Posts for category ‘Homeschooling Lifestyle’

Moms, we know how hard you work all year round. Keeping on top of all of your responsibilities with a cheerful attitude is not an easy task.

Because it can never be said enough, we want to say “Thank you” for all you are doing to raise the next generation.

As a small token of appreciation for all you do, we are hosting this giveaway – one that will pamper and inspire you to take a few “time outs” for yourself!

The winner of this giveaway will receive a goody box filled with these great indulgences:

Victoria’s Secret Fragrant Moisture Mist & Hydrating Body Lotion

Scented with violet & jasmine

Avon’s Anew Clinical 2-Step Facial Peel and

Avon’s Anew Rejuvenate Flash Facial

A selection of cosmetics for when you feel like glamming it up a bit including the Beauty Companion Kit (1 lipstick, 1 nail polis, 11 eye shadows and 1 blush), Burt’s Bees Lip Balm and Victoria’s Secret lip gloss in “Intimate”.

Keep the glam going with this trendy silver necklace and matching earrings (not shown).

Just so you have options, we’re including a shorter gold-tone necklace too.

To keep your feet toasty while you are pampering yourself, the winner will also receive the most comfy fuzzy socks ever!

And to remind you of just how precious you are, you will also receive this rose accessory. Wear it as a pin on your favorite coat or tote bag, or you can wear it as a hair clip!

No “mom moment” would be complete with out a bit of chocolate, so the winner will also indulge with a 3.5oz Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate bar.

That’s a total of 12 items just for mom!

How To Enter:

Entering is easy – just leave a comment here on the blog and tell us how you make time for yourself.

• You’ll receive one entry for each comment telling us how you find “mom moments” in your day.
• Comment will remain open through midnight (Eastern) Sunday. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, December 21st.

Good luck!

Special thanks to Chasing Shadows Photography for providing the product images for this blog post. Scarlett, the daughter of LessonPathways.com team member, Christina S., is a homeschooled high schooler and the passion behind Chasing Shadows Photography.

CurrClick is known for offering high-quality resources for homeschoolers and classroom educators.  In addition to great printable downloads, they also offer live classes.  This week, you can try one for FREE!

The class offering is “Active Science” and it will take place on Wednesday at 1:30 Central time.  Your children can enjoy all of the benefits of a classroom experience and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home!

Calling All Scientists!

We’d love you to attend a free introductory glimpse of “Active Science”. A semester full of hands-on science…perfect for the short-attention-spanned, including younger audiences and children with various mild-moderate developmental delays*.

“Paced Learning” knows that we all learn differently and at our own paces so we’ve incorporated a wide range of teaching styles–vocabulary, experiments, journaling, collecting, drawing, observing…sure to keep your child involved and stimulated.

Join us for a free introductory class where you’ll meet the teacher, get an overview of the semester’s themes, and participate in a sample experiment!

*(ie: ADD, ADHD, ED, LD, Asperger’s/Autism, etc…)

Over the centuries, people have celebrated Christmas in many different ways.  As Christmas approaches, this is a wonderful time to share with your family the history, crafts and stories of years gone by.

At my house, we have started counting down the days until Christmas.  We are shamelessly singing Christmas songs at the top of our lungs, and we are enjoying our egg nog and gingerbread coffee creamers immensely.   The tree is lit and the halls are decked.  It is really beginning to look, sound and smell a lot like Christmas around here.  We seem to partake in many traditional Christmas traditions, but why?  Where did these traditions originate? This brief history of Christmas will explain why we celebrate Christmas and the many wonderful traditions associated with the holiday.

Activities for Fun and Learning

Hands-on activities make learning more memorable and more fun. Here are some activities to share with your family this Christmas season.

Make an Orange Pomander Pomanders were a traditional Christmas gift in Tudor times – designed to combat all those nasty smells of daily Tudor life!

Meeting Santa Claus Mr. Edwards met Santa on his way to the Ingall’s home for Christmas dinner. Have your child imagine and describe what he thinks it would be like to meet Santa.

Butter Pound Cake Try your hand at this delicious recipe.

Hand Dipped Candles Read and follow the directions on the page to make the candle(s). Be sure to read the tips at the bottom of the page. How do you think night time activities were affected by only having candles for light?

Make a Marshmallow Snowman Ornament If you like to add homemade ornaments to your Christmas tree each year, this marshmallow snowman Christmas ornament is quick and easy for kids or adults to make

Tools for Learning

Incorporate these online games, printables, and activities to teach your child about Christmas.

The Twelve Days of Christmas Students usually have a lot of fun doing this. The teacher can give clues for students who have trouble recalling parts of the song.

Christmas Card Nouns and Adjectives Use Christmas cards to reinforce the concepts of nouns and adjectives.

Christmas Word Puzzles Keep kids busy (and in the Christmas spirit) while you wrap, organize or decorate with these fun Christmas printables.

Online Christmas Games Dress the elves, make music and so much more!

Online Christmas Quiz Think you know everything there is to know about Christmas?  Test yourself with this fun quiz.

Videos Resources

These videos will enhance your study of Christmas — the history, traditions, and much more.

The History of the Holidays – Christmas Learn about the origins of Christmas traditions with this video from the History Channel.

The Life of a Christmas Tree From a tiny tree in the wilderness to a spectacular display in your living room; this video explains how it happens.

Christmas Light Technology Ever wonder how Christmas lights work?  Watch the video to find out!

Do you have a favorite resource for learning about Christmas?  Tell us in the comments section below!

This post was written by Dana A., a LessonPathways.com Team Member and homeschool mom.  She lives in Florida, with her husband and two children.

Whether a new homeschool mom, or a veteran one, I think we’ve all found ourselves overwhelmed and stressed at times. The baby needs her diaper changed, the living room is a wreck, you need to prepare dinner, the kids still need their spelling lesson and dad will be walking through the door, asking “So, what did you do today?”!   A growing number of homeschool moms can add professional responsibilities as well, as more and more moms are returning to the workforce while homeschooling their children.

The baby needs her diaper changed, the living room is a wreck, you need to prepare dinner, the kids still need their spelling lesson and dad will be walking through the door, asking “So, what did you do today?”!

I’ve often asked,  “Now that I have it all, can I give some of it back?”

While you might not be able to “give back” your responsibilities, there are a few things you can do to lighten your load.

Enlist help! If you’re the type that needs to be in control (and I’m pointing the finger at myself, here), this will be hard, but its something you may want to seriously consider.  You don’t need to hire a housekeeper, nanny, cook or secretary.  Help can come from many different sources; your children, your spouse, parents, friends, neighbors and other homeschooling families.  Only you can decide who can help with what, but here are some ideas to get you started:

• Recruit the kids: Give your children more responsibilities around the house.  No, they’re not going to do it as well as you can, but you’ve got to start somewhere.  Make sure the assignment is age-appropriate and they clearly understand what is expected of them.  Trust me, you can’t just say “Clean the bathroom.” – the results will more than likely leave you disappointed.  Take a few moments to write down, step-by-step, what needs to be done.  (You may want to even start a household notebook with directions on how to complete the different chores in your home).  If you’re stumped on what type of chore you can give a 4 year old, here is a great list of ideas for different ages.
• Help from a Homeschooler: Swap play dates with another homeschool mom.  Just need a few hours to get caught up?  I’ll bet there’s at least one other mom in your homeschool group the feels that same way!  Why not schedule rotating play dates?  One week you host all the kids at your house, while mom goes home, runs errands or anything else she wants to do.   The next week, it’s her turn.  The kids will have a blast and the moms will surely appreciate the efficiency of getting things done flying solo for a few hours.
• Get your spouse on board: While you probably carry the lion’s share of the work when it comes to homeschooling, consider asking your spouse to take over a subject.  Even if your partner works during the day, there’s no rule saying all lessons need to be completed between the hours of 7am and 5pm.  It doesn’t need to be complicated, either.  Dictating the spelling list, reading literature or even grading papers; any of these will lighten your load, at least a little bit.

Rearrange your curriculum! Why not do spelling every-other-day?  How about literature, math or science, for that matter?  Unless your state laws prohibit you from doing so, you may find it easier to complete two lessons in any particular subject every-other-day, rather than one lesson per subject, per day.  Consider doing science on Saturdays, or another day of the week when your spouse is home ~ make it a family affair.  Your kids might like it better too.

Make sure there really are enough hours in the day! We like to think we can do it all.  The truth is, sometimes we can’t.  If you’re feeling stressed, over worked and wondering when you will take a shower, try checking your schedule.  Sit down and plan out your day, hour by hour.  Plan it under ideal circumstances, with no interruptions, no upsets, no monkey wrenches.  Make sure you include everything, from how much time it takes you to wake up in the morning, shower, make lunch, all the way to going to sleep again at night.  How does it look?  Would you be able to get everything done under perfect conditions?  Now, subtract two hours from your ideal schedule.  Let’s be realistic – conditions and circumstances are rarely perfect or ideal.  Those two hours represent the interruptions, the fact that you ran out of milk yesterday and need to get to the store, the phone call from your mom and anything else that might pop up in the day.  Do you really have enough hours in the day?

Take care of mom! Mom is the heart of the home.  Just like in your physical body, if the heart isn’t working right, the rest of the body doesn’t work right either.  Make sure you’re getting the right nutrition, balance and “mom time.”  Finding “mom time” can be hard when you are already overwhelmed, I know, but it is essential.  Taking a “mom break” will re-energize you and you’ll be better able to tackle all that’s on your plate.

There is no magic bullet or one-size-fits-all solution to managing everything on your plate.  These are just a few ideas I’ve incorporated.  What about you?  How do you manage it all?

This post was written by Christina S., homeschool mom of 11 years and LessonPathways.com Team Member.  She lives in Detroit, Michigan, with her husband and two children.  You can connect with her on Twitter to swap homeschooling advice, homemaking ideas and other inspiration for managing it all.

This post was written by Christina S., LessonPathways.com team member and veteran homeschool mom.  When not helping out around here at LessonPathways.com or other work-related project, she’s busy homeschooling or tweeting as @MrsStrick on Twitter.

In her quest to find great resources for educating her own children, she has found some she’d like to share with you.  Read on and enjoy!

Hanukkah, also known as “The Festival of Lights” (and sometimes spelled “Chanukah”) is an eight-day Jewish holiday starting on the 25th day of Kislev, which may occur at any time from late November to late December (source: wikipedia).

This year, Hanukkah begins on December 1.

While my family is not Jewish, I wanted my children (and myself!) to learn more about Jewish culture and traditions.  It’s important to me that we learn as much as we can, out of respect for our friends that are Jewish and because Jewish culture is deeply intertwined with our own Christian history.

All of the resources here were found on the internet and are completely free!  They are listed here for you, in the friendly “LessonPathways.com” Pathway format we’ve all grown to know and love.  I hope your family finds them useful in your homeschool (or classroom) studies too!

As I mentioned, I am still learning about Jewish culture and traditions.  If I’ve made an error, please let me know.  If you’ve got a great resource I missed, please share it in the comments section below!

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Links to Online Lessons

The Story of Hanukkah
Read this very short passage as an introduction to the story of Hanukkah.

History of Hanukkah
Read this account of the Birth of Hanukkah and its celebration, including symbolic foods.

Hanukkah Traditions
Learn more about Hanukkah traditions, including the Miracle of the Oil.

History of the Dreidel
Learn about the history of the Dreidel, how to play and the meaning of the Hebrew letters on each one.

Significance of the Menorah
Learn all about the Menorah and why it signifies the Feast of Lights.

The Star of David
Learn about the meaning of the Star of David

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Hands-On Projects and Activities

Make a Dreidel
Follow the directions to make your own dreidel, then try your hand at a game with a friend or family member.

Craft a Hanukkah Menorah
Use wooden spools, paint and yellow eraser pencil toppers to make this craft. (does not actually light up)

Create a Menorah
Want something that really lights up? Use baby food jars and candles to create this Menorah

Hanukkah Wreath
Recommended for ages 6+, create this wreath using a wire coat hanger, TP rolls and paint.

Star of David Window Ornament
Add a little sparkle to your windows by making these pretty ornaments

Cooking for Hanukkah
Try making Hanukkah coins or Latkes. How do you like them?

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Worksheets, Printables & Online Activities

Coloring Pages
Beautiful pictures to print and color.

Online Jigsaw Puzzle
See if you can put this holiday picture back together.

Reading Comprehension Worksheet
Print this worksheet, read the short passage and try to answer the questions.

Word Puzzle
(For the older kids) Print and solve this word puzzle about Hanukkah blessings.

Crossword Puzzle
A high quality printable word puzzle (with answer key!).

Lined Journaling Pages
Print your choice of journaling pages to keep track of what you’ve learned.

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Free Online Videos

Learn about Hanukkah with Elmo!

 

History Channel’s History of Hanukkah

Watch this video from the History Channel to learn more about the history of Hanukkah.

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Free Online Audio

The Story of Hanukkah
Listen to the story of the Maccabees

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Additional Resources

Chabad.org
A large collection of games and other learning goodies for learning about Hanukkah for kids.

Scholastic Lesson Plans
Lesson plans & printables for teaching about the dreidel.

Literature Hanukkah
A list of literature for children about Hanukkah.

Hanukkah Clip Art
Free clip art to use.

If you enjoyed these resources, be sure to visit our site, LessonPathways.com, for more great unit studies and FREE learning materials!

If you are homeschooling a high schooler, this free teleconference may be of interest to you.

On November 18th, Homefires is hosting special guest, Lee Binz, “The Homes Scholar“, to help you get your homeschooler ready for college.

The event is free, but advanced registration is required.  Visit the Homefires page for more information and registration.

This post is sponsored by:

Today’s post comes from Kristie of Saving Dollars And Sense.  If you haven’t had a chance to visit her blog, you should head over there – she shares the best advice and ideas for stretching your hard-earned dollar.  She also shares her wisdom and insights as an experienced homeschool mom.  We saw this post on her blog and it really struck a chord.  We’re reposting it here (with Kristie’s permission, of course!) because we think whether you are a veteran homeschooler, or just starting out, you’re sure to appreciate her advice on avoiding homeschool pitfalls.

There are several pitfalls to avoid while homeschooling. These are my personal top three.

1. Do NOT compare yourself to another homeschooling family! This is probably THE single most important lesson that any homeschooling mom can learn. You can cause a lot of damage to both yourself and your children when you do this. God made each one of us totally unique, so why would we want to try to be like anyone else. This just stifles who we are intended to be. I think I finally learned this lesson for the first time last year, and it has changed the entire atmosphere of our homeschool fr the better.

2. Don’t get upset if your child isn’t the next Mozart, Einstein or DaVinci. If you are homeschooling for this reason, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. I’m not saying that your child won’t be smart. In fact I do believe that homeschoolers are super smart about the things they are passionate about. But as homeschoolers, I don’t feel that we need to make this our priority. Learning will happen, but more importantly are the relationships that will grow stronger every day!

3. Don’t seek outside approval. There is absolutely no way that you are going to please every single person who looks at your homeschool. There will always be at least one judgemental person who is going to raise an eyebrow at what you are doing. I am so guilty of wanting to please other people. The first couple years that we homeschooled, I felt myself always defending my decision to homeschool. I wanted to make every person I talked to agree with me that this was the ideal situation. Since I learned to avoid this pitfall altogether, I have felt so much freedom to do what I know is right for us since someone is bound to object anyways.

If you learn these pitfalls early on, you’ll be much better prepared for an abundant homeschooling experience. Remember that God has created each and every one of us unique. This means that he also must have a unique plan and direction for your homeschool and your family. I know I wouldn’t want to carve out my own path because I saw someone else doing it, and miss out on the plan the Lord has already carved out for us.

This is a time for the Lord to prepare your chldren to become the people he has chosen them to be for His Kingdom and not yours.

Kristie is the Money Saving Mom Blogger behind Saving Dollars and Sense. She has a passion for learning to live on less abundantly and she loves sharing what she has learned with her readers. She is also the homeschool mom of one child graduating from high school this year and another entering high school. When she isn’t working on homeschooling, you can find her sharing giveaways, freebies, and other money saving ideas!

Jennifer B. is a long-time LessonPathways.com team member and our resident expert on Special Needs.  She’s often found providing support to other homeschool parents with special needs children.  Her special brand of humor and sensitivity is always welcomed.  Read her advice to all homeschoolers:

Where to begin? I guess the beginning is a good spot! I’m Jen B, married, with two boys-both with special needs. My eldest was told he would never learn to read, he’s presently in grade 11 in public school, getting straight A’s. We homeschooled him until he was high school age. My youngest was told he will never talk and although his articulation is poor, the boy never stops talking. We still homeschool him and love it. My point? What do people know? Go with your gut!

This advice fits well with homeschooling too. You are the parent, you know your child best. If you feel your child learns better by doing than a textbook, than go ahead and modify things. If your child does better with reading than doing, again, feel free to modify things. Go with your gut.

Since my children have special needs, I was asked the strangest things when we first started out with this strange and wondrous adventure of homeschooling. “Shouldn’t you leave it up to the professionals?” is an all-time favourite of mine. I usually answer by asking the questioner if they know his/her children well. Of course the person replies and then why wouldn’t I know mine enough? I am a professional, a professional parent. I go with my gut.

Why would homeschooling be any different than parenting? It’s really not, that’s why homeschoolers chuckle when uninformed parents say they can’t do it. Teaching your children is just ‘extended parenting’, you watch them a little longer, past kindergarten age, instead of having the schools do it. If you doubt that you can homeschool your children, think again and go with your gut.

I’m sure glad I did!

If you are interested in homeschooling your children and there are special needs involved, look me up! http://www.specialneedshomeschool.com/ I’d be happy to hear from you!

As election day approaches and you decide whom you will support on the ballot, there’s no better time to teach your children about voting. Start by providing some background on the history of democratic elections in the United States and then move on to study how voting works and why it is important. Don’t forget to include fun, hands-on activities and even some videos to help stimulate their interest in this topic.

Election Day Lessons

Before you get started studying election day, visit What is a Democracy? to learn why the United States is a democratic republic rather than a democracy. Be sure to read the Did You Know box on the right side of the page.

Voter Registration and a Touch of History

Start off with this simple page that explains voter registration and gives some very brief details about the history of voting in the United States: Voter Registration. If you would like to study the history of voting in more depth, try this page: History of Voting Rights. It offers several links you and your children can explore to study the history of the right to vote in the United States.

For a short introduction to elections, visit our U.S. Elections Stepping Stone. It explains that people vote for candidates to become President, governor, mayor, senator, and other officials on election day.

Congress for Kids, which focuses on the presidential elections, provides a more detailed explanation of election day and voting, and includes information about political parties, the electoral college, campaigning, and polling places. Click the “Learn More” links on each page to read the entire lesson.

After you’ve learned what an election is, Step Inside the Voting Booth to learn why every vote is important. Click on the boxes on the top, right-hand side to learn more.

Activities for Fun and Learning

Learning is always more fun and memorable when hands-on activities are included. Here are some great ideas to try with your children:

Election Scavenger Hunt

Mock Election

Let Your Kids Campaign!

Future Voter Button

Voting Booth

Tools for Fun and Learning

Here are some cool learning tools to enhance your study of elections. Add some of these to your child’s homeschool portfolio!

Election Coloring Pages

Compare the Candidates

Candidates: KWL

A Historic Election

Election Day Word Jumble Worksheet

Video Resources

Round out your election day studies with some visual reinforcement! Here are some short videos that cover voting:
Voting Machine Video

Vote and Be Heard

Want More Election Day Resources?

Visit your Secretary of State’s website for more on voting. These websites often provide state-specific voting information, and many include resources for students as well. Click here to find your jurisdiction’s Secretary of State office.

Want a whole collection of activities on a printable page? Check it out here: Election Day Activities.

Written by Nikki Madison, freelance writer and homeschooling mom of four amazing children.

Maybe you’ve just decided to homeschool, or maybe you’ve been homeschooling and have decided to switch gears.  Or maybe you’re one of the ones (a-hem: ME!) just getting a late start this year!

We recently hosted a series on Planning Your School Year.  We hope you find these posts helpful!

First things first: Where to Start?

Which style fits your family the best?

Child-Led Learning

The Eclectic Approach

Using a Structured Curriculum

Times are tight!  Keep finances in check: Curriculum on a Budget

And to wrap it all up: Record Keeping

Have missed the one piece of advice you’re looking for?  Leave us a note in the comments section and let us know – we’ll try to help you out!