Rockhold Homeschooling

Helping Homeschool Kids be Financially Self-Sufficient

2009-02-17T13:40:00.003-05:00

I am working to select homeschool materials for my kids in preparation for next year.

One of the great things about homeschooling is that you can customize the curriculum you use.

In addition to the normal reading, writing, math, science, etc., I am adding 2 more requirements:

A personal finance course - I feel like every child should learn about money and financial responsibility. Learning about the dangers of unsecured comsumer debt and living within your means are 2 very important lessons to know, and most teens don't learn about it.
Starting a business - The kids have their own blogs and such, and that brings in some money - but I am talking a full business plan and the whole nine yards.

Not sure which programs I am going to choose yet, but when I decide, you'll know. :o)

I'm back!

2009-02-16T12:35:00.000-05:00

This has been such a busy 6 months!

Homeschooling is going well. The kids are only a few months away from finishing their school year, and they are already counting down the days! LOL

I have been busy writing. It has been a full-time job almost, but I love it. now I am writing more for myself and less for clients. I research and develop information products for sale. It is something I really enjoy.

Hubby is still at his same job, but he is talking about going back for his Bachelor's Degree.

I am working on my Bachelor's Degree, and should be finished by August.

I am already getting next year's curriculum purchased and laid out. I am adding a personal finance course for my oldest, and also each child will be creating and running a business next year.

I will be posting more updates soon!

Holy Cow! New curriculum

2008-08-27T21:07:00.002-04:00

We are in the first few weeks of using a new curriculum. I switched because I wanted the kids to have more grammar practice, etc.

I switched to Rod and Staff. All I can say is, "Wow!"

This curriculum will definitely give them a solid grounding in Math and Grammar. Trust me.

Popping out for now. I'll post more later!

'Tis the season for....head lice

2008-08-24T18:40:00.003-04:00

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Private School vs. Homeschooling

2008-08-04T19:36:00.003-04:00

I rant a lot about public schools. Quite frankly, I think they suck. Just my honest opinion. Feel free to disagree with me.

But what about private schools?

Off the top of my head:

They are generally smaller and have a better teacher-to-student ratio.
They have a more challenging curriculum.
Parents pay for the privilege of having their kids attend, so the parents are more motivated to make sure their kids do well.
Private schools can boot any kid that is a troublemaker.
Many times, the teachers, parents and students see each other outside of class (at church), so they all know each other better.
Teachers can freely and openly talk about God and Jesus.

Now, I don't think private schools are equal to homeschooling, but I think (and this is just my opinion) that they are an option I might consider if I needed to. I certainly would feel better about private schools as opposed to public schools.

Comments? Thoughts?

Being a well-rounded parent

2008-07-31T09:48:00.002-04:00

Growing up, I never really cared about what I learned in school. I did well and studied and all of that, but I never really thought about how it would impact my children.

I am so thankful that I learned music. I can play 5 instruments. I can read music. I can teach my kids the basics on 3 instruments, and I can teach them quite a bit more on the other 2.

I am so glad I took art classes in school. I can teach watercolor, oil pastels, chalk pastels, charcoal drawing, decoupage, batik, and a variety of other techniques and media.

I am thrilled that I learned Spanish in school. I can teach my kids Spanish and also show them how knowing Spanish helps in everyday life. (I have translated for more than one frustrated sales clerk while we are out running errands!)

I am happy I went as far a calculus and college - level Biology and Chemistry. I feel comfortable teaching science through high school.

I am sure you are thinking, "That's great, but what about if you don't know all of that stuff?"

Glad you asked! ;)

There are so many resources out there to help teach your kids. A Google search is all you need to find a resource for just about everything you would want to teach your kids. For example - my son wants to learn Japanese this year! Ack! I don't know Japanese!

But that's okay. I don't need to.

However, I will be learning it along with him. Why? Because I really want to share the experience with him, and it gives me a chance to learn something new.

I encourage you - if your kids are learning something you don't know, learn with them!

It can be a lot of fun. :o)

You know you are doing a good job when....

2008-07-27T17:04:00.003-04:00

Well, Loyal Readers, I have to say that my son (12 years old) has done something I never thought possible - he totally embarrassed me and made me incredibly proud in the same moment.

Let me explain.

I consider one of the best things about having cable is that they have the music channels. That means I can be-bop to "Love Shack" and about a zikillion other 80's songs anytime I want. Life is good. ("The looooooove Shack is a little ....") Oh no, wait. Sorry. Got lost for a moment. I'm back now.

So I am in my room (thinking the kids are in bed), be-bopping along, singing, dancing, reliving my teenage years and not really paying attention to what was playing.

Suddenly, a quiet voice says, "Mom, should you really be listening to that?" And I whirl around to see my son in the doorway. He had gotten up to tell me something else, but stumbled onto my little singing and dancing number.

The song, you ask?

"I Want Your Sex" by George Michael. Yeah. That's the embarassing part.

But I was also very proud of my son. First, because he thinks that way. Second, because he had the courage to (respectfully) voice his concern/opinion. And third, because he was right.

I immediately turned off the television and hugged my son and told him how proud I was and that he was right. I thanked him for being honest with me and speaking up.

I guess, maybe, I am doing something right.

Holy Cow! It's almost August!!!

2008-07-23T10:21:00.002-04:00

Where does the time go?

Seems like just yesterday we had gotten done with school. Now we are close to gearing up for a new school year!!

I am changing a few things this coming year. Not major changes, but just a few small things to help fit with our schedule.

Cuckoo-crazies

2008-07-05T10:14:00.003-04:00

Well, I am back among the living. I am still sick, but I am at least able to write something fairly coherent and not cough my head off every 2 seconds. (cough cough cough)

Okay, I'm back. ;)

My 3 year old has a new word: Cuckoo-crazies. No, I don't know where he got it from, but (considering the house he lives in) it is a pretty logical addition to his vocabulary. He has also informed every member in the house that he/she is cuckoo-crazy. Surprisingly, everyone has agreed.

Not sure how Grandma is going to feel about being called cuckoo-crazy, but that's another day....

Taking a break

2008-07-02T10:34:00.002-04:00

Hey, everyone!

I am sick with a horrible chest cold and ~~feel like I am dying~~ need a few more days to feel up to par.

I'll be back soon!

Income Ideas - A.C.T.

2008-06-24T10:44:00.002-04:00

Today is another installment of Income Idea Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Because there are many homeschoolers that want to add money to their budget without going out and working a 40-hour-a-week job, I am featuring different types of businesses that can be done to help you make more money and interviewing the people who are working the business.

Even if you only make a few hundred extra dollars a month, that can pay for books, field trips, vacations, and a whole lot more.

Working from home is also great because you don't have to spend gas money on a daily commute!

That all being said, I now take you to our next interview:
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Tell about yourself and your family.

Hi, I am Sheri Johnson. My husband and I both work from home full time. We have been married for about 5 1/2 years. We have children from previous marriages and we have a 4 yr old daughter together. I have been home full time since a few days before we got married. I decided I wanted to work from home right away and even though at times I wasn't sure what I was going to do, I am glad I stuck it out and took time to figure out how I could make that work.
What is your business?
My home based business is with a healthy energy drink company called DrinkACT. I have been with them for about 2 years.

Why did you start your business?

I wasn't looking for another source of income when I learned about A.C.T. That is the name of the energy drink. I received a sample of the product and felt compelled to look into the product and the business because I know energy drinks are a HOT business, all you have to do is look around and you can see it is a new beverage category. I decided from the very beginning I wanted to be a leader with this company. I also took my previous 20 yrs of experience in home based businesses to make this decision.

What are some things you love about your business?

I think the thing I love the most of about this business is how simple it is. Anyone with the right mindset and people skills can make as much as they want with this one. I am also thrilled with the company leadership as well as upline and crossline leaders in the field, we all work together to help each other.

Are the kids involved? If so, how?

At this time, my little one isn't old enough to help me with my business, but I know as she gets older she will help. Last week she was offering to help me count the drinks as I was getting an order ready for a local customer.

Do you work strictly from home or do you do parties?

I do work strictly from home on this one. I don't really get into doing parties, but it can be done with this business. It's so flexible that you can promote it pretty much however you want to. If someone wanted to do a party, I would do it in a heart beat and since I have done party type businesses before I am sure it would be great.

How can someone learn more about your business?

To learn more about DrinkACT, go to www.GlobalSuccessMentor.com which is my site or to www.GotEnergyDrink.com which is my company site. I can be contacted through either site for more information such as upcoming conference calls that we hold 5 days a week.

Order your curriculum early!

2008-06-20T11:15:00.004-04:00

For most homeschoolers in June, school is the last thing on their minds. They are taking a well-deserved break and enjoying some free time with the kiddos.

However, consider ordering your homeschool curricula in June or early July in order to save some headaches and delays. Why:

Companies are less busy, so your order will be shipped out quicker and will get to to you sooner.
Many companies offer an "early bird special" for those who order in June. The savings from these specials can be quite substantial. Free shipping is also common if you order early.
You can rest easier knowing that you have everything you need.

Some planning is involved for ordering early, but it is well worth it in the long run!

Income Idea - Taste of Home Entertaining

2008-06-19T11:16:00.003-04:00

Since I had so many repsonses to the new Income Idea Tuesdays, we are going to have Income Idea Tuesdays and Thursdays for a while! LOL

I know lots of homeschoolers look for ways to make extra income. It is my hope that these interviews will help you find ways to do so.

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Shay: Tell about yourself and your family.

Renee: I’m a 38-year-old WAHM, happily married to my college sweetheart. We met the last quarter of college in an Instructional Technology class at Georgia Southern (We were both studying to be high school teachers—he in social studies and me in English). We’ve been married for fifteen years and are the proud parents of two beautiful (and lively) little boys, 10 and 5.

Shay: What is your business?

Renee: For fourteen years, I taught high school English . . . I was passionate about my job and I genuinely loved my students—in fact, I didn’t think I could ever find a more rewarding profession in which to work. Unfortunately, with each passing year, the after-hours responsibilities became so time-consuming that I began spending more and more time away from my family (planning lessons, grading papers, mentoring new teachers, leading team meetings, etc.) . . . I didn’t realize what an impact it had made on my children until my eldest “forgot” to tell me about his Thanksgiving lunch at school—when I asked him about it and why he didn’t invite his parents, he shrugged his shoulders and said, “But, mom, you and dad would have had to miss work and eating with me isn’t nearly as important as what you do everyday at school.” I have to tell you, it broke my heart (and opened my eyes)—I decided then that I wasn’t going to miss another school event!

At the end of that year, I quit my teaching job and decided to look for one with more flexibility—a friend of mine, a stay-at-home-mom with small children, recommended that I look at direct sales . . . after researching home party plans, I stumbled upon a new company called Taste of Home Entertaining. As soon as I saw the product line, I contacted the corporate office and within two weeks, I had joined the company as an independent consultant. Now I’m a director with a growing nation-wide team, and I am passionate about helping other women find alternatives to working away from their families.

Shay: What are some things you love about your business?

Renee: I love everything about my job—from the products I can buy at a discounted rate and the wonderful friends I have made to the vacations I have earned for my family and the home-based business tax deductions, (I’ll stop listing them now; I could go on forever!) . . . I especially love the flexibility that being an independent consultant offers—because you set your own hours, you work when you want to. In the year and a half that I have been doing this, I haven’t missed a single school event for either child and THAT is priceless to me.

Shay: Are the kids involved? If so, how?

Renee: The boys LOVE to help—my youngest is an expert catalog stamper and my eldest helps me assemble hostess packets. When I was working to earn the Disney Trip for our family, the boys volunteered for all kinds of household chores so I could work more parties!

Shay: Do you work strictly from home or do you do parties?

Renee: While the children are at school, I spend two hours each day working my business—I respond to emails, make phone calls, run errands, etc. Because most of my sales come from home parties—I schedule three – five parties a month. When I'm not out partying, I devote my evenings and weekends to my family.

Shay: How can someone learn more about your business?

Renee: They can visit my website at www.rhickman.TOHE.com or email me directly at rhickmanathome@bellsouth.net . I’d be delighted to share the products and/or the opportunity with those who are interested!
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Thank you for sharing, Renee!

Teaching Math and Science

2008-06-18T09:25:00.002-04:00

This question is asked of me quite a bit, so I think it is worth repeating.

How do you teach math and science if they are not your "thing"? (Or any subject, for that matter.)

I am comfortable teaching math and science. They don't scare me. I majored in Chemistry in college, so science is not a big deal; however, it is for some parents.

The answer to teaching a subject you are not comfortable with is easy. There are SO many options for homeschooling parents these days!

Here are a few ideas:

DVD's - These are simply a teacher in the classroom recorded on DVD's and the student watches the DVD's. Most of these programs have live teacher help also available.
Online classes - These are available through online private schools and also through community colleges (if the student is old enough). Some community colleges now offer "dual credits" - students earn college credit while also earning high school credits.
Co-op teaching - I am great in math and science, but I cannot even sew on a button. The parents in my homeschooling group will tutor each other's children if there is a need. I tutor in math and science; someone else helps my kids with other things.
Learn them yourself - Some parents dig right in with the kids and find that age helps make learning things a little easier!

Whatever your method, rest assured that there is plenty of help avainalbe in order to teach your child.

Income Idea - Usborne Books

2008-06-17T08:00:00.002-04:00

The next installment of a new feature - Income Idea Tuesdays!

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Shay: Tell about yourself and your family.

Dawn: I live in Illinois with my husband of almost 12 years, Mike, and our two daughters, Katelyn 6, and Megan 4. I love being able to stay at home with them!

Shay: What is your business?

Dawn: I am an educational consultant and supervisor for Usborne Books at Home. We carry over 1400 award-winning, beautifully illustrated, edcuational and fun books for ages infant to young adult.

Shay: Why did you start your business?

Dawn: I had been looking for something to do for extra income, and when I found Usborne Books- I fell in love with the attention to detail, the illustrations, and the variety. I wanted all the books in the catalog- so thought I might as well become a consultant and get the discount! I have been with Usborne 3 1/2 years- and love that I have a great income, amazing books for my kids, and get to help families, schools and organizations get the best books for the children in their lives.

Shay: What are some things you love about your business?

Dawn: It is flexible, there are no sales quotas for consultants, I now have an awesome in-home library for my kids! Plus- the perks are outstanding. I just got back from an Alaskan cruise for 2, and last year went to Paris- all earned from Usborne for FREE! :) Plus- our start up kits are inexpensive- often under 50.00!!

Shay: Are the kids involved? If so, how?

Dawn: YES! They are my "testers" When new books/kid kits come out- they read/ do them- and give me feedback. They will help me at booth events, sticker books, and really are part of the business.

Shay: Do you work strictly from home or do you do parties?

Dawn: I do quite a bit from home - but what is nice is that you have the choice of how to run your business, so I also do home shows, school book fairs, reading programs, fundraisers, etc, as well as work with libraries and corporations- so the possiblities really are endless!

Shay: How can someone learn more about your business?

Dawn: For more information please contact me:
Dawn Berkley
Usborne Books at Home Supervisor
Email: dawnberkley@sbcglobal.net
Toll free: 888-202-BOOK (2665)
Website: www.ReadingCanBeFun.com

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Thank you, Dawn, for sharing with us on this blog!

Quilts for Kids

2008-06-15T14:29:00.002-04:00

My friend Donna is doing some great things for this organization. Here is what she says about it:

"Basically, what we do is make quilts for sick children in hospitals. Quilts for Kids (www.quiltsforkids.com) makes these quilts and donates them to children in the hospitals with life threatening illnesses such as Cystic Fibrosis, Cancer, AIDS, as well as abused & neglected kids. We do what we can to raise money. All of the fabric is provided for those that volunteer to make quilts. It is such an awesome non-profit group! We also make wheel chair bags and bed bags for these kids. These quilts are quilted by machine so that the kids in the hospitals can hold on to them during procedures and they hold up really well when washed repeatedly. The quilts and things that these kids have in the hospital are washed repeatedly with the industrial machines that the hospital use to try to keep them germ free or as germ free as possible."

This is a great organization to volunteer for. If you can quilt, I would encourage you to contact them about helping out or donating.

"I have heard that you homeschool...."

2008-06-14T09:38:00.003-04:00

In the last week since public school has been out, I have had 3 different families ask me about homeschooling.

The conversation always starts the same way: "You homeschool, right? I heard from ______ that you are homeschooling...." They then ask the usual questions:

"Is it hard?"
"How do you do it?"
"How do you teach math/science?"
"How do you get started?"
"Was it hard to adjust?"
"Do you like it?"

My answers?

"No, it isn't hard. It's not the easiest thing I have ever done, but it is not hard."
"I just do it. I made the decision to homeschool and made a commitment to homeschool for one year. If we didn't like it, we would go to private school. We love it."
"I started as a Chemistry major in college. Math and science are easy for me; HOWEVER, there are so many resources available to teach math and science that even if you are terrible in these subjects, you can teach them. There are online classes, DVD's, software and so many other options."
"Read all you can about homeschooling. Go to http://www.hslda.org/ and find out the legal requirements for your state. Then do what you need to do legally to start. Then just choose a curriculum."
"It wasn't really har for us to adjust. We had a very calm school year. (That's not saying every day is flowers and sunshine!) But it has been an easy transition."
"We love it. We would never do anything else. My youngest (who is now 3) will never set foot in a public school (or a private one, for tha matter)."

Homescooling is becoming an option for many parents. They are sick and tired of what the public schools have to offer.

I encourage you to explore homeschooling as an option!

Income Ideas - Alicia Bodine

2008-06-11T12:49:00.002-04:00

Since many homeschoolers look for ways to make extra money, I will be starting a new feature: Income Ideas.

Here is the first of the series:

I would like to give my thanks to Alicia for being the first to offer her story for Income Ideas.

If you would like to share an idea you have, please email me (Shay) at shaysotheremail@gmail.com.

Shay: Tell me a bit about you and your family.

Alicia: I am a single stay at home, work at home Mom. I have a beautiful blonde 8 year old who is super smart. I currently home school her and she is doing 3rd grade work since she started Kindergarten at the age of 4. I also have a beautiful brown haired 6 year old who has Angelman Syndrome. She attends my local special services school where she can get lots of therapy. I love the school and they take good care of her. She has to visit the nurse daily to keep and eye on her temperature. She also has epilepsy which almost all Angelman children do. She smiles all the time so it is easy for people to fall in love with her. My ex-husband left when the girls were 2 and 8 months old and that was when I was finding out what was wrong with my little one. She sometimes spends two weeks out of each month home sick and there is just no way I could work outside of the home. That is why I turned to the Internet.

Shay: How long have you been home schooling?

Alicia: I have to say I began home schooling since my oldest daughter was born. By the time she was one she knew 50 words. When she was 4 I sent her to my church's Kindergarten which she passed with flying colors. I then proceeded to home school her for 1st and 2nd grade. This year I thought I would give the local Christian School a try, but I hated it. She did the first 2 marking periods there and then I took her out. She received honor roll both times which just proved that I had done a good job at home. I know now that I will be home schooling her until she head off to college.

Shay: What is your business? Tell us about it.

Alicia: I currently run a website called Legitimate Home Based Businesses. I had spent so much time searching for legitimate businesses online and found mostly scams. As I learned how to tell the difference and did my research on each company I decided to add them to my website so that other Moms didn't have to waste time getting started with a business online. I also have a blog for 100% Free to Work at Home jobs and business opportunities. I like doing and getting freebies on the side which is how that blog got started.

Shay: Are the kids involved?

Alicia: My oldest daughter is involved in one of the businesses I do. It's called My Power Mall. She has her own store as they allow any age. She likes to hand out her business cards.

Shay: How do you work your business around homeschooling?

Alicia: When I get up in the morning I check my emails. Then I get my little one ready for her bus which comes around 8:20am. Sometimes I can get an article done before the bus comes, but it depends how early I got up. Then my older daughter and I do a little straightening up. We start school about 8:50 am. When we get to a subject she has to do independently I come over to the computer and get a little advertising done. We usually finish up about 12:30 if all goes well. My youngest gets home around 2:30 so that gives me 2 hours to work while my older one does an art project or plays in her room. I pay attention to my kids through to dinner and then sometimes after dinner they watch some cartoons and I get a little more work done. It really depends if we have church that night or not. So I basically work around my kids and their schedules. I work on Saturday and sometimes if I get a chance on Sunday too. After church of course.

Shay: How can someone learn more about your business?

Alicia: You can visit my website: http://www.homebusinessesthatprofit.com/ or my blog http://workingfree.blogspot.com/. You can email me at bodine_Alicia@yahoo.com anytime if you have questions or need help with anything. I am also on Yahoo IM and my ID is MomofAngelGirl.

Shay: Thank you so much for sharing, Alicia!!

Rod and Staff publishing

2008-06-11T12:35:00.002-04:00

Just a mention I want to make.

Rod and Staff has an excellent curriculum, and their prices are quite reasonable.

They are truly a no-frills curriculum. You don't find full-color cartoon characters in their books! (Hahaha) They are very basic in their publications.

However, if you want a good solid foundation for English and Math (I have not seen the other subjects), then this is for you.

Learn more at www.rodandstaffbooks.com.

Homeschool costs

2008-06-11T12:33:00.001-04:00

I would love to hear how much other homeschoolers are paying for their curricula!

Please feel free to share your moneysaving tips, etc., too!

Choosing a curriculum

2008-06-11T12:22:00.003-04:00

Now that you have made the decision to homeschool, you need to choose a curriculum.

There are several approaches to teaching:

"Unschooling" - This approach does not use textbooks. The philosophy is more of a "life teaching" system. I am not a big fan of this approach, but you can find out more by Googling "unschooling".
Unit Studies - This system uses a particular theme to teach all subjects (not including Math). For example, you might study Japan for 2-3 weeks. In studying Japan, you can study Literature (through suggested books), science (Japan has lots of volcanoes and earthquakes), Geography, writing, etc. Then you move to another subject.
Traditional School-at-Home - This is popular for new homeschoolers because it gives you a guide to follow. Most places offer a "boxed set" - everything you need for the particular grade. This is very convenient for parents and comforting to new homeschoolers.

A fantastic resource for curricula reviews is www.homeschoolreviews.com. This is a great place to get reviews on curricula you are thinking of buying, or you can browse around and find new ones you have never heard of. This site has saved me a lot of money. :o)

Another great tresource is veteran homeschoolers. They will happily tell you what they have liked and disliked! They might even have books and resources they will give you or let you borrow.

Making the decision to homeschool

2008-06-02T11:58:00.004-04:00

For most families, school is ending for the year and will start up again in August.

Some parents are breathing a sigh of relief that the year is finally over and are now wondering if they should homeschool next year.

There are so many factors in this decision, but here are some of the highlights to consider:

Figure in the cost of that "free" public school you go to. Include school supplies, lunch money, field trips, gas to and from, school clothes/uniforms, etc. We made the decision to homeschool when gas was *only* (choke) around $2 a gallon - now that it is nearing $4 a gallon, we are very thankful we made the decision when we did! Also, with 3 kids in school, $2 - $5 here and there (for each) really adds up. Counting Book Fairs, fundraisers we bought from 2-3 times per year, per child, etc., etc. Count up ALL of the costs of school.
School supplies. I put this as an item all by itself because I think it meeds to be brought out. Parents now are being asked to supply items for the entire class and the teachers, not just their own children. Rolls of paper towels, bottles of hand sanitizer, 3-4 packs of pencils, 3-4 packs of pens, dry-erase markers, etc. By the time I bought school supplies for 2 kids, I spent almost as much as I did for one kid to have everything for homeschool! Paying for one bookbag cost as much as 2-3 homeschooling books! Saving money for the school supplies alone almost paid for our homeschooling.
Time spent with the kids. This is the best part, in my opinion.
Better education. Homeschoolers have a better education than their public school counterparts. For hard data, visit www.hslda.org and there are resources and studies to support this statement.

Now is the time to make the decision and get your paperwork in order!

August is closer than you think! ;)

Death of a friend

2008-05-21T19:16:00.003-04:00

I just got news that a friend of mine died this week.

In a freak accident, he went to close a window in his condo and fell to his death when the window gave way.

He was only 35. 5 years younger than I am.

I went to school with this guy. We went to band camp together. He graduated with my stepsister.

Now he is gone. I am in shock.

I feel for his family. I wish I had words to say that would be of comfort.

Hug your loved ones, everyone. You never know what will happen.

Book review

2008-05-07T09:43:00.003-04:00

I have just finished reading part of Alexis Martin Neely's book WEAR CLEAN UNDERWEAR:A Fast, Fun, Friendly - and Essential - Guide to Legal Planning for Busy Parents.

There are plenty of books that tell you what you should do to plan for the event in case you are nor around to care for your children, but Ms. Neely presents this in a clear and personal way. This is not some dry, legalese nightmare of a book - it is in a thoughtful, engaging, easy-to-read format that involves you in the whole process of showing you how important it is to provide legal documentation for your family situation.

How does she do this? Remember those books you read as a kid with the alternate endings? When there was a decision to make, it looks like this:

"If Shaynala decides to jump off of the cliff, turn to page 25. If she decides to turn and fight the Morgols, turn to page 33.

I loved those books. I would always reread them to see how things would have turned out differently had the character made a different choice.

That is how this book engages you. It actually leads you through the story to see how things would happen if different legal paperwork was (or was not) put into place before the need arose.

Not only that, but Neely also walks you through more than just the basic scenarios. What if the person you name as guardian of your children passes away a few years after you do? What if you name a couple as guardians and they divorce? How will your children "know" you and keep your memory alive if you pass on?

This is an awesome book. I highly recommend a copy for yourself and get one for friends, too.

To learn more about the book and to purchase it, go to www.wearcleanunderwearbook.com.

If you purchase the book today, May 7th, you will receive tons of bonus gifts, too.

Yep, I have been a slacker

2008-05-04T13:08:00.002-04:00

Well, kids, even Moms get Spring Fever. I have been playing hooky from blogging. LOL

Actually, I am in the process of launching a new company, and it has really been keeping me busy. Between meeting with website developers, emailing back and forth with people - it has been crazy (but fun!).

Also, there are only a few weeks of school left, so I am trying to wind things down with that. :o)

Stay tuned - I have a big announcement coming in the next few weeks!!

How to start homeschooling

2008-04-15T12:35:00.004-04:00

The school year is coming to a close and there are some parents who are considering homeschooling for the first time in the Fall.

Here are a few tips I would give if you are "on the fence":

Read books and learn about homeschooling. One book I recommend is So You're Thinking about Homeschooling by Lisa Whelchel. You can visit her website at http://www.lisawhelchel.com/.
Talk to families that are already homeschooling. Ask questions. Talk to the parents and the kids. Go on message boards. Learn all you can.
Consider all of the advantages in homeschooling - family bonding, less hectic pace, customized curriculum, etc.

Once you decide to homeschool, follow these steps:

Decide which type of homeschooler you want to be: traditional "school-at-home", unschooling, etc. Many families find a "school-at-home" approach to be reassuring during the first year - with texts, tests, etc. - because it is similar to the school situation. It also is helpful for new homeschoolers to have a set curriculum to follow.
Once you decide what you are going to use - texts, unit studies, unschooling - then prepare for some research. One excellent place to go to research curricula is http://www.homeschoolreviews.com/ - they have tons of reviews, and they have saved me a lot of money I would have possibly wasted on curricula that wouldn't suit my kids.
Find out the legal requirements in your state and do what you need to do. Don't procrastinate on this! Go to http://www.hslda.org/ for info.
Join homeschool groups - both online and offline - to learn from more experienced homeschoolers and to find social activities.
Don't get overwhelmed - just do things one step at a time.
Be sure to order your materials early! Don't wait until August to place an order and expect it to arrive on time! :o)

I am sure others will be able to add to this list. Above all - relax!! Enjoy your homeschooling journey.

Meetup.com

2008-04-13T22:11:00.005-04:00

I have belonged to a site for years called Meetup.

Meetup.com has groups for just about any subject imaginable. They have homeschool groups, WAHM groups, parenting groups, sci-fi lover groups and a host of other things. From animal lover groups to vegan groups and anything in between, they have it.

Best of all, you can either join an existing group or start your own group.

Go to the site and search by subject or ZIP Code. See what is in your area.

I have 3 groups on Meetup.com - one for weight loss, one for homeschooling families, and one for WAHM's.

Check them out! I am sure you will find a group you like!

I won the lottery! Again!!

2008-04-09T19:38:00.003-04:00

Hey! Guess what! I won't blogging for long because I will be too busy spending all of the loot I won in the UK lottery! WOO HOOOO!

I also won the Australian Lottery, too.

I figure I can use the Australian winnings to pay my taxes and then the UK winnings will be mine to spend. Sounds like a plan to me. :D

Seriously - who really believes this garbage? Are there really people so ignorant in this world that they get an email saying they won the lottery in another country and they think it's for real?

However, this chick who emailed me saying she needs my bank info because her husband was killed and he had millions she needs to hide - she sounds sincere. I trust her. Not a scammer like those creeps with the lottery.

Online public schools

2008-04-09T12:19:00.003-04:00

I stand corrected - sort of.

I spoke in this post about how the government would not pour money into online public education.

Well, as you can see on this site (http://www.k12.com/schooling_programs/k8/index.html), it appears that the Virtual Public School is becoming a reality.

Sort of.

This is not available in my state (yet), but there are a good handful of states with this available.

But I have heard a very interesting tidbit via the homeschooling circuit. These programs are only being marketed to families that are currently homeschooling. As one teacher said: "If we sent information home to all of the parents with kids in school now, we would lose too many students." Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I have received info in the mail about this program (that it will be available in the future). I could see why it would be appealing to some homeschoolers:

It is free.
It is considered being enrolled in public school - an easier option in some states with lots of homeschooling restrictions.

If the only reason why parents want to homeschool is for safety reasons, then I think this would be a wonderful alternative for those families. I think it is a viable alternative for many people.

I am not interested in this program. Too much governmental involvement for my tastes, but I am a rebel. ;) I also enjoy having a curriculum choice - not having to follow what the public schools do.

Product review - Mathisfun.com

2008-04-09T12:15:00.003-04:00

I just stumbled upon this great website: www.mathisfun.com

This site has explanations, quizzes, games, puzzles and more to help with all kinds of math - from basic times tables and addition facts to algebra and polynomials. There is also Geometry help and explanations.

This would be a great resource to help kids retain their math skills over the summer, or as a review of different skills. It can also be a great supplement to your curriculum.

College and homeschoolers

2008-04-06T16:24:00.003-04:00

I was talking to my (very wise) homeschooling friend yesterday. She has 5 kids and they have all been homeschooled forever. Two have graduated from high school.

Since I have one kiddo getting into the higher grades (and we are thinking about college already), I asked for some advice. I thought it was great and wanted to share. :o)

Here are the highlights:

Keep an extensive portfolio of your child's work over the years, especially when they are in high school. Examples of writing, projects, etc. are very important.
Be sure to document/keep any awards your kids receive.
Take pictures of your kids doing projects, especially charity or volunteer activities. A great way to document these activities is to write up a short article about it, and send it (with pics) to your local paper. Clip and keep the article. :o)
Have your child ask for letters of reference from people they know and work for (whether volunteer or paid).

In other words - document! LOL

You can build an impressive portfolio in a year or two. If you start sooner, you can get an even more impressive one.

Remember - academics are important, but a child that is well-rounded and community-minded is important, too! (Especially if they are trying to get scholarships.)

Product review - Spectrum workbooks

2008-04-05T11:58:00.002-04:00

From time to time I thought it would be good to give some ideas/thoughts about things that would interest homeschooling moms/families: books, curricula, personal products, etc.

Today I wanted to give my thoughts on some workbooks we use - the Spectrum workbooks by Frank Schaffer Publications.

We use the writing, math, phonics and geography workbooks to help supplement our studies. They are not necessarily designed as a stand-alone text, but they really are excellent for extra practice and the math is really good to practice with the grade-level state standards.

The math workbooks also have pre- and post-chapter tests, and they are pretty detailed. They are great to see if the child "gets it".

You can find these workbooks at Books-a-Million and you can also go to their website: www.frankschaffer.com.

Cops say 3rd-graders plotted teacher attack

2008-04-02T11:22:00.002-04:00

In this story, police averted what could have been a fatal attack on a teacher. The conspirators? They are all kids ages 8 to 10 years old.

What horrible offense did the teacher commit in order to have these precious angels plot to knock her unconscious, bind her with duct tape and handcuffs and stab her?

She scolded one of them for standing on a chair.

And people ask me why I homeschool? Like I would want for my kids to go to school with nutjob kids like this???

Something is terribly wrong when kids want to resort to violence over such petty reasons. And so young!!

I have said it before and I will say it again: the school system is broken, and I am not letting my kids stay in it while polititians and school officials blow smoke up the backsides of the public, promising change and delivering nothing.

Can you imagine how different things would be if homeschooling were the rule and not the exception? If the government poured money into online public schools that children could access from home, complete with online teacher support? (There are already private schools that operate like this, so it can be done and done exceptionally well.) Teachers would still be needed - they could just work from the safety and privacy of their homes.

Think about it: money that previously went to school buses (can you say "gas prices," boys and girls?), building costs and upkeep, etc., could be spent on teacher salaries, computer access for students who cannot afford it, and so much more. From an economic standpoint, it would be a huge improvement. From a safety standpoint, it would be priceless.

Not that I ever see this happening. The school system is too large and hungry of a beast for it to give up its power. And its money.

What do you think? Like the idea of public homeschooling via the Internet? Hate it?

What about the news story? Comments?

Cute!

2008-03-25T14:26:00.000-04:00

Okay, this has nothing to do with anything, but it is so darned cute!

We are moving!

2008-03-17T14:08:00.004-04:00

Well, Readers, the situation I wrote about earlier has been resolved. We are moving in two weeks.

It is really hard for me to wait on God. It really is. It is much more in my nature to try to take control and make things work the way I want them to, when I want them to. Patience is NOT one of my virtues.

But in my 40 years I have learned something about patience, and I am getting better at it. I am also learning that God is in control, and things are better that way.

The "seasons" in a woman's life

2008-03-11T13:39:00.002-04:00

The Bible tells us there is a time for everything. (Ecc. 3:1)

As I look back over the past 40 years, I can clearly see the different seasons. I was a child, then a teen, then a single adult, then married, then kids, then single again (with kids this time), and now married with even more kids. LOL

But now I am finding myself approaching a new season: having older kids and preparing for those kids to leave the "nest".

Now, don't get me wrong: I still have a little one who is only 3, so the nest won't be comletely empty for a while! But the older ones are getting closer to being adults.

As such, my responsibilities for them are changing, and they are shifting. While they don't need the kind of supervision my toddler does, they need a different kind of supervision and guidance that comes with them becoming more physically mature and yet still being emotionally and mentally immature.

Also, I have to envision what MY future self will be. When a I have a completely empty nest, I will have quite a few years left in me (I hope), so I need to prepare myself for that.

I have enrolled in college and will be graduating around the time my oldest turns 18.

I have chosen a field that will lend itself well to doing what I am doing already - working from home.

I am excited about this new season and will keep you updated. :D

Exchanging toys can kill you

2008-03-04T13:26:00.003-05:00

This is truly a horrible story: http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/03/04/wendys.shooting.ap/index.html

A 42-year-old Dad, Rafael Vazquez, is shot killed while in a Wendy's in West Palm Beach, FL, exchanging a toy fron his child's kid's meal. He was not the only death from this senseless shooting.

The shooter, Alburn Edward Blake - aged 60 - of West Palm Beach, FL, shot and killed himself after his bloody rampage.

I look at the headlines and realize that we never know when we will encounter evil.

It really is up to God....

2008-03-03T14:16:00.002-05:00

Hubby and I are looking for a new house. We want to buy my mother's place (since she is moving in with my Granny), but we may not be able to. It is a long story, but the gist of it is that if we are NOT able to move into the area where my mother's home is, it will be because of discrimination on the part of the person in charge of leasing the land - not my mom. It is not for sure yet - we don't know yet.

My first reaction when I learned there was even a question of whether or not we could move in was anger. There is no legal reason why there should even be a debate! My hotheaded side was getting the best of me.

But then I prayed. I vented. I prayed some more.

Now I am at peace.

Whatever happens with this happens for a reason. I really feel like if this doesn't work out, it will be for the best. If it DOES work out, it will be for the best.

Could I fight and be able to move in? Yes, I believe it would only take one letter from my attorney and we would get the okay to move in.

But, in this instance, I don't believe that would be the best course of action. I really feel like God has it all worked out - I just don't know the whole story yet. :o)

Reading assignments and Russian History

2008-02-26T11:37:00.003-05:00

I got my daughter (9 years old) a book for her reading assignment. I decided to go with something a bit more challenging for her, so I chose a work of historical fiction. It is over 200 pages, and it has references to the actual history that the story is based on (complete with pictures). The book is about Anastasia, the last Grand Duchess.

Because I know my daughter, I prepared myself for this, too. I figured she would ask a million questions about the book (and she has), so I am reading the non-fiction book The Russian Century - A History of the Last Hundred Years.

Mom and daughter have been learning a lot about Russian history - and this isn't even what she is doing for her history assignments! (She is studying American history this year.) She has fallen in love with this series of books and wants the rest of the series.

I love the book for two reasons - it is challenging for her and it is teaching her more than just reading.

Homeschooling is not just for the kids. The parent learns just as much as the kids do when they get involved!

Go watch the lunar eclipse!

2008-02-20T21:10:00.002-05:00

The lunar eclipse is visible tonight!

Totality begins at 10:01 pm Eastern time.

This is the last total lunar eclipse until 2010 - so it is great to get the kids seeing it.

Homeschooling and resources for special needs children

2008-02-13T10:53:00.003-05:00

This topic recently came up on a message board I am on.

For the purpose of this post, the term "special needs" can refer to anything from ADD to autism and anything in between.

How do you homeschool if you have a special needs child?

Sometimes (as in the case of an ADD or ADHD child), homeschooling can be the perfect way to alleviate the hardship kids suffer in a traditional school setting.

But what if your child needs professional resources in addition to homeschooling?

Laws vary from state to state, but most of the time homeschoolers can use the resources offered by the school district/county to help with a special needs child (at little or no cost).

However, some homeschoolers want nothing to do with the governmental system. Period. And they prefer to use a private doctor/therapist/program.

Both have their pros and cons. Do your research and do what you feel comfortable doing.

The important thing is to make sure your kids get whatever help they need.

WANTED: Homeschool teacher

2008-02-07T11:34:00.000-05:00

"Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us." (Psalm 68:28)

Have you ever thought about how an advertisement would read for a homeschool teacher? If truthfully stated, the ad would probably go something like this:

"Now accepting applications―Family seeking fun-loving, godly homeschool teacher. Applicant will be responsible for providing total educational development and daily personal care for children of multiple ages. Applicant will assume the following roles: cook, housemaid, nurse, taxi driver, administrative assistant, accountant, athletic coach, social director, computer technician, household and automotive repairman, gardener, course instructor in multiple subject areas and grade levels, and various other responsibilities.

This is a full-time position―approximately 120 hours or more per week.

Qualified candidates must be able to work well under pressure, multi-task, and prioritize work loads while maintaining a friendly, enthusiastic attitude. Quick thinking, good memory, and a varied background in extensive subject matter are a must. Promising candidates will be resourceful, adjust easily to distractions, and display creative, hard-working leadership abilities. Organizational and problem solving skills are a plus. Previous teaching experience and/or college preferred, but not required.

If you're interested in working in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, this is the position for you! For more information on this exciting opportunity to earn fulfilling, one-of-a-kind rewards, please apply in person today."

After reading the above qualifications, no wonder many parents walk away from this employment opportunity. Who can measure up to these standards? Praise God, you can! As you step out in faith and yield your weaknesses to God's strength, you'll not only get the job, you'll also successfully homeschool and discover the fantastic benefits of teaching your children at home. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." (Ephesians 6:10)

The above post is taken from the Homeschool View Newsletter.

On a lighter note

2008-02-06T11:48:00.000-05:00

In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have 'the rule of thumb'
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Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled 'Gentlemen Only..Ladies Forbidden'...and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.
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The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.
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Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the U.S . Treasury.
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Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.
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Coca-Cola was originally green.
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It is impossible to lick your elbow.
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The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska
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The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...)
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The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%
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The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $ 16,400
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The average number of people airborne over the U.S. in any given hour: 61,000
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Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
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The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.
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The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.
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Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:
Spades - King David
Hearts - Charlemagne
Clubs -Alexander, the Great
Diamonds - Julius Caesar
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111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
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If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
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Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.
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Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?
A. Their birthplace
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Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested?
A. Obsession
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Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter 'A'?
A. One thousand
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Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?
A. All were invented by women.
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Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?
A. Honey
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Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year?
A. Father's Day
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In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes.
When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase......... 'goodnight, sleep tight.'
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It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.
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In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England , when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them 'Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.'
It's where we get the phrase 'mind your P's and Q's'
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Many years ago in England , pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. 'Wet your whistle' is the phrase inspired by this practice.
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At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow!
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Don't delete this just because it looks weird. Believe it or not, you can read it.
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?
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YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2008 when...
1. You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave.
2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.
3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.
4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.
5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.
6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.
7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen
8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't even have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.
10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.
11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )
12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.
13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.
14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.
15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.
~~~~~~~~~~~AND FINALLY~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOW U R LAUGHING at yourself.

I want to change the way we elect officials

2008-02-05T12:13:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I know....like anyone is going to listen to me.

But that's never stopped me before. Hehehehehe

The way we elect officials now (especially the President) is ~~ludic~~ ~~lewdi~~ ~~loodic~~ stupid.

In this day and age, why on earth do we have the Electoral College? Why go through the delegate process? For Heaven's sake - Florida isn't even GETTING democratic convention delegates!

The technology exists for every vote to be counted for each and every citizen. The one who wins the most votes wins the election. Period. This could work with both nominees for each party and for the actual Presidential election.

I think it is time for the system to be overhauled.

Just sayin'.

Parental Rights vs. Government Interference

2008-02-03T12:48:00.000-05:00

I imagine this post will get strong comments on both sides of the fence - and that's okay.

I just received my copy of the The Home School Court Report (put out by the HSLDA), and I have to say I am shocked and appalled by what I read.

In Michigan, homeschoolers are harassed by school officials (illegally) in order to coerce homeschoolers to submit to taking a survey. Two years in a row.
In Montana, homeschoolers were (illegally) asked to register with the school district.
In Ohio, homeschoolers were asked to submit paperwork not required by law.
In Pennsylvania, school districts are (illegally) attempting to impose additional, unauthorized testing for homeschooling students.
In South Carolina, school officials came to the homes of homeschooling families and insisted that families provide information about their homeschooling family not required by law.

There were many more instances, but these are a good sampling of the kinds of things going on.

Our public school system is broken. Period. I am not saying that there are not a few schools out there that I would send my children to, but I know they are few and far between.

Perhaps there are those out there who want to change the public school system. That's fine. (Right now, it doesn't need to be "fixed" - I believe it needs to be completely restructured and redone, but that's another story.) I don't want my kids sitting in a broken system for years while politicians bicker about how to "fix" the schools. I want my kids to receive an excellent education without the fear of being shot in school. My children are too important to me for that.

Yes, private school is an option. I am not sure if I want my kids in any school at this point (the whole group mentality thing bugs me), but if I had to put my kids in school, I could live with private school.

The issue I have with reading all of these stories is that officials (from a broken, inefficient system) are knocking on the doors of homeschoolers (who are trying to help kids escape this broken system) and harassing them.

Where were these officials when I complained that a newsletter sent home by my child's public school teacher had more mistakes than I could count? Where were these officials when I had my public-school-educated child asking me if they spoke English in Michigan? Where were these officials when I repeatedly went to them and asked for protection for my kids because the hoodlums in the school were physically assaulting my kids? Where are these officials when I listen to the kids in my Sunday School class struggle to read? Where were these officials when I corrected schoolwork/study sheets the teachers sent home with the kids?

In my honest opinion, these officials need to worry about what is going on in their own backyard and try to fix what is wrong in their schools - not harass families who are trying to escape their broken system.

Homeschooling works. There are numerous studies (that can be seen on the HSLDA website) proving how much better homeschooling students perform academically compared to public school students.

My message to those school officials:

"Quit wasting your time and resources going after homeschoolers. Go work on the problems staring you in the face in your schools."

Upcoming project! Warning! Warning! Warning!

2008-02-01T13:27:00.000-05:00

Just giving you a heads up, people!

The kids are going to be working on a postcard project next month! Trying to see how many and from how far away they can get post cards. They will be making a science/geography project for display.

Just warning you to go buy some stamps! LOL

Almost 20,000 hits!!

2008-01-31T10:13:00.000-05:00

Holy cow! I just saw the sitemeter count. There are almost 20,000 hits!

Quit lookin' and start commentin'!! LOL

A whole new approach to education

2008-01-31T10:00:00.000-05:00

Actually, it's not "new" - it's "old."

Heart of Wisdom is a homeschooling resource that I have been looking at for a while now. Now is the time of year for homeschoolers to begin thinking about gearing up for next year. (Yes, I know it's early, but curricula needs to be decided upon and bought in advance.)

Reasons why I really like the HOW approach:

I like the approach used by HOW. It is designed on a 4-year plan, and it covers all of the required subjects. It also has a 4-step approach to lessons, and it is based on the Hebrew education style (as opposed to the Greek education style taught in schools).
It seems less structured, so I feel it is going to be a good "fit" for my daughter, but there is still plenty of content - so it will challenge my son.
Part of the lessons are "how this helps me in everyday life." - how many times have you heard students ask, "When am I ever going to use this?"
There is a heavy emphasis on the Bible.
There are a LOT of Internet links in the lessons.
There is an emphasis on writing.

My only drawback is that it does look time-consuming for the parent, but that is okay.

I am going to spend the next few days/weeks poking around the website and seeing what I think, but it really does look like a good curriculum to use.

If anyone has used this (or if you know of a fantastic curriculum), feel free to leave a comment!

Mommy's little treehugger

2008-01-28T11:52:00.001-05:00

First, let me start by saying that the title of this post refers to my 9 year old, and I say it with love. :o)

Somehow I have a little activist on my hands. I do my part for charity stuff, but Camryn takes it to a whoooooole new level.

I fully expect her to join GreenPeace or some such organization when she gets older. Or start her own.

When I asked her about which Presidential candidate she thought would be the best, her answer was: "Someone who would be conscious of environmental issues. We have to conserve our natural resources." This was from a 9 year old. And she just rattled it off like she says that kind of stuff every day of the week.

Case in point:

We had a food drive for our church this week. (We have a food pantry at the church.) Camryn called relatives and collected 65 items for the food pantry!!! She collected more by herself than most of the adult classes did altogether!!

What does this have to do with homeschooling?

Each of my kids has their own strength. My older son is really strong in science and math. Because I share this passion, it is easy for me to relate to it and get excited about it.

But I finally realized that Camryn has a true gift, as well. She has a heart of compassion. She can motivate people to contribute to worthy cuases. She never meets a stranger. She relates well to younger kids, older kids and adults. She loves talking to an audience.

And so, in the long run, her gift is as valuable as any other. (And perhaps more so.)

My job is to help her nurture and grow that talent over the next 9 years. :D

Curriculum choices are an obvious start, but I also need to choose projects and other opportunities for her to gain experience in her chosen "field."

By the time she is 18, she could have an impressive resume built up!

Do what you are passionate about

2008-01-24T10:16:00.000-05:00

I had several emails about a previous post that mentioned working from home. My response is this:

What is your passion?

I would say that there are several "passions" in my life:

Homeschooling. I feel very passionately that I am the best teacher for my children and that I should be free to raise my children as I see fit - with my morals and values.
Writing. I love to write. I love to put my thoughts "out there" and see how others respond and react. I love to generate discussion. The Internet has brought out so many good authors and provided an outlet for their talents! (Hopefully, I am one of them! LOL)
Debate. I LOVE a good debate. I love switching sides and debating the opposite of what I believe in, just to play the Devil's Advocate from time to time.
Public speaking. I love getting up in front of groups and yapping. I have spoken to groups about my testimony (former Wiccan and occultist, now Christian), about how to spot signs of witchcraft/occult involvement in teens, about domestic abuse (from past experience) and other topics, but those are the ones I speak about most.

I read recently that when the artist Renoir was crippled with arthritis, he strapped a brush to his arm and continued to paint. THAT is passion!

Find something you love doing (or a product you love selling and telling people about) and start from there! Find a hobby or find a company you can love working with!

Comments or suggestions? Comment here and tell about what you do! Why do you do it?

Got a question? Post that, too!

"What do you study?"

2008-01-19T12:44:00.000-05:00

This is another question I get a lot.

Please keep in mind that different states have different requirements. To find out more about what is required in your state, please visit the HSLDA site.

In SC, for the grade level my children are in, I am required to teach reading, writing, math, social studies and science. I am free to teach these subjects however I choose and do not have to use any set curriculum.

Personally, in addition to these subjects, I also teach the following:

Phonics/Word Study
Spelling
Language Arts
US Geography (which could be under the Social Studies heading)
Home Ec (sewing, cooking, etc.)

Next year (when my son is in 7th grade), I will add literature to the list.

Because it takes so much less time to do schoolwork, we can cover a larger number of subjects in any given day. Even with the additional subjects, we are still done by noon most days.

I am SO much cooler online....

2008-01-18T20:27:00.000-05:00

Have you heard the song by Brad Paisley?

"I work down at the pizza pit
And I drive an old Hyundai
I still live with my mom and dad
I'm 5'3 and overweight

I'm a Sci-Fi fanatic
Mild asthmatic
Never been to 2nd base
But there's a whole nother me
That you need to see
Go check out MySpace

'cause online I'm down in Hollywood
I'm 6'5 and I look d*mn good
I drive a Maserati
I'm a black belt in Karate
And I love a good glass of wine

It turns girls on that I'm mysterious
I tell 'em I don't want nothing serious
'cause even on a slow day
I can have a three way
Chat with two women at one time

I'm so much cooler online
So much cooler online

I get home, I kiss my mom
And she fixes me a snack
I head down to my basement bedroom
And fire up my Mac

In real life the only time
I Ever even been to L.A.
Was when I got the chance with the marching band
To play tuba in the Rose Parade.

Online I live in Malibu
I posed for Calvin Kline,
I've been in GQ
I'm single and I'm rich
And I got a set of six pack abs that'll blow your mind

When you got my kinda stats,
it's hard to get a date
Let alone a real girlfriend

But I grow another foot
And I lose a bunch of weight
everytime I log in"

I love this song!

"I can't afford to homeschool."

2008-01-17T13:06:00.000-05:00

This is something I hear a lot. I discussed this a bit in this post.

"I can't afford it. Both of us have to work!"

Aside from the fact that the second income may not really be helping (when you factor in child care, etc.), let's assume you need to have two incomes.

Did you know there are lots of options for women (and men) who want to work but need to be at home?

Ebay is one option. Clean out your house and make some moola.
Telecommute. See if your current job can be done from home.
Freeleance work. Writing and marketing jobs can be done this way.
Home businesses. You can either start your own biz or join a Direct Sales company.
Turn a hobby or passion into a business.

I do a combination of #3 and #4. Right now, my income comes from my home business (with a gourmet food company), but I am releasing 3 books this year, and I believe that will contribute greatly to my income. I would love to make a living at #5, but I have yet to find a way to turn my fondness for watching Star Trek reruns into a profitable home biz. Hehehehehehe

My true goal is to make enough to keep my hubby at home hand have him not need to work. We'll see how that goes! LOL

Snow days

2008-01-17T11:39:00.000-05:00

Here in the beautiful coastal city of Charleston, SC, snow is something we watch on The Weather Channel, not something we drive in or see outside of the window.

Actually, we do get snow - about once every 8 years. I have 2 kids that have never seen the white stuff. One has seen a dusting. The other saw tons of snow - in PA.

So last night the weatherman said we "might" have snow today. "Might," in this case, meant "not bloody likely, but there is always a miniscule chance we could see a flake or two." That was all it took for my kiddos.

KIDS: "Can we miss school if it snows? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease? Pretty please? Pretty pretty please?"

ME: "Sure! No problem! In fact, if it snows, I'll dance naked on the lawn!"

Okay, I didn't tell them the last part, but I thought it really loud.

Anyway, today the darling kiddos got up, ran to the window and saw.........!!!!!!!!!

Rain. Lots and lots of rain. Sad, sad kiddos..... :(

For those of you who live where it snows all of the time, homeschooling is great. Curl up on the sofa and enjoy some hot chocolate while other people try to drive in that slippery white stuff.

For those who only get the occassional snowfall, homeschooling is great, too. Want to take a day off to frolic in the snow? Sure! Go ahead! Have a blast! Want to have school anyway? Sure! Go ahead! Go for it! Want to frolic in the morning and study in the afternoon? Sure! Go ahead! Do it!

It's all about having control over your own schedule instead of answering to someone else. :o)

Lies, lies, lies

2008-01-16T18:58:00.000-05:00

I was looking through the local paper and saw an ad in the Help Wanted section. I am not looking for a job, but this ad caught my eye.

It read (and I am paraphrasing) "Local entrepreneur seeks bilingual assistant to help expand business."

Now, I really don't want a job, but I thought I could help out a fellow entrepreneur, right?

Well, when I called, I got a sales pitch to join this guy's MLM. I have nothing against MLM or Direct Sales (I am with a Direct Sales company myself), but this company sounded like a ripoff AND the ad was VERY misleading, and I told him so.

I also told him that I had called with all intentions of VOLUNTEERING my services to help with his business, but after calling and hearing what he had to say, I changed my mind. What he is doing (with the ads) is just plain wrong.

Okay. I feel better now. Thanks for letting me vent. :D

Living life more efficiently

2008-01-14T09:26:00.000-05:00

As many of you read on this post, I am not known for my housekeeping abilities. LOL

However, that is before I found FlyLady. (http://www.flylady.com/)

The transformation has been AMAZING! My family is in shock! (Even my Mom.)

She uses very small steps (she calls them FLYBaby steps) to get you started.

I am on Week 2 and I am thrilled. She has everything broken down into really easy, 10-15 minute steps.

If you suffer from CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome - her phrase), be sure to check her site out and sign up for the emails. It is awesome!

Lordy, Lordy - Guess who's 40!

2008-01-12T22:08:00.000-05:00

Yep, that's me! I turned 4 decades old on Jan. 10th!

Do I feel old? Nope. I don't. The grey hairs in my head remind me that this ain't my first rodeo, and I have a little common sense now.

Our culture worships youth. Ads cater to the young and how parents can please the young. Ads loudly proclaim how you can "fight the signs of aging" and all of that nonsense.

I worked hard for these grey hairs. Heredity has been good to me in the fine lines and wrinkles department (Thanks, Mom!), but my grey hair gives me away.

If I dyed my hair, I could easily pass for 30, but I don't. Why should I? So people can think I had my kids when I was 16? So they can look at me differently? So total starngers can think I am younger than I really am?

No, thank you.

Besides all that, my daughter loudly and proudly proclaims that I am "4 decades old" to total strangers everywhere we go, so the hair dye wouldn't work anyway.

I've been tagged!

2008-01-05T13:23:00.000-05:00

I have been tagged by Mercedes!

Here are the rules to this particular meme:

Link to the person that tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
Tag six random people and the end of your post-link to their blogs.
Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Let the fun begin!

Okay. Here are my non-important things:

I love dark chocolate.
I drink way too much coffee.
I have a zillion Post-it Notes on my desk.
I am tired today.
I had pizza for lunch.
I will blog more after I finish this post.

Now I have to tag six people. Hmmmmmm.

Okay. I tag the following:

The Myst: http://www.pynkmyst.wordpress.com/
Dave: http://www.balancedmarykay.blogspot.com/
FreefromPT: http://www.werlivingfree.wordpress.com/
MKRules: http://www.mkrules.wordpress.com/
Shades of Pink: http://www.shadesofpink.wordpress.com/
And finally: http://www.mom2my6pack.blogspot.com/

Now to go notify them.....:D

Homeschoolers and college

2008-01-02T10:34:00.000-05:00

Another question I am asked about homeschooling is, "What about college?"

What about it? College is certainly an option for homeschoolers. Homeschoolers (on average) do better in a college environment than those who are traditionally schooled. Homeschooling is a lot of independent study, any way - much like college.

Another option homeschoolers have is taking college classes before graduating from high school. It is quite possible for a homeschooled student to have an Associates Degree by the age of 18. In fact, some online colleges will allow students as young as 14 to take courses! Graduating from high school early is not unusual, either.

Homeschoolers also keep a portfolio of work done. They usually take the SAT. They can take college entrance exams. All of these things help "prove" the academic ability of the student.

Having control

2008-01-02T10:25:00.000-05:00

Kids in public schools around here will be going back to school on Thursday. I never understood that - going back to school for 2 days and then being off for the weekend.

We are off until Monday. Yeah, only 2 less days than the public school kids, but it seems like more because of the weekend.

I love the flexibility of homeschooling. It makes for a much more relaxed time.

I have also decided that we are not taking off 2 months for the summer. I am going to have some time off, but then we are going to take a shorter break so that the kids don't forget all that they have learned. :D

I like being able to control our schedule. It makes things work for us.

Hilarious school answering machine message

2007-12-27T13:05:00.000-05:00

I got this from my online friend's blog. You can visit her blog at http://www.mercedesrules.wordpress.com/

California staff voted unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine This is the actual answering machine message for the school. This came about because they implemented a policy requiring students and parents to be responsible for their children’s absences and missing homework. The school and teachers are being sued by parents who want their children’s failing grades changed to passing grades - even though those children were absent 15-30 times during the semester and did not complete enough schoolwork to pass their classes. The outgoing message:

“Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school. In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all the options before making a selection:

To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1

To make excuses for why your child did not do his work-Press 2

To complain about what we do - Press 3

To swear at staff members - Press 4

To ask why you didn’t get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyers mailed to you - Press 5

If you want us to raise your child - Press 6

If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone -Press 7

To request another teacher, for the third time this year -Press 8

To complain about bus transportation - Press 9

To complain about school lunches - Press 0

If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work, homework and that it’s not the teachers’ fault for your child’s lack of effort: Hang up and have a nice day!

If you want this in Spanish, you must be in the wrong country.”

Christmas shopping with Common Sense

2007-12-26T13:33:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know I wasn't going to blog until 2008, but I have to. It is my mission in life. It completes me. :D

Actually, I am just going to vent a bit, if that is okay.

(This is where you say, "Suuuuure! Go ahead!")

Thanks! Don't mind if I do! :D

Going into debt for Christmas makes no sense to me. None. Nada. Zip-O. Why spend more than you can afford and then stress over holiday bills in January? I don't get it.

I have a simple system. I put a certain amount in an envelope for each child. When the money is gone, I am done shopping for him/her. Really simple.

If you don't want to carry cash, you could simply keep a running tally on a sheet of paper in your wallet. (I have done it this way, too - 4 columns on a sheet, one for each child.) I start with the amount I want to spend. Let's say $100 for each child. I put $100 at the top of each column. For each purchase I make for that child, I take that amount off of the total. When I get to zero, I am done.

So Christmas is over and paid for. No bills. No stress.

I like it that way.

Taking time off for the holidays!

2007-12-24T11:38:00.001-05:00

I am taking some time off from blogging for Christmas and New Years.

I will be back to blogging again in 2008.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

-----Shay :o)

Just for the record - I am not an idiot

2007-12-12T10:02:00.000-05:00

"How are you going to teach the kids math and science?"

If I have one more person ask me this, I will scream. At them. Loudly.

Let's look at my personal qualifications, shall we? I was a CHEMISTRY MAJOR in college. I think I have a decent enough background in science and math in order to scrape by with high school chemistry and math with my children, thank you very much.

Now, even if I did NOT have that background, there are SO MANY resources available to homeschoolers these days! This is NEVER an issue!

There are books written to self-teach kids, online courses, support groups, DVD courses, etc., etc., etc. Teacher guides are written for parents that may not have a background in that subject.

And, speaking of teacher guides, if teachers are so all-knowing and most wise, why do they need answer keys and teacher edition books? Hmmmm?

I am just sayin'.

If you go into most private schools (which, by the way, no one will argue the fact that private schools are doing a much better job than public schools), if you look at the education of most of the teachers, they did not major in education. For example, my son's kindergarten teacher held a degree in Accounting. Hmmmmm....

The public school system WANTS you to think that only people trained in education are qualified to teach kids. WRONG!!!!! They WANT your tax dollars so they can teach (and I use that term loosely) your kids. They do NOT want to admit that homeschooling is better than public school. They will do everything they can to deny that. Why? Because they want your money!!!!

Cynical? Yep. I am.

"He who sows the wind, reaps the whirlwind...."

2007-12-10T13:09:00.000-05:00

This weekend, there was yet another shooting.

Two shootings in one day, both involving places of places of worship in Colorado.

I find it horrifying how many times we turn on the news to find yet another shooting has occurred. At a school. At a mall. At places of worship. At a workplace.

The majority of these shootings are carried out by men in their teens and twenties/thirties. I do not think it is a coincidence that these men are in the generations since the Bible has been taken out of school.

Say what you want about the seperation of church and state - at least having the Bible in schools helped lay a moral foundation of some sort. Instead, there is no direction for these young people today, unless they get it at home (and many don't).

I was not raised in a Christian home, but I thank God that I had teachers that were not afraid to be a moral role model for me and give some guidance - even at the risk of their careers.

Have you ever wondered what happens when you raise a generation of kids that know nothing of God?

Guess what? We are finding out. Bang bang.

Guns, shots fired and sex

2007-12-01T09:36:00.000-05:00

I am feeling ill today.

I live in a relatively small city. Not a huge metropolis.

This week alone, the following stories have made news:

Shots fired at a local high school
A loaded, cocked handgun was found in a girl's bookbag at the same school
A teacher has been arrested, accused of having sex with a 15-year-old student.

The first two incidents happened in the school right across the street from my church on 2 different days.

The third incident happened at the high school my kids would be going to, if I would allow them to set foot back in public school. (Um. No. Not gonna happen.)

What on earth is happening in our schools?

I have a theory. Just my personal theory - not gonna research it to see if anyone else agrees. Maybe I will later.

Kids need supervision. They need adult interaction.

Years of having latchkey kids and letting other people raise our kids has begun to come around and bite us in the butt.

God designed families to be a certain way. They designed it so that kids would be raised and nurtured by family members. In some instances, friends and extended family would have to step up and help (when there was a death in the family, for example, and Mom or Dad passed away). They were also educated by parents (at least in the younger years).

Trust me - if you spend all day together, you bond. You can't HELP but bond. Hahaha.

I have worked in day care centers. There are some wonderful ones - and I have seen them. Still, it is just not the same as being with Mom or Dad. Period. It just isn't.

I have seen some research indicating that young kids in day care are advanced academically compared to peers who are at home. (The research was done using at-risk kids, so I believe the study to have limited application to the average family, but that is not the issue here.) Let's assume they are right and ALL kids benefit academically from being in day care.

Knowing their alphabet a year early or being able to say colors and shapes does NOT make up for the love of a Mom or Dad. Hugs and kisses all day go a LOT longer than drilling colors and shapes in the classroom.

As far as the academic end, I have this to say: it depends on the parents and the child.

My oldest son was reading at age 3 (almost 4). Why? Because he wanted to play on the computer, and I said he had to learn how to read before he could play on the computer. So he asked to be taught to read. Within a week, he was reading words and putting together sentences. He is reading on a college level now (at 11 years old).

My daughter was a different story. I could not get her to sit still long enough to read a book until she was around 5. She learned how to read when she was almost 6. At 9, she is reading on about a 6th grade level (about 2 years ahead).

My youngest just turned 3. He knows his colors and shapes and numbers up to 12. He can do some really basic addition. Reading holds zero interest for him at this point.

Now, in all of these cases, the same person taught them. Me. Same teacher, same basic methods, 3 different kids.

Yeah, I got off on a tangent, but the point is that early academic training does not insure academic success later on, but Mom and Dad being around helps a lot more.

I do not know the details of the incidents I mentioned in the beginning of this article, but I can make a few bets, one of which is that the kids had a lot of unsupervised time.

Maybe my kids will be sick of being around me by the time they graduate from high school and go to college, but I doubt it. Most homeschooling families I have seen have very close ties in high school, college and beyond.

Why men are not in charge very often

2007-11-28T12:20:00.000-05:00

First off, let me say that I have wonderful husband and that he is a sweetheart when it comes to watching the kids if I have an errand to run. :o)

However, I always seem to come home to this:

Hubby: "Guess what your son did while you were gone." (Note how he is MY son at this point. Didja catch that?)

Me: "What now?"

Hubby: "Your son stripped naked and then walked into the living room and peed on the floor."

Me: "Which one?" (I ask, because can't assume things in this house.....)

Hubby: "The little one."

Now, I make several observations from this. First, he had time to strip naked. Then he came into the room Hubby was in, so Hubby was not in the room My Son was in.

Hubby gets miffed at my observations and insists it is not his fault that My Son did what he did.

I disagree, but let it go. After all, what's a little pee on the floor once in a while in exchange for a few hours of peace and quiet away from kids? :o)

Two different kids, two different styles

2007-11-24T08:45:00.000-05:00

"How do you teach kids that are so different?"

I have talked about this before, but I will touch on it again because I keep getting asked. :D

Every teacher has to deal with different personalities, BTW. The difference is that she cannot change her teaching to accommodate different personalities and learning styles. She has to teach one way for 20+ kids. There are bound to be kids lost in the process.

However, I can change how I teach. And I do for each child.

PJ (he is 11) is my future engineer. He is methodical and precise in how he approaches his work. He is a visual learner and can learn just from reading about something. He often comes up with great ways of explaining things in his own words. If I give him 2 weeks of assingments at once, he works each day's worth, checking things off as he goes.

Camryn (she is 9) is the opposite. The only way I can be sure she really is my kid is because she looks just like me. She learns best by doing things or seeing them done, not reading about them. She often needs things explained to her in several ways before "getting it". If I give her 2 weeks of assignments at once, she freaks out. She ends up with a pile of papers scattered around her, wailing. (Did I mention she is a bit of a drama queen?)

So I do what I know is best for each child. I change how I approach things and how I present material. Most material is designed to be self-taught (for homeschoolers), and that works great for PJ, but Camryn sometimes needs more help. And that's okay.

Camryn often knows the answers, but she likes to bounce them off of me before committing them to paper. And that's okay.

PJ works best with the radio on and having noise around. And that's okay.

Camryn wants complete silence. And that's okay.

One of the main gripes I have with our educational system is how it makes kids that are different to feel like something is wrong with them. That they "should" be a certain way. There is nothing inherently wrong with any learning style - it is just that our educational system is geared to cater to one - the ones who learn well from just reading from a book, sitting in one spot, in complete silence.

So the ones who learn better when they can move around, chat with someone and work with their hands are out of luck. They are "disruptive" and get frowny faces or demerits or whatever.

Please don't get me wrong - kids need to learn how to behave. That is not what I am talking about. I am talking about taking kids who need to talk almost as much as they need to breathe and expecting them to be quiet for hours on end - it is torture. And trying to get a kinesthetic child (who learns by touch/with their hands) to learn by sight is just crazy. They are not wired that way! It is setting them up to fail.

Changes need to be made. I am glad we decided to change instead of waiting on the school system to change.

I love being a mom

2007-11-23T09:41:00.000-05:00

Well, after stuffing ourselves with food yesterday, we left my Dad's house and settled in for a quiet night.

I was in my room when my three-year old climbed on the bed with me. We cuddled and snuggled for a while. Lots of kisses and hugs. Then he smiled at me and said, "Me happy."

My heart melted. I blinked back a tear.

"Me happy, too," I said.

Yep, those are the moments that make you realize what is so great about being a mom.

Why we have certain kids.

2007-11-19T09:51:00.000-05:00

I cannot figure out why God gave me my youngest daughter. I mean, I understand the mechanics of how I got her, don't get me wrong (hehehe), but not why God gave her to me. I have it narrowed down to 3 reasons:

I put my Mom and Dad through a lot more than I thought. This is God's payback.
God decided I needed to toughen up.
God thought I needed a lot more grey hair.

Seriously, I think #3 has a lot to do with it, because my grey hairs have increased dramatically in the past 9 years. Sometimes I feel them sprout as I am talking/arguing with her. :D Then again, my Dad has an awful lot, and I am an only child. Hmmmmmmmmmmm......

Back to the subject. My daughter. Dear, sweet, loving child that she is.

Here is the conversation we had last night coming back from church (we were the only ones in the car, because all of the others were sick and stayed home - they were lucky. Coughing up a lung was a lot more fun than this conversation, let me tell you.):

Background: She has decided she wants to go to "real school" and not be homeschooled. This changes daily and alternates between going to "real school" and joining the circus, so I really don't lend a whole lot of credibility to either choice. In between these two lifestyle choices are the days where she proclaims her undying love for homeschooling and wants me to homeschool her future children. (Yeah, I have a hard time keeping up with her.)

Her: "I want to go to real school."

Me: "Well, maybe when you are older, you can go to private school for high school." (Please note the reasonable tone of voice I am using at this point. Enjoy it. It doesn't last long.)

Her: "But, Moooooooooooooom!" (said in a whining, drawn-out syllable - you know the sound) "I want to go to real school and see all of my friends!" (wringing of hands is added for dramatic effect)

Me: "You just saw a room full of your friends not 2 minutes ago. You see them all the time. Besides, they all go to different schools. You can't go to school with them all."

Her: "But I could go from school to school and spend a few weeks at each school with each friend."

Me: (Remember that reasonable tone of voice mentioned earlier? It has been replaced by its cousin - Trying to Remain Calm voice.) "Camryn, they won't let you do that."

Her: "Why not?" (This is said with a genuine look of surprise.)

Me: "Because they just don't. You stay in the same school. And this is not going to be an issue because you are not going to be in school. You are homeschooled. Now, we can talk about this again at the end of the school year, okay?"

Her: "But, Moooooooooooooooooom!! (again, the whining syllable. My left eye begins twitching at this point) That is such a looooooooooooooong (again, whining. *twitch*) time from now! (She adds a pout at this point.)

Me: "It is not a long time. It is only until June."

Her: "JUNE?????"

Me: "Yes, June." *twitch*

Her: "But Mooooooooooooom!"

At this point, Trying to Remain Calm voice is replaced by Completely Exasperated voice. The conversation goes downhill quickly. It ended up with her being grounded until she is 85 and never being allowed to marry or own property.

So, you may wonder, how things are this morning?

Well, so far:

73 new grey hairs. Yay, me.
Camryn greeted me with a huge hug and kiss this morning.
She wants to be homeschooled - loves it!
She is going to wait and join the circus when she is 18.

"Miss Suzy Homemaker" I am not.....

2007-11-16T20:25:00.000-05:00

Today, I realized that housekeeping is not my talent.

Yeah, I know that I should have realized this a while back, but I am a little slow these days.

As I was dusting furniture this morning, my oldest son walked in and asked, "Is someone coming over?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you are dusting. Like moving stuff around and dusting underneath, too." It didn't help that this was said with a bit of a wide-eyed surprised look, either.

To complete my humiliation, I finally admitted that, yes, someone was coming over and that is why I was dusting.

Another clue should have been our pre-dinner ritual. Someone (usually my hubby or my oldest son) would cover the smoke detector with a dish towel before I would start cooking. This ritual was suggested by my oldest son when the smoke detector would prompt "Dinner's ready!" being announced by the kids and bring kids running to the dinner table. (The kids were bewildered as to why this assumption would bother me.)

(There was another concern I had - what if the smoke alarm went off during the night?? The kids were so used to it that if it went off at 2 in the morning, they would just wonder why I was cooking at such an odd hour.)

Okay, back to my non-Suzy-Homemaker-ness.

My home, to put it nicely, has always looked "lived in." It is clean, but not looking like a model home. (Somehow having 4 kids does that. I dunno.)

Oh yeah. To complete my humiliation, when Hubby came home from work, he looked around (wide-eyed) and asked, "Is someone coming over?"

The Holidays - Homeschooling Style

2007-11-07T11:32:00.000-05:00

Only 2 weeks until Thanksgiving! Where has the time gone?

I love homeschooling during the holidays! We can take an extra day off (which we are) and we are taking 3 weeks off for Christmas! Hooray! We will also have a Thanksgiving party AND a Christmas party for "school". I am so excited!! We are using the time before Christmas to make presents and get things ready for everyone.

In my opinion, these are the things the kids will remember most - the fun memories we make together. These are the things that are important - spending time together.

They may never use the Geometry or Algebra they learn, but they will always look back on these memories fondly. Best of all, I am not having to hear about how they celebrated Christmas in school. I will be a part of the celebration.

And I love that. :o)

Bribery

2007-11-03T17:46:00.000-04:00

Okay. I prefer "Creative Financial Incentives" to the term "bribery," but that's another issue.

The Fair is in town. A wonderful, joyous time of year that usually ends up costing me around $500. Why so much? No, boys and girls, it's not because of the astronomical cost of hot dogs and elephant ears, it's the chiropractor bills I need after going on those crazy rides.

"Just don't ride the rides!" you say? Ahhhhhhhh....but that is impossible! You see, I have one child that stubbornly stays below the line above which you may ride "unaccompanied by an adult." I have tried buying clogs for her. I have tried stuffing tissues in her shoes. I have encouraged the devious art of "standing on tiptoes unnoticed." I have tried distracting the Fair employee at the crucial Measuring Moment. ("Hey! Is that 8 teenagers trying to slip under the rope?? You go get them and I'll just make sure my daughter gets buckled in." Shameful? Yeah, I know, but 1) it didn't work and 2) I was motivated by the fear of pain. Cut me some slack.)

So I am Mommy. Forced to accompany against my will.

I also cannot talk for 3 days after the Fair because I scream so loudly on the rides. My husband says people in North Carolina step outside, scratching their heads, asking, "Where is that screaming coming from??"

Why do I scream so much? Well, when I was younger, I screamed because it was fun. Now that I am older and wiser, I scream because all of the headlines about Fair accidents run through my mind as the ride starts up. I really think I might croak.

Then, each year, there is the also the inevitable vomiting. Every year there is at least one ill person. Sometimes we don't even get out of the Fair before illness hits. (Those are the years that the Fair workers love us, I am sure.) Now, I keep telling my husband that eating 18 elephant ears is probably the cause of this and he should either stop eating them or just eat single-digit numbers of them, but he says it's a yearly tradition. (Not sure if he means the eating, the vomiting, or both.) How fun!

Then the whining. After a few hours, the kids are tired and hungry and they are frustrated by the long lines. (These are the same kids who want to go to Disneyworld. Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha) So they want to eat (Um, no kids, Daddy is the only one getting sick this year, thanks.) or to buy cr*p for sale ("Kids, I'll give you 5 bucks to go to the Dollar Store - their stuff is much better quality.") or to play games ("Kids, I will let you throw money out the car window on the way home - it'll make more sense.")

Now on to the "Creative Financial Incentives" I mentioned.

This year, the kids asked me to go to the Fair. I made them an offer. If we did NOT go to the Fair, then they would each get X number of dollars to spend however they wanted.

Camryn is talking on her new cell phone.

PJ is playing his new video game.

Life is good.

And my chiropractor will miss me.

I think I recruited someone else! Hehehehehehehehe

2007-10-30T09:58:00.000-04:00

I was talking to a friend yesterday who has a daughter the same age as my youngest daughter (9).

I was talking to him about the benefits of homeschooling and how it has worked for us. I told him all of the reasons I chose homeschooling, plus some of the unexpected benefits that we have found.

Every single thing I said, he answered, "That is the same thing we are dealing with!"

He asked for me to send him all of the info I could to him. They might be homeschooling next year.

Yet one more child not in public school. I am so excited! :D

Another benefit of homeschooling

2007-10-30T09:51:00.000-04:00

I have not posted in a while. We had a death in the family and it has been hectic around our house.

One of the benefits I really appreciate during times like these is the flexibility of our schedule. If we need to take a few days off and deal with an emergency or a death in the family, we can do so. As long as the kids get 180 days of schooling in per academic year, we are fine. (Check with your state homeschool associations - different states have different guidelines.)

So, if I want to have the traditional 3 months off in the summer, I can do that.

If I want to have school all year, I can do that.

I am planning on taking off 3 weeks for Christmas. We'll start back around the second week of January.

Some families I know work for 3 weeks and then take a week off. It is a nice, relaxing way to break up the school year.

Yet another benefit of homeschooling that not many people think of. :o)

On the lighter side

2007-10-16T10:38:00.000-04:00

Are anyone else's kids like this, or am I just darned lucky?

Here is a typical conversation with my daughter, who is 9. We were driving in the car and she found a catalog for homeschooling materials and saw a book in it about landslides.

HER: "What's a landslide?"

ME: blah blah blah blah (detailed explanation about landslides) ...."and they pretty much destroy everything in their path"

HER: "Really? It destroys EVERYTHING???"

ME: "Well, yes, it does, if it's large enough."

HER: "Like houses, trees, cars??"

ME: "Yes, everything."

HER: "So if I was wearing this shoe, and I was in a landslide, it would destroy my shoe?"

ME: *my left eye is starting to twitch* "YES, it would."

HER: "What about cats? Would it destroy cats?"

ME: *twitch* "YES! It would!"

HER: "So what if I was standing ON the house, WITH a cat, WEARING my shoe. Would it destroy us all?"

At this point, the conversation went downhill.

Yes, I love homeschooling, but conversations like this are why I have grey hairs.....

What your girls need to know

2007-10-13T11:36:00.000-04:00

Do your kids (especially your girls) know the warning signs of an abuser? They should.

The following is taken from the Mid- Valley Women's Crisis Service. (www.mvwcs.com/redflag.html)
-------------------------
Before an abuser starts physically assaulting his victim, he typically demonstrates his abusive tactics through certain behaviors. The following are five major warning signs and some common examples:

Charm

Abusers can be very charming. In the beginning, they may seem to be Prince Charming or a Knight in Shining Armor. He can be very engaging, thoughtful, considerate and charismatic. He may use that charm to gain very personal information about her. He will use that information later to his advantage.

For example; he will ask if she has ever been abused by anyone. If she says, "yes", he will act outraged that anyone could treat a woman that way. Then when he becomes abusive, he will tell her no one will believe her because she said that before and it must be her fault or two people would not have hit her.

Another example; he may find out she experimented with drugs in her past. He will then threaten that if she tells anyone about the abuse he will report her as a drug abuser and she will lose her children. The threat to take away her children is one of the most common threats abusers use to maintain power and control over their victims.

Isolation

Abusers isolate their victims geographically and socially. Geographic isolation includes moving the victim from her friends, family and support system (often hundreds of miles); moving frequently in the same area and/or relocating to a rural area.

Social isolation usually begins with wanting the woman to spend time with him and not her family, friends or co-workers. He will then slowly isolate her from any person who is a support to her. He dictates whom she can talk to; he tells her she cannot have contact with her friends or family.

Jealousy

Jealousy is a tool abusers use to control the victim. He constantly accuses her of having affairs. If she goes to the grocery store, he accuses her of having an affair with the grocery clerk. If she goes to the bank, he accuses her of having an affair with the bank teller. Abusers routinely call their victims whores or sluts.

Emotional Abuse

The goal of emotional abuse is to destroy the victim's self-esteem. He blames her for his violence, puts her down, calls her names and makes threats against her. Over time, she no longer believes she deserves to be treated with respect and she blames herself for his violence.

For some survivors of domestic violence, the emotional abuse may be more difficult to heal from than the physical abuse.

Control

Abusers are very controlled and very controlling people. In time, the abuser will control every aspect of the victim's life: where she goes, how she wears her hair, what clothes she wears, whom she talks to. He will control the money and access to money. Abusers are also very controlled people. While they appear to go into a rage or be out of control we know they are very much in control of their behavior.

The following are the reasons we know his behaviors are not about anger and rage:

**He does not batter other individuals - the boss who does not give him time off or the gas station attendant that spills gas down the side of his car. He waits until there are no witnesses and abuses the person he says he loves.

**If you ask an abused woman, "can he stop when the phone rings or the police come to the door?" She will say "yes". Most often when the police show up, he is looking calm, cool and collected and she is the one who may look hysterical. If he were truly "out of control" he would not be able to stop himself when it is to his advantage to do so.

**The abuser very often escalates from pushing and shoving to hitting in places where the bruises and marks will not show. If he were "out of control" or "in a rage" he would not be able to direct or limit where his kicks or punches land.
----------------------------------------
Moms, Dads, talk to your girls. Let them know this list. Have them memorize it, if need be.

You might save a life.

The Public School agenda

2007-10-13T10:49:00.000-04:00

One big reason for me to homeschool is that I wanted to KNOW what my kids were being taught. Not just the academic stuff, but the "other" stuff. I wanted to know my kids were being taught MY values, not the values or ideas of someone else.

I don't say this to imply that teachers are evil, hateful people that are sacrificing live chickens at recess. Not at all. But I have certain beliefs that I feel are crucial to the success of my children in life, and I don't want to have someone else undermine that.

Let's take sex ed as an example.

I think that there is not a thing wrong with sex, when it happens between two married people. (Married to each other, not to different people, by the way. You have to clarify this nowadays.) Quite frankly, it's fun and enjoyable.

I want my kids to learn that it is fun and enjoyable when it happens with their spouse. I also want them to know that besides all of the other complications of sex outside of marriage (pregnancy, STD's, etc.), sex without the benefit of marriage is just plain wrong. Period.

In school, kids are taught about sex and told how to have "safer sex." (Notice that they don't call it "safe" sex anymore - it's "safer" sex. Like having only one bullet in a gun aimed at your head instead of six.) Abstinence is not considered a "reasonable" approach. (As if kids are such wild animals they cannot control themselves and will rip their clothes off at a moment's notice. Poor things.) So, by that reasoning, we must teach kids about birth control because they simply cannot be expected to not have sex.

Of course they can be expected to not have sex. If they are too immature to be "in control," then it is my job as a parent to help them and guide them until they are old enough. Not to acknowledge that they are unable to control themselves, so here is a condom. (They are too immature to control themselves, but they are going to stop and put on a condom??? Am I the only one who thinks there is a flaw in this logic??)

I look at it this way: if my teens/kids are taught from a young age (by me) what to expect from their social life, then it won't be an issue until they are older.

My kids know they will not be walking out of here on a date until they are 18 years of age. period. End of discussion. And have a high school diploma.

Until they are 18, they can go on group activities, have friends over for "family" dates, etc., but they will not be on a solo date until they have become 18 and have a high school diploma.

They will be told how the best way to get to know someone is to be in a group setting and see how he/she interacts with others in the group/family, not just how he/she treats you.

How else this protects my kids:

Abusers/Potential abusers often isolate their victims. Keeping the kids in a group dynamic prevents this isolation and, thus, protects from abuse. (My kids, especially my girls, know the warning signs of an abuser.)
It's really hard for Mr. Charming to sweet-talk the pants off of my daughters with Mom and Dad 3 feet away.
It expands their social circle. Often teens that date spend all of their time with the one person they date. If that relationship fails, it can be devastating because the teen has no other friends! (Or, the teen stopped socializing with friends to be with the boyfriend/girlfriend and now is too embarrassed to call and try to get together with the friends now that the relationship is over.)
It helps keep family ties strong. It's hard to be secretive when you spend a lot of time together. I have a 14, 11, 9 and 3 year old. They all chatter up a storm with me about all kinds of stuff, and I hope they always do.
It helps them get a "feel" for people so that when they are old enough to date, they will be able to spot the "warning flags" more easily. It's one thing to be told about "red flags". It's another thing to have them pointed out.

I have nothing against dating. I have done my fair share. I just think it is wrong for you to put a teen in a situation that they are too young for. (Not just from a sex standpoint, but from an emotional standpoint.) Then tell them it's okay to have sex, and here's how you can reduce (not eliminate) the chances of pregnancy, STD's etc.

Now for my theory about why schools don't promote abstinence-only programs.

I feel that there are many reasons, but one that stands out (for me) is that teens that have sex will inevitably lead to pregnancy, and many of those pregnancies will lead to abortion, which is a big business. They will also "need" birth control - more big business. There are also school counselors and nurses and many other positions that are needed for the social issues that arise with sexually active teens. Cynical? Yes. But that's my theory. Follow the money.

And I don't want my kids to be a part of that agenda.

Once a month cooking

2007-10-11T08:46:00.000-04:00

Yeah, I know. This isn't my usual topic, but I wanted to share this concept. I love it. :o)

If you have a freezer (a big one) this is a great way to reduce your cooking time, and help your budget.

Basically, you cook all of your meals for the month in one day. Then you freeze them so you have quick meals for the rest of the month.

Another variation is to not necessarily cook everything, but divide up meats, veggies, etc. into meals and freeze them so you can pop them in the oven or slow cooker and not have to worry about deciding what to do for dinner or worry about preparing dinner. Simple and no-fuss. :o)

I don't have a website to give out, but if you Google "Once a month cooking" you should be able to find lots of them. :o)

Private Schools as an option

2007-10-01T10:41:00.000-04:00

I have been asked about my views on private schools versus public schools versus homeschooling.

My views on public schools are pretty obvious (read my previous posts), so I will focus on private schools and homeschooling.

I believe private schools are a viable option for education. I think homeschooling is better (which I will explain later), but private schools are a far cry above public schools.

I think private schools do a better job for several reasons:

They can pick and choose whom they admit - public schools can't.
They can (and do) remove kids that are disruptive.
They deal with kids who are disciplinary problems quickly and swiftly.
They have more contact (in my experience) with parents.
The curriculum is more challenging.
They enforce a code of conduct based on Biblical Laws.

They do a better job with less money per student (on average) than public schools. Teachers at public schools tend to make more money than those in private schools. The teachers I know at private schools don't do it for the money - they do it for other reasons: many do it so that their kids can get a reduced tuition rate. AND it is worth the pay cut to be able to teach in a better environment.

Now, why do I think homeschooling is better than private school? A few reasons:

Cost
I am not really keen on the whole "group mentality" thing.
Time is spent with family, not at school.

Thoughts?

Breaks my heart....

2007-10-01T09:47:00.000-04:00

I teach Sunday School. The grade level is 4th - 6th grades.

The stories I hear from these kids are always very candid. I guess they feel safe with me. I dunno. I always ask them about their week, and I never know what I will get as a response.

The crap these kids deal with on an everyday basis hurts me. They are bullied, taunted, ridiculed and (occassionally) assaulted on an almost daily basis in school. When I ask if they have told an adult, the answer is usually

"Yes, but nothing happened."

"Yes, but it got worse when [the offender] found out, so I stopped saying anything."

"Yes, but there is nothing the teacher/Mom/Dad/etc. can do."

People, I know from experience that it practically takes an Act of Congress to get a kid removed from school for bullying, etc. In the interim, most of the measures taken (if any) seem like they are punishing the victim, not the offender.

Take this for example: A parent went to a school to complain about her son being physically assaulted by another student. The action taken? The victim was removed from the classroom, not the offender. So, in the eyes of the offender, nothing happened. Yeah. Way to show the offender that his behavior was not acceptable.

Why not remove the offender? Why not isolate the offender? Instead, the victim is basically taken into protective custody.

So back to the kids in my class.

These kids know how The System works. it's sad. They know that they will not be protected, that The System is geared to protect the offender. (We can't trample on Little Johnny's rights, now can we? Just because he terrorizes other kids, well, that's not the issue, now is it?)

Wrong. Wrong wrong wrong.

The System needs to change. Until it does, my kids are staying away from public schools.

Can you pass 8th grade history?

2007-09-29T21:57:00.000-04:00

I dare ya! Take the quiz!

http://www.blogthings.com/couldyoupass8thgradehistoryquiz/

Head lice in public schools

2007-09-28T11:47:00.000-04:00

I learned something new today, folks. Suddenly things made sense to me.

One thing I always hated when school started was the dreaded "Head Lice Note."

You know the one:

"This note is to inform you that a child in your son's/daughter's class has been found to have head lice. Please check your child....blah blah blah"

So then there is the paranoia and constant checking of your child. Or the times when you find the note comes too late - there is already an infestation.

Now, most school districts say that they have a "no-nit policy." Kids cannot come back to school unless/until they are completely nit-free.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

They can say it all they want. It is not true. I am sure there are a few school districts that adhere to that, but, for the most part, people just don't want the kids to miss more than a day or 2 of school.

And I found out why. Money, of course.

According to Quantum's Survey of over 1,000 School Nurses:

75% say head lice have increased over the last three years.
On average, 10% of the elementary school student body gets head lice.
Each student is absent an average of 4.2 days.

And:

Head lice result in lost education days, lost funding due to non-excused sick days, and lost income to parents who must stay home to care for their lice-ridden children.

So the schools don't want the kids to stay out - they want their money/funding.

Now for my rant:

I hate head lice. They are the most vile little creatures around.

It took me forever to get rid of these little suckers, too, but I found a way. (I made my own concoction - bwahahahahahahahahahahaha.) (That was evil laughter.) The stuff at the store is a joke and the prescription stuff is really scary. I made something myself that wiped the little suckers out. (Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.)

I am soooooooo glad I did not get one of those notes this year! :-)

A surprising source of materials

2007-09-28T10:04:00.000-04:00

Actually, I suppose it's not so surprising, but I did not think that Books-a-Million had a whole lot of materials suitable for homeschoolers, but they do.

Of course I know they have books. I mean, I am not that slow. LOL

What I mean is that they have a whole section for books specifically for homeschoolers - workbooks, worktexts, and also books about different homeschooling philosophies.

One series I like for "supplemental" work is the Spectrum series of workbooks from McGraw-Hill. They have different books for grade levels and subjects: Reading, writing, math, etc. Nice stuff for extra practice and for a little variety, you know? :o)

The economics of homeschooling

2007-09-26T09:04:00.000-04:00

One thing I love about homeschooling is that it can truly fit any budget.

The average annual expenditure per homeschooled student is around $450, according to research I quoted earlier.

This works out to around $37.50 per month - less than what most people spend for cable tv. I, personally, save more than that each month on gas money because I don't have to drive the kids back and forth to school each day.

There are also tons of books/websites that proclaim to show you how to homeschool for free or almost free. (Simply use a search engine with the terms "homeschool free" for ideas.)

But what about 2 common scenarios:

Mom works outside the home and the family "needs" her income.
There is a single parent home.

For scenario #1, there are very few instances that I have seen where Mom's income was actually necessary. When you factor in the extra costs of Mom's job - extra gas, pantyhose, afterschool care, fast food/eating out because Mom is too tired to cook or is not home to cook, etc - Mom's income gets whittled away pretty quickly.

Many times, Mom's job puts the family into a higher tax bracket, increasing taxes to the point that the family would come out ahead by Mom not working. This is especially true if the family's income is pushed to the point of being just below the next tax bracket.

For scenario #2, it is trickier, but I have supported myself and 2 small kids as a single mom by working from home, so it can be done. It may not be easy, but it can be done. Again, when you do not work outside of the home, many expenses go down, so you can do just as much with less money. Not having the cost of driving back and forth to work and school saves a ton of money on gas.

Let's look at some numbers, shall we?

Let's say Mom makes $25,000 a year at her job.

Taxes will take $6250.

Gas for the job takes approximately $30 per week. That's $1560.

Afterschool care for 2 kids is another $80 per week. (That is low for what I have seen, but that's okay.) (Before-school care would be more, but let's say Mom doesn't need it.) That's $4160 per year.

The family eats out once a week because Mom is too tired to cook. For a family of four, let's say that is $40. That is $2080 per year.

Mom needs to look good, right? Pantyhose, clothing, hairdo, etc. Let's give Mom $200 a month for all of that. That's $2400.

Mom eats out for lunch twice a week with the girls from work. That's $20 a week. That's $1040.

So we are down to $7510 from $25,000 already. That doesn't even factor in the convenience foods the family buys for "quick" meals and other costs.

Now, let's say this family chooses to homeschool. How to make up that $7510???

The kids' expenses will go down. No uniforms to buy or tons of new clothes. Remember "play clothes"? Yep, that's what we do. Instead of a whole new wardrobe for school, we buy a few new outfits and then the kids wear play clothes around the house.

You know that huge school supply list you get each year? Buying tissues, pencils, marklers, etc. for the whole class?? Nope. You have 2 kids (or however many), and you are the teacher. Buy what you want. It is your choice! I saved an average of $75 a year just for this - not counting clothing.

Bookbags? Nope. That saved me $20 per child. (See how this adds up?)

Registration fees? Nope. (Yes, public schools now charge a fee to register your child - at least here in SC they do. Unbelievable.) That saves $35 per year, per child.

See how fun this gets? :o)

There are other ways to save money, too. I will blog about that later.

One more note: If you feel the absolute need to bring in an extra income, look at ways to make money from home. Perhaps you have a hobby that can be income-producing. There are other ways to make money from home, as well.

-----Shay :o)

So, what can be done about public schools?

2007-09-22T20:06:00.000-04:00

I am sorry it has taken me so long to write this response. (Not like anyone was waiting around on pins and needles for it, but oh well.)

I started and stopped on this post so many times. I researched and quoted and dug for answers. I wrote several long posts and made lots of cases for lots of different causes and solutions.

But, for me, it all boils down to three things:

Throwing more money at public schools won't fix them. The problem isn't the school system. The problem is that broken, hurting kids are being sent to school and the school suffers for it.
I cannot change all of those kids. I can only love on mine and raise them the best way I know how. My job/duty/privilege is to care for my kids and make sure I do my best for them.
My kids are better off academically, socially, and emotionally being homeschooled by me.

I do the best I can with other kids that are in my circle of influence. I try to help them all I can, but putting my kids in the war zone called "public school" is not good for my kids. So I won't do it.

Academic reasons to homeschool

2007-09-18T19:22:00.000-04:00

Want some reasons to homeschool? Try these:

Academic Statistics

The average homeschool 8th grade student performs four grade levels above the national average (Rudner study).

One in four homeschool students (24.5%) are enrolled one or more grades above age level.

Students who have been home schooled their entire lives have the highest scholastic achievement.

In every subject and at every grade level of the ITBS and TAP batteries, homeschool students scored significantly higher than their counterparts in public and private schools.

Homeschool profile

Median amount spent on home schooling per child in the US - $450

Household incomes

18% of home school families earn less than $25,000, 44% of households between $25,000 and $49,000.

Television

65.3% of 4th grade homeschoolers spend one hour or less per day watching television

Regulation

States with High government regulation of home schools - homeschool battery score - 86

States with Moderate government regulation of home schools - homeschool battery score - 85

States with Low government regulation of home schools - homeschool battery score - 86

Certification

Performance of 4th grade home schoolers where at least one parent was certified - Composite Percentage Score 82

Performance of 4th grade home schoolers where neither parent was certified - Composite Percentage Score 82

Minority Performance

Home school - average reading score (white) - 87 percentile;

Public school - average reading score (white) - 61 percentile

Home school - average reading score (minority) - 87 percentile;

Public school - average reading score (minority) -49 percent

Home school - average math score (white) - 82 percentile;

Public school - average math score (white) - 60 percentile

Home school - average math score (minority) - 77 percentile;

Public school - average math score (minority) - 50 percentile

The above statistics were taken from http://www.chec.org/Legislative/News/HomeschoolingStatistics/Index.html

Other crime statistics for schools

2007-09-18T18:46:00.000-04:00

"The Center for the Prevention of School Violence has gathered information concerning the procedures which are being used across the United States to track school violence incidents. This review was prompted by President Clinton's call for the creation of "an annual report card on school violence." Findings which reflect information from state departments of education or departments of criminal justice reveal that eight states are creating what can be described as detailed reports of school crime or violence, and eight states are keeping tracking of such crime and violence in less-detailed reports. Thirty-four states do not have reporting systems except those required by the Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994.

The eight states which are creating detailed reports are: Alabama; California; Delaware; Florida; North Carolina; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; and Virginia. Table One provides information concerning the contents of these reports. The titles of the reports indicate different emphases in these states with four using "violence" in some way, three using "crime," two using the notion of safety ("safe schools" and "safety"), one using "conduct," and one each specifying "weapon possession" or "substance abuse."

The current reporting processes which exist in these states date back to 1990 in South Carolina. As Table One presents, the states collect data on 'offenses,' 'incidents,' or 'crimes' in anywhere from four categories to twenty-six.

Details concerning offenders and victims vary across the states as do details concerning the incidents themselves and the consequences associated with the acts which occur. One state, North Carolina, gathers specific information concerning strategies the schools are using 'to combat crime and violence.' " (Taken from http://www.ncdjjdp.org/cpsv/library/usincident.htm)

Shay's notes: Translation: some states are doing just the bare minimum required by Federal Law and others are actually going above and beyond, to varying degrees.

The result of this is that is is impossible to make a state-by-state comparison of school crime statistics. It is like comparing apples to oranges. (Which is the idea, I am sure. No one can say, "My school district is better than yours" if there are no stats.)

Now let's see what else we find:

According to The report by the Department of Justice (you can read all 78 pages here: http://www.ncdjjdp.org/cpsv/library/usincident.htm), from January 1990 to February 28th, 2002, there were 1055 incidents of bombs being placed on school premises (not just threats - actual bombs being placed on school property). Of those 1055 incidents, only 14 were preceded by a threat. Only 14. In the same report, it is said that only 5-10 percent of threats involved real bombs. (Of course, no one knows which ones are fake or real until thoroughly investigated.)

Shay again - this scares the heck out of me.....we are not talking about a few isolated incidents. This is a widespread problem!

I'd rather have my kids home and safe, thank you very much, getting a tailor-made, superior education - with me.

Thoughts?

School Violence

2007-09-18T09:30:00.000-04:00

The news reports cover the most horrific crimes committed in schools - shootings, etc.

What about what happens every day?

Here are some statistics about SC schools from the years 1996 - 1998. The following data comes from this source: http://www.scdps.org/ojp/school_violence_findings.html Feel free to read everything in detail if you have a strong stomach. Or meds. Or both.

Please keep in mind that SC is not a large state, either. To find out statistics for your state, try Googling "statistics+violence+school+your state"

Violence:

A total of 11, 548 violent offenses were reported in SC for grades K-12 for the years 1996-1998. (My question is, "How many were not reported?")

Of these reported offenses, the breakdown is as follows:

Aggravated Assault
1,303

Forcible Fondling
337

Forcible Sodomy
36

Intimidation
2,023

Murder
2

Rape
84

Robbery
160

Simple Assault
7,585

Sexual Assault w Object
18

Total
11,548

I don't know about you, but these statistics really scare the heck out of me. These are just the ones that were reported. What about the incidents that were not reported because the victim was too afraid come forward and talk to the police?

My kids did not go to a horrible school. They really didn't. But they did see fistfights and assualts on teachers on a regular basis (not to mention kids hurting each other). A pregnant teacher was kicked in the stomach. Another teacher was so shaken because of injuries she received while trying to break up a fight between students that she left and went home.

This is wrong. Throwing money at the problem won't change things. Putting a program into place at school when the child's home life is the cause of the behavior won't help the situation.

So what can be done? I'd love to hear some of your ideas. (I'll write about mine on my next post).

"What about socialization?"

2007-09-17T12:28:00.000-04:00

I love it when I tell people I have chosen to homeschool and they ask, “What about socialization?”

My answer is, “Well, I only plan to hide them under a rock 3 days a week, so they should still see some live human beings once in a while.”

But the serious answer is this:

What do you see as “socialization”? The definitions I have found (from dictionary.com) are the following:

To place under government or group ownership or control
To make fit for companionship with others; make sociable
To convert to the needs of society

Right off the bat, #1 is why I took them out of public school, so that’s out.

As far as #3, have you taken a good look at society as a whole lately? No, thanks. Not my kids. I don’t want my girls dressing like harlots and my sons acting/looking like thugs. No, thank you.

So that brings me to #2 - making fit for companionship with others and making them sociable.

In my opinion, kids need to learn the basics of being sociable with kids their own age - stuff like sharing, cooperation, honesty, generosity, etc. (They could learn this without ever leaving the house, really, since I have four kids, but I digress.) But we do leave the house. Often. Between church, Sunday School, AWANA, playdates, general errands and field trips, my kids see (and interact with) other live human beings quite often.

How much of this socialization do they get in school? Hmmmmmmm….let’s see:

In the time before school starts, they had to sit in the hall by the door of the class. Anyone talking got punished. (Not much socialization there….)

What about in class? Again, talking was punished, so that leaves out any socialization there, too.

What about lunch? In the school where my kids went, the first part of lunch was “quiet lunch” - no talking. That left 10 minutes for talking quietly. If it got too loud, that time was taken away.

Recess was a time for talking, right? Unless, of course, it was taken away as some punishment for the class. :-( Or if it rained, no recess.

So there were days that kids could go to school for 7+ hours and not be able to speak to another child (without being punished).

At best, kids got to “socialize” for 25-30 minutes a day. Out of 7+ hours. Not really a stellar testimony of the socialization that occurs in school.

By contrast, my kids are socializing all day long. Even when they work, they are often chatting with me or with each other. At times, they work together on a project or a reading assignment, too.

They also “play school” with their little brother, so that teaches them skills, too. They think they are only teaching him his numbers, letters, shapes, etc., but they are learning valuable skills, as well - teaching, patience, leadership, compassion, presentation, etc. - so, down the road, when they are asked to help teach other kids, they will be comfortable with it.Reading, writing, etc. - those are important….but there are other skills that are priceless.

"How do you teach multiple kids/ages?"

2007-09-17T12:24:00.000-04:00

The kids I homeschool are 11 and 9, plus I have a 2 year old who is “unofficially” homeschooled.

How do I handle teaching different ages and keep a toddler occupied? Glad you asked!

Step into my living room…. I am blessed with 2 very different children. This works out great for homeschooling. My 11 year old is my oldest son. He is up at the crack of dawn most days. He is up and eating breakfast when I stagger out of bed and get my coffee started. I grunt something civil in answer to his cheery, “Hi, Mom!” (Is this kid really mine?? He is SUCH a morning person!) After I get some coffee into me, I resemble a human being and then get down to teaching.

A while later, my daughter (age 9) staggers into the kitchen and grunts something civil in answer to our cheerful, “Hi, Cam!” Once she has had some breakfast and resembles a human being, I start teaching her. (This one I KNOW is mine. LOL :-) )

It works out well. I can teach one-on-one most of the time, and each child can function when he/she works better.

The toddler? He is like I am - sleeps in and takes some time to wake up. When he does wake up, he is (usually) content to snuggle in my lap while I work with whichever child I am helping. Or he will color next to the big kids while they work.

So the answer to the question is simple - let the kids work when they do the best work!

Now, I know what some of you might be thinking: “You can’t just let the kids sleep until they wake up naturally! They need to learn to get up when they are supposed to get up!”

I have 2 words for an answer: College students.

When I was in college, I never scheduled a class before noon unless I absolutely had to. Why? As I said before, I am NOT a morning person. So why not schedule classes for when I do my best work?

Same thing with my business. I do most of my work late at night - when I work best!

The result? I have kiddos that are well-rested and work well! It works great for us!

Another thing is curriculum: Unit Studies. Unit Studies are great for multiple ages - you cover the same topic for all kids and the older kids get more info than the younger ones do. Most unit studies come with instructions for multiple ages. (Math is the one thing where I teach completely different lessons.)

Take, for example, our latest unit study - Japan. One of the topics is volcanoes of Japan. For the younger child, we study the location and frequency of the volcanoes, plus a brief explanation of why they occur so often there.

For the older child, we did the same, but also included a detailed study of plate tectonics and compared that to the Growing/Expanding Earth Theory and how the two theories differed. Then we debated each of the theories (each of us took a turn on either side of the debate) and discussed if the theory is plausible.

"Do they speak English in Michigan?"

2007-09-17T12:21:00.000-04:00

This is a question my 9 year old asked me when she was almost done with 3rd grade.

I kid you not, Ladies and Gentlemen. My third grader - a bright, straight-A student - had no idea that Michigan was a state and that English is the primary language spoken there.

She was in the public school system at that point. I had assumed that she was being taught trivial things like the 50 states and the “other” Presidents - not just Lincoln and Washington. Other trivial stuff like who George Bush is. (Either one.) I was wrong.

That got me asking questions. (Of all the kids, not just her.) Know what I found out?

They had all kinds of lessons on tolerance and self-esteem and other touchy-feely stuff, but can’t find Georgia on a map.They could tell me about their friend (3rd grade) whose mom hid her pot (not the cooking utensil, either) in their classmate’s bookbag (the cops found it anyway), but they could not tell me what the Declaration of Independence was.

They could tell me the procedure for “lockdown” and what to do if a bomb threat is called in to the school - but not who John Hancock was.

That is when I started to seriously look at homeschooling. For the sake of my kids and their education.

About me and this blog

2007-09-17T12:10:00.000-04:00

Hello!

I wanted to begin with some background and some answers.

First off, I am the mom of four wonderful kiddos - 2 boys and 2 girls. They are 13, 11, 9 and 2 years old. They are in girl-boy order (I planned that - really!) and they are all precious to me.I am 39 (yeah - it sure is different chasing after a toddler at 39 than it was at 29 - what the heck was I thinking???).

I am married to a wonderful man who is also 39. He is a disabled veteran and an ex-Marine (although I am being informed by the Hubby that there is no such thing as an “ex” Marine). (To which I answer, “Maybe not, but you don’t get deployed anymore, so that’s a plus. Those big paychecks don’t come anymore, either. And I am pretty sure if I tried shopping at the commissary they’d kick me out.” :-) )

I am also homeschooling. Wow. Now don’t get me wrong - I had originally majored in Chemistry in college with a minor in Education. (That sounds soooooo impressive, no?) But I ended up not being a teacher and teaching my own kiddos is a lot different than my student teaching experience. Plus I am pretty sure that if I were teaching high school chemistry I would not have a 2 year old running through the classroom several times an hour. (Partially clothed, at times - but that’s another story. I just loooove the stage when they learn to take off clothes.)

Why did I choose homeschooling? There are so many reasons, but they can all be summed up in one simple sentence: I can do a better job of teaching my kids than the schools can. Period.How can I say this? Easy.

The teachers at the schools where my kids went were too busy trying to referee fights and combat negative home influences to be able to teach effectively. How can they teach when the kids in the room are so apathetic or hostile? If everyone goes home intact, that’s a good day.

In addition, my kids were advanced academically for their grade levels, but they had to wait for the other kids to catch up before they could move on to something else. Now we can go as quickly or as slowly as we need to. I know my kids and what they want to be when they grow up. I know one is so interested in science it is not even funny and the other is a HUGE people-person. I know my 2 year-old is already taking stuff apart to see how things work (like my 11 year old did/does) and is already advanced. I can tailor the academics to each child, not to try to teach to the average children in a room of 20+ kids. I also have one child with learning disabilities and my heart aches when I see her struggle. (She is not my bio child, so I cannot homeschool her at this time. It breaks my heart.)

So I invite you to join me on this journey. It should be a wild ride!

-----Shay :o)