Sabbath School

 

 Yes, we have completed the first six weeks of school and are taking this week off- a Sabbath week.

Named after the day of rest that the Lord commanded in the Bible, a Sabbath week of school is just that- a week off to rest and regroup after six weeks of school.  Give or take a week! ;)  For example, the next six weeks will bring us to just a week shy of the week of Thanksgiving, which I prefer to take off.  Therefore, our next grouping of school weeks will actually be seven, rather than six weeks, before the next break. shhhh, don't tell!

 

WHY DO SABBATH SCHOOLING?

For several reasons-

We tend to not take many breaks otherwise.  Unlike traditional school, I do not take a day off for things like President's Day, Martin Luther King's Birthday etc.  We do address those holidays as a mini history lesson of why they are observed, but I do not feel they all necessarily are due a day off.

We like the idea of work hard and then play hard.  I try to plan a few fun activities over our week's break to celebrate our hard work and give us time to work off steam.

Fewer little breaks allow us bigger breaks when it counts.  Like a week at Thanksgiving, often 3-4 weeks at Christmas, a week of vacation, etc.  At one point our girls were in college and we would schedule our Sabbath breaks around their school breaks so we could just spend time together as a family when they were home with no school books around.  Now that my husband teaches at a University, we will schedule breaks around his school schedule to maximize "vacation" time. 

It gives me a built in teacher planning time.  I like schedules and tend to plan way ahead.  Taking a force time out after six weeks or so allows me to assess what we have been doing, and what has worked or not worked, and then plan ahead accordingly.  Let's face it, sometimes the most well planned plans can go south and changes need to be made.  (Like the year I went to online ABeka Academy for my sanity!)

It allows us to school year round with fewer stress.  Yes, I am THAT mom who schools year round.  Each summer looks a little different depending on our past move schedule or vacation time, but we tend to do some form of school in the summer.  But taking a week off here and there makes it more bearable.

No matter what schedule you decide to follow, don't become a slave to it.  Make it work for you, be flexible, and allow your children to take breaks when needed.  It makes for a more relaxed student, a less stressed teacher, (that's YOU!) and a better school year!

What does your schedule look like?  How have you made it work for you?

Blessings,

When Your School Day Goes Wrong

 

 

How is school going?  How are you doing?  How are you getting it all done?

Most of the kids around the US are back in school in some form or another by now.  While many have started with distance learning online for the time being, some have been able to go back to a brick and mortar school, and most homeschoolers are off to a solid start.

Regardless of how your child schools, some days are better than others.  Teacher's have bad days, moms have bad days, and kids have bad days!  Who can relate?

So what do you do when your school day goes wrong?

Stop and pray!  First and foremost, go to the Lord!  If He has called you to it, He will get you through it. Ask for patience and guidance and then listen for His reply!

Take a time out.  You and your child!  Not as a punishment, but just a time to spread out for a few minutes and regroup.  Sometimes just a few minutes apart will help you maintain a level head.

Switch subjects.  If a particular subject is frustrating you, it is often best to put it aside and come back to it later.  Sometimes we get lost in the details and frustration and some time away helps to clear our head.

Exercise.  Seriously, go take a walk, challenge your kids to a push up challenge, or just jog in place for a few minutes.  Colby and I will often do a few laps around the table in between subjects to get the blood pumping and clear our heads.

Snuggle instead of struggle.  Again, seriously!  Sometimes we just have a bad day.  Pushing through sometimes works, but often times just snuggling up on the couch with your kids is the best remedy.  Hearts and attitudes are healed when we show love. Pull out a read aloud or the Bible, or just share your thoughts.  School books can wait.

Look for trigger points.  There is usually a reason things are not going well.  Is your child's bed time too late?  Too much sugar the night before?  Are they worried about something?  Could they possibly be sick?  We cannot control every aspect of our child's environment, but we are the adults, and we can often adjust our lives to make things run more smoothly.  Before you were the teacher, you were the parent.  Be the best parent you can be!

Give yourself grace!  And then give it to your child.  Remember why you started down this road.  You are not a perfect person and you are not raising perfect children.  Some days are going to go perfectly while others are going to be a constant battle. Ask me how I know!  Give grace where needed and move forward.

Schooling your kids, whether full time or in a crisis situation (virus, anyone?) is such a blessing, but not always without hiccups.  But you CAN do it!

Not every day is easy, but everyday is worth it!  Make them count!

Blessings,

 

Let School Begin

 

 

Are you ready?  It is about that time when kids across the country start school.  Yes, this year looks a bit different!  If you are a parent sending your child back to school, know that we are praying for your family as you enter a new normal.  I am sure it is different and a bit scary.

For those who have decided to enter the homeschool arena, WELCOME!  We are glad you are here.  After doing this gig for 23 years I can unequivocally say it is one of the best decisions my husband and I ever made.  As a young Air Force family, we began homeschooling to allow my girls to be with their traveling dad as much as possible when he was home.  Through the years our reasons for continuing have changed, but our passion has not.

We now have two college graduates, one headed to college in a few weeks, and begin 8th grade for our youngest next week.  It is hard to believe I am teaching 8th grade for the 4th time now!  A lot has changed through the years, but rest assured some things stay the same regardless of the year, the current conditions, or the grade!

As you begin this journey let me take a minute to pass on some things I wished I had been told when I first started!

It will be OK!  First day jitters are a real thing, in you AND your student, but it will pass.  The unknown is always the hardest, but once you get into a rhythm you will be on your way.  You can do this!

There will be naysayers!  People don't always like things they do not know or understand.  It's ok. (see point one!)  Just stay in your lane and keep your eye on the goal.  Choose to stay out of debates and drama.

You are going to be the BEST teacher!  People used to ask me all of the time if I was a trained teacher.  Ummm, I am a non-trained MOM!  And no one knows or loves these kiddos as much as I do, save God!  I am pretty sure that makes me capable of teaching them.

There is help out there if you need it!  If you are fine on an island teaching, that is great.  If you need help ask for it.  Especially now, there are tons of people out there with tons of resources ready to help support you.  Don't be afraid to ask.

You do NOT need to break the bank to homeschool.  There are free programs available and no one is going to hand you a list of required back to school items to buy.  Watch out for the sale flyers- they will pull you in to buying a lot of stuff you do not need.  Children can and will learn without all the sparkle.

You do not have to maintain a traditional school schedule!  Your goal is not to re create school.  That is not homeschooling at its finest, trust me.  If you are an early riser then start early and enjoy quiet afternoons.  If your family loves to sleep in, then do so and start when everyone is fully awake. What time you start makes no difference to the learning that will take place.

Computer learning is not the end all, be all!  This is especially true for younger kids.  They need to be active, be outside, and be learning by your side.  There is a time and place for computer learning, just be careful not to fall into the trap of hours in front of a screen if you can help it.

Every child learns differently.  If you try to put a square peg in a round hole you will have problems.  Ask me how I know!  Be adaptable and be willing to make changes where needed- for your child's sanity and yours!

You are not alone.  Currently there are untold numbers of homeschoolers out there doing the same thing you are doing.  Find your tribe and stick together.

Not every day is easy, but every day is worth it!  That's my mantra- I repeat it often.  There will be bad days and there will be good days.  It's ok.  God's mercies are new every day!  Don't give up just because you have a bad day.

 

Get ready, get so, GO!  You can do this, mommas!
 

Blessings,

 

Inside My Schoolroom

Pinterest moms, be forewarned!  I have had rooms like THAT, and this is not one of them!

Nor does it have to be!

For many of our homeschooling years, we have had dedicated school rooms.  I wish I had thought to take pictures of them, but way back then they were not set up to inspire my Pinterest friends, but just a space to house all of my curriculum and students! They were fun, and bright, and cheery and we loved them in that season.

But they were also visually over loading at times, took up space, and honestly, cost a lot of money.

And especially if you are teaching one student, or just for this season, they are not necessary!

Kids learn EVERYWHERE.

Including in your kitchen, bedroom, living room, back deck, or in the hammock in your yard!

And honestly, most kids like those spaces more than your Pinterest ready schoolrooms.  Really, they do!

So yes, I am in a brand new house with all kinds of space and THIS is my school room.

And this.

And this.

And this.

Basically my house- inside and out!

I do keep an area in our dining room hutch dedicated to teacher's manuals and "school supplies."  Ironically those are the same things I use as our office supplies.  I have been guilty of having about ten times that much, easily. but since beginning 34 Weeks of Clean years ago I have purged so much and realized I do not really need 400 pencils, gallons of paint and glitter, (what WAS I thinking) and stacks of notebooks.  In my quest to downsize and live simply, I have seen that our stress levels have gone down, our spending reduced, and believe it or not, we have not once not run out of supplies one time in the middle of our day.  

I house all of Colby's books currently in this oversized fabric bin from Target.

I have had that in the hutch as well, but he likes being able to just grab from the bin rather than going back and forth to the hutch so that is fine with me.  Easy peasy!

So some days we do math at the dining room table.  And sometimes we do Bible at the kitchen bar.  And sometimes we read science and history snuggled on the couch.

No matter where we are, we are learning!  And at the end of the day that is what counts!  Find what suits you and make it work.  No pressure, no stress!

Blessings

Inside My Lesson Plans

How do I know what to teach?

How long should the day be?

What order do I do things in?

How does my child know what to do each day?

All valid questions!  And all pretty easy to answer, so let's jump right in!

You can and swill doubt find a TON of lesson planners out there.  There was a time when they were made specifically geared towards public school teachers, but somewhere along the way they became more open ended and homeschool friendly.  I have owned many different kinds and even used a few for a year, but honestly, I always find myself coming back to this year after year, this year included.

Yep!  A notebook. 

Seriously here's the deal.  Most curriculum comes with lesson plans, (that's how you know WHAT to teach) so you the teacher can know what to do on the next day.  And the next and the next.  Unless you are completely winging it on your own, most of the hard work is done for you.

The bigger dilemma is how to get that knowledge from you to your child.  AKA- the student.  I have been know to just use the curriculum lesson plans and make a check mark next to an assignment one it was done, but if you end up teaching multiple students multiple years, that's a lot of check marks and it gets messy! 

Not to mention some lesson plans are truly intended for a teacher and have far more information in them than your child needs and is likely to confuse or overwhelm them.

Hence, a notebook.

Each day, prior to your child sitting down for work you just list the subjects and write what they are responsible for getting done that day.  I usually write things out for a week in advance.  I have done more at one time, but sometimes life gets the best of you and you have to adjust and for me that is a lot of marking out things and re-writing things that is a waste of time.  I have learned not to get too far ahead of myself.

Each subject has a place for my child to check off once they are done. (That's how long your day should be.  All checked off- all done!)  I usually list things in the same order each day, but for the most part my child chooses what they want to do first, and so on. (Who cares what order as long as it is done!?  The exception for us would be if we ended each day in tears over the hardest subject they have been avoiding until the end.  Then I might insist we start with that subject for a while until we get our emotions under control.)  Theirs, not mine! ;)

For record purposes, I list all of the curriculum we are using in the front cover, and keep a list of all of the books we read that year in the back.  If a state ever wanted to see our "records" or attendance, I could pull it out quickly and they could easily see what we have done.

Just a side note- NO ONE has ever asked to see our records!  I have them in case, but honestly the school systems have enough on their plates usually to worry about what homeschoolers are doing.  I think through the years homeschoolers have proven their commitment to teaching and teaching well.

Anyway- the point being...if you love all things planners and fancy systems, by all means go grab one and get busy filling it in!  If it brings you joy then that is just one more way to make your day a good one.

BUT, do not feel pressured into filling in little boxes with colored pens if that is not you. 

The point of a planner is to keep a record of your day and let your student know what to do for each subject.  There is more that one way to skin a cat.   

A notebook is an easy way! ;)

Blessings,

Making the First Day Special

So you have made the decision to homeschool.  You have weighed the costs, chosen curriculum and are ready for the first day. 

Mostly.

Let me share a secret with you.  Any first day is hard.  Whether it is the first day of work, the first day at traditional school, or the first day of homeschooling.

Nervous anticipation and unclear expectations, with a hint of excitement.  And that is just you- not the kids!  I know because I have done it about 23 times.

The BEST way I have learned to start the school year is with some kind of fun tradition.  It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive, but just something that says, yay us, this is going to be a fun adventure.  Remember, your kiddos are taking their cues from you- make them good ones!

Here are some ideas for you-

Have new school supplies and a few fun treats at your child's "desk" when they wake up.  We have tried to do this every year.  A few notebooks, pens and pencils, folders, stickers, even a new water bottle.  Some years I even added a few special snacks for the first week.  Especially when they were younger, they looked forward to getting up that first morning to see what was waiting for them.

Go out to breakfast.  I know several families that make a special first day breakfast, or pile their kids in the car to go out for breakfast.  What a fun way to start the day.

Buy new pajamas and school all day in them.  Hey, everyone thinks homeschoolers school in their jammies all day every day anyway, so might as well have some fun!

Take the day off.  Yep, you heard me!  Wave at the buses as they go by and surprise them by declaring it an off day!

Start with games.  Sure, they can be spelling or math games, but what kids doesn't like games?

Go on a field trip.  Many homeschoolers use Fridays as errand or field trip day.  But why not shake things up and visit your local zoo, park, or favorite business?

Take pictures of the first day.  I have to admit, I have NEVER done this and it is the one thing I wish I had done differently  Yes, they may fight you on holding that poster and posing, but they will enjoy looking back at them in years to come.

No matter how you choose to start the first day of school. I encourage you to have fun and make memories.  That is what your kids will remember once the equations and facts and figures all fade from their minds. 

School is important.

Families are more important. 

Blessings,

Homeschool Favorites for ALL Grades

I often get asked what my favorite curriculum is for different ages.  I have to say that the list changes yearly, because let's face it, each year we are bound to find something new and improved- and yes, sometimes those things make it on my list.  There are also a handful of items that have graced my favorites list for YEARS!  After all, I have been homeschooling for over 23 years!

My two daughters have graduated from college, my oldest son starts this year and already has all but one of his general college courses completed, and our youngest beings 8th grade next month.  Point being- we have done all the grades multiple times! 

I know there are many out there that are new to homeschooling or still trying to decide if this is something you can do until the current COVID situation calms down.  I would love to give you a few words of wisdom from an OLD homeschooling mom...

YOU CAN DO THIS!  You are smart, and you are able!  And no one knows or loves your kids as much as you do.

NOT EVERY DAY IS EASY!  But every day is worth it.  You will build relationships with your kids and maybe even heal a few. 

YOU ARE NOT RUNNING A MINI VERSION OF SCHOOL!  Homeschooling and schooling at home are two different beasts.  If you are going this on your own, outside the school system, you get to call the shots.  Check out your state's legal requirements and then jump in!

IT DOES NOT TAKE ALL DAY!  Really, it doesn't.  It is dependent on how many kiddos you are teaching, their ages, your pace, and a million other details.  But you will not have the distraction of 20 other students, bath room breaks, fire drills, recess and so on!

DON'T MAKE IT COMPLICATED! If you are just trying to fill in for a year, there are many programs online as well as "all in one" programs to choose for.  They not only offer discounts for an entire level, but will have lesson plans that you can follow day to day.  Ones I would recommend you look at are-

• Timberdoodle Company
• Christian Liberty Press
• ABeka (online programs available)
• Sonlight (quite an investment and not the best choice probably if you are in this just for a year!)

When we began homeschooling, and for several years afterwards, we used "all in one" curriculum.  It was an easy way to get started and did not feel so intimidating.  Through the years I started finding other courses I loved and would add them to our program, sometimes doubling up subjects just to fit it all in.  After wearing myself and my kids out, I began to streamline and pick and choose with more deliberation.  Add in my years of reviewing homeschool curriculum, and I have been exposed to A LOT of programs.  I tell people often, ask me about it- I have probably used it.

That being said, yes, I do have my favorites and if I was starting all over tomorrow here is what I would use!   If I have reviewed a product in the past I have linked them to the review. Please note- I am NOT profiting off any of these products.  Just a mom sharing her experiences.

Kindergarten- Just have fun!  Really!  Learn letters, colors and explore nature!  If your kiddo love games. learn through games!  Let them help in the kitchen, talk about community helpers, read aloud daily, and snuggle a lot.  They are only young once- savor this time.  If they really want to read- Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, is fun, short, and easy to use.  BOB Books are also good!  Saxon Math K is a great hands on math program and most kids find it fun to use at this level.

1st Grade-All About Reading and Reading Eggs (super fun online program your kids will LOVE!)

                  Saxon Math

                  Saxon Grammar and Writing or Here to Help Learning (online)

                  Nancy Larson Science (non religious) or Exploring Creation Series
                  History- My Story 1 (Masterbooks)
                  READ- every book you can get your hands on!

2nd Grade- All About Reading

                    Saxon Math

                    Here to Help Learning (online)

                    Nancy Larson Science (non religious) or Exploring Creation Series
                    History- My Story 2 (Masterbooks)

                    READ- every book you can get your hands on! We use Sonlight's Literature Program

3rd Grade- All About Reading

                    Saxon Math

                    Hake Grammar and Writing or Here to Help Learning (online)

                    Nancy Larson Science (non religious) or Exploring Creation Series

                    History- Elementary World History (Masterbooks)

                    READ- every book you can get your hands on! We use Sonlight's Literature Program

4th Grade- All About Reading

                    All About Spelling (very hands on) or Spelling Power (if your child is a strong speller)

                    Saxon Math AND Time Tables (simply the BEST way to learn multiplication I think!)

                    Hake Grammar and Writing or Here to Help Learning (online)

                    Nancy Larson Science (non religious) or Exploring Creation Series

                    History- Our 50 States (Notgrass)

                    READ- every book you can get your hands on! We use Sonlight's Literature Program

5th Grade-  All About Spelling (very hands on) or Spelling Power (if your child is a strong speller)

                    Teaching Textbooks 5 (Math)

                    Hake Grammar and Writing

                    Nancy Larson Science (non religious) or Exploring Creation Series

                    History- America the Beautiful (Notgrass)

                    READ- every book you can get your hands on! We use Sonlight's Literature Program

6th Grade - All About Spelling (very hands on) or Spelling Power (if your child is a strong speller)

                    Teaching Textbooks 6 (Math)

                    Hake Grammar and Writing

                    Nancy Larson Science (non religious) or Exploring Creation Series

                    Memoria Press Geography I

                    History- From Adam to Us (Notgrass)

                    READ- every book you can get your hands on! We use Sonlight's Literature Program

7th Grade-  Wordly Wise Vocabulary

                    Teaching Textbooks 7 (Math)

                    Hake Grammar and Writing

                    Nancy Larson Science (non religious) or Exploring Creation Series

                    Memoria Press Geography II

                    History- Uncle Sam and You (Notgrass)

                    READ- every book you can get your hands on! We use Sonlight's Literature Program

8th Grade- Wordly Wise Vocabulary

                    Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 (Math)

                    Hake Grammar and Writing

                    Apologia General Science

                    Memoria Press Geography II

                    History- Sonlight (This is one of our favorite years that uses the A History of US series                           by  Joy Hakim)

                    Keyboarding

                    READ- every book you can get your hands on! We use Sonlight's Literature Program

9th Grade- Wordly Wise Vocabulary

                    Teaching Textbooks Geometry (Math)

                    Apologia Biology or Friendly Biology

                    IEW writing

                    Foreign Language

                    US History- Sonlight or Notgrass

                    US Literature- Sonlight

                    Elective

10 Grade-  Wordly Wise Vocabulary

                    Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2 (Math)

                    Apologia Biology

                    IEW writing

                    Foreign Language

                    World History- Sonlight of Notgrass

                    World Literature (Sonlight)

                    Elective

11th Grade- Wordly Wise Vocabulary

                     Teaching Textbooks Chemistry (Math)

                     Apologia Biology

                     IEW writing

                     Government and Economics- Sonlight or Notgrass

                     British Literature

                     Elective

12th Grade- Wordly Wise Vocabulary

                     Math U See- Stewardship (this is a consumer math class that teaches some great                                 life skills!)

                     Apologia Physics (if your child is college bound in a science or math related field only!)

                     IEW writing

                     Elective

Our family also incorporates Bible into each year, either using what is provided by our Sonlight curriculum, or various programs we have found along the way. I will post on some of those next week so make sure to check back!

Keep in mind, this is what has worked for us and our MY favorites.  There are SO MANY great programs out there.  Figuring out what kind of learner your child is will help you when you start looking for curriculum.  NO child is the same and their educations should never look the same as well.  Find something that they love and fits them well, and you will be on your way to having a child who loves learning!

I pray you love teaching as well!

Got questions??  Ask away!

Blessings

They Won't Get Dumb!

With all the craziness just getting more crazy, I haven been pondering a lot lately.  What should our response be?  If and how should we alter our live?  How can we help others?

Quite frankly, other than the annoyance I feel going to the grocery store and seeing the crazy first hand (though that seems limited here for now) our lives have not changed drastically.  We are a homeschooling family by choice,  have been for over 23 years.  Our normal day involves staying home and schooling our kids.  Social distancing is our strength.  Kidding.  Mostly.  Because we just moved, quite honestly, we do not have other outside commitments yet.  Looks like getting to know our neighbors and our area will have to wait in some regards.

But truth be known, I am a little stunned by all the chatter about what to do with your kids who are now at home.  Without trying to be snarky, what do you DO with your kids on weekends or during the summer, and why is this any different?  They are your kids after all.
I do completely get that for families with two working parents, or a single working parent, things have now complicated your lives.  When you depend on those incomes and have no one to be home with your kids now, things get complicated- it is a serious problem and my heart breaks for you.  I am so sorry for that stress and pray you will be able to find acceptable answers for the next few weeks or months.

But, for families that have one parent home anyway- what's the deal?

I know many schools have successfully put lessons on line or have sent home work to be done.  Yay- that is great!  BUT- if no school work is done for the next two weeks or even 2 months, they will be fine!  So will you!

Due to some things we were working through and a program my son has been a part of for the last six months, our school day and school work looked a bit different from what we were used to.  My first reaction was fear, so I get it!  But something the sweet program director said to me has stuck in my brain and I want to share it with you-

He is not going to get dumb in 6 months!

Or two weeks, or however long this social distancing lasts!  Count on it!  Once I really let that sink in, I relaxed.  I hope you will to.

Yes, do whatever school your child's teacher sends home.  But more importantly, use this as a time to reclaim your family.

• Enjoy the slower pace of your day!  You may find you get some rest you didn't realize you needed!
• Spend time with your kids!  You may recapture their hearts along the way!
• Get outside and get some fresh air!  You will feel the stress fall away, and hey, maybe we will even lose a pound or two!
• Be kind! This is a time in our lives that we have the opportunity to shine for Jesus!  Go big, or go home! 
• Unplug from the chaos!  If the news makes you anxious, turn it off.  Family time is much more fun!
• Look for the blessings.  Instead of talking about how bad things are or are going to get, spend time as a family identifying the good that can come from this situation.  They are there if you just look.

Oh friends, we will persevere.  Trust that nothing affects us that has not been passed through the loving hands of our God first!  Reach out to others, dive into His Word, and enjoy your family!

John 14:27-

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

If we can pray for you, please reach out!  It is our honor to do so.

Blessings,

 We are linking up with the newest Timberdoodle blog hop to inspire you during this crazy time!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

What To Do All Day

Wow, so much to process this week, huh?  A presidential address, cancelled flights, closed businesses, quarantines and more.   At this rate, we all will be affected in one way or another.  Count on it.

Because of the season of life our family is in, the biggest thing we see, other than the crazy lack of TP, is a bunch of school kids now forced to school at home for the time being.  Panicked parents because many have to still go to work, and panicked parents searching for ideas on what to do with said kids all day long.  I get it, I was once there.

So here are some thoughts from a homeschooler of 23 years.

• DO SCHOOL!- We homeschoolers actually DO school. ;)  Be forewarned though, it will not take your kids quite as long as it does in a public school setting.  Fewer cats to herd means things get done faster.

• ENJOY YOUR SLOWER PACED MORNINGS! I know some of your mornings are complete chaos.  One of the things I love about homeschooling is our casual morning routine.  It is slow and quiet- join me for a while.

• KEEP A SCHEDULE- I find we tend to do function better with some sort of schedule  It certainly does not have to be a minute to minute routine, but find some sort of rhythm and stick to it.  When kids know what to expect you will hear less "I am bored" and "what are we going to do next."

• PLAY GAMES!  We play a lot of games in this house.  Good for the mind and good at keeping busy hands busy.  Order a few new ones off Amazon and gather the troops.  Some of our favorites right now are Five Crowns, Pass the Pandas, Quarkle.

• DO A PUZZLE- Good for the mind, takes up time, and forces you to talk to the person behind you!

• HAVE READING TIME!  Each afternoon after lunch is a great time to insist on some personal reading time.  Let everyone snuggle up with a book, picture books count, and read.  Family reading time with a classic is also a fun way to pass the time.  If your kids are not thrilled with that idea, try audio dramas instead.

• BAKE TOGETHER- Let's face it, you have to cook anyway, and maybe more now since extra people are home all day, so you might as well make it a group project.  Enlist help at meals, but even better, make fun desserts and snacks.  Even little kids can help pour and mix.  Bonus, you can count it for math and home ec!

• QUIET TIME- we all need some down time.  Designate an hour a day that everyone is in their rooms doing something quietly.

• TAKE A WALK OR GET SOME EXERCISE These are stressful time friends!  Now more than ever we need to get out in the sun and fresh air each day.  For cold or rainy days,have a group exercise time.  In the past our family has enjoyed plank challenges, push up challenges, and sit up challenges.  Make it fun!

• CATCH UP WITH FRIENDS- Now is a good time to reach out to loved ones- from a safe distance.  Write a letter each day, phone a friend, or text someone to let them know you are thinking about them.

• BLESS A NEIGHBOR- especially if you have older neighbors of ones with health concerns.  Staying home for weeks can be isolating- let them know they are not alone.  Take them a goodie after your bake day!

• CLEAN and ORGANIZE YOUR HOUSE- Really!  If you are home from work anyway, you might as well be productive.  Our 34 Weeks of Clean Series can help you get started and it will burn off some nervous energy.  Grab a kid, or two, and get started!

• ENJOY A FAMILY MOVIE- Maybe do a themed night.  When we have our regular family movie night we usually have a "fun food" dinner (think tacos, nachos, pizza etc) and eat on the couch. 

• PRAY TOGETHER- There is just something about praying together that can help take our focus off ourselves and put it back on the Lord- exactly where it belongs. 

• STAY CALM- Yes, things are serious, but panic will only make things worse.  Stay in when you can, wash your hands, and for goodness sake- stop hoarding toilet paper!

Lastly, while there are times that keeping a sense of humor can get you through hard times, we recognize the seriousness of the Corona virus and those it affects.  If you fall into that category, please know we are praying for you and your family.

Romans 15:3

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

May the Lord protect us all and get the glory!

Blessings,

Joining the Timberdoodle Blog Hop where you can find a tons of ideas and resources!

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What's in a Day?

There was a time in my life as a homeschooling mom that every day looked about the same.  I am a HUGE fan of calendars, charts, and checklists, and with four kiddos it has served us well.  I am a homebody who doesn't have time for field trips and lunch dates.

Until now!  Well, I still don't have time for field trips, but lunch dates have become more frequent now that the kids are older and I am officially only schooling our last one, who is capable of feeding himself.  It is a new season in our lives and I am trying to embrace it.

Here is my issue though- no one day looks the same.  Now I know that is not a big deal to most of you, but the organizing, control freak that lives in me cringes a bit every morning.  Try as I might, our days are not neat little packages any more.  The troops have seen the other side and they have rebelled!  Between a traveling husband, two adult children living with us currently, an almost 18 year old who is taking online college classes, and my sports loving, go-go go 12 year old, well, let's just say our days can be a bit crazy!

So what does our school schedule look like?

In theory we do school from 9-3, with a quick lunch break in there somewhere.

Reality?  HA

Several day a week my husband is home and plays havoc with our school schedule.  We love it so I am not complaining, but it DOES throw us off.  Let's face it, dad is more fun than school, especially when he is gone half of the week.

And my son goes to numerous sports practices now that he is older and attend an achievement center activity three afternoons a week.

And our girls both have jobs that are polar opposites in times.  As well as social lives.

And who added all the doctor, dentists, and eye appointments to my calendar?

And I just started PT that is supposed to be fit in three times a week.

And I have friends that I love and refuse to put on the back burner.

And...on and on and on!

Anyone relate?

And so it goes.  Our ever changing day.  The only thing that is a constant is meal time, but even that is only for those that are actually at home at that time and only because I refuse to let some old habits and traditions go.  I am stubborn like that!

Here is what I am learning.

• The Lord reminds us to hold loosely to plans.  Proverbs 19:21- Many are the plans in the mind of man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (ESV)  That is a struggle for me, but one that I am trying hard to surrender to with less whining.  

• All the time in our day is not nearly as important as all the people in our day.  Calendars are fun but family and friends are better.

• While my day's schedule may not always look like I would like for it to, each day is a gift to be treasured.

TREASURE YOUR DAYS, MY FRIENDS!

Hard to believe, but some of my friends actually have my desired "normal" days!  Check out all of their posts on the Timberdoodle Blog Hop!

Blessings,

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Have School, Will Travel

I know, can you believe it?  Two posts in one week!  I am on a roll!  It is hard to imagine I am sure, but there was a time in the life of this blog that I posted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  No matter what.  Yeah, those were the days.

Anyway, I digress...

You may remember that my sweet hubby took a job about two hours from where we live.  Typically he leaves on Sunday night or early Monday morning, and returns home Thursday about dinner time.  It could certainly be worse, but at this stage of our lives, and after spending much our married life apart, it is not what we would choose.  It is where God has us for now and we are grateful he is loving his job and settling in to teaching.

None the less, after a busy week prior and having to put down our 16 year old dog on Friday, I decided the boys and I could use a break.  Well, I am sure the girls could too, but hey, they have jobs!  Thankfully, as a homeschooler, and now that football is done, we have the freedom to come and go, and so GO we did!

Packed up school and a few clothes and headed out the door.

Very early!

We are currently enjoying the sweet Air BNB life my husband has during the week, exploring the area, and just being still!  I could get a tad spoiled!  I was even smart enough to bring along the crock pot since we have limited cooking capabilities here, and the place smells so good when we get back in the evening.  If you haven't tried that before, I highly recommend it!  Not only does it save money, but it is a warm welcome when you come home tired after a busy day.  Not sure what the maid service thinks about us when they come in to clean our rooms in a hotel, but oh well!

Here's praying you, too, can find moments of rest during your busy week!

Blessings,

Let's Talk About...Foreign Languages

Welcome back to our Let's Talk About ...Series.

You can find an updated lists of the previous posts at the end of this one.   So far we have tackled History, Science, Math and recently Grammar and Writing.  Let's look at Foreign Languages real quick and next week we will chat literature.

If you have hung around Family, Faith and Fridays for long enough, you know that we are Spanish enthusiasts.  Notice I did NOT say perfectionists.  We love the Spanish language, but we do not speak the Spanish language.  Yet.  We are working on it.  Our fourth child, after all, was born in Guatemala and we have a love for the Latin American culture and people.  What we lack in skill we make up for in effort.

So while I am mentioning specifically Spanish programs here, many of these do have other languages available.  Make sure to look at your options- did you know you can even learn to speak Klingon?  Just saying!


Song School Spanish- This was one of our first experiences with Spanish and used it when our son was just home from Guatemala.  It is a super fun program with, as the name suggests, lots of singing, and chants and playing.  I highly recommend it if you want simple and easy.

Flip Flop Spanish- This program is one that is great for visual learners as well as kinesthetic learners.  It has lots of colorful flashcards and you do various activities using those cards.  My boys used this program together and had a lot of fun.  We learned a lot of vocabulary with this program and started learning how to put sentences together.

Classic Academic Press Spanish Primer A & B- This program begins to flesh out more of the Grammar side of the Spanish language and helps older kids being to conjugate verbs and understand the mechanics of the Spanish language.  I love that there is a DVD to watch for weekly instruction as well as a CD for language practice, and a student workbook.  I use this for upper level middle school levels.  When we traveled to Guatemala the child who had used this program fared better than those whom had not.

Homeschool Spanish Academy- (obviously Spanish specific) Here is where the rubber meets the road for us.  There is just no better way to learn a language that from a native speaker!  By video skpying with teachers from Guatemala you are sure to learn the accent and learn to converse.  If you are not convinced after reading my review, re-read it!  This program is simply AMAZING and improves continually.  It is a well greased engine!

Duo Lingo- New to us this past year,  we began this program just for fun and to take up some free time during our summer transition and move.  Turns out it is really good and we stuck with it, still using it during free time to brush up on skills.  It is user friendly, has a free online version, and has MANY languages to choose from.  The best thing I can say about it is it strengthens your listening and translating skills, as well as your conversational skills.  I know many people are using it these days and I have not heard one negative comment on it.

Again, we are not getting anything from recommending these products.  They are just some of the many we have used and have risen to the tops of our list to recommend.  In most states you have to graduate with a foreign language and many colleges often require at least two semesters to graduate.  You might as well find one you enjoy and dive in!  You never know where it will take you!

Maybe even to Guatemala to adopt the cutest little guy ever!

Blessings,

Let's Talk about...Science
Let's Talk About...Math
Let's Talk About...History
Let's Talk About...Grammar and Spelling

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

Let's Talk About...Grammar and Spelling

Welcome back to week four of our Let's Talk About...Series!  

If you are just finding us, links for our first three weeks can be found at the bottom of this post.  Feel free to poke around.

Ok, now we are talking subjects I like!  I loved diagramming sentences in high school.  I don't like teaching it as much, but all of those the neat, organized lines make me happy.  I am weird like that.  Spelling wasn't my strongest subject but I managed.  Remember that lots of little subsets fall under Literature, so for now let's focus on just the mechanics of things.  We will cover writing and reading specific programs next week.




PAL- I cannot gush about this product enough.  I mean, seriously!  It made learning so much fun and even the most active kiddos will love it.  It takes a slight learning curve to get into the rhythm of teaching it and some time to put the games together but I am convinced my son learned to read so well because of this program!

Look how little he was!  7th grade now!

Phonics Museum- Phonics Museum, although pricey, was what saved me when teaching my first son to read.  He loved it, he learned to read, and all was well with the world.  'nuff said!  If you have a child struggling with reading check it out!

Reading Kingdom- This online program is intended for 4-10 year olds and is a great resource if your child does well working on a computer.  It is bright and game-like and captures a child's attention easily.  It encompasses both reading and grammar shills.  We enjoyed using it and Colby did well with it.

Reading Eggs- Another spot on online program.  We actually worked our way through ALL of the levels of this one and were so sad to be done.  Again, very game-like but the levels make it a challenge that a kid WANTS to complete.  We would do this one again in a heartbeat!

Hake Grammar-  A true Grammar program with a little writing thrown in.  We just found this a few years ago and man do I like it.  True to the Saxon math format, the creators of this program are organized and formula freaks, which, of course, is why I like it.  No frills and busy work, just clear instruction with practice to follow.  The spiral teaching model does a lot of review.  If you hate worksheets, this is NOT the program for you!  We just began using the 7th grade level a few weeks ago and still are happy with the solid teaching.  And yes, it does diagram some sentences, but not hundreds like some programs!

Spelling Power- This is an all in one book that covers your entire homeschool career.  It cuts out all of the busy work and just gives you lists of words to test at different levels.  You call out words and if your child knows them, great, they move on.  If not, they study the words they missed and are tested on them the following day.  If your child dislikes workbooks and busy work, they will love this.  It is a get it done quick way to learn to spell.  Bonus, you get to buy one book and never buy anything else- a HUGE savings!

All About Spelling- Hands down the most awesome spelling program out there if your child is a hands on or visual learner!   The letter tiles allow your child to be actively involved in learning and it is just plain spot on!  Multiple levels allow you to start anytime, but I would say start from the beginning and allow your child to build on the concepts.

Wordly Wise- Just sneaking this in, but if you are looking for a strong, basic vocabulary program I would recommend this one.  You can run through the program levels for years and it is pretty straightforward.  We use it in workbook form but you can also do an online version if that works better for you.  It has proven to be quite good at SAT and ACT prep!

Again, are there more?  I assure you there are!  But these are a few we have had great success with and I can easily recommend.   Do your research and love what you use!

Blessings,

Let's Talk about...Science
Let's Talk About...Math
Let's Talk ABout...History