Homeschool hurdles

This may not be a post for everyone.  Not everyone takes on the challenge of homeschool three boys in grades 9,8 and 6.    You might ask why we would do this.  I don't have a really good answer for you.  The school in our district has some academic issues, but that's not why.  I suppose fear may be the answer, but maybe the real answer I'm coming to is, we don't have peace yet about sending them to public school.

Anyway, with our decision comes struggles and hurdles that we wouldn't have to deal with were they in school.

One of the big ones is that I have to help them work on their attitudes about school and life - ALL DAY!  I don't like that.  In fact, I get frustrated with them instead of compassionate.  God is working on me in this area. 

Another is that I have to help them learn how to study.  I don't think I knew how to study very well, so I don't think I'm that good of a teacher about that aspect.  I can show you how to do your algebra, but how to prepare so when you're taking the test you'll know what to do, ummm not sure how to do that.

I'm always trying to help them stay on track.  Our boys love to read and do puzzle books.  So inevitably I'm catching them reading a book or sidetracked with something.   One just whittles the day away and doesn't get anything done even though he is pretty smart.  Talk about frustrating!!!!!!!

I learn differently than my boys, not all of them, but some of them and how to accept they way they learn is hard, especially when I don't see it working.  It's usually not working because they aren't focused.  How do you focus when there is chaos all around with little ones and other brothers.

I was told forever ago that a mom teaching boys jr. high and high school doesn't work because there are too many hurdles.  Boys at that age don't want to submit to a woman.  Not sure I remember all the reasoning.  It just didn't really work for me.  I wanted to believe it - life would be easier for me. 

But I kept wondering "Do we give up just because "they" say it doesn't work?".  I'm not saying I need to force it to work.  I'm not saying that it's the ideal for each boy and mom.  I think that it even works much better with some boys in my house and not as well with others.

My question though is, "How can I help that boy learn in the setting he's placed in?".  My smart boy really doesn't like to do things my way.  And with the proper respect and attitude we'll consider his way.  But he needs to realize that for the rest of his life, someone will be telling him what to do.  He will have authority and he needs to learn how to be respectful and submit to the authority over him. 

The world likes to come up with their ideas and slap all those ideas on every single person.  But we are humans and each one so different from the other.  How can you fit everyone into your mold?  And is it good, in the long run, to allow our boys to say "We don't like you teaching us." and cave to that?  Are we parenting for the long haul? Are we thinking about what kind of a man he'll be when he gets older?

Now, let me clarify all those statements above.  We are considering public school for our boys.  We have reasons for that.  Carpenter and I, both, feel that putting them in public school is not a wrong choice.  It's scary to me, especially for the one who struggles to make friends and is super shy (real or percieved - he doesn't seem at all shy at home).  But just because I think homeschooling is right for me and my boys right now, doesn't mean that I think you need to do it too or that we'll still be doing it next year.

Making the most of today,
Steph

Hats, gloves, and scarves - oh my!

As you can see our back porch is in a state again.   So I loaded up the dresser with hats in the top drawer, scarves in the middle and snowpants on the bottom. 

Gloves go in the shoe organizer on the storage closet door.  Yes!  It's so nice to have a place to put them and then have a place for the kids to put them (after they dry of course).  I wrote their names above the pockets and the names of some of the kids we watch, for an extra pair if they play in the snow.  That way when they head home they can wear their own dry gloves.

You can see the boot shelf in the back of the closet.  Jones made that for me.  It works super for rain boots.  Our snow boots go under the coats on the porch.

I had to use nails instead of the regular hooks over the door because the door wouldn't shut.

It looks nice again and the back porch project is finishing up.  Just have a bit more painting to do.

The "clothesline" was a way for me to display my grandma's aprons.  They were just sitting in a drawer. 

Making the most of today,
Steph

Titus 2 Tea - Meals - Budgeting

When I make my meals, another step for me is to figure out how much they will cost.  Certain meals are special meals in this house because they take too much from our budget to eat them on a regular basis.  So we'll eat those meals on a Sunday or a birthday or something. 

Usually I figure out how much we're budgeting for food.  For a somewhat easy number let's say we are budgeting $400 for food and groceries.  Usually I will take about $100 of that and stash it for ziploc bags, spices, and oil - stuff that doesn't really calculate into the meal.

So we have $300 left - which leaves us with about $10 a day.  Then I break that down.  For breakfast say, I need $3, and $2 for snacks, then I have $5 for a supper meal with the leftovers for lunch.  On the backs of my cards, I write the main ingredients and then approximate prices and totals.  This way I can determine if it works for our family to use this meal on a regular basis. 

If I have a meal that is lower than budget, then I can do one a bit above budget.  The plan is to average out to about $5 a meal per day.

This helps me, when I keep it in mind, to maintain my budget.  There are months or days when I want to throw it all in and just do what I want.  That usually means I have to cut somewhere else, or that next month will be super tight.  So the discipline of making sure we are within budget is worthwhile to me.

Making the most of today,
Steph

Bible Study - Is sin hindering?

I'm still going through A Woman After God's Own Heart.  I'd like to share some things that I'm working on that are somehow related to what I read in this chapter.

Is sin hindering your ministry?  Are we cold and calloused when we should be warm and caring?  Since she's already discussed this aspect with regard to our children, now we are looking at how we can be a blessing to others outside our home.

But sin hinders and when it's held in our hearts it keeps us from responding as we should to others.  When I snap at my children, I'm hindering my ministry to those at church. 

Think of a lantern and the glass that covers it.  Our goal is to let our light shine.  When there's a lot of smoke the glass is covered in soot.  Light doesn't pour forth well from such a lantern.  It's our job to faithfully clean the soot from our lives so we can minister to those around us - other believers, unbelievers, co-workers, people from church, etc.

Once our lantern is shining brightly, we need to train ourselves to look with a "bountiful eye" as she calls it.  Look for those who need our caring hug or listening ear.  Be on the look out. 

Lately, I've been wondering if people will come over and talk to me at church.  This is so backwards.  If we are on the lookout for people who need us, we will have someone to talk to. :)  The problem is: my selfish heart wants to talk about me.  "The heart is decietful above all."  Such a true statement.

Another thing, don't withhold anything.  Usually we don't think of this with our words, but don't withhold good words and helpful words.  Sometimes (okay most times) I worry if I tell my child they are doing well at something.  What if they stop doing it?  They usually do at some point.  But that's not what it's about. 

It's about letting them and others know that God is doing a good work in their lives.  Sometimes in all our growing and struggling, we don't see where we were and how  far we've come.  Our kids and new believers more than anyone need to know that we can see God working on them. 

A text or phone call, an e-mail or old-fashioned snail mail - all of these are good for encouraging one another.  If you're thinking of someone, let them know. 

What can you do today to  be a blessing to someone you know?  What are some ways you've found that work well for you?

Making the most of today,
Steph

A Christmas idea

We don't usually do the "Advent" thing, but this year I'd like to try something similar.  Or maybe it's not super similar since I don't know much about it.

First, I gather some intelligence from my crew.  What are some of their favorite things about Christmas?  Good thing I asked them.  I already had a list of quite a few things, but I didn't have some very special ones - sledding and snowball fights.  Oh my!  How could I have missed such important activities???  And this year maybe all of us can get in on it and I won't be able to use having a baby as an excuse.

So I gathered a list of about 15 things:

• Sledding
• Snowball fights
• Decorate the house (outside) with lights
• Christmas cards
• Christmas movie
• Go see lights
• Caroling

Then for another 15, I have practical things that we always give our kids at Christmas time - socks, pajamas, brush, soap, shampoo, books and cds are included in this list. 

Then I took popsicle sticks and wrote on them

We'll pick one out everyday - there are some things that I want on certain days - for example, I'd rather bake cookies on a day when the school kids are home for that project, so those will be done on Fridays.  Decorating the house (outside) with lights will be done on the 1st when we are already on ladders with the siding project. 

Have fun thinking of a way to make Christmas fun instead of crazy!!!!
Steph

Breakfast casserole

Hashbrowns, bacon, eggs and cheese

First spread the hashbrowns in a greased 9x13 pan.  I chopped up the bacon before hand so I could cook it all at once.

Shred (if you must) the cheese.  It's cheaper for us to buy it this way.

Cook the bacon

Top the hashbrowns with cheese

Whip up the eggs, I used 12, and added 3 cups of milk, with salt and pepper.

I added milk so that the potatoes were all in the milk.  I believe it came to 3 cups total.

Top with bacon.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, I think.  I'm actually baking this tomorrow, so I'll have to let you know.

It took a bit more than an hour.  I think the temp could be turned up a bit.  But it was very good.

Making the most of today,
Steph

Car cleaning

The vehicles all needed to be cleaned out.  Someone was asking for extra Wii time, so I gave him an hour for cleaning out all three vehicles.  I helped, because things don't get done well without some supervision.

Yes, there is a shopvac left in there.
Someone attempted to vacuum and then just left it in there.

 

When not cleaned on a regular basis, this is what you see in my van
Every time we get out of the car we all load up with the things we brought to the van.
But sometimes, little people join our group and have their own things, so we are always playing catch-up

When cleaning out the car, one thing to do every year is clean out the glove compartment.
We don't keep much in there.  As you can see after a couple of months of owning this, we have nothing in there yet.

But (different car) if your glove compartment looks more like this. 

• Go through the papers and select only the two you need - registration and insurance
• Throw the old ones away. Can you imagine the panic that would set in, if, after an accident, you are rifling through all these papers and trying to find the right one? Yikes!

Whenever insurance stuff comes in, I always take it straight to the vehicle it belongs in.
What I don't do, because usually the other one is not expired yet, is take out the old one.
At this point I should be putting a third one in, so I should take out the oldest one.
As far as the pink registration slip, I don't think it would be a problem to take out the old one, but not sure on that.

Anyway, however it works for you. Maintain! Maintain! Maintain!

Develop a new habit.  Mine will be to make sure to take out the old.

Ahhh! Nice and neat and easy to find quickly

The bin of supplies

I grabbed my supplies from all three vehicles and brought them to my counter

First I sorted my maps.
The van got the road atlas and a few of the double maps and the car got all the maps of states

My stash of meds - with a list on the bag, so I can see what I need to add.
It's important to go through this bag at least yearly, to throw the out-dated stuff away.

This is the bag that I found for keeping the med bag in along with other things I would like to have on hand.
Lotion, gum, wipes, note cards, pens, etc.  - Make a list that suits you.

Here they are stored under the passenger seat in the front. 
Maps, paper towels and the bag

It's so nice to have a clean van to get in.  I need to clean my vehicles on a weekly basis and Friday is my day to do that.  I don't always do it, but I want to.  I don't want my kids to view a sloppy car as the norm.   How do you maintain your vehicle? 

Another thing that I don't have here, but would be good to store in each vehicle is a spray bottle for cleaning the dash, a dust rag (I do have that) and something to help wipe fingerprints off the windows.  If my cleaning equipment is stashed in the van, then I may be able to do something to clean up while I'm waiting for my kids to get out of school.

Making the most of today
Steph