Day In The Life — Heart Of The Matter

April 26, 2009 By Tiany 5 Comment

Is there one best way to schedule and plan out your homeschool day?

I don’t think so, but I do believe we should have some kind of direction, plan and or schedule laid out for the days activities.

“He who every morning plans the transaction of the day and follows out that plan carries a thread that will guide him through the labyrinth of the most busy life… But where no plan is laid… chaos will soon reign.” -Victor Hugo

The days where I have not taken the time to set out a plan or use our schedule quickly become chaotic, stressful and unproductive! A well-ordered homeschool day (even loosely ordered) brings peace and a sense of accomplishment.

My first attempt at scheduling (a few years back) started out with a 15 to 30 minute interval scheduling plan, by the end of the week I was ready to pull all the hair out of my head and throw “scheduling” out the door for good! My scheduling woes were not for a lack of trying but more so for a lack of “fit”. The scheduling plan I was using was not the right fit for my family for the time and season of our lives. I felt as though I was constantly rushing and as if I were punching a clock.

I may revisit that form of scheduling in years to come but for now I am using a very simple block schedule. Block scheduling is very conducive to a home with lots of littles, which means lots of little interruptions! Block scheduling has allowed us to have a calm, unhurried homeschool day, one where we really can enjoy the journey and not get stressed by time-lines that are not being met.

We simply break our day down into 2 to 3 hour blocks, Block 1 starts at 7am, Block 2 starts at 10am, Block 3 at 1pm and so on…

Our schedule is the map for our day but as with any map there is more than one way to get to our destination! We can always take a surprise turn or veer off the road for unexpected detours. We do attempt to stick to the schedule as often as possible and our boys know the schedule, so there is no squabbling or whining about what to do when.

A few helpful tips for successful scheduling…

There are many reasons why our schedules fail us… lack of discipline, disorganization, procrastination, laziness, over scheduling, under scheduling, and or no motivation. Unfortunately, I have learned this through my own personal struggles.

I believe many fail to plan primarily due to pure frustration and the feeling of defeat from previous attempts.
Be sure to work some flexibility into your schedule. Be flexible!
Don’t set yourself up for failure with unrealistic expectations.
Examine your day and seek the Lord for direction, allowing Him to order your days.

“Let all things be done decently and in order”. 1 Corinthians 14:40

If you are new to homeschooling and and trying to find a plan or schedule that works for your family, don’t give up! Achieving some order during your homeschool day is a very real possibility with a little prayer, perseverance and planning.

The last tip I would like to share is one that helps me accomplish a great deal throughout the day’s many stumbling blocks… keep moving!!! Make your schedule work for you by going about your day with a skip in your step and joy in your heart!

When I start to slack, feel lazy and/or lose motivation, I think of this poem…

From an old English parsonage, down by the sea
There came in the twilight a message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven
Hath, as it seems to me, teaching from Heaven.
And on through the hours the quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration – “DO THE NEXT THING.”

Many a question, many of fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from
Heaven, Time, opportunity, guidance, are given.
Fear not tomorrows, Child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus, “DO THE NEXT THING.”

Do it immediately; do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence, tracing His Hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,
Leave all resultings, “DO THE NEXT THING.”

Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
(Working or suffering) be thy demeanor,
In His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing,
Then, as He beckons thee, “DO THE NEXT THING.”

(Author unknown)

If you’re planning on revamping your schedule mid-year, I pray the Lord will give you the wisdom and direction to fulfill his perfect plan for your family!

Tiany Davis is a homeschool mom to 4 little boys ages 8, 6, 4, 2 and wife to her best friend Troy for 14 years! She is an LSU Tiger fans living in Louisiana and founder of The Homeschool Lounge. You can also visit Tiany at her blog, Less of Me, More of Him.

December 9, 2008 By LisaV 4 Comment

I’ll never forget my first Christmas tree, not as a child, but as an expectant mom at the age of 26. Christmas trees did not grace our home when I was growing up. It simply wasn’t something we did. My brother and I received Christmas gifts and hung stockings on our wall shelves, since we had no fireplace, but we did not join our friends in the tradition of putting up a tree.

When I got married at 23, our first home was a one-bedroom loft apartment, and again my husband and I did not put up a tree. We purchased a condominium four years later with plenty of space for the two of us and, a few months later, found out we were expecting our first child. That’s when I decided I desired a Christmas tree for our home.

We purchased an artificial tree, ornaments, and bows at a discount from Kmart, where my husband worked at the time. Having rarely decorated for Christmas in the past, I didn’t really know what to do. So I followed the instructions of my artificial tree kit, placing the branches on each level by colored tape until I reached the top. I painstakingly tied thread on each bulb ornament to hang them on the tree, only later realizing hooks were made for this very purpose.
When I finished stringing lights, tying bows, and hanging beads around the tree, I stood back to inspect my first Christmas tree. Being three months along at the time (notice the bump),

I wanted to offer my children the memories of Christmas gathered around the tree.

Our first Christmas with our six-month-old son had him lying on the floor and gazing up at the lights. Each Christmas brought delight as we enjoyed the tree together. Through his toddler years, we kept the tree in our sun room so he couldn’t toss the ornaments like balls. Soon we had two boys lying beneath the branches and, every year, we snapped photos of them smiling by the tree.

We’ve replaced our first tree a couple times and currently have a pre-lit tree that assembles in three sections. Our two boys help me carry the boxes from the basement and hang the ornaments while listening to Christmas carols. It’s a tradition I hope they’ll pass on to their children one day.

When I look back to my first Christmas tree, I see more than a holiday decoration. I see the start of a new tradition for our family.

Lisa (aka Morning Rose) has been teaching her two elementary-aged sons for four years and incorporating study, work, service, and play into their homeschooling days. She enjoys reading, writing, and photography and blogs publicly at Pockets of Time and privately at Scooter and B.

November 6, 2008 By Tammy 2 Comment

For those who follow the traditional school year calendar, a couple of months worth of schooling has been completed and the routine is settled. It’s easy to get into the ho-humness of it all, especially if you been homeschooling for many years.

And then suddenly, it happens!

A spark of joy!

And I’m not talking about the student, but about the teacher.

It happened here recently when my nine year old daughter finished up a spelling review lesson. Since it was a review and not a regular lesson, she asked if she had to read the poetry selection that was scheduled. Being a mom of details and charts, my answer was a quick, “yup!” Off she went to look up the poetry pages and then began reading while I was busy doing something in the kitchen at the same time.

“By the shores of Gitche Gummee,
By the shining Big-Sea Water….”

“STOP!” I shouted, scaring her half to death. Immediately I came over where she was standing with her book in hand.

“Start again!” I pleaded, causing her curiosity to grow as I sat down to listen closely.

And she began once more and I corrected her pronunciations as she went stumbling along through four stanzas of the poem “Hiawatha’s Childhood” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. When she had finished the stanzas, I took a turn reading it so that she could hear the wonderful rhythm found in this writing.

A spark of joy!

For as soon as I heard the first couple of lines, it took me back to my early homeschooling years when my firstborn read this poem for the first time. I enjoyed the poem so much that I was delighted to unexpectedly run across a book in the library that had the complete selection of “Hiawatha’s Childhood”. My joy increased when I found out that this was only one section of the original – The Song of Hiawatha – which had been written with twenty-two sections covering the life of Hiawatha from birth to death. The lyrics and music of the words used in this epic poem instantly put a smile on my face.

Will hearing “wah-wah-taysee, little firefly” instantly put a smile on YOUR face? Probably not. However, one of the things about homeschooling that I’ve surprisingly learned through the years was that it wasn’t just about helping my children learn and find particular studies THEY enjoyed, but that often I found MYSELF learning and enjoying different studies, too! It’s a different topic for everyone…..like learning about a certain period in history or the constellations of the winter sky or diagramming sentences or the intricacies of the human body or archaeological finds or writing proofs for geometry or….you fill in the blank. It’s YOUR unique spark of joy!

It’s about teaching your children that there is JOY found in learning. And it doesn’t mean that you will find JOY in the same topics, but that your example will encourage them in areas of studies which cause them to smile.

“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.” ~ Jeremiah 15:16

And my hope is that your greatest JOY is found in learning God’s Word. The grace and love it imparts is the best example you can show your children and truly is the heart of the matter!

Married in 1980 and still living in the same house in a woodsy rural setting, Tammy’s homeschooling journey began in the fall of 1987 when her oldest turned six years old. As rather new believers professing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, homeschooling was a way to live out the principles found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Through all the challenges of life Tammy has stayed the course growing to a family with nine children who presently range from preschool age to college graduates married with children. Her role has transitioned from learning everything she could about homeschooling to becoming an encourager to others coming along the way. Please visit Tammy at Garden Glimpses.

October 9, 2008 By Tammy Leave a Comment

Ohhh, I just love this time of the year! God’s creation just BURSTS with vibrant colorful glory everywhere we look in the woods around us!

The sunny days hold a warmness that still pulls us outside when we should be inside. However, the very cool mornings and evenings remind us that it is a short season of slipping outdoors between subjects.

The corn stalks, which provided a few late summer meals for our family, will be moved from the garden and onto the porch with pumpkins joining them. And let’s not forget one of our family’s favorite parts of fall…..the APPLES!

A couple hours north of our home are apple orchards and there’s always someone you know heading that way to pick apples this time of the year. This past week I was blessed to find a bushel of apples in the back of my car.

One of my older sons had traveled with someone else to help with an errand and they needed to pass right through the apple orchard area. He remembered his mom and the thought of warm applesauce prompted him to pick up a bushel as a surprise for me. And a wonderful surprise it was!

As I went through the apples one-by-one, I noticed how different each one was as I set it on my cutting board. Slightly different shapes, slightly different colorings, slightly different tastes, some with a bruise or two. Different yet perhaps all from the same tree. And once stirred together in my simmering pot, the apples blended into a wonderful tasty sauce.

Ahhh, yes! Those apples reminded me of my family. Oh, not quite a bushel of us yet, but it’s fun to watch our family tree grow!

Each one slightly different from the others with unique characteristics of their own. As we’ve been homeschooling through the years, I’ve realized that I can’t compare them to one another. No apples to apples here. Nope. Although we’ve used much of the same materials for their learning through the years, each child has grasped the subjects differently. You could go through each subject area and find many differences of opinion about whether it is a thumbs up or thumbs down depending upon the child. And a perfect example of their uniqueness could be found by having each one of my children write the exact same paragraph. None of the paragraphs would look the same! Each one has their own unique style of handwriting right down to the five year old. Yet, when you squeeze us all around our big kitchen table for a big bowl of applesauce, we’ll all blend together to make a wonderful savory family with the tart ones being balanced by the sweet.

Do enjoy the beauty of the fall season which comes from the hand of the Creator. And the next time you eat applesauce, remember how unique your own family is as it’s perfectly blended together by His love. For His love for us truly is the heart of the matter!

September 15, 2008 By Guest 1 Comment

When my children were younger the church we were attending put on a yearly play. As the summer moved into fall, one of the first things on their minds was the upcoming performance. What play would they do? What part would they have? Excitement filled the air as each anticipated their performance.

It all started with a meeting where the musical was presented for the children to hear. Afterwards they were sent home with cassette tapes and the assignment to consider what part they would want to play. When they returned they were supposed to tell the director their heart’s desire. It was always interesting to me that none of my children ever wanted the same role. Each had their own idea of what their part looked like and none matched.

The following week the director would gather the children together and listen as they told her their desires. Whether singing in the choir, a solo, a speaking part or the lead role, each child had an idea of just what they wanted to do.

Once she had gathered all her information she would begin the chore of dividing up the parts. It always amazed me at how she would work it out. If there were not enough solo parts she would split up the verses of the song to fulfill each child’s aspiration. It wasn’t about the performance. It was about giving the children the desires of their heart.

As the day approached for the parts to be announced the excitement in the house grew. Each child wondered if they would get “their” part. The next Sunday, chatter filled the car ride home confirming that desires had been met.

In Genesis 1: God says “let us make man in our image”. The word image means “shadow”. I find it astounding to think that I am created in God’s shadow. Just the sound of that brings a picture to my mind. Can you picture it? If we all lined up outside with the sun on our backs casting a shadow on the pavement, none of our shadows would look the same? No two shadows are alike. I have my own unique shadow of God. So do you.

I cannot get over the fact that there is no one like me. I am my own unique shadow. I have my own fingerprints and heartbeat. No one else shares it. I shadow God unlike anyone else. So do you. There is no need for comparison. There’s no one to compare to. There’s no one like me. I am, you are, one of a kind. Because of that, my part in the play will not look like your part. Even if we have the same part it will not look the same. We are not the same.

One year my youngest played an angel. There were several young girls who played the part of angels. Though they had the same role in the play, none of them looked like the other. Each was their own one-of-a-kind angel.

I believe that God puts the desires in our hearts that He has for us to live. In this grand play of life we show up and ask Him if we can do what our heart’s desire. He orchestrates everything just so and then invites us to play that which we yearn to play. Isn’t that just amazing?

The beauty is we do not need to be like any other, not even Jesus. God doesn’t want us to imitate Jesus. He wants us to let Jesus live his life through us in such a way that Jesus is seen in us. Even that will have it’s own shadow. His Spirit will be reflected in each one of us distinctly. It’s all so amazing isn’t it? The God of the universe chose you and me to display His shadow and we don’t have to do it the same way. We are free to be who He made us to be and play the part He wrote especially for us.

With that in mind, what role do you want to play in this grand play of life? What does your shadow of God look like? What desires has He placed in your heart? There is only one you. Be who He made you to be. Because if you do not live in who you are and what He has placed within you, the world will live without it. You are His shadow to the world, His masterpiece. Live the canvas of your life, it is His image etched on you.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Ps.139:13-14

Papa, thank you that you allow us to bear your shadow. Thank you that your image is imprinted on each of us uniquely. May we bear you well.

Julie Todd is a daughter of God who has been ruined for the ordinary. She has been married to her sweetheart for 25 years and is a home schooling mother of 5. She is a writer and speaker who strives to live the extraordinary life that God intended. You can visit her blog at Jewelz Sightings

September 9, 2008 By Suzanne 16 Comment

I’ve been asked before how I homeschool with a toddler (or 2!) in the house.

Just to update you, I have 4 little ones:

TheOldest, a boy turning 7 in September, and will be starting 2nd grade; TheMiddlest, a boy who turned 5 in April, will be starting Kindergarten, ThePrincess, the only girl – who turned 3 in April and is officially preschooling now; and TheBaby~est, turned one in March and is absolutely determined to thwart any plans for learning that I have.

I can’t tell you the best way to do it. I can’t tell you how everybody else does it. I can only tell you how I’ve managed to do it.

A lot of screaming.

Oh, stop, I’m just kidding.

It actually has a lot to do with timing. And since I’ve embraced the chaos and quit trying to fit a bunch of little unpredictable people into my perfectly planned schedule it goes even better. Plus, it helps that I adjusted my expectations.

A few of the most important points around here:

Bring the baby along for the ride. When our youngest was an infant, I either “wore” him, held him, nursed him, or laid him beside us while we worked.

Accept that seasons change. And you had better too!

Now that the baby is 16 months and climbing onto every surface of the house, we only do “table time” when he goes down for a nap.

I gave up my precious school nook.

I know, let’s all have a collective moment of silence… I tried so hard to save my school room. I even moved it into one of the bedrooms, thinking that maybe I could close the door and keep little hands from destroying everything, but then it just turned into this:

So I gave it up, with the consolation that maybe someday all of my children will be old enough to not destroy everything in sight.

Keep it in reach. We keep all of our pencils, crayons, and other supplies in a moveable basket on the kitchen counter – where the older ones can reach it anytime, but the baby is out of it. All of our current work also on the kitchen counter. However, I keep all of my teacher resource books safe in a closet, blocked by a couch. I wish I were kidding.

Make “learning never stops” your motto. It’s the truth, and with very little “table time”, I better make the most of “real life learning.”

Occupy those little hands. I keep buckets that are themed for my preschooler. I pull out age-appropriate puzzles, magnetic dress-up dolls, blocks, and lace-up cards. I guide her on as many projects as I can manage while also working with the older boys, and then turn her loose to color and write (read: scribble) as much as she wants.

Discover delight-driven learning. Otherwise known as fly by the seat of your pants learning around here! Don’t get me wrong, I do dream of curriculum, of opening a box with new books, and shiny extras just waiting for our eager minds. But, with all the ages, money restrictions, hand-me-downs I’ve been so blessed to acquire, and realizing that my kiddos really are still so young, I’ll be holding off a while longer.

Let go of the fantasy idea of teaching children and embrace the reality. For instance, read-alouds. Oh, my beloved read-alouds. So rarely this:

Much more often if you were a fly on our wall you wouldn’t even recognize it as reading. My girl feels the need to interrupt with constant commentary. Constant. My toddler sees it as the perfect time to run off, do acrobatics off the furniture, attack the dog… My middlest boy is SO not interested in reading. So you can find him, coloring, or more often, doing flips around the room while I attempt to read. And with every interruption, my oldest, who loves to be read to, complains to everyone who is within range that he wants to hear the story. One chapter in Junie B. Jones takes no less than 45 minutes. And that’s after finding the book that one of the younger ones inevitably carries off somewhere.

Which leads me right into my next point: Patience. Oh, elusive patience. Oh, much needed, much lacking patience. All I can say on this one, is practice makes perfect. Learn forgiveness of yourself. And, well, I’m open to all the suggestions/prayers you can give!

Be an opportunist. When everyone is still – jump on it – “Let’s read!” When everyone is climbing the walls – “Project time!” When the baby’s sleepy – “Everybody to the table!”

Include the toddler in the “fun” stuff. Such as when we were studying American History and veered off into a Native American unit. The day we all dressed up as indians, of course the baby had to get in on the no-shirt, lipstick-as-war-paint fun!

The moral to my homeschooling with *2 under 2* story?

Do what works. Until it doesn’t work anymore. And then try something else.

And please tell me how you homeschool with a toddler in the house. I need some more things in my magic bag for when this doesn’t work anymore!

Suzanne is wife to one and mama to four. The little ones are 2 boys ages 6 and 5, a girl who’s 3, and a baby boy who’s not knee-high to a grasshopper yet. She eclecticly unschools with lapbooks the Charlotte Mason way. In other words, she doesn’t have the slightest clue what she’s doing, but does it anyway. She lives in a world where there are few absolutes. The dishes don’t stay cleaned, the laundry doesn’t stay put away, the children don’t remember what she told them yesterday. But in their chaotic lives they have found joy. And they’d love to share that with you. So, come on over, kick a path through the toys, have a seat on the couch and grab a cup of strong coffee. Just be ready to hone your skills of “interrupted conversation”! And be sure to stop by her personal b
log at The Joyful Chaos.

September 4, 2008 By Suzanne 4 Comment

Coming September 19th ~ International Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Are you ready for Talk Like A Pirate Day? Do you know what Talk Like A Pirate Day is? And why on earth should you care?

All very good questions! I have 2 boys that are all things pirate. And a girl that loves her some mermaids. So, out to sea we went. And we discovered a day tucked into September that sounded like fun.

It all started innocently enough with a little playing dress-up. And then came a few pirate questions, such as “Were pirates really real, Mama?” As I began looking up the answers for them, I came across this site: The Original Talk Like A Pirate Day Site, now, take note, most of the content on this site is not what you want your young’n's readin’. But they do have a “Stuff For Junior Pirates” section that’s pretty clean and even has some curriculum ideas. I researched it, took what I wanted, left what I didn’t.

I went to Enchanted Learning and printed off a pirate map for each of my kiddos.

For our art project we wadded it up in balls and then smoothed it back out. Then we used our brown watercolor paints very sloppily on the map to make it look “authentic.” The children were off on a treasure hunt!

I printed off 3 more maps that I cut apart and drew a quick picture of where I had hidden each clue (for example Pocket 1 held a picture of their bed where they found a second envelope that held a picture of the couch, where they found a third envelope, and so on… that would lead them to the next clue until they landed at the “X”. I rolled the pictures into scrolls and stuck them into numbered pockets. They were to take their maps and follow the path according to the item listed and the number on their map until they found the buried treasure – some pirate stickers and gummy candy shaped like pirate stuff!

Next we learned this kid-friendly song - which they sang all week long!

A Children’s Pirate Shanty
by Mark “Cap’n Slappy” Summers
(can be sung to the tune of Monty Python’s “I’m a Lumberjack and I’m OK” -
or make up your own!)
Chorus
I’m a pirate! That I be!
I sail me ship upon the sea!
I stay up late – till half past three!
And that’s a peg below me knee!

Yo Ho, my friends I have a tale
of treasure, plunder, sea and sail
my story’s bigger than a whale
it gets so deep, ye’ll have to bail.

Chorus
I’m a pirate! That I be!
I sail me ship upon the sea!
I stay up late – till half past three!
And that’s a peg below me knee!
I like to fish, I like to fight
I like to stay up half the night
When I say “starboard” ye go right!
Me ma, she says, “Ye look a fright!”

Chorus
I’m a pirate! That I be!
I sail me ship upon the sea!
I stay up late – till half past three!
And that’s a peg below me knee!

I’ve got no hand but that’s me hook!
I pillage stuff but I’m no crook.
Me booty’s in this chest I took.
They’ll write about me in a book!

Chorus
I’m a pirate! That I be!
I sail me ship upon the sea!
I stay up late – till half past three!
And that’s a peg below me knee!
And that’s all there is to this
song.

I hope it hasn’t been too long.
A pirate’s life might just be wrong
So grow up nice and big and strong!

Chorus
I’m a pirate! That I be!
I sail me ship upon the sea!
I stay up late – till half past three!
And that’s a peg below me knee!

We learned sea-farin’ terms, the parts of a ship, why mermaids are associated with pirates, what old poison bottles and “Jolly Rogers” have in common, and why pirates aren’t as cool as we make them out to be. And maybe, most importantly of all, we learned that silliness is a great way to learn a few things!

August 13, 2008 By admin 11 Comment

Balancing my many roles of Wife, Mom, Teacher, Maid, Cook, Friend, Daughter, Sister and Writer is something that I struggle with daily. From the emails I receive, I know that I am not the only one with this dilemma. It seems to be one of the things all women have in common – the quest to find balance in life and hush the never ending to-do list in our minds. As homeschooling moms, on top of all the other balancing acts we are performing, we also have to find a way to balance the busyness of the day and all the items on that to-do list with the fun moments that truly make the entire journey worthwhile.

As we bring this series on experiencing joy to a close, I only thought it appropriate to address ways that we can practically participate in those family traditions and rituals while still fulfilling the other roles our families need us to perform. The first step I took to strike this balance was something I learned on a retreat I attended late last year. My sweet friend Chelsea told me that she was completely exhausted just thinking about my day and all the things that I tried to accomplish . . . and the guilt that I carried around from not crossing all those items off of my list. She helped me to see that to have peace and joy in my life, what I needed to do was become intentional and plan. I needed to figure out what REALLY needed to be done around the house, the activities I needed to be a part of (if any), and how many from-scratch gourmet meals I needed to fix each week to feel good about myself. Most importantly, I needed to get my husband’s input. Then I just do what is on his list! It is wonderful if you can be Mommy Mrs. Perfect, but for the rest of us, the important thing is that your family knows how much they are loved. Wendy told me something that has stayed with me, “One thing’s for sure, my dear children do not worry about cleaning, mopping, laundry, dishes, etc; But they will say, ‘Mom, you didn’t sit with me and talk’ or ‘Mom, you don’t play with me.’”

Secondly, I put all but one of my yahoo groups on “no mail.” Those groups can be invaluable in the wisdom you can receive, but that wisdom is also provided by searching the archives. Chances are that they have discussed every topic you can think of at least twice anyway! Stopping all those emails from coming into my inbox every morning immediately lightened my load and helped calm me down.

Now, I’ve only been a Mommy for 3 ½ years so I thought it best to get insight on this balance thing from some much more seasoned veterans. An overriding tip was to start and end your day with prayer! One mom told me that she NEEDED prayer first thing in the morning and 30 minutes of quiet after lunch to maintain sanity. By focusing your eyes on our Heavenly Father and getting His wisdom for how you should structure your time that day, it makes the balancing act much easier!

Many families have decided to mainly school four days a week with Fridays reserved for fun family moments and/or housework. One mom I know does all of her cleaning on Friday mornings for four or five hours while the children have free time. She can do this knowing that she gave her family all of her time throughout the week and can just focus on the housework at once! Others try to incorporate the children into the housework. This is a great idea, but it can be tricky. Cooking together can be a blast, and a great way to make memories – but it can also be VERY messy (especially with preschoolers)! I also know that life skills are important to teach our children, yet I struggle with also knowing that those clothes would be folded so much quicker if I just did it myself. So how do you find time to get chores done and still have quality time (schooling or not) with your children? One of our readers, Tristan, has a great solution. “We try to do one homeschool subject, then a housework chore (5-10 min), then a play break for a half hour or so. Then we repeat.” I think I might have to try this idea!

Extra-curricular activities and outings can be a common concern when it comes to the “busyness factor.” Lugging around all of your children to your various sporting, scouting, dancing and church activities is enough to drive the most tranquil mom insane. Limiting outside activities was the number one suggestion from our veteran homeschoolers. Even running errands can be stressful and can mess up the delicate balance of time. One mom has started running errands in the evenings without her little ones. This also allows for some wonderful Daddy time!

If you are still struggling with finding a balance, you are not alone. I am not sure if anyone can really live in a continual state of balance. I tend to agree with a friend of mine who said that it is more of a “teeter-totter.” Blending your ideals with your reality can be difficult. I will leave you with a final thought from Amy, one of our wonderful editors.

“I have matured through motherhood, but I have also learned how to let my inner child come out. There is a time to be the grown-up and a time to be the playmate. I’m still learning the all-important task of how to balance that.”

It doesn’t answer the balance question but it has left an impression on me since I first read it months ago. It serves as a wonderful way to see if my priorities are in line by asking myself throughout the day, “Is this a time to be the grown-up? Should I put this away for now and be the playmate?”

I pray that you have been as blessed by this series as I was writing it! Please leave any tips, suggestions or lessons you have learned in regards to this series in the comments section. We would love to hear from you!

Rachel is a wife and a preschool homeschooling mom of two little princesses, Jordan Faith (3) and Carolina “Cali” Grace (2). She has a passion for instilling a love of learning. She loves to create her own unit studies, as well encourage moms to experience Joy in the MINISTRY of Motherhood. Visit Rachel at Keep The Way.

July 23, 2008 By Andrea 5 Comment

I am walking in circles around the dining room but I am oblivious to the fact that I am doing it much less why. So I stop and begin to walk down the hall. It is like slow motion. I can hear Darin calling Gabriela and I can here Gabriela crying. I’m walking down the hall and I am thinking, “what has happened now, why is she crying?”

Through all the noise, what with all the crying Gabriela is doing and Darin yelling for her to come here, I can hear her sobbing “My cain’t. My cain’t”. I hear the panic in her little voice. Where is she? I follow the cry to her room and I turn and look. She is not on the bed and she is not on the chest of drawers. It sounds more like she is in the closet.Oh my word! Girlfriend is sitting on top of the containers in her closet. There is just enough room for her to sit and not hit the clothes rack. I asked her what she was doing and she sobs “I was just trying to get my pants”. I laughed (sorry but it was funny).

I was so into panic mode that I did not see her vanity chair next to the containers. To relieve the stress I had to call Darin to come see this to which he replies “do I want to?” He comes in anyway and asks her the same crazy question that I did to which she replies, through her cry, “I was trying to get my pants!” He walks out as he orders me to banish all the chairs from her throne room. Yeah, like she would find no other way to feed her fashion obsession. A girl has got to do what a girl has got to do!

I asked her to turn over on her belly and get down the way she got up. She did not comply, instead she is shaking her head and looking at me like there is no way. I asked her again and reassured her that I was here and would not let her fall. She cries and she starts onto her belly. Her toes are two inches away from the chair. Stretch I say to her, you can do it, you are almost there! I pull her leg so she can feel her little toes touch the chair. She is free. I grab her and hold her and tell her see that was not that bad as I move the chair back to her vanity. Darin was watching TV and had no idea how long she had been there. My poor baby. Why she had to have the pants that were hanging in the closet and could not grab something out of the mound of clothes she already had on the floor from playing dress up I’ll never know. The one thing left hanging in the closet was much easier to find, I guess.

The princess was spared from falling off her tower. And I forgot to get the camera.

So, why was I walking circles, did I sense what was about to happen? Was I praying?

Actually, I was and I did not even realize that I had escaped reality for the moment. I honestly had just remembered that my article was due and I had nothing yet. Stop laughing. I was actually just telling God that I was once again at a dead line and had nothing. God acted that fast. He’s good isn’t He?

The reality is that this is how I feel going into home schooling. This is my life now. I have gotten so far and the time is closer. I sit down to think on it and I start to panic. There is no turning back, I am going to fall flat on my face.

God is there to lift me up and encourage me (you can do it, I am here for you). I know the plans I have for you. (Jeremiah 29:11) Trust in me, I will direct your path. (Proverbs 3:6) He is so real and He is so on time. This is for us all. No matter where you are on your journey or what you are thinking. God is here and He is an on time God. Sit down and relax, walk circles, get spiritual, whatever it takes to let God reveal Himself in your time of need.

Thanks for all of your comments, words of wisdom, advice and prayers (someone has been praying). I feel so welcomed into this home school journey.

Andrea is a laid back gal from the south who has been married to a loud little Italian man named Darin for 7 years. They have two kids: one thinks he is a professional wrestler and the other thinks she is a professional princess (yes she wants to be paid to be bossy and prissy.) She has recently given up the corporate world to step into a land of kisses and learning. You can visit her at her blog: The Honest Woman. Help!

July 10, 2008 By Suzanne 14 Comment

Okay, so I’m really blessed. I know this.

After talking with other homeschoolers about the support (or, maybe more importantly, lack thereof) my blessedness has been driven home even further.

When going into the whole homeschooling thing I had a husband that not only told me I could do it, but said he thought I’d love it. He was so right. And anytime I have doubts he’s the one that gives me the encouragement I need at the right time.

My parents-in-law are whole-heartedly on the homeschooling bandwagon. My husband’s brother and sister-in-law had blazed the path ahead of us with their two daughters and are doing such an amazing job, that really their only natural response was one of support and excitement.

My sisters think I’m kinda crazy, but not vehemently or very loudly, so there’s not really any friction. We’re just all so different and accepting of each other’s choices that it’s all good.

My mama has also always been behind me in this. She was a public and private school teacher for years, and I think that helped her to not only believe her grandchildren could be taught by me, but that it would actually be the better choice.

See? Blessings all around.

But then there’s my daddy. Ah, my daddy. Saying he did not support my decision is an understatement. And he’s a little louder with his assertions than my sisters. “Those kids need socialization.” “There’s just somethin’ ’bout school – they need to be in it.” “They won’t have all the opportunities they need.” “Those kids need to toughen up and learn to be away from you.”

But we perserved even with the knowledge that we did not have his blessing. For as hard as it is for us girls when our earthly authorities do not agree, we must accept that our first authority is our Heavenly Father and to listen carefully to the calling He has put on each of our lives. And secondly, that our new authority on earth is no longer our daddies, but now, our husbands. This conflict can create turmoil in our, still, little girl hearts. But, alas, we accept the line of authority, push forward, and pray for peace.

And I prayed. And I pushed forward. And I hoped, in the knowledge that other homeschooling families had gone before me without the coveted support of their extended families. And that some of them, not only softened their hardcore stance after a while, but even turned their support behind them.

So, we homeschooled.

And we tried to not “prove” ourselves everytime we were around Grandaddy, but, boy, it sure was hard to not “show off” our newsletters that showed the “official” yearbooks, dances, sporting events, and graduations. I hoped that in time, he would see that his grandbabies were learning to read, be polite, play sports, and be overall normal, if not better than(!), normal kids.

I had only been homeschooling for less than 2 years. But already, I was beginning to have glimpses that maybe, just maybe, he was becoming a believer. My mama would tell me about how he would share a “my daughter homeschools her children” story with their small-group at church. She shared with me how surpised he was by my kiddos’ learning curve. (A side note: this was all while I was stressin’ out about how my oldest was a reluctant reader and writer, and he still thought I was doing okay?!)

But then…

Just before Father’s Day this year, while sitting around my kitchen table eating pizza and enduring the chaos that is lunch at our house, my mom asked if it would be alright to bring out the t-r-e-a-t-s that she brought for the kiddos. Without missing a beat my first-grader smiled and said, “I know what that spells – treats – and I want one!” Now, that in and of itself, is not a miracle. I know several public schoolers that are reading chapter books by now, but it was what followed that changed the course of the conversation. My father looked across the table and said, “Gal, I want to tell you that I think you’re doing a great job teachin’ your kids. I was against this when you started, but I’ve seen what you could do. I was judging you on myself. I couldn’t have done what you do. I couldn’t have had the patience you have.”

And my daddy’s affirming words brought to mind my Father’s words that I also long to hear someday.

Matthew 25:23: “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!

Everyone take a collective sigh of relief and bask in the warmth with me! I knew there was a division there, but honestly, I had chosen to not think about it much anymore, in order to not stress all the time. I just stayed the course in the knowledge that I was doing what I should. But the feeling of validation from daddy is unreal. The connection of our feelings toward our earthly fathers and that of our Heaven Father is so real. How good it feels to obtain their approval. How hard we strive to make them proud. The truths of the Bible are evident at moments like this. Unity in our families brings Him glory. Honoring our earthly parents shows honor to Him. The desire to gain our mama’s and daddy’s approval is tied to our desire to please our Lord. The relief, joy, and peace that comes when you know you have made them proud is only a dim shadow of what we’ll feel standing before our Redeemer. And in the end, how inconsequential our striving is, for they love us unconditionally, not because of our works.

And what else did I take away from this?

Just how important it is for me to tell my own children how well they’ve done. I must remember how much they really do desire to please us, even if it’s not evident in the midst of their “How much more handwriting do I have to do?” screamin’ fits. And do I make sure that my children know that their hard work is appreciated and at the same time do they know that they have my unconditional love?

If you struggle with this in your own life, pray, have hope, and keep on keepin’ on. The proof is in the puddin’ and the truth will show itself.

Be encouraged!