The Homeschool Village

For the last four weeks, millions of homes have been working toward new goals/resolutions – whether it be following a new schedule, living within a new/revised budget, eating healthier or maybe just redefining priorities.

Whatever your new focus for the New Year, make time to slow down and have fun as a family.

Making memories doesn’t have to cost {an extra} penny.

It’s time that is invested in one another that will give you the greatest return.

Here are ten simple, hands-on ways to spend time together and have fun as a family, on any budget.

Let the kids cook! – (age appropriate, obviously) Let the kids make menus of available food and beverages readily available and treat mom and dad to a night-off in the kitchen.
Go for a walk – around your neighborhood, or at a local park. There is much to see and learn in nature. And the fresh air and change of scenery is good for any soul after a long day of work.
Family game night (y’all know I am a huge fan) – Whether it be Pictionary, Tic-Tac-Toe, or whatever deck of cards you have on hand. Playing games with children encourages not only good sportsmanship, but also conversation. You’d be surprised what you may learn about your child over a good game of Scrabble.
Volunteer in your community – Serving together as a family, helping others in need is an incredible way to build family bonds. Making a difference in someone else’s life is always time well spent.
Hopscotch – Supplies needed: chalk and concrete. Not available? Here’s a great idea I found on Pinterest for making an indoor hopscotch.
Family read-aloud – What better way to end a busy day than snuggled up with a good book?
Pitch a tent – Whether it’s in your backyard or in your living room, what a fun treat this is for kids! (without the hassle of packing the vehicle) Spend the night enjoying Smores, sharing stories, and searching for constellations.
Picnic at the park – Family time doesn’t have to always be in the evenings. Spend a Saturday morning at the park, bike riding, throwing the frisbee and wrap it up with a picnic lunch.
Movie marathon – Together, choose a fave family movie or sitcom, grab your favorite snacks and, with the help of Netflix or your local movie rental store, settle in for a night of R&R.
Unplug – There is no better way to enjoy your family than to be fully present. Try it for at least 24 hours and see how much more relaxed and happy everyone is. I guarantee you will make this a regular event.

Over the next few months, I look forward to sharing at The Homeschool Village ways to foster fun family togetherness! In the meantime, you can follow our crazy adventures on our family blog, or on Facebook, or for a dose of my daily randomness, on Twitter.

Diary of a Homeschool Newbie: That Break Did Us Some Good!

Erin — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:00:29 +0000

Diary of a Homeschool Newbie: That Break Did Us Some Good! is a post from: The Homeschool Village February Sponsors Teach Them Diligently Maestro Classics Katie's French Lounge Cafe Luv That Avon

Day 92: Oh, the days leading up to Christmas break have been like torture. Neither of us are enjoying much of anything school-related, except maybe the Advent crafts we are doing. Frustrations are high and patience is VERY low. Note to self: Never EVER evaluate your desire to continue homeschooling right before Christmas break.

Day 93: AND….We’re back! Wow, that two weeks was exactly what Big J and I desperately needed. Even though I am exhausted from being in my third trimester, I have found renewed energy and joy in teaching him. Thank you Jesus! I know sunshine and roses won’t follow us through every single day of the rest of this year, but breaks are truly a gift from God. And Big J received Bananagrams for Christmas, so we’re having fun with some new word games as part of our school day!

Day 100: PARTY TIME! Such excitement around the house today as we celebrated our 100th day of school! We followed our usual morning routine, but the afternoon was reserved for lots of fun activities centering around 100! Big J thought maybe the 100th day meant we were almost done for the year, so I had to break that news to him, but otherwise much fun was had by all! {And I did a little happy dance because I made it through 100 days and I still want to keep going!}

Day 104: The post-break honeymoon has somewhat ended and Big J is needing new forms of motivation. We are now battling the monsters of stalling, whining, and distraction – fun… So behavior goals and rewards are being set for each week and we’ll see how that works. Still trying to figure out exactly what motivates this boy – and the “still trying” part is key! And praying for a revelation in this area!

Day 110: Starting to imagine what in the world homeschool will look like for us once baby arrives. We are due February 28th and I have scheduled a couple of weeks of break around that time. I’m thinking we may ease back into school before that break time is up, though. Lots of reading can be done while snuggling or feeding a baby, right?! I know I can’t predict what any of this will look like, but I am trying to plan ahead some – I bought some new workbooks at the dollar store that the boys can work on “for fun” but still be learning. Big J LOVES word finds and Little J LOVES doing any kind of workbook, so I’m stocked up on both! I guess we’ll just see when baby decides to show up!

I know there are some experienced homeschoolers out there who have gone through the transition of adding a baby in the middle of a school year – any advice?!

*****

Erin’s writes about life in the crazy {and awesome} world of boys at Home with the Boys. She is the co-founder of The MOB Society.

Being a Good Steward of Your Health

Shannon — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:00:55 +0000

Being a Good Steward of Your Health is a post from: The Homeschool Village February Sponsors Teach Them Diligently Maestro Classics Katie's French Lounge Cafe Luv That Avon

Stewardship is often thought of as something to do with money and we will even venture into the arena of time and taking care of things. But many moms, especially homeschool moms, need reminded to take care of themselves- to be good stewards of their health.

Many of us face inadequate health insurance, no health insurance, or lack of access to quality caregivers and supplies. We have learned to take steps towards prevention and a more proactive approach to our own health.

My reality that forced me into better stewardship? 1) No health insurance. 2) Nasty, nasty gene pool.

Good stewardship applies to me taking as much care of myself and my health as I take with my children’s. If anything does happen to my good health, my family will know it wasn’t because I did not care for the temple of God. Yes, a temple. I want to encourage you to take care of yourselves with the understanding that you are a temple of God if you are a believer and follower of Christ, and because of that, you need your rest (another article!) and you need nutritional items and supplements.

Let me lead you to research an item on your own: Matcha Green Tea.

Type that into your search engine and here are some key things you will find out about this tea:

1. Highest antioxidant count of all- antioxidants are known to prevent cancer. They surround and protect the cells from any radical changes.
2. High in chlorophyll- this very bright, green powdered tea comes from the plant being harvested at its peak. Not dried and fermented like other teas, the whole green plant is ground into powder and is digested. Chlorophyll removes toxins and metals from your body.
3. High in amino acids- these boost your metabolism naturally and with no side effects. No buzz. No crash. High alertness. So good for our mommy brain!
4. High in L-theanine- a natural aid in relaxation. Yes, a boost in energy at the same time you are relaxing inside. Can you imagine?

I have been using Matcha Green Tea daily since April. I have an auto order at Amazon for less than $20 a month. I had immediate results in alertness, ability to focus better, and energy. Long term effects I am benefiting from are regular periods (this is a BIG deal in the late 40′s trust me!), and loss of inches- not pounds which means I am burning fat not muscle.

I recommend you invest a bit of time in yourself in the next couple of days and do some research on this tea. Stewardship of your health is vital to your family, it’s NOT a luxury or an indulgence!

I drink my Matcha tea cold and in a water bottle. You don’t mess with an Irish woman and her hot tea.

Remember, my friends: “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?” 1 Cor. 6:19

Shannon homeschools in WV and writes to her 4 sons at www.cisforcoes.blogspot.com.

Uncluttered for Lent

Jen — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:00:02 +0000

Uncluttered for Lent is a post from: The Homeschool Village February Sponsors Teach Them Diligently Maestro Classics Katie's French Lounge Cafe Luv That Avon

Lent begins Wednesday and there couldn’t be a better time to spend some time reenergizing and ordering our homes. So what does Lent have to do with organization and the keeping of our home? More specifically with home education?

Lent is a season of self-examination, fasting and penance in preparation for Easter. A time to turn our lives more completely to Christ and leave behind an old way, a cluttered way of performing a task in order to embrace a new, more holy (orderly) way of living.

Organization is more of a habit than a skill. A habit that is very much worth sharpening in ourselves and instilling in our children. I’m a firm believer that if we have a physical space free of clutter, its much easier to focus on our spiritual lives. The same is true for our children. If they live and work in a space free of unneeded clutter, it leaves their hearts and minds open to ponder more beautiful thoughts.

“ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious…think about these things” {Philippians 4:8}

Lent is a great time to tackle this specific project of clearing our homes of unneeded items. It’s a challenge. As homeschoolers we have lots of things that we “need”, books, craft supplies, books, curriculum guides, hands on learning materials and more books! Those of us with more than a couple of kids tend to have clutter multiply before our eyes. Plus, we’re busy and it can be tough to add one more “to do” item to our list. But taking a full 40 days to tackle different areas in the home can be very manageable.

A couple of years ago my husband and I had several areas in our home that needed some attention. We sat down and made of list of the problem areas and wrote each one on a specific weekend of the calendar. Each weekend we worked together to complete the project. Working together made the projects go more quickly and efficiently. We were also able to have our children join in on the endeavor.

At the end of the six weeks our home was less cluttered and we had some new, more efficient ways of organizing our things. We were on our way to cultivating new habits of organization for the entire family. The very best habit is to continually be in de-clutter mode, but sometimes that’s easier said than done. Lent is a wonderful time to embark on a more organized and streamlined home.

Another popular way to declutter during Lent is to do a “40 Bags in 40 Days” challenge. While it may seem impossible to fill up 40 bags worth of stuff, remember that no one is checking in on your bag size, whether it’s a garbage bag or a much smaller grocery bag, the point is that you are getting rid of items that are getting in the way of your most important job, creating a home that is focused on Christ. By the time Easter arrives both our homes and our hearts are ready to welcome the risen Lord.

Here is one mom’s list of her forty areas to de-clutter. While you’re in the de-clutter mode, here’s a great way to keep your items organized until making the trip to donate your gently used things.

Jen is a wife to one amazing husband and mom to six energetic kids. Visit Forever, For Always, No Matter What where she blogs about their Catholic faith, homeschooling and adoption. @jen4ever4always

Am I Always Doomed to Fail?

Beth — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:00:30 +0000

Am I Always Doomed to Fail? is a post from: The Homeschool Village February Sponsors Teach Them Diligently Maestro Classics Katie's French Lounge Cafe Luv That Avon

Recently, I was walking through my house feeling pretty disgusted. The dishes were dirty and all over the kitchen counter, the laundry pile was big enough to eat me, there wasn’t a place to sit on the couches for all the clutter and toys, and the kids were full of demands on me and my time. And in one of my more ungraceful moments I just yelled out “I QUIT!” ”I refuse to answer one more silly question. Nor will I change another diaper. I do not want to referee another argument, and I WILL NOT rescue anyone else from certain doom.” “I. AM. NO. LONGER. ANSWERING. TO. MOM!”

And in true drama queen fashion, I stomped off to my room and slammed the door. Any one else ever been here? I was just spent. I had no more left to give.

It wasn’t long before the Holy Spirit began to convict me. Again, I had acted the pouting child, and again, I hung my head in shame. It was in my weakness I asked God, “Why do I always fail? Why can’t I be that Mom that does it all? The one blogs and books are written about? With a smile on her face, and a song on her lips?”

As Moms, we often think that all we need is the right program, and the perfect family will arise. We spend fortunes on books that teach us the perfect plan for discipline, hundreds on planners so we can perfectly fit everything into our day, and thousands on organizing systems so all our stuff can be perfectly in place. So why, Momma, are we still so weary and troubled? Why am I still failing?

I have a hard lesson for us. Not many will admit it, much less say it. Mom, it is all your fault. AACK! I know. You were looking for support and comfort. Bear with me. I discovered that night, it wasn’t my family’s fault. Children make messes. Dishes get dirty because we have food and need to eat. Husbands work hard and need rest when they come home. There isn’t a book or program out there that can fix that. Laundry will always be there, clutter will never leave. You cannot point the finger any where else. Trust me. As a mother of eight and a pastor’s wife, I have plenty of practice pointing fingers and trying to blame others.

But as I sat in my room that night, the Lord spoke to my heart.

“Yes Child, there are days you will fail.”

“Yes, at time, you will be ugly.”

“But it’s not about you, or what you can do. It is about Me. I AM. I AM making you who I want you to be. I AM making your heart soft. I AM working in your children. I AM leading your husband.”

It is only through fire we shall be made pure. Dear Mother, read through Job chapter 23. It speaks to my weary heart with every word. This is where we should turn our hearts, not to self-help books. God’s Word is where we should lead other Mom’s to read. Not to an author’s words, or a book’s story, but to the Creator’s wisdom. “God knows the way I take, when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold” (v 10).

It is in our failures God’s glory shines. Am I a good enough Mom for my children? Nope. But God is. God takes my failures and works them for good. This is where our hope is, Sisters! Be still in the Lord, and know He is working!

Beth is a pastor’s wife, mom to five boys and three girls. She loves to sew, crochet, read, and bake in her spare time. You can see what her family is doing at Sew Anyhow and follow her on Twitter at @BethSewAnyhow.

All Because Of A Little App

Marci — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:00:36 +0000

All Because Of A Little App is a post from: The Homeschool Village February Sponsors Teach Them Diligently Maestro Classics Katie's French Lounge Cafe Luv That Avon

While browsing education apps on my iPod touch, I came across an app called Sky View. It caught my eye because I have been interested in the stars and constellations since I was young. Growing up, I loved to sit outside and stare at the inky night sky dotted with brilliant tiny lights. They seemed so random at first, but the more I studied them, patterns and designs emerged. I could see how the ancient peoples could see familiar shapes and characters.

Although I was always interested, I never formally studied the constellations and curiosities of the night sky. I thought this little app might be a good learning tool. And, it was free, so even if it wasn’t, no harm done. I downloaded it.

I was amazed at what this little app could do. It unlocked the mysteries of the sky for me. It was better than any star chart or book I had tried to use in the past. I called my daughter over and we spent an hour or so just studying the sky with our new resource. We were learning so much that it made us more curious and we just had to learn more. So, we downloaded the paid version. It was $1.99 well spent.

Now, the whole family uses the app. We take it with us everywhere and have stopped the car along a dark stretches of country road to study the night sky on more than one occasion. The Sky View app has sparked curiosity in all of us. We wanted to learn more. The kids and I went to the library and grabbed some books on the night sky, space and constellations. Reading those books filled our family time for a few days.

Thanks to that little app, the night sky has come alive for us. There isn’t a time one of us looks at the sky now and doesn’t start wondering and talking together about it. It has allowed us to spend family time learning and not even realizing it! Are we studying astronomy in our homeschooling? Not officially. That’s what makes this family time learning so special. It is fun and will probably stay with us longer than much of our formal studies!

Now, off to find my next favorite app! Any suggestions??

What spontaneous learning experiences has your family taken part in?

Homeschooling mom, blogger and science lover, Marci, can be found at Overcoming Busy and The Homeschool Scientist.

Teaching the Love of Baking

Joy — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:00:12 +0000

Teaching the Love of Baking is a post from: The Homeschool Village February Sponsors Teach Them Diligently Maestro Classics Katie's French Lounge Cafe Luv That Avon

I have memories of when I was young, being in the kitchen with my dad or grandma baking and cooking. Now that I have my own children, I have always tried doing the same thing with them.

There are plenty of ways that a child can help in the kitchen, even from a young age. Begin with showing the children the different food items that can be found in the kitchen when you begin a recipe. It is important to makesure you don’t get any of the ingredients mixed up, like sugar or salt! Once you gather the ingredients for your recipe, you can move on to gathering the different tools that you will need for the recipe. Since my daughter and I was making cookies, she helped me gather the measuring cups and spoons, the mixing bowl, spatula and baking sheets.

Even if they can’t read, I always show the kids the recipes that I am using. I point out the words of the ingredients and show how much it is in the measuring cups or spoons. Kids enjoy holding cups and pouring ingredients into measuring utensils and mixing bowls.

**Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 sticks butter (softened)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or you can use milk or dark chocolate)
1 cups chopped pecans – optional (or any other type of nut)
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large bowl, until creamy. Add eggs, one at at time, beating well after each egg. Beat in flour slowly. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.

Joy is the wife of one amazing husband and the mother of four wonderful children. Visit Joy at her blog to find out more about her life in the Great Smokies!

Small Diet Changes Can Make a Huge Difference

Sandra — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:00:50 +0000

Small Diet Changes Can Make a Huge Difference is a post from: The Homeschool Village February Sponsors Teach Them Diligently Maestro Classics Katie's French Lounge Cafe Luv That Avon

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned in the last year since our son’s autism diagnosis is that small diet changes can make a huge difference, for all our kids.

Is your son hyper at a certain time each day? Does your daughter have a hard time sleeping at night? Do your kids have bumps on the back of their arms? Does your little one gets lots of ear infections? All of these issues could be related to diet!

How do you know if a health issue is related to the food your child is eating? The first step is to keep a food and mood journal for a week. Write down everything your child eats and drinks. Keep records of his moods and symptoms. Once you have a food and mood journal, become a food detective.

Start by looking for easy cause and effect relationships. If every time ______ happens, _______ follows, you may have found a food issue. You may realize that your son gets a headache every time he eats peanut butter. Find a way to fix the most obvious problems.
Look at health issues. The most obvious are problems with digestion including stomach pain, constipation, or diarrhea. Often these issues can be elevated with diet changes. Thousands of people each year are going gluten free and finding their digestion issues are solved. We found our son had trouble digesting dairy products when we realized in his food and mood journal that his favorite foods were high in dairy. Once we decreased the amount of dairy he had, the little bumps on the back of his arms cleared up. When we talked to a nutritionist, she said his constipation, arm bumps, and even his thick ear wax were all ways his body was trying to defend itself against the effects of too much diary. Eliminating dairy can also help decrease the frequency of ear infections for some children.
Look at mood changes and sleep patterns. If there are issues in this area, the first step to take is to read food labels. Most children are sensitive to artificial food dyes, processed sugar, and caffeine. Then, decrease (or eliminate!) these stimulants. For example, when my six year old son gets home from Awana on Sunday nights he is bouncing off the walls. So one week I asked what they had for a snack. “Cookies and fruit punch,” he said. The red dye in the “fruit” punch he was drinking was making him hyper and unable to go to sleep on time. We convinced him to ask for water with his snack and he has been calmer and able to get to sleep on time.

One of the benefits of homeschooling our kids is being able to make sure they are as healthy as possible. We can choose what is best for them so they are as healthy and comfortable as possible.

Have you noticed a connection in the foods your children eat and their moods or health?

Learn more from these resources:

What’s Eating Your Child? The Hidden Connection between Food and Childhood Ailments: Anxiety, Recurrent Ear Infections, Stomachaches, Picky Eating, Rashes, ADHD, and More, by Kelly Dorfman
The Unhealthy Truth: One Mother’s Shocking Investigation into the Dangers of America’s Food Supply–and What Every Family Can Do to Protect Itself, by Robyn O’Brien
The Kid-Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook, by Pamela J. Compart and Dana Laake.

Sandra is a pastor’s wife and mom to two boys, in the process of adopting from Ethiopia. She is the author of the e-book, Speechless: Finding God’s Grace in My Son’s Autism.

Virtual Valentine Exchange

Stef — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:25:05 +0000

Virtual Valentine Exchange is a post from: The Homeschool Village February Sponsors Teach Them Diligently Maestro Classics Katie's French Lounge Cafe Luv That Avon

a little Valentine from us to you – Thank You homeschoolers for always sharing your encouragement here to lift up others!

Happy Valentine’s Day !! We all are so thankful for each of you and our homeschool community! What better way to share a Valentine than with ALL our homeschool families ?! Link up your post and let’s share the love today!!
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God”. 1 John 4:7

* this is a link up for homeschool moms to encourage other homeshool moms (please do not link up your craft tutorials or homeschool lessons – please link directly to your post not your homepage)