You Said You Wanted to Hear More About Homeschooling

So, tell me...

What is it you want to know?

Take a gander at my Homeschooling Mother page and then come back here and leave me a comment or question telling me what you'd like to know about our homeschool, what you'd like to see more of here, and what I could do to the Homeschooling Mother page to make it more user-friendly.

I'd love to talk more about homeschooling, but kind of feel lost about where to begin.  Help me out here!  Thanks!

Finding a New Obstetrician

 40 weeks pregnant

Crunchy.

Yep, that's me.

I breastfeed, cloth diaper, eat whole grains, buy organic, drink raw milk, use herbs, and generally stay far, far away from medical intervention.  In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times our family has been to a doctor (outside of the OB's office) this year and last year combined.  Not that I hate doctors--some of my favorite people just happen to be doctors by trade--but I do prefer to treat as best as I can at home before running to the doctor's office for an antibiotic or some such thing.

So, WHY would I choose to go to an OB to have my babies when I could homebirth with a midwife--or at the very least, birth in a free-standing clinic with a midwife?

It all comes down to a simple phrase a dear La Leche League leader said to me as she helped me work through the trauma of my first c-section:

Have the best birth YOU can have.

(For more information on C-section trauma and what you can do to avoid another c-section,visit 

ICAN : International Cesarean Awareness Network)

 In 2000, I sought out a particular doctor specifically because I had heard she had a fantastic VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) rate.  I dearly wanted a VBAC and she was confidant I could do it.  Sure enough, 2.5 yrs after my first child was born via emergency c-section, we welcomed baby #2 via VBAC.  It was a beautiful experience--and a healing one.

After that, I had very little desire to go to anyone else.  I was connected to my doctor through the thick thread of birthing success.  I was having the best births I could have and I couldn't imagine going to anyone else.

And then it happened...

My doctor decided she would no longer be delivering babies.  I was devastated....to put it mildly.

By this point, we had shared 2 miscarriages, 4 live births, the death of my daughter, and I was in the middle of my pregnancy with Micah.  Looking back, I am so very thankful the last baby she delivered was the child that brought such healing to our family following our daughter's death.  The birth was traumatic and I wouldn't have wanted someone who didn't know our grief to have delivered him.

So, the search begins...

I have no expectations.  I shared a decade with this doctor.  Is there even the hint of a possibility that I could find something similar somewhere else?  I doubt it.  But, I'll make a good effort.  I'm setting up some appointments to meet other doctors. (honestly, I feel like a dork doing this...how do you judge a doctor in 30 minutes?)

Would I ever consider homebirth at this point?  No.  It just isn't in the cards for me.  And I'm okay with that.  I'm old enough now and have had enough children to know what I want and be pushy enough to get it...even in a hospital.

So, really, this search for a new obstetrician is all about me...and having the best birth I can have!

Morning Sickness & My To Do List

photo credit

I feel yucky...

oh so yucky...

it's just ducky how yucky I feel!

(kudos to whoever can name the musical spoof!)

OK, seriously.. Morning Sickness.  Need I say more?  It really puts a cramp in my To Do List. 

Nowhere on my To Do List does it say

Hold Down Couch

or

Live In Bathroom

or

Sleep All Day

yet, that is what I find myself doing.  All. Day. Long.

Sure, I have moments of coherency in which I do a mad dash of schooling along with a shot of meal planning and put the rest of my life on autopilot, but that To Do List?  It just sits there.

If you walked in my house today you wouldn't believe my post on what my day looks like because my day just doesn't look like that in the early stages of pregnancy.  I wish I could say my children are in such a good routine that they just automatically keep on with the cleaning schedule, but hey, they're 11 and under and cleaning is not high on their priority list (even though they are the most awesome kids on the planet!)

So, I have a plan.  Wanna hear it?

I have a list on my table that I make each and every day that only has 5 things on it.  That's it.  5 things.  I don't allow any more than that and I don't allow generalities like Clean the Garage because that is just too big of a project to be 1 thing all by itself. 

My list today says,
1. Make bed.
2.  Put away my basket of laundry
3.  Clean around computer area
4.  Scrub cast iron skillets
5.  Clean main bathroom toilet

That's it.  Those are my must-do tasks for the day.  That way when I look back on my day from a horizontal angle, I will not feel like a failure.  Even if the floor is a mess and the dishwasher needs to be loaded, I will have done 5 things and those other things can be added tomorrow.

I might even start making a 5 Things List for my children!

So, how do you deal with To-Do's in the throes of morning sickness?

This post is linked to Works For Me Wednesday.

Motherhood Isn't for Dummies

The Artist's Mother

A friend from high school emailed me years ago to say how much she enjoyed reading my blog.  As a prospective stay-at-home-mom, she was thankful to see that my "job" had opportunities to exercise the gray matter floating between my ears (those were not her words--she was MUCH more eloquent). 

I do have to say that my main source of "exercise" in this area is due to the fact that we homeschool.  I sometimes think I've learned more than my kids!  I now have a passion for history that never existed before.  I understand the WHY behind math concepts that used to be a mystery.  I look forward to each school year for what I will glean from the lessons as I teach them to my children.

However, there is a second way in which I exercise my gray matter that often ends up being ignored.  It comes in the form of the myriad of logistical issues that arise from the daily life of a large family.

Sometimes it involves coming up with a workable laundry system.  Sometimes it is reconfiguring bedrooms to get ONE MORE BED in there.  Other times it is simply a matter of getting all 5 little people to be quiet at the same time!

Motherhood isn't for dummies!

You gotta stay on your toes.  You have to be a thinkin', movin', workin' machine or else the 4 foot and under crowd will leave you in the dust!  Whoever thinks I spend my days wiping noses and changing diapers and never manage to have a creative thought or a time when I speak with an adult vocabulary is sadly mistaken.  How in the world did motherhood get reduced to the lowest common denominator?

I am passionate about my role as wife and mother, and anyone passionate about what they do will do an excellent job at it.  (Not that I think I'm "excellent", but I am having fun!)  So, contrary to popular opinion, it truly is possible to be a housewife and mother and still be required to use your brain on a regular basis.  In fact, "regular basis" would be the understatement of the year!

The mind is a terrible thing to waste...Praise the Lord we have motherhood!

Speaking of motherhood, visit my BlogFrog community and hit me with your best morning sickness remedies!

How My Weight Loss Goals Were Thwarted (and why I'm ok with it)...

Quick & Easy Taco Salad

Finding time to make lunch when you homeschool can be a challenge, so I thought I would share with you my absolute favorite "help-I-ran-out-of-time" lunch recipe (which doubles as my "help-I-ran-out-of-time" supper recipe!):

Taco Salad

lettuce
beans
hamburger
tortilla chips
cheese
salad dressing or salsa

Shred lettuce (as you can see we added spinach leaves as well), add beans and meat, crush tortilla chips, add cheese.  Serve with dressing or salsa.  Watch 'em devour it!

(Note: Often I end up thawing the meat in hot water and then cooking the meat on low with a lid on it while we continue to school.)

This post is linked to Finer Things Friday
and

Helping the Speech Delayed Toddler & Preschooler at Home

Once upon a time, we had a non-verbal toddler.  It's hard to tell in young children how their speech will develop prior to the formation of sounds, then words, then sentences. As we came to the realization that our son was not progressing as a normal toddler would, we chose to wait rather than worry.

While we waited, we taught him baby sign language for the everyday words he needed to use but could not form.  It took him less than a week to begin using the signs we were teaching.  His screaming for what he wanted lessened dramatically at that point and eventually stopped altogether.

About 6 months later we began hearing him form consonants and babbling as he should have done in babyhood.  However, there was a lack of consistency in sounds and coherent words.  But we continued to wait and see.  A few months later, we saw very little progress, so we decided a hearing screen was needed.  We walked away from that appointment with the knowledge that our son's ears were perfect and the reason for the delay was unknown.  K was 4 months shy of his 3rd birthday and the doctor suggested we "wait and see."  So we did.

The very next day he said, "Mama."  My heart melted.

I'd like to offer you a bit of a checklist based on the advice we've been given and the things we've done over the past (almost) 4 years to help our son go from non-verbal to full sentences (as of this month!).  It's not comprehensive by any means, but it does contain the things we've found to be most helpful in the process.

1.  Make sure your child is not tongue-tied.    This was the first thing I checked when Keian was about 4 months old.  I knew from my La Leche League experience that tongue-tied babies often have trouble nursing and make clicking noises when they do nurse.  K didn't have any issues with nursing, but I knew he wasn't babbling as you would expect by that point, so it was a natural thing to check for.

2.  Teach sign language, but never use it in place of verbalizing.  Baby signs are a great tool, but you must ALWAYS SAY THE WORD with the sign.  Using sign language with your child will not delay them even more if used alongside the word they are to be learning.  In fact, the repeated use of the sign AND the word together actually encourages the child to take that step into speaking because they are being inundated with the word over and over again and they believe the word and the sign go hand in hand.

3.  Speak to your child on your child's level and enunciate words clearly.  Get right in front of your child when you speak to him.  For Keian, we even break words down into syllables, enunciating each syllable distinctly and asking him to repeat after us.  We also break down sentences into individual words.

4.  Ask them to repeat after you, but don't overdo it.  Parroting is an excellent way to get your child to at least try to speak intelligible words, but if you harp on them too much, you will only aggravate them and reap the opposite result.

5.  Read and interact with them for 15 minutes every day ALONE.  This is difficult in a household our size, but I managed to shut us up in the bedroom and read to him as much as I could.  I didn't usually get 15 minutes in because he thought that was a bit too long, but what time I did get was spent reading and asking questions and helping him to respond (and of course, sharing tons of cuddling!)

6.  Be aware of tongue and teeth placement in speech.  I can thank my semantics class in college for introducing  me to this very important part of speech therapy.  You have to know how letters are formed in order to help a speech delayed child.  You have to have a basic understanding where the tongue and teeth are in each sound made.  It's not hard to do if you take the time to consider your own speech, but it can be hard to get across to your child.  This is where a good speech therapist comes in quite handy.  But even if you do choose to take your child to a speech therapist, it is still good for you to know the basics of tongue posture to be able to work with your child at home.

7.  Get their ears checked if you don't see progress (or if you feel there is something more than just a speech delay going on).  Keian was almost 3 when we decided we had to take him in for more than just a simple ear exam.  There are conditions where a child seems to be hearing you, but what they are really hearing sounds as if they are underwater.  This causes many letters to sound garbled to them, which in turn, causes them to be unable to pronounce the sounds correctly.  We didn't want to leave any stones unturned in helping K speak, so we chose to take him in and were pleased to find out his ears were just fine.

8.  Praise them for their progress (even if it isn't much).  Children love praise and need to know they are on the right track.  If your child manages to eek out one little syllable, praise him mightily!  It's a start!  Let them know they've done something right.

Keian continues to be about 18 months "behind" in his speech, but as long as he is consistently gaining ground, we are pleased and will continue to work with him here at home.

*****

Don't forget I'm also at The Homeschool Classroom today with my post

Homeschooling Mamas Need a Planning Period Too!

Our Shelf and Basket Laundry System

I've talked a bit about our laundry system before, but I've never really fully described the whole cycle (pun intended) for you and thought I'd take a moment to explain how we handle laundry baskets around here.

Next to my washer and dryer is a 3-tiered shelf.  On each level sits a laundry basket.  The top level is the basket I share with my husband.  It is the largest (for several reasons I'll explain in a moment).  The second level is the basket that goes to the Boy's Room and the 3rd level is the basket that goes to the Girl's Room.  We labeled the bottom of each basket with the initials of each child who's clothes go in that basket (and Emily's "E" is still there).

Labeling this way  is particularly helpful if you don't have a designated boys and girls room.

As part of morning chores, the older children grab their baskets and haul them upstairs.  Theoretically, the little kids are supposed to pitch in and help put away their own clothes; although I'm really not sure how often that actually happens.  I do know Micah is banned from helping because he does more "throwing" clothes than "putting away" clothes!

After they have put away their clothes, they get to toss their laundry baskets down the stairs.  Yes, I do allow this because I have to admit, there is something quite satisfying about throwing an empty laundry basket down the stairs!

Now, the quick why behind my basket being so much bigger. (and yes, I throw mine down the stairs too!)  Besides the obvious fact that my husband and I are bigger than the children, I also put towels and sheets in my basket.  I am the one who puts those away, but I suppose you could have yet another basket just for those items that don't really belong to anyone, but still need to be put in their rightful places.

When I head out to climb Mt. Washmore, I simply grab the discarded laundry baskets at the foot of the stairs and put them back on their shelves.  Each shelf is labeled accordingly.

As each load comes out of the dryer, I pull the baskets out and fold the clothes right out of the dryer and into each basket...girls...boys...mine...etc.  I put the baskets back into the shelves and the cycle starts all over again.

This is the way we've been doing it ever since we moved to this particular house where the laundry is downstairs rather than on the main level.  It keeps the laundry room tidy and makes it easy for the children.  And hey, it Works For Me!

Oh, and in case you are wondering what that piece of paper taped to the wall next to the baskets is:

Sometimes we need to be reminded Who truly does the washing...

*****

Catch me tomorrow at The Homeschool Classroom!
and
Yesterday I was at EcoBabySteps.com and totally missed it!  Head over there and read my first guest post:
Breastfeeding and the Fringe Benefits of Frugality

Staying the Course in Child Training

couch

Prior to moving to the city, we attended a close-knit home church we had lovingly dubbed The Pilgrim Church because we moved from house to house never "settling" anywhere in particular.

Being a part of a family-integrated home church allowed me the opportunity to watch other families deal with certain behaviors in their children.  After church, the mothers would get together and the topic often turned to child training and the tips of the trade, so to speak.  During these Titus 2 type discussions, I gleaned so much wisdom.  I learned to improve my attitude, my children's attitudes, and the family's attitude in general.

As a large family, it is imperative that we stay the course in child training, not because we are stared at everywhere we go, but because we desire to raise up children who know the Lord.  Chaos and disobedience do not point our children toward God.  They point our children toward self.

Perhaps you are curious about the things I learned from these more seasoned mothers.  Here is just a sampling of my lessons:

* Large families that "appear" perfect did not get that way over night.  Many of them trained at home--blanket time, family devotions, etc.  And often what the world sees is the result of days, weeks, and months of training.

* They come prepared.  No matter where they go, they are prepared...everything from extra clothes, to special books, to drinks.  Not having these things just creates stress.

* They are discreet and cheerful.  When, not "if", a situation arises that requires discipline or correction, they do it quietly and without causing a scene.  I have witnessed mamas correct an unruly child in church with what looked like no more than a nod of the head.  I, on the other hand, often got exasperated and gritted my teeth before finally taking the offending child out in a huff to give them what for.  I was no where near calm and peaceful because I had either let it go too far or I had expected too much or I was worried what others must think.

* Pick your battles.  Not everything is worthy of discipline.  Some things simply need a quick, calm, cheerful answer and that's it.  Some behaviors are age appropriate.  Sometimes we have simply asked too much of our children (sitting too long for example).  Often a child needs to be shown grace.

* When the behavior cannot be dealt with in the public eye, leave and be prepared to spend as much time as it takes to correct the behavior.  You cannot be selfish and be a good parent.  There are going to be times when certain activities just aren't going to be enjoyable for you because you are staying the course with a certain behavior.  You may spend the entire church service in the hallway.  Know right now your success in teaching your child depends on your own attitude.  Also know that if you stay the course it will pay off.  Someday you will spend the entire church service IN CHURCH.

* Remind yourself of this verse:

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.  For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.
Philippians 3:1

Stop viewing your child training years as tedious.  You are your children's safety net.  To have to correct over and over again is definitely work, but never wasted work. 

It all boils down to the three words one mother whispered to me one particularly rough morning during church...

Stay the Course!

You Can't Just Sit and Watch

Haiti

All too often we just sit and watch...

Our bath water is hot, our drinking water is cold, our food is fresh, our houses are still standing.  We are bothered by the destruction in other countries like Haiti, but not bothered enough to do anything more than sit and watch.

Or perhaps we just don't know WHAT to do.  That's the category I usually fall into.  I sit and watch because I just don't know HOW to help.

Well, not this time.

I had originally planned to join with other bloggers in raising funds for Haiti by donating according to how many comments my post on Haiti received; however, I later decided this was something we needed to do as a family.  So, our family is giving through Compassion International.

If you are someone who usually sits and watches because you really aren't sure what else to do, then please consider joining our family in giving...even a small amount...to help those devastated by the earthquake in Haiti.

I've been sent some great links since writing this and thought I'd share for anyone interested in giving, going, or helping in other ways:

Show Me Haiti
Numana (Food packaging event in Wichita, KS--I'm sure there are others around the U.S. if someone has links to those, let me know!)
Bridge Ministry
Christian Light Foundation

Grapeseed Oil Winner!

Congratulations...

Stephanie

You're the winner of the Grapeseed Oil Giveaway!

Thank you to all who entered!  If you didn't win, you can still order from Amanda through her site!  And a big thank you to Amanda for offering such a great giveaway!

See you back here on Monday!
(hopefully by then my gates will be back up.  Note to self...never blog at 1:30 in the morning!)

Contentment When Life Ain't Funny

Honestly, I don't know how my son ended up like this. (Probably one of the siblings being funny.)

But, as you can see, K was NOT happy with his circumstances.

Since no one else in the house would help untie him, he came waddling in to his loving mother, who promptly snapped photographs of him in all his discontented glory.

(Poor little guy.)

However, after I snapped the first pic, a huge smile erupted onto his face and he began laughing...

Suddenly, his being tied up with a rope didn't seem so bad.  He'd found contentment (or at least something to be happy about) despite his "afflictions."

Paul talks of his contentment in Philippians 4:11...

...for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content

Contentment comes from knowing Who is in charge.

K knew that if Mommy was taking the time to take pictures, he couldn't be in too bad of shape.  I was in charge of the situation and he didn't worry how things would turn out.

If we know Who is in charge and how He is working for our good, then we won't feel so desperate and so out of control. 

Yes, life has many difficult twists and turns and sometimes things feel all tangled up.  But remember, what we see is not what God sees.

And while my previous analogy makes a point, let me clarify that God is nothing like a mother who rather than come to her child's rescue, spends time doing something petty like taking a photograph of her child's distress.  God is perfect and loving toward His children and if He delays, it is only because the time is not right to rescue you from your afflictions.

May you find contentment today amidst whatever trials you may be facing.  He WILL give you rest.

*****

Tomorrow you can find me guest posting at Kitchen Stewardship!  Hope to see you there!

Our Library Book Box

For years, we've kept a library book basket or box, but most days it was a jumbled mess of overdue materials. We just couldn't seem to keep track of when books were due and were forever paying late fees (and late fees on books for 5 kids and 2 adults...well, you can imagine!)

A few weeks ago, while lamenting yet another round of late fees, I decided I had to brainstorm a solution.  Here's what I came up with.

First, I cut the thick plastic front out of one of my daughter's discarded toy boxes.

I cut the plastic down to a rectangle that fit well on the side of my library box.

Then, I taped it to the side of the our library box with clear packing tape. It's a little tough to see here, but I taped the top and bottom only, leaving the sides open.

I neatly lined up the library books (spines up) with the library bags stuffed in on the sides.

Finally, I looked up online when my books were due (because I had misplaced my due date receipts--imagine that!)  I had two different dates these books were due, so on two different pieces of scratch paper, I wrote the due dates and slipped them behind the plastic.

There is also room in the plastic sleeve to place my book receipts next time so I can see precisely what books have been checked out on what date when it comes time to return them.

(And yes, I know it looks like my books are once again late, but I wrote this post several weeks ago, so that explains the dates!)

So, how do you handle library books?  I'd love to hear about your tried and true methods of keeping it all straight!

Linked to:

I Was Frugal Before Frugal Was Cool

photo credit

I used to say I was patriotic before patriotic was cool.  My husband joined the Army Reserves in 1997, and I have to admit, there was something slightly aggravating to me about 9/11 creating a host of flag-waving Americans who couldn't muster support for our troops prior to that.

Well, frugality strikes me similarly.  A recession (or whatever you want to call it) shouldn't be the only reason we decide to be frugal...especially as Christians! 

I grew up in a frugal household as the by-product of the marriage between a Depression-era child and a penny-pinching single mom.  They had me only because it fit nicely into their budget.  I have no full-blooded siblings because an addition of that sorts wasn't a financially sound decision (or so I suspect).  Mom and Dad never have quite understood the economics behind my growing brood...more than likely because there are no economics to be understood. (But, THAT, my friends, is a post all its own!)

I spent my growing up years learning to turn OFF lights, NEVER letting the water run while I brushed my teeth, and believing LEFTOVERS were worthy of a meal all their own.

I was frugal by default.

And here I am 30-ish and still frugal.  I'm not a fly-by-night, in-these-uncertain-times coupon-clipping, plastic-sandwich-bag-washing kind of mom.  I'm frugal because I don't know any other way to be.

So, has the economic downturn affected our family?  You can bet your WalMart jeans it has.  But am I scared?  Nope.  You see, all the things the "experts" are telling me to do in order make it through the recession, I was already doing...not because I want to be economically savvy, but because FRUGAL is my middle name! (thanks mom and dad for giving me such a cool middle name!)

But honestly, as Christians, we SHOULD BE economically savvy!  Frugality is all part of the Christian Conservationism I talk about on my About Me page.  It's ECONOMY that stems from THEOLOGY.

When God gave Adam and Eve "dominion" over everything, do you really think He meant trample it all to the ground and use it all up as quickly as possible?  Do you think the Lord is pleased when we spend and spend and spend on STUFF, rather than investing in the only thing that matters...His Kingdom?

Frugality should be part of our lives so that GENEROSITY (in the Lord's name) can be part of our lives! 

Don't let the recession get all the credit...It was God's idea first!

Wanna Win Some Grapeseed Oil ?

OK, let me back up a bit...

Back in December I heard a bit about grapeseed oil and thought it might be something worth trying.  I'm always up for learning about something new (or something new to me) so when Amanda @ "Popp"ing Out One Letter At a Time offered to host a giveaway of one of her Wildtree products, I jumped at the chance to sample the grapeseed oil.

A few tidbits of grapeseed oil info...

• High in Omegas (mostly 6 & 9)
• Rich in antioxidants
• Rich in linoleic acid
  
• High flashpoint

I ended up trying the natural butter flavored oil because I had several ideas of how I wanted to use it and was excited to see how they worked.

So, here's what I did:

Mashed Potatoes
Instead of adding my customary butter, I used the Wildtree butter-flavored grapeseed oil.

I have to admit I was not prepared for the light green color and wondered how this would fair in my white taters.

Lookin' good!
and the taste was absolutely buttery!








Next...

Popcorn

A family favorite, but one usually done in an air-popper.  We hadn't popped popcorn on the stove in years, so this was quite a treat!

My husband did the honors...

And everyone dug in!

Ty said he was expecting the popcorn to be oily, but it wasn't.  In fact, there was absolutely no need for the greasy mess of butter on this popcorn!  It had a rich buttery flavor that made for a quickly emptied bowl!

The latest thing we tried was using the grapeseed oil as a dipping sauce.  Now Wildtree makes some yummy sounding grapeseed oil dipping sauces, but I wanted to see how one product handled diversity.

I think this one ended up being our favorite!  I added salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder and everyone grabbed some crusty french bread and devoured it!  The wonderful buttery flavor was a perfect compliment to our bread and I ended up having to make another bowl because of how much my children enjoyed it!

So, there you have it...our adventure with grapeseed oil!  Now, don't you want some too?

Here's how to enter:
Please make each entry a separate comment!  And please make sure I have a way to contact you.

1.  Post a comment here.  Try to be creative and incorporate something about grapeseed oil into your comment, but if you don't, you still get an entry cuz you're cute!

2.  Blog, Tweet, or Facebook this giveaway.  Each of these is 1 entry.  Please make each one a separate comment.

3.  Buy something from Amanda between now and the end of this giveaway and get 5 entries! (you can let me know you've purchased something from her in just one comment--I'll make sure I get you all 5 of your entries)

The giveaway will end THIS FRIDAY (January 15) at MIDNIGHT.  Winner will be announced on Saturday!
Good luck!
Disclosure Statement

Why You Should Participate in the Carnival of Homeschooling

1.  It's fun!

2.  It's easy (see THIS LINK)

3.  You'll get to share about your homeschool (anything from your schedule to encouragement to your latest homeschooling project--the sky's the limit!)

4.  You'll get blog exposure.  (I have found some great blogs through the Carnival...like my friend Renae over at LifeNurturingEducation.com.)

5.  You'll get to hang out with me!  (notice this is the very LAST reason you should submit a post, but hey, I think I'm fun! lol  Here's a couple of posts I've submitted to the Carvnival:  Declutter Me and The Shame On Me Sea)

So, IF you homeschool and IF you've ever written anything about homeschooling on your blog, then consider submitting something for the Carnival.  It doesn't have to be fancy.  It just has to be real.

The Carnival runs every Tuesday, hosted by various blogs.  All submissions are due by 6:00 PM (PST) on the Monday evening prior to the Carnival.  Go to THIS LINK to submit one of your own!  Hope to see you there!

(and by the way, since we're talking homeschooling...why not take a look at my new Homeschooling Mother page!  All the gates in my menu bar now have new pages attached to them, and I'll soon be linking up the About Me page there as well, so click around and let me know what you think!)

Six Weeks of Sonlight - Every Curriculum Has Its Cons

Part 4 - Every Curriculum Has It's Cons

Originally, I had entitled this post, "Not a No-Brainer" because frankly, that sums up the majority of my "concerns" surrounding Sonlight.  However, that title could be a bit misleading as Sonlight doesn't require extensive hours of preparation.  What it does require is a homeschooling parent willing to think.

Several years ago, I was not willing to think.  I hoped someday I'd find a curriculum that did all the thinking for me.  Told me what to think would be more like it.  Year after year I searched for the perfect curriculum that either believed precisely what I believed or told me what to believe when I wasn't sure of a subject.  Imagine my dismay at NEVER finding such an animal.

I know it seems like I bring nearly everything back to this, but losing a child changes everything...even homeschooling.  I realized I could no longer take other people's opinions/theology/identities and make them my own without doing my own homework first.  I used to listen to one homeschool speaker and Amen him all the way to the next homeschool speaker where I would find myself Amen-ing that speaker even when his or her theology or ideas were in direct contradiction to the previous speaker!  I was wishy-washy (and I still am at times because God isn't finished with me yet!), but being forced, by the death of a child, to face what I believed head on, I came to the understanding that I could not check my brains at the door and ask a curriculum to do the hard work for me.

Do I agree with everything I encounter in Sonlight?  No.

(Sonlight handles some tough topics.  I would love it if Sonlight would include Scripture references in their discussions because the difficult subjects brought up in their books require further discussion, and I am not always able to find the Scripture references I need to fully discuss the subject matter.  I don't need Sonlight to tell me what to think, but I could use the time saver of having the references readily available.)


Do I keep a running commentary with my children on every single book they read?  Yes.

(Until they can see false doctrine and systems for themselves, I have to "Salt" them myself.)


Do I read the materials and give my own opinions, encouraging them all the while to formulate their own opinions?  Yes.

(Steep them in the Word, folks!)


Are there little things I wish Sonlight would do that would make my life a whole lot easier?  Yes.

(the Instructor's Guide tells you when there is map work to be done, but not when there is timeline work, and tabs on each section of discussion questions would be rather handy--I'll be adding these myself, by the way.  And once again, great discussion questions, but I would love for Scripture references to be given.  All of these are little things that would save me time and energy.)


Is it ridiculous to think I should only use a curriculum that is "perfect" and one that I 100% agree with?  Yes!

(I don't even expect that from my closest friends!)


It is also ridiculous to think I should use a curriculum that does all the thinking for me.  I might as well send the children to public school if I'm looking for that.  I don't care what curriculum you use (or even if you're children ARE in public school!), you CANNOT detach yourself from what is being taught and allow the curriculum to have the final say.

Sonlight forces me to have deep theological (even in the 3rd grade!) conversations with my children.  It forces me to talk WITH them and not AT them.  It teaches me that there are many sides to an issue and we cannot ignore those sides just because we would rather they didn't exist.

I have learned a ton in six weeks.  I have grown in my homeschooling in six weeks.  I am excited to see what the next six weeks and the next six weeks after that bring.

So, now it's your turn...
Got more questions about our experiences with Sonlight?  Want to share your own experiences--good and bad?  Head over to my Blog Frog Discussion.  Like I said in Part 1, I'm not an expert, but I am a real homeschooling mom who cherishes honesty and openness.  If I don't know the answers, I'll try to send you to someone who does.

Sonlight Series:
Part 1 - Why We Bought Sonlight
Part 2 - How We Chose a Core
Part 3 - Making the Curriculum Work for You
This is Part 4 - Every Curriculum Has Its Cons

Six Weeks of Sonlight - Making the Currirculum Work for You

Part 3 - Making the Curriculum Work for You (and not the other way around)


If you have more than one child and you've homeschooled for more than a couple of years, you've more than likely heard the term "multi-level teaching"...and it struck fear in your little bitty homeschooling mama's heart.

I always knew there would come a day when my oldest was not the only child I was teaching.  I clearly remember the panic I felt when I added Child #2.  However, she was such an enigma (and continues to be...remember the sponge analogy from this post?) and homeschooling her has just now, at age 9, taken on something resembling "normal" schooling. (why is it I cringe when I type the word normal?)

This year saw the addition of Child #3.  However, her schooling was more about giving her a love for learning than it was about formal schooling.  With this in mind, I knew our Sonlight purchase would be for my older children.  That was where I needed to put my energy when choosing a Core.

I explained why we chose Core 3+4, but I did not explain how we've made one Core work for 2 very different children.

Core 3+4 is right at Meg's level as a 3rd grader.  She is a voracious reader, but easily overwhelmed by extra busy work.  She prefers to do her work orally when possible, and despises competition.

Blake is a 6th grader, so Core 3+4 is technically "beneath" him.  He is also a voracious reader and loves a good discussion.  He works well independently AND corporately.  He's an easy-keeper when it comes to academics, but is easily bored if there's not enough substance to what he's doing.

I stressed over choosing a Core that was "beneath" my oldest son, yet the books included were good books I wanted him to read.  Come to find out my stressing was all for naught.  The history lessons have been relevant and solid and I've easily been able to supplement both the kiddos reading lessons with extra books I gathered from lists found in a wonderful book entitled All Through The Ages. (Please go check out this book!)

I've also learned I don't HAVE to do all the things suggested in the Instructor's Guide, especially on the days when Megan feels overwhelmed.  I do all the questions from the history and reading selections orally in more of a discussion-like atmosphere so no one feels bogged down by more writing assignments.  And I use the chapter assignments listed in the IG as guidelines rather than set-in-stone requirements.  Some days we read more...some days less.

There is very little extra fuss to Sonlight.  No extra projects cluttering my lesson plans, no extensive books lists making me think I HAVE to force my children to read every single book or they will somehow have missed out.  All of it is there, in an easy-to-read format with extra space for me to write in MY projects or extra book suggestions.

Honestly, much of my ability to make Sonlight work for me rather than the other way around has to do with maturity as a homeschool mom.  There truly are no perfect curricula out there (my next and last post will deal with some of the cons I see in Sonlight and my thoughts on those), but when you gain a certain level of maturity as a homeschooler (which has nothing to do with age and everything to do with finding your niche), you realize just about any curriculum will work IF it is designed with your particular personality in mind.  When mama finds a good fit, she can make it fit the entire family.  But you HAVE TO give yourself permission to be the master of the curriculum and not the other way around!

Sonlight Series:
Part 1 - Why We Bought Sonlight
Part 2 - How We Chose a Core
This is Part 3 - Making the Curriculum Work for You
Part 4 - Every Curriculum Has Its Cons

Six Weeks of Sonlight - How We Chose a Core

Part 2 - How We Chose a Core


I thought I should explain how we chose a Core to start our Sonlight journey because it offers some insight into our homeschool philosophy as well as how I teach (or plan to teach) multi-levels of children.

I have always been drawn to the Classical cycle of homeschooling.  There is something right and good about following history chronologically, even when it causes me angst.  This year we were supposed to be starting world history over from the beginning.  I got just a few short weeks in to it and realized I could not follow the path that ominously stretched before me with the curriculum I had chosen.  All I could see was a big black forest.  Overwhelmed would be an understatement!

This is when I began researching and researching in my obsessive manner.  I knew I could not let go of the chronological format, but I had to let go of something.

Once the decision was made to go with Sonlight, I had to choose where to start with a 3rd grader and a 6th grader (our preschooler and kindergartner are homeschooled a little less conventionally).  I wanted so badly to start with the beginning of time where we had already tried to make a start, but in Sonlight those years are Core 1 & 2 or 1+2 (which was too young) and Core 6 & 7 or Alt 7 (which would be too difficult for my 3rd grader).  This is where I had to give myself permission to be flexible and take a different approach.

I chose to look at my children as a whole.  Someday each one of them will be added to the equation.  I needed to think about what the future would look like and find the simplest solution to the problem...

Child #1 (age 11.5) & Child #2 (age 8.5) will continue to be homeschooled together.
Child #3 (age 5) & Child #4 (age 3.5) will also be homeschooled together.
Child #6 (age 1) is the odd man out right now and will be on his own unless another baby makes it's appearance in the next year or so.

That means, at some point in time I could be looking at 3 different levels of teaching.  I already feel overwhelmed!  How could I manage something of that magnitude?  I knew I needed to find a way to streamline.  The best way to do that was to set a course that smoothly transitions each learning level into the same time period as the learning level above it so mama is never teaching more than one time period in history.

To do this with Sonlight meant starting my oldest level of homeschoolers in Core 3+4 this year, moving them to Core 5 next year, and then when the next level of homeschool students are ready to join a formal schooling atmosphere (as formal as it gets in this household), everyone is on the same page...Core 6 for the olders, Core 1 for the youngers.  Both groups studying world history from the beginning in their own level.  Bliss for my little chronological heart. *happy sigh*

So, that is how we arrived upon Core 3+4.  Next post in this series will deal with how we make Sonlight work for different ages and abilities and how I've learned to master the curriculum and not the other way around


Sonlight series:
Part 1 - Why We Bought Sonlight
This post is Part 2 - How We Chose a Core
Part 3 - Making the Curriculum Work For You
Part 4 - Every Curriculum Has Its Cons

Six Weeks of Sonlight - Why We Bought Sonlight

Part 1 - Why We Bought Sonlight

I am not even going to presume myself to be a Sonlight expert, but I've gotten some questions about it and thought it might prove to be an interesting topic.  So right up front here in the title of this series, I'm going to tell you I've been using Sonlight a whopping 6 weeks.  With that knowledge in the back of your mind, read on...

Sonlight has always been one of those curricula I dismissed as "not for me."  I don't know if maybe the price tag scared me so much that in a sort of "sour-grapes" attitude I was trying to convince myself I really wasn't missing much?  Or perhaps I was just overwhelmed by yet another curriculum.  No matter the reason, it wasn't until my friend Carrie took the leap a year and a half ago that I even began to take note of Sonlight.

Carrie considered Sonlight a breath of fresh air...like she had finally come home.  When I asked her husband how he felt about the price tag, he exclaimed the peace of mind it gave her was worth every penny!  Now THAT got my attention!

Then my friend Sarah began using Sonlight.  Her personality is very similar to mine when it comes to homeschooling.  We're both rather laid back...maybe too laid back at times.  One of my biggest fears with using a curriculum like Sonlight was that it would force me into a schedule.  However, here was Sarah telling me she never feels boxed in by Sonlight.  She felt like she was accomplishing a lot without feeling like a schedule was looming over her head.

Okay...so far, so good.

Then, Kimberly at Raising Olives did a series on Homeschooling and included her experience with using Sonlight for 7...count them..7 years.  I couldn't even imagine for one second what it must be like to use a curriculum for SEVEN YEARS.  Now, that must be SOME curriculum!

So, I began researching...and researching...and researching.  (yep, I was slightly obsessive!)

I just happened to have a Sonlight catalog on hand because I've always loved to peruse their book lists.  I read that catalog frontwards and backwards.  I dog-eared, I sticky-noted, I scribbled all over the thing until it was in shreds.  (obsessive? ya think?)

From there, the only thing left to do was to take the matter to prayer (and confer with my husband, of course!)

Sonlight just seemed like a good fit...my literature background, my children's voracious reading habits, my need for flexible structure (how's that for an oxymoron?)  And so we took the money from savings and bought Core 3+4.

So, now you know WHY we bought the curriculum.  Next post I'll attempt to explain our reasoning for buying that particular Core.


Sonlight Series:
This is Part 1 - Why We Bought Sonlight
Part 2 - How We Chose a Core
Part 3 - Making the Curriculum Work For You
Part 4 - Every Curriculum Has Its Cons

I'm Writing for The Homeschool Classroom!

I am sooooo excited to tell all of you about the Grand re-Opening of The Homeschool Classroom site, and the fact that I recently joined the awesome team of writers there!

I have been inspired so much by this site and I know you will be too!  The site offers a continual stream of great homeschooling ideas that never leave you feeling overwhelmed or confused.  I would highly recommend you bookmark the site, or better yet, subscribe in a reader or for email updates.  Hey, they're free!

Now, I want you to head on over to the site and check things out there!  And don't miss all the wonderful GIVEAWAYS up for grabs!  That's right, there is a plethora of giveaways to be had!

Can't wait to see you there!

It Was a Happy New Year Indeed

Last year, I rang in the New Year by having a baby.

2010 was spent watching him grow.

And yesterday he turned 1!

He's walking (but still prefers to crawl).  He "reads" as he thumbs through books (yep, we're raising another one!)  He slept through the night last night and the night before! (now, that's a record!)  And he's gorgeous...breathtakingly, heart-sighing, makes-me-want-to-cry-tears-of-joy gorgeous!

So, how did New Year's go for you?  (I'll be honest with you...I'm getting old...ringing in the New Year was WAY more about the kids!  I was just the clock-watcher...wondering how long before I could put them to bed!)