To Klondike or Not to Klondike? February 5, 2010

My oldest son is 13 and a Boy Scout.  His troop is going on the district camp out called the Klondike. 

Last year when he went he had a great time building a snow cave and having sled races, etc.  The only things that made last year hard were that at a horrible time it cost us $200 to get him the proper gear that he has now out grown and they were on a “frozen” lake.  We live in a state that has a high rate of Boy Scout injuries and missing Boy Scouts so I wasn’t really fond of the fact that they were walking on ice even though the men tell you how safe it is.  If it were perfectly safe no one would ever fall through.  Until they tell me that it hasn’t happened in 50 years I don’t think they know that it isn’t possible.

This year my son is all packed and ready and now I am full of trepidation.  I hate now being where they are but I can set that aside, they go on campouts regularly with the scouts.  However, this year the scout leader has decided not to pull his troop out of school early on Friday so that they will have time to build snow caves.  If they don’t have time for snow caves they will sleep in tents and they will freeze, that is for sure.  Second, they want a sack lunch dinner sent because they won’t have time for cooking.  Which means they will be on a mountain of snow at dark with no hot food.  This wouldn’t worry me as much if we weren’t expecting a huge snow storm.

My son came to me last night and told me he had a horrible feeling inside but he wasn’t sure if it was because of the Klondike, the fact that his Dad is gone or that his uncle is terribly (deathly) ill right now.  He couldn’t sort it all out.  He was not overly dramatic and he wasn’t trying to get out of the campout but he is the type of child that when he has this kind of feeling there is always a good reason for it so I am hoping we can figure it out before he is supposed to leave for the campout today at 3.

While I get that the Boys Scouts is a great program and I do promote my boys involvement I wonder about why they would go on a “Klondike” if they weren’t going to do the snow caves and such.  It just seems wrong.  I don’t know why it seems that common sense escapes the leaders and they all seem to turn into preteen boys themselves when put in these situations.  I just hope that there is at least one nurturing man who will make sure that the boys are warm, dry and safe.

New Curriculum Being Shipped February 4, 2010

We have a new year of curriculum being shipped.  We are slightly off on our traditional school year but we are plugging along and doing the best we can.  Things got thrown off a bit this fall and we are starting to get all caught up.

With new curriculum comes a fresh start to me.  A chance to organize, see where the kids are at, and mostly get excited about new subjects.  My boys are starting World History this year and this is something we are all looking forward to.  They are also doing Life Science which will be much different from their Earth Science of the past year!  Even the younger children benefit from these two subjects so it becomes family time.  These are some of my favorite moments as a homeschooling mother with four children.

We are back on track with practicing our music lessons and although we aren’t in formal lessons right now at least we aren’t digressing.  This is a great thing as I do believe that you “use it or lose it” with certain talents.  I also think it is a great thing for everyone to know how to read music and be able to play at least one instrument.  Just part of being well rounded and exposed to something.  The more things we let our children experience the more likely they will be to find what they love and are good at.

Preschool Activities While Homeschooling January 24, 2010

My youngest is nearing four years old.  This is a struggle for me so I am on the hunt for good ideas to keep her busy with her time while homeschooling my other children and working from home.  Here are some of the ideas that I have found that I thought may be of use to you if you are having the same issue.

• Helping out – my toddler is very capable and giving her a dust rag or a mop is something that she thoroughly enjoys.  I usually do not think to include her in little household chores but I should do more of this as it will lead to her being more contented and give her self esteem a boost!
• Build a fort – What child doesn’t love a fort?  Even if you put on a favorite movie in the fort it makes it a fun little clubhouse atmosphere.  Or you could just put a box of Lincoln Logs or Legos under there and a child could have hours of fun.  You may want to tell them that the toys have to stay inside the fort to play on a certain day.
• Tracing – I don’t think we introduce tracing early enough.  Very young children are capable of this.  We can start buy having them trace their own hand but they can also trace other simple drawings.  It helps if you tape the trace paper over the original so that the child isn’t struggling with holding the paper in place.
• A place of their own.  All children love little places and to have ownership of something or someplace.  If you have one drawer or a cabinet in the house that can just be for the toddler they can have hours of fun choosing what they want to put in and making it their own.
• Outdoor play – Making sure you have a fully fenced back yard that is safe is a great thing for toddlers.  Weather permitting you can enjoy many quiet hours while a child spends time just throwing balls around or digging in a sand pile.  If you have pets it is a built in playmate for your child.
• Sorting – this could fall under the “helping” category. When you do laundry kids of a very early age can help.  They can also help empty the dishwasher, even if it is only to sort the silverware into the different places in a drawer.  Children love to do “big people” chores and to feel grown up.

Hope these ideas help some of you.  As I come upon other ideas I will post and share them as well.  Happy homeschooling!

Just venting. January 21, 2010

I try not to do this often in my blogging but it just has to have an outlet and for you dear reader, it is your lucky day.

My family is wonderful.  I am currently living at my mother’s house while my husband is at school for the Army (he joined at 37, yikes).  I had nine days from the time I found out he had actually committed to the Army to when he left for boot camp.  This was just 4 1/2 months ago.  I have four children, have always stayed home with them and I homeschool (as you probably guessed).  My income was cut by 50% in the space of that 9 days. 

I’m not looking for pity or sympathy and definitely not a handout but a little mercy would be good.  My family is ruthless.  My older brother came over yesterday and I caught garbage for the bathroom not being clean enough, the kid’s rooms weren’t clean enough, the garage not organized enough.  Then I caught it for not getting up early enough in the day (you know, before 6 a.m.) and for not always cooking a hot breakfast.

I will say that all the change hit me hard.  The stress of feeling like I have to make up the difference in income is paralyzing most days and I did buckle for a long time.  I also have certain health issues that make some days harder than others and my energy level is never consistent.  All the while that my brother is giving me a hard time my mother is joining in and laughing.  I should explain that my family is like this, we are ruthless and I am no different but I don’t give my brother a hard time for never making it to his office before lunch time because of his health problems.  I try to not hurt feelings if at all possible and I’m sure I have in the past but I really never intentionally would hurt anyone. 

All I can really say is that I was surviving the day for the past few months.  I resent that I’m here at this stage in life in this situation.  Some of it is my fault, other things (like DH joining the Army without caring what I thought) are beyond my control.  So Dear Reader, please just know that I will get to the garage, the bathroom, the bedrooms and more and my kids will help but they, too, have been a bit overwhelmed with emotion.

Thanks for letting me get that out.

A moment of joy in the middle of the day! January 15, 2010

My kids do all homeschool and the have a pretty full schedule in my opinion.  For a while last year we got away from doing daily required reading.  A few of the kids do read for pleasure on their own but not all so this was a huge concern to me.  After taking Christmas break I did a little thinking on the matter and decided that 30 minutes a day of quiet reading time along with music practice was no longer something that was going to sacrifice.  So as we brought in the New Year we brought in better habits and more structure to our days. 

This has been a great thing for many reasons.  One is that although I have always been home with my children and we have homeschooled, I am spending more time with them than ever.  Something about our schedule, our life situation and my work schedule (which I do from home) has allowed for a more “together” feeling between my children and I.

About two days ago I was walking through our living room while putting laundry away.  I wasn’t even fully aware that my two boys (ages 13 and 11) were right there reading, they were so silent.  Then suddenly I hear the greatest chuckle.  It came and went so fast.  I whipped around fast but could not figure out who it came from until my oldest boy, who is an avid reader, looked up at me and gave a sweet smile.  I then knew that it was his little brother who had chuckled and was finding true joy in reading.  This thrilled both of us because we love to read and if you love to read you know how much you want to share books and stories with others.

That chuckle was a huge payoff to me as a homeschool mom.  I guess that as the years pass you see the rewards in the small moments that no one else sees.  Even after these many years we still have people who are against homeschool and think that we are anti-public school.  We are only pro education!  And we believe that everyone should do what is best for their families and for their children.  Education is not one size fits all!  But there are times that all the negativity that gets thrown in your face can catch up with even though we are very secure in our choice and can usually shake off ill will.  What those that are anti-homeschool do not see is the beauty in all of these small moments of joy that families can share while they learn together and experience new things as a family.  I’m pretty sure that little chuckle this week will hold me over for a very long time!

Student Discounts! January 12, 2010

As one of my New Year’s resolutions I am wanting to save money wherever I can.  I’m sure that all homeschool parents are fond of the idea of saving money where they can.  Perhaps everyone is in the same boat with the way the economy is now.  Ideally I don’t want go back to my old habits even if the economy starts looking better.  Seems the more we make, the more we spend.  This is the year I would like to change that.

I have been online looking at many things that can help us, online coupons, discounts, and other programs.  In my endeavors I came across a site that specializes in student discounts.  I have family all over the country and my husband just joined the military so right off I was a happy camper when I noticed savings that were available on travel!  With four kids (students) of my own and brothers who are in college I am sure we will save a bundle using this site!

Another great student discount is on laptop computers!  Even Apple and Toshiba, just to name a few.  Some of the savings are for as much as 25% off or $50 off on another.  These are real savings but you do need to keep in mind that they do need student verification.  Until the 18th of this month they have a Toshiba laptop for just $399.  What a deal!

The discounts on this site are really something to grab.  I will be visiting this site throughout this year and more.  It was just to good not to share with others!  These discounts are good for students from kindergarten through college, teachers and parents!

Holidays at Home December 13, 2009

 

 All students love holiday festivities whether at school, in the community or at home.  Most of us love this time of year and being involved in these great activities.  So, what do you do for your holidays while you homeschool?  Do you integrate stories and legends into your homeschool curriculum or do you keep your education separate from your beliefs and traditions?

As a homeschool mom I don’t know quite how to separate the two but I don’t go out of my way to incorporate them together really.  We talk about our beliefs and traditions around holiday time.  This does tend to happen while we are completing our normal curriculum but we are so busy with normal curriculum that it is hard for me to break out of the routine and add extra things into the schedule.  I would love to hear from parents and teachers about how to mix the two.  I do love the fact that with homeschool we don’t have to hold back and keep our beliefs and traditions out of the curriculum.  It is really wonderful to incorporate the two into our daily lives and our school days.

If you have ideas or thoughts please share them.  I will add some ideas in my next post.  This is a great time of year and we are all looking for tips and tricks to be more efficient with our time, energy and especially our dollars.

Back to Home School! August 10, 2009

So it’s that time of year again.  The curriculum is arriving or being put together, kids are excited, parents are probably excited and a bit overwhelmed.  A new year can be a great fresh start but there are always things that can make a new year go easier.

There are some great articles right now about how to be organized and how to get the most out of your educational experience.  One site has an article on getting started on homesschooling.

Another article talks about the supplies that we need for getting into our homeschool year.  There are great products out there.  If we plan ahead we can have what we need at our fingertips throughout the year.

So many goals, so little time. November 20, 2008

Just like so many mothers there are countless things that I want to do with my children and want to help them achieve.  For instance, I want my sons to get their Eagle Scout award.  I also want them to get a few other church related rewards.  Not for the recognition but because I love the idea of helping them set goals, work toward something, and then really achieve the end result. 

I believe that a lot of moms have a problem because it is hard to let the child do all of the work and to not take over at least part of it.  We all want so much for our children but it is important to remember that they need to earn things for themselves.  I also feel that children need some prodding but it isn’t my job to take over all the drive for the Eagle Scout award (as one example).

There is a lady that our family knows that wants her son to get his Eagle Scout and she has been the main driving force for him to get it.  He whines, complains and drags his feet and she keeps him going but at the end of the day I wonder if she isn’t the one who really deserves the award, not the son.  She has put so much work into his award.  Not that I think it is bad to push our children because they cannot possibly have the wisdom to realize how good some programs are for them or how much some things will add to their lives.  I just don’t think we should do everything but show up for them.

Then, I run into the fact that I may have overloaded a few things.  It’s hard for me to keep up with all of it for four kids and then I wonder how they are fairing.  If you have read my blog for long you know that I do not believe in over scheduling children.  Hopefully we are not over scheduled but we have quite a few things going on all at once and today it is feeling quite overwhelming.

Homeschool Chess Club a Great Success! November 18, 2008

We had our first homeschool chess club meeting last Friday and it was a great success.  We had 16 children come and we had a few parents stay to learn how to play.  It was so much fun and the kids were really into it.  We are hoping that we will have continued success with getting kids out to play.

This week we are putting in a President, Vice President, Secretary and a few other leadership responsibilities so that the kids all learn more leadership skills.  We are hoping that in short order the kids are running the show, teaching each other, and becoming great leaders.

My challenge is that I am not very creative at finding ways for the kids to be leaders and gain these great skills that are so needed!  If anyone has any suggestions that would work in a chess club setting I would love to hear from you!