Thrift Schooling

Homeschooling is a wonderful opportunity to express your freedom in education. It gives you the opportunity to teach according to the needs of your child or your favorite teaching style. Each subject can be taken in stride, depending on what your child is interested in or what his learning style might be. That said, a homeschooling mom is so much more than a teacher. Unlike a traditional classroom teacher, you are not on the clock only certain hours of the day, but you are always teaching, always working. You are not just a teacher, but a cook, janitor, chauffeur, and so much more. To help with homeschooling, sometimes it can help to use a kit. This means, all of the materials are provided in one place and the homeschool parent can be as hands on or hands off as needed.  Here are several boxed/kit options that you can begin implementing in your homeschool right away. Timberdoodle Grade Kits Virtual School Boxes Abeka Curriculum Kit

There are a few different directions that I could go in when it comes to homeschool jobs. For this post, I have decided to focus on what we can encourage our children to do when they begin looking for part-time jobs. When I was a teen, I have fond memories of babysitting neighborhood kids from when I was twelve until I went off to college. With the rising popularity of The Babysitter's Club books , I had a Kid Kit and everything filled with crafts and activities. I even attribute some of my parenting skills to some of the knowledge that I gained babysitting. I never had brothers and now I am raising four boys. I learned a tremendous amount babysitting boys that helped me when I became a parent. In addition to babysitting, I worked part-time as a library page. This was the coveted job in my town because it paid slightly more than the fast food restaurants, but was much less stressful. Here, too, I learned life skills and was surrounded by one of my favorite things of all time—books!...

  It's insect unit study time! Are you homeschooling little ones? Use the worksheets below to introduce insects in a non-evasive way into your homeschool. Have fun with it! I have included five worksheets to be used for a Monday through Friday schedule or whatever works for your routine. Be sure to check out the linked videos and resources as well for added instruction! Sometimes kids just need to break away from the traditional textbook-style learning and explore what is around them. Studying insects can be as hands-on as you like, so have fun with it! VIDEOS Facts about Insects for Kids Insects for Kids  v1 All About Insects Insects for Kids  v2 What Is an Insect? BOOKS Insect Collection and Identification Big Bugs, Little Bugs God Created the Insects of the World Insect Detective Insects RESOURCES Insects in Resin Specimen Kit Nature: Butterfly Growing Kit Bug Catcher Kit Real Bugs Discovery Kit The Magic School Bus: Exploring Bugs, Insects, and Other Creatures

  Housework. How do we get it all done while homeschooling? To be honest, we don't get it all done—and that's okay. Cleanliness and order is important and will eventually get done but super organized, pristine clean homes can be put on the backburner. Rather than focusing on how to get all of the housework done as a homeschooler, I want to encourage you that it will get done. Sometimes it is easy to look around and get stressed out at everything that needs to happen, especially with little kids underfoot, but, in reality, the tasks will not take as long as you think. When the rubber meets the road, it will happen. To help ease your mind, here is a list of 12 things that I would do even with dirty dishes in the sink since the years with our kids are so short (though at times, the days feel long). 1. Snuggle on the couch with Little House on the Prairie.   2. A hike in the woods.  3. Fishing on the lake.  4. Making brownies together and letting them lick the bowl....

Homeschooling is a sacrifice though well worth every minute, but sometimes we need to hit the refresh button. Alone time is much needed and a date night with your spouse is, too—but what about the girls? Whether they homeschool or not, your friends are important to connect with. I can't say I prefer to hang out with my homeschooling friends more than my non-homeschooling ones, each one of my friends are a blessing in my life and I enjoy their company tremendously. It's just, my schedule tends to line up more often with other homeschooling moms so it seems I hang out with them more, it's just how it works out. When it comes to hanging out with the girls in the midst of the craziness, here are a few things that we have done over the years that brought much needed refreshing, joy, and laughter to each one of us! Dinner and a Movie Local Parade Board Game Night Women's Conference Painting Class on a Lake Boat Cruise Homeschool Convention Kayaking Buffalo Wing Night Out Dinn...

Teaching fractions in our homeschool doesn't need to just be a unit that we check off our list so we can simply say it has been done. It is a mental exercise that needs to be worked out. Just like we each exercise differently to stay fit, our children will need to exercise their math skills in the way that fits them best.  For some, that will be worksheets. Looking at the fractions on paper and seeing a method to the madness, helps them to piece everything together—literally. Others, thrive with the hands-on approach using real-world math for real-world situations that they will encounter. Each one of my children are different. With my youngest, worksheets are a thing of the past. With him, all I need to do is sit down, explain a topic, give him an example or two, and he gets it. Sure, he needs practice to build his foundation, but the simple one-on-one time with mom helps him to focus and retain. This is another reason why building trust with your child is key in the beginning sta...

  I have four boys and a hands-on girl. Experiments have been key in our homeschool science. When I first started homeschooling, Abeka science just did not cut it. Long, drawn-out text. Quizzes. Tests. It was super boring. We got through kindergarten and first grade without a hitch, but what did my son actually learn? He memorized facts for a test, but that was about it.  Then, we tried Apologia —what a game changer! Not only is the text engaging, but the workbooks are “lapbook style.” Then the experiments. To be honest, they pull out all of the stops. They get the children hooked on science, at least mine were, so much so that they wanted to go beyond the textbook.  Once your children begin to express an interest in experiments, it is integral to provide them with all of the opportunities possible to keep on learning. One of my sons, took it upon himself to learn how to make his own dyes from plants on our homestead. Another one created a rock tumbler and created also le...

I was recently asked if we do dissections in our homeschool. I had to think for a moment. I mean, I live on a homestead where we have raised all kinds of animals for meat. I won't give you a list because I know the thought of eating certain animals can upset some readers, but we prefer grass-fed, humane treatment so raising our animals at home is best for us. Which means my children have seen the innards of a wide variety of animals. Homeschooling lends to a wide variety of educational methods. Learning on the job is one of them. As my husband skins an animal and begins to process it for consumption, he has the opportunity to teach our children the different organs and cuts of meat. It absolutely gives them the chance to learn more than what could be taught in a classroom. Tests and quizzes and multiple choice all have their place but practical, hands-on learning is king in our home.  On the other hand, we will use traditional-style dissections that you would see in a classroom set...

  Buy tickets today to see Someone Like You in theaters now which hit the big screen on April 2, 2024! Families everywhere are making plans to see this beautiful love story, based on Karen Kingsbury's bestselling book by the same name. Someone Like You has a message of God’s healing and hope, love and redemption. And it’s rated PG ! So, you and your kids truly can enjoy a special movie outing together! Based on the popular novel by #1 NY Times Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, Someone Like You is an achingly beautiful redemptive love story.  Shocking news hits after young architect Dawson Gage loses his best friend, London Quinn. Now in his heartbreak, Dawson is compelled to launch an impossible search for London’s secret twin sister, twins separated as embryos. But along the way, Dawson never planned to fall in love. You NEED to watch this beautiful interview that Jean had with Karen —just as beautiful and inspirational as the movie! You will hear about how the cast and K...

  Families homeschool for a variety of reasons, but many choose to homeschool because their worldview clashes with what is taught in the traditional school setting. Our family homeschools so we can put the basic principles of Christ into practice throughout our entire day.  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart.  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, (Deuteronomy 6:6–7). Homeschooling lends the opportunity to have your children with you throughout the day. When questions about life arise—the parent is there to instruct. When concerns or disciplinary issues come up, the parent is there to lead and to guide using scripture to help point the child towards God's principles.  Ensuring that the curriculum, materials, and resources matches your worldview is paramount and provides opp...

I am not a baker. There. I said it. I mean, I love to cook. I love the creative aspect of it. Baking, is another story. I think the biggest difference between baking and cooking is baking requires more food science in a sense and cooking has a larger margin of error. At least that is the case with the recipes I play around with. This is why I like to begin with baking with my kids over cooking. Let explain my definition of baking. Usually with baking, I am talking about desserts and sweet dishes whereas cooking would be your savory and main dish type of dishes. When it comes to homeschooling, baking is the perfect introduction to the kitchen because math and measurements are key. Once they master the basics, they can let their creativity run wild. This has been the case in our homeschool. First, I began with the basics and now my older kids are better in the kitchen than I am. True story! If we have company, I usually call upon them for their secret sauce or secret ingredient dishes th...

  Finding high school courses for your homeschool can be intimidating. Thankfully,  Intro to Forensic Science from a Biblical Worldview  from Timberdoodle is an easy course for homeschooling parents to incorporate into their routine. Busy parents will find that this course is super easy to administer, virtually hands-off for them. With both a teacher's guide and textbook, you will have everything you need for one credit with labs for homeschool science in either eleventh or twelfth grade. With a full 120 hours, this course is broken up into easy, bite-sized lessons that are fun, engaging, and educational.  The text is easy read with beautiful color pictures. Exercises, labs, and extension activities are all included in the lessons. The most important difference with this curriculum is its biblical worldview. God and His principles are presented throughout the text. I love how the lessons are presented as case studies, teaching practical skills used in the workforce t...

Do homeschoolers need assessments? That is a tricky question. Laws vary from state to state as for what is required when it comes to end of the year testing but what about the day in and day out regiments of homeschooling? When I first began homeschooling I had to shed the public school mindsets that were so deeply engrained into my ways of thinking. Tests on Fridays. New topic presented on Mondays. No questions asked. I was sure to order test booklets for every subject and some included quizzes. At first this seem to work well. My first son was doing amazing with his science, math, and spelling tests without a problem. He was motivated and determined. The problem began when I realized that all we were doing was studying for tests—not life. Sure, he could remember random facts and statements but he was unable to figure out how to use this knowledge in practical ways. Slowly over the years I realized how tests are not needed in every single subject. Now that my oldest is graduating in a...