Living the Chaotic Life

Goals and Resolutions

2013-01-04T08:02:00.000-06:00

Last month I gave my 15 year old an assignment. The topic was goals and he was to list 10 goals (each) he wished to accomplish:

Over the next year
Over the next 5 years
Over the next 10 years

I took a hands-off approach to this activity, offering no ideas or suggestions. The results were surprising!

New Year’s Holiday Traditions

2013-01-02T08:05:00.000-06:00

Over the centuries civilizations have been celebrating the birth of the new year. There have been many traditions and superstitions that have been attached to these festivities. January 1st was not the day that started it all but it is where I will start here.

A New Calendar

This is where the tradition began. Yes, it has been on January 1st since then! Amazing! Prior to 46 B.C. Rome had instituted a calendar that was 10 months (304 days). This posed a problem when the calendar began to rapidly not coincide with the patterns of the sun causing serious inaccuracies. Julius Caesar began to consult astronomers during that time to find a more consistent way to measure the days of the year.

Homeschooling When It’s Hard

2012-11-05T07:58:00.000-06:00

I have four children. They range from ages 9-15. I have it pretty easy most of the time. They are self-sufficient. They mostly do as they are told and we are having a period of everyone’s “got it” in their subjects.

In the past this was very rarely the case. I have two with learning disabilities and we had a long period of very difficult years. Reading was non-existent, math produced meltdowns, history and science?—haha!Needless to say we all had a big ol’ case of the I don’t wannas!

Hey Parents—Why the Rush???

2012-10-29T07:56:00.000-05:00

Over the years I have received many emails from parents who wish to find out more about how to homeschool their child(ren). With every email the age has become younger and younger. Many have stated that theirpreschooler had problems with completing worksheets, memorizing flash cards, or would not sit still while the parent was reading the child a story. The youngest of the bunch have been one-year-olds.

This is a problem—a big one! Why the rush?

Read the rest at The Homeschool Village...

The ABC Poem: Poetry Fun Part 2

2012-10-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

From Kindergarten to Adulthood this is probably one of the most fun poems to create. It's very simple. Merely start each line with a letter of the alphabet in the correct order. This is also called an acrostic poem.

I love this type of poetry for young elementary school children. It is a wonderful method to introduce poetry into their curricula without causing a great deal of stress. The teacher/parent sets the rules.

Some things to consider when creating the assignment:

What is the theme I would like to use. Some ideas can include the season (it is fall), an item related to the season (an apple), or a holiday (Thanksgiving).
How many letters should I include? For K-2 I recommend 3-6 lines. 3rd-5th I recommend 10-12.
How many words would I like per line? For younger elementary try to stick to 2-3 for the younger set and no more then 5 or 6 for the older elementary students.
Do I want them to rhyme? Every sentence? Every other sentence? Be specific.
If the kids are young should they have a word bank?

You should know Comic Sans is typically a no-no for me but it can be beneficial to children who are improving their handwriting. That is why it is used here. You can click on the image to make it bigger to print if you like. Have fun!

Oulipo Poetry Activity: Poetry Fun Part One

2012-10-18T11:09:00.000-05:00

Oulipo (ooo leee poh)---what? The first time I saw this word I was baffled. However, the first time we used this technique we had a blast! Oulipo poetry uses an N + 7 formula (noun + 7), can also be known as S + 7 (substantif + 7).

The best definition I found online through Wikipedia (one of the very, very few times I have used Wikipedia as a source):

The Oulipo (an acronym of their full name, "Ouvroir de LitteraturePotentielle", which translates as "Workshop for Potential Literature") is a French literary group founded in 1960 by writer Raymond Queneau and mathematician François Le Lionnais; noteworthy members have included Italo Calvino, Georges Perec and Harry Mathews (the only American in the group and one its primary ambassadors to the English-speaking world). It is dedicated to the study of literary constraints and new literary techniques.
So how does it work? First, gather the supplies:

Paper
Pen or pencil
Poem
Highlighters would be an awesome addition
Dictionary

For this activity we will use the first portion of The Land of Dreams by William Blake but you can use any poem you like. I chose this one because my older two (junior high and high school) are beginning a poetry unit. Let's start with highlighting the nouns.

The Land of Dreams by William Blake

AWAKE, awake, my little boy!

Thou wast thy mother’s only joy;

Why dost thou weep in thy gentle sleep?

Awake! thy father does thee keep.

Using the N + 7 format we will begin by taking the word "boy" in the first line. The 7th word in my dictionary is "brace". This will depend on the dictionary as my boys found something different in their book.

The sentence is then changed to:

AWAKE, awake, my little brace!

The complete passage should look something like this:

AWAKE, awake, my little brace!

Thou wast thy mother ship’s only jubilation;

Why dost thou weep in thy gentle sleep-over?

Awake! thy fatigue does thee keep.

As I write this I hear my boys cracking up in the living room over the changes they have made to the entirety of this poem which can be found here.

Have fun creating your own Oulipo poems!

Military Spouses, You are Strong Enough to Give Out Grace

2012-09-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

Who has seen this sign? The phrase? Something similar?

Before I begin to talk about this in more detail I want to say that I do not harbor any ill-feelings about it. The creator of this sign is one of many who have had this same sentiment over the years.

I have harbored the same sentiment on and off throughout the years.

Dear Wonderful, Amazing, Courageous Military Spouse--

I am a military spouse.

I have been one for almost 14 years. I have seen 7 or 9 or something deployments. I have 4 children and a mess of animals and a home in constant need of repair. We have missed birthdays, holidays, and vacations together. I survived two blizzards, severe health surprises, and most of a pregnancy or two without my husband. If I sat down and thought about it I could probably give *some* of the details of us being separated during deployments or TDYs, etc. But I won't because it's something we did and now it's done.

You "get it", don't you?

I want you to think about your first time apart. Was it during training or a TDY or did you get to dive in all at once with a deployment? There's something about that very first time. It will always stick out as the longest one. At least for me. Maybe for you, too.

When I look at this saying I know the sentiment behind it. I have felt that way before. However, I have a few thoughts now that we've been through many separations.

First, unless you've been a military spouse or someone who works with a spouse who must be gone many months out of the year (there are civilian jobs, too.) there is no point of reference. One simply does not know ..until they do. Remember the preconceived notions of how deployments were going to go before jumping in? It is one of life's silly times of "I know exactly how to handle this..." and then voila, you don't.

Remember?

I can't count the number of times I've heard, "I could never", "how do you do it?", and the fave, "you're superwoman!"

Here's the deal. They *could* do it and they don't realize it. We do. We come from all walks of life. And when that spouse deploys life has to go on. So it does.

As for being superwoman... I'll take that! (kidding... I very rarely feel like that.)

The point is.. that spouse whose husband is going away for a day, a weekend, a month, etc. needs grace from someone who has been there longer and harder. They don't understand what they have not experienced. Give them grace and encouragement. Woman to woman style. There is no doubt in my mind that they do not speak with the intention of doing harm or being inconsiderate. They merely have not walked in our shoes.

And that is okay.

Let me go a step further. Those darn welcome home videos. I hope I am not alone when I express that I do not watch them. They bother me. Not because people are being reunited... I LOVE that part. I truly do. Please don't think I'm anti-American for disliking them. I assure you I am anything but.

But...

As a military spouse I understand that moment... the moments leading up to it... and the ones that come after it. It goes a little something like this:

I am sooooo excited you are coming home!!!!!!

--Oh crap, that pile of laundry in our bedroom has to go before he gets here.

--Kids, you have to STOP doing (that thing) that I let you do that Dad doesn't... don't even bring it up!

--Geez, I need to shave. And find my makeup. And figure out what to wear. Do I buy something? Oh gosh... what do I need for tonight???

--Waiting.

--Time goes slower.

--The wait is terrible now but the bus is here.

--There must be a million guys in desert uniforms...will I miss him? Or.. pick the wrong one?

--Eye contact, hugs, kisses, welcome home... (the video portion)

--He has to get his bags... so the waiting continues.

--Idle conversation on the way home but the realization of not needing a plan for "tonight" kicks in. (Am I wrong??? hehe)

And then we begin our "new normal" all over again. The integration of the returning spouse back into the family dynamics. And it is a slow process. But we can do it... again.

Guess what, all those families who love to see those videos... they give people hope. They make them feel proud. They see the epitome of raw, real love.

Dear sweet military spouses... it's okay to let them have that. Give them grace. They do not know and it is okay that they don't. Seriously. It's okay. In fact, we're strong enough to do that. We are, you can ask them how strong they think we are. And then let them call you Superwoman... because that rocks!

Remember this before you light up some unsuspecting, unknowing non-military spouse:

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

Give them grace.

Your military sister,

Angela

Oh No! I Over-shopped!

2012-09-18T09:34:00.001-05:00

It’s that time of year again – Back To School.

Schools are starting up and, as usual, many fliers are coming to my house with the latest sales on school supplies, books, and super-cute classroom ideas. It’s like the big stores are reading my mind! Once upon a time I was the girl who could not wait for all the public schooled children to get settled in their classes so I could go right out and pick up the leftovers that ranged from nickel packages of pencils to a few dollars on science supplies. I knew after the third year I had a major problem.

Third year?

Yes, it took three years to realize how much I’d overspent on ‘sales’. After three years I had filled a 10×10 room with everything from an over-abundance of art goodies, Montessori materials, and office supplies. I have given boxes away that didn’t make a dent in my inventory.

Read the rest over at The Homeschool Village...

Mind-Mapping for the Visual Learner

2012-08-20T08:56:00.000-05:00

As homeschooling parents one of the most frustrating lessons can be found in teaching your child how to write a paper. I’ve heard numerous accounts that can attest to the fact that it can be a long process. Will they be able to write clearly enough to tackle the SAT’s? What about when they get to college? For some kids a bulleted outline works well. They can look at a book and transcribe the main points to make a clearly written outline with all main points covered.

What about the visual learner? The visual learner has difficulty recalling information from their text and this can be very frustrating. This I can attest to because I belong to that club! Up until earlier this year I had not discovered mind-mapping. What is mind-mapping? Glad you asked!

.....Read the rest over at The Homeschool Village!

How I Became a Green-Clean Dropout

2012-08-17T09:32:00.000-05:00

I was excited to try it!

I am sad to report it... I am a green-clean dropout. I tried and failed miserably.

Hear me out.

I bought:

4 boxes- Washing Soda (up until recently I had no idea it existed)

4 gallons- Vinegar

4 boxes- Borax

2 boxes- Baking Soda

2 very large bottles- Dawn liquid dish soap

4 bars- Ivory Soap

2 containers, 4 spray bottles

1 set of plastic measuring cups/spoons

added later--10 pks of sugarless lemon kool-aid.

We had a party:

Laundry soap was first:

12 cups- Borax
8 cups- Baking Soda
8 cups- Washing Soda
8 cups- Bar soap (grated)

Not one--not a single TBS was used for laundry. Zero. Zilch. (By the way if you want the recipe it takes 2T and is safe for HE washers.)

I know you're asking, "Not one? How can you dropout if you haven't tried it?"

I can because I made dishwasher soap too. I used:

1 part washing soda

1 part Borax

which became:

1 part washing soda

1 part borax

vinegar in the rinse thingy

which became:

1 part washing soda

1 part borax

vinegar in the rinse thingy

10 pks of lemon koolaid

which became:

1 part washing soda

1 part borax

vinegar in the rinse thingy

10 pks of lemon koolaid

3 drops of Dawn Soap

This was a slow process and each step came from recommendations around the web. I wanted shiny dishes but they came out powdery. I somewhat got rid of the powdery and I found cloudy. The cloudy continued and the finish on my glasses and mugs started missing. After the finish started missing my glassware became etched.

We are back to store-bought liquid dishwasher soap and I am feeling no regrets.

After the dishwasher fiasco I asked my husband to pick up some good ol' fashioned Tide laundry soap because if the borax/washing powder could do that to my dishes I sure wasn't trying the stuff out on our clothing!

All was not lost--

I made a homemade shower cleaner. It is the absolute BEST stuff I have ever used. We will never, ever go back to store-bought! It also duels as an awesome dog wash.

So now I have Borax, Washing Soda, and tons of vinegar. I suppose we will HAVE to buy glue so we can make Flubber. We can put the Ivory Soap in the microwave. Give me examples on how to use the rest of the materials!

Homeschool Wisdom: TLC: Parentables

2012-08-13T17:29:00.000-05:00

Had the honor of being asked to contribute a few lines of homeschooling advice for new homeschoolers over on the TLC: Parentables site. Come see what 10 of us had to say!

Considering Homeschooling? Start with These Words of Wisdom from Seasoned and Veteran Homeschoolers

Click on her name below and go see all the great ideas and information Alexandria has to share!

Thanks Alexandra Martinez for having me!!

Free Online Courses

2012-08-10T12:37:00.002-05:00

College, for free?

Do you:

Have some spare time during the week? It doesn't take much.
A working computer/laptop with internet access or a nearby WiFi coffee shop?
Speakers or headset with speakers?
A desire to learn?

Guess what. Whether you are homeschooling a child who is approaching college and could use the prep experience or would like a chance to CLEP out of college courses the opportunity is there!

"Massive open online courses", or MOOCs – a rapidly growing phenomenon launched around a year ago in the US, whereby prestigious universities such as Harvard make selected courses available over the internet to absolutely anybody around the world for free. -Jessica Moore, The Telegraph

Here are some sites worth checking out...

Education Portal Academy

This site uses videos to teach full courses. The videos consist of segments 10 minutes or less and have a 5-question quiz that follows. Currently my kids are working through the History 103 course and are thriving. (ages 12 & 14). I have encouraged them to explore the site and determine their interests which has led my 12 year old to marketing. (I never would have thought!) Education Portal Academy's mission is to teach a course well enough that a person could easily CLEP out of the course thereby earning college credit. Instead of hundreds of dollars per course plus books (books are NOT a prerequisite.) it costs around $70.00 to CLEP a course at a local college or testing area.*

*If you are a military member you receive CLEP opportunities for free.

You can find more information on the requirements of CLEP courses and study guides here.

Coursera

Ever heard of Princeton? Stanford? Harvard?--I knew you had! What if you had the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest professors in the country?

Coursera offers a variety of courses and they are taught at a higher level than that of Education Portal in my opinion. Coursera is the same in that they use video format for their lectures but more is required-- papers, labs and solutions perhaps. I would NOT recommend these courses to lower level students who still need help with their writing skills or those who need assistance in basic areas of their schooling. Ideally, again, in my opinion, these courses should be taken by an adult or a student in the junior or senior year of high school.

Do not push your child into something they are not ready for. If I had a dollar for every parent who pushed their child to speed ahead of what they knew up to that point--and then failed--I would almost be financially independent. I always feel very sad for homeschooled children whose parents fail to see that some subjects take more time than others.

Okay, that being said--I know there are children who can handle the subject areas but on Coursera I encourage parents to test-drive the course first in order to assess the level of difficulty and also the level of maturity needed for the course.

The really, really cool thing about Coursera is found in completing a course. Many of the courses (such as those taught by Princeton professors) do not offer a formal certificate from the school but Coursera is there to validate your completion. BUT--there are schools like Georgia Tech that do offer a college validated certificate of completion. When looking through the courses you can find out which courses do and do not offer school certificates by looking under the course description.

By the way, I am signed up for "A History of the World since 1300" taught by Jeremy Adelman, Princeton University. This class starts in 1 month and I will keep you updated on the structure of the course as I progress.

Last, but not least...

Udacity

These free college courses online are equally as hardcore as Coursera. Their ""Meet Us" statement speaks volumes:

"Udacity is a totally new kind of learning experience. You learn by solving challenging problems and pursuing udacious projects with world-renowned university instructors (not by watching long, boring lectures). At Udacity, we put you, the student, at the center of the universe.

Udacity classes will make you sweat. Passing a Udacity class is as demanding as passing a university-level class. But you will have a lot of fun along the way as you learn new skills and interact with amazing instructors and peers.

In return for your hard work, Udacity offers a range of certification options that are recognized by major technology companies who are actively recruiting from the Udacity student body. Join the hundreds of thousands of Udacity students who have already been empowered by this new form of learning."

Two things:

1. Passing a Udacity class is as demanding as passing a university-level class. (See, they tell you!)
2. In return for your hard work, Udacity offers a range of certification options that are recognized by major technology companies who are actively recruiting from the Udacity student body. (That's pretty cool!)

______________________________________________________

Suggestions--

Use these tools to gauge the college readiness of your child.
Take a course yourself for enrichment
Take a course together
Earn CLEP credits.. it 's one of the easiest ways to start a college transcript for your child while covering the high school requirements as well
Let your child explore the sites and pick interest-based classes. Great learning occurs when the freedom is allowed in that area.

Happy learning!

Linking up with:

10 Hazards of Becoming an Online Blogger

2012-08-08T10:42:00.001-05:00

1. You will find that you may not be managing your time wisely. As a result your writing may take away valuable time with your family and/or friends.

Change it: Set a timer, do what needs to be done and GET OFFLINE. Otherwise you will find yourself missing on the best parts of your kids' childhood, cutting a wedge in your marriage, or finding that the small basket of laundry you had yesterday has morphed into a couch-sized mountain and you can swear you saw it breathing....

2. You may become obsessed with how much traffic is going to your site every time you publish a post.

Stop it: Stick to checking it once or twice a day.. not every 20 minutes. I promise all of the data will still be there.

3. If you make social media a heavy part of promoting your information it can literally drain HOURS of your time per day because you have to check it "really quick" and can get sucked up into watching what everyone else is doing.

Advice: I am one of those people who is verging on the need for a 12-step program. Between Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest... it's a slippery slope. It is easy for me to give YOU advice and say try to set a timer, etc. However, I do have something that can help. Turn off the social media at least two hours before you go to bed. Let your mind rest, refocus on your family, make plans for the next day... You get what I'm saying.

4. If you have a medium to large-sized following you may get your heart broken--a lot. Through comments and social media sites you receive a massive amount of happenings in other peoples lives. There will always be medical tests coming in, family members sick or dying, marriages falling apart, and many more. It can take a heavy toll. (On the positive though--there are lots of celebrations and miracles as well.)

It hurts: I cannot count the number of times I've found myself sobbing at news from an online friend, acquaintance, or stranger. When you have a decent following it's like bad news on steroids. Someone will always need encouragement and prayers. Your mind can become overloaded on who you were supposed to encourage and when. You may find yourself putting way too much of that grief on your spouse or significant other. This can take a heavy toll. Remember two things: 1. It's called compassion. And 2. Try not to let these things take over your real life. If you carry them with you everywhere you go it makes it very difficult to provide positive encouragement to others and can be unhealthy to you emotionally.

5. You will be emailed by that guy who says you won an iPad, the long-lost relative overseas who wants to give you money, and the charity you've never heard of.

Ha!: If it sounds too good to be true then it most likely is. Block, delete, forget.

6. You will receive comments/emails giving unsolicited advice on your thoughts of the day. This is normally just fine, and sometimes wonderful! However, there are those who are just plain mean! And they may email a lot!

It takes two: Do not engage people in a cyber-war. A simple "I will agree to disagree", followed by no more conversation on your part on the topic will suffice. Delete comment threads from extremists who only seek to harm. Whatever you do, don't be down in the dirt slinging mud back--you will look equally as foolish as the one who started the war.

7. There will always be people who will become super-angry and defensive if you do not share the same beliefs. Think "conservative v. liberal", as an example. Or vaccines v. none. Or even silly things like your preferred brand of laundry detergent, cereal, etc.

Answer above: See #6, "It takes two". Another suggestion is to make a clear statement somewhere on your blog that firmly states your beliefs. You can find mine here. About halfway down the page you will see a "You may ask me about" and then, "Before you ask me about". My inbox has become significantly smaller since posting those thoughts. By the way--everyone is a doctor, a theologian, an expert,... need I go on?

8. You will be asked to promote items on your site because, "you are the best blogger ever", "have such unique insight on your topics", etc. Meanwhile you realize it's an ad 'for the BEST abs ever' when you're 7 months pregnant.

If you are 7 months pregnant: resist the urge to punch your monitor or cry on your keyboard. Most of those emails I do not respond to because they aren't genuine. Sometimes I'll ask for more information about what they do as a company and there's no response. Ignore. Delete.

9. There will be readers who agree with absolutely everything you say and those who agree with nothing. Proceed carefully folks, your thoughts on a topic can become a viral motto. This may sound pretty cool but it's really not in all cases especially if you are just joking!

Think: This year the heat is on. Every time there's an election year we see opinions, anger, joy, stupid slogans, genius slogans... you get what I mean. These things can catch like fire!! I can think of two things I absolutely despise that are in vicious circles.. quotes with pictures of people who did not say it! (Lincoln, Einstein, and for crying out loud.. Morgan Freeman. Seriously, why do people need to put words in his mouth? He has amazing things to say without being misquoted.) and 10 year old urban legends. Going back to the quotes, some advice.. check your facts before you post.. especially in politics otherwise you may contribute to the dumbing-down of society. We don't want that.

10. Your blog will eventually land in one or both of these places: a search engine page looking for traffic that takes your entire posts as they are published and/or on someone's hate list. It's just a matter of time. And when it lands on the bad list it is followed with a handful (or more) haters in your comments. Sad, but true.

It happens: Chik-fil-a. No matter which side you were on you were wrong and strongly disliked. There were many bloggers who fell victim to mud-slinging on other blogs. I was once hammered by a site that didn't like my approach to Autism. That person wanted me to agree that the diagnosis was "worse than death".. sorry, not happening. If you put me on your hate list for my opinions that I will merely ignore you. As far as search engines, I haven't found a great way to remove myself from their pages and would love to hear your solutions to this problem.

Give me your best advice to bloggers! What are some of the hazards you have run into?

Curriculum For The Rest of Them

2012-08-06T11:51:00.000-05:00

**First things first... there are ZERO affiliate links on this page**

It's a brand-new year!! We started school today and here's what we chose for the younger three kids. (You can find my high school son's curriculum plan here.

All 4 kiddos:

Teaching Textbooks! We tried so many math programs and none of them worked for our kids. This is the best fit for our family. I would recommend this program to everyone. BUT.. I do recommend only buying the CD's. We have yet to open the rest of the packages. You can find an example here.

Story of the World We love this program and will continue to go through the books each year. We also use a lot of Netflix movies and books to supplement our history program.

Rosetta Stone: Italian

Latin: Visual Latin

Xander & Milan:

Bible Study

Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God by Marty Machowski It was VERY important to me to begin a Bible program with my kids this year. Summer camp brought in quite a bit of passion and deep desires to know God more. When something like that starts in your kids I believe it's highly important to keep that momentum going.

Language Arts

Writing With Ease It shouldn't be a big surprise that we love yet another program by Susan Wise-Bauer!

Wordly Wise: Browse the website.. there are lots of free tools. I love the website but also the workbooks which run around $8 apiece.

Science

We actually have several programs to use for science that have a lot of great projects, ideas, and fun. I am super excited about this one though.

"The Level I Chemistry Student Textbook is an elementary text for grades 4-6 that introduces students to the scientific discipline of chemistry. Students will learn about atoms, molecules, bonding, chemical reactions, acids and bases, pH, mixtures, polymers, and DNA. Level I Chemistry expands on the concepts introduced in the Pre-Level I Chemistry Student Textbook and also introduces additional chemistry concepts. The Level I Chemistry Student Textbook has 10 full color chapters."

Harley & Jagger

One of the things they will share that are not listed in the "All" or "Harley's High School Plan":

Bible Study

It's Not About Me: "Pop culture and psychobabble tell us to make ourselves the center of the universe in order to be happy. Churches have communicated the false idea that God exists to give us all that we selfishly want. In this book, Max Lucado reminds us that it's not about us, it's all about God. It is through this shift in thinking that we can truly live an unburdened, happy life."

Health

Total Health: Choices for a Winning Lifestyle: This is a Christian health book. However, it covers everything from nutrition, exercise, and working out, to mental health, sex, and STD's. It looks like the book I had in high school but has some pretty awesome scriptural and moral lessons.

Need a free planner to pull all your school work together this year? Here are some planners even a chaotic mom can use! Or you can find it in flipbook form!

Planning, Planning, Planning (FREE Planner Download)

2012-08-01T13:04:00.003-05:00

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3

I didn't start the day with this verse in mind, nor did I have it present when I began to plan for the new homeschool year--but I sure do now!

Let me tell you. Weeks and weeks ago I decided to try organizing our homeschool routine. Those who know me know what a huge task and undertaking this has been. I am the girl who must have her coffee in the morning, leaves sticky-notes all over her desk and tries to remember where she's left her keys and phone...this time.

My goal this year has been to put all assignments, worksheets, etc. in a huge binder for each of the kids. Here's the method to my madness:

They are able to check off a daily assignment list
On the subjects they are self-sufficient they may work ahead
I do not have to worry about printing copies of their work daily--it's already there!
Using these tools can/will instill time management in my children because they know if they work ahead they will have that much less to do during the week

So here's what I did:

I bought paper and binders from Costco. We aren't members and do not intend to become members. It has proven to be unnecessary. Ordering online gives you 3 things:

Free Shipping.. I kid you not.

I paid $1 or less per order to cover non-membership fees. For someone who does not buy in bulk due to location, small kitchen/pantry, or risk of being over-indulgent on stuff you probably won't use by the expiration date (this girl!) it is not worth paying a membership fee.

And finally.. the orders have made it here within 3 days after being purchased. The site doesn't tell you an expected date of arrival (that I could find on their order) but it's lightning-fast!

Anywho... this is not a Costco sales pitch, so moving along...

I created a set of planner inserts/templates to use across the board for all things planning... or most things probably. I wanted something that provided weekly, daily, and monthly room for notes, assignments, and appointments. I needed a prompt to ask questions like, "did you need to schedule an appointment" or "it's so-and-so's birthday".

Once I really got into it I realized I had created something I could easily print out and use. And then I realized I could add a link here for all of you to get ideas from or print and use as well. You can download it here. And it's free and free is good in most cases.

UPDATE: There are several people asking for a link that does not require sign-up to another site. I found a place where I could host it for free enabling you to download with no sign-up required.

The link: http://www.fileden.com/files/2012/8/3/3333111/chaoticplanner.pdf

Let me know if there is anything you would add, change, etc. Chances are I could use those ideas too.

Linked up:

Harley's High School Plan

2012-04-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

I mentioned yesterday that I'd done the planning for homeschooling through high school. I thought I would share it with all of you today with resources and curriculum.

Harley saw the spreadsheet with his carefully chosen classes and his jaw hit the floor. He ~~jokingly~~ somewhat jokingly stated that he, "was scared". Truth be told had this schedule been given to me prior to starting high school I would have been terrified. However, I was a terrible student and he is not.

I explained to him that he was looking at words. In reality the work he does now is the step directly below his Freshman classes. The next step up... next year's classes.. build directly on what he already knows.

Oh... before I get started.. the Art/Music/Religion directly translates into: we'll see what the interests are when we get there. They are elective courses that can be filled with fine arts, volunteer work...etc., etc. He will have a great deal of flexibility in that area for interest-based learning.

My first road stop

Homeschooling High School 4 Year Plan on the HSLDA site. If you look on page two you will find 3 columns that explain what courses are needed for workforce bound, general college bound, and requirements for those looking to get into a selective college. We are opting for option #3.

Where I went from there

I went straight to Susan Wise Bauer's The Well-Trained Mind book. As a classical home educator it is the first place I run when I need resources or guidance when planning all of my children's education. (Although I do still miss their early Montessori days!) Part III. The Rhetoric Stage: Ninth Through Twelfth Grade is where I have spent most of my time. If you do not have the book I highly recommend it. I have the hardcover but when I received my Kindle I ordered it electronically as well for convenience. Also, most libraries carry the book so check there first.

Next stop: Gathering the Resources

I am only going to go over his Freshman resources since future grades are subject to change based on what works, what doesn't, and what we'll be sending him to a local community college to complete.

The Game Plan

Math- Teaching Textbooks- Algebra 1- This program has been absolutely incredible for our family.

AP Biology- Biology: A Self-teaching Guide by Steven D. Garber
Barron's AP Biology (for test prep.. we also have flashcards.)
Plant Biology Science Projects by David R. Hershey
A+ Projects in Biology by Janice VanCleave

Italian- Rosetta Stone

Latin- Visual Latin

English/Writing- Wordly Wise, The New Oxford Guide to Writing by Thomas S. Kane, Wordsmith Craftman by Janie B. Cheaney

Reading- LOTS of classic literature and independent, recreational choices so I'm lucky he loves reading.

World History- We will be continuing through The Story of the World series. They also watch a ton of documentaries and read a ton on the subject so this happens to be a very strong subject among all four of my kids.

And there is Freshman year in a nutshell!

Homeschooling high school parents--what has worked well for you? What do you wish you'd known prior?

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:17

Bittersweet Homeschooling

2012-04-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

Last night, before my husband and I drifted off to sleep, ~~I was~~ we were talking about various things when he made a comment about the kids... wasn't it time to stop schooling for the year? I told him no, six more weeks. He was surprised and asked when they would start up again. I told him September because the kids would be visiting his parents in August. I told him I'd toyed with the idea of possibly starting the beginning of August. It would give them a two-week start before returning. As we chatted back and forth about the details something very real and very terrifying occurred to me...

Harley is starting high school in September..possibly August.

I have been planning for this. His 4-year school plan is ready. His books are ready. Jason and I have gone back and forth on what type of car he should have when he begins to drive. Volunteer work has been discussed as well as major projects. AP courses, college prep, etc. What I did not prepare for was this reality...

We have four years.

In four years it will be a new journey.. colleges, transcripts, tests. He will be transitioning into adulthood before we can blink. As I've poured through classical literature, math, science, SATs, not once did I stop to reflect on the past five years of homeschooling. They've gone so fast! Too fast! possibly August fast...

My thoughts were racing as my husband and I said goodnight.

Have we done enough?
Have we taught him well?
Will he always choose faith?
Will he be kind?
What kind of adult will he be?

If Jason had still been awake and this conversation had been out loud he would have told me not to worry and probably said, we have four more years.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.-1 Corinthians 13:7

The Homeschool Mother's Journal

2012-03-02T09:42:00.000-06:00

In my life this week…

This week has been a long one. Basketball practice, haircuts, missing my hubby away at training. It has been a good way to reconnect with him through phone calls and personal conversations that have given us the opportunity to stop and talk during the evenings when most if the time we are busy doing other things. We have a great marriage and it's times like these we enjoy our "alone time" because we miss each other. It's bittersweet but it's the military life and I am so thankful it's not another deployment.

In our homeschool this week…

We've taken most of the week off! It's been awesome and much needed. Nothing like a break to rejuvenate us all and make us ready to get back on schedule Monday!!

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

Don't sweat the small stuff... it is a cliche. It's the middle of the school year and if you're feeling burned out take a break. It's good for the whole family and it helps to recharge and find the fun things. Or it can also be used to reorganize and reevaluate certain curriculums that may or may not be working. Sometimes just a few days of Netflix documentaries can help get over the hump when school needs the extra oomph. My kids love "docu-days" as we call them.

I am inspired by…

Right now I am nesting. Pouring through magazines and paint colors and ideas. I am totally inspired to rework some of the rooms in our house. We moved in knowing that we wanted to completely remodel the house and make it our own. Slowly but surely we have been on the road to doing away with the old to make room for the new!

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

We're laying low and only doing the basketball thing because I am terrified of the kids getting the latest stomach bug. Having past experiences with all four kids being sick and having only one bathroom I can attest to the fact it is a nightmare. So yes, hiding out in the house out of fear for at least another week.

My favorite thing this week was…

Watching the Oscars with the kids! What fun it was to critique the actors/actresses on the red carpet. We totally want to see Hugo and The Artist now.

What’s working/not working for us…

Bedtimes are totally not working. The responsible parent left the house and now I must remember to put the kids to bed at a decent time, take my vitamins, and remind myself that they can't live on takeout. Wow.. that sounds much worse when I type it out. What IS working... I am stepping up to the plate and changing some of the things.

Questions/thoughts I have…

My kids are making cranberry oatmeal cookies right now and they are making the house smells fantastic. Cookies for breakfast? Totally.

Things I’m working on…

My own school work. Big ol' case of the I don't wannas.

I’m reading…

Sheila Wray Gregoire's new book, "The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex". Sheila is Jason's new favorite author. Kindle Fire? Totally justified. Also reading, "A Woman and Her God", by Beth Moore. Love them both.

I’m cooking…

Meh.. not really.

I’m grateful for…

Being able to stay at home with my kids. A healthy family. A dog that hardly ever barks at night now. The "I love you" note Jason left for me before he left. That "Once Upon a Time" is on this Sunday. We're totally addicted now. Chocolate.

I’m praying for…

Safe travels & time to go by quickly while Jason's gone. A few friends who are going through some pretty horrendous times right now. Domestication.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Seriously??

Mom's Virtual Field Trip: The Montessori Method

2012-02-29T23:41:00.001-06:00

I have spent an awful lot of time (that I mostly don’t have lately) cruising the world wide web to find ways to better teach my children using the Montessori Method. We’ve tried other methods and curriculums and not found that ‘perfect fit’. I think this is it–and I am loving the experience. My children have been excited to learn…and I am rejuvenated and excited about teaching them!

I would like to share this journey with you. So sit back, put the laptop in your lap, keep your coffee close by because I guarantee if this post sparks your interest–you ain’t seen nothing yet! (Go ahead and make that new folder in your bookmarks.)

What is the Montessori Method?
First thing’s first–the FAQs. This link will give you a basic synopsis of how it started, where it came from, and how it compares to regular school. Yes, it addresses how to find a Montessori school, but even though you are homeschooling I recommend reading that part because it gives insight on how to discern what ‘real Montessori’ is rather than what some people call it.

And the lowdown from a strictly homeschooling perspective.
Now that you get it…let’s paint a visual picture.

My Montessori Journey
This blog is written by a Montessori teacher. There is no better place to learn what Montessori looks like (that I have found so far) than her site. You will be taking notes, printing out, getting excited, and planning, planning, planning.

Your assignment on her page is to go back at least three pages to look at the immense information. She is seriously creative.

But where do you get all of those cool supplies?
I am a frugal mama. I do not want to pay $200 for sandpaper letters and trays. My # 1 resources for all things school supply–manipulatives, paints, fine motor objects:

Discount School Supply
Oriental Trading Company

keywords: fine motor, montessori in their search engines, by the way.

Oh and of course dollar stores, thrift stores, clearance sales and discount aisles.

Lots of those printables are rockin’…I could never come up with those! Is there a place online I can go?

I am so glad you asked..here are the ones I love, and all of them have free download sections:

KidsSoup
Montessori for Everyone
Montessori Materials
Montessori Mom
PreKinders

Bloggy Inspirations–What Great Montessori Moms Do:

A Bit of This and A Bit of That
A Day of Wonders
Chasing Cheerios
The Wonder Years
Montessori Candy
Our Montessori Story
Itty Bitty Love
The Learning Ark
Old Creek Montessori
Homemade Montessori

I hope you enjoyed today’s field trip! It is amazing how much we can cut down on our curriculum costs by simply learning from the wonderfully creative minds out on the world wide web who are willing to share. Do you have favorites that you would add to this list? Are you homeschooling using the Montessori method? Did this article make you consider this method if you’d never heard of it before?

Why not be a dear and share your thoughts on the subject?

Adapted from my original article on Heart of the Matter Online

Preventing Burnout

2012-02-29T00:00:00.005-06:00

Burnout.

It is a term that all will face during some course of their daily lives. We are taught to use our gifts and tackle our jobs with zeal for God and to demonstrate our love for Him and others.

As women, managing our households, possibly holding jobs, raising children and working in our respective ministries, the possibility of feeling overwhelmed can easily take over. We then reach the point where our zeal begins to fizzle, our love becomes somewhat burdensome and finally… something’s got to give.

Have you felt this way? Are you feeling alone in your responsibilities? Feeling lackluster in your desires to perform your normal tasks?

16 The Lord said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of the people and officials over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting; let them take their position there with you. 17 Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take part of the spirit that is on you, and will put it on them, and they will bear some of the burden of the people with you, so that you do not bear it all by yourself. Numbers 11:16-17

God did not intend for you to do everything on your own. In fact, He commanded Moses to gather help knowing the job was too big for one person to handle exclusively.

In a country that has us drifting apart from one another—not many know their neighbors anymore and there are pressures and expectations from all sides to be self-reliant one can see how so many people are finding periods of burnout in their everyday lives.

God did not intend for you to do everything on your own.

Some of the ways to keep your faith up and your zeal from fizzling:

Set a schedule and take back your weekend. Remember the “rest on Sunday”? If you work on the weekends make it a different day.

Implement a routine that allows personal family time. Watching TV does not count as quality family time because instead of being engaged with one another all are engaged with the television.

Make time for prayer. God is my #1 burnout buster. He is strong when I am weak.

Ask for help. This is probably the greatest barrier on avoiding burnout. It is very difficult to ask for help when people see success from others in tackling school, work and family because one can perceive themselves as failing, avoiding to turn to someone else. I mean, we’re supposed to “have it all together, right?”

Delegate. This is something I, personally, have a great deal of trouble with. As God told Moses—you need people to help in order to keep your mind on Him.

Believe it or not, this is completely applicable to our daily lives. Some of the best schedules, extra-curricular activities, and family times are built on the best of intentions only to fail because that stubborn pride got in the way. Instead of asking for help in the areas that became overwhelming we chose to try that Superwoman cape on. The laundry became a mountain, grocery shopping gave way to trying to squeeze out that last-minute obligation for work, and the family began a season of bitterness and resent. Burdens can transition into great joy when we choose to be intentional in creating our village of support. In the end you celebrate as a team of many. Pray and God will always send the workers.

Burnout does not have to be a constant part of your life—now, go forth and re-instate your zeal!

50 Fabulous "How To" Free-Sources

2012-02-28T11:18:00.000-06:00

With the upcoming change in the weather I thought it might be fun to give you a fresh new set of ideas for projects to do with your kids. There are so many free resources online and I hope as you explore the “how to’s” I have listed you will find a plethora of new sites to return to as well. Know of some great project sites? Post them in the comments below.

Get ready to do some bookmarking…

Adapted from my article originally posted on Heart of the Matter Online

Valentine's day.

2012-02-17T17:52:00.002-06:00

Call me a hopeless romantic--I love this holiday every year. Not as much as Easter, my favorite of faves, but love it all the same. This year is the second year, after four years of being away from my sweetheart due to deployments, that my husband is home. It is extra special because it has been a rarity in the past to be together in February and many months surrounding it. It is a treasured blip on the calendar.

Jason brought home a huge bouquet of roses the day before Valentine's day. Flowers are something I treasure. Don't the majority of women? Even the self-proclaimed Valentine haters? It isn't the only time during the year that he stops by the florist "just because"...so they aren't unique to a holiday.

This year was a bit different though. I could see it in my daughter's eyes as she gently sniffed the flowers. I could see the sense of longing and hope...and disappointment. This marked a first for her. The first time Daddy "forgot".

Since her very first Valentine's day she received something special from her father on February 14th. In fact, she still has her very first gift... a purple stuffed poodle. Super soft. She was almost one and squealed in delight when he handed it to her. That poodle spent the next four years in her bed as she slept. Okay, mostly in OUR bed since she'd sneak in with us long after we fell asleep each night.

I love the tradition of it. As does she. It's simple really..a symbol of something pretty special coming from the man who loved her first. The one who will one day pass the torch to another man when he gives her away at her wedding. The one who will most likely always send something on Valentine's day to his "little girl".

She did not say a word about it but she didn't have to.

Little did she know her father had already made plans for his princess. It wasn't Valentine's day after all. It was the day before. He carefully picked her princess bouquet. He had to make a special request of the local florist because a red rose isn't appropriate as a "Daddy gift". Changes had to be made to make sure her gift was perfect.

She didn't have to say it but her heart sang to receive her gift on Valentine's day.

I am reminiscent of the things my own father did growing up. (My first Valentine).. Unicorn figurines. Those were my 'bouquets of flowers'. I collected them and from time to time we'd see them at the grocery store, the gas station, small shops and he would add another to the growing group on my dresser. I still have my collection--some in pretty horrendous shape from military move to move. But I have them. I can still remember how it felt when each piece was picked. They were my 'something special'.

It was never about the day. It still isn't. It was always the emotion behind them. Always the feeling of being special because something was carefully chosen for me. It's the same for my daughter. She will most likely always remember the things carefully chosen for her. She may even keep the purple poodle from that first holiday. She'll remember Daddy reading to her at night even when he was exhausted from the day. (My heart leaps every time he does it.) She'll remember cooking with him. She'll remember he would let her sit in the front seat of the truck when Mom did not.

I hope she remembers most the love and that she chooses someone like her father when it's time.

You see, my husband, my Valentine:

Has always worked hard to provide for us. Even if it meant working two jobs.
He has been the shoulder to cry on when the very worst situations have occurred in our marriage. I cannot count the number of nights I have fallen asleep sobbing in his arms.
He has been supportive of my school and my vocation and most of the impulsive ideas I have had throughout the years.
He has loved me through my insecurities, depression, and when I've felt the most unlovable.
He has given so much wisdom to me and our children.
His heart is invested in the goings-on in this house and acutely aware of problems and blessings.

I praise God, my Almighty Father, for the special gift He gave when he chose my husband for me.

Said after our 2nd Valentine's day when we took our vows:

"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." Mark 10:6-9

We're all covered in love two-fold... every day of the year.

Lead Me to the Rock That is Higher Than I

2012-01-20T13:40:00.005-06:00

It's January and right on cue the winter blues have found me. My doctor says I am Vitamin D deficient and gave me a score of 15%. I am not sure what 15% means but I got the impression it wasn't very good. Despite the guidance to take this vitamin twice a day, every day, I have taken two total since December. I know it might help and I am aware of things like osteoporosis but I am still lacking in self-discipline--the type of thing you need to make any type of change in your life.

This behavior has been in many areas in my life up until very recently. Smaller details became bigger ones. Would I do laundry today or this weekend? How far could I push going to the grocery store before the whole house was up in arms because the refrigerator and cabinets were empty? Would I ever write again? Most importantly, how much would my spirit suffer? My relationship with my Creator?

From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. (Psalm 61:2)

During these seasons I find I suffer most from a case of what is wrong with me? Am I bearing any fruit?

As a homeschooling, college-going mother, I find it so very easy to become withdrawn during these times. Coffee with friends becomes more sparse and spread out. Appointments and events are met with panic and last-minute cancellations. Much like the Vitamin D--I know they are good for me--but oh, that self-discipline! Or lack thereof.

There are a few benefits to these periods of time--YES, I said benefits! Being the connoisseur of winter depression that I am I can tell you how the story can change for the greater good. You may be thinking wow--there is something fundamentally wrong with her. But hear me out...

There are two types of classes I have detested in my college studies:

1) Spiritual Formation
2) Philosophy

Yes, I realize that in going for dual degrees in Theology and Christian Education both of those classes are necessary and it's almost laughable that I hate them so much. Philosophy is something I hate because I do not think in color I suppose--I am practical, logical, a realist, and if it's right it's right, and if it's wrong it's wrong.

Relativism blows my mind.

Philosophy set aside we'll talk about Spiritual Formation. I had never heard this topic until I started attending a Baptist college. In Googling I found the best definition here.

Sounds simple and straight-forward, doesn't it? It's.so.not. Imagine suffering depression because of the winter blues or because you are prone to it--it's something that in most cases a person can't control. Now imagine intentionally seeking it out. That is how Spiritual Formation works for me.

Wait, she said benefits..

What Spiritual Formation can do:

1) Make you question your beliefs at their bare-bone core
2) Expose the weaknesses in your life
3) Make you question whether or not God is listening in the first place
4) Make you seek Him intentionally when things start to feel unstable

What depression can do:
1) Make you question your beliefs at their bare-bone core
2) Expose the weaknesses in your life
3) Make you question whether or not God is listening in the first place
4) Make you seek Him intentionally when things start to feel unstable

Now to the good stuff. I remember when I was younger my father saying, "you have to hit rock bottom to look up and see Jesus". This made absolutely no sense to me. I could see Jesus in my life without a tragedy. I could feel His work in my heart when life was going great--when my heart was well.. I never understood that phrase until my heart was weak.

Seasonal depression, though long and hard during it's peak, provides opportunity. In the midst of feeling stagnant and unresponsive to everything and everyone around you there is opportunity for raw, emotional prayer. I cannot count the nights I have begged God to make me a better wife, mother, and friend. I cannot count the times I have prayed because fear was getting the better of me. I prayed because I felt overwhelmed and undervalued. There were times I did not pray because the words weren't always there. But He knows my heart and when I am weak He is still strong.

I promised the benefits of depression. When you have climbed the hill:

1) You can be/are spiritually reborn
2) You have a strong testimony to share. Use this testimony. There are too many women who stay quiet for fear of judgment and far too many who feel they are alone. Share your story with others. Through your experiences you can lift up a sister in Christ.
3) You can recognize God was there through it all--He never left!

When your spirit is reborn make your relationship with Christ intentional. Try to stay on the path. If you trip, start praying again for strength. He will lead you. He will carry you.

But what about the rest of the family?

They are so important. They need you to be healthy. The truth is that there is no overnight fix... the journey can be so long! Set some time aside to figure out what is doable in your daily life. Do not decide that you will clean the entire house tomorrow because "Rome wasn't built in a day"! This type of impulsiveness can have such a negative impact and lead you squarely back where you started.

A few ways to get back on the horse--you can do as many or as little as you have in you for that day--even if it is only one from the list:

Throw food in a crock-pot to prepare for dinner. This provides the satisfaction of not procrastinating and feeling guilty later in the day when you don't feel like cooking. It is two-fold though because you have shown your family love through your actions.
Vacuum one room. Choose an area that has high kid traffic. Through picking up legos, cheerios, plastic bits from some toy you can't identify, etc. there is a good chance your tidying up can lead to one fully cleaned room.
Get out of the house. It doesn't matter where you go. A walk around the block is a great depression buster. Seriously.

The most important action you can take is continuing your walk with God--even when you cannot find words. Even when the Bible sits dusty on your shelf. I know it sounds cliche but there is truly a reason for every season. Through the trials you can bless others in ways you never knew possible. Your life can be transformed in ways that lead you closer to Him. And this can happen every single time you hit rock bottom.

I do not know if I will ever commit to Vitamin D every day. I know that sounds both reckless and so simple. But I do know there is light to be found above the darkness that eventually I will find over and over again. More importantly I will be able to reignite my faith when God takes my brokenness and makes me whole again.

Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. (Exodus 33:2)

Autism and Homeschooling Goals

2012-01-20T12:03:00.000-06:00

As parents we beat ourselves up over every little obstacle that stands in our children’s way. When they are toddlers we worry that they are not meeting our goals on time. Will they walk before they are one? Will they start speaking more than grunting soon? What if they never sleep in their own beds or potty train? Why don’t they understand that the neighbor’s 18 month old can kick a ball while speaking in full sentences?

Then as time goes by and we watch them make these monumental steps towards toddler hood we lose sleep over the lost toy that they must have with them at all times. We wonder how many times a child can run full speed into a wall before their pediatrician starts making abuse allegations over the bruises that pattern their pretty faces. We contemplate how long after a child swallows an Army Man toy does it take for the object to pass. (It takes two weeks…Apparently they must scout out the area before running for the light.)

And slowly but surely, right before your eyes, your child engages the surrounding world with a happy face, a pleasant good morning kiss, and is off to make his own breakfast. Mom sighs because her coffee cup is empty and wonders if he could manage that task as well.

I think the professionals should send out “before” and “after” shots of this progression to give terrified parents a clue. Or perhaps they feel we’d miss out on the great surprises of the ‘in betweens’.

This past year has been long for our family. My husband was gone around 6 months or so total and that tends to throw us off in a major way. My son, Xander, is the most challenging of my four children during these transitions. It hit me like a ton of bricks at how tall he’d gotten while I wasn’t looking. How strong he is now. How much harder it is to wrestle something away from him that he must not chew on. (Batteries, ornament hook, cat toys, etc.) I was not prepared for this at all. He is seven years old and in first grade.

My next suggestion for the professionals—a magic wheel that spins when the mood changes, the grade level goes up or down, anxiety has met its match, with a full blast alarm that will get his attention so he drops what it is that he should not have.

I no longer look at him as a competitive mom—unless it’s in the ‘my kid is soooo much cuter than yours’ way. I am no longer forcing goals or battling him against himself. I am relaxed even though he is seven, with the strength of a seven year old reacting with a four year old brain. The weight of the burden of making sense of it has been lifted.

My baby, in a big boy’s body, did math homework today. He proudly showed it to his father who could read the numbers as Picasso-esque as they were. His name was carefully written at the top. And then he spent the next few hours spinning in circles.

He is meeting his goals for himself in his own time.

Now that I have gotten you into my nostalgic mush, I encourage you to spend far more time letting them spin and have quiet moments rather than making them conform to a typical child’s schedule. How many hours do they play in Pre-K and Kindergarten? Mental age—does he need an afternoon nap? Should he be snuggling on the couch with Mommy while she reads to him because it just feels better?

Use the blessings that homeschool gives you in flexibility and child bonding. These things are what your child with Autism will want to remember. Even if they are nonverbal, they know what feels best to them.

My son did his math work—unassisted even! Spinning and Star Wars was followed by painting. In your eyes that might not seem like much, but he is exceeding his potential daily. The professionals told us he would never meet their goals, you see.

Little did they know that Xander would be our third child, or that a fourth would follow and we gave all of the lists of goals to God to manage.

3 years ago, adapted from my original article on Heart of the Matter

The Roaring Twenties Unit Study

2011-11-08T14:32:00.003-06:00

Did you ever watch the Charlie Chaplin movies when you were young? I don't know if you felt the same way I did:

1. Wow this is old.
2. There's no talking.

Netflix had The Gold Rush featuring Charlie Chaplin (1925) in their instant play section so I surprised the kids with this gem. Imagine their confusion when they realized the man did not talk! At first they weren't pleased with this at all. But as I sat at my desk in the next room the mood changed about 5 minutes in--there were great big belly-roars! This was the Chaplin I remembered growing up and now my kids were enjoying it the same way I did.

Movies like these are an excellent segue-way into learning about an era in history. Here are some ideas to get you started:

-Review Charlie Chaplin's biography
-For elementary children: biography
-Chronology: Famous Clowns

Charlie Chaplin Biography

-Learn about the Roaring Twenties
-The 19th Amendment--what was it?
-Watch Disney's first Mickey Mouse talking film (1928)

-Learn the history of the Unknown Soldier. When was it? Why was it an important part of history in the 20s?
-When, where, and why did the Miss America pageants begin?
-What did John Baird invent?
-How about the history of the Spirit of St. Louis?
-Listen to 1920s Big Band Music
-Learn some 1920s slang
-Do the Charleston! La dee da dee dum.. What's the Name of That Song?

-Make the food for a themed dinner.
-Learn the cultural history of 1920s life. How is it the same with modern day? How is it different?
-Learn about the Farm Life.
-"Life" magazine covers--what did they say about the times?
-Learn about King Tut!
-What was Black Thursday and what era did it kick off?
-Investigate facts and fads about the decade. Did you know the peanut butter and jelly sandwich became popular in 1922?

Make:
-A sparkly flapper headband
-Cloche Hat
-All about yo-yos
-PVC pipe crafts
-Make paper airplanes