{Blog Cruise} What Makes One a "Large Family?"

This week's Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog Cruise is focusing on large family homeschooling. So when does a family become a "large family" exactly? I certainly don't feel I'm one with only three children. Although, sometimes by the world's standards we fit that category.

I'm unable to make hotel reservations online and have all of us stay in one room. The "max" is four people and we have five. Most discounts include "two parents and two children"...we have three. Needless to say it can be a bit frustrating, but I'm sure those with more children find it even more so.

I'm the one in the blue & white dress.

I never thought how difficult it might be to have more than two or three children. I actually grew up in a "large"  family. I am one of five siblings. I have three older (two brothers and a sister) and one younger sister. There is a ten year age span between my younger sister and my oldest brother. My mom was a stay-at-home mom, but this was before the homeschool movement became main-stream so we all attended public school.

When I was in fourth grade, my oldest brother graduated from high school and went off to the Navy. He was essentially gone from my life at that point as he was soon married when I was only in about sixth grade - he was stationed in Alaska at the time and that was where the wedding took place. Needless to say it wasn't in the budget for all of us to attend.

My older sister is five years older and we were never really friends growing up. She was thrust in to the roll of caregiver for her two baby sisters and wasn't always happy about it. However, we are now best friends and that came as we were adults. I spend a lot of time with her and we have a fantastic relationship.

In birth order...I'm in blue...again.

When I was married and began thinking about having a family, I decided that I would have all of my children before I turned 30 and that they would be close in age so that they would all "get along" well. I also was hoping to have them while I was young so I could "enjoy my older years" once they were gone. I'm sure God laughed about all this.

I had my life planned out and then things began to change. I started homeschooling my oldest son at age five. I saw so many homeschooling families who had children, many children, who all got along well and enjoyed spending time together. I thought that things might be a bit different.

Then I began babysitting. In fact, we like to blame the first child I babysat on the fact that our youngest arrived on the scene. I realized that once I was a SAHM, more children weren't all that much harder. It doesn't get exponentially harder with each child. Those that have many children will tell you that it actually gets easier and it's true. The older ones can help do chores and help with younger siblings. The children entertain each other and play together.

Once we moved back to the family farm eight years ago I began babysitting two little girls and soon found myself with five children each day. I didn't let that stop our activities. I took those two little ones with us everywhere. I learned that a large family wasn't harder - busier for sure - but not harder. My boys were excellent helpers with the two little ones. They learned many useful skills - such as empathy and helping and sharing.

As a result of our homeschooling lifestyle we spent a lot of time together - my boys and I - and I soon discovered something. My boys liked each other. My oldest son, even though there is a four and a half year age span between him and his brother, get along well, play together, and have a great relationship. My two younger sons (not quite three years apart) are best friends. This comes in part from shared interests and a shared bedroom.

At this point we have no plans to add more children to our family, but if the opportunity ever presented itself, I know that having more children would not be overwhelming - most days. I love that my boys have such great relationships with each other and if more siblings arrived, I'm sure they would love them all greatly.

While three children doesn't really qualify me for a "large family" label, there are other Schoolhouse Crew Members who more than meet that qualification. So be sure to check out the Blog Cruise that will go live on Tuesday (8/14) with links to their posts.

{Blog Cruise} Summer = Camping right?

My poor hubby. It's amazing how two people so very opposite can be the perfect match for each other. Only with God's grace does that sort of thing happen - at least from my point of view.
What does that have to do with summer and camping? 
My hubby loves to camp. Me? Not so much. In fact, I would rather do anything  else than spend time camping. However, the reality is that I love my hubby and I love my boys. While I do put my foot down and no longer tent (::shudder::), I will go to our family's camp every so often to spend family time. 

My hubby's parents own this rustic cabin in the far north woods of Maine. Okay. It's not that bad, but it is rustic. It's a small one room cabin with a sleeping loft. No running water. No indoor bathroom. Most definitely no air conditioning! Add to that, it's a half mile walk in from the parking area hauling any and all gear and food needed for your stay. 
But we do have no one for miles around. Wildlife abounds. We are right on the shore of Moosehead Lake - the largest lake in Maine. 

And considering these photos were taken three years ago, I guess I'm due for another round at camp.

This post is part of this weeks Blog Cruise all about summer camping. The cruise goes live tomorrow so be sure to check out all the other great stories about summer camping.

Busy Summer Plans

One of the benefits of homeschooling is that the learning never ends. Even when "summer break" is here, learning still happens. In fact, this year we will be starting a "year round" type of school routine. Now, I should share that we have always done this, but I've not been proactive about it. School typically went well in to the summer simply because we are very relaxed here and took a lot of days off throughout the year. It would take us until the end of July or August simply to meet the number of days we need for our school year. 

However, this year I was a bit more disciplined in getting our school days in. In fact, for the first time in a while, we will be "done" with school this week. It's a week after the public schools have ended and the earliest by at least a month that we've been done. 

As a result, I do not want the boys to take off the next three months for a couple of reasons. One, we have some skills that need to be honed and brushed up on. If we take off the next few months, we'll miss that opportunity. I also don't want them to forget anything they learned over the last year. We'll continue with "light school" through the summer in order to accomplish all I would like. Lastly, the Schoolhouse Review Crew has changed up the year. Typically we took off some of the summer. However, the new year will run from January to November. As a result, we have a some "gap time" that's being filled and I still have lots of review products coming in. We need to keep our school routine so we can review these great items.

But that doesn't mean we'll be hitting the books day in and day out with no time for fun! After all, we live in the northeast and winters are tough. We rarely go far and it's hard to plan for anything not knowing what the weather will be. That means before the cold winter weather hits, we go on lots of field trips. It also means we take full advantage of the summer months as well.

In fact, since last August we have gone on 17 field trips and I have a couple more really great ones planned for this summer. We're going to have a very busy July & August and I can't wait!

At the end of July we'll be heading to Massachusetts to visit with a friend. I'll be hitting up a used curriculum sale while there (that's my idea of a great vacation!). Then I'll head over to my aunt's house. She lives near the ocean so I'm hoping we get some beach time in. My brother will be here from California for a visit and some of our cousins will be there as well. 

We're all taking a day to go in to Boston to walk The Freedom Trail. I've wanted to do that with my boys for awhile. Now that they are all older, it should be a bit easier to accomplish. We've also started working on American History so this will all tie in nicely.

Later in August we have the opportunity to visit with a friend in Pennsylvania. We'll be staying right outside of Philadelphia so the plans are shaping up to take in some of the educational opportunities of being near a big city. 

One day will definitely be spent at the zoo. We have never, ever, ever been to a large zoo of any kind anywhere. I think I'm looking forward to this even a bit more than the kids! Another day will be spent checking out things in the city like the Liberty Bell and the Franklin Institute. We're still finalizing plans, but we'll essentially being doing three days straight of field trips and calling it vacation. I love it.

And we are planning a trip to Washington, D.C. for next year. I can't wait for that one!

Curious as to other great ways to spend your summer and get some field trip ideas? The Schoolhouse Review Crew will be sharing their ideas on the Blog Cruise that will go live on Tuesday, the 19th. Be sure to stop over and check out all the other ideas.

{TOS Crew Blog Cruise} Record it Bloggy Style

Every week a question is posted to TOS Crew members and answers are then compiled into a blog cruise. This week the question is this....

What are your favorite record-keeping tips?

I have tried a few things over the last ten years to address this. Not only do I want to keep a good record of what my son(s) accomplish, but I also want a way to easily find those things have worked before for the younger ones as they get to that stage.

When I first started out, I used a traditional teacher planner or one redesigned for homeschooling parents. I found myself sitting down and filling in the little boxes and planning everything out. Then I would take an impromptu field trip and my boxes wouldn't line up. This drove me bonkers! I had the same issue when trying to use a free online planner. I couldn't reschedule if we took a day off, one of the boys were sick, or we headed out for the day.

Over the last few years I have finally settled on what works for us. Each day I create a checklist for my boys. This contains all the school work they need to do for the day. Click HERE if you'd like to see a sample of a recent one for my oldest son.

The next step for my record keeping is creating a blog post on my school blog. This serves as my permanent record and it allows me to toss the paper trail. The only problem I'm having lately with this system is keeping the blog updated. I'm almost three months behind - yikes! I also date each entry so that I can track the days we complete. Our state requires 175 days.

My ultimate goal is to have these printed. I add links and photos to each entry as well and at some point, I think I'll begin adding copies of worksheets. That would allow it to be a portfolio of their school and be a great record for them to have of their school career.



This post is part of the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog Cruise. The Cruise will go live on Tuesday, May 1st. I will add that link HERE once it is live.

{TOS Crew Blog Cruise} Adding Fine Arts

 

Every other week a question is posted to TOS Crew members and answers are then compiled into a blog cruise. This week the question is this....

How do you incorporate the extras, like art and music, into your day?

I have done this in a number of different ways over the years. We've been homeschooling now for ten years. I don't always get the fine arts added daily but we do cover them yearly.

Here is how I've managed this over the last few years with the most success....

Music

My boys (and I!) all started piano lessons last year. This requires practice each day and we do manage this more often than not. Last year we also continued these throughout the summer with only a few breaks here and there. This has allowed me to learn alongside my sons. I played the piano when I was a child, but stopped all music when I graduated from high school. This has allowed me to pick up a much neglected skill and work on it once again (which I am loving). It's also allowing me to be an example to my boys. While my oldest, age 15, isn't all that thrilled and will be stopping his lessons this June, my younger two boys are really enjoying learning the skill. In fact, my youngest has expressed the desire to also learn the violin. Our teacher teaches both.

This photo was taken after an art class where the boys made clothes out of recycled materials. 

My youngest did his whole lesson in this outfit.

I also have music playing all the time and find myself singing along in the car often. I'm sure my boys find it a bit annoying, but they don't seem to mind it enough to say anything. We typically listen to Christian contemporary, but also some classical.

Speaking of classical, we have done a composer study and we love listening to the Classical Kids CDs. I find them a great way to learn a bit about various composers while also learning about their music.

Art

I am not an artist. At least not in a traditional sense. However, over the last two years, my boys have been able to take monthly art classes at a local to us art studio. The teacher is great in that she shows the kids the project and then steps back to allow them to create. They've done a lot of pottery, but also watercolors, made paper, sculptures (wire & plaster), and even did some leather working. Sadly the classes have stopped for now, but I'm hoping we'll get enough interest (and the gas prices will come down!) so we can start them back up.

Co-Op

Last year my sister & I had a small mini-co-op with just the two of us. It was an art based study which worked very well to help meet this need as well. It helped that we did it together so the accountability to cover art & music was there. It also helped that we shared the teaching.

We used a bunch of various sources and spent the morning covering music appreciation and composers. The afternoon was then spent on art history and application.

For music our spine was A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers. This is a fantastic book and one we've really enjoyed using. There is a short story about the composer followed by comprehension questions. The back of the book is also full of extras to help flesh out the study including a listening guide, coloring pages, and so much more. This has been one of my favorite review products I received. (You can read my full review by clicking HERE.)

For art history and instruction we used some great videos from Barry Stebbing (How Great Thou Art). One is called God & The History of Art. What I loved is that Barry Stebbing shares this all from a Christian worldview and is careful about what art is shown (i.e. no nudity). This is huge for me as I want my boys to learn to appreciate art from a Biblical standpoint and I also don't want to worry about what they are viewing.

The second set of DVDs is called The Fundamentals of Beginning Drawing. We actually had the privilege of doing a two-day live art class with Barry Stebbing about five years ago. Only my oldest son was really old enough to participate. Mr. Stebbing moves just as fast through his instruction on the videos. It's very good but I used the pause button to its fullest extent in order not to frustrate the boys. They also did very well with the video. In fact, oftentimes my sister (or I) would sit and draw alongside them. We did break the lessons into smaller segments and never did finish the whole series, but it was a great way to give them some professional art instruction in the comfort of our home.

I have more links and photos to the co-op over at my school blog, Freedom Academy. A search of the term "Fine Arts" on that blog should bring up most of the posts and show how the days looked including links to any extras we used such as notebooking pages and YouTube videos.

Plays

I never realized it until recently, but we tend to go to 2-4 plays a year. We are blessed to live near an opera house that puts on educational shows four times a year. There is also another theater nearer to us that does one or two educational shows a year.

Over the years we've seen a deaf troupe of actors perform Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. We've seen a number of high school theater groups perform plays based on books - such as Lily's Pink Purse (and I simply didn't tell my boys the name of the play before we went - they loved it!) and one called Tattercoats.
Last year we were able to see a hilarious rendition of The Three Little Pigs. Next month we'll see a live interpretation of the book Skippyjon Jones.

Overall I think I've exposed my boys to the fine arts in a way that they are not overwhelming and to them, it's simply a part of the fun things we do.



This post is part of the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog Cruise. The Cruise will go live on Tuesday, April 24th. I will add that link HERE once it is live. Please also note - all links to products shared are for informational purposes only - they are not affiliate links.

Blog Cruise: Homeschooling Conventions - Must Go or No?

This week on The Blog Cruise the following question was raised.....

Homeschool Conventions - Do you attend, what are the benefits, pitfalls, etc. 

Share your experience!

Ironically enough...I just got home from my state homeschooling convention Saturday night!

I have been homeschooling for the last eight years. For at least the last five years I have attended at least one day of our state convention and for the last two I've been able to go both days. I have found it to be throughly enjoyable and it recharges my sagging energy. It reminds me again of why I homeschool!

I highly recommend that everyone should attend at least once somewhere. Nearly every state hosts one and there are some some pretty big regional ones as well. Most conventions are set up the same way...they invite in keynote speakers and then host various workshops as well on various topics. There is typically something there for everyone. Not all conventions have things for children to do, so be sure you have a way to keep your kiddos occupied during the time you are in sessions or find a sitter and enjoy the time away as I do each year.

Benefits to attending:

• You can check out lots of different curriculum.
• You can hear wonderful speakers give encouraging talks.
• You can learn something new.
• You can meet new friends.
• You can become recharged for the new year.
• You can typically save shipping costs on curriculum bought.

Cons to attending:

• Costs. Most are not expensive to attend, but if you do not live nearby, you'll need to spend money on accommodations.
• Spending too much money on curriculum and books that look very enticing on the tables.

As I mentioned above, I just arrived home from our state convention. Quite honestly, I just wasn't sure if I wanted to attend this year. I looked over the proposed general sessions and the line-up of keynote speakers and the workshops planned. Very few jumped out at me. 

However, I knew that I needed the time away so I went and brought hubby with me this year. I make him go every other year.

I was so completely blessed this weekend that I know it was God's leading to have me attend.

A few days before we were to leave, we heard that the Maine State Governor, Paul LePage, would be arriving on Friday evening to talk to us. This is the first time we've ever had a current governor attend. Needless to say most of us were thrilled. 

While I didn't agree with what he said 100%, it was still nice to see that he seemed to understand homeschooling and realized how much we wanted the freedom to do so to continue. 

The two keynote speakers were Mark Hamby from Lamplighter Publishing and Steve Demme from Math-U-See. 

If you have never heard Mark Hamby speak, you simply must try to do so. If nothing else, head to Lamplighter Publishing's website and check out this interview with him. Here is Part 1 and Part 2. He touches on a lot of the things he talked about this weekend. 

He was also so hilarious! He intersperses humor with his talks so well that Friday night I was literally laughing so hard I was crying. However, each talk had such a good message to it. In fact, I was so convicted that much of the boys "electronic time" will be severely diminished. 

For anyone that uses Math-U-See, you will know Steve Demme. He was the only speaker I was looking forward to hearing until I arrived and heard the rest. Mr. Demme was excellent and surprisingly enough, did not talk about math at all unless you were at his table. 

My favorite talk by him was on courtship. Since I am now the parent of a fourteen year old son, this has become closer to the forefront of my thoughts. I'm not a huge proponent of dating. I'd much rather see a courtship-type relationship. Mr. Demme defined it as "purposeful dating under God." 

However, the best moment I had with Mr. Demme? We went to breakfast Saturday morning and he arrived shortly after us. My hubby heard him mention he was there alone to the waitress so my very extroverted hubby invited him to join us. He graciously did. 

When he sat down he introduced himself, "Hi, I'm Steve." I replied, "I know. You are in my living room a lot." We love MUS and it has truly helped my boys learn and understand math so much better.

Overall I had a great weekend. I learned some things and felt inspired and convicted. It's helped me push through the next few weeks until spring finally arrives full force. It's given me the strength to finish our school year strong. 

Be sure to check in at The Blog Cruise on Tuesday to read other Crew member's opinions on this topic.

Blog Cruise: Keeping Sane While Homeschooling

I've seriously been slacking this year on participating in the TOS Crew Blog Cruise. Let me just quickly give a reminder about what this is before I jump in to this week's topic. Basically it's a blog carnival for members of the TOS Homeschool Crew. Each week a question is posed and members answer it on their blog. On Tuesday there is a post made on the TOS Crew blog with links to all the blogs participating. 

Okay so this week I'm going to share how I stay sane while homeschooling. In other words, how do I avoid getting burned out. 

Thanks to good old Wikipedia I have a definition: Burnout is a psychological term for the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest.

Anyone who has ever stayed home with children 24/7 know this happens quite frequently. Add in the teaching of said children and sometimes it happens much faster and far more often. 

I know that I have definitely experienced homeschool burnout a time or two in the past eight years of me beginning this journey. Okay, who am I kidding. This typically hits me every year at this time so how do I stay sane and keep going?

{One} Know that you can't avoid it. Burn out is really an inevitable result of doing the same thing over and over again. Your days start to blend together. You wonder if you are making a difference. You are tired of battling the same battles with your children day in and day out as to their schoolwork. It just gets hard.

{Two} Plan for it. Since you know it's going to happen anyway. Have a plan in mind. Figure out what you need to recharge your batteries. Do you need to do some "Fun School" for a few weeks? What about going on some field trips? Taking outside classes? Buying new books? Whatever works, keep it in mind and when you feel the stress of burnout starting, implement your plan.

{Three} Re-evaluate. Look at what you've been doing - closely. Start to really evaluate if it's truly working. Don't forget that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If you aren't seeing the results you want, then look at trying something new. This time of year is typically when burnout occurs. This is when a lot of homeschoolers begin looking at buying next year's curriculum. It helps to get excited about new products and how they will work in your homeschool.

{Four} Take a break. Maybe it's just a day that you need. Maybe it's a week. Maybe it's a month. However long you need to recharge and regroup - take it. 

{Five} Pray. This should really be the first thing you should do. Pray for wisdom and guidance. God will never fail you or let you down. 

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) "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 a hope and a future." 

{Six} Write out your mission statement. This should be the reasons you chose homeschooling. Why did you decide to go this route? What were your thought processes and what do you hope to accomplish? What were you hoping to avoid with other educational methods? Reading this again and again when times are tough really help me stay the course.

{Seven} Find support. Find other homeschoolers you can talk to either online or in person. Knowing that you aren't alone and that others are struggling as well really helps to let you know you aren't alone. There are many times where I've thought I'm completely failing my children only to have someone tell me how well they are doing. It's enough to get me through that tough time.

Overall know that almost all homeschooling moms (and dads) feel burnout at some point. It really is just part of being engaged with your children. Be sure to take the time to take care of yourself and it will benefit everyone in the end.

The Real Cost of Homeschooling

This week on The Blog Cruise the question posed is this:

"How do you afford to homeschool? 

What are some ways to save money on homeschooling supplies?"

Homeschooling families are typically one-income. Occasionally the other spouse works odd jobs or part-time, but overall homeschooling families know how to cut costs and live frugally.

I was curious to see what the national average was for a public school student. I was amazed, even though I shouldn't have been, to see that it was $9,666 a year according to WikiAnswers.

I then became a bit more curious as to what the cost is in my very school district. My school district is made up of four towns. The town I live in has a population of about 900. The school board just voted to close the small elementary school in our town. That's just some background. However, the cost for just the last school year? It was $9,526.69 for an elementary student and $10,060.10 for secondary students.

That is a lot of money! Now I realize that takes in to account things like operating costs and what not, but still, that is a lot of money!

So what do we budget here at The Berry Patch to school three boys? Roughly $1,000. That covers the cost of curriculum, field trips, and the like. This is how I manage to do things frugally.

• Buy used. There are numerous places to do this on-line. Check locally as well. Our homeschool association hosts a large sale every June (it's wonderful!). I try very hard to always buy used. 
• Buy at a discount. Most publishers sell full price - obviously. There are a number of suppliers on line who sell at a discount. Some of my favorites are CBD and Rainbow Resource. 
• Borrow. I have a lot of curriculum accumulated from my previous seven years of homeschooling. I willingly lend it out if I'm not currently using it. 
• Use the internet. I can't even begin to list all the places online you can find free resources. In fact, you can find entirely free curriculum that would cover most if not all of your homeschooling - for FREE! My two favorite sites I share with people are Ambleside Online and An Old-Fashioned Education. 
• The Library. Get a library card. It's worth it's weight in gold - literally.
• Paperback Swap. If you haven't heard of this, go check it out right now! PBS has estimated that I have saved over $1,000 using their site. It's fantastic. If you haven't signed up yet, please consider using me as a reference so I can get a free credit. ;-)
• Shop the sales. As for supplies - stock up on sales. Those wonderful back-to-school sales that are going on right now? Take advantage of those deals. I do and now have more than enough supplies to get us through the year bought at a fraction of the cost.

These are just a few of the ways I save money. I don't feel my children's education suffers at all. In fact, I think they have a much better, broader, and more rounded education than most of their public school counterparts.

Be sure to head over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog on Tuesday to read how others save money and make homeschooling work for them.

So Now What?

Welcome back to another year of The Blog Cruise! 

I had a lot of fun with this last year and I am looking 

forward to participating this year as well.

*********************

You've made the decision to homeschool. Congratulations! So now what?

Homeschooling really is a way of life - a lifestyle. I would warn you that it's very hard to separate your "school" time from your "home" time especially since they are occurring in the same place! Even if you have a dedicated school area (lucky you if you do!) - don't try to keep learning separate from every day life.

Go easy on yourself - especially this very first year. You don't need to teach everything your child needs to know in the first day. You have time - lots of it actually. Use it and you'll be just fine.

Have fun. That probably should have been the first thing I told you. Teaching your child that learning is fun and enjoyable makes it that much easier on both of you.

Let them lead. Use their interests and expand on them. Learning occurs anywhere and everywhere. Don't limit it to "school time." Use those moments while you are out and about and they are curious to sneak in some more learning.

Don't worry about gaps. Everyone has gaps in their education. Everyone. I never had geometry and I went to public school for thirteen years - including kindergarten. If you teach your child how to learn and how to find the answers, there isn't anything they will lack ever.

Above all - pray. Follow God's leading in what you teach, how you teach, and how long you teach. You can't go wrong if you do that.

Summer School - Homeschool Style

Ahhh...summer...school's out then right? Right?!??? Well, my boys certainly think it will be but technically we school year round. The Blog Cruise is answering that very question this week..."Do you school during the summer? What do you do? Why or why not?"

Every year I say the same thing...this year it will be different. This year I'll get a head start on school & start counting my days in August so I can officially be done in May. Yup, this is the year I'll do it. And you know what, I never do!

I've come to realize that we have very much an unschooling bent here at The Berry Patch. While I don't plan to let my boys waste away their days doing anything they please, I do plan for educational opportunities whenever possible. It may not look the same way as a typical public school classroom, but I guarantee that they are learning something in that moment.

For example, this very afternoon I told them no TV, no Wii, and no computer. They could either go outside to play or find something else to do. Soon after this deceleration (which actually happens every afternoon) I find B13 on the couch reading his newest novel. N9 is holding down the other end of the couch checking out a child's atlas of the world. J6 is laying on the floor bugging his brothers so is soon told to grab a book too and he does. No, he can't read yet, but he still found a book and was engaged looking at it and "reading" it via the photos. This lasted for an hour.

However, back to "summer school - homeschool style." We typically take so much time off during the course of the year that we inevitably need to go until July to "get in our days." (The state of Maine requires us to fulfill 175 "days" to complete a school year). However, come summer we do not stay home much. We take a lot of field trips - as many as I can fit in. Each one is a "day" checked off.

The boys enjoy playing sports and this year we are in 4-H will also contribute to our "day" count. We'll throw in a week of VBS too. Then two weeks of swimming lessons. Plus park days to play with friends.

It's "school" but it's also fun. Although, this year I am planning on continuing with the basics...reading, writing, and arithmetic.

The two younger boys are currently playing baseball. They are all doing 4-H this year which means projects for the fairs. A week of Vacation Bible School - at least (for the two younger boys). Two weeks of swimming lessons and field trips galore.

Really - could summer learning be any more fun?

Children, obey your parents....

The question posed on The Blog Cruise this week is this: "How can I homeschool if my child won't obey me?"

My short answer...You can't. 

Then again you can't do much of anything if your child won't obey you. 

Ephesians 6:1 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." 

Before even considering homeschooling, I would recommend taking time for some "character training" of your children. Teaching them to obey - no matter the age really - is truly an essential part of just being a parent let alone a homeschooling parent.

My oldest is now 13. This in no way makes me a parenting expert but let's just say, I've got some experience under my belt now. I've been through those early years times three now. My youngest is now six years old. My toddler days are behind me. However, those are the years where it's important to begin teaching your children - no matter how you plan to school them once they reach school age.

Colossians 3:20 "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord."

Time and time again I hear young parents say things like "Oh, Johnny refused to nap for me today." or maybe "Susie wouldn't sit in her car seat." or any number of things in which their child "refused" or "wouldn't" or somehow didn't do what they parents wanted them to do. My advice: remind the child who's boss in this relationship. Hint: It isn't them.

Here's a disclaimer before I go much further...there are a number of things I am still working on with my own children. I am in no way a perfect parent. I think I'd be hard pressed to find any such creature. We all have issues to deal with (mine happens to be extremely picky eaters) but it all comes down to this really...

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: 

and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

There are definitely days still where my boys simply do not want to do their work. They want to be outside and playing or watching TV or doing anything but sitting down to do school. However, I spent time when they were younger training them. It didn't look like that, but that's what it was essentially.

When they said "No, I won't!" and I said just as firmly, "Oh yes, you will!" And then proceeded to make sure they did. That was the training they needed then to learn to obey what mommy and daddy tell them to do. That builds as they grow. My 13 year old son knows that if he whines and complains about work, he gets more. Life becomes even more difficult than if he had just done what was asked of him in the first place. 

I am a huge fan of "creative discipline." If the children make my life difficult by complaining, whining, fighting, or arguing with me, than chances are their life will become equally difficult for them. Extra chores will be found for them to do (hauling wood is a favorite). Time spent in boredom on their beds doing nothing will follow. Anything that makes them think about their actions works for me.

However, none of those would have worked if they weren't taught to obey when they were young. We're still working on it and I would dare say we will until they are adults and leave home. 

If you are interested in what other TOS Crew members had to say about this subject, be sure to check in at the TOS Homeschool Crew blog tomorrow.

Cabin Fever or Burnout?

This week on The Blog Cruise we're tackling this question: "How to avoid burnout? What to do if you burnout?" 

I would have to say that most if not all homeschooling moms (and dads) have experienced burnout to some degree during the teaching of their children. Burnout - as it happens in my home anyway - is when I want to never see another school book. I certainly do not want to sit down and teach these ungrateful children of mine. I certainly do not want to clean the house. I could care less if there is clutter everywhere. I just want some peace and quiet!!!!

Phew.

Now that I have that off my chest...how do you avoid it? Um, let me know since I obviously have not figured that part out yet.

As to what to do if you do have burnout?

Take a break. The longest one you can possibly do. If that stresses you out even more (we'll never get our days in before August!!), then have the kids do some unschooling...

• take a walk in the woods together. 

• Have them watch an educational program/movie (we're currently watching Wild China).
• Go for a long drive and pop in an audio book (we're listening to Jim Weiss' version of Treasure Island currently.)
• Have them draw 
• Read a book or two (or five or ten.....) by themselves or to each other

I find that when cabin fever hits here, burnout usually hits as well. I sometimes do some "unschooling" in which I am not directly involved with teaching the boys (see above ideas). Work boxes have been a saving grace for me this year also. There have been many days in which that is all they do and basics are covered so I'm happy (as are they).

One last thing that always helps me...I start planning for next year! For some reason checking out all the curriculum that is out there and making plans helps.

Just like everything else it passes and the joy associated with homeschooling comes back. So far anyway....

The Benefits of Homeschooling

The question posed at The Blog Cruise this week is this: "How has homeschooling affected your family?" First, some background as to why we chose homeschooling. 

Many years ago, when B13 was just a preschooler, he attended a developmental preschool. We had originally placed him there due to his severe speech delay. At age three he was still only saying first syllables and had a vocabulary of about ten words. The state offered free preschool for children with delays and they also offered free therapy during. I thought it wonderful.

B13 florished and thrived. Along with speech therapy it was also determined that he needed occupational therapy for "sensory issues" (i.e. he has autistic tendencies). For two years he attended this preschool. I loved his teachers. I loved his therapists. I also spent a lot of time in the classroom. While it was "local," as most things are in rural Maine, it was about 20 minutes from our house. Sometimes I would hang out for the morning at the school to observe B13 and take lots of photos! I was also still a working mom at the time but I was able to tweak my schedule to fit in preschool. 

Here is a sample of our day the first year B13 attended preschool:

• Up by 6am to get ready for the day.
• Out the door by 7am and headed 20 minutes in the opposite direction from where I worked to take B13 to preschool
• 7:30-8:00 B13 received speech therapy - on occasion I would sit in and watch but the room was very tiny so I did not do this often. 
• 8-11am B13 attended preschool. He was pulled out for an hour once a week for occupational therapy.
• While he was in preschool I would either do some grocery shopping or read or nap and I actually even once worked on a scrapbook in the back of my minivan - I folded down all the seats and used them as tables.
• Pick B13 up from preschool, eat lunch on the way, and drive to work - an hour in the opposite direction.
• Drop B13 off at day care and go to work for the remained of the afternoon.

We did this twice a week and I thought this was all wonderful. 

Fast forward two years. B13 is now five years old. We have now moved to a different town and N8 has joined the family. In talking with B13's preschool teachers we had made the decision to have him wait a year before starting kindergarten. His birthday falls at the end of August and the state "allows" you to wait a year (in actual fact - the state only requires school from 7th birthday to 17th birthday but I didn't find that out until I began homeschooling). We felt he was too immature to start. 

This is when it finally hit me. I had just quit my job to stay home to raise my boys. N8 was just a baby when we moved (3 months) to a different town. Why did we move? We sold our house so that I could stay home. We couldn't afford the mortgage on just my hubby's salary. We went from a 3000+ square foot home to a four room apartment. 

I did the math literally. B13 would be spending more time with someone else every day. I had quit my job. We had sold our home. All so I could be a SAHM to my children and yet I was planning to send my first born off to public school. I was suddenly interested in other methods of education.

Thankfully living in the same town was one of hubby's co-workers and his family. He and his wife had been homeschooling their children for quite some time. I began asking her more and more questions. She was extremely helpful and truly held my hand that first year. She was a huge help with getting us started on homeschooling.

Since B13 wasn't going to be starting public school that year, I called it my "bonus year" and decided to give this "homeschooling" thing a try. We never looked back. My two younger boys have never had to go to daycare or attend preschool or any other "school" but our "homeschool." And I'm so very glad. The stress of getting everyone out of the house on time every day was gone.

So how does this all answer the question I posed earlier? "How has homeschooling affected your family?"

• They get to spend their entire afternoon (from lunchtime on) playing outside, inside, with each other - just enjoying their childhood - being boys.
• I know my boys. I know their favorite colors, favorite things, favorite foods, etc.  
• I get to chuckle over the things they say - like when B13 exclaimed one day "Lands sakes, Mom, I'm a teenager!" in response to me telling him he couldn't text on my cell phone. Now seriously, how many teenagers talk like that? We have a decided lack of "peer influence" for which I'm extremely grateful.
• I learned that siblings really can be good friends. Yes, they fight a lot, but they are also fierce friends.
• They spend oodles of time with their great-grandfather and grandparents every single day.
• They spend oodles of time with me. I am one of the biggest influences on the character of my boys - not anyone else. It is completely up to their father and I how they turn out. We don't have to worry about what others are teaching 

This is just a partial list of how homeschooling has affected my family. Yes, at times it's hard to make it on one income. However, it's so worth it. Yes, there are days I wish I could send them off to school for a few hours of "quiet-boy-free-time." But most days it's so worth it. My boys are enjoying a childhood in which they are children. While I get typical childhood attitude from them, I do not get attitude inspired by peers and I'm very grateful about that!

Overall homeschooling has made us a family in ways I never knew it could. Our boys have strong bonds. They have lasting memories of each other as well as extended family. I'm so glad we made this choice seven years ago. I have never really regretted it.

Is it Possible to Teach High School at Home?

The question being posed this week on the TOS Blog Cruise is "How do you teach advanced subjects?" I've switched it up a bit in asking..."Is it possible to teach high school at home?" After all, that is really when the advanced subjects come in to play. I would say - absolutely. I would also go one step further and say that I think it's more important to teach high school at home than even the early grades.

This past weekend I attended my state's homeschool convention. Dr. Jay Wile from Apologia Science was one of the keynote speakers. He actually discussed this topic during one of his messages. It was called "Why Homeschool Through High School." It was very compelling.

One thing I remember Dr. Wile discussing is the fact that as a homeschool parent you can't teach all the subjects well. We are not experts in those subjects. However, we are experts in something else - finding a way to either learn the information in order to teach it or finding someone who can help teach our children - a tutor.

I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am reaching the limit of my ability to teach my oldest son in math. It was never my strongest subject and it's one reason I used a video based math program. However, at this point I have a choice. I can either learn with my son or find him someone who can teach him.

In the information that Dr. Wile shared during his talk he shared some interesting statistics. You can see this for yourself by clicking here to see the handouts. As studies have shown time and again, homeschooled students do better than their public school counterparts academically (and even socially). What I found interesting is that some of the statistics shared this weekend held this up, but showed a greater distance between the two groups in high school when those harder subjects have come in to play. You may also want to check out the notes from his other talk as well - "Homeschooling: The Solution to Our Education Problem."

I think it is important to teach our students how to learn for themselves. By making them independent learners who want to learn rather than just learning to pass a test, we give them a life long skill - something that will help them in all aspects of life.

Even though I am still a few years away from teaching high school, this weekend has changed my mind about what I plan to do or rather cemented what I have wanted to do. When we first began homeschooling we had always thought we'd given B13 the choice when he reached high school - to either continue homeschooling or trying out public school. However, now I feel very strongly that home really is best.

So take on those advanced subjects. I don't think you'll regret it.

I'll add a link to the top once the Blog Cruise is posted tomorrow so that you can read some more opinions on this subject.

I'm Suppose to Organize it All Too?

The question posed on The Blog Cruise this week is "How do you organize your space?" 

Let me preface this post by stating this...I live in a 14x70 foot trailer (aka mobile home). I have three active boys, a hubby and a dog. Space is at a premium here. As in - there is never enough. As in - there is too much stuff!

I really wasn't sure what I would post about this week. I could certainly tell you all how I would like to have everything organized. I could have spent some time actually cleaning things up so they actually looked organized. Instead, I decided to keep it real. I've found lately that many folks (IRL and on-line) think I have it all together. Let the following photos prove that I so do not have it all together and I really need to spend some time this week working on getting stuff organized!

Exhibit #1:

Let me explain the mess homeschool supplies you are seeing in the above photo. I know there is a lot...

The white bookcase has the following things on it

• the very top of the case has various loose pencils, a box of miscellaneous markers, a box of miscellaneous crayons, and our shoe box of Math-U-See blocks.
• the top shelf holds all the books we are currently supposed to be using for this school year - in actuality - I rarely touch them
• the second shelf houses science books - last I checked
• the bottom shelf (yes, there is a bottom shelf) houses more science books, language art readers, Bible readers, and I think that's it.

The mess stuff below that is just a hodge-podge of stuff. The white bin to the far right has "Miss H" friendly materials in it (coloring books, crayons and various other things she uses during the school day). The blue crate has all of J6's material in it. Piled on top of it all are library book bags (we use a mail order library since we live in the boonies) and other various school (and non-school) related object.

The large white plastic draw holds various school supplies - pencils, erasers, markers, colored pencils and the like. I should probably mention is sits on top of a speaker that we no longer actually use but it holds that bin nicely!

The other mess, um, pile, um, stuff...to the far left at the bottom is J6's "bin" of school games and toys. Yes, I do realize that there is so much stuff piled on top (um, including one of my sweatshirts) that he can't actually get to any of it.

Exhibit #2: 

This photos shows the boys work boxes. Most of them. Kind of. The one to the far left is J6's which I don't actually use for him anymore. I do most of his stuff one-on-one with him. His bin still holds things we use though. You can't actually see N8's bin because there is stuff piled on it but it's right next to J6's. The bin with the bike helmet (why, yes that is my bike helmet but in my defense J6 borrowed it today) holds materials I had planned to use this year. It's been sitting on the porch most of the winter. This post is suppose to be about organization right? B13's bin is the black one. Please ignore the rest of the junk in the photo. It has nothing to do with school. Although, you can see my laminator and that rocks!

Exhibit #3:

Five years ago while we were living in a much smaller space than we are now (a four room apartment) I converted this china hutch to hold homeschool supplies. It has a lot of games and art supplies in it. I periodically organize it and it actually looks rather good right now - all things considered. 

Exhibit #4: 

The majority of the kids book are here on these three shelves. There is a fourth one but I actually decided that spot was simply too messy to share so you know that's saying something!

The white bookcase holds easy readers for the most part. The second shelf also has all the board books I've kept for Mr. & Miss H to play with. The bottom shelf has some chapter books.

The long two-shelf bookcase has:

• top shelf has my smaller scrapbooks on top
• some very tall (and new) David Macaulay books
• the middle shelf holds chapter books
• the bottom shelf has my 12x12 scrapbooks & tucked on top are a few larger school books

The small two shelf bookcase at the end holds art books (top shelf) & math and music books (bottom shelf).

The bookcase I didn't show has history books. It's another small one like the art/math/music shelf.

Exhibit #5:

My computer desk. This year was our first year doing most of our school work in the living room. In years past we've always done it at the kitchen table. This has led to a more relaxed environment - which I like. Most of the books I use for our "together school" are piled right here on my desk. On the left is the Bible I use for school time, the composer books we've been reading, the homeschool devotional I sometimes use, and the outdoor winter study we've been trying. On the right are the read aloud books, Easter devotional, and the Olympic lapbooks we need to finish up.

But you want to hear something really cool? Something I've been wanting for the last three to four years? Something that hubby and I talked about just today??

This summer we are most likely going to build (and yes, I'll help this time) another addition on to our trailer. It will be big! It will be the largest room we have. And guess what!??!?!  It is going to be our school room/play room/craft room!!!! So all the mess I just showed you? It will finally have one spot to be in. I will have designated spaces for everything. And I can't wait! Of course, I'll be posting photos and updates. Obviously! So by this time next year, I should have a nice, warm, and cozy space just to homeschool in. Well, and for the boys to play in. Oh, and for me to do my scrapbooking in. But I can't wait to see how it all turns out.

If you want to check out other organized (or not) school rooms, be sure to check in to the Blog Cruise.