Homeschoolingthewholetribe

If you are like me I can become overwhelmed fast as I try to get things ready for the new year. It helps if I can take a few moments to do something out side my set up class room such as reading, or prayer this helps me to rediscover my goals and feel more in control of my life and my school schedule. There are times that I feel as if I have homeschool under control but my house is being attached by baby giants and starts to take on a life of its own.  But I have friends who’s homes are always spotless never a plate out of place, but they can’t seem to get on top of lesson plans and school goals and schedules are not a part of their school.  What I have learned over the years is that Homeschool families are all the same: drowning in a sea of clutter! I have also started to understand that organization is   no t   about an immaculate house or quintessential neatness. There is not any one best way to organize.   Organization is a means of functioning effectively   and efficient

As a homeschool mom I am always looking for ways to save or free some time up!  So when I saw this I was like ok I have to share! I am so doing this! One day prep and meal for a month sounds so good to me.   I am in love with my crock pot any way so why not make it an affair that allows me to have more time with my family!  I am sharing these two amazing womens posts ...  For my family size I have to double up on some of the amounts!  I also change all the pork to beef or chicken for my family because we eat no pork. 40 Meals in 4 Hours Crockpot Slow Cooker Freezer Cooking 1) http://whoneedsacape.com/2012/11/crockpot-freezer-cooking/ Freezer cooking! Have you heard about this? You spend  one day preparing meals for the month  to keep in your freezer so you don’t have to think about it later. The meals can either be fully cooked and just need to be warmed or they can be raw & placed into your  slow cooker ,  all prepped and ready to go when you need them. It saves time, mon

Each Year before school starts again I test my children just so that I will have a clear picture of where each child is academically.  Because I have homeschooled  for so long I remember when my older three children were in public school.  Kindergarten use to be about social development and some simple basic skills, such as colors, learning the ABC’s and how to write their first name.  Over the past 10 -15 years school changed Kindergarten is now first grade, and first grade is now second grade.  It used to be normal for first graders to still be learning to read. Now, not only does the state demand that they be reading but know 67 site words to boot.  By state standards for kindergartners who aren’t reading by the end of the year have these children considered behind. Proponents of ramping up standards in early elementary education tend to focus on the numbers, the US trying to compete on a world level rather than doing what is right for our students as a whole. . More children le

              As a homeschooling mom one of my biggest challenges is wearing both hats, Teacher and then mom.  Yes people would say they are one in the same but for me they are a little different.  While  wearing these two different hats I have to stay in prayer about how to discipline them.  Here is a prayer I found that has really helped on my journey.  To Diligently Train Your Children  Father, we determine to train our children in the way they should go, knowing that when they are old, they will not depart from it. Help us to keep Your Word in our minds and hearts so that we mayteach and impress them diligently upon the minds and hearts of our children. We will talk of them when we sit in our house, when we walk by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise up. Thank You for Your gracious help. In Yeshua's Name, Amen.  (Pr. 22:6 KJV )   To Tenderly Correct or Discipline a Child  Father, Your Word says, “A refusal to correct is a refusal to love; love your children by dis

As parents, we have a high calling and tremendous responsibility to raise our children in the tender nurture and loving discipline of the Lord Yahweh. As  homeschooling  parents, we have made a deeper commitment to the Lord Yahweh and to our children to diligently train, instruct and educate them according to what we believe is God’s best for them. Homeschooling is a lifestyle, involving so much more than academics. It involves surrendering our ways to the Lord’s ways, and continually seeking His wisdom and guidance. It involves family unity and peace, finances, planning, and sometimes dealing with sickness or lack – all while trying to give each of our children a quality education.    (Homeschooling also involves saving one’s sanity on a regular basis).   Therefore, we must learn to continually lean upon the Lord and trust in the integrity of His Word as we go about our daily homeschooling lives.  Whatever situation you face in your homeschool, the Bible has the answer to

Over the past few years Prayer has become a large part of my homeschool planning below you will find the prayers I use.  I pray that they bring you as much peace as they have me and my family:  .  Prayers For Parents: Vision & Provision  God’s Vision and Plan for Your Homeschool  Father, Your Word says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” It also says, “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” So, we ask You, first of all, for Your vision and plan for our homeschool. We purpose to obey completely and to follow Your plan for our family. In Yeshua's  Name, Amen.  (Ps. 127:1 NIV; Pr. 19:21 NLT) Wisdom & Understanding  Father, as we undertake a new school year in our home, we ask that You would give us spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we might grow in our knowledge of You. We ask You to give us a complete understanding of what You want to do in our lives, so the way we live will always honor and please You. In Y

Other the years that I have been battling cancer, Faith has been the stablizing factor.  The Apostle Paul taught that “faith is the substance [assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 ).  Faith is a principle of action and power. Whenever we work toward a worthy goal, we exercise faith. We show our hope for something that we cannot yet see.    In order for faith to lead to salvation, it must be centered in the Lord (Acts 4:10-12   ). We can exercise faith in Yahweh when we have an assurance that He exists, a correct idea of His character, and a knowledge that we are striving to live according to His will. Having faith in Yahweh means relying completely on Him—trusting in His infinite power, intelligence, and love. It includes believing His teachings. It means believing that even though we do not understand all things, He does. Because He has experienced all our pains, afflictions, and infirmities, He knows how to help us rise above our daily diff

It is hard to think that a  disease as debilitating as cancer could teach a person anything, but maybe hate. 1)The very first thing cancer teaches you to do is lie....not those little white/ black lies... Not the dog ate my home work or the no sweetheart you don't look fat in that dress. No cancer teaches you how to look someone in the eye and boldly say your OK . to hide the duct tape you use to hold your self and your spirit together daily ( tota lly a metaphor). 2)Cancer teaches you to smile, take a deep breath and say your good. But to be fair to cancer it has also taught me some positives along our journey. 3)Cancer has taught me God Yahweh's grace, the pure joy of his words. 4)Cancer has taught me to seek Yahweh daily , and not just in the forms I felt comfortable in, and not just when I needed him but every single second , good or bad. 5)Cancer has taught me to be OK with a day off. 6)Cancer taught me to enjoy the here and now. 7) Cancer has taught me to never ta

27  He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. !” Proverbs 11:27 (KJV) A few years ago my marriage was crumbling; I felt like my husband’s heart had turned to stone and no matter what I did he could not hear me. For years he had dearly loved me and we have been together along time, but he has never known how to show it in the ways I needed.   Over the years my insecurity have grown.  I feel at some point he eventually  just started believing he could never please me that no matter what , he felt he could never  make me happy.   Sadly, even though he never left physically we separated emotionally. Despite my deep hurt,  I had to take ownership of what I   could   change.  But I also had to mourned my marriage, I had to let go of the dream of what marriage looked like to me, and move forward.   I had to consider my part in what had happened this emotionally separation didn’t just happen,   I  realized that starting in t

When we started homeschooling our children joined the estimated 220,000 African American children currently being homeschooled, according to the National Home Education Research Institute. Black families and families of color have become one of the fastest-growing demographics in homeschooling, with black students and student of color making up an estimated 19 percent of the homeschooling population. (For comparison’s sake, they make up 24 percent of all public-school students nationwide, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.) Whenever there are mentions of African American of families of colors that have homeschoolers, it’s assumed that we homeschool for the same reasons as European-American homeschoolers, but this isn’t really the case. I home school because of the unique circumstances of people of color in this country, there is really a new story to be told. We have all heard that the American education system is not the best and is falling

As many other Parents we choose to homeschool for a number of reasons, but it was primarily because of a mismatch between our child’s needs and the school’s mandated curriculum. However, simply knowing something isn’t working doesn’t automatically mean knowing what will. It was hard at first finding where we wanted to start and what we would use to be our gauge . Finding the best curriculum for each of our children's individual needs was very confusing at first. Here are three tips that we used to help us wade through the dizzying array of choices. I pray that this might aid other parents as well. 1) Find a Community: Thanks to rise in home-school families across the country, there are many wonderful communities of homeschool groups that will offer help, support and trusted resources. A great place to begin is homeschool.com . They showcase a wide variety of curriculum choices, as well as product reviews. You’ll have the opportunity to find out what other activities hom

I enjoy every part of homeschooling my children,  but having to do lunches every day.  Doing lunches everyday is the one time I want to pull my hair out and find the nearest public school.  I believe in structure and daily schedules in my house, I believe that it helps keep things in order.  Schedules allow everyone even my two year old know what to expect daily. So it's five minutes to noon and my little ones like clock worth are all calling lunch.  I wish there was a cafeteria that would  magically open daily at these times and take care of the meals and the mess.  But have you seen school lunches lately, or should I say what they call school lunches most barely seem like food.  So that fleeting thought only last a second.  Most home school mothers including my self look for quick easy meals, easy to make and easy to clean up.  Here is an example of my own lunch menu.   I try to serve Nutritious meals but I don't know how " Nutritious" they really are but my childr

I truly believe as homeschool moms, dads and families we are changing the world.   Change starts within ourselves, our homes and then goes out to our communities.    As home schoolers  we are truly using a powerful weapon Education.  Below is our  Quote of the day.  Education is the most Powerful Weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela I really had to think about this quote.  When I think of a weapon the first thing that comes to my mind is something use to hurt someone.  But I have to remember that a weapon is also used for protection,  thinking like that we rock as home schoolers   We are daily giving our children a powerful weapon, education.  This weapon of education will for ever give them a defence and method  of protection.   So today Home schoolers when the thought comes  across our minds are we doing the right thing, are we giving our children all that they need . Remember this we are giving them a most powerful weapon, we are giving them education,