Rod and Staff publishing

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

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

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

There are several approaches to teaching:

1. "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".
2. 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.
3. 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

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

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.