Budget talks make me look at what I’ve purchased in the last year and evaluate whether it was worth the money spent. Unfortunately there are many times that the answer is Nope Not Worth It!

This next year I am considering adding our Gym membership back. That’s a big chuck of money but this winter was long. Long and cold with nowhere to run (literally). I’m still a little surprised we didn’t have a major meltdown with all the excess energy that was stockpiled during the cold, snowy days of January.

Anyway I’m making my list and so far I have this:

1. Laser Printer ($$ not $$$$$)

2. Gym Membership (maybe)

3. Science Center membership??

4. Piano Lessons

5. Curriculum (duh)

6. Book Budget (support materials)

7. *this space reserved for some really neat and necessary thing that I have yet to think of*

This got me to thinking about what we use and love.

1. Whiteboard also known as a piece of Melamine board from Menards cut to fit our space (6ft by 4ft). We spent $20 three years ago and it’s still working fine. My only addition would be to magically make it magnetic because that is super cool.

2. Chalkboard table. Absolutely the best “stole it from a friend” idea we’ve done. It is great to just be able to write the word or problem right next to the child. Not to mention that the paint is black so it hides a lot of hideous paint splotches. A fresh coat will go on this summer and all the paint splotches from last years craft projects will be “erased”.

3. Stereo Microscope. Okay I didn’t really buy this one. It was a present. Or rather it is really grandpa’s but he’s letting us use it. Unless we don’t take care of it then he’s taking it back. Wouldn’t you know the boys take really, really good care of it. There is really nothing more fun that finding a speck – that moves – looking at the speck and finding another smaller speck on the speck. Did you get that? Well just know it was really neat.

What would you add to the list?

I know that this will be a short lived thing but I also think there is no harm to me in taking a moment to acknowledge that I’m out of sorts. To remind myself to breathe deep. To find my center and balance. To not fall into being impatient and grumpy.

I almost have our method of homeschooling such that it works for our family and more precisely for the boys. Almost.

Unlike a classroom teacher we are not limited to choices or plans made for the year ahead. We are not necessarily limited by a budget process for our materials. Instead we are fortunate to have the ability to make decisions and changes specifically to our students needs. We are able to abandon, even the most thoughtful purchase, when it isn’t working for our student. We are afforded an opportunity to make changes as needed when needed. The caveat to that is that we can be overwhelmed with choices and thrust into a constant state of flux.

Realistically this doesn’t happen to everyone. And it doesn’t happen all the time. But it can happen even to the best of decision makers.

One of the many things that I have learned in these first few years of homeschooling is that *I* must battle against slipping into chaos. That I have to be aware of the reason behind the changes we’re making to make certain that they are need or warranted. That I must work to prevent myself from making changes simply for the sake of changing. I spend a lot of time evaluating what we are using and how it is working for my boys. What I don’t do is spend a lot of time thinking about what might be better. I found that if I’m focused on what MIGHT be better then I’m more likely think that the grass is greener. Pretty new curriculum can be so very tempting!

Here are some of the thing I do for myself:

1. Borrow if I can. A quick flip through will often tell me if it will work.

2. I’m sure to check out the free (sample) pages.

3. I want to be open to new ideas but I don’t forget to appreciate what I have chosen when it IS working.

4. Watch for things that I want a few years down the road. I’m working now on collecting a few resources that I know I’m going to use in a year or two. One is Hakim’s History books.

5. Sometimes you have to spend the money to know and sometimes that purchase won’t work. Build a little bit into your budget for those purchases.

So what do YOU do to keep yourself from a constant state of flux?