I have to admit to feeling a bit flummoxed today....I had a hard start to the day, and I like writing interesting posts and I have nothing.  :)   Can you imagine me with nothing to say?   Shocker isn't it.  :)

I do suppose though, that one can always find something to talk about though.   Like some of the really interesting posts some folks are writing.  

I read a couple of different posts about how people school for six weeks and off for one, or they work for four weeks and take one off.  The week off gives mom teacher a chance to make a schedule that is shorter in duration, and reflects one's ability to make changes.      I have to admit, that REALLY resonated with me.    I hope to do something similar.  Giving myself a chance to do some scheduling of work (as I can usually get something to work for a month and then it fizzles) and can therefore (I hope to be very adaptive).  :)

I liked this post, which will be good for down the road with highschool needs.   Grading without tests.   I don't know about you, but I haven't had the need to test my boy all that much.  For the most part I know what he knows when it comes to the core subjects.   But it makes me think about how I will have to introduce testing to him.  One doesn't want taking a test to come as a complete surprise in grade nine... so I need to start thinking about this now don't you think?

I appreciated this post on what if you can't afford to homeschool?   It all costs money right?     Some good tips were given on what to do to make homeschooling more affordable, or rather, how to work within your budget. 

I've read posts on colour coding your school supplies, organizing your homeschool, planning your curriculum, how to FIND curriculum and so much more.   It's been fascinating and I hope you've enjoyed the ride.   Tomorrow is another day as well... I hope you enjoy the reads that people will come up with.

Such a talented group of people, you are bound to find something that will be of use to you.  :)   If you do, can you tell me what you found and why it was interesting to you?   I'd really appreciate it, maybe you'll find something that I missed in the busyness.   :)  Cheers!

To read what others wrote during this back to school blog hop you can start here with these folks, and then move on to all these fine folks.  :)
Cristi @ Through the Calm and Through the Storm
Meg @ Adventures with Jude
Dawn @ Double O Farms
DaLynn @ For the Display of His Splendor
Monique @ Mountain of Grace Homeschooling
Steph @ Indy Homeschool
Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break
Tawnee @ Adventures in homeschooling
Lisa @ Tales of a Homeschool Family
Jennifer @ Organized Home Organized School
Callie @ Mama's Coffee Shop

Reading.   To me and my hubby, it's an essential part of life.  It's helps to define who we are.   My boy is learning this joy of picking up a book and reading.     "Mom, is it okay if I read for a bit before I go to sleep?" was his question to me last night.     Made my heart smile it did.  

Books surround us.
Some of it is twaddle, some living books, some good fiction, some excellent non-fiction, books to suit any fancy, mood and moment.    Science fiction, mystery, good drama etc.  

It becomes a struggle to figure out what to read at times doesn't it?

My approach to books is simply this... if you like it, read it.  
If you like reading, then you read.   One book will lead to another.   Sometimes a book you read will convince you NOT to read that type of book again, and sometimes a book will inspire excitement and curiousity or just plain contentment at a book well read. 

My lad and I read copious amounts of books.

We have a book we read at breakfast, books to be read between lessons, and books to read at bed time.    Books are an integral part of our lives.

So what do we read?
Fiction: all sorts of fiction.   Garfield comics, Warrior cats, Dear Canada, mystery books, historical fiction, picture books, if it's a book and looks interesting, we check it out.    The worst that happens is we say "Meh, don't like it" and stop reading it.

Non-fiction: again, all sorts.   Most of the time we pick a book and read a two page spread a day, sometimes we like what we're learning so much that we go on rabbit trails learning more about it.   Worksheets and CD's and online learning can always wait for another day.... but that "I'm into this very much at this moment" can't always wait.  :)

Some of the books we are reading lately.  
Mrs Quack.  We are gradually working through this series.
Monks and Mystics: History written in story form.
1000 fantastic Science Facts: one page spread a day... space, travel and more.   LOTS of questions and lots of "Ok Google (fill in the blank)
Natural world: we actually just finished this and we learned tons about geography and various animals. 

One of the interesting things I've uncovered is that the more we read non-fiction and fiction books, the more questions my son has and the more he makes connections between things that I would have expected.    For instance in the warrior cat series when the cats had to deal with a solar eclipse.  Once the lad realized what was going on he was "talking" to the cats in the book telling them not to worry so much, that the sun would come back.

What sort of connections are you hoping to make for your children this year?
I know I'm interested to see where our reading will take us this year.  
Aren't you?

This post is part of a blog hop.

Here are a few others writing.
Erin @ For Him and My Family
Lori @ At Home: where life happens
Margaret @ Creative Madness Mama
Nicole @ Some Call It Natural
Crystal @ Crystal Starr
Bonnie @ Write Bonnie Rose
Shawna @ Tenacity Divine
Carol @ Home Sweet Life
Kelli @ Adventure Homeschool 
Jacquelin @ A Stable Beginning 
Leah Courtney @ As We Walk Along the Road

if you want to see more folks writing, check them out here.

Today is the first day in a five day blog hop series on back to homeschool.   I hope that you take the time to read some of the marvellous posts a group of us are putting on.  :)  

This is the time of year when people start looking at children getting back into doing school.

Have to admit, it does start to pressure up to "DO MORE" but as someone who mostly homeschools year round (just changes up the focus a bit) I don't like having that external pressure being added.   So many expectations that everything is planned out, that all curriculum is paid for and purchased, that children have all their school supplies and all that "stuff".    I don't like that pressure and it can make me feel nutty in my head.

Thank goodness I have this fellow in my corner.

This fellow that I married some 13 years ago, father of our lad, strong introvert, stable, quiet fellow.    This fellow keeps me sane.

He knows me well enough to know when I'm getting nutty in my head and simply asks "what's up?".   Clarifying for me what's going on in my head when I might not the knowledge to figure out until he simply asks.

Then he simply walks me through what's going on so that I stop being nutty in my head about the external pressures that are going on.

So what kind of things get me going?
1. BUY THIS it's the best ______ ever!
2. Get this freebie...get it NOW.. get it today.  You'll regret it if you don't!
3. Use this planner!     Seriously.. it will solve all your problems.
4. Don't forget to add this to your new year..if you don't you won't have a well-rounded student.
5. Squeeze this event into your summer cause you won't have time once school starts!!!

and more... all the pressure to do this and that....can make a body feel like failure if they listen to it all...and sometimes it gets to me.

There are times when I wonder if I am the only one who gets this way.
I assume that I am not as God's word tells me that there is nothing new under the sun.  NOTHING.

My fellow helps get my head thinking and then I am to process what all is going on in my head and heart, able to talk to God about what is going on, and then (and only then) free to figure out if I truly do need something or if it's just the hype of everything getting to me.  

It helps too that I homeschool year round, we do maintain a lighter schedule in the summer, but we keep things going.   So I don't have to give into some of the pressure that I end up feeling. 

How do you work around the hype of back to school season?
Does it ever get to you at all?
If so, what tricks do YOU use to keep yourself sane?  

Here's a small group you might want to focus on today:
Marcy @ Ben and Me
Debra @ Footprints in the Butter
Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses
Amy @ Homeschool Encouragement
Missica @ The Open Window: An Autism Blog
Misty @ Year Round Homeschooling
Jennifer @ A Glimpse of Our Life
Heather @ Only Passionate Curiosity
Clarissa @ Counting Our Blessings
Christy @ Unexpected Homeschool
Monique @ Living Life and Learning.


The rest are here.

So as mom I'm learning.  :)
I learn that I can give him one page with 12 questions on it and expect him to bargain about what to do.. and settle for the 10 that i actually want him to do.

I can give him a program like GPA Math and watch him soar as he can skip over what he knows, and go slowly with what is new...and it is such an encouraging program that it fits for him.  BUT another on-line  math program we are currently reviewing, we have to slow right down and take it in bite-sized steps or it suddenly becomes too much and we have an upset boy.    And then nothing gets learned until he chills out.   What makes the difference?    I don't always know, he'll find something that sets with him wrong and then it just goes downhill.

He is getting better he is.  Our homeschooling days are improving all the time.  He's learning to walk away,  He's learning to just talk to me, and on those days that it is all just too much we slow it down and do things like science and practical learning skills like cooking, cleaning, building, helping and what not.   It all comes with time and we've learned to just set back and enjoy the journey.   To see how perfectionism and desire to be right are NOT bad things, that as an adult he'll stand by his convictions and not be swayed.  How he will not want to waste time and will take the time to just think through the problem at hand until he knows how to do it right the first time.  False starts are not for this boy and having to redo things is a bust.  Efficiency is where it is at.  :)   

But there are days... when yes... it's hard.   When a person has had one melt down too many because one chose the wrong words to describe what needs to be done and misunderstandings occurred.    But persevere we will and love the people God has made us be.

What struggles do you have in your homeschooling day?  
How do you back up even if you don't always want to, so you can walk at a pace best for YOUR student?

Discover real life in other homeschools with the Schoolhouse Review Crew bloggers! Join the blog hop to read more!

My son and I have been struggling over the last year or so to find a way to put God's word into our lives on a regular basis.   We do attend services regularly (after all I am a Pastor's wife).   And we do talk about God all the time, but I'm talking about a regular study of God's word.

We have tried numerous things. 

• Working through old Sunday School Lessons.
  
• Trying to memorize Philippians
  
• Reading through Genesis
  
• combining hymn study with scripture study
• reading keys for kids

It has proven to be somewhat unsustainable for us.
So it's been hard.   As i want much to make this a daily part of our lives.   And it bothers me.  God is so important to me and my hubby and my son that it shouldn't be such a struggle.  But it was.  SO VERY HARD.  I think it was trying to do two different things and not being able to fit it in well.

So I finally hit upon something that seems to be sustainable.   We've been doing this for about a week now and my son is thoroughly enjoying it.   I hit upon this as something to do as occasionally I would share with my boy about what I was reading from God's word and he was not bored with me doing so.  AND sometimes he even wanted to know more so we'd go off on a rabbit train learning aboutlocusts.

I get up early and I have devotions.  (good eh?)   :)
But instead of keeping that time to myself, I document it.  Then over breakfast (instead of reading the paper).... we talk about what I read in God's word.

We are working through the book of Mark.    We take turns on who reads the scripture and then we talk about what is in the verse.   Since my desktop computer has DIED (man.. that was frustrating) we use my laptop and can bring it right to the table with us (who would have known that would be such a blessing?  .. the desktop dying I mean).   Yesterday, knowing I share what i write with my boy, I took the time to include a map of the area to make our discussion more relevant and easy to follow for him.   He spent a lot of time looking at the map and asking questions.  :)

I have to admit.. I love the questions.

There is no pressure.
If I don't have time to do my devotions I'm honest about it and we just go, God will forgive us BUT if we want to know God better what do we need to do?  Spend time with him and it helps us to be more faithful.   God wants us to be faithful but isn't going to be so angry with us if we have a harder day.

I want to encourage this faithfulness to God in my boy, and ergo am needing to encourage it more in myself.  Perhaps in time he'll take some more responsibility in this area for himself, but in the meantime I think this is a good start.   What think you?

What do you do in your family?
What works best for you?
If you use a devotional, what do you use?
Do you just read God's word and talk about it?

What can I say, I'm curious about what others do in this area.   :)

Discover real life in other homeschools with the Schoolhouse Review Crew bloggers! Join the blog hop to read more!

I married later in life, I spent my young adult years watching my siblings raise their children and witnessed battles over food.    I determined in my mind that food was not worth a major battle over.   So I chose NOT to fight with my boy about what he will and will not eat.   It gets a little exhausting you know.   (real life eh?   dealing with a picky eater and being tired of it).

I have gotten tired though of the "Mom, can't you make something I like?"

Since I am working with my son on how to turn complaints into questions and ways to be encouraging rather than discouraging, and how to be content with what he has.... I've decided that I will teach my boy how to make a variety of foods.

To that end... Let me walk through how we are changing my son's focus from "Why can't you" to "Mom, can I help you?   Can we try______???"

My son likes perogies.  He would happily have them two or three times a week.. but I've so learned not to do that!   If he gets sick of something he simply won't eat it again.  :)   (not going there you know what I mean?).   Anyways, we found this recipe for perogies and thought we'd give it a whirl.

Ingredients for the outside part.

• • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2/3 cup cold water
• For the "meat" of the perogies we made up a package of mashed potatoes and added a whack of shredded cheese to it.
  

It's amazing.

My boy is gaining confidence in the kitchen.
He'll happily make the shells for me now.  Then we mix up the potatoe and cheese filling, sometimes (oh my oh my) adding bits of bacon or ham to it.   He's getting brave cause you know what "HE" can do it. 

I'm thrilled.

He doesn't need reminding as much about food to find ways to be kind or helpful.  He comes up with suggestions.   We've made pizza using naan bread (making them more than plain cheese ones).   A client at the foodbank gave him an idea about how to make mini pizza pockets.     Homemade mac and cheese, home made buns and so much more.   His repertoire is expanding and that is such a good thing.

The other day I was busy doing dishes and he asked if he could start supper.  I found him a recipe and off he went.  Reading, doing math, thinking out loud, asking questions.   Such a marvelous thing we've started here with the cooking.

Does he still sometimes complain?  Yes, habits don't die overnight.  But it is getting better and that is a very very good thing.  :)

Some children's cooking sites that might be helpful to you.
Schoolhouseteachers.com does a cooking class.
Kids cooking activities has proven helpful.

Have fun looking on line as well.. a lot of sites are for LITTLE children, but some are for older ones as well.  :)   Don't be discouraged.  Your picky eater just might change their tune with just a touch of help in the kitchen.  :)

Discover real life in other homeschools with the Schoolhouse Review Crew bloggers! Join the blog hop to read more!

I read books.  It's what I do.   You will never find me far some thing that I can read.  (except when I am on a long walk in the bush or something).  :)  But then I'll have a book sitting in the car.  :)

I am raising a boy child whom I dearly love.  Who LOVES to tells stories.  Who LOVES to have books of all sorts read to him.  He simply adores it.   "Mom, don't stop reading" is an oft repeated phrase.  "Mom, will you keep me company as I do ______ and read something to me?"   (now...who could turn down that offer???   :)

BUT this story loving .. does SO not actually like to READ the books himself.

Sometimes it feels like the world is screaming at me
"What?  He doesn't like to read?!?!?! Whatever did you do wrong???"

Whatever is a homeschooling mom to do??
Like seriously.   I scratch my head about it somedays, but most days I do what I do which to .. TALK.

I talk.   I explain that we just need to find the genre of books that are not too hard and yet are interesting enough for him to want to read.   I explain, that I expect him to be a mix between dad and I... a lover of mysteries and a love of facts!    And that yes, Minecraft books count.  :)   So while we search for his genre we continue to read.

It amazes me sometimes just what books tickle his fancy.  Take for instance this book on Antarctic Antics.  

We had so much fun reading this book.  :)    Answering riddles, following the life of a penguin all done in poem form.   Just fun.  It's good to hear a giggles from a boy child.  AND simple enough that he could take a gander at the odd riddle and see if he could flummox his mother!  :)

But just as it surprises me about the book that he does like, it surprises me sometimes what books he does not like.  Recently we read a book called "Curious Critters".  He loved the pictures in it, but the text.. my... he was just not happy.  When I pointed out the factual info at the end of the book he asked why the author couldn't have just written the text with the pictures like that.   I hear I had thought he'd really like it.   Goes to show I am continuing to learn what he likes.

What we have tracked down is he doesn't like sappy stories, he likes mysteries, and books with facts in it.   The more we read, the more we learn...and who knows... maybe before long we'll have a boy who loves reading as much as his mom and dad do.  :)

So tell me.... if you have a boy in the 8-11 year old range, what would you have them read????

Discover real life in other homeschools with the Schoolhouse Review Crew bloggers! Join the blog hop to read more!

I don't know about you but I have a creative child.   He draws, writes, story tells and creates.   He plays minecraft and creates these little worlds that are very specific in their purpose.  "DAD!   Don't do that in this world.   That's not supposed to happen!"   Is a frequent cry in the afternoon.

I find him rather fascinating at times with what he creates.  I would love to be able to create more often with my child.

I will come up with marvelous ideas that I think might tickle his fancy.

Any thoughts on how often I am successful?

Well...absolutely NONE!  Yes indeedy.  I have learned something very important with my lad.    If I can't sell the art as a way to tell a story, we have no art.

If I can find a story, I can create the art with my lad.  I've learned that not finding the story means a sulky child that engages in the form of art without actually DOING the art.   Finding the story... even if it's from a poem... and Voila!   We have art.

We found these books at the library called "imagine a day".   I would read the poem of the day to my lad and then we would each sit down and draw a picture of what the story told us.  We had SO MUCH fun with these books.   When we were done we would compare our pictures with the picture in the book.  Sometimes we were quite similar to the book and to each other and other times we had good discussions on what we did and why. 

Another day we worked with doing a fresca.   This time I was unthinking and followed the instructions in the book about getting used to drawing with fresca by doing sample lines of colour on the material.  Unhappy compliance and a negative speaking child... UNTIL I turned it into a story.  What do you think might happen if we did a boat that would capsize?   What would happen if we had a clan cat hunting for a mouse?   This created a child using his love of storytelling to talk himself through using different colours and being willing to try different options.

It's taken us time to figure out how to make art part of our homeschooling days.   And we've learned something really important.   Art can make a story, a story.  It can!   It's adds depth and humour and colour.   So we need a story to create art, and art can make a story better.   :)

So tell me something, how do you do art in your homeschool?   Do your children happily engage in any art opportunities that you offer them? Or are they more like my creative one... needing a reason to try something new in to make it okay?

Discover real life in other homeschools with the Schoolhouse Review Crew bloggers! Join the blog hop to read more!

Day one of Real life homeschooling - reading.

I have to admit that I really struggled with what to do for today's post.   I was really wanting to do post on needed supplies (you know, writing supplies, glue, crafts etc) and what not but I kept feeling a check in my spirit about that post...

What I was feeling pushed to do was a subject that I struggle with.. the need for others.

I live in a family on introverts. People often think I am an extrovert but in reality I am not.  I like people, but I struggle with making friends and including people in my life.   But I have learned that I do need people.  I really do. :)

A picture on facebook this morning made me laugh cause it fits so well in many ways.

Comfortable living a quiet, independent life, that's what introverts are.  BUT you know what?   We still need people.  We still need that bonding of family and friends.   We are part of the larger world and need it for a whole host of things.

What do I Need others for in schooling my son?
1. Sports like soccer
Learning to be part of a team is good for children I think.  Teaches them to think and plan beyond themselves and keeps them active.

2. Co-op classes
My son has learned things from others that I wouldn't have thought of teaching him, due to my lack of interest, skill set or materials.

3. Friendship.  I MUST NOT discount friendship. I grew up for the most part without friends (outside of my family) and I find it difficult to make quality friendships, and interestingly enough, most of the friends that I made in college are also introverts and we do quiet nicely chatting via email or skype frequently.  My son has a good friend and sees no need for more friends.  (I'd like to encourage more friendships but I need to work with who he is too right?)

4. And the fact is that "I" need friends to.   Just a couple is enough for me.     Friends to share meals with, have fun at museums with and just hang out together.  (friend was busy serving kids so I got a pic of her hubby with children).   Friends to talk over struggles and joys.   'Tis a goodly thing you know?   I have made I think some on-line friendships as well.  :)   The crew has been helpful there.

5. God's word tells us that some friends are closer than family.  He tells us that family is what he calls us to be.   So let us not isolate ourselves, introverted or extroverted, let us be with people and let them be with us.  

6. Specialists, like this fellow from the 1812 war.   Able to tell us details we wouldn't otherwise know.  Specialists are good at that whether it be a mad scientist, a senior, an immigrant or a student from another country.  We need them, they need us. :)

A bunch of us from the TOS crew are taking part in a five day blog hop.   Here are a few to get you started on the journey of discovery. 

Amy @ Counting Change... Again 
Shawna @ Tenacity Divine
Adena @ AdenaF 
Jenn @ Simblissity Cottage
Emilee @ Pea of Sweetness
Kathy @ Kathys Cluttered Mind
Sara @ Embracing Destiny

Yes, when you homeschool you don't always want to be at home.   You really don't.   Getting out is important as well.  Change can cement learning, add a new dimension, switch things up to keep yourself out of a rut (or the children for that matter), provide needed exercise, calm the emotions and stimulate different ways of thinking and much more.  Get out.  Experience the world!

I firmly believe that getting out of the house is an essential part of schooling at home.  Being behind four walls all day long isn't good for you.  Children (and adults) need fresh air.  They need to experience the ground under the feet, bark under their hands, they need to see and explore and learn and grow inside and out.  It's good for bodies and brains and nutrients and .. well I could ramble on but I think you get the jist of it eh?  :)

So do some field trips if you.  (some are quite affordable as well).  
Our most recent field trip happened on vacation.   We went to Science North up in Sudbury, Ontario.    There we saw bugs, flying squirrels, explored the human body,  space, craters and a whole lot more.  it was a good day for two boys and two adults. :)

You don't need to wait for vacation to go on field trips.  Take in the local museum, find a dentist office you can tour, see the firehall and much much more. :)

And if you can't do that.. go for walk.  you'll be surprised at what you can find.

or birds, or animals, or non-critter things like plants, lichens, mosses, touch them, feel them, pop them, draw them.  You'll learn a lot.  :)    One time we discovered a lichen/moss with bubbles with seeds in it that popped when touched.  We helped it reproduce and it spawned a whole new set of questions in one boy child. :)

And then on over to the park and do you math while running back and forth.  Spell words as you swing from bar to bar.  Cement that learning using that kinetic energy.   Just go out and learn.  Break the routine of books and desks.

It'll be good for you.   Really.  :) 

A bunch of us over at the homeschool crew  are taking part in a five day blog hop on "back to school"  check us out won't you?  Here's a list will get you started.

Amy @ Counting Change... Again
Shawna @ Tenacity Divine
Adena @ AdenaF 
Jenn @ Simblissity Cottage
Emilee @ Pea of Sweetness
Kathy @ Kathys Cluttered Mind
Sara @ Embracing Destiny