How do you do it?

     
           Ok so for those of you just now starting to read my blog. Here is the run down of my ever growing or so wonderful crazy life, that I wouldn't trade for anything. I have five children and I home school them all. I am an air force wife and we are currently stationed in England! I often hear things like, "How do you do it? I only have two kids and I feel so overwhelmed." Or something like this, "I could never have five kids. I can barely handle the one I have and I can't get them to do anything around the house." "Home school? Wow your so brave. I need that time to be alone each day." Really? so why did you have kids if you wanted to just rush them off to daycare, school, or where ever else they do if your so into your "me" time? I am not saying Home schooling is for everyone. Clearly I over hear people at the store that I feel your poor child needs a break from YOU!  I understand the struggles of a working mom or maybe the need for help of schooling because you yourself are attending school.  Maybe you don't feel confident in your own skills to teach your kids, trust me this is a normal feeling of home schooling parents (and a whole other blog post if you want to investigate that choice, but for now lets just go over the basics). Ok so those of you would are still reading because I did not tick you off. Hats off to ya for not taking this so personally. I just feel like my calling is to home school my kids. I mean I made them, I should be the one to take care of them.
      Well its not secret recipe or magic pill folks. Its good old fashion training and persistence. I will show you exactly how I do it. Including our schedule and include our schooling time along with home in the world I manage to teach and clean along with everything else. This is going to be a five part blog that way you can really see/read what I do and how I (and my husband) manage it all. I am LAZY! Yeah Seriously! I'm really hard to get motivated to move in the right direction. If I can manage this then you know it can not be that hard. First off you have to deep clean the house so that when you do the weekly go over their isn't really much to do and that keeps things simple. Secondly when you have a burst of extra energy use it for things you normally do around the house on other days, so when that lazy day comes you don't have so much to do. Here is the break down of my Monday's


Day one :
        *Our day usually starts around 7:30-8am
  (I do not set an alarm, I have five kids for this and I am not one to choose to wake up early on my own)

Each day starts with a cup of coffee in my favorite mug from my person Esther ;)

         *We all eat breakfast when we wake up (Mon-Frid this is usually very simple like cereal or toast)

         *Everyone washes their own dishes. which we eliminated the hassle of trying to figure out who's stuff belongs to who with this easy remedy:

A dish for every kids. So we always know whos is whos and no one can argue that it isn't theirs

        *When everyone is finished with breakfast, usually around 8:30/9am we start chores

My kids switch off on which two will clean the living room. One big kid and one little kid, then other two kids get the kitchen. No I don't become the slave driver I help right along with them. I am pretty particular on how I like my kitchen leaned so I usually head in there and start working away. If you work together not only do they feel like they are being Mommy's big helpers, but they also see how things should be done and what you expect of them. Blow is our Weekly Cleaning Schedule so we know what needs to be done. Notice the picture that this is in view for everyone to see. My kids need routine and need to know that each day has purpose and I rely on them for help. They can not say they dont know whats exspected of them daily if its clearly laid out in plain view:

Notice the each day has a Daily task. Including Taking out the trash, washing dishes (should not be a problem if the kids are hand washing their own plates, bowls, and cups after each use) Wiping down the stove & counter tops. Give everything a home- this one is important. If it does not have a home, do you really need it? If the answer is even a hesitate yes, toss it out. If its important you'll find it a place to go. De-cluttering is half the battle in a home with this many occupants. Wipe down bathroom sinks & mirrors. Vacuum as Needed and Laundry to who evers day it is to do their Laundry Mondays is my day! Yay clean clothes. (these tasks all get done really quickly when you work together. Include all the kids, even my 1 year old can throw garbage in the trash bin. We all praise her and she thinks shes such a big girl. Levi can wipe all the sinks and mirror and what kids doesnt love to spray cleaner at a mirror? Levi is 3 by the way) My older

Then Each day has a set designated area to deep clean. Mondays area is The Kitchen and Dinning Room. This is where you can clean up any areas that are getting neglected or maybe over run with items that you couldn't or didn't have time to give a home. This is designated for mopping or cleaning mold that might have started growin around window seals, cob webs, fridge cleaning, etc....

 Kitchen after Shyanne and I worked together today to clean it up

Look how happy she looks, yeah that's normal because I make sure to remind her all the time how good shes doing and how helpful she is.

As much as I love my kids are work and what not after awhile it starts to just look messy

So I take down the art work to help eliminate the clutter and allow room for new stuff. They sure dont have a problem with supplying more each week

before

After. Ah the look of clean. I even sprayed with a disinfect on the handles and service and wiped it all down.

Oh and if you saw my freezer meals blog post

I just threw it all in the crock pot and BOOM Lasagna will be ready to go for dinner and I didn't even feel like I made anything. SWEET Points for the lazy dinner that isn't sandwiches.

(While I am doing my morning daily chores this is when I listen to my Bible App so I can start the day off right with the Word of God, its great because the kids listen right along with me.)

*So after we clean and do our daily stuff its around 10am we work pretty fast and this is with a Lot of reminding my kids to help out. They are little and get side tracked really easy. I can say, "Allyson go put these toys in your room." Then find her five minutes later playing with those exact toys on the stair case. Hey its training. So I remind her, "remember where cleaning, and you still have school work to do." Then she says something like, "oh yeah." and were back on track.

*10am is Amariahs nap time and that works out perfectly because then I can refocus my attention to the kids and school work.

*So between 10-10:30am We start our school day. I sit at the dinning room table with Allyson because shes doing 1st grade work and needs the most help out of the 3 older kids that are actually doing "school". 

Allyson hard a work. Learning Sight words and practicing her hand writing.

(Allyson does Math, Reading Writing, and History Every day, then we incorporate Science on other days)

Shyanne Working on her Math. We like Horizon Math because it isnt so dry. Shy loves Math. She also Does Science, History, 30 mins of silent reading and Spelling and French Every day

I caught Anika off guard for this picture. he he

Here she is doing her SOS program which is computer based so she can get computer skills. Anika is a 5th grader and she does Science, History, Math, 30 mins silent reading, Spelling every day. Because of her age, grade and work load she spends more time working then the other kids.

*We break for snack around 10:30 every day which first snack is always FRUIT! This way their isn't any arguing on what they can have. They know they get a choice but it has to be fruit.

Todays choice was grapes. Amariahs snack is a little late because she gets hers when she wakes up from her nap.

*12/Noon is Lunch.

Remember when I said I was Lazy? Yeah I make a list at the beginning of the week for our meals we will eat. For one I just don't like thinking about what to make when everyone is coming to me every two seconds and I am in the middle of who knows what. I also procrastinate and then I realize that its late or I don't have anything to make and I just get aggravated. This makes everything so much easier. The kids can look and see whats for lunch and no arguing. The bigger girls can even help make lunch if I am in the middle of feeding the baby or cleaning, blogging or who knows what else I could be doing. 

Here's our Menu, Nothing fancy but it gets the job done.

If your actually read the menu notice that Thursday is Shyannes birthday! 

Today Ham and Cheese Sandwiches and fishy crackers, yogurt for my oldest who is super picky and doesn't like fish crackers.

*After Lunch is Free time if school work is completely finished. Those of you who ask when do I ever get a chance to do anything or how I did get a chance to do anything are 2pm I am pretty free to do anything for myself I would like to do. This does mean that I might not get time due to crabby toddlers or gymnastics that my kids go to, or Library day, or whatever else might come up.

*3pm is TV time. The TV stays off until free time because believe it or not we dont get anything done if its on. Plus I am a firm believer in Imagination! I love when my kids bring me stuff they have made out of home junk or boxes, paper, you name it. I also love when they build forts with blankest and pillows. When we get to lay outside in the Sun (rare but lovely)

*Mondays we usually do not have anything we have to leave the house for. I LOVE IT this way. Its a day to recharge, re-prioritize and relax.

*Dinner is at 5pm I like to Eat early so we arent in a rush to clean up or have to hurry off to bed right afterwards.

*Before Bed time Daddy reads the History of The Bible to the kids. 7pm

*After the History of the Bible the kids Brush their teeth and I say our "do not fears" bed time routine 

Amariah and Levi off to bed a 7:30pm

~Currently the kids are all going to bed at 7:30pm because we have been having issues with them not listening to directions at bed time so they lost 30 minutes. I know my oldest who is 11years old is really unhappy about losing a total of a hour. But we believe that if the rules aren't followed they need to have a consequence. ~

(Speaking of consequences either good or bad we have learned in 11 years of parenting that consistence is in fact the key. If you say No once then you need to say No every time. If the rules are able to be broken here and there then the kids will never really feel that No is No. But When rules are followed we like to give good Consequences to show that Good things do happen to those who follow through.)

What do I do when I punish my kids? Oh so this is a Hot Topic for some parents. What do you do? Well I think a good talk is in order. If your kids understand what you feel needed to be corrected the training process can begin. Does that mean they won't do it again? Nope, just means that maybe next time you'll get lucky and the child will think first. Maybe they think "hmmmm, is it worth it? Yup." Then you find yourself back to square one with the discussion again and consequence. Most of the time our consequences are more chores! Hey a clean house is a happy house ;) so I give them all the chores I do not want to do, He he he. Like cleaning out the Van, hey its usually their junk anyways. Or I tell them they get to scrub those toilets. When we had a dog it was poop clean up. Its nice to see the house sparkle from time to time. If the training calls for it we increase the discipline. You know your kids. What works best for mine might not work best for yours. Levi my 3 year old hates to miss out on family time. So if he gets time out you would think it was the end of the world. Amariah gets a second nap! Usually thats because she needed it.  

I think you have to be realistic! If your kids don't know what you expect from them, they can't really follow through. This also leads to attitude issues because they always feel like the slave, or they never know when they finally get a break. So set out the rules and guide lines in Plain Text for them to read or hear. Remember their age. A 3 year old cant possibly be held to the standards of an 11year old. So make sure that they all have age appropriate standards. BUT DO NOT handicap your child by making them feel they can't do something. You want them to want to help. So when they show interest Move over and Let them help. This is where common sense plays a role. Of course I am not going to let my 3 year old cut with a sharp knife. He is way to young. But instead of just saying no and pushing him out the door I give him a roll he can do. I will cute the bread and you put the butter on it with a butter knife. or you sweep the floor and I will hold the dust pan. Yeah I usually go over the floor when he isnt looking but he takes great pride in feeling like a real helper. I even let him take the credit for the whole project so he is motivated to help the next time as well. 

Parent hood isn't easy it hard work. But even a Lazy Mama like myself can get the job done with out fighting the crowd and feeling overwhelmed.

Bible Verses I hold dear to my Heart to help me be the mother I need to be.

To Help myself from being Lazy:

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

Pro 13:4

The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.

Prov 21:25

A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

Pro 4-5

To remind myself that I need to train my kids:

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise

Duet: 6:7

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Pro 22:6

To Homeschool or Not To Homeschool....?

      

I think that when I decided to home school my kids, I was the first of my friends and family to really give it a go and everyone thought I was NUTS! I guess I can't blame them.  I was stepping out on a ledge from the normal and everyone seemed to find it scary and unrealistic.

 

Here's the questions I got (if you're considering homeschooling you might have heard a few of these or even asked them yourself)

 

Q: Don't you want your kids to socialize?

 

A: My kids do socialize! They get a chance to interact with lots of people all throughout the day and they aren't shy about it either because they learn from example through myself. Why would I want my kids to only socialize 5 days a week, 6+ hours of the day with only the age group that they are in? Come on, really? I want my child to be able to handle life and its experiences ,not throw a tantrum or roll their eyes at me because that's what all the other kids their age do. Show me a handful of public schoolers that can interact with senor citizens as if it's normal or treat a younger child as an equal. My kids need to learn respect and I can show them that while they get to meet other people from all walks of life.

 

Q: Are you smart enough to teach your own kids?

 

A: Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence. Hello, I am their mom! I have been teaching my children from day one. Who do you think taught them to walk, talk, and pee in the toilet? ME, ME, ME! If you have ever potty trained, you know that's a challenge all in itself. I graduated high school so I better darn know how to do something in this life. When I do get stuck there's a world full of knowledge waiting to help me. No shame in asking for it, either. Internet, library, tutors...you make it one day at a time and you move on. So yes, I am smart enough to teach my kids.

 

If you were ever in school, think about what you actually use today (besides math)? I want my kids to learn fun stuff, okay English too. But basically I want them to learn how to survive in this life on top of normal schoolwork and I can teach them how to budget a bank account, read contracts, or even how to live credit card FREE! Yup, no credit cards. What in the world is that like to a pre-30-year-old these days?

 

Q: What about graduation?

 

A: Well if you're like me and involved in your local home school group, you're most likely going to have a group of kids your kids' ages, so you can have a little graduation ceremony and all the hoopla if you really want to. If you're wondering about diplomas, that's an easy fix as well. The options are out there. You can charter and actually have a school that follows your child throughout the years and they get a diploma from the school they (cough) attend. Or you can private home school and for a really small fee, like $10 a year or something, you can sign up with companies like HSLDA http://www.hslda.org/ that will actually send your child and accredited diploma from "YOUR SCHOOL". That's another story about you starting up a private school, but not hard to do.

 

Q: Don't you feel like they should go to prom?

 

A: OH BOY! NOPE. What is prom anyway? Any TV show these days only talks about how teens go to prom just to have sex after the dance, and it seems like if you ask any teen, that's what they agree with. If they even go, cause you know, "prom's lame" and all that “I am too cool for school dances anyways” attitude.

 

Again, if you have a good home school connection you can set up something with the other parents and have school dances or whatnot. My daughters will have weddings one day if they feel like getting married, and will make a big deal out of the dancing portion of that. I went to public school and the dances weren't anything I care to relive. So nope, I am not worried about it.

 

Q: How do you know what to teach them?

 

A: You can teach them whatever you see fit! The joy of home school is that you're the teacher and you teach whatever method works best for you and your family. A little research can go a long way as well. The internet is full of "State Standards" what the government thinks your child should be learning and at what age they need to learn it. Funny thing is, they throw all the kids in one box. As a parent/gaurdian you know that not all kids learn at the same rates, so you get to speed along as fast or slow as your child needs. You do one on one training with them and don't move on til they actually understand what they learn. Besides, some things that they are teaching in school is just silliness. Yes, my 5th grader knows her states and capitals, but really, who needs that information? It's not like I am going on a game show. We made a game out of it and she picked them up quickly but we didn't spend much time on them because I really didn't see them as a have-to-have in life. 

 

Q: What kind of methods do you use?

 

A: Again, the research is out there, so find what's best for your family. There are charter schools, private schooling, unschooling, traditional schooling.....on and on and on. I could do a whole post on what this all is but that would take up a bunch of time. That's why there are big fat thick books on it.

 

Q: Do you teach because you're a religious nut?

 

A: Probably more now than when I first started ;) And God is important in my family's life, but no, that isn't the main reason I home school. I want to know what's going into my child's brain,  just like I want to know what they are eating. It's important to me to feed their souls as well as their bodies. No, we don't use curriculum that has Jesus in the name or 1 Jesus plus 1 Jesus is how many Jesus's? That's silly. But I do want to teach them what I believe is right from wrong and not what the world's opinion is. They have their whole adult life to find out what the world thinks. For right now they are children, and I think it's important to let them be kids without thinking about boys, or girls, or what looks sexy or blah blah blah. We can just focus on what's important: being a kid as long as possible and learning what they need to learn.

 

Q: Oh, so you shelter your kids then?

 

A: YUP. I guess you can say I do. I don't let my 8 year old watch shows about sex or violence or anything else that I find inappropriate, but I do let them grow and learn about what is age appropriate. I was in a video game store one day trying to sell the Wii that we had that no one used (see, we have electricity--we're not crazy) and I overheard the clerk tell the dad about the son's game he wanted to purchase, that it was not age appropriate for him and had lots of violence, launguage, and skimpy clothing. To my surprise the dad said, "Oh okay, we'll still get it." My guess was the son was maybe 12 years of age? You have got to be joking me. The clerk goes out of his way to point out that it's really not a good game for him and the father is more like, who cares. If that's not okay then I don't know what is. So yes, I shelter them. I figure I will sleep better that way. No nightmares to wake them up, therefore no nightmares that wake me up. I am open and honest if they have questions, and if I feel the question isn't age appropriate, I tell them when they get to that age we'll talk about it then. Deal?

 

Q: How do you meet other homeschoolers?

 

A: Goodness, we don't live in caves. Use your internet, people. For example, I am moving to England this year. I went online and looked up things like, "home schooling in England", "home education in the UK", and Yahoo groups with similar titles.

BINGO- I found three home school groups--well there they say home educate groups--in the area right around where we'll be moving. I asked to join the group and guess what? They accepted me. I told them my deal on why I wanted to join and the big move we have coming up and I actually got a bunch of email responses from moms that were in the group and welcoming me in.  We have already made at least one good connection with another family and we are very excited to have something to look forward to in our "SOCIAL" life. We already feel like we have friends there. Now tell me one time you meet anyone from your child's public school pre-move and felt like you already had a friend there? .....Que crickets.......?.......?........? I didn't think so. Home schooling moms want to make friends just as much as the children in home schooling do. It's a win-win. You get to actually know the children that your kids like and the parents like. None of this “who are you with and what do you do” nonsense. When they are old enough to drive, you can give them more freedom on friend-finding on their own, but as long as I have to cart them from event to event I am for sure going to know who they are hanging out with. (Again, age appropriate.)

 

Q: Don't you want a break from your kids?

 

A: If I wanted a break from my kids why would I have ever had them in the first place?

No I do not want a break from my kids. Before I know it they will be off in the world and not want a whole lot to do with me (probably pre-kids, then they will be begging grandma to babysit for date night). So I want to spend as much time with them as I can. Studies have shown that not only are home schooled/educated families closer, they know how to communicate with each other. Public school teaches us how to be apart from each other. We end up getting to a point where we really need that alone time and we do not understand how to function with each other when things get stressful or overwhelming. When you're forced to face issues on a daily basis while the child and parents grow together ,you learn how to deal with all situations and you don't end up needing to constantly have space from everyone. None of this, "I cant wait til summer break ends. I want you to go back to school." Now I do have my moments where I want to scream, run away and hide. I am only human. What parent doesn't? But I also don't want to miss out on what life has to offer. Seeing my kids use their brains and the smile that crosses their faces when the light bulb clicks is amazing! You didn't want to miss their first steps, so why would you let a total stranger have your memories of your kids' accomplishments?

 

Q: This one's for you the reader.

You just bought a brand new car. It's everything you could ever dream of. A stranger knocks on your door. He asks to use your car from 8am-3pm every day. He promises to bring the car back safely each afternoon. Do you allow him to take your car, this new prized possession? Of course you don't. That's crazy. But think about it, this is what we do with our children, OUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSIONS!!!! We cart them off to public school with a complete stranger 5 days a week 8-3 or whatnot and wish them luck. This teacher you maybe talk to 2x a year at parent teacher meeting, and chances are you never meet them before the first day of school. Who is this person? Yes they had to pass some kind of finger printing to get the job they have, but has finger printing ever stopped anyone from doing anything? Then we wonder why we hear about teachers molesting kids or whatnot. (NO, I do not believe all teachers are bad, I am just throwing out examples of what I think.  If you don't like my opinion you're free to stop reading at any moment.) We tell our kids to watch out for stranger danger, then we wave goodbye with a smile as they are now in the hands of the unknown teacher for a year.

Just sounds silly to me?

 

I know that there are people who have to work all day, long hours, to make the money to support the family. This blog post is just why I home school and what my thoughts on this subject are. These are my most asked questions answered for you. None of my answers are to make you feel guilty or accuse you of not doing what's best for your family. This is what is best for my family.  I also want to say that I am USAF wife and we get uprooted more then the average family and this is a good fit for us because we aren't constantly changing schools, my kids get to bring their classmates with them, and we get to enjoy life while sightseeing, on top of learning firsthand about history and science. Home schooling has been a total blessing for us. We get the chance to learn together, grow together, and just be a happy family-oriented family. No waiting for school to let out for summer to take a vacation, no calling the school because someone's sick. We get to do our school work in our PJ's if we want or at the park if the weather's nice. Doctor's appointment, no problem.  We'll do school in the waiting room or after lunch.  Grandma wants to visit ? Sure, why not, we can throw in extra work during the week or make it up Saturday. The real world usually does not follow a 9-5 Mon.-Fri. job unless you actually choose a job that is like that. For most hard working Americans the schedule changes with little to no notice, you have late nights, early mornings, or even no days off for weeks. Home schooled children know how to go with the flow because your dragging them along for real life all the time. They see you every day for the majority of the day and learn through you how to handle things. They are avoiding peer pressure and staying out of trouble because they are supervised and don't have to try to impress anyone. They have friends from all walks of life and can probably tell you a little bit about every subject because you have been letting them watch way too much Discovery or History Channel to get out of reading an actual history book. They can cook and clean because we include chores in our schoolwork and cooking a good substitute for learning about science. They are smarter than you give them credit for because 15 minutes a day of reading turns into hours of reading all about whatever interests them, and homework time means helping take care of the home, because the schoolwork is already done. The older child finds pleasure in teaching the younger child(ren) Which is a nice break when you have a full schedule.

 

Happy Home Schooling if you choose to and if not, thanks for keeping an open mind about it.

We're not crazy hippies (although that looks like a good time), wer'e just parents trying to do the best we can with the knowledge that we have.

 

 

Homeschooling Parents

Mornings

As I sit here with one of my favorite coffee mugs and listen to Christina music playing on my pandora radio station I have a sudden feeling of total relaxation. I am lucky enough to be cuddling a very cute 10 week old baby girl as she sleeps in my arms. Ah bliss-
This is one of the biggest reasons that I home school/educate. Who in their right mind would want to miss this? Even when my piece is interrupted with craziness, kids screaming, and fits of hyper-ness from our black lab I still would not want to send them off for more then 2/3 of the day. Nothing in my life is more important then my children. Not cleaning, Not gym time, Not shopping or even Coffee! (Although Coffee is a key ingredient to keep my sanity so I can deal with my kids wink, wink.)

We home school for these main reasons:
1. I am their mom and I have already been teaching my children from day one, who else knows my child better then I do?
2. I do feel that God has called me to do so. Does this mean every signal piece of paper we read is about God, no. But with out a million children and adults influencing my children's minds on a daily bases
3. We are a military family and with this great opportunity to move around and see the world we also don't want to have to pull our kids in and out of different schools. When we home school the kids not only get to take their classmates with them, but the get to keep doing the same curriculum that they have been and have no interruptions and no trying to catch up to other schools.
4. In this day and age of credit card debit and lack of basic working skills I feel like we can really teach the kids life lessons and how to survive.

I am sure that the list can go on and on and even sound more educated and thought through. Unfortunately my coffee has not quiet kicked in yet and I am running on fumes from lack of sleep, I do have 5 children, ya know?