Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About CREW and HSing 2010-11

The Question: Please share your favorite homeschool experience in relation to your participation in the Crew this year! (a resource you received, how it helped your child, God's divine choices for your family, etc...anything.

I'm participating in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew review group's Blog Cruise as a member where we answer a question or write on a different topic each week.  This is the last post this Crew 2010-11 year.

I think I'm putting off doing this b/c I really don't WANT to leave CREW, but by my own choice and due to the changes in my family~THIS IS my last Blog Cruise...I have high schoolers who will be 10th and 11th grades next year. We're heading into a different port on a different ship...Times, they are a changing!

With this I say,

THANKS for the MEMORIES...


And they are soo sweet~


We loved so many different things about CREW... and my fave would have to be the personal connection I have felt with SO MANY of YOU...YOU, dear friends...You have BEEN THERE on lonely, and lost days when I wasn't sure I wanted to go on...even when I couldn't raise my head...YOU helped MY heart.  Crew helped give purpose and push to what a times was a struggle to keep on keeping on...

So with this I wish you all FAREWELL and Godspeed!

Love and Hugs,
(SEE Ya around!)
SisterT

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About Her LIFE NOT HSing

The Question:

If you didn't homeschool, what would you DREAM of doing?

The clock is ticking for us.  In just a few short years, we will be DONE and all that this little 10 word question will take on a new meaning~I'd be LOST, first of all~totally.  This is MY GUT response, but as I reflect other things come to mind...

Like the past...  I am remembering that first year and how sweet my little children and eager they were.  How I taught them sitting on each end of our piano bench with me in between in the recliner leaned forward and each in a little itty bitty plastic chair~waiting and working so hard...What sweetness! Eager learning characterized that first year! I'd take them to the kitchen table to play with water in all sorts of measuring items~cups, spoons, jars, bowls...we measured and poured BIG TIME to see how and what about measuring! So much fun!! Then when I taught phonics, I made flash cards for my son to hop on and say the sound as he went~WOOT! I had to have ACTION in our learning!  I read to them and they listened and we worked in our curriculum~each working while I worked with and taught the next one...taking turns!  It was really sweet...

The present...Today HSing has taken on new dimensions.  I no longer teach every subject, but am here as a resource and essentially a monitor and encouragement!  They are so independent now that they work to do without me~plan their own days and EVEN drive to events without me in the car...oh where DID that past of ours go??  But it's still sweet ~ SOMETIMES! Of course, it's not so mushy and huggy~some bigger kiddos just don't like that, but I still love huggn' on 'em so they know I care!

From the Center Stage Production of Charlotte's Web 4-15-11

My daughter~Charlotte's Baby Spider

The future...I have begun thinking about this b/c as a fifty year old when we are DONE, I will need to have lain some foundation for my future...will I be ready to return to the labor force? Will I WANT to return? YOU BETCHA! POOR isn't fun~but it's been well worth it! And so I believe if I have my health, I will return to nursing~but first in securing that BS in Nursing.  OH YES! Soo a few years BACK I really promised my children that WHEN they went to college I would GO with them at that time...and the clock IS ticking...we don't have long!

First UP~

college student
RN
THEN school again for Legal Nurse Consulting~(oh yes!)
AND WORKING....

But in my life, I pray I am still married~still crafty~still in my church....but God does KNOW, right??

Thanks for stopping by~WHAT'S YOUR dream?
Click on that big ole button to read the rest of the crew~

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About HSing in the SMALL Places!

THE QUESTION:

How do you or do you homeschool in a small area (small space, small house, etc.)?

While I'm not small physically, but financially I AM a small person~I don't have a HUGE grand home~I don't have...blah, blah, blah...but what I do have, has done the job~and we've been doing the job into our 10th year~We've ALMOST completed it, too~woot!!

But HSing in a small place has never been a barrier for me.  In fact, I prefer NOT to have a dedicated  or large space, because twice now, in our HSing I've had them.  I LIKE having HSing integrated into our home and lives~but...this too can have draw backs. Do you have a dedicated space, however small it might be or do you drool over the fashionably design deva coordinated school room~shelves all matching~tools all coordinated~things all orderly and BEAUTIFUL?  Well, yes.  I guess on some level we might all desire that...but I'm here to say that it might NOT be best and it's certainly NOT necessary.  All the 'put together' of the latest-greatest things in decor won't get your children NOR mine taught the 3Rs much less the 'important' things in life.  So SisterT, JUST WHAT are you saying you might be asking.

HSing imho happens BEST in the natural environment of our homes.  RADICAL~I know.  In fact, I've tried it a few times THE OTHER WAY~and while it's very necessary to have essentials like storage/places to sit and the items needed to officiate the learning, all the glitz and glam~WHILE NICE, isn't necessary...and having a small space just might be BEST!
 
Okay~here's my story.  You see, in our HSing we've done it living in...five different homes.  Each had its pluses and minues~but I do know that the BIGGEST waste of energy was early on when I set up a dedicated school room which we QUICKLY abandoned! Why? Because we were too isolated.  ENTIRELY too isolated.  My children nor myself enjoyed being shut away from the hub of the home~our family room (which is essentially a living room.)  And so it wasn't long that the little schoolroom become repurposed into a bedroom and our book shelves found their way into our living spaces.

I think working at the kitchen table gives wonderful importance to the task of doing 'school work.'  And I know that while sometimes our routines might be interrupted b/c we are doing 'school' we do have to dedicate time to it for sure~AND this will mean that when my kids are curled up on the sofa reading or in the recliner or even at the table~there were days and still are they will spread out on the floor~ANYTHING goes as far as WHERE~but the importance of being able to drop all other HOME ACTIVITIES to focus on the educational aspect means that we really value VALUE value the learning that is going on!  Hub stops! Grandma stops! I stop! And even the dogs and cats stop! Everything can be put on hold for that treasured time each day when learning takes precedence. 

It's not always convenient either. We have a tutor coming twice a week and they work at our kitchen/dining table. Our home is open concept so we all leave these rooms in order for peace to reign~I don't fix food or anything~well...I do try to be prepped so when he gets here all is set~but it takes order and organization to pull this off~and believe me, it's not always easy, but we do it b/c it's important!

Finding places and order in the everyday~When we first began and even today, I stored stuff in unusual places for HSing so that it was readily accessible and in the normal environment.  For instance, I used and still do use our buffet in our dining room to store OUT OF SIGHT schooling items.  When they were littles each child had a door and drawer~today it's a chest type and the printer paper/ink and stuff like that is there~printer is beside it~networked over 7 computers in our home! Okay, you get the idea? We put stuff where we can~and of course I have some lovely shelving that hub built just a few years ago(see that pic of the bookcase!)~oh boy! yes! AND these are in our family room which is a very very very small room crammed with three recliners~well, we school between this room and a small space we created to put two computer desk top stations(another pic here with daughter and cat!/son and desktop).  But unless it's the computer stuff they're doing~and sometimes even still b/c they both have lap tops that will access the materials~they will take it all to the dining room table  or couch or even into their rooms. It just makes sense, and my daughter says she can spread out better on the floor with her books.  My son prefers his bed or the couch to read!  I don't expect them to school sitting at those work stations all day~in fact, I hope they won't!  I've gotten padded office chairs, but overall~the kitchen/dining table does it best!

I found, too that I don't *LIKE* cleaning more rooms than are necessary!  Incorporating HSing into our lives has worked so well~that I don't ever plan to change this aspect of our lives! Learning IS a natural occurrence of our lives~WHY worry and manufacture the environment?

A few benefits of schooling in the normal environment whatever the size space is that I believe our children not only GET the importance of education, but they learn HOW to learn in the regular everyday.  Nothing hard about that...and also that they can develop a good attitude and probably won't even realize that school happens ALL the time!  Do you realize you are teaching AS YOU GO?  Deut definitely admonishes the parents in the Old Testament to teach their children the precepts of the Lord as they went about the EVERYDAY.  This is such a key to learning how to do LIFE. I'm not an advocate of a 'curriculum' for 'life skills' either. To me, they are best taught naturally!

Tips for HSing in a tight space:
1. Use the storage you have well~organize and catagorize.
2. Weed out! Boy, do I need to do this~in fact..I will be SOON! AND let me say that the public library often has what we need as does digital storage or FREE online~why accumulate and store when online works well?
3.  Use book bags for each child~I did this for years~it made our work portable and kept it all together~
4.  Bookshelves/cases~of course, this will depend upon your actual SPACE in your home, but a single book width bookcase can fit nicely behind most soft cushy chairs in the livingroom or along side kitchen walls~also I've used these in the children's room to organize toys verses the hodgepodge of a toy box making their play items much more accessible.
5. Boxes or baskets~I use these to organize on the shelves to make them seem less cluttered (Ya think? MY STUFF IS WAY TOO CLUTTERED) But in the living spaces baskets and boxes (attractive ones you can make or buy) will HIDE all that school stuff~whoot!
6.  Finding creative places to store stuff: under the couch, in buffets, on book cases, in cabinets, in book bags, baskets on the floor, behind the piano (this is where some of our BIG charts are stored!) and the like...on a door that is always opened~to the back is our daily schedule...we don't have all our school stuff hanging out for all visitors to SEE, but it's there~believe me ;-))

Okay~so that whole crew if offering up their thoughts! Head on over to ck it out            !

BELOW you can see what a 'best' teenage 'friend' LOL did to her pic...LOL! LOVE IT! LOL

Do you have a big place dedicated or do you incorporate it into the natural normal environment of your home?  Thanks so much for coming by~;-))

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About HSing and Housework!

THE QUESTION IS:  How do you divide household duties and needs with your homeschool schedule?

Let me tell you up front what SisterT's attitude is about it~I AM A DECORATOR...LOL, not a housekeeper! LOL..oh kay...Not really!

But I prefer NOT to clean but ONLY when the dept of health is ready to bang down my door...no! I'm really, just kidding!

Here's my philosophy:  EVERYBODY who lives HERE is just as responsible as I AM! So I really don't do everything and don't feel bad about that, either.  There are three adults in this home: me, hub and grandma.  NONE OF US are neat-freaks..but mess-makers! Soo it's a real challenge~and my kids? They do pretty good. In fact, all the responsibilities are shared.

There IS a division of labor around here:


Hub~Hub mostly does the outside duties, but he is responsible for all repair/maintenance and picking up his OWN stuff like clothes and counters and dishes...Hub makes the money and is gone some~so we pick up behind him the MOST of this bunch~

Son~Mows grass/shovels snow.. (hub does it too some, but mostly our son!), clears dinner dishes-puts away all foods, cleans his own room, walks the dog(s), cleans the cat box, hauls in groceries...uh...you GET the picture~

Daughter~unloads dishwasher~puts groceries away~puts towels away~cleans her own room/washes windows.


Grandma~Cooks one meal a day usually the dinner meal and preps often for lunches.  Laundry.

ME~I have kitchen duty which is cleaning all surfaces and dishes each day~I do this at least twice a day to keep everything ready to go as we generally eat at home.  I vacuum, mop, grocery shop and organize~do most of the family buying, deal with most administrative things in the home, also prep and plan~buy for our home such as towels, and consumables....make all appointments, taker over all slack in the house, and now I am a learning coach in stead of the TEACHER I once was~but TRUST ME, I still teach...LOL...this area won't ever end...

OKay you get the idea of our DISTRIBUTION of labor!  But if I had to DO IT ALL~my Lord! HOW could I?? I'd never get it all done! In going with the virtual academy this semester, my hsing duties have changed. I am no longer totally responsible for the content and teaching of our schooling~but when I was~I just juggled...as best I could...KEPT MOVING...doing...RUNNING...but today with older kids, life is easier~yes, Mom~having gotten this far does come with benefits~

EVERYBODY has always helped in our house though...this is how I've taught life skills...we ALL worked!
(You can read my post about teaching Life Skills!) Everyone in my house has worked since we ...WE...and so it's been this way~since my kids were old enough which was about 3-4 they've helped and done...Oh NOT the list of things they do now..but things like dusting baseboards and washing walls WITH ME...LOL..it was fun! Soo they thought..then!

I'm a believer in training them EARLY~I'm NOT the maid and overall 'do girl'~it's a BALANCE and they need to KNOW how to do all this stuff...Better they learn with all the mistakes and foopahs of childhood in the home of mama and daddy so when they get out~THEY CAN!

BTW~my kids know almost all the jobs...we've had them doing them or doing with us for YEARS~not easy, trust me. Sometimes it seemed like it would have been easier to have done it ALL ourselves. For instance, my daughter once took the trash outside and found herself with the trash bag dripping on the carpet along the way~soooo...she fixed a bucket of hot soapy water to clean it up...Sounds GREAT, right?  Did I tell you she used BLEACH?? Well, the carpet was ruined and made it necessary to rip it up...well...well...she DID learn...Another example is the time she organized our laundry room.  When she was organizing and putting stuff 'away,' she put the bleach under the hanging bar with MY DRESSES...uh...can you say~spotted dresses??? LOL..so you see, it might be more work, but in the long run, it's soo worth it!

You know, one thing keeps sounding in my thoughts is that I had to let go of the 'perfect' image of homemaker, wife and mother~and allow my family to experience life right along side me.  My littles have learned as we went, and I can't think of a better preparation for life~Here's my post again on teaching 'life skills."

This is HOW I'm making it~We ALL DO~
Thanks so much for coming by~How do you do it? Read the TOS Crew on this subject           !

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About TEACHING THE HARD STUFF~

QUESTION:  Do you teach the challenging and advanced subjects if you struggle with them yourself?

This question comes from The Old Schoolhouse Crew Blog Cruise topic of the week~Did you know they're taking on aps for nxt year? READ ON for that link~

Hey, I am fallible~did you know that? I just don't know it all! I have found through the 10 years of homeschooling that I've been a lot like a little toddler who has faltered, fallen and just stumbled a little bit~while making progress in our subjects...it's definitely been a journey~Soo HOW have I handled MY OWN learning curve?

Well, first off, I allow myself this fault.  I mean, WHO can be perfect? Certainly not SisterT, but that little gem of knowledge never helped my kids really, EXCEPT that in this, they have been allowed to see Mom's weaknesses and to SEE HER OVERCOME them~or compensate for them..or even accept them.  I mean, I have had to PUNT sometimes to get stuff covered that I didn't know. Like math for instance. I've spent more money and energy in this subject than any other~ANY OTHER...but when it was 'beyond my pay grade' I had to search and find those who could help us~I've researched and done the best I could. I guess with mo money and resources it would have gone better, but the lesson is to DO head ON with what you've got and can!

This year~I enrolled my kids in the virtual academy which might be taboo for some homeschoolers, but you'd have to admit that it took some guts AND that in a way it's an admission OR seeking help~I just could NOT for the LIFE OF ME issue a certified homeschooling diploma to two young adults at graduation that I was certain would be acceptable to employers and colleges/universities. AND HEAR ME OUT~I read/have read all the hype/info out there on it~I know~I KNOW that hsing diplomas are much more widely accepted~I hear that, but WHAT PATH might my child desire to take that I didn't plan on or cover? I know the military isn't accepting hsing diplomas~only ONE area that I know of..but that is a limit. I don't want any...as best I can provide. WHY make my children at a disadvantage in the final analysis when I have literally spent YEARS and thousands to provide an improved option? MAKES NO SENSE to me, so we are in the best option we've got~certified accredited virtual academy. They're still home. I'm still homeschooling...just that now~my weaknesses are not the limits of their education, nor my resources the limits of their accomplishments!

Okay, so I get it~either way you go. But remember that life is a journey. At what point will I have the opportunity to guide and help them navigate the public arena? First year of college? Will they be more accepting of my guidance THEN than NOW?  I don't think so~REMEMBER being 18 and feeling like parents knew little?  Oh boy! So in anticipation of this little phase of growth into maturation, I felt like these years were the best to journey these challenges.  We're still TOGETHER now and Mom still has a 'few brain cells'~better now while they are still under my love and care...so here we are!

If you find yourself like I have: WITH LIMITS~Lord knows we all are limited in some way~seek God's will for yourself and your children and be prepared to find help as best you can. Search out those options and allow yourself your God given frailty.  He cares and will be there in your lives as long as humility is at the forefront.  He can provide in the most unique ways! It's amazing!

Here's some of what I've done through the years to teach what I didn't already KNOW...ha!

1. LEARNED IT myself..
2. Researched and used some self guided/self instructing curriculum.
3. Networked with others~co-ops, other hsing moms, grandparents~professionals...it's a limitless resource~
4. Stayed positive and continued despite challenges~
5. Asked Hub to teach it~Science and Music are two I can readily think of~along with piano teachers!
6. Try other curriculum OR multiple sources of information/methods for learning it~With this I say being a curriculum review has helped me here. I have gotten to try on different products along the way to see just what fit us the best for essentially FREE~all but my time...and honestly, my time is becoming more at a premium, but if my kids were small~I'd stay up with doing this! CK out that link at the bottom~

Okay, this is it in a nutshell~Just please don't give up~What we teach our children in our character is almost entirely more important than that difficult subject because since life IS hard, they having seen us persevere is such as asset! You can guide them in a positive way~for their futures in your weaknesses~I know...and what a miracle I am seeing in our first semester 9th week of virtual academy! We are so blessed!

Thanks for coming by~WHAT subjects are 'killing' you? Can somebody cure my 'math terrors'?? LOL  Let me know you were here~
Read more from the CREW       !
WANNA review hsing curriculum/products?  GO HERE!

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About Teaching LIFE to Mine~

This week's question:


How do you incorporate life skills into your homeschool routine?

Teaching LIFE skills...Isn't living in the home what LIFE skills are all about?  I am thinking that living in the home with family teaches them as well as relationship skills and more! Remember that ole saying DO as I SAY....Nah, it doesn't work~does it? KIDS are WATCHING...and doing..hopefully right along side of us...

Baking cookies at church~

When my kids were small, they LOVED helping me clean. In fact, I had a special small bucket or small pan that I'd let my daughter and son take a rag and while I wiped walls, they would do the baseboards and floor next to the walls~you know, mops and brooms NEVER get that close to get the filth...and they LOVED washing windows and all kinds of stuff!  We sorted laundry together~even took to jumping in the clothes occasionally! It wasn't all drudgery...my son USED to love to vacuum...ha~NOT NOW.. but he does know HOW!  Also we learned things like setting the table by DAILY setting the table...routines became our lessons~

Construction tools and remodeling~

I've done all kinds of things in our home to naturally TEACH how to mange and live in a home...I sew, so I've shown and given them small projects~never called it 'SCHOOL' but it was! LOL...even taught things like home canning and food preservation/storage and organization.  This was done by things like~assigning a child to write down and list all the food in the pantry and organize it~Also to be the person to SCRIBE the grocery list as we looked to see what was IN the pantry and what was needed  for the following time~I don't always shop weekly...but anyway,

I have also taught money management by GIVING THEM SOME and letting them GO...but also teaching conservation and thrift.  My goodness, my kids are quite the savers! Especially my daughter.  And she is always giving too~not just buying for herself...She LOVES swagbucks! Oh yes!!

Son's landscaping project...

Sooo IT'S JUST plain NATURAL to teach life skills~but I'd say that the MOST important ingredient would be WILLINGNESS to allow your kids to DO...and expecting them to DO...yeah, the job won't be as 'good' as you might on your own, but I've really had an issue with the wording, "Help me." from moms who somehow don't realize that the home BELONGS to everyone and everyone can work and EVERYONE can play~it takes everyone and children LEARN by doing...showing and preaching just are not as effective...and the doing, yes...is a process...but hey, it's soo worth it~

I am thrilled when they do something exceptionally well~like fixing a meal or cleaning up something~If you get sick, mom~you will be blessed by how well your children can continue on...It's amazing!

Thanks for coming by~don't worry about a CURRICULUM, you know how to care for your home and are working through your own life~guide your children AS YOU GO...and they will quite naturally pick up and carry on just as you've modeled..

Head on over to ck out what the CREW is saying~  Let me know your thoughts too~;-))

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About HSing Conventions and Resources!

Sooo, WHAT does SisterT think about Homeschool Conventions~have I  attended: what are the benefits, pitfalls, etc.~what was my experience? I am participating in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's Crew weekly Blog Cruise and so I will answer again this week.  You can read the other Crew's input              !

It IS that time of year again~Spring brings with it a good many offerings in some areas of homeschooling conventions, conferences and book sales for homeschoolers of every age.  Some off classes and seminars for the whole family, while others are just sale/vendor rooms with table after table of everything from the latest curriculum product offering to some offering used book/product sale tables...What you find can be a mixed bag depending upon who is organizing and offering~Call some of them: EVERYTHING: HOMESCHOOLING events.

Photo Credit: Darcy @3boybarians.com

You know, since this is my 10th year, what I've participated in has changed a good deal.  When I first started out we lived about three states away in a little country town near a larger city that has a homeschool group.  At the time, I borrowed a good bit of my resources, and the homeschool group in that larger city offered a book sale each May~I'm assuming they still do this and maybe more, but I went a few years and even in the later years this gathering included some seminars of the vendors on various topics...I enjoyed them.  I found them useful and the biggest thing I liked was being able to actually spend some time with the products BEFORE I purchased them and also the used book sale room.  I am soo into used things, as I have found it to be a great way to go~My love for used began in the borrowing of resources and also in that time and at that particular venue.

Since those early days, we moved two states away from that place and again to another small berg, but with a much much larger city nearby.  I attended one large, and I'd call it a moderately large homeschool convention, but probably nothing like what is offered in the major cities today.  For me it was very large and the vendor room was actually overwhelming.  I really don't like HUGE crowds and while it was, as I might compare it, not the biggest that I can imagine are offered~it was really more EXPERIENCE than I enjoyed, so I have yet to return to another convention/sale like that...no all weekender stuff for me~SisterT is either too old or just not willing to put myself in that much chaos!oops, sorry..EVENT!!  But let me say that in that larger experience, I did manage to purchase a few things, but in all honesty, I bought more and did more in the earlier, smaller format.  For those who organize the large ones, I'm sure that what I am saying might be a surprise, but to me~bigger isn't always better...I like small, intimate gatherings where I have the time and space to experience the things I am looking for to take back to our homeschool.  I like being able to actually talk to the vendors and spend time with the materials...not possible with a crowd around the table/booth or loads of people asking too...I found rushing in large numbers of people exhausting as we moved from one seminar to the next...too much sugar for my dine!

Soo with this all said~would I ever do it again? Probably not.  I live relatively close (just a couple of hours) away from a HUGE major city convention, and while I'd love to meet some of you~my online buds, I'm just not cut out to make that kind of sacrifice of time, expense or effort.  But let me say too, that our needs have changed and are different too~we're doing virtual academy now, so I don't have to purchase everything we need homeschooling anymore~it just isn't a need in this way~I have homeschooling stuff currently, we will never use!  Soo NO, I won't be going...but, if I had much younger children who aren't attending the online school, I would look for a smaller venue such as a homeschool co-op book sale~and even shop on line and swap/borrow stuff...I'd look to the local group or I would ask you all to tell me...and I read your blogs and websites...

NUTSHELL VIEW:

BENEFITS:
There are some~

• Potential networking/friend making/resource ppl gathering
• Actually LOOKING and TOUCHING products
• Talking to vendors/experts
• LOADS in ONE PLACE
• FREEbies/samples
• Classes on techniques
• An event for the whole family depending on the details planned.

 PITFALLS:

There are some of these too~

• Overwhelming (to me) Large place~LOTS of people however nice! (Just too much, imho!)
• Expensive~often there is admission and travel/lodging
• Crowds (if you don't care for them.)
• NOISE~over stimulating for small children and some people
• Potential to spend more than planned or succumb to sales pressure

Alternatives in my mind:

I'd like to think that conventions and conferences are a luxury~something some can afford...

• Network within local homeschool group(s) for end of year sales/swaps
• Online purchasing/research: You can ck out the TOS CREW HERE and other blogs for curriculum insights as well as vendor websites. (CK out my sidebars and the FREEbie/GiveAway tab for free stuff! I've done loads of product reviews too!) 
• Comparing pricing online and in person.  Sometimes there is a difference!
• Shopping secondary market~look at garage sales/thrift stores/used book stores for best prices: know your pricing and have a list of things you are 'looking for' so when you find it you can seize the opportunity.
• Avail of coupons and special vendor pricing and curriculum store sales in your local area.  I recently purchased a workbook for just the price of the book w/o shipping when the vendor had it online at same price PLUS shipping. I saved about 1/2! Now, remember, I am trying to keep money IN my pocket~made no sense to pay the full price plus shipping when our local had it for the same w/o shipping!
• Join up with the CREW~applications for nxt yr are being taken now~Go  HERE!
• Online 'conventions' or group gatherings for home accessed web based conferences~there are quite a few that meet my needs for a variety of reasons ;-))

I could go on and on about how to get curriculum without a convention/larger venue, but for you who enjoy large events and loads of resources in one day or two~conventions are a good thing~

Thanks for stopping by~please leave me your thoughts on conventions and homeschooling conference~
To read more about this topic, go                    !

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About Teaching the Wiggly-Squirmy KID!

I'm part of The Old Schoolhouse Crew review team and each week we are answering a question to offer some collective wisdom on homeschooling and parenting/motherhood/family:  The question this week is: How do you teach the hyper/distracted child?  Boy, can I write the book on this one!  With two ADHD kiddos~let's just say that T I (double GUH) UR...has nothing on us for bouncy-bounce!  Let me explain~

My littles who are now, not so little~were once so wild and impetuous that we did some stuff to keep them safe that seems a little odd to some mothers who don't deal in hyper and compulsive behaviors.  When our daughters was just two, her temper was so firey that she flipped her toddler bed in temper, so we bolted it to the ground...she also took off toward to highway faster than the speed of lightening, and thank God a man caught her before she got into the street!  When I tried and believe me, we only went a few times, to the mall, I used a double stroller~well, I had to use the wrist leashes for them and connect them with tethers to the side of the stroller so they wouldn't run off before I could get them back in it~before one OR the other ran off..this way~they didn't get too far...before I could put them back...I used to walk down the isles of stores saying "shhh...sh....shhhh..." because of CONSTANT incessant nonsensical CHATTER! Let me see...I've dealt in a little fella who learned best jumping up and down~moving as we SUNG our vowl sounds so we'd learn to read!  We would RUN outside frequently up and down the driveway which was off the road a little bit when we were old to get our wiggles to calm down, AND I also used as much hands on~multi sensory stuff as I could...ARE YOU tired yet, from reading what I WENT THROUGH?? LOL...It wears me out just thinking about HOW HARD it was back them...it was truly awful! And I remember clasping my hands in prayer crying out to God to HELP US! My little daughter went to public K and the whole year she was upset by being 'fussed' at and felt her teacher disliked her...this was prior to meds~which BELIEVE ME I resisted for soooo long...in fact, it wasn't until after my son took off running as a 4 year old down the street even with me going after him and calling him back...well, I even applied the ...to the seat of knowledge~ TO NO AVAIL...I used charts and all manner of things to reign us in...I simplified our home with a less is MORE and even tried to keep our lives simple by staying home with a routine and structure while even spending beautiful days in the park which was next to the county library where we fostered a love of books~I'm SURE in those early days they HATED to see our noise and energy come through the door...

But dear friends, let me share that it took time and patience...and neither has come cheaply, for my kids to have learned just HOW to function and listen to their frames to be able to have some control.  My son STILL wiggles and is EVERYWHERE...alllllll the time! I am constantly reminding this 15 year old, "Son, sit down and get your work done!" To which he will reply, "I AM!" Well, it's hard for me to tell as he's sprinting across the room...albeit with his laptop in hand or a book or paper...but...but...LOL!

Sooo if you are dealing with the wiggly-squirmy kiddo~love, patience, structure, less stimulation that is purposeful, low sugar foods~loads of fresh/healthy raw fruits and veggies and virtually NO concentrated sweets/sugars or dies or chemicals, and PRAYER! A visit to the MD for suggestions~even therapy may be helpful to learn coping strategy and be sure to attack the problem while loving~DEEPLY loving your child.  I really have worried AND STILL DO that I don't communicate all the love I feel for my children. Remember a ADHD kiddo is really like a person with a brain who has a light switch that keeps cutting it ON then OFF...and on and on...imagine the frustration your child may feel if he/she only heard about every 3rd word you said and then caught your frustration and anger? NO COOL...no, it's not.  NOT for them or you...sooo education is key here too...and SisterT stands on this as well~that finding proper help is essential.  I've run the course on all kinds of therapies for my children because whether it was behavior related or purely physical alone, help was needed.  To deny a child the possible help is criminal in my humble opinion.  The statistics are out there that a hyperactive child IS at greater risk for all kinds of life issues...WHO wants that?

I prayed a lot too. In the face of negative~deeply negative advice and opinion, I forged ON to find help for my children...I read the conservative parenting opinions that say essentially to use physical punishment and reward..oh MY! Yes, I read it~began and then moved away, because it DID NOT help us...it created resentment and anger in my babies..NOT the desired effects...sooo if you believe a good whipping will do the trick~talk to some adults who were brought up that way...WHAT do they say about the love in their home when as a child?  Of course not all~maybe you had your tail cut as a kid...I did...but boy, I remember HATING my mother too...maybe I'm weird... but I didn't want to RISK such negative emotions being built in them BY MY actions...no, I didn't.

Sooo for the wiggly squirmer~LOVE and acceptance and look at HELP along with the things you CAN do...

And...

• Declutter the surroundings.
• Decrease loud television programing and music.
• Provide quiet and peace as much as possible.
• LOVE a lot! HUG HUG HUG and praise the good...
• I gave mine some silly puddy to play with in church to keep their hands still when gradeschool. When tiny, my son carried match box cars in his pockets...coloring books and puzzles (can be Bible centered...busy hands help the mind listen better and feet still as bottom sits!)
• We modeled table manners and sitting behaviors daily at home so in social situations it was a natural. We ATE at the table with proper manners!
• I read to them even holding them still in my arms when so little they wanted to RUN...then had them hold the books as they got older.
• Toys on a book case verses the clutter of a toy box so it wouldn't overwhelm!
• Calming colors~less clutter~
• Foods~(already mentioned this.)
• Lots of outside play~safe in a contained area or with boundaries~I was very WATCHFUL...
• Took occasional breaks with a trusted family member for hub and I to regroup: GRANDMA!
• Held their hands when crossing the street or busy areas...did this for a long time and maybe longer than some kids who will naturally follow and even PURPOSEFULLY taught walking WITH me...as a skill...
• Proper medical attention if needed...

Thanks for hearing our story and if are interested in reading how the rest of us deal or dealt~Go            !
Leave me a comment~HUGS!

BLOG CRUISE: SisterT's Talkin' About HSing Around Appointments

TOPIC:  How do you juggle homeschooling a child with special needs, therapy, etc? I'm part of The Old Schoolhouse Crew review blogger program and we have a weekly question that we can all participate in to answer~

Here's my take:

Boy, have we been THERE! Frankly, I've been sooo there, that I've not been at home as much as I would have liked!  To stay at home as much as I could, we actually had therapy come to us. All this running and hoop jumping really began before age 3 and so since we had baby interventions at home, and then when he was in preschool for a few hours each morning he had therapy~we've navigated all kinds of appointments!

How to make homeschooling WORK when you're not home much because you have a child with a special need can be a huge challenge!  Just having a special child is in itself a challenge and then ADD all the interventions making it EVEN rougher~I came to the conclusion YEARS AGO that it seemed like the interventions were aimed at making ME feel like we were doing something~something to help~to detract from the issues and pervasive issues that have minimized, but never quite gone away.  Oh, don't call SisterT negative  b/c I've seen tons of progress~but jumping hoops is such a challenge to families with already weakened links that just being drawn and pushed all over the place can make it even harder~I speak this from the heart.  Appointments did make it harder.  It really did. But while my child has needs, so does the entire family~each member needs things and EDUCATION is just one small facite when there are special needs to navigate that require all kinds of time and resources to make appointments all over the place.   

In hindsight we did make it.  We are now highschoolers as you know, and so we have overcome and pushed through much of the running here and running there, navigate this therapy and that intervention that honestly now seems like a far off misty dream!  ONE DAY I will graduate all of the homeschooling and appointments and wonder just where all that time went ~and HOW we made it.  To get us through, I devised some strategy.  It took STRATEGY to make it. It still does but for different reasons~isn't it GREAT we homeschoolers are so elastic and flexible?  Just call me, FLEXA-MAMA! ...LOL...

Things we did to MAKE IT:

When it came to going out of our home to appointments, we had to make some plans.  First I had to know what we needed to cover on the appointment day, so my schedule was huge for me. Then I had to find a way to fit it all into our day even if we weren't at home, so I found a rolling book bag and packed it the night or morning before leaving for the appointment so we'd have 'activities' to do while we were waiting or in transit.  Being prepared was huge as I just couldn't sit there waiting OR allow my kids to just ride and not make use of that time. We have always lived further out from most bigger cities near us, so even if it was just 20-45 minutes to ride in the car, it was well worth having something they could do on the way or waiting.

RIDE School:

I guess it's a cool idea to ride or travel and school. I had no idea I was doing something faddish when in fact, all I was trying to do was survive and keep us going. But things we did in the car were listen to tapes/ cds which could house a world of stuff~things such as our multiplication facts were learned in songs called skip counting songs...also we could listen to stories or books on tape.  We sang and practiced our facts/information whether it was math or definitions such as spelling and vocabulary.  I'd have a child read aloud to me and the sibling too~This worked great! What skills were developed in the car as we traveled to our appointments!  I would have one child read to another~this was great too! Also I would even use small manipulatives for various things~sometimes coloring activities were done too...depended upon the distance. We were always busy in the car~and IF Daddy was driving which he did on long hauls, I would sit in the back and work with them.  At that time, we had a large leisure van so this worked really well...I wonder if my kids remember that?  

Waiting Room School:

When we got into the appointments and had to wait, if I was allowed to go back with my son, I did~but that generally left my daughter with my hub or in the waiting room alone.  Either way she needed stuff to do. No TV watching or just milling around for us!  She kept busy while my son was in his therapies.  Of course, they shared and still do some doctor appointments and now that they are MUCH older, I can leave one at home to work.  Either way, we don't quit working just b/c someone has to get out for an appointment.  

Learning can occur ANYWHERE so we have taken advantage of that fact...We sung a lot too~we drilled, we did whatever we needed and could to keep up our schedule and lessons, even schooled on Saturday and Sundays if the week got too tied up~Schooling was our recreation as well with more relaxed activities, and we schooled EVEN WHEN it didn't feel like school. Educational films, read alouds and craft projects and even Bible studies centered on topics we covered in our schooling so they were natural extensions of our educational week that got too jammed with  appointments so to keep going we did these and we learned. Until  studies helped us here as the extensions were endless covering many many modalities of learning!  We hauled coloring and art and all manner of stuff~Get yourself a rolling book bag~they work great for hauling it ALL with you! An example of this is our Bible studies for our History lessons, where as the teacher the whole class has been taught early church history via ME so my kids had an additional class in it each week~WHY NOT when all the teens under my guidance need to know this stuff? KNOWLEDGE isn't just for homeschoolers! LOL

I also tried to protect our days as much a possible by scheduling appointments TOGETHER and getting providers as near to each other as possible. Just this alone allowed us to stay home more and keep up a good solid school and family routine in our household.  When we had to go it was usually a long drawn out day, but we didn't go as often as we might have if I hadn't planned it this way.  Think about how MUCH your children can take and IF being home would serve your family better~CAN YOU find a way to bring services to your home? Recently I have requested tutoring for my kids for their weaker areas and my special learner,  but I had the choice of going to a provider OR having one come to me. Frankly, I'd rather have them come to my house so that the instruction/provider time is maxed, and it's their travel time, not mine. HOW MUCH can a kid take is a question I ask myself when setting stuff up. Oh, well, I don't always like for providers to 'intrude' if you know what I mean in our little sanctuary (home) but it ultimately works out better by relieving some of the stress of leaving the home during our schooling routines.

So HOW do you handle such situations like doc, dental and other appointments? Do you have multiple therapies to navigate each week such as speech or occupational or physical therapy? What are YOU doing? 

Thanks for stopping by and if you are interested in the Crew's ideas go                ! Leave me a comment so I knew you were here~ God Bless!

SisterT's Talkin' About Her Kids and THEIR Dreams For the Future~

The TOS CREW Blog Cruise question this week is:  What do your children want to be when they grow up and what are you doing to help them pursue their field of interest?

When my children were little, I had BIG dreams as do many moms as they hold their little babies and look into their innocent eyes.  I dreamed of lofty things like doctor, lawyers, Indian Chief...mother, father, teacher, preacher, singer, dancer...well, you get the idea~I DIDN'T KNOW what the future would hold, but I did have some idea that our future would be tied very tightly to our past~and just what we did and do~day by day...tht would equal OUR FUTURE...

Sooo when they were little toddlers and so active and energetic, I would take them to story time at the local library that had a park just across the parking lot~it was shaded with tall, tall pine trees and had picnic tables and benches along with all kinds of climbing and pay equipment~it was fenced in and safe...a GREAT place to spend the days away~library and then play...before naps and meals/clean ups...I believe it was in this environment that the love of books and reading began~blossomed with an eye to the future and desire for MORE...today...

A love of books and STRONG reading skills has to be, BESIDES the love of learning, the greatest academic skill a person can CULTIVATE...oh my! And this is an area we have pursued with passion~all of us...save one...and I'm still working ON HIM...lol...but we have invested our time and energy in a vast collection of books and reading activities as well as goals~each summer my children have participated in the local library summer reading program~You can imagine what this did to my daughter~HER DRIVE to win along with her love of books took her to hold the county we lived in~to have read the MOST books ever~over 1K..NO LIE...and today, she boasts a reading rate of somewhere between 800-1K words per minute..and she WORKS at this...reading IS a huge key to her successes~I certainly don't read that fast, nor type as fast as she does...never will...but my son who has struggled with reading reads, but at a much slower rate~unfortunately he HATES to read~but we continue to persue this for him~

Soo I had to ASK THEM what they WANT to do...

GirlTHINGOne says, "I don't know, exactly.  I want to write a couple of books, and make big money."  Okaay~GREAT...but...of course she talks about everything from law, doctor to...uh...coffee shop proprietor...LOL...WHO KNOWS what will become outta this...LOL...she's putting tools in her arsenal for live~she's driven~she has stick-to-it-NESS~soo what ever it turns out to be~it will be something else! I'm sure!!

BoyTHINGone won't even talk to me about it~"It's none of your business," he's said...OKAY...well, yeah. Maybe NOT, but dude, as long as your plans are to GET OUT of my house at some point and support yourself in an honest and meaningful say~GO FOR IT....The choice IS yours...with love, Mom.

As the Mom of teens, life can sometimes be on the rocks~meaning it isn't always fun or easy~but their dreams are theirs~and it ultimately IS up to them...As for what I'm doing TODAY~I'm refraining from ... uh...lol... and letting them continue to 'live' here and mature..so that they WILL be grown UP...(just kidding!!) But seriously, I have enrolled them into the Virtual Academy k12 school and working to support htem in their journey hof homeschooling~which is QUITE different from what we've done in the past.  They had expressed a desire for a diploma so I am supporting this~also they want college~I probably will go back to work to support that too~in fact~our whole lives are changing.  With the improvement in my health and their change of methods for dreams (me totally schooling verses this online academy) things are definitely different~DIFFERENT..and changed~for the better...

Son HAS GOT to get it in gear...and let me say this...LOL...this ole fat mama is a believer in LOGICAL NATURAL CONSEQUENCES:  son will be old enough to get a permit soon...right??? Oh yeah, and of course HE WANTS to drive.  What 15 year old doesn't want that privledge??  Well, this will bring about a NEED for car insurance right?? Pricey~right??? Okay...Dad won't PAY for car insurance~UNLESS the kids have the good grades discount...KWIM????  LOL....NOWWWWWWW you get the picture...

When my son was little...very little...he put red fingernail polish ALL over his door knob to his bedroom AND on the wall~'gorgeous' art that HE was soo proud of...well, instead of taking it off right away, I left it...for a god wile and said, "Mama doesn't like that~boys paint ON PAPER!" and showed it to him whenever I was in that area of his room...well, fortunately he NEVER did that again...and a little paint took care of it...I've done this sort of thing over the years~my daughter cut her hair~SHE WORE IT for a looooong time..my son saved off his eyebrows...HE WORE IT...for a very long time...uh...seeeeeee the pattern?  LET THEM experience the consequence as much as it's safe to do...then teach around it...so I'm NOW allowing my son to find his way in his schooling~I've taught HOW and WHY~now HE HAS to DO...b/c I can't for him...and if I did~what a cripple I'd be creating...

I have GREAT FAITH and believe they are going to do VERY well~and in God's time and way...who knows but the LORD how it will all turn out...I'm trusting HIM in this...one day at a time~

The CREW is buzzing about this              Ck it out~and let me know what you're up to or what you think~BE BLESSED!!

Blog Cruise: Grandma to the RESCUE and What Daddy Does~

Long past Winter FUN!

The last two week's subjects have not pertained to our homeschool AT ALL so I took those weeks off, but the question this week is:

How are your spouse, grandparents, or other family members involved in your homeschooling?

 There's an interesting story about my son.  When he was little, he was delayed in speaking and therefore learning to read. When a young baby fails to gain the necessary verbal skills early on, it shouldn't be surprising that these created delays that have been a hallmark in our educational process all along~we are playing CATCH UP continuously~But here's that story:

As part of trying to teach my boy HOW to read, I first began teaching the letters and sounds via ABeka Book curriculum K boxed curriculum. He loved it, and we also played with all kinds of manipulatives and did speech services as well...he also attended 3 and 4 year old preschool which he LOVED~and had speech services, but Kindergarten was the year I brought him home and we began learning to read together. Let me say also that I read to the children, memorized poetry, and did all kinds of stuff when they were littles~but he was difficult to understand~but he did try to BE understood~well, it was a challenge!  But anyway, we began working and learning, but it didn't seem to be progressing~at least not fast enough for me.  I also used Starfall.com for the computer games/interactive reading lessons and even the physical workbooks that they offer to NO avail~then I head about a multi-sensory Sing Spell Read and Write (SSWR) program by Sue Dickson.  Enter in some progress as there are songs, games and all manner of FUN with a race track for a race car to mark the progress like a game~this went on the fridge~the resources were colorful and fun! We worked and worked and played and played...still NO independent reading...very little...

We had begun living out of state from where we are originally from and my mother had come to visit~ENTER Grandma! Grandma began to read a loud with him~or RATHER, he read to HER.  This provided some wonderful bonding between them, but also gave my boy some intense one on one beyond what I was doing or had done AND speech therapists~what a blessing! Well, he showed her...something he wouldn't show me...he could read! His skills were stronger than I knew~ha! AND that booger was READING his online games on the computer too~no kidding! 

 

We were in AWANA at church, and my son was a Sparkie at the time which is K, 1 & 2nd grades...anyway, he was working to memorize his verses, and well, one day, I looked over at him~HE WAS READING AND independently memorizing his verses...Ha! WHAT A STINKER! and sooo from then on, I've known that Grandma has a special touch~and he DOES READ, praise God! Well, the upshot is that today, fluency is still an issue, but it's a speech issue, yet; however, reading is a skill he has/is still mastering. He's a freshman in high school and as such took a test to judge his ability and compare him peer to peer~GUESS WHAT? He's inline with the national average for his peer group~Okay, now, I don't know what THAT IS for the public school and it's a little frightening for me to think about it~BUT...he's in there with the whole lot!! Soooo dear reader, WE PRESS ON...(and this is a topic for another day...LOL!)

Daddy has always been part of our homeschool whether it is directly or indirectly.  Right now, he is serving indirectly as our FRONT LINE technical support, room designer, and  TOTAL principle and math and science tutor~oh yeah, I NEED help in these areas, and he's helped our children when it was beyond me~Of course he is absolute disciplinarian and also the leader of this tribe.  His attitudes quickly become theirs in all things whether it's spiritual or relational~he's our mentor.  Daddies are hugely important, and ours is here! I couldn't do this job without him for the good, the bad AND the UGLY parts of our lives together~oh, it's not all pretty~this thing called, LIFE...but we are in this together...teaching our children directly and INDIRECTLY!

Right now, he's out in a freezing garage (we've had teen temperatures these past few days) creating a book/printer shelf to go over my son's work space in the newly renovated (but not  perfectly finished yet) school area. He did that part too~you can read about that in Revamping and Remodeling  
New Method For Our HSing.
 First Day... 
 Change Ahead...
We're Workn' It...

State of the Union...!)  We are a total work in progress~

Grandma lives with us now and her part today is keeping the food rolling and doing laundry.  I clean and teach~Daddy works and builds...the kids work too~we're all doing it ALL together~each part. Grandma is also teaching GirlThingOne how to cook...BoyThingOne is learning this too...

There are some max benefits to having the family all homeschooling together, and since coming to Virtual Academy, the team work approach is even a better fit. Now we have teachers to help us too~and WHAT a blessing to find just how great this help has been!  

The CREW is discussing FAMILY involvement in homeschooling              ! Go CK IT OUT!! 

Thanks for stopping by~leave me a thought or two~how are you doing this day or week? HUGS!! 

Blog Cruise: SisterT's Talking About BURN OUT~YIKES!

After almost completing 10 years, does SisterT know ANYTHING about burnout? I betcha she does! In fact, burnout has been battled on more than one occasion in her hsing career with her children.

I can say that burnout is something we really don't want to talk about as homeschoolers~BUT most of us have experienced it, and if you haven't, I'd say that it could be coming.  It's so common that I'm really thankful for this opportunity to share how I've dealt with it and what new change is up for my family.

Recently I came to the conclusion that something wasn't working well in our homeschool.  CALL IT ME~I wasn't really wanting to work anymore, and then after I had some heart to heart with the kiddos, I realized that they too were having some misgivings.  We all were thinking about the future and our chosen path of homeschooling through high school~and getting SCARED.  Fear was really gripping my daughter who desires to be THE TOP of her class~but with no class~how could she achieve this? She had no peers with which to compare or compete.  We can say it's silly, but my daughter was really struggling with fear of inadequacy.  I COULD tell her a zillion times how talented she is and how well I believe she is doing, but it did nothing. NOTHING.  She was the one who was concerned about getting into college~AND WANTS COLLEGE~soooo this Mama had some soul searching~AND thinking to do.

Was this JUST a case of my burnout and my desire to 'quit' or revamp what we are doing or was this a valid and truly wanted change from our chosen path of education?  I began praying too. I believe these decisions are best loaded into the hands of the Heavenly Father, and so I began asking in earnest that He intervene and show us His way.  I began calling around looking for options too.  Did we want to dual enroll in a local college, begin a high school career track technical school program, look into GED stuff, enroll in an online school~enroll in the local public high school~W H A T ? ? ? was up for my family?

After researching the options, and discussing them with my children~WE MADE A HUGE CHANGE.  We will be beginning second semester in an online program call 'virtual academy' in just a few short days.  This program will mean that we are still homeschooling, but that many of the responsibilities of prep and materials is now provided by the school, and my kiddos are essentially a part of a bigger picture than our little homeschool.  In the end, this program is certified for a HS diploma, and there will be no encumbrances concerning university acceptance based on their high school careers.  WHEW~and they are giddy with excitement!  I am RELIEVED.  I am no longer juggling all the responsibility of their future in my hands soley~Hub and I called in the BIG GUNS by giving this over to a program of study.

Now, this obviously is the first time we've met such issues with such measures~but let me say that the burnout of the past~the stressors of walking this path have been dealt with using similar methods.

I have prayed over burnout many times.  BEGGED God to do what I could not~and taken breaks when we all needed them.  The flex of our schedule helped this greatly.  Give yourself much needed breaks, but when it's school time, hold their feet to the fire~YOU WON'T BE SORRY!  I've been a tough teacher~and I'm praying that it will pay off~I've also researched before all of our options. Whether or not you ever take a new path, it's always good to know what's out there imho.  Knowing options makes the present choice more satisfying~we like knowing what we are doing is BEST for us~and that we made a choice!  Also I talked to my kids.  Hearing their heart on these matters is important.  If your child is 'telling' you something with either words or behaviors~listen up! It will never hurt to hear their heart's cry on these matters.  A child may not have the words, but their behavior and attitudes can sure tell us plenty~if we listen!  And lastly I believe that we're forging onward despite fears and misgivings in trust of God that we are doing what will ultimately please Him.  It's a tough world out there and preparing our children is a HUGE deal~but giving it to God in prayer and trusting Him along the way will give satisfaction and a peace of mind that avoidance by shipping our child off could never accomplish~

Soooooooo if you are experiencing this dreaded condition of burnout, give it to God and take a break to regroup.  Then you will have clarity of mind to go back and HIT IT HARD once again.  Remember that commercial years ago~'CALGON~Take ME away!!!" as the woman reclines in her bubble bath?? WE MOMS NEED those kinds of moments in our lives from time to time~and hey, pull out a nice scented candle for a nice effect~mmmmm.....

How ARE you beating burnout?

Head over              to see what the CREW is saying about it