Life's Blessings Dusty @ To the Moon and Back Jacquelin @ A Stable Beginning Rebekah @ There Will Be a $5 Charge for Whining  Gena @ I Choose Joy!
And don't forget about the BIG GIVEAWAY!!

Blessings,