Why I Decided to Home School
March 9, 2010 by Peggy
I usually stick to informational articles but this time I wanted to share why we decided to home school our kids. It is a clear illustration to me how God is always with us and has a clear plan for our lives.
My husband and I married relatively late in life and had the first of three boys. It wasn’t until our oldest was school age that we began to realize he wasn’t like other children. Intense meltdowns, delayed potty training, not wanting to play with other children and poor eye contact had us going to several doctors. Many evaluations later we were told he was on the autism spectrum. Autism? You mean like ‘Rainman’? No, actually more like ‘Temple Grandin’. (If you have the chance please watch the HBO movie. It will be on DVD this summer and probably on itunes as well. I cannot rave about it enough.)
I had thought about homeschooling before he was school age. The thought of putting my precious boy on a bus and being away from him all day did not sit well with me. Also my husband and I were growing deeper in our Christian faith and we wondered what path God wanted us to take. I read and researched but the local school seemed wonderful and so off to Kindergarten he went.
It was bad. It was very bad. It was too noisy, too bright. He was overwhelmed. He couldn’t keep up with his classmates and he knew it. He had horrific meltdowns. By this time I was convinced I couldn’t teach him – he needed experts, right?
Our middle son went to the local Pre K program and was soon diagnosed with autism as well. As for our youngest? I knew he was different from the minute he drew breath. He literally screamed in the car for the first six months of his life and I went places I only absolutely had to go until we could turn him around in his seat. After a long hard fight on my part it became apparent to even the ‘experts’ that he was on the spectrum also.
By the time our oldest was in third grade I was starting to realize public school was just not going to work for our children. His teachers really didn’t want to have anything to do with a kid who had meltdowns and couldn’t bear to be touched. He was also showing signs of having trouble reading, though the school insisted that it was due to his autism. I knew it wasn’t but we couldn’t afford a private evaluation at the time. Our middle son was being bullied and the school wouldn’t do anything about it and started to have meltdowns of his own.
By the end of that year I was adamant – I wanted them home.
I started researching and reading again and even bought a curriculum. But my husband asked me to try them at another school that had a year round schedule and a smaller class size. If it didn’t work then we’d bring them home. Our youngest started the Pre K program and seemed to do well.
At first it worked. My oldest son had a wonderful teacher and my middle son seemed to like the smaller classroom. Then the bullying started. Here we go again.
We spent hours at school. IEP’s (Individualized Education Plans), FBA’s (Functional Behavior Assessments), BIP’s (Behavior Intervention Plans) were all written and either poorly implemented or not at all. I literally sat with my middle child most of the school day in his class. My children were suspended, restrained, thrust into ‘time-out’ rooms and finally my oldest one was charged with assault for – as the outraged juvenile probation officer put it ‘a clear manifestation of his disability’. (The charge was dismissed – my oldest is hypo sensitive and cannot verbally relate when he is sick. He had raging case of strep when he had this meltdown) Then our middle son had his own meltdown and the school called Social Services and accused me of medical neglect due to an utterance he made. (This despite the fact that my cell phone records showed I called our therapist the minute I stepped out of the school building.) Social Services found the complaint ‘unfounded’ but I cannot begin to tell you how much it hurt to have my mothering skills called into question like that.
Logically, I know my sons have more doctors than my eighty year old grandmother and DSS concurred, but it HURT. I cried out to God and He answered me. I was looking to the wrong ‘experts’.
That was it as far as my husband was concerned. God could not have made it any clearer if He’d rented a neon sign and put it in our yard. The boys needed to be home.
And they’ve been here every since. That was three years ago and though I go through periods of panic and worry that they aren’t getting the education they need, I truly know better. My oldest son does have dyslexia and we are now beginning the remediation process late. My middle son has Central Auditory Processing Disorder and the quiet environment of our home has helped him tremendously. Our youngest – who would have gotten the ADHD label if he’d stayed in public school – now knows square roots. At age seven. It’s hard having teaching kids that are smart in areas that I struggled with in school. I’m starting to realize my own education was sorely lacking and my love of self learning has returned. I’m learning alongside my boys and I love it!
So that’s our journey to homeschooling. It was a hard road to get here but I am ever so glad that we are here. God showed me that He is the ‘expert’ when it comes to our children and He knows their every need. He makes it clear to us that He has plans for each of our boys.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Peggy Dalley has been married to her best friend and husband for 13 years. She uses the eclectic approach to homeschool their three sons, 12, 10 and 7. Her interests include writing unit studies, Bible study, history and she is working hard to become a Proverbs 31:10 woman instead of a Proverbs 21:9 woman.
Write at Home: Featuring Ariel Allison Lawhon
Welcome to Write At Home, a monthly feature here at HOTM. Marybeth Whalen will be introducing you to homeschool moms who write: curriculum authors, novelists, nonfiction writers, and popular bloggers and more. Many of us are deeply inspired by these moms who seem to “do it all.” This feature will provide you with a glimpse into their everyday lives.
This month we are excited to welcome Ariel Allison Lawhon to Write At Home!
First things first, you had an unusual childhood. Can you tell us about it? And how it influenced you as both a writer and a homeschooling mom?
My childhood was spent atop the Rocky Mountains in a home with no electricity or running water (think Laura Ingalls meets the Hippie Movement). We didn’t have television in our home until I was almost twelve so we had to find alternative forms of entertainment. For well over a decade my mother read to us by the light of a kerosene lantern. By the time I was five years old I knew every character in the Chronicles of Narnia by name. As far as I was concerned, J.R.R. Tolkien, George MacDonald, L.M. Montgomery, and Charles Dickens were household names.
My mother loved books and she loved to read them to her children. I owe my passion for the written word to her alone. I first learned how powerful stories can be while curled up next to a pot belly stove during snowstorms. Even at a young age I understood that Aslan was a type of Jesus, and because I loved Aslan I later came to love Jesus. So I longed to write stories that had meaning and purpose. That desire never wavered through the years.
Tell us about your family.
My husband and I have four boys ages six and under: London, Parker, Marshall, and Colby. I often wish that my kids were sedate but the truth is that they have two speeds: running and asleep. As such, I have learned to embrace life on fast forward. The energy level and noise level in our home is insane. I am often drowning in mind-numbing amounts of camouflage. But in the end I love this crazy, loud life of mine and I wouldn’t change a thing.
When did you first start writing?
I have known that I wanted to write since I was five years old but there is one person (aside from my mother) who charted the course for my writing career: my high school English teacher, Mrs. Wilson. I know it sounds a bit cliché, but the time I spent in Mrs. Wilson’s class was a turning point in my life. At the end of my freshman year she heard about me in the teachers lounge. Apparently a few of my teachers mentioned that I was a decent writer and she got wind of it. So one day after Algebra (I still have nightmares about all things math) she approached me in the hallway and asked if I’d take her Creative Writing class the following year. I did. And by Christmas she abandoned her lesson plan and sent me in the computer lab to write. To this day she is the biggest cheerleader I’ve ever had when it came to my writing. I wouldn’t be doing this if she hadn’t shown such an interest in me or invested so much in my development.
What books have you had published?
Although this is my first novel, I’ve co-written a number of non-fiction works and children’s books: Daddy Do You Love Me: a Daughter’s Journey of Faith and Restoration (New Leaf Press, 2006), Jesus: Dead or Alive (Regal Books, 2009), and the Justin Case series of children’s books (Harvest House, 2010).
Which do you prefer to write– nonfiction or fiction? Why?
Fiction, hands down. I love telling stories. Or, as my husband says, I love “making stuff up!” Every writer portrays themselves on paper whether consciously or not. There are bits and pieces of me in each character: hopes, dreams, struggles, sin, fear. As creative people, writers mimic God in the way he created. To a certain extent, I think we all make our characters “in our own image.” I write fiction because it gives me a chance to create and I feel God’s pleasure when I do.
Your new book is fiction. What gave you the idea to write it and how long did it take you?
In the Spring of 1995, I stumbled across an article in Life Magazine on the Hope Diamond. The two-page spread showed Michelle Pheiffer wearing the jewel and gave a brief history of the legendary curse. I knew instantly that it should to be a novel. Being the curious gal that I am, I dug around and was surprised to find that although most people were familiar with the curse, no one had done anything with the concept. So I began researching and writing and then my novel, eye of the god, was born. I started the process fourteen years ago this spring.
Your novel was recently chosen for the She Reads Book Club. Can you tell us a little about the club and what that will mean for your book?
She Reads is the new fiction book club sponsored by Proverbs 31 Ministries and my novel was chosen as one of the three initial selections. Each quarter, She Reads selects three Christian novels that set the standard in storytelling. I am honored to be part of this group and will be participating in a number of activities such as blog appearances, conference calls, and interviews. More information can be found at www.shereadsblog.blogspot.com.
Share what a typical day (ha!) looks like at your house?
My children wake up at the crack of dawn. They come by it honestly – they get it from their daddy. I, on the other hand, am not fully awake until 10:00. So we typically start slow in the mornings (for my benefit). Since I’m only in my second year of home schooling our kids, things are not too complicated. After breakfast I do basic housekeeping with the boys: a load or two of laundry, empty the dishwasher, makes beds, tidy the kitchen. And then we plunge into school. I try to get the harder subjects like math and geography done in the morning while concentration levels are high. We also spend a lot of time reading and working puzzles and writing on the dry erase board in the morning. For some reason my boys are much happier doing handwriting and spelling on the whiteboard than in notebooks – and I don’t mind as long as they enjoy the process.
Before lunch I often send them out to play and burn off excess energy. So far all of my children seem to be hands-on learners, so I encourage them to get their hands dirty (literally) and explore. That often means digging holes in the back yard while searching for earthworms or collecting pine cones, or catching bugs and lizards or wrestling with our dog. They ask a lot of questions, and while it usually drives me to distraction, much of our day is spent finding the answers.
After lunch I put the two babies down for a nap and work on reading and phonics with my first grader and kindergartner. For each subject they complete with a good attitude during the day, they earn ten minutes of computer time in the afternoons. At the moment, they love playing on www.kidzui.com (a fantastic child internet browser that is safe and interactive). Once their school work is done, they are free to play on the computer, in their room, or outside. I’d like to say that is our “quiet” time but things rarely stay quiet. This is my down time, when I return e-mails and phone calls, blog, research, or prop my eyelids open with crow bar (is it just me or is 2:00 in the afternoon a brutal time of day for mommies with little ones?).
By 4:00 we are on the downward slope of our day: dinner preparation, another round of laundry, tidying the house, baths, the usual stuff. We have dinner together as a family each night and then get the boys to bed. Afterwards my husband and I usually spend some time on our back patio enjoying the silence. I imagine our days are very similar to other families who teach their many little children at home: an odd mixture of wonder and exhaustion.
Of course, that is just the ideal. Our days have been known to descend into chaos or get sucked up by errands. We live in a small town so we don’t spend too much time in the car, but I do feel as though Wal-Mart has become a part of my daily routine. We just make it work, you know? We do what we have to do in order to keep everyone fed, clothed, taught, and rested. It works for our family and we are learning to delight in the dailyness of it all.
When do you write?
Whenever I can: before my children wake up, while they nap, or after they go to bed. Once we had our fourth child it became increasingly difficult to keep a consistent writing schedule. So these days I give it to God in the morning and ask that He provide the moments I need. And he always does. I keep my laptop open on the island in my kitchen so it’s always there when I need to jot down a thought, a snippet of dialogue, or a quick scene. It has become part of the ebb and flow of my daily life instead of something I set apart at certain times. I’m sure things will change as the dynamics of my family shift.
Give us one of your best time-saving tips.
I’ll give you my top four.
Cook in bulk. Whenever I make a meal, I double the ingredients and freeze half for later. I love not having to worry about what is for dinner – just pull it out of the freezer, throw it in the oven, and I’m ready to go.
Get your children involved in housework. It took time teaching them on the front end, but now my boys empty the dishwasher, put their laundry away, make their beds, collect the dirty clothes from around the house, and clean their bathroom. We are working on adding other things to their daily routine but they are already a huge help around the house.
Plan your meals in advance. I plan our meals for two weeks at a time. I write everything out, make a list, load the kids in the van, and head to Wal-Mart. It is not fun. And you wouldn’t believe the looks (not to mention comments) I get, but we save time and money when we plan our meals and do all of our shopping at once.
Wake up before your children. Admittedly, I am not a morning person. But when I get up before my boys, it gives me a chance to prepare for my day. I spend some time in the Word and I spend some time praying for my family. And then I determine what needs to happen that day. Since my kids hit the ground running, I have to be ready to go when they are.
What are you working on now?
Several new novels, countless home improvement projects, and an unruly flowerbed that refuses to stay weeded. As much as I tend to think that my kids are the ones who never stop, I’m starting to realize that I am the whirling dervish in our home!
Marybeth Whalen is homeschooling mom to six children ranging in age from teen to toddler, as well as a speaker for Proverbs 31 Ministries. In her writings, she addresses things like burnout, dealing with interruptions, and handling homeschooling from a very practical perspective. Be sure to visit her blog, Cheaper by the Half Dozen.
Are You A “Real” Homeschool Mom?
June 9, 2009 by Amy Bayliss
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
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
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:
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!
Married to her best friend and “main squeeze”, Amy Bayliss is a 4th year home/co-schooling mom to three boys. She enjoys writing about the eclectic teachings that bring a glimmer of curiosity to the eyes of her sons. In addition to being the co-owner of Heart of the Matter, she writes for Internet Cafe Devotions. Be sure to visit her blog, AmyBayliss.com and her family’s homeschool blog: Integrity Academy.
From Magazines to Art? You Betcha’!
March 9, 2009 by Darcy
If your house is like mine, you have several magazines, catalogues or mailers lying around. You are also feeling a little guilty about how little art instruction your 7 year old has.
Here is a solution to deal with both.
1. Rip out a few options from which your child can choose a picture he wants to draw, that are within his abilities or interests.
2. Fold the image in half. Cut at the crease. Trim around the edges. Discard the other half.
3. Glue or tape the half-image to a piece of blank paper, leaving room for the other half to be added. Allow the glue to dry.
4. Using colored pencils, crayons, watercolors, paints – whichever medium your child enjoys (and you don’t mind cleaning up!) – ask your child to finish the picture.
5. Mount finished work on construction paper, or color a border. Viola’! You’ve nailed at least one of the “reduce, reuse, recycle” R’s and your 7 year old can check off art.
Darcy is the mom to three boys ages 8, 7, and 5 and blogs over at Life with My 3 Boybarians. She is the owner of a blog design business at www.graphicallydesigning.com. She and Handy Man live in Iowa…nowhere near a Starbucks.
Featured Homeschooler: Tiany
January 25, 2009 by Nikowa
Please welcome this week’s Featured Homeschooler: Tiany from Less of Me, More of Him
Share with us what made you decide to Homeschool your 4 boys.
Homeschooling was on my heart long before I had children and once I had them I knew I did not want to let them go for 6 to 8 hours a day. The more we researched and prayed about homeschooling the more evident it became that it was the best choice for our family. It has felt natural and right to homeschool from the beginning.
What was your inspiration for The Homeschool Lounge & The Little Lounge?
In 2007 I noticed social networks such as Facebook and Myspace getting very popular among homeschooling mothers looking for community and support, I searched but there were none to be found. Thus the vision started for a safe, private, Social Network exclusively for homeschooling mothers, a year later The Homeschool Lounge was born.
The Little Lounge was created after many requests from moms on THL, it’s a fun, safe place for homeschooled children to interact and share.
You’re the Queen of organization! Got any tips for the rest of us?
Consistency! The key to being organized is consistency and much discipline. Honestly, I am running on grace since I am naturally a very disorganized person and somewhat of a “messy”. Being married to a “born organized”, clean freak has made me develop a natural tendency to be organized by practicing it every day. I am a list making, planner toting, routine oriented kinda gal now, thanks to hubby.
As mom to 4 boys, your entrepreneur endeavors and homeschooling-you’re a busy “bee”! How do you decompress after a long day “at the office”?
I am still working on finding the balance and finding time to decompress. Troy works some evenings but when he is home you will find me lounging on the couch with him laughing and catching up on the days events. Thankfully, I can usually unwind and relax with 20 minutes of meditation and prayer in a hot shower!
Do you have any tips for anyone considering the great journey of homeschooling?
- Just do it!
- Enjoy spending time with your children; enjoy the journey.
- Think outside the box.
- Be flexible.
- Remember more is caught then taught!
- You CAN do it! – Philippians 4:13
You enjoy Jane Austen’s works. Which is your favorite?
My Favorite has always been Pride & Prejudice; the characters are so real and beautifully sketched. I finally read it after exhausting my A&E DVD version of the movie. I am a true Austenian at heart!
You share some great recipes on your blog, would you like to share your favorite with us?
That’s a hard one… my favorites would probably have to be my Chicken Pot Pie and Quiche Loraine recipes because they are the boy’s favorites…and my favorite way to get the veggies in them!
Quiche Loraine
INGREDIENTS
- 1 deep frozen pie crust for a 9 inch single crust pie
- ½ cup of bacon pieces (not bites, get the real thing)
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 1 box frozen spinach thawed and drained
- 1/3 cup minced green onion
- 4 eggs, lightlybeaten
- 1 cup half and half
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white sugar
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 335 degrees
- Mix all solid items, spinach, bacon, Swiss and onion
- Spread spinach mix into pastry shell.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, salt, sugar. Pour mixture into pastry shell.
- Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean.
- Allow quiche to sit 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.
What’s your favorite curriculum that you just “can’t live without”?
We have only just begun this journey but today I would have to say My Fathers World, we have used this from day one and it is all we know. We love everything about it.
What would be the perfect date night for you and your Prince Charming?
We are a very simple couple and the little things excite us. A perfect night in would be Troy cooking a romantic dinner for two and a large plate of international cheeses, fruit and a glass of wine. A night out would be an evening at our favorite Italian restaurant “Gino’s” and a movie.
Do you have any other Homeschool projects in the works?
We have many new and exciting features coming to The Homeschool Lounge but other then THL I would have to say…no. My hands are more than full of blessings and over flowing right now.
Interview by:
Nikowa is a 2nd year homeschooling mom to two boys. (Ages 9 and 6) With her “learning never ends” philosophy, they have an eclectic year-round approach to learning. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys photography, organizing, cooking, reading, and knitting. She is a #1 LOST fan and watches UGA football too! (Go Dawgs!) You can visit Nikowa at Knowledge House Academy.
Featured Homeschooler: Nikowa
January 10, 2009 by Angela
Please welcome this week’s Featured Homeschooler: Nikowa from Knowledge House Academy!
Describe your normal homeschool day
I love schedules! It seems like a make a new one a couple of times a month. Making them is easy; following them seems to be the problem. “Something” always comes up. We have a lot of impromptu field trips and frequent vacations. Every day seems to be different. Nothing is ever “typical” except the fact that we’re a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of family. But hey, it works for us. Our learning philosophy is “Learning Never Ends”. We’ve learned history in South Carolina, marine biology at Sea World, and the appreciation of the culinary arts at Krispie Kreme. We love field trips!
Right now, I’m “testing” out a block schedule. This is where we alternate subjects by day, spending up to 2 hours on the subject. That’s real immersion! Seems to be going great, so far anyway. Next week, I’ll more than likely be trying something else.
I noticed that you are looking into adopting another child…how hard has the research been?
What kind of struggles have you faced in the process? It’s been a learning experience for sure! I didn’t realize there were so many different types of adoption, each with their own set of pros & cons for everyone involved! I’ve definitely been doing a lot of research. It’s exciting & exhausting all the same; and we’re just getting started! We’re looking forward to it & have decided upon Open Adoption. We’re going to start the process after tax season & are currently preparing for our home study.
What is it like having a houseful of boys? Do you feel this affects your curriculum choices?
Constant bodily noises, pencil tapping, singing and humming, and lots of distractions just to name a few. I’ve definitely had to adjust our curriculum. I don’t think “typical” curriculum could work for us. Especially anything literature-based. They HAVE to be busy. We often “do” school in the floor & we do a lot of hands on projects.
Speaking of curriculum, what are your favorites?
We just started Story of the World & we’re really liking it! We also use (& love) Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Botany. I’ve just ordered Handwriting Without Tears, so I don’t have any experience with it yet.
One of the things I admire about you is your faith despite hardship. Can you tell us a little about your struggles through overcoming cancer and how that impacted your life?
I was first diagnosed with cervical cancer with I was 14 years old. After many painful biopsies & cryotherapy, I was deemed cancer-free. Thankfully, the cancerous cells were only superficial. I was ordered to see the doctor every 6 months. At the time, the enormity of the situation didn’t dawn on me. After all, I was young & had “nothing to lose”.
In June of 2007, I was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer. I was 26 years old. This time, it was devastating! I wanted to have more children and now I had everything to lose! Again having to undergo painful biopsies & in the end a radical hysterectomy, I was happy just to be alive! Thankfully the cancer, although it was spreading to other areas, was contained. I didn’t have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation therapy but because of my hormonal changes, my hair soon began to fall out by the handfuls. I ended up shaving my hair to 1″ with my husband’s clippers; partly in retaliation & partly to feel like I had some sense of control. I’ve had to 
learn how to take care of myself all over again. Because of menopause, everything has changed; oily skin is now dry, dry thick hair is now oily & thin.
But praise God I am here and I am alive (and so far cancer free)! I am reminded every day when I look in the mirror of my many blessings. I’ll take The Change any day; at least I’m here with my family! The verse that really helped me to cope during my difficult time with cancer was
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~Isaiah 41:10
What are the most important lessons you want to impart to your children before they grow up and leave the nest?
Be nice to everyone. You don’t know what they’re going through. The homeless man on the street, the old lady that talks to you non-stop in the grocery store, everyone has a story.
Pray constantly. There’s not a “time & place” for prayer. Wake up praying & go to bed praying. Always trust in God. You are never alone.
I love reading your blog. How did you get started blogging and what was the main goal you hoped to accomplish in joining the blog world?
I started blogging shortly after I started homeschooling. I noticed how close knit the homeschooling community was & I wanted to participate! I originally started to share our homeschool adventures & learn about other families’ homeschool adventures! Knowledge is only useful when it’s shared.
In looking towards the future, what skills would you like to learn as you continue your writing journey?
Writing for Heart of the Matter has truly been a learning experience. When I write, I feel like it’s sort of an online journal. “What I did today was….” Normally I’m not a procrastinator, but with my writing I am. It’s usually a day or two before the writing assignment is “due” and I have nothing. I always pray, “Lord, what do You want me to write about? What is it that I’m supposed to be sharing?” Then like clock-work, I either dream about something or it “hits me” the next day. If I don’t run to my computer & type it out “as I feel it”, then it’s a loss. So to answer your question, I would like to be able to write on demand. Not without feeling, but more at a moment’s notice. I also don’t want to sound like I’m writing in a journal.
Okay, final question, what words of encouragement can you offer to other women who are homeschooling and find themselves struggling with life issues?
Welcome to the club! You are definitely not alone! The number 1 thing I would say would be to reach out to someone (even if they don’t homeschool) to talk.
Talking about your issues helps a lot. No need to pay a therapist; talk to a friend, to God, to the family pet! Get it out. If you write, start a journal. Do whatever you have to do to get it out in the open. Don’t bottle it in. Just like negative feelings, your struggles and stress will fester. This only hurts you to start with but when your “stress meter” is full, you’ll explode at everyone around you. This hurts those closest to you.
Reach out and discuss your feelings. You’ll soon find that you’re not alone at all.
