Early last semester, I realized that our current homeschool curriculum wasn’t going to work for us long term.  

After months of reading and researching , I settled on My Father’s Word; here are seven reasons why.

My Father’s World is a Scripture-centered curriculum.  

Children learn character virtues, memorize God’s Word, and develop a Biblical world view right along with learning phonics, math, and history.  This is one of the key dimensions I look for in a curriculum.  Academics are important, but I want to raise believers in Jesus Christ, not just smart kids.

My Father’s World Supports World Missions and Bible Translation

I love the fact that the dollars I spend purchasing curriculum from My Father’s Word helps support Bible translators throughout the world.

My Father’s World Provides Age-Integrated Learning  

As the mother of five children (three school age kids, one preschooler, and a baby), I searched high and low for a curriculum that was both thorough and user-friendly.  I love how My Father’s World study units are age-integrated without compromising each child’s need for academic challenge.

My Father’s World Applies the Charlotte Mason Methods of Education

I began researching Charlotte Mason homeschooling methods last year; the more I read, the more convinced I became that I had found a suitable style of learning and teaching for our family.  When I discovered My Father’s World was built around the Charlotte Mason Methods, I was sold!

My Father’s World Offers an Eclectic Teaching Experience

My kitchen is eclectic.  My approach to holistic medicine is eclectic.  My blog is eclectic.  Why shouldn’t my homeschooling style be eclectic, too?  :)

My Father’s World selects a variety of Charlotte-Mason-Style resources, books, and manipulatives, and creates an unbeatable foundation for learning.

My Father’s World Takes a Hands-On Approach to Learning

The curriculum packs are loaded with helpful and engaging manipulatives for exploring everything from science and phonics, to hand-eye-coordination and shape sorting (for the little ones).  Even my younger children can get on board during school time and enjoy learning at their own pace and level.  I love learning manipulatives!

My Father’s World Provides Curriculum for Preschool Through High School

The primary reason I began searching for a new curriculum was the fact that Christ Centered Curriculum (which we have used the past two years) only extends through second grade.  Once our oldest daughter was ready for third grade, I found myself starting from scratch in the curriculum search.

My Father’s World begins with an excellent learning unit for toddlers and preschoolers, which both our little boys have been using since the beginning of this year.  The curriculum advances through kindergarten, first grade, elementary through middlers, and finishes in high school.

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Our family is experimenting with year-round homeschooling, which means our school year will officially begin the first week in June.  My kids are literally begging to dive into the curriculum waiting in our homeschool closet!

I’ve never been so excited about a school year and anticipate learning along with my kids as we explore My Father’s World together this year.

Are you a My Father’s World user?

If so, I would love for you to join our MFW 2013-2014 Blogroll!  

Linked at Raising Mighty Arrows, Graced Simplicity, Mama to 3 Blessings, Nextgenhomeschool.com, Our Days Homeschool link-up, Teachers of Good Things, Ultimate Homeschool Link-up, Upsidedown Homeschooling, Thrive @Home Link-up, Shoe Lace Link-up

Welcome to our 71st Natural Living link-up party!  

This is the time and place to share your favorite recipes, tips, and natural living inspiration.  Anything family friendly and natural goes!

{You can link up here at Little Natural Cottage or at Jill’s Home Remedies.}

 

Last week’s TOP THREE most popular blog posts:

 

Agave Syrup is Bad for You! @ Small Footprint Family

 

How to Stop Auto Immune Attack on Your Thyroid @ Outsmart Disease

 

Drink This; Lose Weight @ Gluten-free A-Z

These bloggers will be featured on our Top Natural Living Posts Pinterest board, so be sure to check it out!

If your blog was featured here, grab our button:

 

 

Check out the latest from our new sponsor- Tupperware!

Time to link-up!  Thank you for linking back to Little Natural Cottage so others can join the fun.

Breastfeeding my babies has never really come easily for me.

In fact, with my fourth baby breastfeeding felt impossible.

Nearly three years ago, our son was born as plump and healthy-looking as you please.  Within a few weeks, all his little dimples and rolls had disappeared and I had a very skinny baby on my hands.  I spent many frantic weeks researching, reading, and learning all I could to help our son thrive and grow.

My researching led me to believe our baby’s health issues stemmed from a digestive problem caused from food allergies.  In time, my hunch proved to be right.  (That, in a nutshell, is how our family became gluten-free.)

During the first four months of his life, our son’s weak digestive system simply could not assimilate enough nutrients from my breast milk to meet his nutritional needs.  Much to my dismay, a lot of what he did take in came back up through projectile reflux.

Although our little guy was nursing around the clock, he was hungry nearly all the time.  Through this grueling process, I simply could not keep up a milk supply that satisfied my baby’s insatiable hunger.  He cried and fussed for more after every feeding; I cried along with him.

 It became very apparent that our son needed a supplement, and we were blessed to have access to raw goat’s milk.  (By this time, our baby was being treated by a certified homeopath, and I was on a strict allergy-friendly diet.)  Within a few days of beginning the goat’s milk supplement, our son gained four ounces.

I cried, this time for pure joy.  It had been weeks since he had retained any measurable weight gain.

We had a long road of healing ahead of us, but today our son is a thriving, healthy toddler.  And wouldn’t you know, I had the hardest time weaning him… at twenty-two months old!

Despite my best efforts, I honestly believe successful  breastfeeding would have been impossible without Maxi Milk tincture, from Mountain Meadow Herbs.

 

This tincture literally made the difference in whether or not I was able to continue nursing our son, especially since my body simply could not keep up with the demand.

Yes, I had to supplement our baby for a long time while his digestive tract healed.  But it was so rewarding to be able to continue to breastfeed, even if I didn’t feel like my supply was what it should have been.

I’ve recommended Maxi Milk to several of my mommy friends because this tincture is the nursing mother’s best friend!

I am breastfeeding our fifth baby now; he is six weeks old and my milk supply is better than it’s ever been.  In fact, my milk came in two days postpartum.  That is next to miraculous for me!

I love breastfeeding my babies and really love finding herbal products that make it possible.

Do you have a favorite herb or natural product for nursing mothers?

Linked at Growing Home, Above Rubies, A Mama’s Story , The Modest Mom, Raising Homemakers, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home,

Deep Roots at Home, Simple Lives Thursdays, Shoe Lace Link-up

Further reading: The Importance of Breastfeeding, What Every Mama Should Know About Breast Milk

 

If you are a My Father’s World user and have a blog, or if you just want a go-to site for homeschool ideas, then link-up below!

Example entry:

Please include your name and the Units/Years you are doing with your children.  I am Kristy and this year we’re doing Adventures in MFW, Kindergarten, and Preschool, so my entry will look like this:

 

Kristy: Adventures, K & Preschool

After you’ve submitted your link, please share a button on your sidebar. There are a couple of choices below, so pick whichever you like.

<div class=”My Father’s World Blogroll” style=”width: 150px; margin: 0 auto;”>
<a href=”http://www.littlenaturalcottage.com/mfw-blogroll/” rel=”nofollow”>
<img src=”http://www.littlenaturalcottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/mfwblogroll1.jpg” alt=”My Father’s World Blogrollwidth=”192″ height=”192″ />
</a>
</div>

<div class=”My Father’s World Blogroll-button” style=”width: 192px; margin: 0 auto;”>
<a href=”http://www.littlenaturalcottage.com/mfw-blogroll/” rel=”nofollow”>
<img src=”http://www.littlenaturalcottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MFWButton2.png” alt=”My Father’s World Blogroll” width=”192″ height=”192″ />
</a>
</div>

Sharing a button on your sidebar enables your visitors to find other MFW users for this year and

you can easily navigate back here from your own blog!

If you have questions please e-mail me!

Our family is super excited about our FIRST year using My Father’s World, and we look forward to sharing the journey with you!

This link-up is for My Father’s World curriculum users only.  Off topic link-ups will be deleted.  Thank you for your gracious cooperation.