Combining Forces and Scripture

I have been having the prompting lately to go over and explain the Sacrament Prayer to the boys for our home schooling. We are working on the Prayer on the Bread right now. It has been fun. I guess this prompting has been coming because my oldest boy will be turning 12 in less than a year. He will be passing the Sacrament and I want the importance to be there as well as the understanding to all my children, especially Trenton. The biggest lesson we have learned is the meaning of Sanctify. " To make holy" This has made a difference  in how we all look at the prayer on the bread.

I am always trying to keep our homeschooling focused on the Gospel. That is why we started homeschooling. I feel that if we keep the Gospel first in our studies, everything else will fall into place!

Another mother in our ward came to me the other day in need of support. I think I need it too. We both homeschool, but we are doing it  all on our own. So, we decided to combine forces and work together once a week with all of our children. It is going to be great!

SCIENCE!

http://www.playdoughtoplato.com/2014/03/06/rainbow-jar-st-patricks-day/#_a5y_p=1368273

This is an awesome experiment! We loved it. 

Update!! A New Curriculum

Now that I am finished with my college classes, and life has slowed ( ha!) for a brief moment, I am catching up and planning, planning, planning.

 I had a mild mommy freak out the other day. In our school at home we do not have a set curriculum that we use. I print things off, I have them do computer works, we read books and that is about it. No set work books, no online class they attend, and not a whole lot of structure. So, I went online and researched buying a curriculum. --------I abandoned the idea quickly when I learned that the few sets I liked and considered purchasing would cost over $2000 for my kidos. Um, no. I value their education, but I think it can be done a lot more frugally.
 My next adventure, creating my own curriculum for each child. I have discovered half.com where I can buy various work books and study guides for as low as 0.75  and re sell them back if I choose. I can cherry pick what I want my children to learn and how I want them to learn it. The best part, I can customize the plans for each one of my children. If one child learns more visually, cool, not a problem! If another child learns by reading, great! I plan to work on it over the summer, and let the kidos finish up what I have planned out for the next two months, and hopefully I will have most of m curriculum planned and ready by September!

Innovation!

This past week, I have been sick. Not like a little sniffle, cough, feeling yuck sick... I have been SICK. Like, can't move from the bed, fever, terrible aches pains and ailments, I think I am going to die, SICK. While this has been happening, not a whole lot of anything else has been happening.. like school work.
 While I am not totally feeling better, I am on the mend. So, today, I made packets. A varied amount of assignments for each child, divided into one week at a time. So far I have 4 weeks done. I slip them into their boxes Sunday night and they are set for the week. Monday- we plan and do group work, then Tuesday -Thursday is individual time with me with each child, then Friday is group work again. I think this will be great!

Anyone Else?

I think the biggest struggle I have had over the past 2 years is dealing with the fact that I have to tote my kidos with me all the time. church functions, lunches out with friends, meetings, they are always there. I get a bit of anxiety from it all at times, because I am constantly dealing with 4 children while maintaining my adult duties. Anyone else have a hard time coping with this all? So far, I have found that if I come prepared with toys, activities and reading the children stay pretty occupied. I also make sure that I get out and about by myself here and there throughout the week to keep my sanity!

Step Back

This being only my 2nd year homeschooing, I still question myself, more than I would like. I also find that I have to prove myself to anyone who questions or inquires about my decision to homeschool. It is easy to try and keep with public school standards. Some examples are : reading levels, math levels, hand writing abilities and so on. I find myself from time to time worrying if everyone is where they should be for their grade level. Then I take a step back. I started homeschooling so my children could learn at their own pace. There are some things they will excel quickly in and some things they will struggle with. It is all a process and why we do the things we do.

Year Round

We are trying a year round schedule this year. I am interested in seeing how it works for our family. The beauty of making your own schedule is just divine!

Here is a glance of my plan:

January, February, March-  School schedule

April- School Break- Except for family projects

May, June, July- School schedule

August-School Break- Except family projects

September, October, November- School schedule

December- School Break - Except family projects.


I don't know about you, but we burn out after a while and our school schedule slacks a bit, and we dwindle off into the land of chaos. I am thinking with a month break here and there, it will help us and give us time to rejuvenate.

Multiple Children

One of the largest obstacles I have found in homeschooling, is trying to manage teaching three different children -three different levels of varied subjects. I was always running, answering 20 million questions at one time and burnt out very quickly. It took me about a year to realize... I need to schedule differently.

We started making a weekly schedule for about everything. From cleaning to one on one time for learning, it works great!!! Mondays- we have combined work, group projects and planning  Tuesdays- My middle boy has one on one time with me   Wednesday -- the youngest boy works with me  Thursday-- My eldest boy works with me   Friday is a combined day again.  I fill their cubbies with work for the week, and when I am working with someone else, the others work on their other projects or do computer work.

It works like a charm!!