Sentinel, City of Destiny Giveaway!

We have a great book to give away to one lucky family. It is Sentinel, City of Destiny by Landel Bilbrey. In order to be included in the contest please leave a comment letting us know what intrigues you most about the book. The contest will end on the Tuesday the 12th of February at 10 PM. A winner will be chosen from random.com and notified by email so be sure that we have your contact information.


Here is my review of the book:

Two brothers begin a journey to the same destination. Both face the same enemy. Both are in search of the same treasure. The destination is the journey itself and achieving that proves to be more than difficult for one brother. Who will finish the race and obtain the prize? You will have to read it to find out!

Landel Bilbrey has written a gripping tale of the passage to mettle (True Manhood). I would love to tell you that his description about it being a cross between Narnia and Pilgrims of Progress is true but I believe the truth is that this book stands out magnificently on its own. I started out reading it to simply censor its contents since we must be so careful with the literature we place before our children these days but what I found was that I became intrigued and in awe of the adventure taking place. I would get so excited at times that I would blurt out a few paragraphs aloud to my family but this soon became a problem. My husband wanted to read it. My three boys wanted to read it. It was deemed missing several times but was always located on someone else’s night stand!

After wrestling it away from my oldest son (literally), I have finally completed this book. I am impressed with the Christian allegory for spiritual edification and the thoughtfulness Mr. Bilbrey put into the aspects of education. Great attention to detail was put into the book as well as the website. This book is an education involved mom’s dream. In fact, Mr. Bilbrey has just given my son the gift of a “whoa, dude, sweet!” book for reading (“whoa, dude” comment courtesy of an 11 year old). Yes, this will be replacing the curriculum I had set aside for reading. We like it that much!

While reading I will have him look up the words that have asterisks by them. Yes, the words that are in the glossary have an asterisk next to them in the story! Once he looks up the words he will write them down in his notebook (handwriting) we will use them as our vocabulary for the week. The scripture references are also recorded in the story but in a way that would require a little bit of math to decipher them (math, critical thinking). I have blown up a copy of the map so that we can use colored pencils to record each brother’s journey and mark key areas (geography). After each chapter we will discuss the story and I will have him answer the questions that are in the back of the book for that chapter. I will also have him write a brief report in his journal of what he has learned from the story in a spiritual aspect complete with scriptures (bible, language arts). As he feels the desire, I will allow him to draw additional pictures of his interpretation of the story (reflection, art). I am so excited about this! In fact, I am going to start some lesson plans for this book soon. If you plan on buying it and would like the lesson plans as I make them then please just let me know!

Now, if you would like to see what I am so excited about then feel free to read the first 6 of the 29 chapters here: Six Chapters of Sentinel, City of Destiny. There is also a discount rate for co-op and group purchases. You can get a copy directly from the site: Bridgemaker Books or you can buy it from Amazon.com.

This mom gives this book 2 THUMBS UP!

From the Editors - February

This February, Heart of the Matter Online welcomes two new writers to the team: Jessica from Trivium Academy who will be writing about Classical Education and Sister Lisa from Apples of Gold who will teach young women how to explore God’s word as well as learn how to study scripture. We are excited that they will be joining us and we know that you will enjoy what they have to share.

We would also like to see you get involved and share your wisdom and experience with us. We will present a question from one of our readers in each issue and we invite you to answer that question. We will then choose a few of the best and most thorough answers to publish in the following month's magazine! Be sure to check it out and send in your responses.

A new feature this month is that the magazine is now in a downloadable .pdf file so that you can print it at home and read it anywhere! We will have new software available for next month so the quality will be much greater in March!

As always, if you would like to submit articles, photos, printables, links, or projects, please email us at homeschoolinghearts@gmail.com. Please be sure to read our guidelines before submitting.

Comments are moderated to insure that they meet the guidelines for posting on Heart of the Matter Online.

In This Issue:

Three Steps to Overcoming Homeschool Fears by Robin / Sowing Seeds
Robin addresses some common concerns that wreak havoc in the minds of homeschool parents, stealing away the peace and joy. She will enlighten you on how to overcome them.

Solids, Liquids, and Gases by Amy S / Through the Microscope
Enjoy this lesson, complete with experiments, on molecules and the intricate design of H2O. Amy gives you lots of activities and scriptural references to enjoy this study at home.

Are You A "Real" Homeschool Mom? by Amy B / Effective Education
In this humorous article revealing the truth about homeschool moms, Amy gives you a look inside the reality of what being a homeschool parent is about and why you should embrace it.

Atten-HUT!! The Gouge On Homeschooling In A Military Family by Sallie
Are you a military homeschooling family? Be sure to check out this informative article about the benefits that are offered to you and how to overcome the struggles.

Time With God by MandyMom / The Natural Noggin
In this article Mandy discusses the need for some scheduling even in an unschooling environment. Let her inspire and encourage you.

"So What About Socialization?"...And Other Questions Asked About Homeschooling! by Gina / Reaching High
You have absolutely heard this amusing little question before but how have you addressed it? In part one of this three part series Gina will tackle this issue head on.

Finding Enough Time by Kristine / Ducks In A Row
Kristine begins this article with the question, "Do you ever feel like you don't have enough time in your day?" Ha! Who hasn't felt that way? This is a must read for everyone!

The Mission Field of Home by Heather (Sprittibee) / Heartstrings for Homeschoolers
Have you ever considered your home a mission field? Are there not little people in that area that require you to reach out to them and show them the love of Christ? This is about the Godly pursuit to fulfill God's call on your life as a wife and mother.

Balance Defined by Dianne / Blueprint for Balance
Do you cringe when you hear the word balance? Dianne can help! She will enlighten and encourage you in this article.

Does This Sound Familiar To You? by Heather H / Practical Penny Pincher
Take a peek inside Heather's notebook and see how she manages her home and finances.

Freedom Is Not A Gift: Fighting For Educational Liberty by Dana / Homeschool In the News
Dana is an in-depth reporter when it comes to home education and this article is no different. She will give you another perspective to consider when it comes to electing candidates that support or oppose homeschooling.

Are You Listening? by Lori / Raise Your Hands
Who or what has your undivided attention? Where should it be? Let Lori encourage you as she shares about her walk through this revelation from God.

Impossible Standards by Mandy Z / Knee High Homeschool
Does your child meet your expectations? Should they? Read as Mandy offers insight to this common problem. You will be encouraged!

An Apple A Day by Sister Lisa / An Apple A Day
SisterLisa encompasses the tried and true techniques of a loving relationship with the Father in this article for young women.

Classical Education for Free by Jessica / Trivum Tid-Bits
Have you ever considered classical education but thought you couldn't afford the price tag? Jessica is an amazing teacher who has done all the research and is making it yours for the taking. You can do it for little money and she will show you how.

Vision Therapy: From Skeptic to Cheerleader by Darnelle / Fill In the Blanks
Your child's learning problems could be misdiagnosed. Darnelle discusses how treatable vision problems are often overlooked and can lead to problems with learning and social behavior.

Planning High School Courses by Lee / HomeScholar High School
Do you know what courses your child should take to prepare for college? Lee discusses what is and is not required and what is beneficial for preparation for college.

Listening With Purpose by Christine / The Finer Things
Allow Christine to show you how to not only hear the music but to truly listen to it. Then, you can teach your children to do the same. She offers an in-depth at classical music in this issue.

Order and Structure by Sallie / A Square Peg
All children need the security of order and structure, especially children with certain learning challenges or disabilities. She offers timely insight on accomplishing this.

Projects:
Bottle Bird Feeder by Renae from Life Nurturing Education
Valentine's Day by Amy S

Reviews:
Cooking and Science by Amy S
Calendars For All Ages by Sister Lisa
Some Successful Americans by Lori
Creativity Express by Mouse and Mom Reviews (Dana)
Leap Frog Letter Factory by Rachel

Printables:
Artists Around the World Collection
submitted by Angi from Peakmore Academy

• Notebook Cover
• Africa
• Europe
• Asia
• South America
• USA

New Features at Heart of the Matter Online:
IdeaBox - submit and answer questions for homeschooling moms just like you!

Download your copy of Heart of the Matter Online Magazine in pdf form.

Want to help supply our chocolate?

Cover photo courtesy of Marsha from Our Homeschool & Other Such Happenings.

Enjoy!

Three Steps to Overcoming Homeschool Fears

Are you constantly worried about your homeschooling? Do you fretfully ask questions such as "Am I doing enough?" "What about...?" "What if...?"

God is sufficient for every situation we will ever encounter. Because of His abundant goodness, kindness, and love for us, we do not have to be anxious or worry.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:6-8)

Fear comes from trusting in your own ability. God has called you to homeschool and He will direct your paths. Instead of trusting yourself your focus and dependence should be on God’s promises and ability.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith... James 1:5-6)

When you delight yourself in Him, He will direct your paths. God guarantees His Word and fulfills His promises. It is when we remind ourselves of all He has done, and recognize all He is doing in our lives, that our faith grows.

Fear and faith cannot operate at the same time

Fear and faith cannot operate at the same time—they are mutually exclusive. You cannot wait on God to direct your path and then sit around and worry that He won’t.

Three Steps to Building Homeschool Confidence

1. Believe God’s promise
2. Use sound strategy
3. Call on the Lord in prayer
   

These three steps come from the book of Joshua, the story of how God led the Israelites in the conquest of Canaan.

The lessons in Joshua explain how choosing obedience brings victory and blessing, and how disobedience brings defeat. Joshua was commanded to rid the land of the Canaanites. After the battle of Jericho, the Israelites defeated Ai.

The news of Joshua’s victories reached the Gibeonites. In their fear, the Gibeonites came up with a plan. They pretended that they came from a far away place (outside of Canaan) and wanted to make peace with the children of Israel. Joshua and his men believed them because of the way they looked (walking by sight/in the flesh), and because they did not ask for God’s advice—two big mistakes.

Joshua made a treaty with the Gibeonites and then had to keep his promise to not kill the Gibeonites (once an oath was taken, it could not be revoked). However, he made them slaves. Adonizedec, a Canaan king, heard that the Gibeonites had made peace with Joshua; so he sent word to the other kings and asked for help to kill the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites appealed to Joshua to deliver them from Adonizecec (Joshua 10:6–10). God reassured Joshua that He was with him and the Israelites would win (Joshua 10:7–8).

When the battle began, God sent hail stones to fall on their enemies. He granted Joshua’s request, and the sun stood still until they had defeated their enemies!

Joshua’s Plan for Success

Three elements combined to give Joshua success in this battle in Joshua 10.

1. Believing God’s promise (v. 8)
2. Using sound strategy (v. 9)
3. Calling on the Lord in prayer (vv. 10–15)

1. Believing God’s Promise

The Israelites didn’t have to be afraid because God had already promised them victory—and you don’t have to fear either, because God has promised to direct your paths. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5–6).

When we live by faith in God and in His promises, we can expect to receive God’s help.

2. Using Sound Strategy

I’m not suggesting that you run your homeschool on a whim, but to create your plan with prayer and submission to God.

Leaning on God does not negate self-discipline or forming good habits. God has always been working in your life, from before the time you were first formed in your mother’s womb. He has been preparing you, just as Joshua was prepared many years for what would belong to him. You will need to plan, but allow time for a variety of unplanned activities; keep some flexible time in your schedule to meet your children’s needs and delights; in other words, schedule by faith.

I use the Heart of Wisdom plan that includes a framework and objectives with structure and flexibility. This four-year plan is a framework you can use as a guide as you schedule your curriculum and time by faith. There are other plans and frameworks available or you can create your own. Just remember the Lord wants us to be dependent upon Him not on a homeschool method or program.

3. Calling on the Lord in Prayer

D. L. Moody said, “Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” Prayer is your first step in planning and the first step in daily Bible study. Use Colossians 1:9–12 as a guide. Ask God:

• To fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and
  understanding;
• That you would bear fruit in every good work;
• That you would grow in the knowledge of God;
• That you would be strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience; and
• That you would joyfully give thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Faith begets more faith.

Developing faith is much like developing muscles; our muscles grow stronger as we use them, and become weaker when we don’t use them. Faith comes from prayer and learning about God’s ways through studying and obeying His Word; it is through these exercises that we receive the confidence and peace that God gives when we trust Him.

Faith is something we must practice continuously. It is a continuing cycle. The more you turn to God, the more your faith is strengthened.

We’ll also know our dependence is on God when we trust He will bring us through difficult times with deeper intimacy and greater faith at the end.

Homeschool Prayer

Father, give me wisdom and grace to be a teacher of my children. Fill me with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding; fill my heart with Your love and Your Word. Help me daily teach by example that Your Word should be priority over the things of this world.

Give me strength according to Your glorious might so that I may have great endurance and patience. Help me be diligent and wise to teach these children Your Word as You command. Help me persevere in Your ways, Your love and presence. Make my life an example, an influence as I educate these children for you. Keep my eyes on You, on Your vision, Your plans, and Your purposes for our family.

Related Posts:

Spiritual Mountain Climbing

A Wisdom Parable

What is Your Focus? Your Foundation?

Robin has been homeschooling for 20 years. She and her husband Ronnie are blessed with a “yours, mine, and ours” blended family of eleven children (ages 6 to 34) and thirteen grandchildren (ages 1 to 12). She is actively teaching the two youngest children still at home. Robin is also and author and business owner. Please visit her at Heart of Wisdom.

"The more I study science the more I believe in God," ~Albert Einstein

Solids, Liquids, and Gases

Everything within God’s great creation is made of molecules. His first action in His divine plan of human creation was to give us a home. A nice solid planet. He filled our planet with this glorious liquid called water, and surrounded it with a clean and clear gas called oxygen. He is brilliant, isn’t He? Everything was planned out perfectly. How anyone can look at the intricacies of creation and deny the existence of God Almighty bewilders me.

Regardless of the type of molecule, matter exists as either a solid, liquid, or gas. Yes, for this article, I am ignoring plasma, as young children have a hard time understanding its characteristics. Energy (like heat) causes these molecules to move faster and further apart. Very slow moving, compact molecules create a solid; while faster molecules flow more freely and take the shape of a liquid; and lastly, the really hyper molecules become gases.

Ready for some experiments to teach your kids about the 3 states of matter?

Water makes up 3/4 of the Earth's surface and 2/3 of a human body. Although it is the most common thing on Earth, its properties are so unusual, making it oh so valuable. Water is the only known substance that can exist on Earth in all 3 phases of matter. These first two unbelievably simple experiments very effectively demonstrate the substance as ice, water, and vapor.

Ice Cubes in a Pan
Place a few ice cubes in a frying pan. Heat up the pan and allow them to melt into water. Watch as the water is vaporized.

Balloons
Get 3 balloons. Fill with water and place in the freezer over night, fill one with regular water, and the last with air. Let the child play with all 3 and guess which form is in each balloon.

He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.

Psalm 135:7

The Bible talks about three different heavens. The Earth's atmosphere, outer space, and the heaven where God resides. We know much about the first and second heavens. We know that our atmosphere is made of breathable gases while outer space is not. Many children have a hard time understand air simply because they cannot see it. Try this experiment to show them that air really does take up space.

Dry Cotton Ball

• Fill up a container of water
• Tape a cotton ball onto the inside bottom of a clear plastic cup. Do not place the tape over the cotton ball, either use double sided tape or roll up a piece and place it under the cotton ball.
• Holding it upside down, submerge the cup all the way down into the water. Make sure you do not tilt the cup.
• The child will assume that the cotton ball has gotten wet and will be amazed when they feel that it is still completely dry. Explain that the cup is filled with air. So there was no room for water to enter the cup.
  

Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein.

Isaiah 42:5

Rock Candy
What you need:

• Hot water
• A clean paper clip
• 2 cups sugar
• Thread or string
• A heat-resistant glass
• Magnifying glass
• A spoon
• Food coloring (optional)

What to do:

• Half-fill the glass with very hot water. Add food coloring if you desire. Slowly mix as much sugar as possible in the water. The sugar will dissolve. Keep adding sugar until you have a thick syrup.
• Hang a paper clip from a piece of thread or string and suspend it in the glass. Make sure the paper clip doesn't touch the bottom.
• Leave the cup where it won't be disturbed and cover it to keep dust out.
• After a week or so, crystals will begin forming around the paper clip and string. Use a magnifying glass to examine the crystals' shapes.
  

When sugar dissolves in hot water, it breaks up into pieces so small that you can no longer see them. As the sugar water cools and the water evaporates, the sugar re-concentrates out and forms crystals.

Are you impatient? Try these almost instant crystals
Simply create a super saturated solution of baking soda and water. Pour the solution into a jar. Set a twisted pipe cleaner down into the jar. Place in a sunny window and within 30 minutes you will see “crystals” growing on the pipe cleaner.

Online Games for Kids
Science Materials Changing State
Solids, Liquids, and Gases
States of Matter
More Solids, Liquids and Gases
Solids and Liquids Activities

Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag
What you need:

• Gallon ziplock bags (use a thick freezer bag)
• Quart ziplock freezer bags (use a thick freezer bag)
• Chocolate or strawberry milk
• Rock salt
• Ice

What to do:

• In the quart bag put about 1 cup of milk. Zip it tight.
• In the gallon bag put some rock salt and ice, about 1 cup of each.
• Put quart bag into the gallon bag with the salt and ice. Zip tight.
• Let the kids knead or roll the bag and really work the milk. Within 20 minutes or so the milk turns into ice cream.

Want to really enjoy the ice cream? Read on…

Chocolate Bowls
Blow up a small balloon. Don’t make it too big or you’ll end up with a enormous bowl. Dip the balloon halfway into melted chocolate, turn it upside down and place in the freezer for an hour or so. Carefully poke a hole in the balloon to sloooowly release the air. Carefully peel the balloon away from the chocolate. Fill your new bowl with ice cream. Or be responsible and fill with fresh fruit.

Root Beer Floats
I recently had the pleasure of reviewing a book called Cooking and Science from Castle Heights Press. One of the experiments included in this book is how to use root beer floats to demonstrate the phases of matter. Please feel free to download the experiment and worksheets HERE.

Alka Seltzer
Plop, plop, fizz fizz! Yeah, you might need this one after the homemade ice cream, chocolate bowls, and root beer floats! It begins as a solid tablet, bubbles as it lets off gas, and ends as part of the liquid.

...I saved my favorite for last. Please people, if you have never made this crazy concoction, go and do it now. Well, after you finish the rest of the magazine articles, of course!

Oobleck
Mix 1 cup of corn starch with 1.5 cups of water and some food coloring for effect.
Oobleck is fascinating because it isn’t quite sure what it wants to be. Scientists have labeled it a Non-Newtonian fluid. Watch these amazing videos:

Oobleck Non Newtonian Video
Oobleck
Amazing Oobleck

Amy is a Classical homeschooling mom to a five-year-old Superhero. In her column “Through the Microscope”, she writes about the beauty of science and finding God’s handprint through the miracle of everyday elements and processes. Be sure to visit her blog at Milk and Cookies.

Please visit my sponsor - Castle Heights Press!
They are generously offering a 10% discount for ALL PRODUCTS to our readers until March 8th. Use the code HMB81.

Are You A “Real” Homeschool Mom?

Are you a “real” homeschool mom or do you always put your best foot forward when you are in the presence of moms that you think have mastered the art of homeschooling?

I have news for you. They aren’t perfect either!

I always get so amused when I hear other moms talk about how they “love” to homeschool and how everything always works out so great for them. I often wonder what it would be like to visit their home on a week day. I mean we know that mom wouldn’t screech in horror because the house isn’t clean. She definitely wouldn’t send the kids off to their rooms because they are still in their pajamas. And she absolutely wouldn’t throw the textbooks in a cabinet to give the impression that school time had been completed hours earlier because we all know she gets up at the crack of dawn every day!

No, siree, Not our homeschool moms. We all have our act together!

Or do we?

I can honestly say that if anyone thinks that we (the cabinet, book hiding, wake up at 9ish, send the kids to their room to get dressed so we look like a good homeschool family people) have it all together they are truly mistaken.

Sure, I have heard the praise from many mothers who like to compliment me on how well mannered my boys are and how well they behave. What they don’t see is that I am holding their favorite toy hostage to insure their behavior so that mom and dad can have a stress free time.

OK. OK. So my boys really are well mannered and I don’t hold toys hostage for good public behavior. This is actually one of their good points but don’t dare ask me about their room! Or the fact that the “baby” is wearing his brother’s clothes because he keeps putting his clean clothes in the laundry room and I now refuse to wash them.

And please, please, please don’t ask me about the moans and groans I get when I mention it is school time, which usually starts around 12:30 (no eye-rolling!)

Now once we get started they are usually gung ho about science projects and civil war reenactments but that is only after I bribe them with M&Ms to complete their math work. I know, I know... BAD MOM!

Jeepers. I guess I shouldn’t mention that I only actually cook breakfast once a week and the rest of the time they eat cereal. I assume I should also keep it a secret that my almost 7 year old hardly ever completes anything and I don’t try to make him.

I cannot fathom that I am the only homeschooling mom out there who goes through this. Is it really all hunky dory? Should I be wearing a retro pattern and singing, “The fields are alive with the sound of music…”?

Am I the only one who has actually considered enrolling the kids in public school just long enough to get the house clean and teach them just how good they have it at home?

Don’t get me wrong. I love the idea of homeschooling but on some days it’s the act of it that brings out the worst in me and my family.

These pieces of toast are a wonderful representation of how the days of our week can go at times, from perfect and savory absorbing every flavor to absolutely no good. Yeah, we have to scrape the “yuck” off to get to a small bit of good stuff on those days.

Why? We are all human. We all make mistakes. We must all submit daily to do the right thing, the best thing for ourselves and our families.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
Romans 7:21-25

Be real with God, with yourself, and with each other.

I have heard the term, “Don’t speak that!”, one too many times. How can God get the glory for mending something if you never admit that it is broken in the first place?

Now I’m not saying run around speaking negatively. There is a difference between saying, “I can’t do it all” and saying “I’m no good at anything”. One is acknowledging the current status and one is self-hatred. One gives God the glory and one takes the focus off of God. You can tell the difference by discerning with your heart.

Encourage each other.

Don’t jump back and say, “Ah!” with your hand over your mouth the next time you hear a child say they had McDonald’s for lunch and they didn’t have school yesterday. Instead look him in the eye and say, “well your mommy sure does know how to let you have fun doesn’t she?” and smile real big at him and then at her. And don’t wink like you just uncovered her dirty little secret. Showing love will do more for her than telling her she needs to switch curriculum to keep the kids more interested and her more motivated.

Don’t compare yourself to other moms.

Even if her kids are always polite, are mini Picassos, only eat whole wheat and like it, and knew how to sew before they could talk (which was at least 3 months earlier than your kids), just remember that they have some issues somewhere that they are hiding. We have been taught not to express our weaknesses for fear that others will not think as highly of us but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have them.

God gave your kids you as a mom. That means that He did not deem anyone else more qualified for the position. Take confidence in that. He knows what He is doing. After all He did create the universe and everything in it in only 6 days. I know because we have covered this more than 50 times in our various school textbooks!

Give yourself permission to take a break.

When you are a homeschooling mom you are not only the teacher for every pupil and for every subject but you are the PE coach, the guidance counselor, every lady in the lunch room, the secretary, the librarian, the PTA, the fundraiser chairperson, the hall monitor, the janitor, and the assistant principal. Whew! Sign me up for a vacation just for typing all of that but it really does put it into perspective doesn’t it?

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.
Genesis 2:2

Take a nap. Take a hot bubble bath. Go lie on your bed and read a book. It’s OK! Your children will not become illiterate, the house will not fall apart, and no one will starve. However, I can’t guarantee that no one from church will just so happen to stop by for a visit. (Isn’t it funny how that happens?)

As long as you do what you do unto God then it will prevail.

I have told you many of my dirty little secrets here today but I saved the best for last:

My sweet, wonderful, friend (eh, um Darnelle, hmm) suggested that I give my children the CAT test to send in to the state for our yearly renewal instead of copying bulks of papers from each subject and submitting lesson plans.

Oh how I love her for the confidence she had in me but let me tell you what a silly, sometimes absent-minded little woman I am.,,,

I give Gevan (11 year old) his test first. We actually only run into a few snags with division and punctuation. Aside from that the kid surprised me with how well he did. He was over three years behind when I pulled him out of school two years ago. Amidst all of the chaos he has actually learned and progressed more in these past two year than he had in any year prior. He still lacks in a couple of areas but he is doing well, very well. Here is his score:

Wow! God loves me! I never would have imagined that he could do so well. I don’t put much stock in these tests but I have to admit that it is a good feeling to know that he and I accomplished in 1.5 years what his teachers couldn’t do in 4.

Then there is the nutty but more amazing part of this CAT test story.

I decided to give Brennan (6 year old) the test next. I knew that Jacob (9 year old) would do well and blow through the test with no problem. He is just a fast learner. But, Brennan on the other hand, I knew I would have to duct tape him to the chair just so he could complete it.

Brennan does not like school. Math is stoooopid and reading is meeeeeean! He promises me every day that it is going to kill him. Yes, he actually says, “MOM, you’re just trying to kill me! I can’t do stoooopid math and reading is meeeean!”

So he has school maybe twice a week. (remember - don’t “Ah!” me!) I can’t bear to wrestle him to the table any more than that but it’s funny how he seems to recall almost every fact that we discuss and can read even the most complicated words.

In fact, his absent-minded mother accidentally gave him his brother’s 2nd grade CAT test and realized it only when she was getting Jacob ready for his test and thought it was funny that the 9-year-old was going to be tested on phonics and number recognition. Bren took Jake’s test.

Yes, I did that. I admit it.

I also admit that I wasn’t about to give Brennan another test all over again and I knew that Jacob would score high so I just let him take Brennan’s test and turned them in.

Just breathe. The shock will wear off soon. Don’t tell the state, k?

I have to say I was beyond my embarrassment when I saw his score. Not bad for a 6-year-old, eh?

So, if you get nothing else out of this article but a laugh or two at me then it was worth it. You are doing a wonderful job as a homeschooling mom and you deserve a pat on the back. You are awesome. You are wonderful. And we are going to make it through! I promise!

Amy is the happy wife of one amazing man and she is a 3rd year homeschooling mom to three energetic boys. In her column “Effective Education”, she writes about the eclectic teachings that bring a glimmer of curiosity to the eyes of her sons and a bit of hope to moms. Be sure to visit her blog, In Pursuit of Proverbs 31.

Atten-HUT!! The Gouge On Homeschooling In A Military Family

As more and more families across the nation decide its's time for change and bring their children home for school, so goes the way of military families as well. There is no set number carved in stone but the numbers have risen substantially in the past few years. Many families are lost in a sea of Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) memoranda and can't tell heads or tales of the hoopla they are trying desperately to decode. I have been there and done that! Literally! We are a military family and have been in DoDEA base schools in the states, DoDDS base schools in Okinawa Japan, public schools, charter schools, and homeschool. I want to help you sort it all out as best as possible!

Let's get on with a bit of the regulation info first, and then we can move to some information that will help with the everyday fun stuff rather than just the nuts and bolts of it all! The Constitution of the United States puts the responsibility of education squarely on the shoulders of the states. This includes dependent children of military members, too. Sometimes it gets confusing with home of record, state of residence, and so forth but simply put, you home educate your children according to the regulations to the actual state you live in. Here is a bit of what the DoDEA website says:

It is DoDEA policy neither to encourage nor discourage DoD sponsors from home schooling their minor dependents. DoDEA recognizes that home schooling is a sponsor’s right and can be a legitimate alternative form of education for the sponsor’s dependents.

A host nation, state, commonwealth, or territory where a DoD sponsor is stationed may impose legal requirements on home schooling practices. DoDEA encourages DoD sponsors who wish to home school their dependents to communicate their desire to their commanders to determine if there are any command policies or other rules ensuring that home schooling practices meet host nation, state, commonwealth, or territory requirements. Sponsors are responsible for complying with applicable local requirements.

DoDEA-run schools on bases within the United States are becoming a rather rare site in recent years due to the cost effectiveness of sending military dependents off base to the local community schools. As a matter of fact, there are only 7 states currently that have these schools within their bases. This may be confusing to many people as many bases still have schools aboard the installation but they are completely run by a local authority. This happens to be the case where I live here in Arizona. A local call to the school should clear the confusion right away if you aren't sure.

If you happen to be assigned to a base that does still have a DoDEA-run school, and live on installation in base housing, then you have options available to you that you may want to consider. You are allowed to use both auxiliary services as well as academic resources equal to what a child enrolled in the school would receive. Auxiliary services include access to the school library, after hours use of school facilities (comparative to what other enrolled students are allowed), and participation in music, sports, and other extracurricular and interscholastic activities. Academic resources include the loaning of textbooks, workbooks, library books, scheduled standardized tests, software, and so forth. DoDEA schools also offer a wide range of extracurricular activities which vary from school to school. Possible activities include drama, public speaking, Model United Nations, cheerleading, music, and Future Business Leaders of America. The military sponsor should contact their local school to obtain a current listing of what is available. It is not necessary to contact your base commander but it is an option if you should choose to.

Do you live overseas? These same options and more apply to you as well though they will greatly depend on where you live. Depending on your circumstances, you will probably have one of three choices available to you for homeschooling. The first is homeschooling as a parental preference and you pay for everything out of pocket as you more than likely do already. The second option is to utilize the DOD schools as stated above just like you would if you were stateside. This only pertains to you if you are a sponsored family. That means you are on the orders with your military member and fall under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). You can borrow textbooks from the school, participate in extra activities or sports, take standardized testing, and so forth.

Lastly I want to share with you a program called Worldwide IDEA. In the past this was a program funded through grants that allowed military homeschool families to be reimbursed for their school materials. Considered an e-school, with resources for record keeping and teacher sponsorship, as well as reimbursements for materials and internet service, this was a great option for many families. Unfortunately the grant funding has been cut and the reimbursements are no longer available. However, Worldwide IDEA has not given up the fight and is working to have the DOD recognize homeschooling as a viable, legal, GOOD choice for military families and are working with the folks in Washington to make that happen. There are still pay options available for families and the peace of mind makes it well worth it!

How and what you qualify with for Worldwide IDEA will depend on several things. First, if there are DOD schools available at your base then you will have to pay for your children to be enrolled in the program as if it was a private school. However, if there are not any DOD schools available, then you qualify under the Non DoD School Program (NDSP) and can be reimbursed for your school costs if you are homeschooling your children. I encourage you to visit the Worldwide IDEA website at http://www.worldwide-id