What's This Morning Time Thing???

                                           

Oh, morning time. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.  💜

I recently shared what a typical day in our homeschool looks like, and when I sat down to write this post, I had planned on sharing the details of what our morning time actually looks like, but I realized that first and foremost I just wanted to talk about this idea in general just in case it's a new idea for anyone. It really is that important to me and has been such a game changer for not just our homeschool, but for our family culture. 

When we first chose to homeschool, I knew nothing about this wonderful thing called "morning time." What I was noticing, however, was that meal times were important and I wanted to utilize them to their full potential. I knew I wanted to do something, but I just didn't know what. We had dabbled in different family devotionals together during breakfast, but I knew I wanted something more consistent and meaty. 

So when I did eventually discover and explore this whole "morning time" concept, everything came together and it has now become one of my favorite parts of the day.

If I was still a full-time classroom teacher, I would like to think that I would use morning time on the weekends and during the summer with my own kids. Even though kids may be getting the majority of their academic or even spiritual learning from outside the home at school or church, morning time is a chance to capture their hearts, fill their minds and souls with things that are true, good, and beautiful, and focus on things that your family prioritizes. 

I really feel like all families could utilize the morning time concept regardless of what their school choice is and I feel very passionately about sharing this idea with anyone who will listen!

Before I go any further, please know that I am by no means a morning time expert and our morning time can often turn into more of a hot mess than a beautiful Instagram-worthy sight. Despite being a novice and having oh-so-much to learn, I wanted to get this message our there anyway. 

So, what is it?

Moring time, very simply, is a time for everyone to gather and learn together. 

Yup, that's it. 

It's that simple. 

Morning time isn't just for homeschooling families or just for school days for us, but just a sweet time of gathering the whole family together (meaning the kids and me, although sometimes Jeff is included if he's home during the week or on the weekends) to build relationships and learn together. It's very much like the "morning meeting" or "calendar time" in a classroom if you are familiar with those. Some families actually call it "morning meeting" or "symposium" or "power hour." Regardless of the name, it serves the same purpose. 

You most likely are already doing something that resembles morning time or an activity that can be either incorporated into a morning time routine or would serve as an excellent starting point for one (like eating breakfast 😉).  

  

If you've ever wanted to do something with your kids- like read aloud, memorize scripture, etc. but you just can't figure out when during the day to do it, morning time is a great place to start. 

Just for some background...

There are two huge names in the homeschooling world who have largely contributed to spreading and making popular the concept of morning time. Cindy Rollins is known as the mother of morning time and now, even though all of her kids are grown, is still dedicated to the practice and encourages moms to create a morning time routine of their own.  

Pam Barnhill is most known for taking the idea of morning time and creating a "morning basket" to use during that time. This doesn't have to be a literal basket, but the idea of gathering resources together and having them on hand is very useful and definitely makes morning time run more smoothly. She shares lots-and I mean LOTS!- of practical information, resources, and even ready-to-use morning time plans (some for free) on her website.

If you're curious about this idea and want to learn more, I HIGHLY recommend looking into all the wonderful things these ladies have to offer. Pam wrote a fantastic post describing the concept of morning time and answering lots of the basic questions. Read that post HERE.

Why would you want to start a morning time, especially if you aren't a homeschooling family? 

Well, at the very minimum it brings the family together. Regardless of the ages of your kiddos, whether you have all really young kids or all teenagers, having everyone together in one place and participating in the same activities is a great way to build relationships and family culture. 

These days everyone is so busy. All. The. Time. We run from one thing to another, we spend a lot of time in the car, and even though the family may be all together physically in one place, like at a sports game or at church together, there is something so special about everyone being mentally together, either at the table or in the same room and focused on the same thing without any outside distractions. I feel like now more than ever it's important for families to carve out and make family time a priority. The structure morning time provides is really useful and helpful.

If you're a mom of kids who are home from school during the summer, morning time is an especially great way to build in some structure to your days and start the day off on the right foot. 

And one important note- "morning time" does not HAVE to be only in the morning. It could be any time of day that your family can gather together. It's just the term that has stuck. 

I don't have any great pictures of the kids and me actively engaged in morning time because no one else is here to witness it! But here's a picture I just happened to take after one random morning time so you can get a general idea of the kids of things we do. The picture at the top of the post was another one I took on a random day. 

Pam Barnhill published a beautiful coffee-table-style book that has fabulous pictures of families during their morning times, so I recommend looking into that to see the variety of styles.  Keep in mind that every family does things differently, and our morning time looks different day to day. 

I'll have to do a separate post about the resources I use during morning time because it varies so much. But you can use morning time to accomplish all kinds of goals that you may have for your family.  

Here are some ideas for things you could do during your morning time:

-pray together

-read aloud 

(I believe VERY strongly in the power of reading aloud to kids who can already read themselves, and how it's actually MORE important to keep reading to them after they can already read, but that's a whole other post! There are entire books and podcast series devoted to this topic as well! 

You can find a ton of booklists on a wide variety of topics from Read Aloud Revival)

-read and appreciate poetry (of all kinds)

(Great post about this topic HERE)

-memorize scripture  

(Pam Barnhill provides a great starting point HERE)

-read Bible stories 

-learn hymns, folk songs, or patriotic songs 

We are about to start working on some patriotic songs in June in preparation for July 4th but we have been learning the lyrics to "A Few of My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music this week just because it's something we want our kids to know and it's beautiful. 💙 

Other ideas HERE

-do some art appreciation or music study 

Maybe you really want your kids to learn some basic classical composers and pieces or know some famous artists and be able to recognize pieces of art. There are really simple and easy ways to do this.

-do some nature study 

Posts about nature study

Nature study booklists

-discuss important historical events, people, or read famous speeches

(That list Pam Barnhill put together includes some ideas for this)

-fit in some academics

If you have kids who are school-aged you can also use morning time as a way to review things they have already learned or learn new things together. Grammar, math concepts (not skills) like geometric shapes, coins, graphing, etc., and science topics are things that kids of all ages can learn about and practice together. Play math games, read fun picture books about academic subjects, etc)

There are so many possibilities of things to do during morning time, but the entire point is just being together, having shared learning experiences, and strengthening relationships.

It's hard to see the real value in morning time just by reading through those ideas, but if you can imagine the beauty of everyone laughing over a silly poem, reading a beautiful picture book together, learning some crazy facts about the smelliest flower in the world, and hearing your kids reciting a scripture verse you all worked to memorize, then you'll start to see just how valuable it can be.  

Can you see it? Can you imagine it? 

I can tell you that after doing morning time pretty consistently for almost a year now, I am seeing the fruit, albeit small. And it's so rewarding. My kids know the names of several poetic devices, can name some composers and artists and recognize some famous paintings, recite a few short scriptures and psalms, appreciate beautiful music, locate countries around the globe, and know that sloths only come down to eat once a week, 🤣 among lots of other random interesting facts about all kinds of things. 

I'm most looking forward to how our morning time will shift and morph as the years go on and the kids get a little older and capable of handling more. Lots of exciting things to come!

Ready to learn more?

Pam Barnhill posted an awesome podcast recently and she shares some great tips on how to get started. You can listen to that podcast HERE. 

It really is a wonderful thing. I promise.

Hopefully I'll be back soon to share some of the nitty-gritty about our morning time and what it actually looks like, but you know how that goes!! I just happened to look at Amazon today and I noticed that the Sing a Song of Seasons nature poem anthology we LOVE and use almost every day just happens to be on sale right now (5/28/23) on Amazon! I can't recommend this beautiful book enough. 

Until then, if you're intrigued by the idea of morning time or want to take what your family already does up a notch, I highly encourage you to look into the resources I linked all throughout this post and jump in! 

You won't regret it!!

Here are some quick link in case you don't want to scroll back up:

Pam Barnhill's Morning Basket Website

100 Things for Kids to Memorize

Sing a Song of Seasons Poetry Anthology

Read Aloud Revival Booklists 

A "Typical" Homeschool Day

In my last post I addressed some of the three most common homeschooling fears. The next thing that usually comes up in the conversation is, "So, what does it actually look like?" 

It's a simple question, really, but it can get sticky. There are all kinds of educational philosophies and opinions out there. Every family is different and that's the beauty of homeschooling. You can do it however you want! 

I'm a little hesitant to share about our days, but I always love when other moms share about theirs because it's so helpful. So maybe you can find something helpful and if nothing else it will give you a glimpse into a real homeschool if you don't know anyone who does it (just like we didn't know a soul when we first decided to homeschool!). 

Please remember, we are still new at this. Even though I spent my whole life in the public school world, homeschooling is completely different and every time I think we have found a groove something changes. 

Here's what a "typical" (although there really is no such thing around here!) day looks like right now:

7:00am-ish - Connor's Math Lesson

I sit at the breakfast table to eat my breakfast and drink my coffee while I do a math lesson with Connor. We try to get most of it finished before the younger two come barreling down and make chaos, but it rarely happens. So it usually turns into me trying to keep Connor focused, keep Colton out of my coffee and math blocks and other random toys get thrown all over the place. 

Why first thing in the morning? Connor is an early bird like me and wakes up ready to go. We do this first because he likes it, he's good at it, and he can check something off of his list first thing. 

Which reminds me, we use a simple checklist for the major components of our "school" day, which has been very helpful. 

I eat my breakfast first so I don't have to eat while they eat (you'll see why in the next section) and I can actually finish my coffee while it's still hot. 

7:30-ish or whenever Jeff leaves for work- Morning Time 

Jeff leaving for work is kind of the unofficial start of our day. We clean up the table from whatever giant mess was created during the math lesson and the boys do their breakfast chores (which is just them setting the table and getting their cereal stuff out). 

We light a candle and I go through our morning basket while they eat. I have their attention because they have mouths full of cereal and it's harder for them to interrupt. Which, they still do, don't get me wrong, but at least I have their attention! 

I can do a separate post about what all goes into our morning basket if anyone is interested because otherwise this post will be way too long! But to get a general idea, this is the time that I review a variety of things we have learned from all subject areas. We read poetry, I share about whatever national day it is, we read our devotional, review math and science terms, go over some of our memory work for our co-op... it's just a hodge-podge of whatever I feel like we need that day. 

This morning time lasts as long as I have their attention and food isn't being thrown on the floor by the toddler. Which, these days is becoming shorter and shorter. 

Cleanup and Free Time 

After our morning time, we clean the table and the boys have a little bit of free play time while I get the toddler cleaned up, do whatever housework I can do quickly, and get materials ready for our table time, which comes next. 

8:30ish Table Time 

Once I feel like we have all had an ample time to reset after morning time, we start table time. 

I put Colton in his playpen, one boy comes to the table with me, and the other boy goes upstairs to a room out of sight. 

When Connor is at the table with me, we do our phonics lessons and handwriting. This is super short, less than 20 minutes and usually only around ten if I'm being honest. We do things in short bursts around here!

I use a variety of curriculum and resources for reading, writing, and math, so I won't get into all of that in this post! 

One of the items on Connor's checklist is to read to a brother, so at some point during the day he has to do additional reading practice, it's just not at the table with me. 

When he's done, he goes upstairs and Cooper comes to the table for his "work." I really don't expect Cooper to be doing table time at this age, but because Connor does table time with me he wanted his own table time, too. We do some alphabet practice, letter sounds, puzzles, coloring, basically whatever I feel like having him do. He loves it, so it's a win-win. 

Colton (the toddler) plays pretty well in his playpen as long as he can't see anyone else, which is why whatever boy is not at the table with me has to go upstairs. Otherwise we press on with table time amidst his screams and the sound of toys flying out of his playpen. 

Did I mention that homeschooling with a toddler is difficult??? 

9:15/30ish Outside Time/ Walk 

Most mornings we go on a walk around the neighborhood or the boys have time to play outside. Sometimes I need to run errands, so if we have somewhere to go this is usually when we go (grocery store, haircuts, friend meetups). 

Couch Time (Time of day varies) 

At some point in the morning before lunch, we have "couch time." On days when we have activities outside of the house in the morning (our co-op days) this happens in the afternoons after independent time. 

During couch time, we come together on the couch and I will read usually 2-3 books of my choice aloud. This is the time when I fit in picture books that cover whatever academic subject we are learning about that week and we usually have a chapter book going so depending on time, attention, and moods, we will read a chapter or two of that. 

The other day was Lima Bean Appreciation Day (I know, silly, but it's fun!) so this was the time when I read the three books that related to that. 

On really good days the boys will each pick a book that they want me to read aloud and I'll read those, too. Some days we can inch close to an hour on the couch. It's my favorite time of the day! 

For the longest time this was when Colton would be taking his morning nap. Now that he's not napping in the morning anymore, we still attempt to get one or two books read and he plays with toys quietly (usually) in the room. Or crawls all over us. Or creates chaos. In which we have to abandon couch time and try again later! 

Our entire homeschool runs on books and I spend lots of time looking for books to help me introduce and teach all kinds of topics from science and math to art and geography. There are wonderful books out there for almost everything. You can never have too many books!!! 

Playtime and Lunch 

Once we finish couch time the boys have free play time until lunch. 

Lunch is pretty relaxed but we usually listen to or watch something while we all eat. If we are learning about a composer, we will listen to their works. If we are learning something in science we will sometimes watch a science video online, but most of the time we will listen to whatever audiobook we have going. Right now we are listening to the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary and LOVING it! 

More playtime/ Field trips/ Errands 

After lunch the kids play outside or if we have more errands to run we do those. I typically try to schedule any appointments for this time of day because it's nice to get out of the house for a bit. Most of our field trips, park days, and friend meet ups happen in the afternoon so we can get our morning routine in as many days as possible. 

Independent Time 

The kids have some amount of independent time most days if we are home in the afternoons. They go to different rooms and listen to audiobooks on their Yoto players (which we love!). 

Random Stuff 

The afternoons vary, so sometimes we do art stuff, crafty stuff, a themed read-aloud and snack time, play-doh, drawing, you get the idea. Our afternoons vary so much throughout the week, so I never really know what the afternoon will hold! 

A few weeks ago we were all about cacti and then we were on snails for a few days, so we had some nice little afternoons with those topics! 

And that's it! 

The kids are little (almost 7, 4, and almost 2 at the time of this writing) and we have allllll the time to do more formal academic things later. We will slowly add on more to the routine as they get older, but for now, this is what works for us. 

We listen to our Classical Conversations memory work, listen to lots of audiobooks in the car, I use "strewing" to spark conversations about various things, we read about and explore lots of national days as they come up, we go on lots of field trips, and we read lots and lots and lots and lots of books. And they are learning and retaining way more than I would have ever expected. 

We do school year-round right now because it's just so much easier to keep the routine when we are home. I've decided that the days that Jeff goes to work and we are home are essentially "school" days. We do so many field trips, visits with friends and family, and little trips here and there that we only follow this particular schedule 2-3 days a week. 

Some days we only do morning time, some days we do morning time and table time just spread out throughout the day. Some days we only do couch time, it just varies, which is another wonderful thing about homeschooling. We can ebb and flow as needed. 

And of course I'm not mentioning all the noise, messes, spills, sibling fights, muddy floors, attitudes, endless laundry, dishes, exasperated prayers, and all the millions of other little things that happen daily, but why think of all of that when I can make it almost seem so nice and smooth?!  Ha! 

I've become so much more relaxed and confident over these last two years. I know that what we are doing right now is enough and we are aiming for a slow, nature-filled, curiosity-driven homeschool for as long as possible. It's so exciting to wake up each day and anticipate what the day will bring. It's so much fun! 

Well, I hope you found that helpful! 

It will be interesting to see how long this little routine lasts!

Thanks for reading! Let me know if there is anything else you're curious about and I'll see what I can do! 

Can YOU Homeschool? Yes!

I've found myself having several unexpected conversations with people lately about homeschooling. It's that time of year when the school year is winding down and we start to think about next school year. There are lots of reasons why people may think about homeschooling, but regardless, I've found myself saying the same things during these conversations, so I thought I would just write a post about it in case you or someone you know may be thinking about it (or maybe just curious!)

The parents I have talked to are genuinely feeling the pull to keep their kids home, are very curious and deep down they really want to do it, but their fears are holding them back from actually pulling the trigger.

And before I dig in, let me say this: It was never our plan to homeschool. 

We bought our house specifically for the elementary school we are zoned to. Because I was a public school teacher we never even considered homeschooling. But low and behold, one day I felt the call from the Lord, and it threw me for a complete loop!

I was almost distraught for weeks while Jeff and I were discussing it. We literally knew NO ONE who homeschooled and knew absolutely nothing about it, other than things I had read about from Sally Clarkson (a woman I love dearly who has written lots of books about motherhood and who homeschooled her four children who are now all successful adults) and the stigmas we knew from the world at large. 

I felt like this just could not be the path we were supposed to take, but the voice in my head only became stronger. I was pregnant with our third baby at the time and he was due in July, not long before the kids would start school again. 

It was a huge decision that felt like the weight of the entire world when we were thinking about it, but when I finally made the phone call to officially pull them out for the following year, it was like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. I can still remember the feeling because it was so... shocking. I was expecting to be hyperventilating, but instead I just felt this overwhelming sense of peace. 

It's funny what happens when you obey God's still, small voice. 

Here we are almost two years later and while I'm no expert (not even close!) and our kids are still young and miles away from graduation, I can say with confidence that the homeschool life is a sweet life, and I am so glad God called our family to this path. Homeschooling has changed my life is such a profound way and I feel like part of my responsibility while I'm on this path is to do my best to empower other families who feel the call to homeschool. 

With all of that said, here are the top three fears I hear about most often from my conversations with other parents and my responses to each. Hopefully, this can be helpful for you or for someone else you know who may be thinking about making the jump. 

1. I'm not a trained teacher. I don't think I can teach my kids.  

I think this is probably the number one fear most people have when thinking about homeschooling and believe it or not, this was a fear I had despite having a Master's degree in education! 

So the very first thing I want to say right off the bat is that you are already your child's teacher.

If you are a parent, you are a teacher. You have most likely taught your kids to dress themselves or use the potty. If you haven't yet, you will. Teaching them the parts of an insect is no different. You may just need a resource to help you! ;)

Teaching your own child at home is as different from teaching a class of students in a school setting as apples are different from oranges. Teachers in schools have standards to teach that they didn't choose on a timeline they didn't set and have to meet requirements they often have no input in making all while managing a classroom full of all kinds of kiddos who have a wide range of needs that a single teacher just can't possibly meet as hard as they may try (and hats off to all the amazing men and women who do just that every single day!)

The higher-ups are pushing educational content down to younger and younger students and it just doesn't have to be that way. Don't even get me on my soap box! 

As a homeschool parent, you get to choose everything. What they learn, how they learn it, when they learn it, and what you use to teach it. As long as they get the basics (reading, writing, math- and I would argue that's all the "formal" education they need for a good, long while), the world is wide! If you live in Texas, you live in one of the best state for homeschooling. No standardized testing!

The glorious news is that there is an entire world of curriculum available out there that can give you as little or as much support as you want or need. And I mean WORLD! 

There are scripted curriculums that literally tell you exactly what to say and do. 

There are online programs that will essentially teach your child with you there to guide and support. 

There are books, podcasts, co-ops, one day academies, private tutors, university models... the list goes on and on.

There are actually SO many resources available to homeschoolers that it can be quite overwhelming. 

If you want to see what I mean, check out this site that provides an extensive list of products available for each major subject area and reviews for each of them. 

There is even an entire store in the Houston area called The Homeschool Store stocked with a nauseating... I mean, surprising! array of materials and extremely helpful staff who can help you sift through it all. (Although for me this store is like a black hole, so visit with caution!)

But also know that children are wired for learning. They are born curious. They are learning all the time and when you give them time and space to ponder and explore, you will be shocked by what they can discover. I have so much fun every single day just watching and learning right alongside my kids. I'm actually rediscovering things I previously hated- like physics!- because I can see the beauty and wonder in it through the eyes of my children. 

It really is a beautiful thing. 

So, never fear. You will be able to find exactly what you need to teach your child. 

(And there is always YouTube!)

I feel like this needs to be shouted from the rooftops because it is just so important: 

You DO NOT need to be a trained teacher to educate your child! Trust me! 

If you love your child, you can homeschool. Bottom line. 

2. I don't think I can be around my kid(s) all day. 

Yes, I feel ya. 

This was a big deal for me when we first started. 

This is the one part of homeschooling that I feel like I have had the most to learn and have had to do the most growing, so I've become really passionate about it. Bear with me... this is lengthy.

Before homeschooling we were in a routine of not being together all day and I reallyyyyyy enjoyed my coffee shop dates and solo trips to the grocery store and all the wonderful things one can do without children tagging along!

But I quickly realized that the kids going to school (it was just a four day a week preschool for our oldest, a two day a week program for our middle and the baby wasn't born yet) was actually the root of a lot of the stress and strain in our relationships. But being home all day together has actually changed our relationship for the better. We are all closer and I feel like I have a much more genuine relationship with my kids than ever before. 

Taking away all the external distractions, the stress of having to get everyone dressed and out the door every single day, and having time to relax and really enjoy each other has made a huge difference. I feel like we are living a much more authentic and rich life than the hustle and bustle we had previously. 

However...

It was tough there for the first several months, I'm not going to lie. 

My oldest and I have very similar personalities and he didn't just sit down and do what I told him to like I expected him to. Sitting at a table face to face with my own kid was vastly different than standing in front of a classroom of kiddos. Little did I know that God was using my relationship with him to teach me and grow me and that was a very rude awakening. 

I mean, I'm a teacher by profession! That's what I do! And there I was struggling with ONE student-my own child! It almost felt like a personal affront. 

Now I know that was the point. 

It took a lot, and I mean a LOT, of tears, frustration, hurtful words, apologies, PRAYER, and trial and error to figure out a dynamic that worked for us. And while it still isn't perfect, I'm learning more about how to reach for his heart, not just his immediate obedience.

I feel like choosing to homeschool has sent him the message (in so many words), "I choose you. I choose to be with you. You are most important to me right now even though this is hard and even though it will take some time to figure things out. I'm not giving up on you." Working through the trials and frustrating moments has bonded our hearts together in a special kind of way. 

As the younger two get older and they start more formal school work, I'm actually a little excited to see what their personalities and quirks will be. I know I have so much more to learn. Yes, I will make mistakes and it won't be perfect, but that's actually one of the most beautiful parts of homeschooling in my opinion. This is real life. These are my people. I can't escape them after one school year. We are in this for the long haul.

There have been and will continue to be lots of times when I feel overwhelmed, when I question our decision, or when I feel like I am failing them. There have been and will continue to be arguments, tears, anger, and harsh words said. But those moments also give birth to the beautiful moments of apology, repentance, and forgiveness. 

So yes, it may be hard, and yes, some days I long for those child-free days of independence, but I promise you if you stick it out, lean on the Lord and pray for guidance and wisdom, it will be worth it. 

And you can still have time out with friends and have a life- but that's a post for another day!

3. Won't the kids be social outcasts? 

Ah, yes. The classic socialization question. This was at the top of my list of fears, too. 

But trust me when I say, this is really NOT something to worry about. 

As a former public school teacher, I can say with confidence that there are kids sitting in public school classrooms all over the country who are social outcasts. Just because a child is sitting in a classroom with same-aged peers all day long does not immediately ensure they will know how, or choose to appropriately interact with those peers. It's quite possible for a student to go an entire day in a public school without saying much of anything. Maybe you were that kid!

I've come to learn and realize that most kids are actually MORE capable of interacting with others when homeschooled because they spend more time around adults who are (hopefully) more of a model of appropriate interaction than those same-aged peers they would have in a traditional classroom.

When the kids have squabbles, whether with each other or with friends, I can be there to coach and intercede as needed while infusing our own biblical principles. Of course there is a fine line between letting kids work things out for themselves and helicoptering, but having the ability to help solve problems when necessary is a nice benefit.

Homeschooled kids also have a chance to get out into the world, interact with real people in real places (think the library, grocery store, museums, parks, etc.) rather than being in that same classroom day in and day out.

You won't be home all day every day. Or maybe you will be if that's your style, but we most definitely are not! I aim to have at least one or two days each week where we are home all day, but we have so many options of things to do that sometimes I have to pull back to keep those one or two days sacred.

We live in the Houston/Katy area and there are numerous co-ops, playgroups, social groups, sports activities, etc. It just takes reaching out and  participating. 

If you have multiple kids the benefits compound because they will have LOTS of opportunities throughout the day to practice those problem-solving and social skills. ;) And so will you as the parent! 

So, as long as you aren't keeping your kid locked in the basement, they will be fine. 

Really! 

I know there are a host of other fears, concerns, and hesitations, but these three seem to be the main focus of most of the parents I talk to. Hopefully that was helpful!

Now that I've addressed those three main things I want to be sure to also say this: I don't necessarily think homeschooling is for everyone. 

I am not saying that every family should homeschool. In fact, I would say that if you aren't feeling the call in any way, shape, or form, then it probably isn't the path for your family. God uses all of us and our unique personalities for His purposes. Working outside of the home and/or having your kids in a school setting of some kind may be the absolute best for everyone in your family. For me, this is the path He's called me to, and I'm just listening and obeying. 

There could come a time when we feel the Lord calling us to make changes. We could eventually put one or more child in public or private school. Who knows! That's the beauty. We aren't stuck with one option forever. We have choices. And so do you! ;)

BUT if you feel the call, even just a little bit, listen. It may be just a general sense of uneasiness when you think about school or it may be a small little whisper that's inspiring you to learn more about homeschooling. Whatever that voice may sound like, stop and listen. 

Just explore. 

Just think about it. 

You don't have to make any decisions immediately. 

Now that we have been at this homeschooling thing a while, I have learned so, so much. I feel more inspired and grateful every single day, especially being able to watch the kids learn and grow both as individuals and in their sibling relationships. As unexpected as this whole journey was, I can't imagine life any other way.

It's a wonderful world over here on the other side!! 

I have so much more I would love to share about what I've learned these last couple of years. If this was helpful or you would like to know more about something in particular, let me know! I'm thinking I'll be writing some other posts soon addressing things like: 

-Why homeschool? 

-What a typical day or week looks like for us

-What are the biggest benefits?

-How homeschooling has changed our family for the better

-Educational models and methods, etc. 

But you know how it is with kiddos! Who knows when I'll have the time and energy to write another post. Hopefully I'll see you back here soon! 

World Braille Day

Happy Friday! 

I wanted to pop in and share about what we did for World Braille Day this week!

(I'm also just super excited to have the dust off of this ol' blog and I'll take any excuse to post something! Obviously I haven't used this platform since becoming a homeschool mom! The last posts were from 2017, I think. I have some updating to do!)

World Braille Day is celebrated every year on January 4 to celebrate the birthday of the man who invented Braille as we know it, Louis Braille. 

We read the picture book Six Dots by Jen Bryant and it was excellent! This fictional representation of young Louis' life was a great way to connect with him emotionally, share in his struggle, and ultimately celebrate with him as he accomplished his goal of creating an easy system for blind people to read. I loved this book and had to purchase it for our home library. I can't wait to revisit it in the years to come. There is even a pronunciation guide in the front for the several French phrases the author includes 

Louis is a wonderful example of determination and did not want to be pitied after an accident in his father's shop caused him to go blind by the age of five.  He left his comfortable and loving home to spend years in a sterile school for the blind in Paris just to have the opportunity to read. He wasn't happy with the slim options available to him at the time so he set out to create his own. He spent many years trying to perfect his system and finally accomplished his goal at the age of just 15!

I found some free Braille printables on TpT and we used them to write our names in Braille by gluing jewels on to the blank template. 

I just can't tell you how much I love celebrating these national and world days. They bring such a deeper level of interest and wonder to our regular routine and curriculum and I get so excited to learn new things right alongside the boys! This past week we also celebrated National Bird Day, National Bean Day, and National Drinking Straw Day!

January is full of fun ones! It will be an exciting month!

Is This Thing On?

So, I recently discovered how to get back to this ol' Blogger site of mine when I had seriously thought it no longer existed! 

I'm trying out a sample post to see if it really is still here! If it is, my heart will be so, so, so excited! 

I love this platform and blogging and I would love to get back to doing more of it. I tried making a site on another blogging platform but I just don't love it and it isn't quite as user-friendly. 

Hopefully this works!!! 

If you can read this post, would you do me a favor and post a comment just so I know it is actually published? I would GREATLY appreciate it!

The Back-at-Home Battle

I sure do love being out and about. But recently getting back in the door and ready for the next thing has been a battle, especially when we come home from school.

Here is a recent example of a time when I lost my cool with Connor:

We come in the door after the drive home from school and I’m anxiously watching the clock. Naptime is 12:45 - on the dot!-  and before that we still have to take off our shoes, change clothes (I’ve recently become a germaphobe with all the sickness floating around), wash our hands, eat lunch, put on the pull-up, read a story and brush our teeth. The clock is a-tickin.’ We have discussed this thoroughly on the car ride home- me cheerfully explaining each step and Connor reciting them back to me. I’m giving myself some positive self-talk and vowing that I absolutely will NOT nag or get frustrated this time. I feel good! Today will be different! He IS going to go with the routine and he WILL be in bed on time.

So what happens when we get in the door? The exact opposite, of course.

Connor runs around in circles screaming, climbs on the couch WITH his dirty shoes on, refuses to wash his hands, won’t take off his jacket and laughs his mischievous laugh.

Do I respond with grace and patience? Absolutely not! My heart starts beating faster, I’m eyeing the clock with the anger rising and the frustration gets to me.

I start out calm, “Connor, it’s time to take off your shoes.”

He continues running and laughing.

So I try again, “Connor, your shoes are dirty from school. There are germs all over them. Your brother will get sick. Come sit down and take off your shoes.”

He continues running away, his muddy shoes now tracking dirt ALL over the house.

So I try yet again, but with a sharpness to my seemingly calm words, “Connor! Get over here and take off your shoes. Right NOW.”

He comes and sits in the chair and I think, Whew, thank goodness. I was getting to my limit and I’m so glad he came! But what happens next? As soon as he starts to undo the velcro on one of his shoes, he shoots up out of the chair and resumes the running and laughing.

Annnnnd that’s when I lose it.

I stomp over to him, grab him too forcefully, plop him in the chair, take off his shoes with, again, much too much force, all the while I’m angrily saying, “I don’t understand why you can’t just SIT in this chair and TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES! I have HAD IT!  You KNOW exactly what to do and you CHOOSE NOT TO DO IT!”

I feel the anger bubbling under the surface and I remind myself that this is exactly what I didn’t want to do. I’ve let him down and let myself down yet again and I feel completely helpless and inadequate.

I remembered how recently I heard someone explain that how when kids are at school they have to be structured, follow directions, and behave a certain way for an extended period of time. Connor is stimulated by his classmates, his teachers, his environment, and when he gets home it’s his time to be free and safe. At least he SHOULD be able to feel safe to express himself with no fear of shame or punishment.

When I stepped back and saw things from this perspective, it changed my thinking. I realized that just like I need some time to decompress when I get finished with a stimulating experience, he might need the same thing.

So one day I tried a different approach. Instead of spending our time in the car rehearsing the routine for when we got home, I let him talk if he wanted or just eat his snack and we both listened to the radio. As we got closer to home I said, “Okay, Connor, when we get home we have to do two things. We have to take off your shoes and change clothes. Your shoes and clothes have germs on them and we need to be clean. But after that, I’m going to give you ten minutes to do WHATEVER you want to do (imagine my super excited tone here, lol!) before it’s time to each lunch. Start thinking about what you want to do!”

He got excited and started thinking through the things he wanted to do when we got home. He finally decided that he wanted to watch Curious George. He is currently pretty obsessed with this curious little monkey! So, when we got home, he was more motivated to take his shoes off and change clothes so we could get to the show. And y’all, I’m not kidding, the kid literally jumped the ENTIRE ten minutes he watched. I remember just sitting and watching him thinking how all of that energy was just pent up in him all of those days I tried to force him to follow my routine. I felt so stupid.

Did the lunch routine go super smoothly after that? Not exactly. But it was better. It was a step in the right direction. He willingly got in his chair himself without me dragging him across the room!

See! Progress!

When I let go of my own controlling expectations and allowed him to have the time he needed to let his energy out and decompress it was better for both of us. I had time to relax and get his lunch ready and actually enjoyed seeing him so happy and playful. I gave myself time to recharge my patience battery that I would need for the rest of the lunch routine and Connor was in a better place to listen after getting his energy out.

Is this going to work everyday? Probably not. But thinking about things from Connor’s perspective and getting out of my own head has been a great improvement.

I found this great little article on the Melissa and Doug blog with tips (and of course their products) to help bigger kids decompress after a full school day. Who knew they had a blog?!

Now getting OUT of the door is a totally different deal! I’ve got nothin’! ;)

Do you have any strategies that help you with getting in or out of the door? I would love to hear them!!

The Hardest Job I've Ever Had

Being a mom is the hardest job I’ve ever had.

Besides a job at a daycare in high school, I have had only one job in my life- being a teacher. And that job wasn’t just a job for me- it was my lifestyle. I lived and breathed it and loved it and as a result I reached a place where I was fairly good at it and I felt a real sense of confidence and pride. It wasn’t always easy and I definitely had my share of failures, struggles, difficulties, and hardships, but the challenge was exciting and I was constantly growing, learning, and improving. I loved my students, my coworkers, my own little classroom, the smell of the cafeteria and sweaty kids after recess. Ok, maybe not so much the smelly kids, but you get my drift!

When I became a full-time-mom I never imagined that I would have to apply the same amount of work and learning to my parenting. But the reality is- being a mom is simply the hardest job I have ever had.

What makes it so hard? Well, for me, it’s a constant self-improvement project. My kids tend to bring out the worst parts of me. The impatient, selfish parts that weren’t always so present when I was working. No one is home with me offering praise for a job well done and I don’t have a team of people down the hall to collaborate with, plan, and problem-solve. Now that I realize how important those things are I am making an effort to “build my tribe” as the current lingo goes, but doing that takes extra time, energy, and effort that I don’t always have.

Half the time I don’t know what the heck I’m doing. There are so many situations in which I just have to stop and pray because I don’t want to yell or lose my cool. I’ve done the yelling and time-out- and lecturing (with lots of tears- both mine and Connor's!) too many times to count. I can tell you from experience- it doesn’t work!

God knew what he was doing when he paved the way for me to stay at home. I have learned through the situations I’ve faced that God polishes me like sandpaper on wood. The end result is beautiful, but the process is sometimes uncomfortable. Sometimes painful. Sometimes downright heart-wrenching.

I have also learned that we all have our unique boundaries, limits, and struggles. What is hard for me isn’t necessarily a problem for other moms and vice versa. Accepting that my struggles are just that- mine- and that no one can help me truly fix them but myself and God has been humbling. My own experiences, opinions, and frame of reference influences the way I parent and that isn’t always a good thing! For me to be a better mom I have to be the best version of myself and that requires change from the inside-out. Way easier said than done.

Thankfully, along with the challenging situations, he has also blessed me with people who are helping me in my journey. I have learned so much about myself and my children and just like when I was teaching I am constantly learning, growing, changing, problem-solving and improving.

After some soul-searching I realized that one of the things that helps fill me up is writing about and sharing my experiences. I have been so thankful to receive the help I have and I want to share anything that could potentially help just one other mom. Whether that’s sharing a lesson I’ve learned, a challenging moment I survived without losing my cool, a funny thing one of the kids did, or whatever- I just want to share. Writing is about the only creative outlet I have at the moment and I want to make an effort to do it more. I’m going to revisit this lonely ol’ blog of mine and rekindle our relationship. Ha!

So here’s to all of us mommas out there who are just doing the best we can for ourselves and our kids. My hope is that by sharing my journey I just might be able to offer something positive to someone else!