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...