Homeschooling Outside the [Curriculum] Box

Thanks for stopping by the Home Educating Family blog hop! And congratulations to Jen K. - she was the winner, chosen by random.org, of the Well-Planned Day Wall Calendar!

This week, we tackle the topic, "Homeschooling Outside the [Curriculum] Box". What image does this bring up for you?

Now, if I were a good homeschooling mother*, thinking outside the box might mean the following. . .

• tailoring my studies to fit my student's interest, spending hours and hours on creative, interesting lesson plans that I came up with myself
• using real life events to teach valuable life lessons; grocery store math, cooking, child care, and the like
• letting each child design their own course of study, acting as coach or mentor rather than teacher
• never using a pre-packaged curriculum or
• pulling together the "best of the best" by researching and spending HOURS agonizing over what resources to use with my kids 

However.

For me?  In my house, Homeschooling Outside the Box really means. . . . . .

• I refuse to let others put me and my family in a box and define my success
• If part of my curriculum isn't working for one of my kids, I tweak it, but usually don't throw the whole thing out
• Daily dying to the enemy of all homeschooling mothers: Comparison
• Not trying to make my home school look like "School At Home"
• Being flexible, and listening to the Lord and my husband when I have decisions to make or
• Being true to our family's own unique gifts, talents, needs, and perspectives when approaching not just our school days, but our LIFE!

And if I was a good homeschooling mother*, this blog post would be a lot longer!

But as it is, you'll have to settle for a good, old-fashioned GIVEAWAY!  And it's a good one!

The good folks at Home Educating Family are giving away - are you ready for it? - a Well-Planned Day "On the Go" planner!  Sweet!

You know the drill.  Leave a comment (even if you just say: "Girl! I need that planner!") and I'll pick a winner on Thursday night, October 4th.  Open to US residents only, and ya gotta claim it in a timely manner. There ya go.



And while you're at it, don't forget to "hop" around to my Review Team Buddies and see what's going on on their blogs!

*Note:  the phrase, "Good Homeschooling Mother" is a play off a joke between my mother and myself. But since she doesn't read my blog - much - no one will get aforementioned joke. I'll have to blog about it someday!

Wordless Wednesday: You're Never Too Old Edition

One Glass, Two Views

It's been a day. Quite a day. Let me share. (Long, but bear with me!)

Friday, Take One:
 Woke up late, and had to quickly throw a lunch together for hubby, who headed out for a 12-hour day. Spent the morning trying to catch up with school. Had to deal with a dawdling student, again.  Sigh.

Headed out to piano lessons.  Dropped 2 kids, headed out to run some quick errands. First stop, Target. Ended up making about 5 trips across the store, because I kept forgetting things. Great. Then the line at Starbucks was too long, so I had to punt on that idea. Next stop, my dr.'s office to pick up a prescription. When I got there, they couldn't find my prescription, but had it filed under the wrong name. Just my luck. In the meantime, I'm waiting for the pediatrician's office to call about the little one's puncture wound in her foot.

Back to piano, and I'm waiting in the driveway for the kids to be done. Finally, the pedi's office calls me back. They want me to bring her in at 4:15.  Super.  That's going to put a huge kink in getting the kids out to camp this afternoon.  We race home, I have 5 minutes to bark instructions, drop off kids, and run out the door. Traffic is horrible, and I have to find an alternate route.

Checked in at the pedi's office. Find out that Amy has an infection in her wound.  Nice.  Now we run to the pharmacy, fighting rush hour traffic. After picking up her antibiotic and a few other things, now it's treatment time. In the parking lot. Yes, I'm soaking the kid's foot in bleach, then treating it, bandaids, medicine, the whole thing.  The car full of the 4 olders meets me in the parking lot, and after Amy's treated, I send them on their way.

I've had enough of this day. Decide to head to Panera Bread for a quick sandwich. Alone. Since hubby's working late, again. So much for date night. The line at Panera is hugely long. Of course. As is the traffic line going home, as I drive past not one but TWO high school football games. I get home and collapse on my chair. What a day.

Friday, Take Two:
Slept in enough to feel refreshed, and was able to send hubby off with a great lunch for his long day. Was actually home all morning, and we got a lot done.  One of the kids had a tough morning, but we ended up with a great history discussion.  Making progress!

Headed out to piano lessons.  Dropped 2 kids, headed out to run some quick errands. First stop, Target. Found just what I needed for not one, but two birthdays. Great! Then the line at Starbucks was too long, so I had to punt on that idea. Next stop, my dr.'s office to pick up a prescription. When I got there, they couldn't find my prescription, but had it filed under "Yurii's Wife". It was hysterical! I texted Yurii, and we both got a big laugh over it.

Back to piano, and I'm waiting in the driveway for the kids to be done. I've been waiting for the pediatrician's office to call me back about a wound in Amy's foot, and they finally call me back. They want me to bring her in at 4:15.  Super!  I'm actually going to be able to get the older kids home from piano and get to the office in time. We race home, I have time to give everyone instructions, and out we go. Traffic is horrible, but I remember a short cut and make it in time for the appt.

Checked in at the pedi's office. Find out that Amy has an infection in her wound.  I'm SO glad I called and had this checked! Dr. thinks she can make it to camp, with a little fancy footwork.  We run to the pharmacy, fighting rush hour traffic. After picking up her free antibiotic (yay!) and a few other things, now it's treatment time. In the parking lot. Can you believe I'm soaking her foot in the parking lot! This is going to make a great story! I'm so thankful to live in a country where something like this can be treated. My mind goes to children in other countries, where a minor wound can lead to gangrene - and worse - and I am so thankful.

The car full of the 4 olders meets me in the parking lot, and after Amy's treated, I send them on their way. They are really understanding, and willing to be late for camp, even when I have to run back in the store to get marshmallows for camp!

It's been a long day - and not just for me, but for Yurii, so I decide to head to Panera Bread for a quick sandwich. I grab him a sandwich, too, and have a nice quiet moment while waiting for them to make my food. Traffic going home is heavy, but moving. I get home and settle in for a few episodes of Bones, and wait to surprise Yurii with his yummy sandwich.  Tired, but thankful.

One Day. Two Perspectives.

Which way would YOU like to live? 

Making My School Unique: Blog Hop and Giveaway

Congratulations to the Caywoods!  They won a 1-year subscription to Home Educating Family magazine! Thanks for commenting and joining this month's Blog Hop. Remember, you can read all the ways the Home Educating Family bloggers make their school unique by visiting the blog hop here:

This week's topic: Making My School Unique. Which of course, because I am my father's daughter, leads me to this gem of a joke:

How do you catch a Unique Homeschooler?
You 'neak up on him!

(Cue laughter. From at least one of you.)

Enough comedy. Or enough semi-comedy. Or enough "trying-to-be-funny-but-not-really" comedy.

How do I make my homeschool unique? Easy. I look at these faces. . . . . . .

and remember wise words a friend told me when I first started homeschooling.

God has uniquely gifted me with these children, these specific children, with all their hopes and dreams and gifts and challenges. More than that, He has equipped me to be the best mother for them.  And when it comes to homeschooling? I'm the expert. This doesn't mean I teach them everything, nor does it mean I never ask for help when needed. But this does mean that no one, absolutely no one, knows my children better.

And even more importantly? I have access to a loving heavenly Father who can grant insight and wisdom into their lives, and enables me to pray specifically for them and for strategies to meet their unique needs.

Sounds great. But what does it look like in real life?

• When one of the crowd reads at 7 instead of 5, I don't compare them to the others. We work on rhyming, I read aloud to this one, and take the pressure off. One day, this child starts reading up a storm. And hasn't stopped since!

• When our son became involved and found his passion in Boy Scouts, not football (that's an Alabama reference for those of you who live where football is NOT an idol), we supported him and tweaked his high school plan to take advantage of those opportunities. P.E. credit for canoeing and backpacking? Works for him!

• When our eldest needed another year to be ready for college, we allowed her to intern in a children's ministry program at church. She gained valuable outside-the-home-experience, and the extra year for our late-birthday girl gave her the time she needed to have a successful college launch.

• One of ours loves to talk about math. So we talk! And talk and talk and talk - and she has terrific scores on her math work.

Get the picture? If I spent my days comparing my kids to other kids, or my family to other families, I'd be sunk. I've already written about the dangers of comparison, but one danger I didn't mention? Missing out on the unique qualities of your family.

Enjoy the unique way that God has created your family! Celebrate it and use it for His glory!

Ready for a giveaway? This week, the folks at Home Educating Family are providing a fabulous wall calendar for one reader of my blog! It's got huge writing space for a uniquely busy family - like mine!

Want one? Leave a comment, and you're automatically entered! Tell us how you make your school unique, tell us your favorite terrible joke, or just say, "I want that calendar!" I'll choose a winner next Thursday using random.org. (Note: make sure I have a way to reach you in your comment!)

I'm also supposed to say the following (read in monotone announcer's voice): Due to international sweepstakes laws, this giveaway is for US entrants only. This giveaway is not tied to any social media site. All prizes must be claimed within 8 weeks.

See you next week for "Outside the (Curriculum) Box!"

My Homeschool Story: Blog Hop and Giveaway!

This week, the First Homeschool Guinea Pig turns 20. And let me tell you. . . .  it's really throwing me for a loop.

Either that, or it's the drugs I'm on for my bronchitis.

Let's just stick with the first scenario, shall we?

I've spent some time this past week thinking about the past 20 years and all the changes we've been through.  And like I do every September, I've also started reflecting on not only my parenting journey, but our family's homeschooling journey and what got us started down this crazy road.  To that end, I'm joining a great team of writers from Home Educating Family and participating in my first ever "Blog Hop"!  So stay tuned, enjoy my story, and read on to the end to join the Blog Hop and enter to win a fantastic giveaway!

How did we get from this . . . .

to this????

I'm from a family of public school teachers, trained to be a teacher, and married a teacher.  When our oldest was was born, I was teaching music in an elementary school in Connecticut.  It never occurred to me that she wouldn't join the ranks of Kindergarteners some day.  But even as early as our first year of parenting, I can see the Lord's hand in preparing our hearts for our homeschool journey.

•  When Kathryn was a mere 7 weeks old, my husband and I began attending a Bible study at the home of a family who homeschooled their children, all teens.  Honestly, I didn't know what to make of these kids.  They were polite, interesting, spoke to us intelligently, and were a general pleasure to be around.  (At the time, I thought they were strange. Little did I know I'd be raising the same kind of teens in a very few years!)

•  As I taught school, I loved those little kindergarteners. They came in every year, bright-eyed and eager.  But as the year went on, I noticed a change. They got. . . . . hard. Jaded. I didn't like the changes I saw in those kids. And didn't want to see the same changes in my kids.

•  The most important factor, however, was that I recommitted myself to my faith, and my dear husband became a Christian. We desired more than anything else to teach our children the truths we held to be so important.

So when I first became a full-time stay-at-home mom, when Nathaniel was born (yes, the cute guy in the pictures above!), I prepared to send Kathryn to preschool. After all, she was 4, right? And she needed a break from me, right? With baby brother in tow, I dropped her off at the local Christian preschool 2 mornings a week.

Imagine my surprise when she came home, about 3 weeks later, saying, "Pow Pow! You're DEAD, Mommy!" and shooting me with her imaginary gun.  Um.  Really?

When I went in for her Parent Conference, the teacher explained that they had three goals.  First, to help the children recognize their letters.  Second, to help the children separate from their parents.  And third, to help the children follow directions from another adult.   

"OK," thinks a much younger version of myself, "She's already reading. She's fine with being away from me. And she follows directions.  What am I spending $90 a month on?"  With that, hubby and I decided to homeschool her.  JUST for preschool.  Then we'd see what happened. . . .

The rest, as they say, is history.

Somewhere in those early years, we found that homeschooling was a wonderful blessing to our family.  We loved learning together, being together for the "A-Ha!" moments, and getting to know each other.  We loved watching our kids develop close relationships with each other.  And we loved being able to spend intense time with them, mentoring them and teaching them about Jesus.

Our journey became about what we were heading TOWARD, not what we were running FROM.

Just had to add another picture of my kids.  Cuz they're awesome.  That's all.

So how about you?  What got YOU started on your homeschool journey?  Do tell! 

You've read through my ramblings. . .are you ready for a GIVEAWAY?  It's a good one, too!

Since we're celebrating "Not-Back-to-School", the good folks at Home Educating Family have provided a full year subscription to their terrific magazine!

All you have to do is leave a comment, and you're automatically entered!  (And trust me - it's KILLING me that I can't enter this one.  Boo.)  I'll choose a winner next Thursday using random.org.  And this spiffy magazine will be on its way to YOUR mailbox!  (Note:  make sure I have a way to reach you in your comment!)

I'm also supposed to say the following (read in monotone announcer's voice):
Due to international sweepstakes laws, this giveaway is for US entrants only. (Sorry to my Nigerian readers) This giveaway is not tied to any social media site.

And while you're at it, head on over to the Home Educating Blog Hop for more great posts on "My Homeschool Story".  See you next time, when I'll be blogging about "What Makes My Homeschool Unique"!