Coach Nikki B.

Spring Fever: Resistance is Futile

Coach Nikki B. — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:54:37 +0000

I read a Tweet today encouraging homeschoolers to “Hang in there” and “Resist spring fever.” I really do understand where the Tweeter is coming from, but something inside me just rebelled at the thought.

I am currently reading the book, “The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal” By Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. One of the key points of the book is that we need both periods of intense activity and periods of rest to truly become our best physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Hmmm…looks like God knew what He was doing when He made the Sabbath day.

Anyway, I know I have workaholic tendencies and have to remind myself to “chill” and take breaks from time to time. I encourage you to consider incorporating this principle into your school time as well. Yes, it’s great to get all the bookwork done before noon each day, but pay close attention to your children’s attitudes, attention levels, and fact retention. When your kids are grumpy and inattentive, it may be your first instinct to put even more pressure on them to focus and work diligently. Does that help? Maybe it does. Only you know what is best for your child.

If pushing harder doesn’t seem to do the trick though, why not try taking a break. Spending a few minutes outdoors, jumping on a rebounder, singing some songs, or just getting a drink of water can all be ways to get reset and refocused – for both you and your kids.

So, if you have an incurable case of spring fever in your neck of the woods today, I invite you not to resist! Shake up your schedule and see what happens. . Be sure to leave a comment and let me know your experiences.

Happy spring!

Family Frustrations: Don’t Hit the Rock!

Coach Nikki B. — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:42:05 +0000

Do you ever wish your husband was more sensitive? The kids more polite? The dog less hairy? Is there something about your current circumstances that just makes you cringe? How much time and energy do you spend focusing on that?

Redirecting Your Focus

I read a little story years ago about a boy who was learning to ride a bicycle. He had a beautiful wide road n front of him and there were no obstacles in his way – except for one rather intimidating rock. There was plenty of room to go around the rock; in fact, it was not even directly in his path. However, that rock sure did make him nervous. It made him so nervous in fact that he couldn’t focus on the clear path or the beautiful road ahead. All he could see and think about was that rock. He had all that wide road to go around, but where do you think he went? Yep, he ran straight into that rock!

What we focus on and give attention and energy to often winds up becoming the goal we smack right into – even if it is something we would prefer to avoid.

Where is your time and attention being focused today? What rocks are you worried about, and where can you shift your focus?

Keeping Kids Safe: Smart Idea for Smartphone Users

Coach Nikki B. — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:59:10 +0000

Hey everyone. It seems like so many of our homeschooling friends these days have smartphones. Now, you may be like me and haven’t shelled out the dough for one yet, but I think it’s important to realize that our kids or their friends probably have access to one of these fancy dancy phones from time to time. You might want to watch the following video just so you know the potential dangers of posting pictures taken from a smartphone to the internet including sites like Facebook and Twitter.

I’m certainly not posting this video to promote fear about technology. I simply think it is imperative that parents know how to stay on top of technology to keep our kids safe and to educate them on wise use of their gadgets. Do you agree? What do you think of the video? I’d love to hear. Please leave a quick comment and weigh in on this.

Educational Systems: A Thought Provoking Video

Coach Nikki B. — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 04:42:17 +0000

Here’s an interesting video that explains in detail how and why our modern educational systems are not working. Please leave your comments. I’d love to know what you think.

Guest Article: Smart Women Plan Ahead

Coach Nikki B. — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 04:39:10 +0000

This article came across my desk a day or so ago, and I thought it fit in nicely with the overall theme of my blog. It is written by Joy Chudacoff, a fellow coach. I especially like her point about valuing our time and making choices about how we spend it. Give it a read, and let me know what you think. Do you value your time as a homeschool mom? How can you plan ahead this week to use your time more wisely?

Smart Women Plan Ahead

Recently, I made a trip to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) here in Los Angeles to renew my driver’s license. I made a smart choice by scheduling an appointment for my renewal rather than “winging it” as a “walk in.” As I approached the DMV in my car, I saw scores of people forming a line that wrapped around the outside of the building. As you can imagine, my heart began to race at the prospect of standing in a line that long. I began a mental scan of my “to do” list in my head with a bit of anxiety about how lengthy this process might be.

After parking my car, I approached the line of at least 75 people and asked one man, “Is this the line for appointments?” The man replied, “Oh no, that’s
inside.” I took a deep sigh of relief and continued on through the front door. I immediately saw the “Appointment Line” which had only 2 people ahead
of me. This got me thinking about how Smart Women understand the value of making an appointment rather than “winging it” in every area of their lives.

People don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan. Many people do not value their time. If you ever sat down and figured out what your time is worth and more
importantly, how fleeting it is, you’d live your life differently.

Recently, a friend asked me a question about something and my initial answer was, “I don’t have time.” After a moment of reflection, I quickly corrected myself. I said, “Wait a minute, what I just told you isn’t true. I have enough time. I have not placed a high value on this and so I haven’t made the time.” You see, you have enough time for what you want to accomplish. You manifest what you think about. I bet at least once today, you’ve thought or told someone you don’t have enough time—right? If you are really honest with yourself (like I had to be that day) it’s not that you don’t have enough time. It’s that you don’t value the action item or activity enough to include it in the time you have.

The reality is if you want:

a loving relationship with your spouse/partner
a loving and bonded relationship with your child/children
a loving relationship with friends and family
a successful business that meets the goals and expectations you’ve set
a healthy mind and body

…I invite you to make the decision to schedule an appointment to spend quality time on what you want in your life and stop “winging it.”

When any area of my life is out of sorts, (if I’m really honest with myself) it’s because I haven’t made an appointment to spend the time that’s required
to have meaningful moments in those areas. When I turn my attention to any of these areas, I find almost immediate benefit.

My time at the DMV was short and sweet. My appointment was for 11:55 and I walked out the door with my renewal at 12:20. As I made my exit through the glass door, I caught the eye of a man who had been waiting when I arrived. Unfortunately, he hadn’t made much progress toward the front of the line. I gave him a hopeful smile and continued on to my car.

Your life will unfold based on the choices you make. To quote Annie Dillard, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

*****

Joy Chudacoff, ICF, PCC, is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions®, a Professional Certified Coach to 1000’s of women, Motivational Speaker, and Entrepreneur. She publishes a weekly buzz generating ezine, Reflections On Life and Business for Women Entrepreneurs. If you’re ready take your life and your business to the next level, get your FREE Tips, 2 FREE Reports and FREE MP3 now at http://www.CreatingTheSpark.com

Take Charge of 2011! The Three P’s

Coach Nikki B. — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 06:34:23 +0000

Oh my goodness! I owe you a huge apology for allowing the blog to sit unattended for so long. This past month has absolutely flown by! I really have been busy though and have a lot to share in the days and weeks to come.

I hope you and your family enjoyed the holidays and I am wishing you the very best new year ever! I don’t know what it is, but it seems like there is something in the air about 2011. There seems to be a wave of enthusiasm in the work-at-home mom communities that I am a part of right now. I am gearing up to move forward both personally and professionally and that’s where a lot of my attention has been over the past several weeks.

I thought I would briefly share with you three major points I have been focusing on, and I’d like to invite you to take some time to address these things too and let me know what you discover in the process. :

The Three P’s

Pruning:

The past month or so has been a major time of pruning for me. It feels so great to get really ruthless with all the “stuff”, clean out things I don’t really need, and clear off that big pile of “ought-to’s, “Meant-to’s”, and “should-do’s.” It’s been really refreshing. :

Prioritizing:

I was listening to one of Cindy Rushton’s seminars recently where she was talking about prioritizing. She said something like, ” Don’t prioritize your schedule. Schedule your priorities.” I think that is such a great way to put it. If we don’t schedule the things we know are truly important, our time is going to get filled up with all the other little things life is so good at piling up around us. It’s time to take charge of your life and your schedule! Figure out what’s really important and put it on your calendar. Then, you can plan all the other little things around them. Even better, you can just say “No” to some of those other things.

Planning for success:

OK, I’ll admit, I haven’t finished this part yet. I’m still in the middle of planning out my school, personal, and business goals for the new year. I challenge you to take time along with me to do this for yourself this week. Otherwise, we are going to turn around, it will be July, and we still won’t know what our goals for the year are. I love the question, “If we don’t know where we are going, how will we know when we get there?”

So, are you with me? Will you tackle the three P’s for yourself? I’d love to hear from you about this Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts. Oh, and have a VERY happy new year. :

Shout Out: WAHM Articles

Coach Nikki B. — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 21:51:21 +0000

I would like to say a big THANK YOU to WAHM Articles for promoting my report, “No Place Like Homeschool for the Holidays.” I really appreciate it! Y’all be sure to go check out WAHM Articles for lots of great info by other work at home moms.

Thankful Thursday: Birthdays!

Coach Nikki B. — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 21:59:28 +0000

Here’s a shout out to Laurie at Women Taking a Stand. We’re both celebrating birthdays this week!

It’s interesting to me that I discovered in my mountain of e-mail this morning an ad for senior care facilities. Not exactly the kind of message you want to see on your 41st birthday.

Nothing makes you realize just how fast time flies though like your kids getting older. I can hardly believe my “baby” boy will be 14 next month! Both of my children are now taller than I am too. Lovely.

Anyway, as I reflect on all the blessings I have in my life today, there are so many! I am so thankful for my beautiful family. My husband who made bread from scratch yesterday in order to serve his homemade potato soup in bread bowls tonight. My beautiful daughter who helps me hold this house together on days when I am juggling far too many things, and who is celebrating with me today since she had her braces removed this morning. My precious son who gives me shoulder rubs when I have been on the computer too long and is always so eager to get me a glass of tea or a snack. I truly live with an amazing group of people.

I am also incredibly blessed to have so many wonderful friends. I am amazed at how many phone calls and well-wishes I have received today from friends near and far. It is incredible to have the opportunity to share laughs, tears, joys, sorrows, and ideas both good and bad with such wonderful people.

I’m also thankful for the non-human creatures who share our space. My guide dog, Vito, who is my constant companion and soul brother. Our semi-psychotic cat, Solomon, and our multiple personality parakeet, Sky. Oh, and I can’t forget my son’s 2 hermit crabs which I am not sure even have permanent naames yet. Just being in the space of these beautiful creatures every day adds joy to my life.

I wish everyone reading this a beautiful and blessed day, and I challenge you to make a Thankful Thursday list of your own. If you feel so inclined, I’d love to hear at least one thing you are thankful for today. Leave a comment and let me know!

Shout Out: Moms in a Blog

Coach Nikki B. — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:31:45 +0000

I’d like to say a huge THANK YOU to my new friend Tracy over at Moms in a Blog. She kindly offered to promote my brand new report, “No Place Like Homeschool for the Holidays.” Be sure to check out Tracy’s blog!

Guest Author Spotlight: Becky Ward

Coach Nikki B. — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:00:29 +0000

Becky is a home school mother of 4 girls aged 13, 11, 8 and 6 years, and 2 boys aged 9 and 2 years. As you can see, she has her hands full. Life at her house is always interesting!!! She has homeschooled them all from the beginning and they have never attended any other type of school.

I invited Becky to be a guest author here at my blog for a few reasons. I was introduced to her at our local homeschool group a few years ago, and was so impressed with her wonderful attitude and sweet spirit along with her ability to get so many children out of bed, fed, dressed, and at the co-op classes by 8:00 AM on a Monday morning. Wow! She is amazing.

In her first contribution here, Becky shares her heart with you and invites your questions for future articles she may contribute. You may leave comments here for her or you may contact her directly here.

Lessons from a Large Homeschooling Family

By Becky ward

I have had a burden on my heart for the past several years to be able to encourage other homeschooling mothers in practical ways; in fact, I have been praying about this for a year or so. I have had several speaking engagements and opportunities to share with other mothers to answer their questions. I was so excited when Nikki asked me to write an article to encourage home school mothers here on her blog!

I in no way have it “all together” everyday. My children are not always obedient, our schoolwork takes us longer to finish than I would like, and my house is not always “company ready”. I lose my keys at the most inopportune times, our dogs dig under the fence a few times a week during our morning school work. Get the picture? I’m sure you and I have a lot in common.

With all that said, I want to encourage you as a homeschooling mom not to give up the fight. We have made the commitment to home school and we will persevere. What we do each day as wives and mothers is a sacred calling, of ultimate importance, and life changing!!!- I want to encourage you to do EVERYTHING that you do as unto the Lord. Each time that you clean the kitchen, read with your children, change a dirty diaper, or soothe a child’s cry for comfort , you are doing these things for the Lord Himself. Our job as wives and mothers Is the most important job there is for women. The Bible is clear about this in Titus II: 4. ” Likewise let the older women teach the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-controlled, and pure, ,to be keepers at home, to be kind, and subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”.

The word malign means to give a false report , or speak evil of something or someone. When we choose to obey God’s Word in Titus as to our conduct, submission to our husbands, and make our homes and our family our top priority , this dear sister, is honoring to the Lord and makes people want to know more about the Gospel and the God that we serve.

I would like to encourage you in practical ways with questions that you may have. I know that I would have enjoyed being able to be a “fly on the wall”, in the home of a mother with several children when my own children were small. If you have any questions that you would like to be discussed, please email me and let me know. I will use these as the basis for my future articles .

Godspeed,
Becky

Becky Ward is a homeschooling mother of six children ages 13,11,9,8,6,2. She has been married to Mitch, her college sweetheart for 21 years. She had her first child at thirty and her last at forty-one She has had several miscarriages and adores babies and small children. Her hobbies include, cooking, reading,teaching her daughters to be homemakers, and spending time with her husband and children. Please feel free to contact her here.You might also enjoy visiting her blogs www.wardfamblog.blogspot.com and www.heartsforgodmagazine.blogspot.com. This is her daughter Bethany’s magazine Hearts for God’s website to encourage young girls to walk with the King as they serve their families.

Thankful Thursday: Opportunities or Overwhelm?

Coach Nikki B. — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:36:44 +0000

This month, our Thankful Thursday host is Laurie at Women Taking a Stand, so hop on over there and say hello if you get a chance.

This week has been SO busy! I am gearing up to launch a new coaching group, working on finishing up the “ABC’s of Staying Sane as a Homeschool Mom“, finishing my contribution for the Ultimate Homeschool Expo, plus doing all the normal stuff and school with the kids. This month is National Novel Writing month, and my daughter is participatig for the second year in a row. Our Boy Scouts are selling pop corn and preparing for a trip to NASA. So much is going on all the time and life seems to be flying by at whirlwind speed.

Don’t misunderstand. I’m not complaining. I am actually very thankful for all of these activities and opportunities. In fact, I am kind of an opportunity addict. I tend to jump into so many “good opportunities” that I can sometimes become overwhelmed and lose sight of what is really important. Have you ever done that? If so, I challenge you to take a stand with me this month. Let’s rebuff the tyranny of the urgent and focus on the things that are truly important. Here are some ways I have found to be helpful in doing this.

Taking time to be quiet for a few moments during the day
Working from a prioritized list
Getting my family involved
Reminding myself of my ultimate goals and my reason for doing what I do

Obviously, these are just brief ideas and each of them is deserving of an article or two all by itself.

I’d love to hear the things that work for you. What keeps you focused on the important things in your life? Leave a comment and let me now!

TGIF: Link Love and Helpful Resources

Coach Nikki B. — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 01:55:34 +0000

Well, we’ve made it through another week! Actually, my weeks have been flying by at blazing speed. How about yours?

This morning, I managed to lock myself out of the house. Yes, some of you may know it is not the first time. I was still half asleep and I forgot I had hidden a key outside after the last time this happend. I called my hubby on the cell phone and he let me in just when I remembered about the key. Oh well. It’s a good object lesson, and I’ll probably use it for some kind of teaching at some point.

Today, I wanted to share some helpful resources that I personally use and think maybe you’ll enjoy too.

Homeschool Freebie of the Day – This is a wonderful site where you can get lots of free resources to use in your schooling.

The Homeschool Channel – Online programming covering a wide variety of interest areas for Christian homeschoolers.

CLEP Prep Lesson Plans – This is an excellent site to learn more about CLEP testing for your teens. Turn your speakers down low before you go here. There is a sound file that plays through once and it can be a little annoying if the speakers are up too loud. They have a related Yahoo group which is excellent as well.

Hip Homeschool Moms – If you are a Facebook fanatic, this is a fun group you might like to check out.

What are your favorite online resources for your home or homeschool? Please leave a comment and share them here.

The Ultimate Homeschool Event for Fall!

Coach Nikki B. — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:13:08 +0000

Looking for some encouragement and fresh ideas for handling your homeschooling during the busy holiday season? Then, I suggest you take a look at the Ultimate Homeschool Expo: for fall.

This seminar will inspire and motivate you to prioritize, organize, and create lasting memories with your family. There will be over 35 speakers and 50 seminars. Listen live for FREE or get all the recordings and lots of extras which you can enjoy this holiday season and for years to come.

The live sessions are a lot of fun because they include an original presentation as well as door prizes and discounts. Each of these live sessions will be recorded in mp3 format and added to the special, members only website which is being created specifically for this event. That way, you can easily download and listen on your computer or even on-the-go with your favorite portable gadget.

For a complete list of confirmed speakers visit the website and the updated schedule:

Here’s an added incentive to join this event. As a special gift, each speaker is contributing a recipe and/or holiday tradition or memory to share with you. I’m sure you will enjoy this wonderful book. On top of this, the members-only website contains a goodie bag full of product discounts, free eBooks, downloads, articles, and presentation handouts from an array of speakers and sponsors. Be sure to look for my special report, “No Place Like Homeschool for the Holidays” in the goodie bag too. Of course, the audio seminar recordings from each of the featured guest speakers are all there too.

This event is hosted by Felice Gerwitz of Media Angels and her special guests. This is the fourth year for the Ultimate Homeschool Expo, but this is the first ever fall event.

Click here to find out more about the UHSE for Fall 2010

So, are you planning on joining me at the Ultimate Homeschool Expo event? Leave a comment and let me know!

Thankful Thursday: A Hope and a Future

Coach Nikki B. — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:51:15 +0000

Today, our Thankful Thursday host, Lynn, has asked us to share a Bible verse which has been meaningful to us. I have many favorites, but one that keeps coming up for me is Jeremiah 29:11. “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.” This is a verse which God sent to the Jews who had been carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. God’s grace and mercy was still present with them even though they had to live in exile. It’s a great reminder to me never to give up on God or to give up hope that he has a brighter future in mind – even when things look hopeless around me.

So, today I am thankful for the hope that God has granted to us. Even in exile, the Jewish people were were encouraged to live their lives, to build houses, grow gardens, have children, and live in peace with the people around them.They were to pray for the peace and prosperity of their temporary home and wait for God’s deliverance. Take a minute to read Jeremiah 11 today if you can.

What are you thankful for today? I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment here and share your thoughts. Have a beautiful day!

Cool Science Project!

Coach Nikki B. — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 02:24:59 +0000

I just had to share this here. I think it is so inspirational to see things like this and realize the things that are possible for any of us if we use the gifts of curiosity, perseverance, knowledge, and hard work.

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Homemade Spacecraft from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.