Screech!

So our plans have come to a near stop
today.

The Momma is sick!

However, thanks to a little thing
called a book...school is going on.

All three are tucked in corners reading
away. They had a choice...read or work
on their Research Paper. Funny, how
reading took priority over those papers.

In a little while Mikey will put his
learner's permit to work and drive all
of us to bowling. I will likely either
drive him crazy with my fear or be nearly
passed out from fever. It remains to be
seen.

If the Tylenol knocks down the fever I will
be good to go, if not, I may not get out of
the van.

Either way, I win as Mother of the Year for
making sure these angels get to fellowship
with their dearest friends and another gym
day is checked off the schedule...lol.

Understand that everyone else I know has already
had this or been very exposed to it. I am slow
to surrender. I am not exposing innocent people
to these particular germs.

Blessings!

Becky K.

All About Books!

Our Homeschool Co-op is preparing for
our annual Learning Fair. This happens
when students and parents get together
to feature something they have learned
over the current school year.

This year's theme is....Books!

My 13 year old is busily preparing a display
about a series of books she devoured recently.

They are The Allison Chronicles by Melody Carlson.

She has been working on her display board and
writing a synopsis of the first story, complete
with her own drawings that would be more than
enough to meet the requirements of a ten page
report. Funny thing is she just wrote a ten
page research paper on dogs. The boys are
struggling to write ten pages on their chosen
subjects...and she just whips out two major
projects as if it were nothing.

Such are the differences we have with our
own students.

The boys are working together on a project
for the Learning Fair. It is on a book series
that Mikey has been reading this year. It is
a fictional trilogy about Mars. I am just over
anxious to see what they are coming up with for
that.

Some of the Moms were wishing we could have
tables to show off some of our recommended reading.
Now, that would be fun!

May your homeschool day be filled with peace,
love and joy today!

How Chelsea Learned to Read...

It was so simple.

After having two boys who failed to
enjoy reading after learning in the
local public school, I wondered how
I was going to manage to teach Chelsea
from scratch.

Whether it was that she was a girl,
had different interests...or just that
it was more enjoyable with less pressure
she was a great learner.

I used a very simple reader system
purchased from Amazon.com.

They are Now I am Reading series by Nora Gaydos.
Little books come in small coordinating
cardboard cases. There are stickers for
each book when read satisfactorily.

When you start at the beginning of this
series and work your way through the
foundation is there to learn to read
very well.

Just a recommendation from a system that
worked for us...did not cost a lot of money
and did not take up a ton of room!

Happy Homeschooling!

Homeschooling...The Journey

One never knows what paths life
will take when you are young.

As a teenager I watched my Aunt
and Uncle struggle through the
trials of being among the first
to homeschool. It was not popular...
it was weird.

Then I had my own children.
We tried the public school
route. I watched their
personalities change.
We saw the tears as they were
forced to get on a bus.

Things happened. We thought we would
just try a catch up year for our oldest.
Then I became "weird" just like my
Aunt and Uncle. I knew that homeschooling
was the way for us to go.

Our kids became "weird".

They had imaginations, creativity,
and the ability to think for themselves
that was in the process of being squashed
in the context of a room of twenty-plus
children and the need for conformity.

We did not need to spend a small fortune
on back to school clothes each year...leaving
more for fun curriculum. Some that worked...some
that got put back on the shelf or handed off to
others with different learning styles.

We were able to directly address specific
learning challenges and deal with behavior
issues in ways that we felt were Biblical
rather than politically correct.

We chose the friends that our children associated
with rather than having to explain why the lifestyles
of their friends parents were not right.
Been there...done that!

As they have grown older we have the opportunity to
discuss these issues. It was over the top in the
elementary ages to be forced in to these discussions.

We have children who truly adore each other.
Sure, they fight and get on each other's nerves
just like anywhere else...but how wonderful is it
that Warren and I can be sitting in a room sharing
time chatting over our day and one by one three
teenagers join us and such a pleasant spirit of
fellowship emerges.

It happened just last evening in the family room,
by the fire. So spontaneous...so pleasant.
These are the fruits of a homeschool family.
The rewards.
Relationships...
Individual lesson plans...
Flexibility...
Spiritual Awareness...
Love...
Respect...
Joy...

We are fast approaching the end of the
boys' formal learning at home...but their
lifetime of learning is just beginning.

We are attempting to prepare them for
the future to make a living and raise a
family of their own doing something that
God has specifically gifted them to do.
Something that will bring them joy and
satisfaction at the end of the day.

We would be delighted if it were something
that paid well but will be just as proud if
that something that they are called to do
meets their needs and allows them to serve
others.

Homeschooling...it is a journey.

It is a beautiful life!