Today, I want to share three things to teach your kids this spring in your homeschool. Now, if you’re anything like me, you’re starting to feel the spring slump. The homeschool blahs are no joke – and they often have you questioning if you’ve made the right decision to homeschool in the first place, especially if you are a new homeschool mama. But rest assured, my friend, every mama feels this way this time of year. We’re coming out of a cold, damp, dark season – and while I personally LOVE fall and winter – in spring, everything’s waking up! The birds are back, the sun is back, that warm-is breeze is back. The kids are aching to get outside and splash in mud puddles. We’re all just anxiously awaiting summer break – however, there’s still work to be done in our homeschool! Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing spring-specific blog posts with you to help get you through this slump. I’ll be sharing spring projects, nature study ideas, read-aloud, bucket lists, freebies, and more! Oh! And my favorite blog post will be live this week too – What to do INSTEAD of taking a homeschool spring break. Yep. You guessed it! Regardless of how “blah” we feel.. We do not take a spring break – and I’m going to show you what we do instead! Let’s dive into these three things to teach in your homeschool this spring, shall we! | Related: The ultimate spring sensory bin round up Plant Life-Cycle Studies We did a container garden last year right on our back deck! All you need are some containers (we used 5-gallon buckets – and got them super cheap and free from local sandwich shops!), seeds, and a little patience! We used this plant life-cycle observation study and turned our tiny home garden into unique learning opportunities all throughout the season! It was so much fun! Nature Studies We had SO much fun last year doing nature studies! There are a lot of studies available on Etsy and some for free on Pinterest – but mostly, we just took our nature journal and went on a hike. It made it feel less like school and a little more exciting! I’m sharing a copy of the nature journal I created and used with our kids – All you have to do is tell me where to send it! Just enter your info below and it will be on its way 😃 SEND IT TO ME > Outdoor STEAM STEAM, in case you didn’t know, stands for Science Technology Engineering Art and Mathematics. There are a TON of ideas for this on Pinterest. But the idea would be to take advantage of natural Vitamin D and do these projects outside! Let the kids get as messy as they want and then hose the workstation down after you’re finished! Simple learning that’s FUN. Here are a few of our favorite outdoor STEAM ideas: Nature art – Collect bits of nature and turn them into something extraordinary! Things like sticks, pebbles, leaves, and flowers make great artwork! Dissect flowers Sidewalk chalk Study the water cycle and make your own rain gauge Create an observation journal for bird watching + write reports on any nests you happen to see Do you enjoy spring learning as much as we do? I imagine you will love it a lot more after diving into one or all of these spring-time learning favorites! I’d love to hear more about your spring plans in the comments below! And if you loved this post and found it helpful for you, I’d love for you to share it with a friend! PIN THESE! Thanks for reading and I hope you found some great things to teach in your homeschool this spring! ♥️
This bible study was written by Nicole Boyd. Nicole is the owner of Wonderfully Fashioned, a handmade jewelry brand featuring tattered lace and wire-wrapped gems. She wants to be a voice for women all over the world, stating that her pieces are simply physical reminders of the treasure God created you to be. Nicole gives a portion of each sale to Exodus Cry, an organization working hard to fight human trafficking all over the world. Take a few minutes to get to know her over on Instagram and let her know how much you loved this study! When I was nineteen, I went to Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding, California. I had walked through a lot of insecurity during my junior high and high school years. Because of the stand I had made for Jesus, I never really fit in– and I was okay with that. However, I had allowed Satan to lie to me for years, telling me that I would never be good enough. My biggest insecurity growing up had been my shyness. I was terrified of talking to people, afraid that I would make a fool of myself and say the wrong thing. I was consumed by what other people thought about me. When I got to Bethel, God really started to change my heart and my mindset. I lived in a house with ten other girls and while that sounds like a nightmare to most of us, it was actually one of the most amazing times in my life. I had never really had close girl friends growing up. I was a tomboy and hated drama, so I found I spent most of my time with guys. Anyway, my roommates at Bethel were so amazing and I was able to build lifelong friendships. One day when I came home from school, my friends and I started praying together and prophesying over each other. One of my roommates was playing the piano and we just started to worship. I laid down on the floor and I heard God say, “I am loosing your tongue.” My eyes popped open and I looked around the room. It had shocked me to hear those words, I hadn’t even been thinking about my insecurity. But God had plans for me to speak and teach, and He needed that insecurity gone for good! I won’t say that I never get nervous when I get on stage to speak, or even lead worship, but I remember the words He spoke to me that day and I go for it despite my nervousness. It gets easier the more you step out. Throughout this month-long study, I felt like God wanted to show us who He created us to be. The reading portions are short but sweet. I encourage you to let God speak to you, and reveal how He sees you and who He created you to be! Reading Plan: Day 1: “I am Loved” – Jeremiah 31:3 Day 2: “I am Chosen” – 1 Peter 2:9 Day 3: “I am Enough” – Romans 8:31-38 Day 4: “I am Strong” – Ephesians 6:10 Day 5: “I am Courageous” – Joshua 1:9
Why are you spending YOUR hours trying to fight kids’ boredom, mama? When I was a kid, my parents didn’t try to fill every second of my life with ideas and things to do. They allowed us to get bored. And do you know what happened? We made mud pies. We caught fireflies. We played tag. We found things to do to get ourselves un-bored. I get it. I feel like I should plan every second of my kids’ lives too. But I remember how fun those days of “being bored” were. And I don’t want my kids to miss out on that. Last year, I created a fun calendar for the summer FULL of boredom busting ideas (you can click here to download) – and it came in handy, considering how everyone’s 2020 went down 😅 While we definitely used those ideas and a slew of others we found floating on the internet last year, there were still plenty of pockets in our day that the kids came up with their own entertainment. In case your family is needing a few ideas, I’ve created this list to help fight kids’ boredom for good! And most of these are FREE things to do that are super fun and entertaining! | Related: The ultimate spring sensory bin round up Just go through the list and add your own creative spin to each thing. You don’t need a blog to dictate how you entertain your kids with bubbles. Buy some at the dollar tree and go to town or make DIY giant bubble wands — YOU DECIDE! Ideas to fight kids boredom Sidewalk Chalk Bubbles Trampoline Bikes + Scooters Drawing Tutorials on YouTube Legos Play in a Creek Basketball Games (like, H-O-R-S-E) Play-Doh Four Leaf Clover Search Collect Pinecones + Make Birdfeeders Make a Kite Hop Scotch Upcycle Something Mud Pie Kitchens Outside Metal Detecting Scavenger Hunt Write a Letter to Someone Create a Bucketlist Make up a Play to Act Out Design an Obstacle Course Outside Create a Weather Journal Click here to follow me on Instagram for more homeschooling mom hacks + ideas ♥️ If you’re looking for another fun way to fight kids’ boredom, consider taking my FREE 5-day email challenge! We will work together to build a full unit study that you can do with your kids for fun or for homeschool! Everything you need to know can be found on the info page – just click here to check it out!
I was there when the first Gather Round Homeschool unit was launched. It was a mama with a dream and a passion and a lot of hustle. In ways, it pushed me to go after my own dreams with this space on the internet! Nevertheless, as Gather Round Homeschool has grown over the last couple of years, our family has enjoyed adding a unit study perspective into our homeschool day! And Rebecca makes her unit studies come to life – there’s no doubt about that! Before I get into our thoughts and experiences with Gather Round Homeschool, let me answer a few questions you might have. What is a homeschool unit study? Simply put, a homeschool unit study is not a curriculum, rather it’s an outline of similar things you want your children to learn. For example, a unit study about space would cover any and all information + data pertaining to space. You could go down rabbit trails about astronaut suits, rockets, the moon. Anything and everything you would want to know about space would be your outline for learning in a set amount of time in your homeschool year. How do you plan a unit study? Planning is the FUN part! You simply brainstorm a topic, research information, and gather activities to make it STICK! 💕📝 I’ve created a five-day challenge to help you build a unit study from the ground up. It’s FREE to join and I send you all of the steps I take to create our own unit studies – straight to your inbox! Click here to learn more + sign up! How long should a unit study last? I share this in the unit study building challenge as well, but a unit study can be as long or as short as you want! For our family, we’re ready to move on to the next topic around weeks three or four. But you could create a mini study (1-3 weeks) or a full study (I recommend no more than 7 weeks) for your family, it just depends on the amount of information you can gather to keep the kids engaged and learning! Our Gather Round Homeschool Experience Our Gather Round Homeschool experience looks a little different than the “Gather Round Lifers”. We’re definitely an eclectic homeschooling family – Just to give you an idea… We’re currently using Gather Round, Masterbooks, and Classical Conversations in our homeschool 😅 So, we do not live and breathe Gather Round Homeschool the same way other Gather Round mamas do. However, I’m a firm believer in creating a homeschool you love, not trying to fit someone else’s homeschool into your space. So, I will simply share some of our likes + dislikes and then a few ideas for how you can use Gather Round Homeschool in your homeschool, the way you want to use it. Here’s what we love about Gather Round Homeschool The layout, artwork, and style is beautiful There are a lot of great topics to choose from The worksheets + note booking pages are included in the student books You can purchase digitally You can basically purchase the teacher’s guide (and make your own worksheets!) There are lists for activities, what to read, what to watch, and some even have recipes Here’s what we do not like as much There’s a LOT to read – Our oldest usually just takes the teacher’s guide and reads it for herself because I will skim through the fluff and share high-level things to keep our Kindergartener engaged Doing a month-long unit study is hard for us because the lessons can feel repetitive even though they have a different topic each time The worksheets aren’t as challenging for older kids, in our opinion You have to purchase a lot of “extras” to make it a full curriculum – including a completely separate math curriculum as that subject is not currently taught in the studies Overall, we love Gather Round Homeschool! And we will continue to use it when I see a topic we really want to dive into, like inventions + oceans! But mostly, we will stick to creating a homeschool we love and not just a cookie cutter experience for our family. With that being said, here are a few ways you can use Gather Round Homeschool as a catalyst for creating a homeschool YOU love: | Related: 25 Quotes about homeschooling I mentioned before that you can basically just purchase the teacher’s guide and create your own worksheets. I said “basically” because you can’t purchase JUST the guide, however, when you purchase a single student notebook in digital format, you get the teacher’s guide included. The little bundle is less than $20. Absolutely worth it – even if you choose not to use the student book. However, you could use the student book for yourself, by grabbing the high school level – which will give you more ideas to share and talk through with your younger kids as you go through each lesson. Or you could simply allow the student book to be used by your kids by grabbing a level that could fit all of them, print as many copies as you need, and then take it further with extra activities for older ones. I have new video tutorials coming out soon on our YouTube channel to teach you how to create your own homeschool resources – click here to subscribe so that you don’t miss those and will be ready to truly create a homeschool you love! We have been using the pre-reader units for our boys (pre-k + kindergarten / first) – but I do not use the full unit for each lesson. Because we are including other things to make our homeschool ours, I feel that the full unit is too much for them to work through. So, instead of getting frustrated that my boys won’t sit still for an entire lesson and feeling like a failure because other moms are making it look simple,… [read more]
How to Make Elephant Toothpaste was written by Roberta at Biology with Berta. She has a passion to help students gain a passion for learning through a guided nature hike, a science or dissection class, or tutoring sessions – you can visit her website here. Today, she’s a featured guest contributor to the Create Your Homeschool Blog! Enjoy this experiment! By now, you have most likely heard about the chemistry experiment that is catching the attention of kids and adults everywhere… Elephant Toothpaste. Besides a cool video to watch on youtube, this could be the perfect way to bring chemistry to your homeschool in a fun way! By doing this experiment at home you can teach your child about chemistry, biology, reactions, catalysts, and more! Here is the science behind the Elephant Toothpaste experiment Hydrogen peroxide is a great antiseptic for killing bacteria in cuts and scrapes. But have you ever wondered what it is made of? Its chemical formula is H2O2, which means it is made of two hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms. When hydrogen peroxide breaks down, it turns into oxygen and water. Normally this breakdown happens very slowly. But we can speed this reaction up by adding a catalyst (a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction). In this experiment, yeast will act as our catalyst. Yeast quickly breaks apart the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide. Because it does this very fast, it creates lots and lots of bubbles. The oxygen forms bubbles, that would usually escape from the liquid and pop. But by adding the little dish soap we provide additional surface tension. This causes the bubbles to get trapped and make foam! | Related: Our Favorite Educational Podcasts for Kids Here’s what you’ll need to do to make Elephant Toothpaste: 1. Gather the needed supplies Hydrogen Peroxide Dry yeast Warm water Liquid dish soap Measuring cups and spoons Safety glasses (swimming goggles work great!) Large tub or tray to catch the foam Plastic bottle or cylinder Food coloring (optional but fun) 2. Find the right location for the experiment This experiment can get messy, so I recommend doing it outside or in the kitchen if you don’t currently have an outdoor space available. 3. Time to measure Measure 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide and add it to the empty cylinder. (Make sure everyone is wearing glasses from this point on! Hydrogen peroxide doesn’t feel good if you get it in your eyes.) 4. Start to mix Add two large squirts of dish soap into the bottle and gently mix. **Add some food coloring at this point if you want to! 5. Mix the yeast In one of your measuring cups mix together one tablespoon of yeast and three tablespoons of the warm water. 6. See what happens! Add the yeast mixture to the cylinder and step back! Here are a few questions to ask about your Elephant Toothpaste Experiment What happened? Does the size of the bottle affect the amount of foam produced? (Try a different sized bottle with different size openings) Why is it called elephant toothpaste? What happens if you add more or less yeast? How did your experiment go? Send us a photo of your students’ experiment and we might feature their work on our Social Media pages! If you need help, email us at biologywithberta@gmail.com and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @biologywithberta!
I thought I would share with you why we stopped using Masterbooks for kindergarten and walk you through the curriculum in case you’re trying to decide if it’s right for your family. If you didn’t already know, Masterbooks is a full curriculum that takes a “mastery” approach to learning. Meaning, your child doesn’t move on to the next concept until the current concept has been mastered, not memorized. It’s genius. And for that reason, our 7th grader is currently using ONLY Masterbooks – Which she loves! So, we’re not AGAINST Masterbooks, we simply have chosen to stop using it for Kindergarten THIS year. Watch the video: Build your own unit study with me in just 5 days! CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE Our Kindergarten Curriculum Choices from Masterbooks The Kindergarten level curriculum choices really are amazing. And I love that there’s not a ton of different books to purchase. Literally, everything you need from Masterbooks for Kindergarten can be found inside ONE book – Simply K. But I also grabbed the Foundations Phonics and the devotional, More Than Words, from Rebecca Spooner. Some families will grab the Math Lessons book for Kindergarten as well, but we like to try to include math in our day-to-day activities for Kindergarten level, instead of worksheets. To each their own 🙂 The Simply K book is open and go for the most part. Before each lesson there’s a lesson prep page that walks you through objectives, supplies lists, activities, etc. Once you begin the lesson, Masterbooks has everything scripted out for you to literally open and read. Each lesson also has activity pages to complete, a memory verse for the week, and other things to work on together. This is NOT an independent workbook. You WILL need to sit with your kindergartner and read through each lesson with them. Our frustrations with Masterbooks for kindergarten I actually love the curriculum. The thing that frustrated our five-year-old the most was the amount of time we spent sitting still to read each lesson. He’s five, y’all. He’s ready to go go go all the time – Sitting still long enough to not only read the lesson but for him to actually comprehend what he was hearing, was a struggle. At first, I was frustrated because, “other kids do this, why can’t mine…” — and that’s the black hole no one tells you about when you follow other “like” mamas on social media. But I got over that real quick. It 👏 doesn’t 👏 matter 👏 what 👏 any 👏 other 👏 mamas 👏 are 👏 doing 👏 👏 👏 God gave YOU a specific calling for your homeschool, listen to HIM and He will direct your path. And that’s exactly what I did with Masterbooks for Kindergarten. I, personally, didn’t feel at peace working through this level with our son, THIS YEAR. I still highly recommend Masterbooks for Kindergarten and other grades, because it’s beautifully written and the mastery approach is amazing. But my homeschool is mine and your homeschool is yours and IT’S OKAY if they look different, mama. With that being said, we will probably pull this level out again next year and see where he’s at as far as being able to comprehend and complete the assignments. Heck, I will still pull some of the activities out of this book every once in a while to complete with him and he does great! Our homeschool ebbs and flows and I love it! Moving on to Foundations Phonics. This is not a requirement for the Simply K curriculum, but it IS mentioned throughout the curriculum about halfway through. However, I’ve had more success teaching our son to read by reading from a Bob Book, than I’ve had teaching from the Foundations Phonics curriculum. Inside Foundations Phonics, it is very open and go. They script everything out for you, similarly to the Simply K lessons, and you work through the sounds our letters make and blending words together. There are some worksheets as well, but it is, again, so reading-heavy. I’ve found that something simple like a Bob Book is more effective. And the best way I’ve found to teach reading with a Bob Book is not only sitting down to read one together, but to truly work through the WORDS in the book as if they were a curriculum themselves. | Related: Our kindergarten homeschool plan for March For example, instead of opening a Bob Book and reading through each page – and / or GUESSING the words on each page based on the picture it shows, I will write one word at a time on our chalkboard and point to each letter. Our son will mimic the sound it makes and we will blend JUST THE WORD ON THE CHALKBOARD together. I do not show him the Bob Book. After he’s read every word from one page on the chalk board, I will then show him the page he read and we will read it together once again from the book. This is fun for him because we’re using the chalkboard and less distracting! The last thing we grabbed from Masterbooks for Kindergarten was the devotional from Rebecca Spooner, More Than Words. And we have yet to do one devotional in it 😅 The ONLY reason why I grabbed it is because Rebecca wrote it and we’ve done a lot with Gather Round Homeschool (her homeschool curriculum), so I wanted to check it out. But you guessed it, it’s really heavy in reading. However, it’s beautiful! You should grab it if you’re looking for a new devotional. I can’t wait to try to start it again soon! Masterbooks for Kindergarten I hope this gives you an insight into how Masterbooks might work, or not work, for your homeschool. Just remember that it’s YOUR homeschool and you get to create it however you want! ♥️
With every year that passes, the family dynamic gets more complex. Our schedules get busier, and it seems we need something to help reconnect our family again. One thing that people do in a business to keep everyone on the same page is have weekly meetings. This was when I realized there is a type of meeting that families can have that would be similar and just as effective! So, today, I’m sharing all the details about how to create successful family meetings and why they are essential to your family. Begin with the Mission in Mind The first thing I recommend doing before beginning your family meetings is to create a mission statement as a family. Having a mission statement is important because all the members of the family need to know what you’re striving to do. “Why do we have to keep the house clean?” Because part of our family mission statement is to be welcoming to others, and having a clean home helps us feel ready to welcome others in it.” The mission is a reminder of what we, as a family, are working toward daily and will give your meetings clarity. Keep it Simple Meetings can be 15-20 minutes once per week. They can be done before or after a meal. If you have little ones, then it may be best to schedule the meeting after eating. This is better so you don’t have to listen to how hungry they are the whole meeting! I love having family meetings after dinner because the family is already together, and no one is rushing out the door. The general outline of the meeting can be: Upcoming week plans and who is doing what Special projects/events Past issues and improvements since the last meeting Fun wrap up that ends on a positive note Did you notice I didn’t add vent session, lecturing, or fighting? Really be mindful of the tone you and your family sets for these meetings. This is a time to build together in a positive way and to teach positive communication, even when feedback needs to be given. Set Guidelines It’s important to set some guidelines to keep the meetings productive and timely. Here are some of my recommended guidelines: No cell phones or screens on during meetings Get a “talking stick” to make sure there are no interruptions when people are talking Set a timer with a reasonable set time as each person speaks to keep the meeting from running over These guidelines will help keep you on track and focused. Family meetings are not business meetings, so make sure you add some fun elements into your guidelines too. One idea is that you all hug at the end or make up a fun song or chant to do together at the end. Family Meetings for the Win When the family comes together and has weekly meetings, you create the space not only to set the tone for the week ahead, but you’re holding each member of the family accountable for taking an active part in the family. It’s no longer on one person to be preparing for the upcoming events (i.e. birthday parties, appointments, etc.) It’s about looking at what resources we have in our family to work together and accomplish tasks that need to get done: Looking at the strengths of each person Who likes to do what Assigning and delegating Creating the feeling of “I’m a part of a team” and “I’m responsible for something in this home” In addition, you can air your grievances in a controlled environment with a desire for an outcome. It’s not a vent fest. This is an excellent opportunity to teach your kids how to resolve arguments – agree to disagree, compromise. Many times we feel these types of skills should be taught at school, but we need to take it upon ourselves to teach these skills to our own kids. As you can see, family meetings are not about telling people what to do or complaining about what is not being done. Who wants to be a part of that team anyway? Family meetings, done the right way, make for a stronger teamwork dynamic, accountability, better trust, and healthier communication. We make our family a priority by setting aside time for each other. So, a family meeting is one of the greatest tools to help create a stronger unity. If being stronger together is a part of your family vision, then family meetings need to be a part of your schedule too! Ready to start having family meetings in your home? Grab The Successful Family Meeting Guide and get started today! Originally written for my blog.
Our kindergarten homeschool plan changes a lot, but only because I believe in teaching for the kids, not for test scores. Our plan for March is similar to other months of homeschooling, but I’ve added a few things that I think you will love to check out 🙂 Looking for a kindergarten homeschool plan? Ours is a relaxed approach with different learning styles mixed in – Let’s check it out! Link to things I’ve mentioned in the video: Address Printable March Lesson Plans Human Body Unit Study + Free Expansion Pack Well Planned Day Homeschool Planner Morning Menu Covers Weather Chart Classical Conversations at Home – Facebook Group Classical Conversations without a community – Facebook Group Hey, y’all, and Happy March! I had a couple of people ask us what our plan is for March, so let’s dive into it! In our Etsy shop, I have a March printable lesson plan that gives you ideas and activities for every single day in March. This is a great resource as we’re heading into spring! It will give you a chance to slow down and create a more low-key Kindergarten homeschool plan for your homeschool. Our March Homeschool Plan Our kindergartener’s homeschool plan pretty much stays the same all year, but it is very relaxed. We are not strict on times for things that we’re doing or when school should start and stop. As far as planning goes, I do not pre-plan anything, but I do have an outline of what we’re learning that week / month. The planner I use is the Well Planned Day homeschool planner. I love it because it’s a book inside of a planner – full of tips and ideas to help you make your homeschool everything you want it to be. Plus she has spaces for other homeschool things like field trips, activities, reading lists, etc. | Related: Find your homeschool rhythm I like to back-plan this planner – Instead of writing everything down and then hoping we get to it, only to have to erase what we didn’t get to and have to re-write it down next week… I will wait until the end of the day / week and I will write down all the things we finished. This takes the stress of planning off of me, but also helps me keep a record of the things we’re doing in our homeschool each day and keeps me accountable. One of the things we do every day is our morning menu. This doesn’t get done every morning, but it’s done throughout the day as we sit down to learn. If you want to see the inside of our morning menu, scroll up and watch the video. But basically, we put some independent work inside of it, as well as visual aids for different things we’re learning. Plus, we love the ability to use wet or dry erase markers to complete worksheets inside the menu! Super handy! We decided back in November that I would add in some classical learning elements. We love the memory work, accountability, and the way Classical Conversations pushes the kids to learn so much. But we did not love the community element and didn’t want it to be the main curriculum for our family. So, we are doing CC at home, without a community, and contrary to popular belief, that can totally be done! There are Facebook Groups (linked above!) and tons of resources on YouTube to help you do CC at home. We purchased the Fifth Edition “Foundations” program from Classical Conversations. I’m not trying to get everything for the week memorized in one week. But we DO go over each subject every day – and when we’ve mastered a subject, we will move just that portion over to the next week’s memory work. Considering how long our kindergartener will actually sit to go through everything, we will move on to additional work or educational games / shows. We are using the Gather Round Homeschool Ready to Read packet for additional reading work. I am NOT doing the unit study that comes with the packet. Instead, I am pulling the student worksheets from the packet and doing those. We like to do unit studies as a family. I do not want to introduce a ton of different topics just because it’s “part of the curriculum” — That’s the beauty of your homeschool, your choice 🙂 Speaking of unit studies, I created a Human Body Unit Study that we will complete this month! It’s available in our Etsy shop – and you will get the expansion pack for FREE when you purchase! Our favorite shows Wild Kratts SciShow Kids The Magic School Bus If you have other ideas of things you’d like to see here, let me know. I will do my best to share them with you! Connect with me on Instagram, @createyourhomeschool — and Don’t forget.. It’s your homeschool, create it how you want to!
Mary, the mother of Jesus Day 1: God likes to do the impossible Matthew 1: 18 – 25; Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:5-80 Today we get to read about two amazing mothers from the Bible: Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. I absolutely love the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah, how God showed up at the temple to tell John’s father that his wife was going to have a son, even though she was old. It seems that God likes to bring babies into the world by miraculous means- Sarah and Elizabeth were advanced in years, had given up hope of ever becoming mothers, and Mary the virgin. The part I really wanted to focus on today is Luke 1:35-38 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.” Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. Mary’s response is so beautiful. She didn’t question with a heart of doubt, she questioned (in verse 34) out of curiosity, I believe. And the angel told her what would happen. She humbled herself in obedience, essentially saying, “Okay, God. I don’t know how this is going to work, but here I am!” Have you ever heard the quote from Walt Disney: “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”? Well, I think God likes to do the impossible! He uses weak, fallible humanity to accomplish His purpose. You may feel stuck in the place God has you right now. I know I have! I think we have these grand ideas of what it looks like to walk out our calling, to be effective in the kingdom. We make it so complicated. God isn’t looking for people who have it all together. He’s looking for people who are willing to trust Him, even if they don’t have all the answers of how it’s going to work. He needs people who will say “Yes!” Day 2: The craziest birth story… EVER Luke 2:1-40 When I was getting ready to have my first baby, I was so nervous. I did my best to get prepared before Kaleb’s arrival, but literally nothing went as planned! My last day of work was on May 31st of 2017 and I was looking forward to some “nesting” time before our son was born. We had just moved into a new house and I was supposed to have a couple weeks before Kaleb was due. But no, he decided to come two and a half weeks early, just two days after we’d moved all our boxes into the house. We went to the hospital at 1:30 in the morning after my water suddenly broke. I hadn’t even had a chance to pack a bag to take with us to the hospital! I can’t imagine being Mary and having to travel all the way to Bethlehem, all while she was heavily pregnant. And I really can’t imagine having to give birth in a dirty, old stable, with only my husband to deliver the baby. I mean, come on! Thank you Jesus for hospitals and midwives. But in all the crazy surrounding Jesus’ birth, Mary surrendered to the will of God. I love verse 19 in this section of scripture. Starting in verse 18 it says: “All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” I bet it’s safe to say she did a heap of praying, too. She remembered the words that had been spoken over Jesus, and she pondered them in her heart. She meditated on them. And when it was time for those words to be fulfilled, I bet she rejoiced to see them come true! Are there prophetic words that have been spoken over your children? What has God spoken to you about who He created them to be? I think it’s so important to ponder those things in our hearts and to pray them out! And then we get to look back and thank God for what he has done in and through our children. How amazing is that?! Day 3: “We lost the Son of God!…” Luke 2:41 – 52 This portion of scription makes me laugh a little bit. Can you imagine losing the Son of God?! My father-in-law tells a story about losing my sister-in-law in Disney Land when she was four and it is hilarious. (He didn’t even tell my mother-in-law until Cassie was 20 years old!) I haven’t ‘lost’ my kids in a theme park yet, but I can only imagine the level of sheer panic my heart would be in. Mary and Joseph seemed to be in that same amount of panic as they searched for Jesus. And it took them THREE DAYS to find him! When Mary confronted him, he said “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” We don’t know what the rest of the conversation looked like, but here again we see that Mary “stored all these things in her heart.” I see the words and the things that happened as Jesus was growing up as little treasures that Mary was storing up in her heart. I can imagine her taking them out every once in a while, looking at them and thanking God for what he would do through Jesus’ life as he grew. What are some things you can thank God for in each of your children today? Day 4: Jesus… [read more]
Here are 25 quotes about homeschooling. But before we dive in, I think it’s important to share my thoughts on finding quotes for your homeschool. Every now and then, we need a little motivation in the homeschool department. As a mama, the worst feeling in the world is not feeling like you’re doing well enough or being good enough for your kids. When you add the weight of their education onto your shoulders, that feeling is (in my opinion) quadrupled. I read a book in our second year of homeschooling that completely rocked my world. The Call of the Wild + Free is one of the books I will forever remember and share with others throughout our homeschooling journey. I have a note FULL of photos and quotes about homeschooling from this book, that I love to go back and read from time to time. One thing Ansley wrote in the book is the perfect “bonus” quote for this blog post, and it’s one I come back to often. If all else fails, you still know how to be a parent. You still know how to read books to your children and spend time with them and share the wisdom of your years. Ansley Arment, The Call of the Wild + Free This book has shaped the way I look at our homeschool. We are far from “school at home”… Rather, we are learning to love to learn. We’re building an education on support, experience, and love. Everything we soak up can never be taken from us, so we’re soaking up some of the most meaningful things in life – Kindness, genuine curiosity, and Jesus! These quotes about homeschooling do not have to define you and they are certainly not here to make you feel less-than or as if you’re not “doing homeschool” correctly. Rather, allow these quotes about homeschooling to motivate you to be your best, to show up for your kids, to love without ceasing, and to learn together through life. And if you haven’t already… Grab The Call of the Wild + Free. You can read it on a weekend. It will be a great addition to your homeschooling philosophy. 1. Let children have tales of the imagination, scenes laid in other lands and other times; heroic adventures, hairbreadth escapes, delicious fairy tales, even where it is all impossible, and they know it, and yet they believe. -Charlotte Mason 2. What matters is not what we teach; it’s what they learn, and the probability of real learning is far higher when the students have a lot to say about both content and the process. -Alfie Kohn 3. All the world is my school. -George Whitman 4. It’s not that I feel that school is a good idea gone wrong, but a wrong idea from the word go. It’s a nutty notion that we can have a place where nothing but learning happens, cut off from the rest of life. -John Holt 5. I can’t imagine a man really enjoying a book and only reading it once. -CS Lewis 6. Don’t question your ability to teach your child. Question putting your child into the same system that left you feeling incapable of teaching your child. -Anon 7. You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. -Clay P. Bedford 8. The function of true education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education. – Martin Luther King Jr. 9. The more slowly trees grow at first, the sounder they are at the core. And I think the same is true of human beings. -Henry David Thoreau 10. Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all. -Aristotle 11. If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn. – Ignacio Estrada 12. The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you. -BB King 13. I think it’s necessary to let kids get bored once in a while, that’s how they learn to be creative. -Kim Raver 14. Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. -Benjamin Franklin 15. If the purpose of learning is to score well on a test, we’ve lost sight of the real reason for learning. – Jeannie Fulbright 16. Anything, everything, can be learned if you can just get yourself in a little patch of real ground, real nature, real wood, real anything… and just sit still and watch. -Lauren Hutton 17. Education must not simply teach work – it must teach life. -Du Bois | Related: Things to do in the morning to have a better day 18. Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune. – Jim Rohn 19. Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people. – Leo Burnett 20. When we feel like we aren’t being force-fed an education… that’s when real, passionate, fiery learning takes place. -Jessica Pilton 21. When the atmosphere encourages learning, the learning is inevitable. -Elizabeth Foss 22. Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. -John Dewey 23. What is more important and valuable about the home as a base for Children’s growth into the world is not that it is a better school than the schools, but that it isn’t a school at all. -John Holt 24. Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army. – Edward Everett 25. One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life is, I think, to have a happy childhood. -Agatha Christie
Day 1: Ruth 1 There is so much packed into this short book of the Bible. But for today, I’d like to focus on just a couple of scriptures from Chapter 1. Let’s jump down to verse 16 & 17. I love Ruth’s heart in this. Even though she was a Moabite woman, which historically the Israelites were forbidden from communing with, she felt her heart drawn to Israel. She states in verse 16 that “Your people will be my people and your God my God.” The other part that jumped out to me was the fact that Naomi and Ruth returned at the beginning of the barley harvest. Here they are, two widows, returning to Naomi’s homeland with nothing. They would have no protection and no way of providing for themselves. Basically, they were destitute. But God had a plan to provide for them and use them in his plan. Ruth didn’t know that! We get the luxury of hindsight when we read this story. But Ruth had to trust God, she had to step out in faith that God would meet them when they needed it most. God was setting the stage to bless them, bringing them home at the beginning of a time of blessing and abundance. How amazing is that?! In what area of your life do you need to set your face like flint before the Lord and say essentially what Ruth promised to Naomi. “Your God will be my God.” In my own paraphrase I can hear her saying, “I don’t care what hardships come, I am sticking with you.” What area of your life needs that kind of faith? Day 2: Ruth 2 Ruth was a courageous woman, for sure! Verse 10-12 really jumped out at me. The fact that Ruth was a foreigner or a Moabite is mentioned seven times throughout the book of Ruth. As I mentioned yesterday, it was a huge deal that Ruth was a Moabitess. Back when the Israelites were coming out of Egypt, Moab tried to curse them. At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?” Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” Check out Deuteronomy 23: Deuteronomy 23:3-4 “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the LORD. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever, because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. Technically, Ruth was not even allowed into Israel. (Not to mention, Elimelek and his family should never have even gone to Moab, but that’s a subject for another time.) Ruth could have let her label stop her from stepping out. Sometimes, we do the same. We allow labels or lies to attach to us and stop us from doing what God has called us to do. Ruth had to step past her label and choose to take a risk of faith. She didn’t know how people would react to her. Is there a label or lie you need to step past today? Take a moment to pray and journal what the Lord speaks to you. Day 3: Ruth 3 I love this section because it is such a beautiful picture of the kinsman redeemer and how Jesus is our Redeemer. The scripture that came to mind while I was reading this was Isaiah 43:1: But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. I get goosebumps every time I read that! You belong to Jesus. You are HIS! It’s so easy to forget that in the midst of being mom and wife, sometimes. Am I right? My mother-in-law said something to me about this will stick with me for the rest of my life. We were talking about how she had such a hard time when my hubby went off to college. She said that she had always stuck to the adage that “she was a mom first.” But when Colton left, God really started to speak to her that she was actually His daughter first. Jesus wants us to be good moms and wives, but sometimes our identity can get so wrapped up in being those things for our family that we forget we are His first. Have you ever felt like this? What do you feel God saying about this in your own life? Day 4: Ruth 4:1-12 I just love this last section of our scripture for the day. The blessing that the elders proclaimed over Ruth is so interesting. Rachel and Leah had anything but easy lives, with Leah fighting for the affection of her husband and Rachel dealing with barrenness for so long. What was really interesting was that they brought Tamar into the mix. Her story is so gut wrenching, having to deal with not one, but two wicked husbands, being sent back to her father in disgrace, and then having to stoop to sleeping with her father-in-law in order to get pregnant. (You can read that story in Genesis 38.) What’s the moral of the story? God uses imperfect people to bring about his plan. He loves using the most unlikely candidate, like a Moabite woman in a foreign land, to be counted in line that… [read more]
Mothers in the bible verses is a four-part study written by Nicole Boyd. Nicole is the owner of Wonderfully Fashioned, a handmade jewelry brand featuring tattered lace and wire-wrapped gems. She wants to be a voice for women all over the world, stating that her pieces are simply physical reminders of the treasure God created you to be. Nicole gives a portion of each sale to Exodus Cry, an organization working hard to fight human trafficking all over the world. Take a few minutes to get to know her over on Instagram and let her know how much you loved this study! Hannah, Samuel’s Mother Let Desperation Lead You to God1 Samuel 1:1-8 “Hannah” name meaning: “favor” or “grace” I have always been fascinated by First and Second Samuel. A couple of years ago I started really digging into the story of Hannah, and the birth of Samuel, and found some pretty amazing things. There were a few things that jumped out to me as I studied these first few verses of chapter one. First of all, this story seems to have some similarities to Leah and Rachel. There were two wives who were the favorites of their husband, Rachel and Hannah, but neither of them could have children. Then there were the other wives, Leah and Peninnah, both of them were either unloved but each of them were able to have children. It makes me wonder if Hannah was Elkanah’s first wife, but after years of not being able to conceive, did her husband take a second wife so he could have children? If that was the case, it must have been a huge blow. And on top of it, Peninnah made her life a living hell. She constantly mocked the fact that Hannah was not able to have children. Peninnah’s mocking pushed Hannah into desperation. But instead of lashing out at her adversary, she hit her knees and ran to God in prayer. In verse six it says that the Lord had closed her womb. I thought that was interesting. Why would God do that? Couldn’t He see that Hannah was miserable? Sometimes we don’t understand why God allows things to happen that seem cruel or unjust. But as we will see later, God had a plan to move Hannah to the place he needed her to be in order to accomplish His purpose. Is there a situation or circumstance that you are walking through that seems unfair? What if God is positioning you to receive a blessing? How does that perspective change how you react to the situation you are in? Your Response is EVERYTHING1 Samuel 1:9-18 I love how Hannah responded to Eli. If it were me, I probably would have stalked off madder than a hornet. “How dare he accuse me of being drunk when I am praying in desperation to God!” But instead of getting offended, Hannah responded in humility. I have to think that, because of her righteous response, God’s heart was moved. Then Eli blessed her and sent her on her way and she was no longer sad. She chose to trust God’s word and wait for her promise with hope. Is there something you’ve been asking God for that you have been discouraged about? Maybe it’s something to do with your children and family or a dream that God has placed in your heart. Take a few minutes to pray and ask God what He says about it. Are you enjoying Mothers in the Bible Verses by Nicole? Click here to follow her on Instagram and let her know! Dedicating Our Children to the Lord1 Samuel 1:19-28 “Samuel” name meaning: “God heard” In the commentaries I have read, it said that women nursed for about three years. I can’t imagine taking my son, who is three right now, and giving him to a church to be raised there. But Hannah was true to her vow and gave Samuel to Eli so he could serve the Lord in the temple. That’s pretty amazing to me! I believe that we are called to give our children to the Lord. Perhaps you dedicated your children after they were born in a ceremony at church. It’s a common practice among Christians and is a beautiful way to say, “Thank you, God, for my baby. I’m committing to raise them up in the way they should go and pray that they will serve you all the days of their lives.” Did you dedicate your kids when they were young? What are some things that you prayed over your kids that day? My Weapon is a MelodySamuel 2: 1-11 In places, it seems that Hannah is almost talking to Peninnah, telling her not to be so proud and boastful. Even though it took a long time, Hannah eventually had five children! The Lord heard her cry, and brought Peninnah’s words to naught. The enemy tries to do the same thing to us: he uses lies to discourage us, to steal our identity, and keep us from doing what God has called us to do. How do we respond? We praise! Did you know that the musicians used to go in front of the army when Israel marched into battle? They were preparing the way for victory. In the same way, our praise is a powerful weapon! | Related: Read more blogs from Nicole! I love the popular worship song, “Raise a Hallelujah” by Jonathan David Hesler. I encourage you to listen to the song today, I know it will bless you! What can you praise God for today? Here I am…Samuel 3 I love this picture of how God revealed Himself to Samuel for the first time. Teaching our children to hear God’s voice is so paramount to help them develop their own relationship with God. I grew up in a Christian home and gave my heart to God when I was four years old. I was baptized in water when I was eight and also started speaking in… [read more]
Mothers in the bible verses is a four-part study written by Nicole Boyd. Nicole is the owner of Wonderfully Fashioned, a handmade jewelry brand featuring tattered lace and wire-wrapped gems. She wants to be a voice for women all over the world, stating that her pieces are simply physical reminders of the treasure God created you to be. Nicole gives a portion of each sale to Exodus Cry, an organization working hard to fight human trafficking all over the world. Take a few minutes to get to know her over on Instagram and let her know how much you loved this study! Jochebed, Moses’ Mother When the World Turns Against YouExodus 1:1-10 Have you ever had to deal with an overwhelming situation? Silly question, right? As a mom, it can sometimes feel like you are all alone in your struggles. I find myself often wondering how I’m supposed to get everything done and still carry myself with grace. I can only imagine what it must have been like to be a Hebrew mother in Egypt during this time period. For a while, everything was good when Jacob and his family sought refuge in Egypt. After all, their homeland was in the middle of the worst drought the world had seen– maybe in its entire history. Can you imagine going through seven years of drought? 2020 certainly felt like a type of drought. If not physically, then spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Something my pastor shared this last Sunday really caught my attention. He was speaking about where we place our anchors in life, and of course, they must always be placed in Jesus. During his message, he said something so simple, yet it reverberated through my heart with such a resounding echo. “In this season, we must dig deep into God’s word. His presence is the only thing that will sustain us.” I’ve anchored myself in things other than God these last few months, I’m sorry to say. Distraction has a way of sneaking up on you sometimes. But this year, I am purposing to dig deep into God’s word and rest in His presence. It truly is the only thing that will sustain us in this dark and dying world. And not only ourselves, but our families and the people around us! Have you anchored your heart in something other than God? What is God speaking to you about possibly shifting some priorities? Oppression Leads to MultiplicationExodus 1:11-22 The first thing that jumped out to me in these passages is verse 12: The more they oppressed the people of God, the more they multiplied! [my paraphrase] This verse reminds me of stories of the oppressed Church from all over the world. Not everyone has the religious freedom we do here in America. You would think that oppression would lead to the Gospel message dying out, but it actually has the reverse effect. The Chinese church is thriving, even though they are underground. The more we face oppression because of our beliefs, the more it spreads like wildfire! We may not always have the freedom to worship God in the open as we do now. I’m not a doomsday kind of gal, but I have seen how quickly our liberties can be taken in the last year. Perhaps we will also have to face persecution and oppression in the not-so-near future. Will we be a people who follow Him no matter what kind of persecution we face? Joshua 24:15 says: “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” My family and I have made the decision that “come hell or high water”, we will serve the Lord. Have you? Take a moment to journal your thoughts about this today. Are you enjoying Mothers in the Bible Verses by Nicole? Click here to follow her on Instagram and let her know! Entrust Your Children to GodExodus 2:1-10 Now, bare with me today, ‘cause today’s thoughts a little longer. I have always been fascinated by name meanings and thought I’d share what Jochebed’s name means. Jochebed means: “God’s glory”Moses means: “To pull out / draw out [of water]” I can’t even imagine what Jochebed must have been feeling when she heard about the Pharaoh’s edict. She already had two children, Aaron and Miriam. Now her youngest baby was in danger of being thrown into the Nile. So she made a basket and sent him down the Nile, telling Miriam to watch over her brother. Can you imagine her surprise when Miriam came back and told her that Pharaoh’s sister wanted her to nurse her own son? And she would pay her to do it! I’m sure Jochebed grieved over the fact that she was not able to raise her son. Jochebed had to entrust her son to a stranger to save his life. But it turned out that God had a plan. God needed Moses to be raised in a palace, so he would have the mindset and skills needed to lead over a million people out of slavery. As moms, we can’t always spare our children from the harsh realities of this world. It can be difficult to entrust them to anyone’s care but our own. But God is a good Father, and sometimes we have to let go of them, to trust that God knows what He is doing. It’s our responsibility to train them up in the way that they should go. Proverbs 22:6 says: “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Moses grew up in a culture and religion very different from his family. Jochebed had to trust that in God’s timing, Moses would come back to his heritage and his people. We… [read more]
We are loving this ocean life printable art + flashcard set! I have this space in our home that we call the “front room”. When we were looking at this house, I imagined putting a desk there and creating a cute little sitting nook (I watch too much HGTV 😅) – Then we made the decision to homeschool and I want, so badly, to make it a functioning homeschool space for us. Nothing extravagant, but something that’s organized and gives us room to do school together. Now, that it’s starting to look that way, I wanted some decor for the walls, so I grabbed these super cute, budget-friendly, black frames from Amazon and got to work! I’m in the process of making generic educational wall art for that space (which I will, of course, share here!) but, we just started the Oceans Unit Study from Gather ‘Round Homeschool and I wanted to create something to make our space a little more on-theme. Enter – The Ocean Life printable art and flashcard set! Y’all, I could not be more proud of how this set turned out! The artwork is stunning, and each page / card reminds us of the fun animals we’re learning about! However, there are SO many things you could do with this set, without doing a unit study. Here are three ways you can use it as soon as you download it! | Related: Shop the 2021 Traceable Calendar Set in print + cursive Use the flashcards to learn a new animal’s name each week! Print the cards and find a new fun fact about the animal each time you go through the deck – write it on the back! Hang the artwork up just for fun or to create an on-theme bedroom or bathroom! I really could keep going – they’re so versatile! But to really see how great they are.. you have to download them! So, stop waiting around. These are absolutely FREE to download! You can click here to instantly download this free ocean life printable art + flashcard set or click the photo below! And don’t forget to tag us on Instagram [ @createyourhomeschool ] so that we can see how you use this set! Enjoy!
There’s nothing worse than the alarm going off when we’re not ready. We wake up already overwhelmed with the day ahead, and once we’re in that mood, it can be difficult to shake and can influence the rest of the day. Whether you had a good night’s sleep (or not), I want to share a few simple things to do in the morning to have a better day. Things to do before we even get out of bed. Here’s the simple three-step process of Centre, Gratitude, Set. It’s best to do it within a few minutes of waking. It goes like this: Centre This is a quick process to get into your body through breathing or meditation. You can do mindful breathing, a quick Mindfulness meditation, or some easy breathwork like box breath. As you centre yourself, allow the mind to get quiet, the heart to open, and notice the rhythm of breath and life flow through your body. This integrates all parts of you before the mind takes over and decides to run the show. *Note: if this is ALL you do and you don’t move on to the next step, you will still have the best day ahead of you. Everyone benefits from this practice. Gratitude Gratitude has loads of research on how it rewires our brain for happiness and optimism, and it takes less than a minute to do. Instead of reciting the same old general things, such as, “I’m grateful for my family, my health, my house…” or whatever you typically say, researchers suggest scanning the last 24 hours for positive moments in your day. | Related: 7 daily homeschool rhythm ideas for your family Then take a moment to relive them again as though they are happening right now while feeling a sense of gratitude for that moment. This approach not only gives you a double dose of feel-good hormones because you got to feel them a second time, but it’s also one of the most impactful things to do in the morning to have a better day. It also wires your brain to scan and look for positive moments in your day so that you notice more positive moments in real-time. Ultimately increasing your happiness. It’s a powerful way to start your day with happiness and a positive mindset. Set Lastly, set your intention for the day through your subconscious mind. The subconscious is most easily accessed first thing in the morning, so one of the best things to do in the morning to have a better day is to set your intention. The subconscious is our greatest processing powerhouse and scientists say its power is perhaps a million times stronger than the conscious mind so it’s totally worth doing. Start by asking yourself these questions: How do you want to show up? Who do you want to be? What is the impact you want to make today? Once you’ve answered these questions, imagine you could see this version of yourself on a screen in front of you. Observe how you move, how you interact with others and how they interact with you, notice the look on your face, and how others respond to you. Notice how it feels to be here like this. Take a few moments to savour this vision of you as your highest self today. Then, when you’re ready, open your eyes and notice how good you feel before your feet even hit the floor. You will feel aglow with inspiration and optimism for the day ahead! If you’d like to be led through these 3 steps in under 7 minutes, Click here to get my free meditation to guide you through the process. Even if you don’t do these three things to do in the morning to have a better day, it’s a great tool for days you know you need to be “on” or you have a big day ahead of you, or just because you feel like making your morning a little bit brighter!
If you’re wondering how to be kind to yourself in 2021 – Nicole’s story is beautiful! Be inspired by her words and embrace your season this year, mama. Enjoy! In May of 2017, my husband and I welcomed one of the most precious gifts one can receive. Our son, Kaleb, was born on May 30th, the day before what was supposed to be my last day of work. Then in November of 2018, we had our beautiful daughter, Kallie. Her birth was a whirlwind, taking only an hour and a half from the beginning of labor to delivery. (Whew! I mean, I said I wanted her to come quickly, but geez…) My kids are an amazing blessing from God, and I would not change anything about them. However, I was not prepared for just how much my life would change when I became a mom. All through this stage of becoming a mom, I was also trying to build my business. My business journey began in 2015, going through a couple of name changes and rebrandings along the way. In 2017, things started to shift for me. I knew I wanted to build a business that would allow me to stay home with my kiddos, and it finally looked like it could happen. Have you ever tried to juggle a toddler, a newborn, a laundry basket, and a cup of coffee? Yeah. That’s how running a business with two babies feels. There are just not enough hands or hours in the day. Amidst my new stretched-out body, postpartum depression, nursing, and tiredness, I was still fostering this dream of making a living doing what I loved. | Related: Essential oil blends + recipes for your homeschool Designing and making jewelry had been a fun outlet for a couple of years before I had kids. I was tired of trying to get things to ‘take off.’ I wanted to become an overnight success and just get on with my life. I had a plan to make it all happen, including scheduling my day down to the minute. Of course, when you’ve got kids, no one sticks to a schedule. (Unless it’s a 2am feeding.) By February of 2019, I was a hot mess. I was still fostering my dream of creating a jewelry brand that would help women see their God-given identity. But how was I ever going to make it happen? I was comparing myself on the daily with other boss-moms who were killing it in the marketplace. Thoughts like, “I should be where they are in their business right now.”, “You’re never going to be good enough.” and “You just have to work harder!” had eventually driven me to a pretty low point. I was ready to throw my hands up and call it quits. Unfortunately, the comparison snuck into my spiritual life as well. I would look at other moms posting scriptures or pictures of what they had read in the Bible that day and feel awful. I don’t have time to spend an hour in the Bible every day! A few months later, I heard Dan Mohler say that if you’re using the time you spend in the Bible to be okay with God, you’re doing it for the wrong reason. After that, I started taking snippets of time with the Lord throughout my whole day. You cannot contain God in a one-hour Bible reading session! I worship while I do the dishes. I pray while I fold the laundry. You see, comparison destroys creativity. I spent so much time comparing myself to others– other moms, other business owners, and other pastor’s wives. And I always came up lacking. I spent many tear-filled mornings with my husband, so desperate to see my dream come true, all the while feeling doubtful that it would ever happen. Thankfully, God had placed a friend in my life that could speak some truth exactly when I needed it. April Nicole Scipio and I have never actually met in person, but she is an amazing friend nonetheless. She’s also a pastor’s wife and owns a Christian coaching business. She helps women in faith, leadership, and business. To make a long story short, April hit me with some much-needed truth, right between the eyes. I poured out my heart over an hour-long coaching session, and she delivered some wisdom and counsel straight from the Lord. “Stop comparing yourself, Nicole. You are exactly where you need to be,” she told me. “It’s okay to build your dream slowly. But the greatest disservice you would do to yourself is giving up now.” And she was right. We are always told to be kind to others as we’re growing up. Rarely do we hear that we need to be kind to ourselves. We as women especially have this skewed idea that if we give ourselves grace, we are failing in some way. Resting equals procrastination. Why do we hold ourselves to such high standards and then wonder why we’re discontent? Through that very tough season, I had to learn to slow down and be okay with where I was in my life and business. That’s just it. It was a season. Now, I’m in a different season. My kids are a bit older. My three-year-old son goes to preschool for half days, and my two-year-old daughter hangs out at home with me. They are a bit more independent now, which is somehow more difficult than the baby stage at times. However, I do have more time and flexibility to work on my business. I’ve learned that no matter what season I’m in, there will be challenges.I’ve learned how to persevere. My husband and I still lead a crazy-busy life. As full-time youth pastors, there’s a whole other dynamic added into our schedules. I’ve learned to always come back to my friends’ advice: to be okay with slowing down my vision. “A little progress is still progress!” — Be kind to yourself. Let me tell you, as a… [read more]
Until 2020, a transition from public school to homeschool might not have ever been on your radar. But due to the pandemic, virtual learning, pods, hybrid, and homeschooling are common topics of discussion. Many parents are finding remote schooling is not a good fit for their children. The recent Gallop poll, conducted July 30 – August 12, 2020, reveals, “While parents’ satisfaction with their child’s education has fallen, there has been a five-point uptick (to 10%) in the percentage of parents who say their child will be home-schooled this year.” So, if you are considering a transition from public school to homeschool, you are not alone. If your family chooses to transition from public school to homeschool, here are six steps parents should take to make the smoothest transition. Step 1: Consult Your States’ Laws The Federal government makes educational policy, but the states are responsible for the standards, curriculum, and other primary regulations when it comes to education. By going to your states’ website first, or HSLDA.org, you will find the answers for how to notify your school board of your intent to homeschool, what you’re expected to teach, what reporting or testing is required for your state, and other fundamental questions you may have. So, start by consulting your state laws and filing the necessary paperwork. Step 2: Choose Your Curriculum Once you know your state requirements, you get the option of choosing what and how to teach your student. There are many philosophies and methods to choose from. But, for first-time families, it is wise to choose something simple and straightforward like a boxed curriculum that includes all subjects and is both teacher and student friendly. Consider publishers such as Abeka, Bob Jones, Timberdoodle, and Sonlight. By choosing a curriculum that includes all the components you need to know, you will have all of your basics covered. Then you can always add creative lessons and projects on top while having a solid foundation to work from. Step 3: Start Slowly It is okay to begin with only one or two subjects for the first few days and slowly build as you find your family’s rhythm and flow. Where will you teach? What will be your schedule? Expect homeschooling to be an adjustment for both you and your children. Most families adjust more quickly now, especially because they have been home due to COVID. But if your family takes a little longer, that is perfectly fine. The number one advantage of homeschooling is that you create your own schedule and pace. This is especially important for working parents. You can alter your teaching/learning times to fit around your schedule. Step 4: Include Your Children Homeschooling is a family affair. Ask your children if there is a certain topic or subject they would like to study or if they have expectations about homeschooling. Of course, you are the teacher and need to take the lead, but this is a great opportunity for you and your children to explore some different areas that public school didn’t offer. Allow your student to choose a novel to read or a topic for a project. Your student will be more motivated, which only makes your job easier and the process more enjoyable. Also, since homeschooling allows for more individualization, consider if your child struggles with a skill, like reading, writing, or math. If so, you can tailor your lessons to go slower and give them lots of extra practice to focus and strengthen those skills. Step 5: Find Other Homeschooling Families There are literally millions of homeschooling families currently in the United States and more resources than you can imagine! Search online for blogs, Facebook groups, and YouTube channels. Find co-ops, hybrid schools, pods, and other families in your area to network with virtually and in person. Even connecting with one or two other families will allow you and your children to build relationships, process the adjustment, ask and answer questions, and make the transition to homeschooling an enjoyable experience. Step 6: What If We Don’t Like Homeschooling? Students can typically re-enter the public school system fairly easily if they are below eighth grade. If your student is in high school, because of credits, it can be a bit more complicated. For a successful re-entry to public school, keep open communication with your school board, teachers, and administrators. This will assure you are meeting their credit requirements. It can feel daunting to step out from the security of public school, but with these six steps, you can confidently transition from public school to homeschool. After you have a little experience under your belt and you witness your children learning and growing under your leadership, you may find that homeschooling is a great fit for your family. Even if your desire is to re-enter the public-school system once the health threats are passed, the time homeschooling your family won’t be wasted.
Let’s chat about last-minute stocking stuffer ideas for kids… Thank you, Amazon Prime! 😅 No, but really. It never fails, there is always something we forget to grab or think about at the last minute and instead of scrambling, I’m so grateful we have Amazon Prime! Most things we order are one-day deliveries and since one-day products are delivered by an Amazon employee, not USPS… 🙄 We get what we order ON TIME! 🙌 Maybe you’re like us and need a little last-minute virtual shopping trip to get in the Christmas spirit! If so, you are my people and you are so welcome here. 😃 So! Just for you, I’m sharing some of our best stocking stuffer ideas for kids, that aren’t just candy, random toys that break, and chapsticks that will get lost. These ideas are awesome staples in your family time AND incredible resources for you to use in homeschool too! Wins… All the way around!! 🥳 Hey! Did you know… You can save SO much money all year round by simply signing up to use Honey for FREE?! I’ve been using it for a couple of years now and I’m still so shocked at how easy it is to use! When I’m shopping online, it will check comparable prices on Amazon and AUTOMATICALLY try multiple coupon codes to take even more off the price at checkout! Y’all. If you don’t have it… Get it. I promise it will make your online shopping life AMAZING! Click here to join Honey! Okay! Let’s dive into this list of stocking stuffer ideas for kids, shall we?! Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids Check out this list of stocking stuffer ideas for kids – I’ve separated them by subject… You’re welcome! 😉 If you have an idea for a stocking stuffer that isn’t on this list, comment below and I’ll update it! We’re all in this together! Kids Nature Journal | The Backyard Bug Book | Go Find It! Family Scavenger Hunt | Binoculars | Create Your Own Window Bird Feeder Kit | Bird Call | The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs | Nature Activity Book | The Tree Book | Colored Pencil Sticks | The Night Sky – Star Finder | Crayon Rocks Stamp Making Kit for Beginners | Scratch Art Paper Kit | How to Draw All The Things Book | Sketch Book | Origami for Kids | Paint Brushes | Illustory Book Making Kit | Clay Start Kit | Knitting for Beginners Sign Language for Kids Activity Book | Brain Quest Q + A Sets | 3-Minute Gratitude Journal | Story Maker Magnetic Poetry Set | Wordical | Scented Pencils | Big Letter Bananagrams | Create A Story Cards | Story Cubes | Rechargeable Book Light Free Printable Christmas Coupon Book from mom + dad to kids! SEND IT TO ME! Carmen Sandiego Game | Borderline Card Game | Countries of the World Game | Illuminated World Globe | Scrambled States of America Game | 50 States Fact Maps | Flag Frenzy | World Map Geography Game | Quick Pix Game | World Atlas Sticker Activity Book Digital Pocket Microscope | Geode Discovery Kit | Rock Science Kit | Lab Experiments Kit | Pocket Volcano | The Everything Kids’ Science Book | Lego Chain Reactions Set | Pocket Telescope | Earth Science Kit | Light Up Terrarium kit | Glow In The Dark Space-Themed Wall Decor | Beginner Snap Circuits Kit Professor Noggin Ancient Civilization | Timelines of Everything | Weird But True US Presidents | History Year By Year | Ticket to Ride Game | History of the US Card Game | Complete DVD Series of Liberty Kids | BrainBox World History | The Oregon Trail Card Game | Timeline Card Game Complete Set Pizza Fractions Game | Shut The Box Game | Tenzi Game | The Everything Kids’ Math Puzzle Book | Ozmo Math Wizard | Math Whiz Electronical Math Game | Math Riddles for Smart Kids | I Sea 10 Game | Proof! Fast-Paced Math Game | Math Trekker | Zingo! 123 | Geoboards Logic Links Critical Thinking Puzzle Box | Extreme Dot-To-Dot World Bundle | Ultimate Paper Airplanes for Kids | Original Slinky | Rubik’s Cube Set | Adjustable Jump Ropes | Fidget Toy Sensory Set | Wiki Stix | Sensory Snake Cubes | Try Not To Laugh Challenge: EWW! Edition | Jacks Set | Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty | Melissa + Doug Floor Puzzle Set | Knock Knock Jokes for Kids | Extreme Dot-To-Dot Animals Bundle And a few non-Amazon ideas… SUBSCRIPTION BOXES Green Kid Crafts Creation Crate Universal Yums Think Outside The Preschool Box Candy Club The Yesteryear Gazette MAGAZINES Use code SAVE10 on any of these Magazines to take 10% OFF at checkout! National Geographic Kids Ask Magazine Jack + Jill COUPONS Download this FREE printable coupon book [in the day 4 freebies!!] from mom + dad to the kids (or create your own!) and give the gift that keeps on giving, Clark! 🙂
A Stress-Free Christmas: Tapping Script was written by Tamara Donn. Tamara helps stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted mums regain their calm, enjoy their kids, and get more done! She’s a featured guest contributor to the Homeschool Bundle + the Create Your Homeschool Blog! Enjoy! The festive season is a time for coming together and celebrating. For many in today’s commercial world, it’s a time of stress, anxiety, exhaustion, and overwhelm. If you can relate, read on! Here are some of the top reasons why mums find the festive season stressful: Money No time for yourself Preparing festive food Present buying Putting on weight Spending time with family (although this might not be possible this year which could add more stress, isolation or loneliness or be a relief! And this year we have the added covid stress on top of everything else! Here is a little exercise for you to help pave your way to a stress-free Christmas: Rate the level of stress in relation to each of the above reasons on a scale from zero to ten. Zero means no stress, ten most stress. There may be other reasons you can add to the list that relate more to your own situation. When stress levels are high it is harder to be present with your children and create a calm and relaxed space for your festivities. In this article I am going to introduce a powerful technique that is easy to learn and apply to release stress so that you can regain your calm, get things done more efficiently and enjoy your family during this festive season. This technique is called EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) or Tapping. It is based on the acupuncture system and involves tapping on acupoints while focusing on the stress. In studies, it has been shown to reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels! Click here to check out the research that has been done so far. I work with a lot of stressed and overwhelmed mums, I know that you are probably thinking that you don’t have time for anything extra, as you are already doing too much. However, most mums find that even taking 5 minutes for themselves to tap can make a difference. In fact, I challenged a few hundred mums to tap every day for 30 days and the results were astounding. They reported some unexpected side effects including: Not needing a glass of wine or bar of chocolate at the end of the day Not spending money on themselves to make them feel better because they felt so good Husbands asking them what they have been doing because they seem so happy Aches and pains disappearing Feeling happy to get up in the morning again | Related: Grab a copy of the Christmas Tapping Script inside the December Homeschool Bundle! So as an experiment, I invite you to set aside just 5 minutes from the 1440 minutes available to you today to have a go at a Tapping Script! There is a Christmas Tapping Script available to print and save in the December Homeschool Bundle. It’s a great place to start to help you pave your way to a stress-free Christmas and simple to follow along (I know you might be thinking this feels silly but what have you got to lose?) If you want to watch a video, I suggest downloading my free stress-relief video available here. After completing the Christmas Tapping Script, look at the top reasons for stress and rate them again. It is possible that some will have gone down. Repeating this as often as possible or as often as you have time for, will help you to regain your calm and rebalance. After tapping, mums often feel lighter, calmer, more energized, sometimes more tired, tingly, a sense of peace, more clarity. If you didn’t feel any of this, please do check out my troubleshooting page, here. Wishing you and your family a wonderful festive season filled with calm and ease!
How to talk to kids about grief was written by Katie Rössler, a licensed counselor and grief healer. She’s a featured guest contributor to the Homeschool Bundle + the Create Your Homeschool Blog! Enjoy! I have learned so much about grief over the last two years, especially from my kids. See, I am a licensed therapist and though I was familiar with grief in my own life and in my clients’ lives, it wasn’t until I went on a grief journey with my daughters that I started to see grief differently. My oldest daughter came into the bathroom crying when she was five years old. She told me she missed her grandmother. I was so shocked inside. She was four when my mom died, and though my daughter asked a lot of questions after she died, I had totally disregarded that she had her own grief journey which would take time. I was caught up in my own loss and never thought to check-in more with her about what she was experiencing. As she cried and I held her, I realized that her grief process was so pure and exactly how it should be: feel, express, ask, process, breathe, and then move forward. She never said, “Oh, I don’t want to feel this way. I don’t like crying. I’m going to go do something else so I don’t think about it.” She didn’t apologize for crying in front of me. She sat with it. Here we are now in 2020, and people all over the world are grieving. They are discovering grief isn’t just about death and loss. It shows up when we have adjustments to new situations, anticipation of what will be next, and changes in roles in life. Grief is actually a normal part of our lives, but we tend to avoid it so much that we have stopped recognizing what we are experiencing as grief. Well, again, it’s 2020, and so many people are realizing they can no longer run from grief. It’s time to look at it differently. With this, comes the question: How do we talk to our kids about grief? If we as adults tend to struggle with grief, how do we help our kids handle it better so they can learn healthy ways to handle all the emotions that come with grief? | Related: 3 simple ways to teach gratitude all year Here are a few key tips that I want to share with you so that you feel a little more prepared to talk with your kids about grief: Kid’s grief shows up as tantrums, extreme anger, random crying, regression, and reactiveness. Kids don’t always have words for grief, so it’s important that you notice these reactions and connect the dots to what changes or struggles they may be going through. I have noticed kids as early as three years old grieving, so don’t be surprised if you notice your young child grieving. Creating art and building things (think legos) together are great ways to get your kids talking about it all. It’s a bit of a secret weapon therapists use to get our younger clients talking. Color for about five minutes and you’ll notice they start talking much easier because their defensive wall comes down. (Hint: This works for adults too!) Remember that it’s ok to not have all the answers to the “why” questions. You are allowed to say “I don’t know” or “Let’s learn together.” Especially with what is going on in the world right now, most parents don’t have answers. We have not failed at our jobs by telling them we are unsure. Questions like “Will I die one day too?” or “Why do people die?” can leave us speechless. Start thinking about how you would like to answer these questions now so you are ready when they come (if they haven’t already). Be mindful of your actions when their questions trigger an uncomfortable emotion. Do you notice when your kids ask tough questions, you get uncomfortable and maybe even more impatient with them? I find this happens to me when they ask questions in public spaces or they strike a chord with an emotion I don’t want to feel at that time. That’s about our issues, not there’s, so be mindful if you feel triggered. It’s ok to say “Can we talk about this later when we are in the car/at home/or a different time today?” You are allowed to put up a boundary when you don’t feel emotionally prepared to talk. If they don’t understand, you can remind them there are times when they don’t want to talk about something. Make sure you tell them when you will talk about it and stick with that time to help with consistency and trust. Grief isn’t something we have to be so uncomfortable with, but it means going on our own grief journey. It also means that as parents we honor and respect our child’s process of grieving, and we teach and model for them positive ways to express emotions and thoughts during challenging times. Whether grief has hit you because of a loss, a move, big changes in your family, or anticipating what is next in such uncertain times, you can work as a family to grieve together creating a stronger bond. If you are interested in more information on how to talk to your kids about grief, I wrote an eBook with support videos for kids and parents that can be found here. The eBook covers the phases of grief for kids, typical questions they ask about death, moving, family changes, and major events happening in our world, and appropriate ways to answer based on age group (preschoolers, grade-schoolers, and teens). The videos teach the kids, based on their age group, coping skills they can use on a daily basis and provide support to parents and caregivers who may need more ideas and support. Lastly, it provides a list of books and videos to talk with your… [read more]
5 Unique random acts of kindness ideas for teens was written by Jen Dodrill from History At Home, a guest contributor to the Homeschool Bundle + the Create Your Homeschool Blog! Enjoy! We’ve all heard of volunteering at the homeless shelter or donating to the food pantry, and while those are wonderful ways to give back, I’ve come up with five unique random acts of kindness ideas for teens! Because, here’s my theory – almost everyone loves to show kindness! And teenagers do too, even if they grumble a bit. Get them started, or better yet, let them choose the way they will do it! I think you’ll see an engaged teen showing kindness in his or her way this season. To help you and your teen out, here are five unique random acts of kindness ideas for teens: Volunteer to wrap presents for an elderly friend, neighbor, or grandparent Wrapping is tough for older hands. Plus, a teen spending time with an elderly person and wrapping their gifts is a win-win! Jingle or Elf a neighbor At Halloween, it’s popular to “BOO” people by leaving a bag of seasonal goodies with a note. Let your teen head to the dollar store and also bake some goodies so that they can “JINGLE” or “ELF” a neighbor! Stuffed animal drive Another way teens can get involved in giving back to their community is to collect new stuffed animals to drop off at the police or fire station. These are used when first responders have young kids to deal with and can provide a lot of comfort to the children. | Related: 50+ Free Christmas Printables Blessing bags for the homeless Ask your teen to get some friends together to gather items for bags for the homeless or to take to shelters. You can include small packages of tissues, toothpaste, and a toothbrush. Also consider travel-size shampoo, soap, razors, deodorant, socks, hairbrush/combs, ponytail holders, paper and pen, small blankets, washcloths, and hand towels. Teens can raise money to buy the items, or they can do a neighborhood drive for them. Using neighborhood Facebook groups or the NextDoor app, they can let neighbors know what they’re doing and what they need. Make blankets Teens can make no-sew fleece blankets and give them to local shelters. This might take a little more time, but they’re fun and relatively easy to make! Show your teens these ideas and encourage them to brainstorm some of their own! Then, let them go to work spreading kindness and holiday cheer!
Today, I’m sharing some of our favorite essential oil blends for homeschool. Our family went through a season of really taking care of ourselves. We cut out all processed foods, limited sugar, switched to organic foods, cut out harmful toxins… etc., etc., etc. Then life happened, stress tripled, and we slowly started falling off the wagon. There are still things we appreciate, like organic foods and natural products, especially for the kids, but I’m ready for the shift back to really putting our family’s health first. So, I thought I’d share some of the ways we’re doing that, particularly as it relates to our homeschool journey, here on the blog! Some would say this is a series of sorts, but I’d rather not put it into a box. Natural family health and living is something I’m passionate about, because I KNOW the life-changing effects that a few small, meaningful changes can make in your home. So I don’t want to limit myself to a four or six-part “series”, rather, I’d like to share what changes we’re making and why as we make them so that you can follow along and get ideas for your family as well. Especially for homeschooling! We used essential oils before and still diffuse them every now and then, but I never dug into the world of essential oils and how they could be used, particularly in our homeschool, but also on a deeper level than just adding a few drops of peppermint to coconut oil for a headache. However, I’ve been researching the heck out of essential oils, not only types and recipes, but brands as well! Mostly, I wanted to make sure I didn’t hop on a “brand”-wagon because a friend had a code or “starter kit”, but I wanted to understand the who, what, why… behind every essential oil brand before I started purchasing more oils. | Related: Ideas for Fidgety Homeschool Kids Now, I was introduced to essential oils through a popular oil brand that starts with the letter D. Yup.. That’s the one! And I learned the high-level instructions for diffusing oils. From there, I started purchasing “pure” oils from Vitamin Shoppe because I heard that as long as the oils are pure, they’re great! Eventually, I just started adding oils to our Grove orders and that’s what I’ve been using for about a year now. Here’s the thing… You have to research what’s best for YOUR family. I’m not here to tell you one brand is bad or good, I’m just sharing what I’ve done and why I’ve done it so that you can see that researching before jumping on a trend or whatever is super important. As of right now, Plant Therapy is hands down in the running for our essential oil purchases. In fact, I just placed an order this morning! Plant Therapy uses pure oils and offers organic options as well, but the biggest PRO I added to the list (and was ultimately the deciding factor) is that they third-party test every oil and share the results on their website! It’s not a members-only club of information, nor is it a “proprietary” inside-test that could really be anything. The “cherries-on-top” are they are a cruelty-free company, they pass savings down to the customer since there’s not a middle-man, and they have an incredible program for giving back to communities all over the world! I encourage you… Do your research 🙂 Here are 3 essential oil blends for homeschool that you can diffuse over and over again! Plant Therapy is not an MLM. There’s not a quota or minimum order amount or anything. They offer subscriptions for your convenience (and give you 5% OFF!) but you can also purchase one-time and a lot of their items are on Amazon (which is how I’ve linked them below!) However, they do have a sweet referral program where you can give $10 and get $10 when you share your referral link with a friend! So, if you’d like to purchase and want $10 to spend, consider using my link to shop: click here. Homeschool Love 5 Drops of Cedarwood Atlas 5 Drops of Sweet Orange 3 Drops of Peppermint Memory Booster 4 Drops of Lavender 3 Drops of Peppermint 3 Drops of Rosemary 2 Drops of Grapefruit Critical Thinking 2 Drops of Vetiver 1 Drop of Peppermint 1 Drop of Sweet Orange 1 Drop of Rosemary In addition to these Essential Oil Blends for Homeschool… We also got all of the kid’s roll-ons! It’s so convenient to be able to roll it onto their spine or bottoms of their feet. Especially when they need an extra boost of mental clarity, relaxation, or focus! Here’s a kit of their best roll ons for kids: Click here. I hope these diffuser recipes of essential oil blends for your homeschool help you experience peace, clarity, and joy this year! Drop more blend ideas and recipes in the comments and tell me how you’re using essential oils in your home!
Holidays on a budget: spend less, play more was written by Amber Doughty at Rose Garden Hub, a guest contributor to the Homeschool Bundle + the Create Your Homeschool Blog! Enjoy! ‘Tis the season for very clever marketing! It’s the time of year when so many mass-produced toys and play resources are almost essential if you want your child to thrive and develop. These toys offer limited uses, reducing the imagination required to play. It happens every year. We are so excited to gift our child such a toy, only to find that actually more time is spent playing with the box it came in. I’m going to share some ideas and inspiration to help you resource some enriching play opportunities for your child this festive season! Opportunities that are not only free or low cost, but are environmentally conscious too. Einstein describes “Play as the highest form of research”. Children are ‘THE’ experts when it comes to play. With it being so important to their development and well-being, it is indeed one of the United nations rights of a child. Having taught, studied, parented, observed, and engaged with children in the Early Years and beyond for more years than I care to mention, I have learned that play is not only innate to children, but it is essential in their processes of learning, developing, and growing. Yet, we are still seeing so many marketed products and services that really inhibit the ‘play’ experience. The focus of this article is to delve head first into the concept of ‘Play’, and share with you a couple of low budget options to enable our children to engage in meaningful and nurturing play, in its highest form. Also, I want to give you permission to stress less about financing the high-cost resources and get back to the basics of enjoying your children, watching them grow, and have fun. | Related: Free Christmas Challenge for your homeschool There’s enough guilt involved with parenthood, without the financial impact of wanting the best things for your children too. Here are two key ideas to launch your own version of the best play opportunities for your family. First, one of my happiest childhood memories was at my Gran’s house. The cupboard under the stairs was transformed into a playhouse for me using household items but mainly structured from cardboard boxes. I had an oven, sink, cupboards. I loved that house so much. Throughout my career I have been known as a ‘box hoarder’. My classroom always had a box project on-the-go. And my partner has now developed a twitch every time he sees a parcel being delivered. I can almost hear the groan as another box enters our home and my eyes light up! Empty boxes. Different sizes, types, and shapes. They can easily be a brilliant starting point to launch an amazing play experience, or more often, an ongoing activity that develops in time. The processes that the children go through to create from a blank canvas (or in this case box) are extensive. The planning, the teamwork, the communicating, the resourcing, and the problem solving. The physical motor skills, the mathematical skills, it could tie in with a celebration and enable the child to process and reenact situations to make sense of such. Every age group can engage in meaningful play using a box. From cutting a door for a baby to play peek-a-boo, to older children designing and modeling a structure of their interest. Perhaps a sleigh to ride in, a house to build, a car or train to drive. You can really let their imaginations run wild with a box and some other basic crafts materials. Especially around this festive season, keep hold of those boxes, cardboard tubes, etc. They can all contribute to a wonderful learning experience, and they cost absolutely nothing. You will be amazed what ideas they come up with themselves! Lastly, I remember my Gran having a big jar of buttons and a sewing box with ribbons that I absolutely loved. My daughter now loves exploring my own ribbon box! You may have heard of ‘loose parts play’, which is something that is quite the thing in educational circles these days. It is pretty much a term that depicts enabling children to design and create their own play through the use of a variety of age-appropriate loose parts! These can include buttons and ribbons. Or you could take a family walk to collect nature treasures such as leaves and acorns, shells and twigs. The options are endless, which is the magical thing about loose parts! You are only bound by your imagination. You can support your child to collect these in a basket or tray so as to revisit! You can also add them to homemade playdough or clay, or the younger children may like to explore filling and emptying a variety of your pots and pans with the items. Almost every area of development can be nurtured through these processes of exploring! Describing the items as well as the process of implementing them into their play is so great! A fantastic resource we have here locally in the UK is ‘scrap stores’. At a really low cost, my daughter loves to go and fill a bag with materials of her choice to incorporate in her play. This cost supports a community resource, is less than it would cost for a magazine with a plastic toy that usually comes with them, and we can donate materials back when we are finished with them. Perhaps you might find a similar resource in your area! I hope these suggestions have inspired some exciting play opportunities for you and your family this festive season. If you wish to learn more about ‘Play Opportunities’ check out my Facebook page or drop me an email to share your success stories! I am launching a Facebook-based workshop and community group called ‘Spend less PLAY more’. So keep an eye on my page, ‘Rose Garden Hub’, for further… [read more]
I am so excited about this Christmas Challenge! I simply can’t believe how quickly December 2020 has gotten here. What has seemed like the longest hours of our whole year have really flown right by. We’re grateful for good health, toilet paper, and of course the opportunity to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year yet again! December is the month a lot of mamas drag through. I think there’s just so much going on, in general, this time of year, that homeschooling is the icing on top that mentally drains you. So that’s why we started taking FIVE weeks off for winter break. Yup. Five. My mind and even our kids’ minds just need that refresher, ya know? But here’s the kicker… We aren’t just dropping everything and becoming couch potatoes for a month. We’re just shifting HOW we “do school” so that the kids think we’re on a break and I’m not as stressed out trying to check all the boxes! This year, we’re repeating the Gather Round Christmas unit study (because it was SO good last year) and adding in A Connected Christmas from Lyndsey at Treehouse Schoolhouse, and it’s absolutely stunning! We’re also completing the Christmas Challenge I’ve created for the December Bundle! When I told the kids we were memorizing 20 verses in the Bible about Jesus’ birth, they looked at me crazy! It sounds like a lot, but the way I’ve laid it out will make it super easy for your family to do the same! SO – My gift to you, and perhaps one of many more throughout this month — wink, wink! — I’d like for you and your family to have a copy of the Christmas Challenge for FREE! You can find it in the Resource Library! Now, of course, if you’d like to download the challenge PLUS 80+ pages of homeschool goodies, the bundle is just $10 this month! You can grab it here. But the Christmas Challenge is something I think we will all enjoy going through together – so I wanted you to have it, regardless of if you purchased the bundle or not! Follow me on Instagram and tag me as you finish each day! Make the last 31 days count, mama.So grateful for you!
I had not planned on creating another post for Small Business Saturday, because I’ve already put so much time into the Cyber Week post in general. However… When I started thinking about how Small Business Saturday is a day where we should support small businesses, I thought that it might make more of an impact on our community if there was a list of awesome women-owned / mama-owned businesses you could shop from this season, regardless of if they sell homeschool resources or not – Because, not everyone we’re buying for is a homeschooler, right?! So, I have attempted to organize this list as best I can so that you can easily navigate it! Please support these amazing businesses this weekend, even if it’s just by sharing their shop for someone else to see! Don’t forget to grab the FREE 2020 Gift Guide full of incredible women-owned shops that you’re sure to fall in love with, a fun Christmas Challenge, freebies, exclusive flash sales, and MORE! Happy Small Business Saturday! 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