Homeschooling and The 4-Hour Workweek

In my last post, I promised to share more about how the The 4-Hour Workweek revolutionized my approach to time management. Instead of finding ways to cram more into my day, I now look for ways to simply do less using the following principles:

1. I Make Myself Unavailable

I only check e-mail twice a day, and I do not read any jokes, political forwards, warnings about potential calamity or encouraging e-mails that must be forwarded to 10 people lest I succumb to calamity.

I do not answer my telephone without checking caller ID. I generally only answer the phone when it's my husband. Otherwise, I let the call go to voice mail. I respond to most messages that aren't from family members or very close friends via e-mail.

I lost my cell phone six months ago, and I never purchased a new one. In the six months I've been without a phone (even while out during labor with my 4th child), I've only needed to make a phone call twice. Both times, I've simply asked store clerks if I could use their phones, and they were happy to let me do so.

I do not go to meetings. Period.

As a result of these changes, I now have time to answer e-mail from visitors to my website. I can sit on the couch and read to my children without interruption. I can listen to music and pay attention while I drive instead of fumbling with a cell phone. I can invite friends over for dinner instead of sitting in meetings arguing about every little detail of the next church ladies' luncheon.

2. I'm on a Low-Information Diet

I no longer watch the news or listen to talk radio, and I've unsubscribed to most blogs, newsletters, e-mail lists and RSS feeds I used to follow. Despite the low-information diet, I've still managed to learn everything I need to know about current events, although with much less stress and heartache.

For example, I heard more than enough about the recent earthquake in Haiti without watching any news coverage, and I didn't have to process any of the disturbing images I've had to process during other tragedies.

The low-information diet has not only provided me with more time, but also with more peace.

3. I Delegate

A few years ago, my husband told me that if I was having trouble accomplishing all that I needed to accomplish, I should pay someone to help me. I was highly insulted!

Now, before I take on a task, I ask myself, "Am I the best person to do this? Is this the best use of my time?"

Do I really need to spend time searching for and printing my own handwriting pages, or can I just purchase a workbook? Do I really need to create my own menus and grocery lists or can I just print the ones from this blog?

Another question I ask myself is, "Is this activity worth the time and energy it requires?"

As a result of having asked myself this question, I gave myself permission to stop clipping coupons and washing my husband's dress shirts at home. (Or, more honestly, to stop feeling guilty about not clipping coupons and washing my husband's dress shirts.)

At this point in our lives, the extra savings just aren't worth the effort. My husband would rather spend an extra $100-200 and have a relaxed, happy wife.

4. I Give Myself Time Limits

The amount of time it takes to complete a task will expand to fill whatever time period we allot for it, so I set time limits on specific tasks to keep them from taking over our days.

For example, I could get on my computer to check e-mail, and easily spend half a day crafting responses, checking stats on my website, reading blogs, chatting on forums, etc.

However, if I allow myself only one hour per day of free time on the computer, I am much more efficient about managing e-mail, and I don't have time to get into the time-wasting, energy-draining debates that can come from excess blog and forum involvement.

Flylady is also a big fan of setting time limits. A main tenet of her program is using a timer to clean in 5 to 15 minute increments so you don't get overwhelmed or carried away, and end up cleaning all day.

5. I Don't Work for Work's Sake

I don't create work for myself just for the sake of keeping myself busy, and I don't give my children assignments just for the sake of giving them schoolwork.

When I hear someone say they clean for 6 hours per day, I think, "What on earth are you cleaning?"

When I hear someone say they teach kindergarten for 6 hours per day, I think, "What on earth are you teaching?"

When I hear someone say they fill 12 workboxes for each of their 4 kids every night, I can't help but think they are doing school for school's sake (aka busy work). I'm glad the workbox system has been helpful for so many. However, it saddens me to see moms beating themselves up about not having filled their boxes every night. And if they need to actively search for ideas on how to fill up the workboxes, perhaps 12 boxes are unnecessary.

Anyway, now that I am no longer doing things I don't value, I have more time to do the things I think are important in life. I get to sit down and eat with my children instead of standing over the counter stuffing food into my mouth. I get to color with my daughter. I get to take naps with my preschooler. I get to spend time making faces at my baby until he smiles, and I get to look at him. Really look at him. And even then, he still grows too quickly.

I don't want you to think I execute all of this perfectly, because I do not. But the changes I've made are serving us well, and I wanted to share them with you.

I loosely follow Tim Ferris' 4-Hour Workweek blog, and on it I found this video from homeschooler Chuck Holton in which he mentions using 4HWW principles in his home school:



I e-mailed Chuck for more information, and he gave me permission to share the following:

"We try to include lessons from the 4hww in our holistic approach to homeschooling. I'm trying to raise creators and owners, not worker bees. Plus, the concept of maintaining 'margin' is very important - we teach our kids that work will expand to fill whatever timespace it is given - therefore it's important to compress timeframes by setting deadlines, even in their daily schooling. As such, they usually try to finish with school by lunch time, which gives them lots of time to pursue other activities and just be kids..."

"We use a computerized curriculum called 'Switched on Schoolhouse.' Quite possibly the worst written code on the planet, but it works once you invest about 100 hours on the phone with tech support. I wish there were another computerized curriculum that would work for us, but so far we haven't found one.

We went to the computerized model after my wife realized she was spending 4+ hours per day correcting papers. Now it's much less of her time - automate, delegate, eliminate!"

Follow this link to learn more about The 4-Hour Workweek.

Choosing Yes!

Last week, I planned to follow up my blog post about laying down our lives for our children with a post about saying yes to our children. The bad news is, I was just too sleepy to write that post. The good news is, somebody forwarded me The Year of Yes, and it was exactly what I had in mind.

This year, two women on one of my favorite forums passed away. Several more were diagnosed with illness and are fighting for their lives. Watching their struggle reminds me of what my mother-in-law said when my father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer, "We all have to go that way one day."

How will I spend my years here before I go that way? Will I grumpily get up and feed the baby or treasure the quiet moments I have alone with him? Will I nurture past hurts or nurture budding relationships? Will I focus on what's wrong in my life or on what's right about it?

What will my children remember about me when I go that way? Will they remember me saying no, hold on, wait or will they remember me saying yes? Will they remember a mom who had to homeschool, cook and clean all day or a mom got to spend all day caring for those who meant the most to her?

Last fall, I had the pleasure of interviewing unschooler Sandra Dodd for my e-book, 7 Secrets to Finding the Best Homeschool Curriculum.

She also mailed me a copy of her book, Sandra Dodd's Big Book of Unschooling, a collection of mindful parenting and unschooling articles based on her popular website. I put the book in my bathroom which is where I get most of my reading time, and I have to admit it has been nothing short of life-changing.

Here are some of Sandra's thought on Have To.

As we enter the new year, many of us make resolutions that involve can'ts, don'ts and have tos. This year, I want to embrace the choice I have to say yes to that which I value and no to that which I don't. I want to embrace the choice I made to marry, have children, homeschool and care for my home without grumbling, without complaining and without fear.

Several years ago, I listened to a sermon from Focus on the Family called Choosing to Cheat. The premise of the sermon was that we can be and do many great things in life, but we may not be able to do them all at once.

I can be a great mom, a loving wife, a successful entrepreneur, a perfect size 6, a gourmet chef, a fun online buddy, an active homeschool group member, volunteer of the year, church member of the year, and keeper of a spotless home, but I may not be able to be all of these things at the same time. Saying yes to my husband and children may mean cheating in the areas of business, socializing or housekeeping.

Where will I choose to cheat?

I think the article by Sandra Dodd that touched me the most is the article in which she answers the question, How many hours should I spend with my child? At the end of the article, she says:

"If you want to measure, measure generously. If you want to give, give generously. If you want to unschool, or be a mindful parent, give, give, give. You'll find after a few years that you still have everything you thought you had given away, and more."

Homeschooling Families: Getting Ready for a New Baby, Part 2

Our remodel isn't done yet, and right now our house is in total chaos. If a room doesn't look like this:



It looks like this:



For the past few nights we've been sleeping like this:



I used pregnancy as an excuse to have my husband give me a mattress on the floor one night, and last night I got my bed back. (Yes!)

My oldest is not big on change, and he keeps asking if I think all of these changes will be worth it. I told him I think it will. He also wants to know if it will be fun having a new baby around. I told him I'm sure it will. We talked about how fun it was adding his little sister, and then his baby brother. He agreed, and wants five more babies after this one.

Our hospital offers classes for older siblings that the children have enjoyed with each pregnancy. The class lasts 2-3 hours, and the children learn what babies look like inside their mommies, how babies get food before they are born, what newborns are like, how to help take care of babies, etc. They also get to tour the hospital, and take a peek inside the nursery.

These classes are totally unnecessary, but they're fun and they seem to make the kids feel special. With our last pregnancy, the instructor took pictures of the kids that we could put in the baby's hospital bassinet. The kids were so excited when they came to visit and saw those pictures.

Another one of our traditions is to get t-shirts for the older siblings to wear when they visit us in the hospital. This year I ordered shirts from Em Tanner Designs. These shirts were on the expensive side so I looked for a coupon code before ordering.



I was so tickled by this "Lil Bro" onesie that I had to order it. My husband was not amused.



Someone gave my oldest a Big Brother Journal when our daughter was born, and since then I've ordered them for the big sibs with each pregnancy.

They are pre-printed journals that ask the kids questions like, "What do you like to do with the baby?" - very simple questions that get hilarious answers from the 2 to 5-year-old set. It also gives them places to put photos or draw pictures. I LOVE re-reading these journals.



When we brought our last child home, I had a little cake in the freezer that we defrosted and decorated. We had a party for the baby where my older kids gave him small presents they'd wrapped themselves, and their brother gave them small presents for being such great older siblings. That was fun, and I plan to do that again.

Like I said, all of this is totally unnecessary, but it has been fun for us and we look forward to doing it. If it seems overwhelming, one simple thing to do is pull out the older kids' baby books and talk about your favorite memories of them.

That will be really difficult for us this time as my middle child's baby book is only half finished and my toddler's baby book does not exist. I keep telling my oldest that there are benefits to being the first born.

Homeschool Families: Getting Ready for a New Baby

It seems like I just found out I was pregnant, but every time I look at the calendar I am reminded that we only have two short months to go!

I've spent the past couple of weeks getting bids from contractors to help us do things like get rid of old, nasty carpet, paint our grubby walls and organize our closets. Now they're actually here working, and I can't wait until they're done so our house can go back to being a home.

Whenever I announce a new pregnancy, I am always asked if I'll put my older kids in school. I say I couldn't imagine getting rid of all my helpers! Beyond that, school comes with burdens of its own - rushing through breakfast to get everyone dressed and out of the house on time, packing lunches and backpacks, keeping up with assignments and notices from the teacher - homeschooling is so much easier.

Days with a new baby are also great learning experiences for children. Diane Hopkins' article, The Baby is the Lesson, explains this perfectly. Even if academic work does take the back seat for a moment, my children will learn so much more at home than they would in school. They also love new babies and I don't think they'd leave home if they could!

In addition to getting our house ready for the baby, I'm also making preparations that will keep the house running more smoothly once the baby arrives. I am at my worst when sleep deprived, so I've learned to set things up so I can run on autopilot.

I keep meals really simple. Breakfast is either cereal or something from the freezer that can be quickly defrosted and heated up. Lunch is sandwiches or leftovers. Dinner is defrosted and reheated from the freezer, or made in the crock pot.

Before my last child was born, I made a 3-month meal calendar, including grocery lists and breakfast/lunch/dinner menus. I also packed our freezer to almost overflowing with pancakes, muffins, breakfast sandwiches, soups, casseroles and other make ahead meals. This made it really easy for my mom and husband to help when they were around, and for me to keep everyone fed when they weren't.

I doubt I'll have time to stock the freezer before this baby is born, but I am making menus and getting my recipes in order. I recently found out about the Eat at Home blog, and I'm planning on trying some of her free weekly menus and recipes.

I also keep housework to the bare minimum when we have a new baby. I know it's not eco-friendly, but we use plastic cups and utensils, and paper plates. My kids reduce my workload by helping with chores - making their beds, folding their laundry, taking out trash, picking up toys, etc.

My 8-year-old can prepare cereal and juice when everyone's too hungry to wait on me to get moving in the mornings. He also unloads the dishwasher, and I'm working on teaching him to straighten up their bathroom. It's slow going, but I think we'll make progress before the baby is born. I am blessed to have children who actually LIKE doing chores!

One other thing I do when getting ready for a new baby is simplify our schedule as much as possible. I have no problem saying no to outside obligations, and I make sure we are home every day for mom's naptime our daily quiet time.

So this is how I keep everyone sane during those crazy post-partum months. Next week, I'll share the traditions we have that make having a new baby fun!

Homeschooling: Should Learning Be Fun?

"Love of learning" is a big catch phrase in homeschooling circles, and often implies that parents should make learning fun through the use of elaborate games, projects and activities.

While I do think it's important to raise children who enjoy learning, I often wonder if we aren't overemphasizing "fun" in our pursuit of that goal. It seems some of us are in danger of raising fun addicts - children who are in need of constant entertainment, who will only work when bribed with generous incentives and rewards.

One problem with placing too much emphasis on fun is that can be a recipe for burnout. Parents can become slaves to their children's whims and desires, always looking for something fresh and exciting to grab their interest. This is often not only time-consuming, but downright exhausting.

In some homes, parents work under the ever-looming threat of hearing, "I want to go to public school!" I encourage parents not to place themselves in competition with public school teachers. We don't home school because I've convinced my children homeschooling is better for them. We home school because I know homeschooling is better for them. If there's a competition, I'm the judge.

Another problem with overemphasizing fun is that it creates unrealistic expectations. Sometimes there's nothing fun about the process of learning. Fun is often a result of the joy and satisfaction that comes from having learned new information, even if the pursuit of that information wasn't fun.

There was nothing fun about reading the volumes of material I had to read in order to build my website. However, I did enjoy taking that information and using it to achieve a worthwhile goal.

Am I suggesting that we stop doing fun projects and activities? Absolutely not! But I do believe in balance. And I also believe that some of the pressure many homeschool moms feel could be relieved if we put fun in proper perspective.

In our home, fun is a part of every single day. We smile, laugh, skip, hum and sing. We tell jokes and we play games. We're not a fun family because I've stressed myself to the breaking point in an attempt to provide constant entertainment. We're a fun family because we enjoy each other.

Homeschooling Textbooks - Why we love them!

Homeschooling textbooks have a bad reputation among homeschoolers. They're boring! They don't inspire creativity and impart a love of learning! They bring school into the home!

I'm outing myself as a huge fan of textbooks who has been homeschooling with A Beka math and language arts workbooks for the past 4 years. Here's why we love homeschool textbooks:

1. My kids are part of the rare group of children who actually like completing workbook pages. Perhaps it's genetic. I also enjoyed using workbooks as a child. For my children, fun doesn't come from fancy projects and activities. Fun is the feeling of accomplishment they get from learning something new, and having their afternoons free to pursue projects on their own.


2. No lesson planning! I love not having to plan or prepare lessons. Every morning, I simply open up the teacher's manual, skim the day's lesson and start talking. I don't have to scour the internet to find exciting, creative ways to present new concepts. The work has been done for me. The teacher's guide tells me exactly what to teach and what to say.


3. Textbooks help us remain consistent. We have a fairly relaxed schedule, and workbooks provide us with the consistency we need. If we skip a few days here and there, I know exactly where we left off and where we should begin again. Our school time follows a predictable routine so my children know what to expect. In our home, parent/child conflicts about schoolwork are extremely rare.


4. Textbooks make us more efficient. As our family grows, it is becoming essential for my older children to work independently at times. I love being able to start my oldest on an assignment that he can finish on his own while I work with a younger sibling. I still find plenty of time to interact with and disciple him, and we still have many opportunities to create great memories. Our special memories just happen to revolve around activities other than school.


5. No projects! I am not a peppy, get your hands dirty, let's do an activity kinda gal. Honestly, I have an anxiety attack at the mere thought of running from store to store for supplies that will end up as a mess on my kitchen floor. Although we don't do crafts and projects as part of our official school time, my children find ways to express what they're learning through play, and they plan their own activities. That's creativity!

And now for the disclaimer: My love of homeschooling with textbooks doesn't mean that you should use them or that they will work well in your home. I wrote this post mainly to encourage you to keep an open mind - a program that's a disaster in one home may be a perfect fit in yours, and a program that works great for your best friend may be entirely wrong for you.

I'm currently working on an e-book about choosing homeschool curriculum for which I've interviewed experts in various home school philosophies. It has been amazing to hear individuals like Catherine Levison, Sandra Dodd and Sarita Holzmann share the benefits of their chosen home school method. In working with these experts, I've learned that there's not one right way to home school.

The right way to homeschool is the way that works best for you - even if that involves textbooks!

Classical Homeschooling - The Benefits of Rote Memorization

When I first heard about classical homeschooling and it's emphasis on rote memorization, I assumed it wouldn't be for us. I've made it through life just fine not having memorized the names of the U.S. Presidents, so why should I force my children to memorize them. After all, rote memorization is boring and learning should be fun.

Last year, a friend introduced me to a program called Classical Conversations. I took my oldest to an open house, and I was really impressed with the public speaking portion of the program. My son said he wanted to learn the information that the children in the class were learning, and I thought the public speaking practice would help him build confidence, so we decided to give it a try.

Far from being boring, practicing memory work is my children's favorite part of the day. Here's some of what they're learning.



Based on our experiences, here are some of the benefits of rote memorization:

1. My kids are learning how to memorize large volumes of information, and it gets easier for them as the weeks go by. Classical Conversations uses songs, hand movements and games to make memorization fun. My son is a visual learner, and has found that it is helpful to write out some of the information he is trying to memorize. He's learning techniques he can use when he's older.



2. Memorization is much easier for my kids than it is for me and my husband. From birth to age 10 or 12, children are in what's known as the grammar stage of the trivium. This phase of classical homeschooling takes advantage of a child's natural ability to memorize.



3. My children are storing factual information they can use in the future. They do not fully understand everything they are learning, but the facts will be available for recall when they need them. We sing the alphabet song to our babies years before they understand what the letters mean. As my kids sing about the parts of the cell, they are tucking the information away for the days when they'll study biology.



4. As we memorize information together, we grow stronger as a family. If you watch the video closely, you'll notice that my 2-year-old often sings along with his older siblings. He is usually with us when we practice, soaking up information like a sponge. This is one of the benefits of learning in a multi-age environment.
   



5. Learning is fun, and the ability to recall information on demand is a huge confidence builder. I am learning facts that I didn't learn as a child. And my husband, who was a bit skeptical about the need for an extensive memorization program, has asked me to get him a copy of our memory work audio CD.

We are mostly relaxed homeschoolers, so we don't strictly adhere to the classical model of education, but I can definitely see it's benefits. Follow this link to learn more about classical homeschooling and the 3 stages of the trivium.

Enjoy the journey,

Homeschooling - To Everything There is a Season

One thing I am learning about homeschooling, and life in general, is that nothing is static - we are always in a state of change. Last fall, we were mourning the death of a loved one. This fall, we're preparing to welcome new life.

Our fourth baby (and third boy!) is due on December 26th.

I spent the summer fighting morning sickness and feeling sorry for myself, and spent most of August and September making up for the months I spent lying around feeling sorry for myself. But now we're back on track. Well, we're never totally on track, but we're closer to the track...

We've also made some changes in our schooling.

Instead of taking a dip in the pool or going out for pizza on the first day of school, we were up at an obscene hour (I'm not a morning person), digging through piles of laundry (I'm rarely caught up on laundry), scarfing down breakfast (Cereal, anyone?) so we could fight traffic (DRIVE, people!) and arrive on time for our weekly Classical Conversations co-op. (Now you know why I homeschool.)

Instead of spending Monday mornings bouncing around in their pajamas until further notice, my kids look like this:


We've also made some changes at Successful Homeschooling.

We just wrapped up our 2nd Annual Curriculum Review Contest, which resulted in over 350 new homeschool curriculum reviews on our website!

We also have several new projects in the works, including YouTube videos, an e-course, and another FREE e-book that will feature interviews with prominent homeschoolers like Catherine Levison, Mary Hood, Sandra Dodd and Sarita Holzmann. These interviews turned out even better than I imagined they would, and I can't wait to share them with you!

In addition to subscribing to this blog using the subscription box in the upper left corner, you can keep up with all of our changes by becoming a fan on Facebook, following us on Twitter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, or signing up for our free homeschool newsletter.

Ecclesiasties 3:1 states - To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Our goal at Successful Homeschooling is to walk with you, giving you the tools you need to survive and thrive during life's many seasons.

Enjoy the journey!

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.

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 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.

Our Homeschool Schoolroom

As promised, here are some pics of our homeschool schoolroom, along with some organizing tips I learned from my friend Jackie.

Our house has a formal dining/living room in the front. When my oldest was a baby, we converted it into a playroom, and we now use it as a playroom/office/schoolroom.

Books

The first thing Jackie said we needed was a place for everything - especially toys and books. We used to use this bookshelf for both toys and books, but I earned a shelf full of free books when I started my Usborne business, and we ran out of room. This shelf is now for books and puzzles only. Separating the toys and books has gone a long way towards keeping the books off the floor.



Toys

I moved all the toys to these 2 shelves from Ikea. These bins are inexpensive and very sturdy, and even though their labels are disappearing one by one, they've really helped the kids keep their toys organized.

We have bins for play food, Lincoln logs, wooden trains, mega blocks, dolls, toddler toys, k'nex, legos, wooden blocks, playmobile, little people, Leapster and pretend people/animals. (Just pretend like you can't see the Christmas art that's still hanging on the wall.)


Pretend Play

We keep dress up clothes, baby doll strollers, swords and other props in this big bin. It has a tendency to turn into a junk bin, so we have to sort through it periodically.


School Table

I resisted the idea of having a formal school table for some time, but this table has been great for keeping legos, playmobile and k'nex off of the floor. It also gives us a place to do art projects and play with puzzles and games, and I no longer have to cart school stuff to the kitchen table every day.

I also bought this table at Ikea. To my husband's delight, it was much cheaper than the one from Pottery Barn I had in mind.


My Desk

The last area of our schoolroom, and often the messiest, is my desk. My desk contains everything I need for my Usborne and website businesses, along with the kid's schoolbooks and supplies, arts and crafts materials and board games. In my next post, I'll share pics and strategies I've been using to keep my desk organized.

We'll Just Call Them "School Supplies"

There was some "P.E. equipment" under the tree this year.

My husband bought me a treadmill, my two oldest received 2-wheeled scooters, and we all got a Wii. We've been bowling, boxing and playing tennis, go carts, baseball and golf since Christmas morning. Yesterday evening I forced everyone to change out of their PJ's so we could get out for some fresh air. My husband was the last to put down his controller!

One of our good friends had a stroke this year around Thanksgiving. She is the single mother of an 8-year-old boy, and she's not much older than my husband and I.

Until recently, we've taken our health for granted. Now we're realizing that it's getting easier to pack on the pounds and harder to lose them. We want to take better care of our bodies and model healthy habits for our children.

Once my husband goes back to work, there will be strict restrictions on the Wii. The restrictions are more for my sake than the kids'. It is all too tempting for me to get them occupied with something electronic so I can do my own thing.

Beyond that, excessive TV, computer and video game usage is fairly unhealthy for children, even when it involves educational programs. I will try to post more on that later, but a great book about the subject is The Plug-In Drug by Marie Winn.

I hope you're enjoying your holidays!

Merry Christmas!

This is the first Christmas that we've spent a lot of money on the children, and I'm really excited about watching them open their gifts on Christmas morning. They rarely ask us for anything, and we don't buy them toys throughout the year, so I'm not overly worried about materialism.

We like to give the kids an opportunity to give of themselves to help others. So for the past few weeks we've been focused on selling cookies to buy toys for a local charity.

Jazzy and Drew take turns helping me mix the batter:

This year Drew was promoted to scooping cookies from the hot cookie sheet:

Then we package up the cookies and deliver them to friends and family:

Not one to be left out, little Isaiah even did his part:

All in all, we baked 28 dozen cookies! We made the last delivery on Saturday, purchased the gifts on Sunday and dropped them off yesterday. The kids were excited to find that the agency employees remembered us from last year.

We also got in a little culture this month. A couple of weeks ago, we went to see the play Madeline's Christmas:

And on Saturday, my husband's 35th birthday, we went to see The Nutcracker. He even stayed awake the entire time:

Then on Sunday, the kids sang with children's choir at church. We've blown the theory that homeschooled children are too sheltered!

The Christmas cards have been mailed, the gifts are wrapped and under the tree, I've finished my grocery shopping, and I'm picking up our smoked turkey tomorrow.

I'll be too busy in the kitchen to blog tomorrow, and on Christmas day I'll be stuffed full and sleepy. I'll see you some time next week.

Merry Christmas!

Our Year in Review

In the midst of the trials, there were many things that went right for us this year.

We tried lapbooking for the first time this August, and found that we really enjoy it. We completed a Thanksgiving lapbook from Hands of a Child last week, and this week we're working on a Madeline's Christmas lapbook I downloaded for $2.50 from CurrClick.

We wrapped up flag football season at the end of October, and Jasmine played organized sports for the first time ever in a P'nut basketball class at our local recreation center. She even brought home a trophy!

I haven't had time to continue posting Make it Fun Monday activities every week, but I have compiled a list of 5 fun and easy holiday activities in this month's newsletter. If you're interested, you can sign up for it here.

For school this month, we'll be reading traditional Christmas stories and enjoying our family's favorite holiday traditions. I hope to share more about them in the coming weeks. Happy Holidays!

Our Week in Review - Penguins

I'm swollen, sore, and missing 4 teeth, but we still managed to learn a little something this week.

We read Watch Me Grow: Penguins, Antarctica, and Captain Cook. We listened to the audio book version of everyone's favorite penguin story, Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater. We also added a page about penguins to our animal classification notebook. I'll post pics from our notebook next week as we continue our study of birds.

The morning before I had my wisdom teeth removed, I mailed over $400 worth of Usborne books to participants in my homeschool curriculum review contest. As a result of last month's contest, you have a resource of over 400 homeschool curriculum reviews to help you choose products for your family.

Many thanks to those of you who took time to share your opinions with other homeschoolers! Please continue to submit your reviews and help me build a resource we can all rely on when choosing curriculum.

Our Week in Review - Children's Theater

Last week we finished our study on pirates, and moved on to something that was more up my alley. We read Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, and watched the play at our local children's theater. It was big fun!

I'm having my wisdom teeth removed tomorrow. I'm don't think it will be big fun, but it will give my weight loss efforts a boost! I'll check in when I'm back on my feet again...