A lot of parents question how it could possibly be feasible to have a one-income family when they can hardly get by on two incomes. It stops them dead in their tracks when they consider homeschooling and realize what it means for them financially.
If you step back and look at your individual situation you may find that it would not be all that difficult. You would be surprised at how much it COSTS to work full time! Consider this worksheet when figuring out whether it is feasible for you to quit working and home school your children. Take your income per month and subtract the following:
• Gas to and from work (ouch!)
• Eating lunch out with co-workers
• Corporate Wardrobe
• Dry-cleaning Corporate Wardrobe
• Meals your family eats out because you don't have time to cook
• Day care or Before/Afterschool care for children
• Convenience foods to save you time because you work
• Maid service?
• Kid's lunches at school
Now get rid of all those costs and add in these cost benefits
• Your children no longer need "Brand X" to stay cool with their peers
• You can cook from scratch lowering your food bills dramatically
• You can clip coupons and actually use them
• You can shop at a sale because you have the time
• Your tax base lowers
In addition to the cost benefits think about these things You have more time for your family
• Your kids spend the day with you instead of other adults who you may or may not know
• Your kids spend less time with unkown peer groups and peer pressure
• You have regular meals at home together rather than on the go in the car on the way to who knows where
In our situation we were better off with me home. My job required numerous lunches out with clients and a horrendous dry cleaning bill. I never would have gotten to know my children the way I have if I wasn't homeschooling them. I can't say that I miss the deadlines, the long hours or the pressure either!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Doughs of the "Play" variety
I thought I would share some recipes for a basic fun dough that my kids loved to
manipulate when they were younger. I will also share a few other recipes you may not have tried. Each kind has different colors, scents, and textures and these doughs provide a smorgasbord of sensory stimulation!
Playing with dough has proven to be therapeutic and calming
for people of all ages, as well as helping to develop manual
dexterity and hand strength. So, dig out the dough when the
kids need to settle down. You can refrigerate it to make it last longer when not in use, but most of these will mold if left out for days at a time.
Basic Dough
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 T. cream of tartar
2 cups water
1 T. mineral oil
*food coloring if desired
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat,
stirring until stiff. Allow to cool. Knead until smooth.
You can add flavored extracts to this mixture at the end, for
a variety of scents.
* Paste food coloring gives a more intense color, but is also
more expensive than the liquid. Tempera paints are usable and some people use packages of powdered, unsweetened drink mix or jello. Other more natural options include turmeric, cinnamon, cocoa powder(below) as well as colored powders from chalk or a natural food store. I myself am not a big fan of artificial colors and find the kids will work fine with the plain dough(no colors) or natural options we can find.
Chocolate Dough
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup salt
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp. cooking oil
1 cup boiling water
Mix together dry ingredients. Add liquid ingredients. Stir
quickly and thoroughly. Cook over low heat until mixture forms
a ball. Knead when cool.
Fall Fun Dough
1 cup water
1 T. oil
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice or use 1/2 ginger and 1/2 nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
a brown or orange form of food coloring
Mix together all ingredients. Cook mixture until it forms a
ball. Knead when cool. Add more flour if needed.
For Christmas dough, you could omit these seasonings and add
peppermint extract and a red or green food coloring.
Oat Dough
1 cup oatmeal
2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup oil
Mix until desired consistency. You can add more water or flour as needed. Again, the texture is appealing to some children. I like the smell of this one too.
Coffee Dough
2 cups used coffee grounds
1/2 cup salt
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
Mix all together and add water to moisten. This produces a very grainy type dough. The texture may be very appealing to some kids and may be annoying to children with sensory issues.
Hardening Dough
2 cups baking soda
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat, stirring
constantly, until the mixture thickens. Cool and then knead to
a smooth texture. You can shape this dough and let it dry
overnight. It can be painted after it hardens.
Edible Peanut Butter Dough
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Truly edible, so this
would be a good one for toddlers who like to taste everything.
Miscellaneous Favorites
Paste
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. Alum
Combine flour and sugar in a saucepan. Slowly stir in cold
water until smooth (a whisk will help). Slowly add boiling
water. Stir to break up any lumps. Bring to a boil, stirring
constantly, until thick and clear. Remove from heat and stir
in alum.
Fingerpaint
2 T. sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 cups cold water
1/4 cup dish liquid
tempera paint
Mix sugar and cornstarch in a sauce pan. Slowly stir in water.
Cook and stir over low heat until smooth and transparent.
Remove from heat and cool. Stir in the dish liquid. Divide
into a few containers and color each with the food coloring or
paint.
Bubbles
3 cups water
1 cup dish liquid
1/3 cup corn syrup
Mix together. Keep in a jar and use within a couple of weeks.
*Finally a use for corn syrup!
Sparkle Finish
1 large jar of hair gel
1 small container of very fine glitter
Stir together and paint over any finished art project for a
beautiful sparkly finish.
manipulate when they were younger. I will also share a few other recipes you may not have tried. Each kind has different colors, scents, and textures and these doughs provide a smorgasbord of sensory stimulation!
Playing with dough has proven to be therapeutic and calming
for people of all ages, as well as helping to develop manual
dexterity and hand strength. So, dig out the dough when the
kids need to settle down. You can refrigerate it to make it last longer when not in use, but most of these will mold if left out for days at a time.
Basic Dough
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 T. cream of tartar
2 cups water
1 T. mineral oil
*food coloring if desired
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat,
stirring until stiff. Allow to cool. Knead until smooth.
You can add flavored extracts to this mixture at the end, for
a variety of scents.
* Paste food coloring gives a more intense color, but is also
more expensive than the liquid. Tempera paints are usable and some people use packages of powdered, unsweetened drink mix or jello. Other more natural options include turmeric, cinnamon, cocoa powder(below) as well as colored powders from chalk or a natural food store. I myself am not a big fan of artificial colors and find the kids will work fine with the plain dough(no colors) or natural options we can find.
Chocolate Dough
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup salt
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp. cooking oil
1 cup boiling water
Mix together dry ingredients. Add liquid ingredients. Stir
quickly and thoroughly. Cook over low heat until mixture forms
a ball. Knead when cool.
Fall Fun Dough
1 cup water
1 T. oil
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice or use 1/2 ginger and 1/2 nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
a brown or orange form of food coloring
Mix together all ingredients. Cook mixture until it forms a
ball. Knead when cool. Add more flour if needed.
For Christmas dough, you could omit these seasonings and add
peppermint extract and a red or green food coloring.
Oat Dough
1 cup oatmeal
2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup oil
Mix until desired consistency. You can add more water or flour as needed. Again, the texture is appealing to some children. I like the smell of this one too.
Coffee Dough
2 cups used coffee grounds
1/2 cup salt
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
Mix all together and add water to moisten. This produces a very grainy type dough. The texture may be very appealing to some kids and may be annoying to children with sensory issues.
Hardening Dough
2 cups baking soda
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat, stirring
constantly, until the mixture thickens. Cool and then knead to
a smooth texture. You can shape this dough and let it dry
overnight. It can be painted after it hardens.
Edible Peanut Butter Dough
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Truly edible, so this
would be a good one for toddlers who like to taste everything.
Miscellaneous Favorites
Paste
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. Alum
Combine flour and sugar in a saucepan. Slowly stir in cold
water until smooth (a whisk will help). Slowly add boiling
water. Stir to break up any lumps. Bring to a boil, stirring
constantly, until thick and clear. Remove from heat and stir
in alum.
Fingerpaint
2 T. sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 cups cold water
1/4 cup dish liquid
tempera paint
Mix sugar and cornstarch in a sauce pan. Slowly stir in water.
Cook and stir over low heat until smooth and transparent.
Remove from heat and cool. Stir in the dish liquid. Divide
into a few containers and color each with the food coloring or
paint.
Bubbles
3 cups water
1 cup dish liquid
1/3 cup corn syrup
Mix together. Keep in a jar and use within a couple of weeks.
*Finally a use for corn syrup!
Sparkle Finish
1 large jar of hair gel
1 small container of very fine glitter
Stir together and paint over any finished art project for a
beautiful sparkly finish.
Friday, April 24, 2009
KFC Unfry Day April 27th
KFC will offer free pieces of their new grilled chicken next monday. Here are the details...
Since Kentucky Grilled Chicken was introduced last week, America has been UNTHINKING what they always thought about KFC; there's a lot more to us than fried chicken! Now, America will get to UNTHINK their definition of "Monday," as KFC introduces "UNFry Day."
KFC is so confident America will love our new Kentucky Grilled Chicken, we're inviting you to sample our newest mouth-watering menu item on “UNFry Day,” Monday, April 27. Consumers are encouraged to stop by KFC throughout the day on “UNFry Day” and receive a FREE* piece of Kentucky Grilled Chicken.
Since Kentucky Grilled Chicken was introduced last week, America has been UNTHINKING what they always thought about KFC; there's a lot more to us than fried chicken! Now, America will get to UNTHINK their definition of "Monday," as KFC introduces "UNFry Day."
KFC is so confident America will love our new Kentucky Grilled Chicken, we're inviting you to sample our newest mouth-watering menu item on “UNFry Day,” Monday, April 27. Consumers are encouraged to stop by KFC throughout the day on “UNFry Day” and receive a FREE* piece of Kentucky Grilled Chicken.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
How to make Lard
In an effort to reduce costs and find healthier food, I recently went on a quest to find pure lard. You can't find it in the stores anymore; it doesn't exist. Now you get white glop with trans fats and hydrogenated oils from various sources. I wanted real lard. The kind that makes the best biscuits and fries chicken to perfection. So my journey began...
I wanted to make sure the pigs were grass fed and that the grass they ate was not treated with any chemicals or pesticides. Pure lard is much better for you when it comes from an animal that eats from its natural diet. Lard is actually high in Vitamin D and is mostly monounsaturated fat. I located a farm and found that he had fat. It was a mere $1 a pound, so I purchased 20lbs and brought it home.
Not wanting to go the traditional route of cooking over an open fire in a kettle in our yard, I started cutting up the fat into manageable chunks. I filled three crock pots on my counter with the stuff and turned the crockpots on high.
Not wanting a fire, I added a small amount of water in each crock pot; advice I found online. Before I knew it, liquid fat was forming in the bottom of the pots. I set up my straining process. Taking quart mason jars, I put coffee filters over each one and attached with rubber bands.
Then, using a small scoop, I removed melted fat from the crock pot and poured into the filters. I discovered later that I could use the jar lids to hold the paper filters in place that that they needed to be replaced periodically to keep the fat flowing through the filter quickly. Otherwise the fat gelled up and wouldn't drain. I also lowered the crock pot to low. At high, the fat was boiling due to all the water in the fat and I didn't want a big mess on my counter top.
As I filled each jar, I used a hot lid and put on top, making sure I wiped the jar rim well first. The fat was hot enough that it allowed for the jars to form an airtight seal. The cooled fat is now in storage in our basement. It is a beautiful clean white fat and I am happy to report it not only fries chickens and potatoes well, it also makes a wonderful flaky pie crust and the best biscuits ever!
I wanted to make sure the pigs were grass fed and that the grass they ate was not treated with any chemicals or pesticides. Pure lard is much better for you when it comes from an animal that eats from its natural diet. Lard is actually high in Vitamin D and is mostly monounsaturated fat. I located a farm and found that he had fat. It was a mere $1 a pound, so I purchased 20lbs and brought it home.
Not wanting to go the traditional route of cooking over an open fire in a kettle in our yard, I started cutting up the fat into manageable chunks. I filled three crock pots on my counter with the stuff and turned the crockpots on high.
Not wanting a fire, I added a small amount of water in each crock pot; advice I found online. Before I knew it, liquid fat was forming in the bottom of the pots. I set up my straining process. Taking quart mason jars, I put coffee filters over each one and attached with rubber bands.
Then, using a small scoop, I removed melted fat from the crock pot and poured into the filters. I discovered later that I could use the jar lids to hold the paper filters in place that that they needed to be replaced periodically to keep the fat flowing through the filter quickly. Otherwise the fat gelled up and wouldn't drain. I also lowered the crock pot to low. At high, the fat was boiling due to all the water in the fat and I didn't want a big mess on my counter top.
As I filled each jar, I used a hot lid and put on top, making sure I wiped the jar rim well first. The fat was hot enough that it allowed for the jars to form an airtight seal. The cooled fat is now in storage in our basement. It is a beautiful clean white fat and I am happy to report it not only fries chickens and potatoes well, it also makes a wonderful flaky pie crust and the best biscuits ever!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
A day in the life of a homeschooling family…
I wrote this several years ago, but it still pretty much describes our day. Not any two home schools are the same. There are even books out there that tell what each family is like. The key is to be yourself. Do what works for you and your family and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing.
There are so many myths out there. This is what I have learned...I am not a public school and I don’t NEED a separate classroom. I don’t NEED a row of desks and chalkboard-my children have not and will not fail miserably because I let them sit on the couch to read their science book. And guess what? We often before breakfast had a history lesson (reading) in bed and in (gasp) PJ’s! You don’t need a BS in Education to know what your children want to learn about, how they understand instruction best or that they do better learning at night than in the morning. It's one on one and its the ideal environment to learn...with Love!
A typical day...
The alarm usually wakes me about 6:15am. I set it a little earlier or later depending on the day before and what is in store for us that day, but today, it’s typical. I shuffle to the laundry room and throw a load of laundry in the washing machine, get a loaf of bread started and hit the start button on the coffee maker. Fully awake now I can settle in my seat on the sofa with my Bible for a few minutes of undisturbed reading. Five minutes into my dream morning, my son flies into the room and lands on the couch with a decidedly earth shattering landing. I put my Book away and cuddle with him for a few minutes.
My coffee machine is soon making its gurgling noises which signal that my cup of energy is moments away. By the time I have my cup of coffee and am back on the couch with Brandon, Savannah appears with a sleepy grin and joins us. The two siblings battle for a position closest to mom and we cuddle until Brianna, my oldest, makes her way out of the bedroom and into Daddy’s recliner. Once everyone is seated, we discuss our dreams. Not a planned activity, but it has become a trend in the morning. My daughters discuss their bizarre dreams with vivid detail and Brandon always has a story to tell that, while he claims is his dream, bears a close resemblance to a combination of all of our stories. We always get a good laugh out of his vivid imagination.
By now, it is near 7 and I am ready to read from our devotional. This year we are reading from the “One Year Bible for Kids” which has taken almost two years to read! After reading and a short prayer for a good day, we read from my latest choice of historical fiction. Today it is Memories of Anne Frank. The girls sit still and listen, but Brandon can only make it through our devotion before he is ready to play on the floor, so he transitions to the carpet to drive his construction vehicles through a newly found pile of Lincoln logs and I read until almost 7:30.
After reading, everyone is up and off to do chores. I flip on the radio or cd player to add some music to the house and make breakfast while the kids get dressed and do anything from feeding the dog to emptying the trash baskets in each room. We have used this time to listen to specific composers, types of music or music with the time periods we are studying. Today we are enjoying a contemporary Christian station that we love and Focus on the Family is just starting as we sit down for a good breakfast and then finish up with chores after we eat. At this point I usually make a beeline to the computer to see if any “emergencies” need my attention and address home schooling emails with my “support group leader hat”.
At the beginning of each week I print out a sheet of assignments for the girls(Brandon isn’t ready for that kind of structure) from my Homeschool Tracker software. So, the girls know what to do and choose how to do it and in what order. Generally I try to have them do the “strenuous” brain stuff early on in the day so they don’t fizzle out before they get through Math U See and Analogies. Both girls are doing Wordly Wise 3000 for vocabulary and Savannah is using Daily Grams 2 / 3 and Brianna is using Rules of the Game 1 for grammar.
For science, Brianna, is working through Apologia Chemistry. For biology, she attended a lab with several friends about twice a month at a close friend’s home. I wasn’t particularly worried about teaching the lab, but when my friend, who has is an RN and has a Masters in Biology offered, I was more than willing to turn her over to a professional! This year, the labs are done at home if she desires to do one. Since she already met her lab requirement for science and isn’t planning on pursuing a career in Science, I don’t push it. Savannah and Brandon receive no “formal” instruction in science. Anotherwords, we don’t do text books. Brianna didn’t even know what one was until she was old enough for Apologia General Science and transitioned without incident. I like to let the kids explore topics of interest and we frequent parks for nature walks with our NatureHike Backpack and have created living quarters for numerous critters using the tips outlined in the book “Pets in a Jar”. I never push a subject and allow them to pursue it to their hearts content. We once spent six months on Astronomy and followed it up with about 2 days on spiders! Whatever they are interested in drives our learning. We currently have two Ladybug Lands occupied with ladybugs and our butterfly bush in our herb garden is filled with Yellow Swallowtails, Black Swallowtails and two other species they have yet to identify. We have watched Praying Mantis emerge from egg cases in this same bush and seen mockingbirds hatch and learn to fly from it as well. Life is full of opportunities for learning, so I try not to bog them down with too many required books when there is so much out there to pique their interests for free! So while Brianna finishes up a lab sheet, the two younger ones go out to feed the fish in our pond and check for toads and other critters in the front yard.
Soon Savannah is back in for some tablework(its too hot” she says) and Brandon wants to watch his Rock n’ Learn and Leap Frog videos. I tell him he can after he plays quietly for a while. I am trying to teach him to use his own skills to occupy himself more often and let him play on the floor for about 30 minutes with beads and shoelaces before we pop in his ABC video. He has learned all his letters, colors and numbers with these DVD’s and although my initial reaction to his ambivalence toward my teaching was to take in personally, I soon found that the key to him learning was music, colors and action. So we give him that whenever we can. He isn’t big on sitting still either, so we learn without seats most of the time. I am introducing him to Handwriting without Tears because it uses stuff he loves like play doh, water and magnets. It’s a good fit for a kid that can’t seem to handle a pencil very well and he likes it.
Lunch is soon upon us, so we whip up some sandwiches and pack our bags for the afternoon. Both girls take music lessons every other week, so they pack some things they can do in the car and get their music books together. Today we are listening to Focus on the Family’s presentation of The Hiding Place in the car. I have a small library of audio tapes and CD’s that present historical fiction and literature in a refreshing way. I LOVE Jim Weiss’ tapes and we all adore his renditions of Shakespeare and the GA Henty books have been wonderful. We listen on the way to lessons and on the way back, the girls read from the historical fiction reading lists I have given each of them. I present history in segments somewhat like in the Well Trained Mind and give them lengthy lists of “Living Books” to choose from for structured reading. We are studying modern times at the moment. 30/45 minutes minimum must be spent on this type of reading, but I find the both girls read much more than that. They love the books we choose from a wide variety of sources. They can spend additional reading time on books they choose to read(unstructured reading). Savannah is currently reading “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by CS Lewis again. Her first time reading this book was in anticipation of the movie release. They cannot see a movie remake of a book unless they read the book first, and of course, the movie has to be acceptable as well. Brianna is reading “The Lord of the Rings” by Tokein and working through the Lord of the Rings Literature Unit by Amelia Harper. She is looking forward to watching the first movie after she finishes the unit she is currently working on.
After lessons, I make a side stop for a few groceries. I started couponing a few years ago and got really serious about it last May. I read a book called “Smart Spending” and have saved at least 50% on my grocery bill every month since then by refining a few of the ways I was shopping. It has made a huge difference in our grocery bill and as a result, we can attend more activities outside the home when we want to. As soon as we are home, Brianna is on her laptop doing research for her Debate class with The Cultural Commission and Savannah flops on the couch to read. Both girls finished their table work before we left the house at noon, so I sit down to check their work before I start dinner. Brianna is using the computer a lot more this year for school. In the past, she did an Alpha Omega Switched on Schoolhouse course of High School Health, took a research writing course with ‘Write at Home” online and has learned the value of a good search engine. We use Earthlink Kid Patrol to help protect her experiences online and time is limited to 1 hour per day. It leaves little time for email and we don’t do chat rooms. She is on a closed forum for her debate class but it is strictly moderated and is a safe place for her to reflect on her faith and the issues our country is facing in today’s world. If she wants to chat with a friend, she can call her friends on the phone after dinner. All computer time is spent in the living room with everyone around as an additional precautionary measure. My husband and I both want her to learn everything there is to know about technology without getting an eyeful of all the undesirables out there.
I start dinner about 5:30 and the girls assist in getting the table ready and fixing side dishes. Sometimes, when we aren’t going out on errands or lessons, I organize shopping lists, spot clean or work on my website. When we don’t feel like work, we play educational games. Some favorites are “Blink”, “Equate”, “Bethump’d” “Scrabble” “Mancala” and “Payday”
Brandon is busy with blocks at this point on the floor and I ask him to pick up his trucks from the morning if he is going to play with blocks. Daddy comes home around 6 and we have dinner and clean up and get ready for bed. Then we have “settle down time” We turned off our satellite some time ago. Instead of paying that fee every month, we invest in DVD’s of our favorite television shows. Our latest investment was in the first season of "Little House on the Prairie." They are all new to my kids and Charles and I love them. We watch one episode each night. My husband recently planned out a TV programming schedule for us which is posted on the fridge …”Sunday is Extreme Home Makeover, Monday is Little House, Tuesday is “Andy Griffith”, Wednesday is Little Rascals, etc.” I think it’s a wonderful idea! The kids are off to bed around 8:30 and the older ones can read in bed if they aren’t too tired, but I want no complaining the next morning if its hard getting up. After they are in bed, I finish grading and prepare for the next day. And, if it’s before 11:00pm when I turn off the lights, it’s been a GREAT day!
There are so many myths out there. This is what I have learned...I am not a public school and I don’t NEED a separate classroom. I don’t NEED a row of desks and chalkboard-my children have not and will not fail miserably because I let them sit on the couch to read their science book. And guess what? We often before breakfast had a history lesson (reading) in bed and in (gasp) PJ’s! You don’t need a BS in Education to know what your children want to learn about, how they understand instruction best or that they do better learning at night than in the morning. It's one on one and its the ideal environment to learn...with Love!
A typical day...
The alarm usually wakes me about 6:15am. I set it a little earlier or later depending on the day before and what is in store for us that day, but today, it’s typical. I shuffle to the laundry room and throw a load of laundry in the washing machine, get a loaf of bread started and hit the start button on the coffee maker. Fully awake now I can settle in my seat on the sofa with my Bible for a few minutes of undisturbed reading. Five minutes into my dream morning, my son flies into the room and lands on the couch with a decidedly earth shattering landing. I put my Book away and cuddle with him for a few minutes.
My coffee machine is soon making its gurgling noises which signal that my cup of energy is moments away. By the time I have my cup of coffee and am back on the couch with Brandon, Savannah appears with a sleepy grin and joins us. The two siblings battle for a position closest to mom and we cuddle until Brianna, my oldest, makes her way out of the bedroom and into Daddy’s recliner. Once everyone is seated, we discuss our dreams. Not a planned activity, but it has become a trend in the morning. My daughters discuss their bizarre dreams with vivid detail and Brandon always has a story to tell that, while he claims is his dream, bears a close resemblance to a combination of all of our stories. We always get a good laugh out of his vivid imagination.
By now, it is near 7 and I am ready to read from our devotional. This year we are reading from the “One Year Bible for Kids” which has taken almost two years to read! After reading and a short prayer for a good day, we read from my latest choice of historical fiction. Today it is Memories of Anne Frank. The girls sit still and listen, but Brandon can only make it through our devotion before he is ready to play on the floor, so he transitions to the carpet to drive his construction vehicles through a newly found pile of Lincoln logs and I read until almost 7:30.
After reading, everyone is up and off to do chores. I flip on the radio or cd player to add some music to the house and make breakfast while the kids get dressed and do anything from feeding the dog to emptying the trash baskets in each room. We have used this time to listen to specific composers, types of music or music with the time periods we are studying. Today we are enjoying a contemporary Christian station that we love and Focus on the Family is just starting as we sit down for a good breakfast and then finish up with chores after we eat. At this point I usually make a beeline to the computer to see if any “emergencies” need my attention and address home schooling emails with my “support group leader hat”.
At the beginning of each week I print out a sheet of assignments for the girls(Brandon isn’t ready for that kind of structure) from my Homeschool Tracker software. So, the girls know what to do and choose how to do it and in what order. Generally I try to have them do the “strenuous” brain stuff early on in the day so they don’t fizzle out before they get through Math U See and Analogies. Both girls are doing Wordly Wise 3000 for vocabulary and Savannah is using Daily Grams 2 / 3 and Brianna is using Rules of the Game 1 for grammar.
For science, Brianna, is working through Apologia Chemistry. For biology, she attended a lab with several friends about twice a month at a close friend’s home. I wasn’t particularly worried about teaching the lab, but when my friend, who has is an RN and has a Masters in Biology offered, I was more than willing to turn her over to a professional! This year, the labs are done at home if she desires to do one. Since she already met her lab requirement for science and isn’t planning on pursuing a career in Science, I don’t push it. Savannah and Brandon receive no “formal” instruction in science. Anotherwords, we don’t do text books. Brianna didn’t even know what one was until she was old enough for Apologia General Science and transitioned without incident. I like to let the kids explore topics of interest and we frequent parks for nature walks with our NatureHike Backpack and have created living quarters for numerous critters using the tips outlined in the book “Pets in a Jar”. I never push a subject and allow them to pursue it to their hearts content. We once spent six months on Astronomy and followed it up with about 2 days on spiders! Whatever they are interested in drives our learning. We currently have two Ladybug Lands occupied with ladybugs and our butterfly bush in our herb garden is filled with Yellow Swallowtails, Black Swallowtails and two other species they have yet to identify. We have watched Praying Mantis emerge from egg cases in this same bush and seen mockingbirds hatch and learn to fly from it as well. Life is full of opportunities for learning, so I try not to bog them down with too many required books when there is so much out there to pique their interests for free! So while Brianna finishes up a lab sheet, the two younger ones go out to feed the fish in our pond and check for toads and other critters in the front yard.
Soon Savannah is back in for some tablework(its too hot” she says) and Brandon wants to watch his Rock n’ Learn and Leap Frog videos. I tell him he can after he plays quietly for a while. I am trying to teach him to use his own skills to occupy himself more often and let him play on the floor for about 30 minutes with beads and shoelaces before we pop in his ABC video. He has learned all his letters, colors and numbers with these DVD’s and although my initial reaction to his ambivalence toward my teaching was to take in personally, I soon found that the key to him learning was music, colors and action. So we give him that whenever we can. He isn’t big on sitting still either, so we learn without seats most of the time. I am introducing him to Handwriting without Tears because it uses stuff he loves like play doh, water and magnets. It’s a good fit for a kid that can’t seem to handle a pencil very well and he likes it.
Lunch is soon upon us, so we whip up some sandwiches and pack our bags for the afternoon. Both girls take music lessons every other week, so they pack some things they can do in the car and get their music books together. Today we are listening to Focus on the Family’s presentation of The Hiding Place in the car. I have a small library of audio tapes and CD’s that present historical fiction and literature in a refreshing way. I LOVE Jim Weiss’ tapes and we all adore his renditions of Shakespeare and the GA Henty books have been wonderful. We listen on the way to lessons and on the way back, the girls read from the historical fiction reading lists I have given each of them. I present history in segments somewhat like in the Well Trained Mind and give them lengthy lists of “Living Books” to choose from for structured reading. We are studying modern times at the moment. 30/45 minutes minimum must be spent on this type of reading, but I find the both girls read much more than that. They love the books we choose from a wide variety of sources. They can spend additional reading time on books they choose to read(unstructured reading). Savannah is currently reading “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by CS Lewis again. Her first time reading this book was in anticipation of the movie release. They cannot see a movie remake of a book unless they read the book first, and of course, the movie has to be acceptable as well. Brianna is reading “The Lord of the Rings” by Tokein and working through the Lord of the Rings Literature Unit by Amelia Harper. She is looking forward to watching the first movie after she finishes the unit she is currently working on.
After lessons, I make a side stop for a few groceries. I started couponing a few years ago and got really serious about it last May. I read a book called “Smart Spending” and have saved at least 50% on my grocery bill every month since then by refining a few of the ways I was shopping. It has made a huge difference in our grocery bill and as a result, we can attend more activities outside the home when we want to. As soon as we are home, Brianna is on her laptop doing research for her Debate class with The Cultural Commission and Savannah flops on the couch to read. Both girls finished their table work before we left the house at noon, so I sit down to check their work before I start dinner. Brianna is using the computer a lot more this year for school. In the past, she did an Alpha Omega Switched on Schoolhouse course of High School Health, took a research writing course with ‘Write at Home” online and has learned the value of a good search engine. We use Earthlink Kid Patrol to help protect her experiences online and time is limited to 1 hour per day. It leaves little time for email and we don’t do chat rooms. She is on a closed forum for her debate class but it is strictly moderated and is a safe place for her to reflect on her faith and the issues our country is facing in today’s world. If she wants to chat with a friend, she can call her friends on the phone after dinner. All computer time is spent in the living room with everyone around as an additional precautionary measure. My husband and I both want her to learn everything there is to know about technology without getting an eyeful of all the undesirables out there.
I start dinner about 5:30 and the girls assist in getting the table ready and fixing side dishes. Sometimes, when we aren’t going out on errands or lessons, I organize shopping lists, spot clean or work on my website. When we don’t feel like work, we play educational games. Some favorites are “Blink”, “Equate”, “Bethump’d” “Scrabble” “Mancala” and “Payday”
Brandon is busy with blocks at this point on the floor and I ask him to pick up his trucks from the morning if he is going to play with blocks. Daddy comes home around 6 and we have dinner and clean up and get ready for bed. Then we have “settle down time” We turned off our satellite some time ago. Instead of paying that fee every month, we invest in DVD’s of our favorite television shows. Our latest investment was in the first season of "Little House on the Prairie." They are all new to my kids and Charles and I love them. We watch one episode each night. My husband recently planned out a TV programming schedule for us which is posted on the fridge …”Sunday is Extreme Home Makeover, Monday is Little House, Tuesday is “Andy Griffith”, Wednesday is Little Rascals, etc.” I think it’s a wonderful idea! The kids are off to bed around 8:30 and the older ones can read in bed if they aren’t too tired, but I want no complaining the next morning if its hard getting up. After they are in bed, I finish grading and prepare for the next day. And, if it’s before 11:00pm when I turn off the lights, it’s been a GREAT day!
Frugal Living is Fun!
It really is, but you have to have the right attitude. As it almost becomes a necessity to watch all your dollars and cents, living a purposeful frugal life keeps the stress to a minimum. Spending your money carefully and frugally doesn't always mean giving up life's daily pleasures. You could put away your savings to splurge on a family vacation, for more weekend getaways, or dinner out with the family on Friday nights. Remember, stretching your budget is smart. It is an attitude. Embrace it and start planning that trip to your favorite vacation spot!
1. Analyze those utilities.
Check your house for ways to cut energy costs. Fix leaky windows, add more insulation in the attic, switch out light bulbs with new compact florescent bulbs when they die. Fix leaky faucets, turn down the water heater, etc. Your energy suppliers will have surprisingly wonderful ideas to help you cut costs. Some have rebates on energy saving upgrades, different billing options from averaging to Time of Use discounts. Ask and find what they have for you and your family.
2. Negotiate with phone companies.
You can cut your phone costs with packages, but don't get sold on more than you need. What good is 250 channels if you only watch three of them? Check with competitors and negotiate those rates. You can usually keep the rate you have when they hike their rates with a little negotiation. Take good notes so you can call them back if they fail to come through on a promise.
3. Pay off debt
I know, I know, everyone says that. Really you should try to avoid it to begin with, but if you pay off the credit card each month, or stop using it when you have a balance, you will bring those balances down quickly. Eliminate the highest interest debt first. Pay as much as you can each month. When its gone use that money to eliminate the next one. Then, start a budget for those things you want and need. By putting away money now, you will have the money when your 10 year old car dies and you need a new one. Pay cash for it and start saving for another one. Putting a little toward each wish item makes a lot more sense than paying some huge credit company for 20 years for the television you couldn't wait to buy.
4. Homemade is less money.
Pack your lunch, watch for coupons on restaurant.com, use a rewards card(that is paid off) to earn gift cards to your favorite place to eat. Eating out can be the biggest expense in a home if you are not careful. Plan ahead and use your crockpot. Double up recipes and freeze the other meal for another night. Even those hot coffees on the way to work can add up. Try getting a nice travel mug and taking your own. If you spent a little more on a good ground coffee at home, it would save you tons of money over getting a drive-thru java each day.
5. Coupon
Yes, coupons. You can save a lot of money clipping them and using them wisely. I typically save over 50% on my shopping and try to stay around 75%. This type of shopping is not going to be a weekly event but as sales present themselves. We work with what is in the house. This makes meal planning easier and keeps impulse buying down as well. I will explain this system on my blog as I have opportunities.
6. Save.
When you start cutting costs and saving money, put that money away. Don't spend it on the first thing that strikes your fancy. Make goals with your family. Short term and long term. Let the kids participate too. Take the spare change you have at the end of the day and start a vacation jar. When its full, cash it in and make a deposit toward your family vacation goal. Apply whatever you can save in other ways and make life better. My initial coupon savings got us a deep freeze. Then I could stock up on freezer items that were on sale and not be limited in purchasing because I was out of space. Now the savings gets us through a difficult financial crisis with the economy, but it was our Friday night out money. We got to eat out, together every friday night with what I was saving and we were putting money away for vacation with it too. Set your priorities and make it a family goal. You'd be surprised what you can do!
1. Analyze those utilities.
Check your house for ways to cut energy costs. Fix leaky windows, add more insulation in the attic, switch out light bulbs with new compact florescent bulbs when they die. Fix leaky faucets, turn down the water heater, etc. Your energy suppliers will have surprisingly wonderful ideas to help you cut costs. Some have rebates on energy saving upgrades, different billing options from averaging to Time of Use discounts. Ask and find what they have for you and your family.
2. Negotiate with phone companies.
You can cut your phone costs with packages, but don't get sold on more than you need. What good is 250 channels if you only watch three of them? Check with competitors and negotiate those rates. You can usually keep the rate you have when they hike their rates with a little negotiation. Take good notes so you can call them back if they fail to come through on a promise.
3. Pay off debt
I know, I know, everyone says that. Really you should try to avoid it to begin with, but if you pay off the credit card each month, or stop using it when you have a balance, you will bring those balances down quickly. Eliminate the highest interest debt first. Pay as much as you can each month. When its gone use that money to eliminate the next one. Then, start a budget for those things you want and need. By putting away money now, you will have the money when your 10 year old car dies and you need a new one. Pay cash for it and start saving for another one. Putting a little toward each wish item makes a lot more sense than paying some huge credit company for 20 years for the television you couldn't wait to buy.
4. Homemade is less money.
Pack your lunch, watch for coupons on restaurant.com, use a rewards card(that is paid off) to earn gift cards to your favorite place to eat. Eating out can be the biggest expense in a home if you are not careful. Plan ahead and use your crockpot. Double up recipes and freeze the other meal for another night. Even those hot coffees on the way to work can add up. Try getting a nice travel mug and taking your own. If you spent a little more on a good ground coffee at home, it would save you tons of money over getting a drive-thru java each day.
5. Coupon
Yes, coupons. You can save a lot of money clipping them and using them wisely. I typically save over 50% on my shopping and try to stay around 75%. This type of shopping is not going to be a weekly event but as sales present themselves. We work with what is in the house. This makes meal planning easier and keeps impulse buying down as well. I will explain this system on my blog as I have opportunities.
6. Save.
When you start cutting costs and saving money, put that money away. Don't spend it on the first thing that strikes your fancy. Make goals with your family. Short term and long term. Let the kids participate too. Take the spare change you have at the end of the day and start a vacation jar. When its full, cash it in and make a deposit toward your family vacation goal. Apply whatever you can save in other ways and make life better. My initial coupon savings got us a deep freeze. Then I could stock up on freezer items that were on sale and not be limited in purchasing because I was out of space. Now the savings gets us through a difficult financial crisis with the economy, but it was our Friday night out money. We got to eat out, together every friday night with what I was saving and we were putting money away for vacation with it too. Set your priorities and make it a family goal. You'd be surprised what you can do!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Finding the Perfect Curriculum
Looking for the perfect curriculum? You will most likely look for a long time, because there isn't one. A perfect curriculum would fit all your children and suit your needs as well. It would be reasonably priced and easy to work with. I'm not sure it's available.
How do you shop for curriculum?
Well, there are lots of ways you shouldn't shop, that's for sure! Imagine yourself walking down the aisle of a homeschooling store. You see a special on workbooks and think they might be pretty good, but then you see a mom and her child digging through a box of manipulatives...that looks like fun...but wait, what about that program the lady in your church mentioned...what was the name of that one?... You get the picture don't you?
You have your check book, you have a budget and school starts in a few weeks. WHAT DO YOU DO??
Back up and take a deep breath. Do you have a budget to stick to? Most of us do and that has to be a priority. Start by asking yourself some questions...
If this isn't your first year...
What did you like and dislike about the previous years selelction? Make a list of what you have, what you have tried. Which one's worked and which ones need to be sold? Are there any programs you can use again? Can some of them be used again in a different way? In another year or two? Would you use it again? If you will use it, you just saved some money. If not, sell it.
If this is all new to you, try starting here...
Which ones should be avoided? Try to avoid programs that require a lot of planning each day, especially if you have several students at different grade levels. If the program allows you to teach several children at once, then the time may be worth it, but if you are teaching 2 grades and 8 different classes a day, you may burnout long before spring.
How much of your time did the programs use for planning and teaching?
Did you find yourself skipping a science lesson because you couldn't find all the materials? What about the days you skipped Geography because you couldn't find the book in the library? Programs that are all planned out are not much use to you if you can't find the materials. Ask questions, check on book availability and do research on a program BEFORE you buy.
Does the program require hours of busy work each week from your children?
This may take up valuable time for your child; time that could be better spent on activities they want to pursue. Why spend 2 hours on a science program about outer space if your child likes to catch bugs and lizards? Sitting at a desk for 6 hours is for a public school, NOT a homeschool. Homeschooling is efficient and should be easily completed in half a day. If the program requires more than that, I suggest you look for something else.
Does the program require you to do every subject, every day?
Try science one day a week and art another. Pursue the three R's each day, but back off on the other subjects unless your child WANTS to do them. Combine spelling with handwriting, reading and history, hiking with science. Put two hours into the basics and then pursue other interests after that. Find ways to pursue your son's fascination with dismantling machines or your daughter's love for horses. You can pursue their interests, spending the money there and they will get so much more out of it. What good is the ability to recite the names of our planets in order, if they would much rather rattle off the statistics of players on a baseball team? How much easier will it be for your children to rattle off those planets after they have honed their memorization skills on their favorite topic, such as baseball or the names of every breed of horse known to man? Foster that love for learning that comes so naturally to most children. Their interests do change and somewhere along the way, the planets will come up and you will get to teach them about it then. Unless THEY are ready, it will go in one ear and out the other. Find those teachable moments and work with them.
Keep your school year's planning loose...
Don't try to plan each day, week or even month at the beginning of a school year. If your son wants to study the Civil War this month, he may move on to W.W. II by next month. Try to plan a general course of study, say 1800s to present, and Life Sciences, but leave it flexible and open to those times when they really want to dig into something. I will never forget the year my daughter wanted to study our solar system. I found a simple program that would last about a month and I thought that would be enough. Boy was I wrong! We ended up on it for over 6 months. I put many of my planned activities for the year aside, and learned right then and there that I would purchase the basics at the beginning of the year and buy the other stuff as we went along.
What did your CHILDREN like and dislike about the last school year?
Pay careful attention to what they like. Did the curriculum and methods(whether at public school or home) fit their learning style? Was it effective in teaching them? Did they do well in those areas? Let them have some input, but at the same time, don't let them make all the decisions. Do their likes match your likes? It is hard to teach a program you can't work with or one that demands an enormous amount of your time. Find something that fits both your needs. We often compromise on subjects. We will choose a program that takes a bit longer in an area they like and something a bit quicker, more cut and dry in an area that they have little interest, like spelling.
Where did you have the most problems?
For us, math was a big problem. I picked Saxon because I heard it was the best curriculum and it was familiar to me, since it was taught the way I learned in public school. We worked our way through Saxon 54 and by the end of the year, my daughter was miserable when it was time for math. It took over an hour each day to do a lesson. We would stop after an hour because I felt that was enough, but it was not fun for her. She scored well on her tests, but what was the point if I was teaching her to hate an essential subject. The answer? We found another program. Now we use Math-U-See. She likes the short lessons, the hands-on manipulatives and the logical (to her) way it is done. I have some trouble with it, but that is because it is different; it isn't something I am familiar with. But you know what? It's all worth it... I am learning something new and she is loving math again. Yes, it was a bit of an expense, but this year, that was our priority; making math fun again. Where did we save money? We bought Considering God's Creation for science. It is designed to teach multiple ages at once and will be useful for 2 or 3 years. A simple compromise and everyone is happy. By taking a closer look at your needs before you go to the curriculum fair or sit down to place your order, you may save yourself some money. Take advantage of situations where you can get your hands on materials and talk to someone who can show you a program they use. Ask if you can come over and "see" the curriculum "in action" when someone tells you they love it. You can learn a lot about it that way, and you will avoid the pitfalls of purchasing something that sounds great in the catalog and is a big disappointment when it arrives on your doorstep.
Keep Learning Fun!
We all know that the basics; Reading, writing and arithmatic are essential. They are not always fun for your child no matter what curriculum you try. You can balance that with the extras that make a school day something to look forward to. If you do math 5 days a week, why not take one of those days and play math games? We have a great book, "Mega-fun math games" that we sell in our store. It is packed full of ideas for games that improve your child's math skills in fun ways. Take the spinner away from a board game and use die instead. Counting those dots on the die and counting the spaces you must move are math skills. For older children, give them a pile of flash cards. If they answer the problem correctly, they get to roll the die. It is easy to make a simple board game in to a multi-level math lesson! Having that one day a week "off" is something everyone can look forward to and you don't have to feel guilty because they will be learning. Reading can be torture for some children. Give them books with lots of visuals. Usborne Books are great at keeping a child interested. Short, information-packed paragraphs surrounded by colorful illustrations. If they don't like books at all, read to them. Historical fiction is a great choice. It teaches and it is interesting. In addition to these great books, we supplement their reading with products like the "Ancient Times Treasure Chests". Our kids dive into these kits and explore time periods they have been reading about. It makes concepts concrete for them and having something they can touch is always a great reinforcement for a lesson. Science is a "hands-on" subject that should be taught with a minimum of text books and multiple choice tests. Get out and explore. I highly recommend "Considering God's Creation" from Kindergarten through 8th grade. It can easily be adapted to any of these grades and our "Nature Hike Backpack" is so much fun to have. We take it everywhere with us and the basic kit easy to expand to any nature studies you are interested in.
On Shopping Day
* Make yourself a list of the subjects you need and some products you want to see "in person"
* Try to go without your kids so you can concentrate and take your tim2.
* Get a feel for costs and write down some prices you see in catalogs. Compare prices and then compare shipping fees. If you can order more from one company and save shipping, then do it.
* Allow a little room for that special tape you just have to have or a craft you know will go great with your studies.
* Remember to check out used materials where it is sensible too. Try looking on Ebay or in stores that have consignment items. Shop at the local curriculum fairs, but make sure you have everything you need. Are all the materials included? If you buy it without them, can you order the missing parts?
* Take your time and don't feel pressured. If you get overwhelmed, go home and try again another day.
* Most important of all, enjoy yourself and have fun _- stop for a cup of coffee and relax --it's going to be a great year :)
How do you shop for curriculum?
Well, there are lots of ways you shouldn't shop, that's for sure! Imagine yourself walking down the aisle of a homeschooling store. You see a special on workbooks and think they might be pretty good, but then you see a mom and her child digging through a box of manipulatives...that looks like fun...but wait, what about that program the lady in your church mentioned...what was the name of that one?... You get the picture don't you?
You have your check book, you have a budget and school starts in a few weeks. WHAT DO YOU DO??
Back up and take a deep breath. Do you have a budget to stick to? Most of us do and that has to be a priority. Start by asking yourself some questions...
If this isn't your first year...
What did you like and dislike about the previous years selelction? Make a list of what you have, what you have tried. Which one's worked and which ones need to be sold? Are there any programs you can use again? Can some of them be used again in a different way? In another year or two? Would you use it again? If you will use it, you just saved some money. If not, sell it.
If this is all new to you, try starting here...
Which ones should be avoided? Try to avoid programs that require a lot of planning each day, especially if you have several students at different grade levels. If the program allows you to teach several children at once, then the time may be worth it, but if you are teaching 2 grades and 8 different classes a day, you may burnout long before spring.
How much of your time did the programs use for planning and teaching?
Did you find yourself skipping a science lesson because you couldn't find all the materials? What about the days you skipped Geography because you couldn't find the book in the library? Programs that are all planned out are not much use to you if you can't find the materials. Ask questions, check on book availability and do research on a program BEFORE you buy.
Does the program require hours of busy work each week from your children?
This may take up valuable time for your child; time that could be better spent on activities they want to pursue. Why spend 2 hours on a science program about outer space if your child likes to catch bugs and lizards? Sitting at a desk for 6 hours is for a public school, NOT a homeschool. Homeschooling is efficient and should be easily completed in half a day. If the program requires more than that, I suggest you look for something else.
Does the program require you to do every subject, every day?
Try science one day a week and art another. Pursue the three R's each day, but back off on the other subjects unless your child WANTS to do them. Combine spelling with handwriting, reading and history, hiking with science. Put two hours into the basics and then pursue other interests after that. Find ways to pursue your son's fascination with dismantling machines or your daughter's love for horses. You can pursue their interests, spending the money there and they will get so much more out of it. What good is the ability to recite the names of our planets in order, if they would much rather rattle off the statistics of players on a baseball team? How much easier will it be for your children to rattle off those planets after they have honed their memorization skills on their favorite topic, such as baseball or the names of every breed of horse known to man? Foster that love for learning that comes so naturally to most children. Their interests do change and somewhere along the way, the planets will come up and you will get to teach them about it then. Unless THEY are ready, it will go in one ear and out the other. Find those teachable moments and work with them.
Keep your school year's planning loose...
Don't try to plan each day, week or even month at the beginning of a school year. If your son wants to study the Civil War this month, he may move on to W.W. II by next month. Try to plan a general course of study, say 1800s to present, and Life Sciences, but leave it flexible and open to those times when they really want to dig into something. I will never forget the year my daughter wanted to study our solar system. I found a simple program that would last about a month and I thought that would be enough. Boy was I wrong! We ended up on it for over 6 months. I put many of my planned activities for the year aside, and learned right then and there that I would purchase the basics at the beginning of the year and buy the other stuff as we went along.
What did your CHILDREN like and dislike about the last school year?
Pay careful attention to what they like. Did the curriculum and methods(whether at public school or home) fit their learning style? Was it effective in teaching them? Did they do well in those areas? Let them have some input, but at the same time, don't let them make all the decisions. Do their likes match your likes? It is hard to teach a program you can't work with or one that demands an enormous amount of your time. Find something that fits both your needs. We often compromise on subjects. We will choose a program that takes a bit longer in an area they like and something a bit quicker, more cut and dry in an area that they have little interest, like spelling.
Where did you have the most problems?
For us, math was a big problem. I picked Saxon because I heard it was the best curriculum and it was familiar to me, since it was taught the way I learned in public school. We worked our way through Saxon 54 and by the end of the year, my daughter was miserable when it was time for math. It took over an hour each day to do a lesson. We would stop after an hour because I felt that was enough, but it was not fun for her. She scored well on her tests, but what was the point if I was teaching her to hate an essential subject. The answer? We found another program. Now we use Math-U-See. She likes the short lessons, the hands-on manipulatives and the logical (to her) way it is done. I have some trouble with it, but that is because it is different; it isn't something I am familiar with. But you know what? It's all worth it... I am learning something new and she is loving math again. Yes, it was a bit of an expense, but this year, that was our priority; making math fun again. Where did we save money? We bought Considering God's Creation for science. It is designed to teach multiple ages at once and will be useful for 2 or 3 years. A simple compromise and everyone is happy. By taking a closer look at your needs before you go to the curriculum fair or sit down to place your order, you may save yourself some money. Take advantage of situations where you can get your hands on materials and talk to someone who can show you a program they use. Ask if you can come over and "see" the curriculum "in action" when someone tells you they love it. You can learn a lot about it that way, and you will avoid the pitfalls of purchasing something that sounds great in the catalog and is a big disappointment when it arrives on your doorstep.
Keep Learning Fun!
We all know that the basics; Reading, writing and arithmatic are essential. They are not always fun for your child no matter what curriculum you try. You can balance that with the extras that make a school day something to look forward to. If you do math 5 days a week, why not take one of those days and play math games? We have a great book, "Mega-fun math games" that we sell in our store. It is packed full of ideas for games that improve your child's math skills in fun ways. Take the spinner away from a board game and use die instead. Counting those dots on the die and counting the spaces you must move are math skills. For older children, give them a pile of flash cards. If they answer the problem correctly, they get to roll the die. It is easy to make a simple board game in to a multi-level math lesson! Having that one day a week "off" is something everyone can look forward to and you don't have to feel guilty because they will be learning. Reading can be torture for some children. Give them books with lots of visuals. Usborne Books are great at keeping a child interested. Short, information-packed paragraphs surrounded by colorful illustrations. If they don't like books at all, read to them. Historical fiction is a great choice. It teaches and it is interesting. In addition to these great books, we supplement their reading with products like the "Ancient Times Treasure Chests". Our kids dive into these kits and explore time periods they have been reading about. It makes concepts concrete for them and having something they can touch is always a great reinforcement for a lesson. Science is a "hands-on" subject that should be taught with a minimum of text books and multiple choice tests. Get out and explore. I highly recommend "Considering God's Creation" from Kindergarten through 8th grade. It can easily be adapted to any of these grades and our "Nature Hike Backpack" is so much fun to have. We take it everywhere with us and the basic kit easy to expand to any nature studies you are interested in.
On Shopping Day
* Make yourself a list of the subjects you need and some products you want to see "in person"
* Try to go without your kids so you can concentrate and take your tim2.
* Get a feel for costs and write down some prices you see in catalogs. Compare prices and then compare shipping fees. If you can order more from one company and save shipping, then do it.
* Allow a little room for that special tape you just have to have or a craft you know will go great with your studies.
* Remember to check out used materials where it is sensible too. Try looking on Ebay or in stores that have consignment items. Shop at the local curriculum fairs, but make sure you have everything you need. Are all the materials included? If you buy it without them, can you order the missing parts?
* Take your time and don't feel pressured. If you get overwhelmed, go home and try again another day.
* Most important of all, enjoy yourself and have fun _- stop for a cup of coffee and relax --it's going to be a great year :)
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