Carnival of Homeschooling

The Carnival of Homeschooling: No Child Left Inside is up on Susan's blog Corn and Oil.

Catherine Levison's guest post about Charlotte Mason education is a must read from Kris' blog. If you're thinking about adding elements of Charlotte Mason to your homeschool, you should also check out Amy's post about Starting a Nature Journal.

Enjoy!

Nature Friend

Yesterday, we received the March issue of Nature Friend magazine, and even I was excited when I caught a glimpse of the cover in our mailbox. The monthly magazine teaches children about nature from a creation perspective, and features articles, puzzles, word games, hidden pictures and reader submissions.

Our favorite part of the magazine is the You Can Draw section. In it, Nature Friend provides step by step instructions for drawing an item in nature. Children can follow the instructions, and submit their completed artwork for possible publication in a future issue.

The magazine publishes artwork from children of all ages and skill levels. It has been a huge confidence booster for my children to see how different all of the published drawings look. They know that even though we're following the same instructions, our drawings won't look alike.

Here's our favorite drawing so far:

My 8 year old's drawing is at the top, and my daughter and I worked on the one at the bottom together.

Follow this link to learn more about Nature Friend.

The Plug-In Drug

We're on day 5 of TV Turnoff Week, and I am not looking forward to the day when we can turn the television on again.

I've been reading the book The Plug-In Drug: Television, Computer and Family Life, and in it, Marie Winn makes a wonderful case for greatly restricting or eliminating television viewing. Ms. Winn discusses television's appeal to both children and parents, and examines the negative behavioral, physical and social consequences of excessive television viewing.

She also shares ideas for "natural controls" we can use to make TV less appealing and convenient. Among those ideas are:

1. Place your TV set in a room where it is out of sight and inconvenient to use.
2. Use a small television set that has poor reception, sound or picture.
3. Reduce the number of TV sets you own.
4. Don't place television sets in children's bedrooms.
5. Cancel cable to limit the number of channels and shows available.
6. Participate in a turnoff event or stage one for your family.

Closing the doors to our TV cabinet has gone a long way towards keeping television off of our minds. From now on, we're planning to keep those doors closed Monday through Friday.

Follow this link to learn more about the The Plug-In Drug.

Has Television Robbed Your Kids of Free Time?

For the past few weeks, I've been babysitting my neighbor's children when they're not in school. One of the most striking differences I've noticed between public school students and homeschoolers, is the children's lack of free time.

Children who attend public schools are committed to an outside schedule from the hours of 8:15 to 3:45. After that, they have homework, special projects, sports practices, games and church activities. Weekends are filled with birthday parties and other outside commitments. The children have very little time to" just be".

On the other hand, some would likely say my children have too much free time. Formal lessons for my kindergartner and second grader take 1-2 hours per day, and scheduled activities outside of our home consume less than 5 hours per week. If there's one thing we have enough of, it's free time. I'll admit that I often feel pressure to fill that time with "something productive".

We're beginning our 4th day without television, and now that TV and video games are not an option, learning fills up the free space in my children's day. Instead of watching TV, asking me if they can watch TV, and wondering when they'll be able to watch again, my children are filling that space with productive activities.

The science and history books on our shelves are being read and enjoyed. Games are being played. Art is being created, and the piano is being practiced. Only my 2-year-old has shown signs of missing the television. Yesterday he grabbed my hand, walked me to the family room, pointed at the TV cabinet and gave me a look that asked, "What happened to that thing?"

This week, I realized that despite my commitment to leave unscheduled space in my children's day, I let TV and video games rob them of the time they needed to "just be". Because I now realize the value of that time, I'll be all the more vigilant about protecting it.

Are You Addicted to the Internet?

I'll admit that in my home, overuse of electronic media is just as much of a problem for me as it is for my children.

Since I've been talking about television, and trying to reduce the role it plays in our lives, I wanted to share this article about internet addiction that I found at Why Homeschool:

Why moms are at risk for Internet addiction

Do you use the web as a means of stress-relief? Would you find it hard to stay away from the computer for a few days? Have you ever tried to downplay your amount of computer use to your loved ones?

If any of the above is a problem for you, consider the author's suggestion:

Try keeping a journal of how often you go online for a week. Then assess what you're missing out on when you do it -- sleep, family time, work?

Also note in your journal what was going on each time you decided to sit down at the computer. Was it right after a fight with your husband? Were you bored? By figuring out the triggers that send you seeking refuge online, Moore says, you can come up with alternative activities that help you deal.

I won't say my internet usage has crossed the line and become an addiction, but I know message boards, blogs and social networking have replaced activities that are more important to me.

When my children grow up and leave home, I want them to remember a mom who chats with them - not her online buddies, and I am taking steps to make that a reality.

South Korea: The Most Wired Place on Earth

This video from Frontline shows the effects of video game and computer addiction. It's only 14 minutes long, and the end is definitely worth watching.

South Korea: The Most Wired Place on Earth

Is this where we're headed?

5 Ways to Stay Sane During TV Turnoff Week

This week, my family is participating in National TV Turnoff Week, which means no television for us from today through Sunday, April 26th. We're hoping to reduce our addiction to the screen, and free up time to do things we value.

Here are some ways to stay sane if you decide to join us this week:

1. Go outside! - Don't just sit around staring at a blank screen, wishing you weren't missing John and Kate Plus 8. Go on a walk, a bike ride or just hang out in the back yard. Eat lunch or dinner outside for a change of pace.

2. Music - Play music instead of using the TV for background noise, or listen to books on tape. This week, my family is listening to a Jim Weiss recording of The Swiss Family Robinson. You can find audio books at your local library or download them here for free.

3. Games - Games are both entertaining and educational, and unlike television, they promote interaction and conversation. Set aside the Wii, X-Box and Leapster this week and play non-electronic games with your children. Here are some tips for playing homeschool games and choosing games for your preschooler.

4. Chores - Resist the temptation to use the TV as a babysitter so you can get things done. Work together as a family to keep your home clean and organized. If you need ideas for ways your children can help, here's a list of age appropriate chores.

5. Cook - The hour before dinner is not a great time to send your children off to watch TV. Let your kids help you chop, measure, pour, stir, set the table and tidy up before dinner. Teaching your children to cook is an investment in your future. One day they'll send you out of the kitchen so they can get dinner ready!

Have fun this week!

Homeschool Art - Don't Toss those Old Projects!

My children love drawing, painting and constructing things out of old boxes, toilet paper rolls, scraps of cloth, etc. As much as I love their creativity, I hate having to come up with places to store all of the things they create.

The last tip I received from my friend Jackie was to create huge folders for each one of my children where we can store all of the homeschool art projects the child creates throughout the year.

To make the folders, you need two pieces of poster board, a stapler and whatever materials you want to use to decorate the folder.


Place one piece of poster board on top of the other and staple the edges together on 3 sides, leaving one side open.

Have your child decorate the front of the folder, then place it under his or her bed. When your child creates a masterpiece, display it for a few days then slip it in the folder beneath the child's bed.


At the end of the year, choose the best projects and place them in a special keepsake box for that child.

This system will keep you from having to say things like, "How did this get here?" when your child catches a glimpse of one of his creations as he takes out the trash. I don't know what kind of parent would toss a child's artwork, but I've heard it happens in some homes...

101 Ways to Lower Your Homeschool Cost

So far this year, my family has experienced a pay cut, reduced work hours, and a reduction in benefits. Like many families across the country, we've been looking for ways to cut our expenses, pay off debt and save money.

Last week, I released my first e-book - 101 Ways to Save Money on Homeschooling.

This FREE e-book can help you save hundreds of dollars by showing you what to buy, where to buy it, where to find freebies, and how to have fun on a budget.

Follow this link to download my free e-book, and find ways to lower your homeschool cost!

If you enjoy the book, please help me spread the word by posting the following link on your website or blog:

www.successful-homeschooling.com/101-ways-to-save.html

Thanks!

Homeschool Organize

As promised, here are pics of my desk. I'll admit that I don't keep it perfectly clean all of the time, but it is clean most of the time. And it is now actually functional!


As much as possible, I've designated each shelf for specific types of items. The bottom shelf contains lesson plans, workbooks and books that we're using for school this year. The shelf above that contains 2 bins for library books, notes for my completed website pages and Usborne books.

The next shelf holds board games. And the shelf above that holds bins for paints, art supplies, preschool games, math manipulatives, card games, play doh and electronic games.

There's another shelf above that one that's not visible in the photos. I use it to store things I rarely need to get to, like books I'm saving for future grades and keepsakes for each member of family.

This is my desktop:


Jackie's number one tip for keeping a desk organized is to keep everything off of the desktop except for a pen/pencil holder, and a stackable inbox. One slot on the inbox should be labeled "To Be Filed" and one should be labeled "To Do." For convenience, I broke her rule and also put our school folders on top as well.

In the organizer above, I have folders labeled Monday through Friday, so my 8 year old can pull out his work for the day, complete it and put it on my desk so I can look over it with him during school time. The organizer also has a Completed Work folder in it, where I put my son's work once I have reviewed it.

I have a file cabinet under my desk where I keep paperwork for both of my businesses. In my desk drawers are office supplies, school stuff (mini dry erase boards and markers, flashcards, etc.), and art supplies (paper, markers and crayons). The drawer with the art supplies is the only one the children are allowed to access.

Next, I'll share Jackie's tips for keeping my children's pesky - I mean - wonderful art projects from turning into clutter.