homeschoolinit

Calling all 14+ cool kids! Ensign Academy is sponsoring a dance at the new (gorgeous) Good and Beautiful building in Lehi. DM me for $5 ticket link :)

2023/2024 read-aloud lineup!
• Little Men (we read Little Women last year and I bawled my eyes out)
• Amos Fortune - Free Man
• Then There Were Five (this is the 3rd in the Melendy Series, the first 2 being some of our absolute faves)
• Cold War Correspondent (these Nathan Hale graphic comics are true gems. This won’t be a read-aloud but my children of all ages gobble them up)
• Children of the Storm (see next slide)
• Bandoola (from The Good and Beautiful Book List - this is an AMAZING resource!)

Check out my “mom” subject post to see when and how we fit in read-alouds.

And now, for an all-caps message:

READING QUALITY LITERATURE ALOUD TOGETHER IS MY NUMBER ONE RECOMMENDATION FOR ALL HOMESCHOOLERS.

It’s going to be worth it, and you’re doing a great job.

Meet one of my favorite purchases I’ve ever made for my kids: Kindle Paperwhite. No I don’t get paid by Amazon, but I should because I’ve recommended this little guy more than I can count.

The paperwhite is books only. None of that Kindle Fire garbage with distracting games and tv shows.

My favorite feature is that it’s not backlit - so it’s easy on the eyes in the light, or the dark. It holds a bajillion books, and the battery lasts 8 weeks!

Tip: make sure to pay the extra $20 and get one with “No ads”. Worth it. Also a browser is available (to purchase books) but I disable mine and just have the kids order books via the library app on my phone and send it to their kindle. Super easy!!

New they are about $139, but I suggest an older, refurbished model from eBay for like $50.

Harmony will reimburse for these so go get one for freeeeee!

DM me with questions 😘

This was a recent text conversation I had with a divorced friend, but applies to all parents.

Trying to bridge gaps in schoolwork anytime and especially when you only have access to your kids a couple days a week can be extremely stressful, but I have learned that focusing on real learning equates to all learning.

Want your kids to be interested in school and learning? Then BE interested in learning. Be a question asker, an answer seeker, a problem solver WITH them, and it will foster what they need to learn ANYTHING. Even more: they will come to you with life’s most difficult problems because you will have built a foundation that they can trust.

You’re doing a great job! Love and learn, learn and love ❤️

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My sister lost her 5 year old to Cancer, at the hight of the pandemic. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever watched someone go through.

These are her words:
I read this poem at Crew’s graveside last year on the one-year anniversary of his death. We walked along the trail to the cemetery with my family that morning. We told stories of him and sat and cried for a while. How has it been 2 years? It feels like forever and yesterday.

Some time ago, while running on the same trail as I often do, some road bikers passed me and one waved as he rode by and said, “lookin good!”. I called out an out-of-breath “thank you!” and for one brief moment it made me feel really good. Like maybe I actually did have good running form after all and didn’t look as tired as I felt. Probably not.

From that day on I decided to wave and say “lookin good!” to every runner that I cross paths with. Part of what I love about this decision is that the road biker will never know that I made it. We have no way of knowing how far our goodness goes. Once after such an exchange I looked up at the sky, smiled and said, “See Crew? I’m giving your love away.” And then bawled for the next half mile. The feeling of deep sadness coupled with joy and love were overwhelming. Joy will always be tied with sadness for me now, and that is ok. It is my love for Crew, persevering.

This picture was taken less than a month before Crew died. He cut a heart out of construction paper and wrapped it up as a gift for Aaron, then asked me to write the message on the outside. He was always making special little presents like this for us. Once it was a half-used bottle of bubbles, haha, but he liked to give things as gifts to people and make them feel loved.❤️

Please give Crew’s love away and tell us about it sometime. It means the world to us to know that he is remembered, honored, and continuing to lift people up.

I’m always a little discouraged when I find a new flower to learn and it’s name just doesn’t reflect it’s beauty. At least tapertip is fun to say.

Utah Valley Friends!

I can’t say enough about this summer camp. My 10 yr old daughter did it last summer and LOVED it. She now has the preamble memorized, knows all about the Bill of Rights, Constitution, Branches if Government and more. All learned while making crafts, singing songs, and having a great time. She has even asked if she can please go again this year :)

Check it out!

I wish someone would have sat me down my first year of homeschooling, locked eyes with me and said this ☝🏻 verrrrrrrrrry sloooooowly.

As homeschoolers we have a lot of crap to get done in a day. My first few years I was always frustrated because the magical moments weren’t fighting their way to our day.

I’m telling you: if this is all I get done on a crazy day….it’s a win.

offers an amazing booklist by grade level and rates each book on its moral, literary and educational merit. Go getchu some of that.

What is your favorite read-aloud book you’ve ever read to your family?? I am ALWAYS on the lookout!

Most kids going to school has always given us a natural homeschool day of 8-3pm. This year, with so many distance, blended and at-home learners, I’m a little nervous that my kids will miss out on that precious bubble of time that fosters creativity, exploration, introspection.

So we are going to create the space for it. I plan to tell all neighbors and friends that we don’t do play dates or non-homeschool-related get-togethers before 2pm. I started with 1pm. I even made a slide that said 1...but I’ve decided 2 is earlier than they ever used to have friends home in the past and late enough that they won’t be rushing.

Having done this for many moons I know the value of spending uninterrupted time together, and the importance of creating space for a child to think, “Well, what should I do now?”

If you approach homeschool like you’re going to squeeze it in differently on the fly every day....you are setting your family up for frustration and failure. Read this slowly:

There is no way to successfully homeschool without giving it the respect that it deserves.

You are no longer just the parent. You are now the administration, the attendance office, the guidance councilor. Homeschool is more than just having the books. It’s the whole program. It’s a lifestyle change. That can sound SO FREAKING SCARY! I know! But I promise that once the dust settles, it’s a change you will love. Who better than you? No one. Maybe next year they will go back to school. That’s ok. For here and now, it’s you. And no one, nope - NOBODY loves your child like you do. That means no one is more equipped to take this on. NO ONE.

I’m not trying to freak you out. I’m here to give you this tool:

Figure out how long you need. Then decide when it’s going to be. Then keep it sacred. No appointments. No gym. No plans. PHONE ON SILENT. Those are now school hours and you are not available: You’re at work - you’re showing your kids that together, it’s all going to be OK. And when you see that light turn on for them, it’s like being there for their first steps with every new idea they grasp. You’re going to love that! Promise.

Make a plan, respect the plan, reap the rewards. Homeschool rewards go deeper than academics, because they are grounded in pure love.
You got this ❤️

For you working mamas out there - this is for YOU! (Or those of you needing encouragement 😘).

Homeschool doesn’t have to take all day!! And it can be done any time that works for you (6-8:30pm? Go crazy!) You get to choose: well rounded (taking longer) or just get the basics done.

The slide with times are academics ONLY. Start with the basics and add the others later, (if you want). Get math and language arts done every day you can. Do science once or twice a week. That is literally all the academics kids get at school. So by saying “do the basics” I’m NOT saying fall behind, I’m saying that’s academics only, without the enrichment activities: art, music, etc.

The other slides are just how I run my homeschool for ideas. We plan 8am to 3pm(ish) when other kids are in school, so that’s lots of time to add enrichment activities and take breaks if you’re not also working. But if you only have time for academics, that’s ok too - everybody is going to be OK! The love and patience you convey are going to be what help your kids grow the most. Teachers at school can’t hug and kiss a frustrated child. They can’t say I love you - you mean the world to me, and lay in bed snuggling to read together. YOU CAN!!! You can BE love, comfort, support and enthusiasm - SO CHOOSE THOSE instead of yelling about worksheets. It’s going to take time - be nice to yourself. It’s going to take balance - be nice to yourself. Life will get in the way and derail your plans on the regular - be nice to yourself.

If you are consistent, your children will NOT fall behind.

Just know that because you love your kids, the rest will fall into place. And here is my affirming hippie statement that I truly believe : If ALL your kids learn this year is that you love them enough to try and do this for them, THAT IS ENOUGH and EQUALLY as valuable to them as humans as anything academic they can learn!

Be kind to those that don’t have this option or feel it’s right for them. They have their own path and need our love, respect and support ❤️

~Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow”.~