I have been at this homeschooling thing for a few years now.  I have a senior who is dual enrolled in high school and college, a 7th grader, a 5th grader, 2 preschoolers and a new baby. 

To say that we are busy can oft be understated. 

The problem is, in the business of life, I often forget to give myself a bit of grace.

You see, when I began this homeschooling journey I thought I had to replicate school at home.  It was a wise sage of a mom who enlightened me by asking, “Are you homeschooling, or schooling at home.”  That was a strange question to me, but did cause me to start thinking more.  Wasn’t the whole reason that we chose the path of homeschooling because there were significant deficits in the public school system?  If there were things that were not working there, why did I want an exact replication of that system in my home?

It took me awhile but I finally began to find a groove.  It was okay if our days did not exactly mimic the days that I remember from my schooling.  There are days we get more done, days we get done less.  But overall I hadn’t ever worried that my children were falling behind in any specific area. 

That is until this last year.  I had a full on moment (or two) of panic.  You see, we were blessed with a new baby this year, he was born in December and he is quite adored.  However, for all my best laid plans, things have not gone as I saw when I was planning our homeschool year.

I thought I had it all under control, I knew our baby was due mid December and therefore we prepared by doubling up on lessons here and there so that when all was said and done, we would be able to take off the entire month of December without falling behind.  It was meticulous really; I figured that the public school gives 2 weeks off during December leaving 3 weeks for lessons.  Therefore, if we had an extra 3 weeks’ worth of lessons in each subject competed before December; we could actually take the 3 weeks of school off all together.  I am thankful for the head start.

What I hadn’t planned on was the unexpected.

Soon after our son was born we learned that he has Down Syndrome, that set me for a spin for a few weeks…it honestly was kind of a blur. 

Then the holidays came and went and the first of the year began, time to get back to school, back to a routine.

I was all set, we started the school year off with a bang, I was in full swing trying to juggle all the balls that were in the air, but then, as is oft the case, winter brings sickness.  It hit my littlest one hard, so hard in fact that he ended up in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for 8 whole days. 

So much for school.

I had left the house on a Friday morning promising to return after the pediatrician took a quick peek at our son before the weekend, I didn’t return for 8 days.  Straight to the hospital and there I stayed by his bedside.

I chuckle now when I remember some of the nurses mentioning that I was probably scrambling to find people to pick the kids up from school so my husband wasn’t worrying about that too.  Nope, they were all at home, without a teacher and mom was quite preoccupied.

This is where I began stressing.  But then, I realized I had to give myself grace.  (hubby had to help me with this one).

We are homeschoolers, we have freedom.  We can go through the summer with our lessons if necessary, or we can take this detour for what it is, an intensive study.
Science, check.  My children were all asking about their brother and why he had to be on oxygen.  Why he wasn’t given antibiotics (he had viral RSV).  How were the doctors helping him?  How did his Down Syndrome Trisomy 21 diagnosis complicate his respiratory issues?  What about his heart defects?

Health, check.  Our family has become a group of hand washing Nazis, germs, if you have them, stay away.

Home Economics and Child development, check.  The house kind of ran itself, dad was running to and from the hospital, my 16 y/o was making meals and ensuring baths, my 13 y/o was playing preschool teacher to help the little ones who missed mommy, and my 11 year old was learning all about breathing machines and oxygen saturation levels as he asked so many questions.  Laundry was being done by all the kids, housekeeping was, surprisingly, still at the forefront and getting done quite well I’m told.

We made it through the 8 days and when I finally was able to bring our newest babe home again I realized something.  My kids learned a lot during that time.  They were not educationally starved, they just weren’t getting the grade level style of bookwork and lessons that I thought they should be, but they were learning.  Real life, learning.
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Subsequently I have started giving myself more grace when I have to take off a morning to take our little one to the cardiologist or a pediatrician appointment.  God chose this path of homeschooling for our family long before he gave us the gift of our newest babe.  He knew that by homeschooling we could get through this and other trials like it, we had more freedom to do so.
 
So, if God did all that for us, and gives us grace, I should definitely give myself some.

​I get it, I do, there are some who will read the title of this post, roll their eyes and say, NO WAY!  Yup, I was there too.  I had zero intention of homeschooling my children, I mean ZERO.  To me, that was for other, more patient people…and besides Homeschoolers were kind of, well you know, weird.

We made a bold move almost 5 years ago now.  We decided to make a change in our children’s educational plan which affected many areas of our family.  What we decided back then was to make an about face, against all that we knew of the educational system, and walk a lesser trod path into the realm of homeschooling. ​

            I must admit that my children are starting to tell me I am old, I remember doing this same thing to my mom, she probably did it to her mom as well.  In some ways, yes I guess I am getting older.  I have an affinity for the less than new, and picture books are no different.  I was one of the lucky children who had people reading to me all of the time and then once I could read myself, I was hooked.  What is funny is that I remember so vividly some of the illustrations in my favorite children’s books.  I could get lost with my imagination while looking at those pictures.  There are some great stories that have come out in recent years, I have a few of those that are fast becoming timeless treasures for my children and I, but nothing will beat the picture books from my youth, the ones my grandmother read to me over and over, the ones my mom would let me curl up next to her and look at, those books.  You need to read those books to your children, here is my list of favorites, they are oldies, but oh so good!

Harry the Dirty Dog… all about a dog who goes to extremes to avoid a bath

Eighteen Cousins…19 young children and a lot of farm animals, made for laughs!
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Miss Suzy…A lovely squirrel who loves being a homemaker, until…
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Devin and Goliath…A curious boy, a large turtle and some fantastic illustrations
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Blueberries for Sal…A little girl picking blueberries and a bear cub.
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The Story About Ping…a duck with an amazing adventure, luckily he makes it back in time.
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Make Way For Ducklings…A very protective mother duck makes sure her babies are safe.
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The Snowy Day… A boy, the snow and nothing else.
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The Giving Tree…makes me cry EVERY time.
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Are you my mother?...The poor bird looks high and low and everywhere in between.
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Where the Wild Things Are…Let the wild rumpus begin!
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Corduroy…If only he could find his lost button someone would want to take him home.
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See, I'm showing my age here.  My grandmother had most of these books in the library of the preschool she ran for over 20 years.  I believe though that anyone born in the late 70's to 80's and beyond may be familiar with at least a few of these titles, they are the best!
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Many well meaning parents have a tendency to idealize what homeschooling actually is. The daydream can go something like this: days are spent languishing in rich literature, afternoons are spent learning thrilling hands-on science experiments, and weekends are spent going on exceptionally educational and exciting field trips that the whole family can enjoy.  All of this and in the end these parents will turn out a child thankful for the amazing experiences afforded to them by their loving and doting parents who have sacrificed to provide the best education available to them, all so they could enter the college of their choice with an amazing transcript in tow.  If this is the ideal, what happens between the ideal and reality that causes so many homeschool parents to quit the journey, chalk it up as a good try, and return their children to the mass education system?

1. Some well meaning parents  “ idealize the process”

The problem with this is that they then cannot live up to the ideal nirvana that they have created in their minds.  Homeschooling is messy friends; it is not always going to go well.  There will be days that you do not accomplish nearly what you had hoped, and others where you are left in awe of what you are able to teach in a very short time.  There will be moments you want to quit, moments you feel like a failure, and moments when you realize that the curriculum you chose is NOT a good fit.  It is all part of the beautiful, messy process.  It is not an ideal that you are living up to, there is no perfect homeschool, the sooner that one can realize that the sooner one is able to let go of the idea and recognize that it is the reality of homeschooling that will take you to the end, good, bad and beautifully messy.

2. They have an inability to accept delayed gratification. 

Our society is terrible at this; we cannot accept that gratification is not instantaneous.  We purchase things we cannot afford, we are impulsive, and we have a difficult time waiting and being patient.  Homeschooling your children is no different.  Many homeschooling parents fail because they expect to see results YESTERDAY, and they aren't prepared for delaying the gratification of seeing results.  Sometimes it will be weeks, months or even years before you start to reap the fruits of your labor.  The hours spent with the struggling reader may not yield immediate results, but if you wait, if you are patient, the fruit will yield, and when it does, it is so worth every moment of the wait.

3. They have a need to be praised and feel thanked

This is another no-no.  If you are expecting to be praised for your efforts either by your non-teaching spouse, your children, or other friends and family, you will likely be disappointed.  Your children may not fully realize what you have done for them until they are grown and many years have passed (back to that delayed gratification section).  Your spouse, unless they step into your shoes for a week, will have no idea just how difficult it can be.  Your friends and family, though they may offer the occasional "you are amazing, I could never do that," comments, they too will not understand.  Your motivation will need to come internally, or from an external calling, but if you are expecting this to be a thankful job, you will likely be disappointed.

4.  They compare themselves to others

This cardinal rule, if broken, will lead to dissatisfaction, frustration, and feelings of inadequacy.  There is always going to be someone who looks like they are doing a better job than you are.  Just know that some people are better at hiding their inadequacies than others.  Some other parent may seem more organized, more spiritual, more educated, more, more, more than you… Don't look there.  Don't compare yourself to other homeschooling parents.  Once each of us is able to realize that our children are gifts and they were each given to the family they ended up in for a very unique and special reason, it is easier to understand that the best teacher they can have is their own unique parent.
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                Now that you are aware of the traps that lead to the failure of the homeschooling parent, you are better equipped to not only avoid these traps but realize where you may be inclined to stumble.  You are doing a great and amazing thing on this journey, keep up the daily work and you will see results, just maybe not this week.

I was not raised on a farm, I am learning as I go but learning is one of those things that you are never too old to do.  

I have always heard really good things about 4H so this past year I decided that my children should give it a try and join up with some animals.  It has definitely been a good experience and my children have learned so much.

I always thought that 4H was for farm kids, not so, there are so many projects that a suburban kid could do and they are all so well organized and educational.  However, for the farm kids, there are some really neat things that they learn about animal husbandry.  My children have learned that you can actually wash a chicken (yes, people do this to make the chickens look their best before judging...and you can blow dry them, most of them even like it!)

We have learned all about rabbit breeding (see this post). And the educational factor alone has been well worth the effort.  So on to the 5 things...

1. The Projects are VERY educational...
(your kids will learn more than you thought possible!)

When you are interested in a subject, there is probably a project book about that subject, if not, there are plenty of self determined projects available.  Children can take a project on everything from baking, sewing, acting, gardening, robotics, and veterinary care to bicycling, bully prevention, first aid and STEM projects. The project books, however, are meticulously laid out and have so many specifics and different areas to explore that if there is a topic your child is interested in, they will learn ALOT!

There is a certain camaraderie that is born when children are working on a project and being challenged by other children.  I have found through this year that some of the older children who have already taken projects that my children are now taking have been exceptionally helpful in guiding them.  In addition, many of the project books require kids to present their projects to the club they belong to, a great experience as you learn from others.

When taking projects the goal is for the child to be able to present what they have learned to a judge at your county fair.  They are interviewed and have to learn to think on their feet, answer questions respectfully, and articulate themselves.  Often times they are also presenting to more than one judge so there is the public speaking platform that comes into play as well.

When your child joins a 4H club and chooses a project (or many projects) they can earn prizes, accolades and sometimes even cash for their hard work.  The project does not have to be a livestock one and the feeling of having "won" something for working hard is something that is invaluable to the self esteem of a child.

Yes, it is that detailed.  Your child could work on the first aid project and they will learn enough to qualify as an actual school subject, and the bonus?  It is mostly hands on as they are to prepare a poster and presentation about what they have learned.  If you don't have a 4H group that is a good fit in your area, you can always order the books and just use them as curriculum, even without being a member.  I am telling you, this is GOOD stuff and it is very reasonably priced. (here is a link to their educational store)

Are you interested yet?  If you need to know where to start HERE is how to find your local 4H groups.  I suggest stopping in at a few different meetings that groups hold to find the chapter that is a good fit for you and your child.  Our first meeting was with a group that was not fantastic, but when we went to another group, we fit in perfectly!

If you are anything like me, you strive to limit the amount of digital influence your children have in their lives.  I also try, and sometimes in vain, to find digital influences that are at least educational in nature so that when I do allow screen time, I can at least feel better about it. Whether you are heading out on a long car trip for vacation or running your homeschool through the summer, you will find great information here. This roundup is super helpful, and let's face it, as much as I don't want to admit it, the school year will be sneaking up on us soon!

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Now that summer is in full swing we take a Laissez-faire approach to our learning.  Don’t get me wrong, we are ALWAYS learning, but it is much less structured in the summer months.  We don’t “school” year round but are still discovering and learning daily.  Our summer usually includes all sorts of outdoor, hands on experiences that will be recalled all next school year.  However, this came across my radar recently and here are a few great resources that can be used this summer, or ordered now for use when, dare I say in a few months, we all begin back to school with our kiddos.

We love to learn around here, often my kids find that when it seems like "fun" and not "school" all the better.  We try to mix it up, OFTEN, and keep the desire for learning new information alive.  How about you?

NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links, they cost you nothing but help with the cost of running my blog site if you should decide to make a purchase through an affiliate.  Thank you!

I have had a number of friends approach me over the last several years with questions.  Maybe they have seen what the life of a homeschool family can look like, maybe they are dissatisfied with their current educational choice, maybe our current public school education has left them wanting.  

​Whatever the reason they have begun searching.  They all seem to have some of the same questions, I had them as well.  So I am going to attempt to put forth some answers to some of the basic questions I often hear.

1.  It isn't difficult and you don't need to be brilliant in every subject

One of my biggest hangups when we began our journey into homeschooling was the concern that I had a gifted child, about to enter middle school, and I was HORRIBLE at math.  How was I ever going to teach her upper level mathematics when I barely passed them myself?  Even in college I had a tutor that aided me in making it through the math portion of my degree (luckily my degree had very little math involved but still!)  

From one homeschool parent to a hopeful, it can be done.  I just located a program for us that did all the teaching, took out the guess work, and removed me as the teacher.  I don't do this in all subjects but math was my biggest concern.  My piece of advice, though homeschooling does not have to be expensive, spend the most on the subject you are least proficient in. 

We went with a program called "Teaching Textbooks" for our math.  All the instruction including practice is captured on computer dvds that are interactive.  My children watch illustrations on the lesson and then have a chance to practice, if they get a problem wrong, they have a chance to click and see the entire problem worked out for them. Another bonus? The program is self grading so all I have to do is log on and I can see on any given lesson what percentage they got right/wrong, if they looked at the step by step answer for wrong problems and how they do on all tests. It has been a lifesaver!  Teaching Textbooks is useful for all grades (we use it now from elementary through highschool) and each grade corresponds with the number (i.e. Math 4 is 4th grade, Math 7 is 7th grade) Love this program!

2. You SHOULD NOT recreate standard school in your home

Let me, and any other veteran homeschool mom for that matter, warn you.  DONT DO IT!  You may be tempted to buy cute little desks and dedicate a room as the "school room" in your home complete with a teacher desk and chalkboard but most (if not all) the veteran homeschool moms will tell you that re-creating school in your home sucks the life out of you and also removes the spontinaity and creativity you are afforded in your homeschool ventures.

After removing 3 of my 5 children from the public school system this was a hard won lesson to learn.  I had been taught in public school and that was what I knew.  I thought I had to recreate the skeleton thereof complete with recess and gym class.  What I failed to realize was that I was boxing myself into a corner.  We now (through much trial and error, mostly on my part) have come to a much happier place where we have structure and form to our homeschool day but we make it our own.

 If we want to read literature aloud over cocoa and coffee (mine of course) for our history, we can do it while sitting on the trampoline outside in the sun.  

If we have trouble focusing (mostly my boys) on a task, sometimes a quick "gym class" of laps up and down the driveway makes focus a whole lot easier.

When we want to allow a nature walk to find some of the insects we are learning about in science, we can take off.

This is what works in our homeschool, each of us has to find what works and step away from the idea of how we are supposed to do it.  There really aren't rules to the manner in which you teach, it is what suits your students best.

3. REACH OUT: find a local homeschool group and plug in

Homeschooling can be a bit lonely if you let it.  This is a recipe for disaster.  We need encouragement, we need creative ideas, we need affirmation.  Find a homeschooling group that you can mesh with (you sometimes have to look hard) and make some friends.  This may take awhile.  I know that when we first stated homeschooling and I began looking for such a group I was inundated with a number of places and people to become involved with.  

What I quickly learned though was there were some groups that were helpful and others that I really didn't fit with.  I am homeschooling with a Christ centered base so I did not fit into a secular homeschooling group.  I didn't have time to commit to a co-op so i forfeited that as well.  I settled on an amazing local group that offers moms nights out as well as field days and all manner of organized field trips.  It is free, full of like minded moms and it helps us.

The other HUGE benefit to becoming involved in homeschool groups is the ability to get first hand reviews of curriculum you may be considering.  One of the best things was when I started homeschooling this group's leader invited me to her home and showed me all of the curriculum she used.  I asked questions, I thumbed through pages, I talked to the kids.  I found that some of it would not be a good fit for us but some of it was SPOT ON.  This was such a help to me when I was but a newbie.  Find other moms like this.

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4. Attend a Homeschool Convention

.There will always be a reason not to go.  Not enough money, no babysitter, too far away.  Let me tell you that especially if you are new to homeschooling, this may be the single most important thing you do.  You don't have to spend ANY money, just go to look if need be.  

If you need to save money HERE is a post I did for another blogger regarding how to do that.  

If you need to attend a convention with children HERE is a post I did for another blogger regarding how to do that.

​Even I still make a point to go yearly HERE is why.

5. Start By Learning the Laws in Your State

Sounds daunting doesn't it?  It isn't.  Every state has their own set of rules/regulations when it comes to homeschooling.  Some are more lenient (for example TX, OK, MO, IA, IL, IN, MI, ID, AK, CT and NJ do not require ANY notification by the parent of their decision to homeschool)  All the other states have varying degrees of restriction/expectations.

​Even if your state is one that requires more of homeschooling parents, know that it is legal in all 50 states to homeschool your child.  There are even a number of legal defense advocacy groups just to protect that right.

The laws really aren't difficult to navigate, HERE is a listing of all 50 states, click on any state for details.

6. Recognize the Difference Between Parent-Driven Curricula and State-Driven Online Curricula.

This one confuses most people.  Online schools are the buzz word right now, they are touted as an amazing way to homeschool your child for nearly free as the books, curriculum and computer are all provided to you free of charge.  But...someone is paying that bill.  This is what I like to call State-Driven online public school.  

The technicality of it is that yes, your child is at home.  However, know that the entity providing the materials is the one in charge.  Meaning, if you don't want public school indoctrination and you want say, a creationary standpoint discussed in the education for your children, this may not be the option that would best suit you.

The second option is what I call Parent Driven Curriculum.  This is where the parent chooses either a particular company to adhere to either on a per subject basis or an all-inclusive grade level basis. Or, totally different than that, the parent develops their own curriculum to teach their child.  This is where the homeschool resurgence began, with parent driven curricula, however the public schools losing money as children began staying home for school are now offering their own brand of homeschooling, via the online avenue.

7.  Educate Yourself

A very good place to start is with some amazing resources available that will encourage you, educate you, and help you on the rough days.  Google information such as "test scores of homeschoolers as compared to public schools," Learn about the move of Ivy league colleges to begin recruiting homeschooled students.  Talk to other moms who have taken the plunge into homeschooling and not looked back.

Then begin reading...There are a number of books I read when I began this journey, I gleaned bits and pieces from each of them and I felt better about my decision after each read.  Here are a few of my favorites. 

8. Give Yourself Grace

Homeschooling has a definite learning curve.  What works for one child, may not be a perfect fit for a sibling.  That is the beauty of homeschooling.  You can adjust your schedule, curriculum, and teaching methods as often as needed.  

During the learning curve though, know that a bad day here and there, or even a bad week for that matter doesn't define your homeschool.  We all have rough spots, even teachers in traditional school settings will tell you that, just ask any teacher who has taught a classroom full of children the week before Christmas Break and the week before Summer break.

Do know that if you jump on this train, and you stick with it...you will begin to see amazing results.  It may not be immediate, but then again nothing worth having ever is.  You will get to know your children better than you ever have, you will see relationships in your home in an entirely new light, and you will be amazed at just how much you too will learn along the way.  Give yourself some grace if you begin this journey, you have to.  It isn't easy, but it is SOOOOO worth it!

I have been at this homeschooling thing for 5 years now and I have learned a little along the way.  Here it is, I can tell you how I can totally wind up with a day that makes a mama wish she had made other educational choices, or maybe just a list of things that I try my best to avoid.

#1. Wake up late.
This may not be universally agreed upon but at least for me, this will wreck it.  I find that on the days that I sleep a bit too long (I'm not talking till noon here, just even till 8 or a bit after when kids have all started to wake) I start off the day behind and I feel like I am playing catch-up for the rest of the day.  I do so much better when I make myself get up, get my first cup of coffee, read my bible, blog, start a load of laundry and have a few moments to myself before our crazy whirlwind begins...I'm better for it and my kids find a much less frazzled mama.


#2 Don't have a dinner plan.
Ummm.  As I type this I realize that I don't yet have a dinner plan for today.  At our house with my crew, this is pretty crucial stuff.  If I do not plan what to do at dinner time I end up at 4 o'clock tired, a bit frazzled and with no plan of action.  We would then either end up eating cereal (hubby is not a fan of this- lol) or I would desire to grab something that would either cost more than I wanted to spend or something unhealthy...so excuse me while I throw something in the crockpot.


#3 Don't Get Dressed.
 I am a firm believer in getting dressed whether I am actually planning on going somewhere or not.  I also make my kids get dressed, its just me but I think we do better when we don't sit around in p.j's all day.  That doesn't mean that in the dead of winter I don't allow for an occasional splurge of jammy time, but not on a regular basis.  Oh, and for me, I make sure that by the time hubby gets home from work I have on makeup, hair has been brushed and at least pulled into a neat ponytail...I know he appreciates not coming home to a wife in yoga pants and a baby drool stained shirt.


#4 Spend the Day Wasting Time On Social Media
This can be a hard temtation especially with smart phones.  I can find myself periodically checking emails or facebook status in between grading math problems and teaching science and lets face it, that can suck a gal in so I really try to limit this to only early a.m. before we start school and afternoon when littles are down for a nap and the rest of my crew is finishing up.


#5 Take Phone Calls and Texts
Most of my friends will tell you that I try not to take phone calls or answer very many texts during school hours because it gets me off track and trust me, my kids can tell when I am not fully present because I am distracted.  For the most part (unless it is daddy calling) I do not answer the phone during the a.m.  Not trying to be rude, I will call people back but I can't take the constant distractions.  I gotta unplug.


#6 Run Around
I am part of some great mom's groups.  I am also a part of some great homeschool groups.  Truth be told there is always something super exciting and cool to be doing, a field trip, a cool outing, a class for this or that...but I find that if I do not stay put and work on school stuff for the majority of our schooling, it is way too easy to get sidetracked, I mean who wouldn't rather go to a museum one day, an art show the next, hiking another and maybe a cooking class too? ME! ME! ME!  Again, I can get off track so we have such better fluidity when we stay home and only indulge occasionally in these things.  Now, as I say this our current semester is jammed with 2 literature classes we go to on different days, karate, volleyball and a college class one of my children takes...whew!  That is why we have had to forgo several other fun field trips to work on just "regular" school.


#7 Compare Myself to Other Mamas
This can be true for so many things.  As it applies to homeschooling if I constantly compare where my kids are in school, how they are learning, what other moms do, I can begin to feel like a failure.  I assure you that no one has my children's best interests at heart like I do, No one.  That being said there is always some mama that looks like she is doing a better job at homeschooling, she is better organized, more creative, has more patience...etc.


There it is, That is how I can ruin my homeschool day.  How about you?  Do you have other things you would add to this list?  Leave me a comment below...

It was a number of years ago that I attended my first one of these, I was on the fence about homeschooling, just checking it out really.  However, once I set foot in the door, I was in awe and easily swayed towards  the never ending pursuit of educational excellence.

It has been some years since I was that woman, so unsure about the journey, this year I was attending for encouragement.  I know I am on the right path and that this is exactly where God led our family, this homeschooling journey we are on.  But, I am going to be completely transparent here and let you in on a secret...there are still years that I NEED ENCOURAGEMENT. 

I have been in the trenches for the last 2 years, homeschooling with babies and preschoolers has got to be akin to the zoo headmaster's tasks on opening day...its a jungle in there.  This is not an easy season in our homeschooling journey, in fact, it has to be the most challenging time that we have been in yet.  So there, it is out, I went to the convention because in all honesty I had to get some encouragement.  I found that and so much more.

Though there are a number of homeschooling conventions one can attend, I go to the GHC (Great Homeschool Convention) which parlays in Cincinnati, Ohio for a long 4 day weekend.  I only went for a day but it was worth every moment.  

During the long weekend one can attend a variety of workshops with sometimes as many as 20 occurring during one hour time slots, if you miss one that you would have liked to attend, you can purchase an audio cd of the workshop for a nominal fee.  The convention tickets also include a vendor hall pass which entitles the owner of said pass to peruse aisle after aisle of curriculum (at last count there were over 600 vendors). This is perfect for a visual gal like myself, I want to thumb through textbooks and look at pictures before making my final decisions and purchases.

I was privilaged to hear a number of amazing speakers, but three stuck out in my mind. Heidi St John, Chrystal Evans Hurst, and Dr. Inge Aurbaucher.  Heidi spoke to my mom heart. She helped me remember why I was doing what I was doing and how when I felt ill equipped for the task at hand, God was there to guide me, I need only ask.  Chrystal reminded me to slow down and quit letting the business of life get in the way of my mission.  I really needed that, amidst homeschooling, homesteading, blogging and freelance writing for magazines I have also begun writing a book...yup I needed her reminder that there are seasons for everything and I need to focus on the season I am in now.  Finally, Dr. Aurbaucher brought tears to my eyes.  Hearing first hand from a Holocast survivor was an amazing experience that I will not soon forget.  Hearing about history from someone who lived it is far superior to reading a panoramic view in a dry history book.  I went so far as to meet Dr. Aurbaucher afterwards and share a photo op as well as get my books signed.

It was, and always is an amazing experience to get to attend one of these conferences.  I leave feeling renewed, refreshed and reminded why I am walking against the current in the choice we have made to homeschool our children.

So what in the world is EEME anyway?  EEME is an acronym for Electrical Engineering Mechanical Engineering. EEME  - makes hands-on projects and FREE online lessons to teach kids electronics - to foster their curiosity for how things work and prep them for the STEM opportunities of tomorrow. 

Each project kit is paired with online curricula to not only show your family how to assemble the kit, but more importantly, teach them how it works.

There are also FREE interactive online lessons to teach your family the fundamentals of electronics. Sounds complex, right?  Not so much.  I have been homeschooling for a number of years now and I have struggled with my 10 year old and his inherent desire to take everything apart to see how it works.  

I am not mechanically minded, in fact if someone messes with the Wii too much I can't even use it any longer. As you can imagine my son's tinkering is beyond me and often leaves me befuddled with a pile of parts from his most recent "invention."  However, this is a learning path that I want to encourage my son in, so I am always open to seeing what is available out there to help him learn and experiment with.

We began with the Tinkercrate subscription (blog post here).  The Tinkercrate was fun and was greatly anticipated every month when my son would begin incessantly checking the mailbox to get his latest box.  The only problem that I had with it was that the projects were only able to be done once.  What that meant for me was that there were other children in my homeschool (I have 5 kids afterall) and he was the only one able to use it because once the project was completed, it was completed.  The project was a one time shot and there was nothing more to do, being"used up"  there was no way for another child to get any use from it.  

The other bit of a downfall for me was that my son, though gifted in certain areas, is not a good reader.  The Tinkercrate directions were all very helpful and thorough, but they were written directions so if he was too quick to get to the crate he just dove in and kind of followed the directions as best as he could (there are some pictures) but many times he would skip a step or jump ahead.  I found myself wishing there were videos or something that would allow for him to do the projects on his own without any guidance from me.

Enter in an ad I saw for EEME.  A monthly subscription service with projects mailed to our home.

I was intriuged as it kept popping up in my newsfeed on facebook and I saw a number of people following and "like"-ing the pages put up.  I found my way to the website and was quite intrigued by what I saw.

I reached out to the creator and I was given a trial of the product to review for all my readers, let me tell you the creator is very responsive and helpful and appears to be a dad with the desire to bring learning to a lot of kids, just like my son.

We waited in anticipation for our box to arrive and as soon as it did my son was so excited to get to work.  We unpacked the items and I was surprised that it didn't take up very much room, just a small box with a number of electrical components.

The directions were clear and directed us to go online to the website and look up our project, it was an LED Genius light. Described as follows: 

With the Genius Light project, you will assemble a simple LED circuit system that does the smart thing - lights up when it is dark and dims when it is light.
Your family will learn about:
- LED light bulbs
- Resistors
- Photoresistors
- Breadboards
- Project build time: 1.5 - 2.5 hours

This is where I was sold...my son logged on to the computer and I watched the videos over his shoulder.  I didn't have to do a thing!  The videos were very clear and concise allowing him to see a "hands on" project being built with a voice over while he was doing the project.  There were so many projects that the build time of 1.5 - 2.5 hours is to complete all of them, something that can take as long as you want it to. My son decided to work on the project for awhile meandering through a number of the lessons and then decided to take a break for a day and go back at it again where he left off the following day.

The other factor that I really was impressed by was that this project can be used again and again.  I can run another child through this exact same process and that child can also use the components to make the genius light.  The project is not "used up" after just one child. This is a huge plus for a budget minded mama!

We found the project to be a hit and my son felt like a little Benjamin Franklin.  The service runs a $19.99 month fee, no additional shipping and all of the tutorials and lessons are available online for your student to watch and learn the how and why of it all.  We were very pleased with the service, the project, and this homeschool mom was pleased with the ease of execution that did not involve me!

If you are interested, check out EEME at ​http://www.eeme.co/.  You won't be dissapointed, I sure wasn't!
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Since I have begun my spring planting indoors this was a perfect time to work on the concept of plant lifecycles with my little boys.  They enjoy planting and watching as the seedlings pop up but I wanted a fun craft to really show how the process works.

Here goes, you need a muffin liner, brown and green construction paper, string or yarn, a glue stick and some seeds (any kind will work, I used marigold seeds but even dried beans would work as you are showing a concept here).

I went ahead and set up the craft and then I used a few books we had to read as teaching tools and then also a graphic I found here: ​Science World that shows a great illustration of the life cycle of a plant.  

This is a great time to check out your local library for books about growing and spring.  Some fantastic titles are:

On to our project, we gathered our supplies (always better when mom is prepared and has them all laid out beforehand). And I also always like to have a sample of what the finished project is supposed to look like, it helps little minds visualize what they will finish with.

This post contains Amazon Affiliate ads, they cost you nothing but if you make a purchase, I might receive a small bonus from Amazon.  Thanks for supporting Incidentalfarmgirl!

 I have been on a search for years to find this, I can't wait to share with you the awesome little gem I came across (I am not getting paid by anyone for this post, this is just my own true desire to share what I love!)

As a homeschool family we print...A LOT!  I print weekly schedules for the kids, we make posters and graphics for learning, I print out busy bag games for my little ones.  And let's not even mention all the printing I do with recipes, chore charts, etc.  You get the picture here.  I have always been on the hunt for a printer whose ink didn't kill me in cost.  For many of our printing needs we like color, but I have been strict to limit that as, let's face it, it can be quite costly!  In the last 8 or so years I have gone through 3 printers. The first one went kaput (that is the technical term, I assure you), the second was a garage sale $10 purchase to get by, and now, I think I am in love.  

In times past my black ink would cost between $12-$25 and my color was between $15-$30 depending on sales, the printer, etc.  We were replacing black ink at least every other month and I tried to stretch the colored ink to only 4 times a year.  I finally found a solution, it was at the hands of another blogger...let me explain.

I was trying to get more organized with a "mom" binder to house daily schedules, meal plans, shopping info, etc.  I came across a website that had some of the cutest printables for doing that, but, when I realized that the printables were just download files that you print at home, I was turned off.  Let's face it, that would kill me in ink!  But wait, then I saw a little tip from another blogger at I heart planners,  in the tip she mentions a service offered by hp ink.  In the service you don't go to the store to get your ink...nope.  No more hoping that Walmart has your brand, no more trying to save money by buying re-purposed cartridges that never seem to work properly, none of that.  No more running out of ink in the middle of printing a report!!! 

It sounded too good to be true, but I was curious.  So here is how it works...newer HP printers, are eligible for this service.  The service goes like this:  You have a wireless HP printer that communicates online with HP instant ink services to monitor your ink levels.  When you are running low, they simply send you more!  I LOVE whoever thought of this!  There is a monthly plan you choose from starting at $4.99 a month for the printing of 100 pages (black or color) and going up to $9.99 a month for 300 pages a month.  That is still less than what I was spending since my black ink alone at $12 bimonthly also included a trip to the store. There is also a 3 month free trial period to see if you like the service.

 The only problem was I didn't have an HP printer because my garage sale printer was a Lexmark, but as luck would have it, my Lexmark was on its last legs and I found a killer deal on Amazon so I purchased an all-in-one copy/scan wireless printer from HP for a whopping $69- free shipping too. (it was a scratch and dent box model). So, I set up the service, agreed to the $4.99 a month fee after my 3 month free trial and I was set.  Here is where it got interesting, I started printing and about 3 weeks in I received an email from HP instant ink stating that my ink was running low...more was on the way! (there is no shipping fee involved).  The ink arrived within 2 days, my original cartridges aren't even out of ink  yet, but here are fresh ones waiting to be used at the slightest provocation of ink run-out.  I think I'm in love.

Now, for the printer itself.  Love it.  It is a scanner, printer, copier.  It prints in brilliant color (which I am no longer afraid to use because the ink just keeps showing up!)  It is all digital and very easy to use and set up, which was a huge plus for me.  I love that it isn't connected to anything but my desktop and laptop computers can both print to it, no problems.  Yup, this is hands down the best printer I have had and with the added instant ink service from HP, it is highly recommended for all you homeschool families out there.

Now, here is where the disclosure comes in, if you go to the Amazon link and you end up making a purchase, I may get a small promotion from that, however, you can get this printer anywhere, not just there.  But, know that when I researched it, Amazon was the cheapest place that beat all the others by $50 or more!  LOVE THIS!

As for the instant ink services, you simply go to www.hpconnected.com to sign up.

In my ever present need to occupy the minds of two very curious little boys, I sometimes scour the internet for resources to aid the endeavor of enhancing their little minds beyond the realm of Curious George and Sid the Science Kid.

I am always on the lookout for paths that will lead me toward the never ending fulfillment of occupying these little minds.  I am here today to share a few of the amazing things that are working for us (on good days).

First and foremost, one of the most useful gifts I received this Christmas was a laminator.  As a homeschooling mom, I think that this is an invaluable tool (right along with my paper cutter).  I used both of these tools to create a few really fun busy bags that have not only been fun but have also been helping us do "preschool" and learn numbers and letters.

Our Favorite though is hands down, the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" printable.  We read the story first (it is currently a favorite at our house) and after I had made the printable cards we used chocolate chips to decorate our cookies and learn numbers.

​HERE is that link. (photo courtesy of playdough to plato)
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We are also loving the ice cream matching game, it is really helping with letter recognition.

Here is the free printable for that one.

The clothespin letter match is a favorite, I love that it also helps with fine motor skills, my little one loves to pinch them.

That is also from playdough to plato.  Love that blog! HERE is the link to that free printable.

For just fun, something that your little can do without any guidance at all, I made this busy bag awhile ago and it is still a hit.

I store all of these little printables (after laminating them of course) into sandwich baggies and then we will randomly pick one or two bags out to "play" a game.  On good days, these are a huge help.  This is also something that an older sibling can do with the younger ones while I am helping another child learn a concept.

Do you have a favorite busy bag link to share?
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Many of my friends ask me how I keep my little ones busy while homeschooling.  I'm going to let you in on a little secret...this is one of my biggest challenges too.  It is not easy to home school multiple grades while keeping two little boys from all but reducing my home to a pile of rubble.  This is the hardest part of my current season of homeschooling.  I find that when I am on top of it and I am very organized and prepared, this is an area that goes relatively smoothly, however, I am here to admit that is not always the case.

More often than not I end up trying to think outside the box and come up with a quick activity that will at least entertain my two most challenging students, while allowing me a few precious minutes to explain a new concept to another child.

This photo is from just such a day.  I actually did have plenty of activities planned for the little ones, but, as luck would have it this was one of the days that nothing was working (yes, even I have those days!)

In a moment of desperation I grabbed a bottle of shaving cream that the littles' grandmother had given them for fun tub time, and I gave them a large pile of the creative stuff each.  WHAT WAS I THINKING?  Well, I did get the extra 20 minutes or so that I needed to explain that new concept to my 4th grader, and the boys did have fun, as did their sister who joined in the fun, but it certainly was wild!

I share all this to say, if this is an area that is challenging for you, you are not alone.  If you are also on this journey of homeschooling and you have little ones at home, you know too the challenges I am speaking of.  It is okay, you can do it, and sometimes it just takes a little creativity and willingness to clean up a mess!

A couple of my homeschooling friends had taken their children to our local veterans museum last year and were very impressed by the vast amount of knowledge that the curators had regarding the lost art of bringing history to a personal level by telling its story through the eyes of those who lived it.  This lasting impression led these mamas to ask the museum curators if they would be interested in teaching a class for our homeschoolers.  The response?  An overwhelming YES!  The local museum which houses artifacts from thousands of soldiers across the United States has offered to have hands on learning for our public schoolers but has found that with so much testing and test preparedness, the students don't have time to do extra supplementary learning...WHAT???  

So, enter my dismay...this is why I HATED history in school.  It was so textbook BORING that I could barely keep my eyes opened.  It was like flying in a plane and looking down, you see an overall picture of what the terrain looks like, but you have no knowledge of the intricacies that make up the land...ie the stories of the people who lived through and fought our wars are liking walking on the nature path and seeing the plants and animals versus the flying plane overhead and getting an overview...that would be like reading a broad summary from most textbooks...make sense?

Well, not only did these curators agree to do a class, but they agreed to make it a weekly affair for a whole year!!!  They are covering the beginning of our country through the current state of affairs for 32 weeks!  We had our first class a few days ago and the children were advised that they would see re-enactments, get to try on civil war uniforms, get to meet holocast survivors and really get immersed in the study of our American History from historians and first hand accounts of veterans.  To say that I am excited is an UNDERSTATEMENT!

Our first class was an overview but the children were also taught about proper handling of our American Flag, we reviewed the colors and symbols on the flag and the children were instructed about flying the flag at half mass...which was occurring on the day of our first history class- September 11.

We did receive an amazing compliment as well for our group, the speaker let us know that a few weeks ago a group of boy scouts came in and they were rambunctious, disrespectful and loud and that our group was very pleasant to have...way to go kids!

A few of our kids volunteered to help learn to properly fold a flag too.

Even the littlest ones were intrigued.

I think back to my highschool days and I remember enjoying “Home Ec”.  I recall exactly what I learned…how to make cinnamon rolls using Bisquick (not terribly difficult), how to sew a shirt I found fashionably misguided (it was a pretty ugly pattern), and basic care and development of young children.

I was recently reviewing my state’s guidelines for graduation requirements as I have a child who will be graduating highschool /homeschool in just 2 short years.  It states: Electives units must include one or any combination of foreign language, fine arts, business, career-technical education, family and consumer sciences, technology, agricultural education or English language arts, mathematics, science or social studies courses not otherwise required. As I am one to try to stay a step ahead I began thinking on the elective units that we have met…hmmm…We have done a year of Spanish, several fine arts field trips (opera, museums, etc) what about everyday living?

I believe that my daughters can be anything that they are willing to work to be, but I also want them to learn how to cook a magnificent meal that will be a blessing to either their spouse, children or others.  So we began last year working on kitchen skills with my two girls. Their first assignment after years of helping me prepare large meals?  Make Thanksgiving Dinner solo…yes, you read that right.  I was available to offer assistance/guidance, but I would not touch the food prep, it was totally up to them.  They were very excited by the prospect of putting a whole meal on and claiming it as their own.  I have to say, they did pretty good.  I also figure we get double credit for the agricultural education/family sciences because the turkey they cooked was one we raised from a poult and then butchered on our farm (biology lesson anyone?)  The menu included Turkey, mashed potatoes with from scratch gravy, rolls, pumpkin pie, corn and green beans.  They did pretty good.

Recently I blogged about the day I had a car accident and when I say that I want my children to learn to make a meal that will be a “blessing to others” this was just such an occasion.  After a horribly long day dealing with all the things that come from an accident (phone calls, insurance adjusters, claims, police reports, etc) I smelled a heavenly smell only to discover that my oldest had spent some time in the kitchen and whipped up a meal for our family…all to be a blessing because she knew I was falling behind in this area with all the other things I was dealing with that day.

She decided to make homemade yeast burger buns (recipe here), hamburgers, oven fries and green beans…it was delicious and the rest of the family even said her rolls turned out better than mine (not fair!)  I think that gives her an “A” in home economics in my book!  I have to say it took much more effort to do that then the simplistic bisquick cinnamon rolls I learned how to make!

One of the best things about homeschooling your children is having experiences, not just reading about them.  When my 3 y/o asks me "what is a mammal mommy?" We don't just have to look at pictures in books, we can go on a "mammal hunt" and look for soft furry creatures who give birth to live young.  

Homeschooling also allows us to take beautiful days when daddy is off work and go on a hike.  It makes us closer together because my children have to learn how to get along with their classmates who are also siblings for life.

We took one such beautiful day recently and went out nature exploring.