I don't know about you, but I love to dress up to go to church on Sundays. I should probably dress for the Lord, but honestly, I dress up because I'm just so excited to be around other grown ups for a few hours! I like to do my hair, put on make-up, dress up fancy and wear heels. It makes me feel like a normal person and I love it!
But Church Chic isn't really appropriate for Monday meltdowns, mounds of laundry, and multiple stacks of dishes on the kitchen counter. So here are 3 easy tips to turn that Church Chic look into a simple and easy to manage Homeschool Mom look.
Step #1- Pony tail or bun
Long hair isn't manageable when you're bending over to pick up dirty clothes and toys, leaning over school work to explain fractions, or standing over a sink washing those mounds of dishes, so pulling it up into a ponytail or bun is very practical. But be careful because you could make this into another attractive hairstyle. If that happens, have no fear, just pull your bangs back with a bobby pin or one of those stretchy headbands.
Step #2- Comfy Sweater
I was homeschooled as a youngster, and I have fond memories of my mom standing in front of the chalkboard teaching phonics in a hideous gray sweater. I remember the cowl neckline, the massive buttons up the front, and the ratty bottom very well. In fact, at one point my mom made phonics tapes for the younger kids to watch while she did school with us older kids (I have 5 siblings), so I'm sure the physical evidence of that sweater is somewhere. She may even still have the sweater.
A while ago, when my older kids were younger, I found this hideous green sweater at Goodwill. It was thick, long, had massive buttons up the front, and the cowl neckline just like my mom's. I had to have it. It has now become my "homeschool mom" comfy sweater. My husband will not allow me to wear it when he is home. He doesn't know comfort when he sees it.
If you find one of these jewels, you can be warm, comfy, and look like a homeschool mom in a matter of seconds. You might even find one with large pockets on the front to hold your cell phone, red pencil, and whatever other essentials you need to carry around all day. That would definitely be a bonus.
Step #3- Jeans or Jean skirt
Depending on your personal style, this must-have accessory can be the clincher. For jeans, make sure the waistband sits comfortably above your mom-pouch (nobody wants to be sitting at the table helping to diagram sentences with a waistband digging into their middle). Also, make sure the hem comes just above the top of your sneakers. Just trust me on this one.
If you prefer jean skirts, long and pleated are the way to go. Give yourself lots of room to move around and breathe. Mid-calf is the perfect length for the look. Back pockets are not mandatory, especially if you've followed Step #2 and have the comfy sweater with the big front pockets. This applies to jeans as well.
I hope these steps will help your turn that Church Chic look into the Homeschool Mom look that's necessary for everyday chores. Follow these three easy steps and your day will be comfy, orderly, and without fuss.
Showing posts with label homeschool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homeschool. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
2 Weeks Later...
The day has come that nobody thought could happen. Not that most people cared, but still. I've been off of Facebook for two weeks. And I have no regrets and honestly, don't miss it.
The first week I was just fine. When I felt the urge to log on, I just did something else. I read my book, cleaned something, texted someone, I diverted my attention. Then that stuff got boring, and I had a few times of waiting in reception areas when it would have been nice to be able to browse everyone's lives. And then there was a day when I desperately wanted to escape my own reality. But I survived!
This past weekend, however, has been very eye opening for me. I've realized the amount of time I was spending on the website, and how many things I was not getting done. Before I left I hid 80% of my friends list and only had the people I genuinely was interested in on my news feed, but I found myself going to other people's pages anyway.
When I left on October 1st I said that I was going to write down names of people when I thought of them, and then when I reactivated my account, I would only keep family and the people on that list. Seriously though, it would have been a really short list if I had actually kept up with it. Instead I have been texting and emailing people, and that seems to work out just fine. I don't need to know what people had for breakfast, or what they're frustrated about, or where they're checking in to know about their lives. I don't need hourly, or daily, updates about their life, and they don't need them about mine. I have found that I need hourly and daily updates about my own life, and what I'm supposed to be doing in it.
I kept instagram on my phone, but I'll probably soon delete that too because I just find myself looking at pictures and reading comments from people I don't even know, just because I'm bored. Or rather, don't want to do something I need to do.
I also have been writing more on my blog but that was a huge disappointment! Without the sharing of the link on Facebook I am hardly getting any views, much less comments. But I'll keep writing on it because it's good training, and a good outlet. I just need to find more blogs to follow!
Honestly, I don't know how I found time for Facebook. I have had very few times when I've sat down and thought, "I have nothing to do. I could go on FB right now." In fact, it would only take me two fingers to count those times, in two weeks. That may sound contradictory to a previous paragraph, but there's a huge difference between "nothing to do" and "bored of doing stuff and just wanting to zone out."
I can't say that I've gotten more done, or that I've been a better parent, or been more active, or any of that, because I still can't seem to get things done that I want to get done. There aren't enough hours in the day, and I don't have the energy to get it all done! But I have little desire to get back into the social networking world because there has been a certain peace knowing that this is what God wants me to do. And it's really fun to get a text from someone; because it takes an extra effort to do that, rather than just commenting on a line that pops up in front of your face.
There's a time and a place for social networking. I am not against Facebook. I know the many benefits of it, and enjoyed it for a long time. But right now, in my life, it's not beneficial in my life.
The first week I was just fine. When I felt the urge to log on, I just did something else. I read my book, cleaned something, texted someone, I diverted my attention. Then that stuff got boring, and I had a few times of waiting in reception areas when it would have been nice to be able to browse everyone's lives. And then there was a day when I desperately wanted to escape my own reality. But I survived!
This past weekend, however, has been very eye opening for me. I've realized the amount of time I was spending on the website, and how many things I was not getting done. Before I left I hid 80% of my friends list and only had the people I genuinely was interested in on my news feed, but I found myself going to other people's pages anyway.
When I left on October 1st I said that I was going to write down names of people when I thought of them, and then when I reactivated my account, I would only keep family and the people on that list. Seriously though, it would have been a really short list if I had actually kept up with it. Instead I have been texting and emailing people, and that seems to work out just fine. I don't need to know what people had for breakfast, or what they're frustrated about, or where they're checking in to know about their lives. I don't need hourly, or daily, updates about their life, and they don't need them about mine. I have found that I need hourly and daily updates about my own life, and what I'm supposed to be doing in it.
I kept instagram on my phone, but I'll probably soon delete that too because I just find myself looking at pictures and reading comments from people I don't even know, just because I'm bored. Or rather, don't want to do something I need to do.
I also have been writing more on my blog but that was a huge disappointment! Without the sharing of the link on Facebook I am hardly getting any views, much less comments. But I'll keep writing on it because it's good training, and a good outlet. I just need to find more blogs to follow!
Honestly, I don't know how I found time for Facebook. I have had very few times when I've sat down and thought, "I have nothing to do. I could go on FB right now." In fact, it would only take me two fingers to count those times, in two weeks. That may sound contradictory to a previous paragraph, but there's a huge difference between "nothing to do" and "bored of doing stuff and just wanting to zone out."
I can't say that I've gotten more done, or that I've been a better parent, or been more active, or any of that, because I still can't seem to get things done that I want to get done. There aren't enough hours in the day, and I don't have the energy to get it all done! But I have little desire to get back into the social networking world because there has been a certain peace knowing that this is what God wants me to do. And it's really fun to get a text from someone; because it takes an extra effort to do that, rather than just commenting on a line that pops up in front of your face.
There's a time and a place for social networking. I am not against Facebook. I know the many benefits of it, and enjoyed it for a long time. But right now, in my life, it's not beneficial in my life.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Yes, I was homeschooled
Homeschooling is pretty popular right now. There are YouTube sensations that were made famous by their "You Know You're A Homeschooler When..." videos. There are very successful bloggers who write about and for homeschoolers and moms. Homeschooling is the fastest growing form of education in our country. Some might say homeschooling is the latest fad.
Well, it wasn't always that way. I was homeschooled as a kid and I remember when it made us odd, not unique and interesting. I remember having to stay in the basement when anyone knocked on the door because they could report us for not being in school. I remember not being allowed to play outside until after 2pm because of nosy neighbors who could report us. I remember going shopping and having to come up with a creative response as to why we were not in school. "We had dentist appointments. Yes, all 6 of us, in one day." Maybe my memory is skewed because I was a child, my mom probably remembers things differently. But I remember knowing that we were not the norm, even after homeschooling became legal in Nebraska. Sure, we knew hundreds of other families that were homeschooled that we saw regularly, but we were still a fringe group.
My family. :)I loved that silk shirt. The candy cane glasses, however, were not my pick.
I suppose I was a "sheltered homeschooler", although that kind of makes me laugh inside since one of my close friends, who went to public school, wasn't allowed to play with me for a while because I was "a bad influence". So I guess I couldn't have been too sheltered.
Looking back, maybe I would've dressed a little bit more stylish if I hadn't been homeschooled. Maybe I wouldn't have worn wooden clothes pins in my hair if I had gone to public school (one of the many weird things I did). Maybe I would have dressed a little bit more girly. Maybe I wouldn't be so embarrassed by what I was wearing, or how I did my hair while looking at my pictures from Junior High and High School.
Maybe if I hadn't been homeschooled I wouldn't have been so awkward around boys. Sure, I saw boys all the time. My older brother brought his basketball friends over all the time, the neighbor boys would come over often, I had friends at church that were boys, I had friends that were boys through the homeschool group and activities. But I didn't know how to interact with a boy beyond the friend stage. Maybe I would have known more if I had gone to public school.
My friend Rebekah and me at the zoo. I was maybe 8 or 9? I remember this trip and we had a blast; huge glasses, culottes, and everything!
But then, maybe not. Maybe I still would have gone through a very long, and very painful, "ugly stage" if I had gone to public schoo. And just maybe, I would have been bullied and picked on because of it. I look back at the crazy things I used to wear and although it looks silly now, I enjoyed it then. It was a true expression of me, because I didn't have a group of people telling me what I should and shouldn't wear to be accepted. I still had friends. I had friends that dressed weirder than I did! I had my rough moments through my younger years, I got picked on, I was pretty insecure at times. But most of my memories are good memories. I had fun with my friends, I did a lot of interesting things, I had a very well-rounded experience. I played sports, I was in band, I played piano, I went to church, I went to summer camp and winter camp, I helped teach 4-H classes, I went to France for my Senior trip, I visited friends in New Jersey by myself, and I had a lot of other opportunities for other experiences if I had been interested. Maybe I would have had the same opportunities at Public School, but maybe not.
Maybe I still would have been awkward around a guy that I liked if I had gone to public school. Or maybe I wouldn't have been awkward around boys. Now there's a scary thought. I think I would much rather my younger self not being comfortable around guys than thinking of what could have happened.
Maybe, just maybe, I'm grateful for being that sheltered homeschool kid. Maybe I look back at my pictures from about 12 and up and think, "Praise God I was a sheltered homeschooler." Because I look at the heartache and trials that kids go through and I can't imagine having to deal with that. I was able to go through my ugly stage surrounded by people who loved me, and by people who were also going through their ugly stage, and didn't know it either! There were a few bullies in my life (ironically most of them went to public school), but for the most part everyone just did what they wanted, dressed how they wanted, and did weird science experiments involving dry ice in the parking lot after the homeschool group meeting. Well, not everyone did that, but I bet it happened more at our group meetings than it ever did at the local high school.
One of my favorite pictures with my friends! This is us at Silver State Baptist Youth Camp, I'm second from the left. Sometimes I wish I could go back to this age, just for one day!
This is for all of my fellow former-homeschooled friends that look back at their pictures with regret because we were a bunch of homeschooled, sheltered dorks. Don't be ashamed. Be grateful. I'm not trying to bash public schools, or public schoolers. I just want my now grown homeschooled friends to realize that we were not deprived of anything. And if we were, we are better because of it!
Me with my little homeschoolers at the Science Museum. Hopefully they look back at this picture with fondness!
Well, it wasn't always that way. I was homeschooled as a kid and I remember when it made us odd, not unique and interesting. I remember having to stay in the basement when anyone knocked on the door because they could report us for not being in school. I remember not being allowed to play outside until after 2pm because of nosy neighbors who could report us. I remember going shopping and having to come up with a creative response as to why we were not in school. "We had dentist appointments. Yes, all 6 of us, in one day." Maybe my memory is skewed because I was a child, my mom probably remembers things differently. But I remember knowing that we were not the norm, even after homeschooling became legal in Nebraska. Sure, we knew hundreds of other families that were homeschooled that we saw regularly, but we were still a fringe group.
I suppose I was a "sheltered homeschooler", although that kind of makes me laugh inside since one of my close friends, who went to public school, wasn't allowed to play with me for a while because I was "a bad influence". So I guess I couldn't have been too sheltered.
Looking back, maybe I would've dressed a little bit more stylish if I hadn't been homeschooled. Maybe I wouldn't have worn wooden clothes pins in my hair if I had gone to public school (one of the many weird things I did). Maybe I would have dressed a little bit more girly. Maybe I wouldn't be so embarrassed by what I was wearing, or how I did my hair while looking at my pictures from Junior High and High School.
Maybe if I hadn't been homeschooled I wouldn't have been so awkward around boys. Sure, I saw boys all the time. My older brother brought his basketball friends over all the time, the neighbor boys would come over often, I had friends at church that were boys, I had friends that were boys through the homeschool group and activities. But I didn't know how to interact with a boy beyond the friend stage. Maybe I would have known more if I had gone to public school.
But then, maybe not. Maybe I still would have gone through a very long, and very painful, "ugly stage" if I had gone to public schoo. And just maybe, I would have been bullied and picked on because of it. I look back at the crazy things I used to wear and although it looks silly now, I enjoyed it then. It was a true expression of me, because I didn't have a group of people telling me what I should and shouldn't wear to be accepted. I still had friends. I had friends that dressed weirder than I did! I had my rough moments through my younger years, I got picked on, I was pretty insecure at times. But most of my memories are good memories. I had fun with my friends, I did a lot of interesting things, I had a very well-rounded experience. I played sports, I was in band, I played piano, I went to church, I went to summer camp and winter camp, I helped teach 4-H classes, I went to France for my Senior trip, I visited friends in New Jersey by myself, and I had a lot of other opportunities for other experiences if I had been interested. Maybe I would have had the same opportunities at Public School, but maybe not.
Maybe I still would have been awkward around a guy that I liked if I had gone to public school. Or maybe I wouldn't have been awkward around boys. Now there's a scary thought. I think I would much rather my younger self not being comfortable around guys than thinking of what could have happened.
Maybe, just maybe, I'm grateful for being that sheltered homeschool kid. Maybe I look back at my pictures from about 12 and up and think, "Praise God I was a sheltered homeschooler." Because I look at the heartache and trials that kids go through and I can't imagine having to deal with that. I was able to go through my ugly stage surrounded by people who loved me, and by people who were also going through their ugly stage, and didn't know it either! There were a few bullies in my life (ironically most of them went to public school), but for the most part everyone just did what they wanted, dressed how they wanted, and did weird science experiments involving dry ice in the parking lot after the homeschool group meeting. Well, not everyone did that, but I bet it happened more at our group meetings than it ever did at the local high school.
This is for all of my fellow former-homeschooled friends that look back at their pictures with regret because we were a bunch of homeschooled, sheltered dorks. Don't be ashamed. Be grateful. I'm not trying to bash public schools, or public schoolers. I just want my now grown homeschooled friends to realize that we were not deprived of anything. And if we were, we are better because of it!
Friday, November 9, 2012
Our New Schedule
We are on our 8th week of homeschooling and by all accounts and purposes, it's going great. Everyone is still enjoying school and are still motivated. There's a little bit of frustration over new topics as we're starting to move past reviewing the last year, but overall it's going smoothly.
But we were having this horrible problem of a chaotic morning. It all starts because I am a night owl. I love the quietness of the nighttime, and I would go to bed after midnight every night if it didn't affect the next day. But it does, and we weren't waking up until almost 9am every morning. Which meant breakfast was close to 10am, school didn't get started until around 11am, and we weren't ready for lunch until 2pm. Which messed up nap-time, afternoon subjects, snack time, cartoons, and pushed dinner and even bedtime later, which then started the whole mess over again. That may work for some people, but I'm a traditionalist and I think lunch should be at noon, so it wasn't working.
Because of all of this, I decided to get serious and start a new schedule. I made a list of everything that needed to get done during the day, and divided it into "morning", "afternoon", and "evening" sections. Most of these things are pretty simple like meals, chores, naps, etc, usually happen around the same time everyday. Then I figured out how long each of these things should take, and kind of worked around set times like bedtimes, lunch (of course at 12pm), and favorite cartoons. Our kids love Wild Kratts and it's really the only cartoon they HAVE to watch everyday, so I wanted to make sure they were able to watch it.
I wanted to have set times for each subject because I found myself having a pile of workbooks to check, and by the time I checked something, they were already halfway done with another subject, and we were going back and forth from subject to subject, and I really didn't feel like they were grasping the concepts, they were just getting the work done. So with set subjects for set amount of times, they don't have to rush and make mistakes, and there's plenty of time to check work and fix mistakes that do happen. There's also not the competition of "I got done before you did!" and "What subject are you on? I only have one left." that breeds discontent and causes others to hurry and not concentrate.
So here is our daily schedule:
Carter Family Schedule
7:30- Wake up, Get Dressed, Read your Bible, Start Chores
8:00- Eat Breakfast, Have Family Devotions
8:45- Clean up breakfast, Finish chores
9:30-10- Handwriting
10-10:30- English
10:30-11- Math
11-11:30- Reading
11:30-12- Spelling
12:00- Lunch
1-2:30 Rest time
2:30- snack
2:30-4- Afternoon Session
Monday-Library
Tuesday- Art
Wednesday- Music
Thursday- Science
Friday- History
4-5:30- Free Time
6:00- Dinner
8:30- Anna and Elsa bedtime
8:45- Kayla and Lela bedtime
9:00- Noah bedtime
10:30- Mom and Dad bedtime
There are a few times on there can be moved or changed, depending on what we have going on (or what went on the night before), but for the most part, if we stick with this schedule, we will get everything done.
But we were having this horrible problem of a chaotic morning. It all starts because I am a night owl. I love the quietness of the nighttime, and I would go to bed after midnight every night if it didn't affect the next day. But it does, and we weren't waking up until almost 9am every morning. Which meant breakfast was close to 10am, school didn't get started until around 11am, and we weren't ready for lunch until 2pm. Which messed up nap-time, afternoon subjects, snack time, cartoons, and pushed dinner and even bedtime later, which then started the whole mess over again. That may work for some people, but I'm a traditionalist and I think lunch should be at noon, so it wasn't working.
Because of all of this, I decided to get serious and start a new schedule. I made a list of everything that needed to get done during the day, and divided it into "morning", "afternoon", and "evening" sections. Most of these things are pretty simple like meals, chores, naps, etc, usually happen around the same time everyday. Then I figured out how long each of these things should take, and kind of worked around set times like bedtimes, lunch (of course at 12pm), and favorite cartoons. Our kids love Wild Kratts and it's really the only cartoon they HAVE to watch everyday, so I wanted to make sure they were able to watch it.
I wanted to have set times for each subject because I found myself having a pile of workbooks to check, and by the time I checked something, they were already halfway done with another subject, and we were going back and forth from subject to subject, and I really didn't feel like they were grasping the concepts, they were just getting the work done. So with set subjects for set amount of times, they don't have to rush and make mistakes, and there's plenty of time to check work and fix mistakes that do happen. There's also not the competition of "I got done before you did!" and "What subject are you on? I only have one left." that breeds discontent and causes others to hurry and not concentrate.
So here is our daily schedule:
Carter Family Schedule
7:30- Wake up, Get Dressed, Read your Bible, Start Chores
8:00- Eat Breakfast, Have Family Devotions
8:45- Clean up breakfast, Finish chores
9:30-10- Handwriting
10-10:30- English
10:30-11- Math
11-11:30- Reading
11:30-12- Spelling
12:00- Lunch
1-2:30 Rest time
2:30- snack
2:30-4- Afternoon Session
Monday-Library
Tuesday- Art
Wednesday- Music
Thursday- Science
Friday- History
4-5:30- Free Time
6:00- Dinner
8:30- Anna and Elsa bedtime
8:45- Kayla and Lela bedtime
9:00- Noah bedtime
10:30- Mom and Dad bedtime
There are a few times on there can be moved or changed, depending on what we have going on (or what went on the night before), but for the most part, if we stick with this schedule, we will get everything done.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Fear of Homeschooling
This post in inspired by some friends of mine, but definitely not aimed at them or a rant about them. I just want to make that clear! I think this is something that most people think, but not many actually say out loud. I just wanted to further expand my thoughts on the subject.
I've been homeschooling for 3 years now and I cannot tell you how many times I've heard people say they could never do it, or they are terrified of homeschooling. It's a reasonable fear! Our society teaches us that being a teacher is a hard job, that only the best can do it, and you have to go to school for years to become certified. Don't get me wrong, I know that teachers work hard and it isn't easy. But comparing a public school teacher to a homeschool mom is a little lopsided!
First of all, when you home-school you are teaching your own children. This is what you were created to do. You teach your children all kinds of things. You taught them how to walk, how to clap their hands, how to eat with a fork, how to use the toilet, how to pick up their clothes from the floor (although most children are still perfecting that art). You didn't have a chalkboard with a syllabus and a half hour a day teaching your one year old how to walk. You just looked for times when he was interested, and you encouraged him to keep trying. Home-schooling is basically the same way. Finding moments in the day when you can get your child's attention trained on some school facts. You do this at meal times when you teach them how to chew with their mouths closed. You didn't have to get a certificate to be qualified to teach them how to make their bed. You used your own life experience.
When you home-school you do not have to make up your own curricula, lesson plans, and research topics to teach your children. You can buy complete curriculum sets that literally tell you what to say, what to read, what to have your child do, and what you will need for the next day. You can be as involved or uninvolved in planning the school as you want. We use a rather involved curriculum and I don't have any prep work besides making sure they have basic school supplies. Any questions they have are addressed in the Teacher's Manuals. And by the way, "real" school teachers have those manuals as well. Most teachers do not make up their own school work to teach.
The biggest struggle for most home-school moms is not WHAT to teach, or HOW to teach it, but WHEN to teach it. When you're home and you see dishes in the sink, projects that need done, a nice day outside, or family that needs help, it's very hard to make yourself sit down and do school. And frankly, sometimes you just want to mess around on the computer or read a book. The beauty of home-school is that you can do that sometimes, but it really can be a struggle to actually get school work done. Some do better with a classroom setting, some like their kids in a central part of the house so they can do housework around them, some like to use library rooms for the majority of the work, and some incorporate the outside and different activities into school. And you know what? All of those things work! Because it's home-school, it's not public school. You don't have to sit at a desk from 8:30-3pm working on work. You can do a few hours in the morning, and some in the afternoon. You can take Mondays off. You can work in the evenings.
Home-schooling is a little frightening. It's different, there's a lot to sort through to find what works for you, and there are a lot of opinions on the subject. But the fear of not knowing enough, or not being able to teach your kids the right things should not be a fear. I read somewhere that 80% of 4th graders polled in the public schools could not recognize Abraham Lincoln. I've read that as many as 15% of High School graduates (not just Public School, but all types of schools) cannot read past a 2nd grade level. I'm not trying to speak bad about other types of schooling because every family has to decide what is right for their children. But what I am trying to say is that you can't do much worse than that! Especially if you have the help of a curricula that will help you teach your children what they need to know.
Don't be afraid, you won't be alone.
I've been homeschooling for 3 years now and I cannot tell you how many times I've heard people say they could never do it, or they are terrified of homeschooling. It's a reasonable fear! Our society teaches us that being a teacher is a hard job, that only the best can do it, and you have to go to school for years to become certified. Don't get me wrong, I know that teachers work hard and it isn't easy. But comparing a public school teacher to a homeschool mom is a little lopsided!
First of all, when you home-school you are teaching your own children. This is what you were created to do. You teach your children all kinds of things. You taught them how to walk, how to clap their hands, how to eat with a fork, how to use the toilet, how to pick up their clothes from the floor (although most children are still perfecting that art). You didn't have a chalkboard with a syllabus and a half hour a day teaching your one year old how to walk. You just looked for times when he was interested, and you encouraged him to keep trying. Home-schooling is basically the same way. Finding moments in the day when you can get your child's attention trained on some school facts. You do this at meal times when you teach them how to chew with their mouths closed. You didn't have to get a certificate to be qualified to teach them how to make their bed. You used your own life experience.
When you home-school you do not have to make up your own curricula, lesson plans, and research topics to teach your children. You can buy complete curriculum sets that literally tell you what to say, what to read, what to have your child do, and what you will need for the next day. You can be as involved or uninvolved in planning the school as you want. We use a rather involved curriculum and I don't have any prep work besides making sure they have basic school supplies. Any questions they have are addressed in the Teacher's Manuals. And by the way, "real" school teachers have those manuals as well. Most teachers do not make up their own school work to teach.
The biggest struggle for most home-school moms is not WHAT to teach, or HOW to teach it, but WHEN to teach it. When you're home and you see dishes in the sink, projects that need done, a nice day outside, or family that needs help, it's very hard to make yourself sit down and do school. And frankly, sometimes you just want to mess around on the computer or read a book. The beauty of home-school is that you can do that sometimes, but it really can be a struggle to actually get school work done. Some do better with a classroom setting, some like their kids in a central part of the house so they can do housework around them, some like to use library rooms for the majority of the work, and some incorporate the outside and different activities into school. And you know what? All of those things work! Because it's home-school, it's not public school. You don't have to sit at a desk from 8:30-3pm working on work. You can do a few hours in the morning, and some in the afternoon. You can take Mondays off. You can work in the evenings.
Home-schooling is a little frightening. It's different, there's a lot to sort through to find what works for you, and there are a lot of opinions on the subject. But the fear of not knowing enough, or not being able to teach your kids the right things should not be a fear. I read somewhere that 80% of 4th graders polled in the public schools could not recognize Abraham Lincoln. I've read that as many as 15% of High School graduates (not just Public School, but all types of schools) cannot read past a 2nd grade level. I'm not trying to speak bad about other types of schooling because every family has to decide what is right for their children. But what I am trying to say is that you can't do much worse than that! Especially if you have the help of a curricula that will help you teach your children what they need to know.
Don't be afraid, you won't be alone.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Thankfulness #5, #6, #7
#5- Our Fifth Wheel
I am still amazed at how God worked out for us to get this fifth wheel. When we started in our ministry 2 1/2 years ago we started with a tiny fifth wheel that was so small, our whole family did not fit. Then we were given a fifth wheel that was a little bit bigger. We all fit, but Noah had to sleep on the floor and Anna didn't have a bed. Then, when we couldn't stand living in that anymore, God worked us out to be able to get this Fifth Wheel. A missionary family to Mexico that just happened to have the exact trailer we needed, just happened to have it for sale, and just happened to pass through Arkansas where we just happened to be working at a job site! After several months of talking back and forth, and lots of prayer, they lent us the trailer on a one-year basis. They basically let us use it for free (saving them from having to pay storage fees), and we worked to raise support to be able to take over payments when the year was up. Because of different circumstances, our church ended up taking over the payments and refinancing the loan before the year was up.
The trailer has two bedrooms; the back bedroom has four beds. It is a four-seasons trailer which means it can stand heat and cold, and it has several other features that fit our family exactly! God is so good and we're blessed to have such a nice trailer.
#6- Elsa's Play Pen
Elsa will play, sleep, and cry in her play pen and I don't have to worry about her being underfoot, or rolling off the bed. We were able to find this one at a consignment store and we got it for a very good price. It is an amazing blessing to me, and she seems to enjoy it!
#7- Dry Erase Board
Last year Caleb found a dry erase board that fits perfectly on the freezer door. I use it everyday, for lots of things! I write Lela's phonics story on it, shopping list, hang menus on it (it's also magnetic), and keep cute magnets on it. I don't know what I would do without it.
I am still amazed at how God worked out for us to get this fifth wheel. When we started in our ministry 2 1/2 years ago we started with a tiny fifth wheel that was so small, our whole family did not fit. Then we were given a fifth wheel that was a little bit bigger. We all fit, but Noah had to sleep on the floor and Anna didn't have a bed. Then, when we couldn't stand living in that anymore, God worked us out to be able to get this Fifth Wheel. A missionary family to Mexico that just happened to have the exact trailer we needed, just happened to have it for sale, and just happened to pass through Arkansas where we just happened to be working at a job site! After several months of talking back and forth, and lots of prayer, they lent us the trailer on a one-year basis. They basically let us use it for free (saving them from having to pay storage fees), and we worked to raise support to be able to take over payments when the year was up. Because of different circumstances, our church ended up taking over the payments and refinancing the loan before the year was up.
The trailer has two bedrooms; the back bedroom has four beds. It is a four-seasons trailer which means it can stand heat and cold, and it has several other features that fit our family exactly! God is so good and we're blessed to have such a nice trailer.
#6- Elsa's Play Pen
Elsa will play, sleep, and cry in her play pen and I don't have to worry about her being underfoot, or rolling off the bed. We were able to find this one at a consignment store and we got it for a very good price. It is an amazing blessing to me, and she seems to enjoy it!
Last year Caleb found a dry erase board that fits perfectly on the freezer door. I use it everyday, for lots of things! I write Lela's phonics story on it, shopping list, hang menus on it (it's also magnetic), and keep cute magnets on it. I don't know what I would do without it.
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