I’m pretty sure that all moms can use more help, and when you’ve got kids, you’ve got a built-in work force, if you can get them organized! 🙂 In this video I share about the chore system that has worked well for my family for about 15 years. It’s simple and it works!
Teaching math to my kids has been one of the toughest, and sometimes most frustrating aspects of homeschooling. Of the four remaining kids that I have at home, two are doing great working independently using CTC Math and Life of Fred. And two struggle to retain…..just about everything. We have tried many, many different things, and still haven’t found that magic approach that really sticks for these two kids.
Honestly, you guys, while on the one hand I worry about how on earth I’m going to get these kids through high school math, on the OTHER hand, math time is where I really shine as a paragon of patience. And actually, I’m not even kidding when I say that.
I don’t want to mess my kids up, you know? And if they don’t understand, it’s not like that’s THEIR fault, right? And if they feel jittery or upset or like someone is mad at them, how can they use their brain power to hopefully do their math? They can’t.
So, I’m calm. I speak so, so nicely. I gently remind them of what they did yesterday, and the day before, and the day before…..and show them examples.
We get out the white boards and dry erase markers. I talk them through the process. I give them fun little hints to help them remember. (ha)
In short, I’m a paragon of virtue. While the gray hairs are sprouting and inwardly I’m probably losing minutes from my life. lol (But gaining stars in my crown, y’all! Stars in my crown! lol)
Well, the other day one of my kids was just stuck. Absolutely stuck. As it sometimes happens, it was for something that really shouldn’t be too hard for him to do. For whatever mysterious reason (so many mysteries like this in our life!) the way he was trying to think of it was taking him a looooong time.
This mysterious math problem? “What is half of 34?”
I gave him space.
I gave him suggestions.
I wrote out the problem on the white board.
And after about ten minutes, I took my frazzled, frustrated self over to the couch. And pulled a blanket over my head.
Yup.
(FYI: Humor works well to diffuse frustration. And the kids won’t cry.)
I sent the above text message to my friend Amy. She’s a fellow homeschool mom who also has her share of struggles. She also used to be a high school algebra teacher. (So I complain to her about our math woes from time to time) You can see how sympathetic she was. LOL (So glad my suffering can bring joy to someone else! hahahaha)
Well, we got through math that day, of course. And while I was glad that I’d been able to remain calm (nobody could see the faces I was making under the blanket), there was still that lingering worry about the homeschooling itself:
What am I doing wrong?
How can I help my kids succeed?
What if I don’t figure it out in time?
Will they be ok?
Am I screwing this up?
Now, I’ve been at this homeschooling gig for a long time. This is the end of our 18th year since we began, in fact, and two of our kids are grown adults. So, I can objectively know that things will come together sooner or later, I am not screwing everything up, and they will be ok.
But those doubts and fears can creep in. In some seasons it can feel overwhelming.
I don’t have any pretty answers for this. This is just the tension that goes along with the responsibility of being in charge of your child’s education. And for those of us with kids that struggle with academics, it can be regularly daunting. I don’t share this in order to provide an easy answer. It’s only to let you know that we all have these things. You aren’t alone.
If you want to feel less alone, if you want to hear from a mom who tells it like it is, let’s get connected, ok? You can sign up to get my newsletter, which includes a bunch of stuff including regular from-the-trenches posts from me. You can follow me on Periscope and interact with me over there live. I also plan to get going on Facebook live, so if you Like Enrichment Studies over there, we can connect that way, and you’re also welcome to join the Enrichment Lifestyle group on FB as well. I just know it helps to keep it real with other people that are also going through the same kind of stuff.
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In a recent newsletter I talked about my inability to join in on the blogging trend to give tied-up-with-a-bow answers to life when it’s tough. I got lots of emails from readers telling me how much they could identify with what I was saying, and that they appreciated the honesty of just admitting that yes, sometimes things are hard and there is no nice, easy fix.
Sometimes the tough stuff is extraordinary: a health crisis, a financial difficulty, hurting relationships, or dealing with major life changes. More often the tough stuff is made up of ordinary life: The toilet’s not flushing right, the drier needs to be repaired, your 6 year old isn’t reading yet and you’re not sure how to help her, and you have no idea what’s for dinner tonite. When it comes to issues with the way we’re taking care of our family and our home, the guilt and worries can become overwhelming.
It can be really easy to get down on yourself. “What’s wrong with me?” “Why do I stink at this?” “Somehow I’ve got to get better at this.” “I’m failing!”
I probably don’t know a single mom that hasn’t felt like this at one time or another. You are not alone! One thing I do know is that it can be powerful and important to hear from others that can help us balance our perspective and restore our hope! So often what feels like utter failure at the end of a hard day (or in the midst of a hard week/month/year) is not quite so terrible as what you think it is.
While I’m not a fan of the Pat Answer Club, what I am a fan of is empathy, encouragement, and practical ways that we can help ourselves when the going gets tough. One of the things that can help is simply connecting with other moms that understand what we’re going through. Joining me on Periscope, Facebook, or my weekly newsletter can help. I love to spend time other moms and keep it real and encouraging. 🙂 I hope we can connect!
Today I have a great guest post to share with you from Candace Cornelius of Breathe Belief blog.
There has never been a greater time to learn and homeschool our children. More and more parents all over the world are deciding to take on this amazing lifestyle.
Since my husband and I began homeschooling our children, we have discovered that larger communities recognize homeschoolers and put on several family learning events. These exciting events have been a powerful way to supplement our homeschooling efforts.
In my community alone there have been opportunities to participate in:
* A live interactive physics show put on by the local university.
* A professional orchestra’s free family events. Children were able to try instruments, do hands on activities and listen to live musicians perform musical numbers designed just for children.
* Nature center classes offered exclusively to homeschoolers. These have been held during the day to fit homeschooler’s schedules.
* The local science museum has various classes, experiences and contests for children.
* A state wide science fair just for homeschoolers.
* Puppet plays.
* Performances at The Children’s Theater.
* And several free and educational library events.
By participating in these community events, your children gain an incredible amount!
1. They get to truly experience the real world. They don’t need to be stuck in a class room all day! Isn’t this one of the greatest benefits of homeschooling?!
2. They can create new relationships
3. They get to learn from real, hands-on experiences rather than lectures and work books.
4. They gain exposure to new teachers, mentors, and ideas.
5. They get to have FUN!
So, how can you go about finding awesome local events in your area? Here are my top 6 tips:
1. Join homeschooling Facebook groups. Facebook houses hundreds of groups of exclusively homeschoolers. Many of these groups are divided by geographical area. Try searching, “Chicago area homeschoolers. In these groups, parents are always posting about fun happenings in their area and inviting other homeschoolers to go along with them.
2. A simple internet search: Google “family events” in your area. Many organizations are advertising their events online.
3. Attend local homeschool conferences. Many organizations and business attend these conferences to promote their events and services geared towards homeschoolers.
4. Check community board postings at libraries and community centers.
5. Sign up for city newsletters. Many even have e-newsletters to promote upcoming events.
6. Go to the website of a place you are interested in, and in their search bar type in: “homeschool,” “family events,” or “classes.”
Today, I strongly encourage you to go out and find fun events to attend with your children. It can greatly enrich your homeschooling and help to fuel the love of learning in your children.
I believe in you!
~Candace
What have been your favorite community events to attend with your children?
Candace Cornelius is a wife and mother to three daughters. She writes about homeschooling at Breathebelief.com
and records a daily 5 minutes podcast to let homeschool mom’s wake up with uplifting messages designed just for them. She is passionate about empowering homeschool moms, education, business, self-improvement, family, and following Christ. She loves board games, baby snuggles and fresh flowers.
After 18 years since starting our homeschool journey, I barely even think about the whys and wherefores any more. It’s just our life! But it was really fun and refreshing to do this interview for Amanda’s blog, Sicily’s Heart and Home. I got to share about my educational philosophy, my kids, why we homeschool, what a typical day in our homeschool looks like, and more.
I completed this interview early in February, weeks before we found out that our youngest son has Type 1 Diabetes, so now I have an additional reason to be thankful for homeschooling! I am so very glad that I can be home to manage his care each day, and that we do not have to add the time pressures of a traditional school day into our life right now. Diabetes can (and does!) throw some curves into our schedule, making for long, sleepless nights sometimes, or disruptions during the days due to low blood sugar and such. Being able to go at a new pace that helps us take care of my son’s health is a big, big plus as well!
Click here to check out the interview, and Amanda’s blog! If you have little ones you’ll especially enjoy her posts about Tot School! 🙂
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I didn’t grow up in a home with art, and when I got married and had a home of my own, I didn’t know how to decorate anything. Fortunately I was married to an artist, so eventually we accumulated a few things of his that we loved. Over the years I met people that inspired me to branch out into having art, color, and personality infused all over my home, and it has been really fun to grow into that.
I love having art of many different types all over my house, and my family does, too. Art is a natural part of our environment, and I think that’s a positive thing for all of us.
I’ve done several periscope episodes as a kind of show-and-tell from around my home, in hopes that you might get some fresh ideas about bringing more art into your own life. Enjoy!
P Carter Carpin Etsy store (this is the artist that created the Love Lives Here piece I showed on this scope)
Here are some of the books I recommended in this scope:
I love this book easel! It’s beautiful, sturdy, easy to use, and works great for our larger art and reference books. I love having them on display around the house!
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Jeff Mack art! So cute and friendly.
