i have to say...

attention: homeschoolers and people interested in homeschooling

The Heart of the Matter Online is hosting it's first Homeschool Virtual Conference and I have 5 tickets to give away to the event!  Whether you are a seasoned homeschooler, someone just starting out, or a parent curious about how it's done, this conference will be a blessing to you!

On the week of July 30th through August 3rd, HOTM will host motivational speakers, video tutorials, free products, question and answer sessions, and a vendor hall--all online!  You can choose to either listen live or log in at your convenience and download the audios.

To win a ticket to this online conference, simply leave a comment in this post and I will draw names to pick the winners.  The names of the winners will be announced on Thursday, July 10th.

More information about the event can be found here.

***Comments on this post will be closed on Wednesday, July 9th, at 9:00 PM.

Have a great day!

 

the new issue is out!

Click here to get it!

the heart of the matter

Today's post, Take Back the Hours, is at The Heart of the Matter.

"One mistake that we have made in the past has been to schedule our lives according to the things that seem to scream for our attention---and I am not talking about toddlers! The need to put out constant fires may be a sign that you are overextended and that you need to cut back on your commitments."

Click here to read more.

the heart of the matter

Homeschool conventions, should you attend or not?

"Attending your state's homeschool convention may seem like a hassle or an unnecessary expense, but I can say from experience that it could be one of the most important parts of your school year."

Click here to read more.

lapbooking

It took us a long time to get around to it, but we finally started lapbooking!

"They provide a perfect place to write notes, draw pictures, and collect images from the computer.  Lapbooks help to organize information while encouraging creativity."

Click here to read more.

homeschooling news

Did you know:

"...on Thursday, February 28th, The Second Appellate District in Los Angeles County ruled that a homeschooling family from Southern California...did not have a right to “homeschool” under the California Constitution unless the parent is a credentialed tutor."

You can sign a petition to request depublishing of this case here.

Governor Schwarzenegger issued this statement:

"Every California child deserves a quality education and parents should have the right to decide what’s best for their children. Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children's education. This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts and if the courts don't protect parents' rights then, as elected officials, we will.”

I hope so!

reading to my kids

Today you can find me at The Heart of the Matter talking about kids and books.

Hope to see you there!

***Don't forget about The Recipe Box Swap tomorrow!

going bananas!

My post over at The Heart of Matter is a sweet one and it contains an idea for what to do on "one of those days"!

"We were having "one of those days" when I realized that we needed to shut the books, put away the paper and pencils, and have some fun together. These days are usually few and far between, but I have found that making a mess in the kitchen is a great way to fix things up. Adding chocolate to mix only enhances things!"

Have a great day!

Also:  The Homeschool Lounge is up and running.   Click over to take a peek!

curriculum choices

Today my post at The Heart of the Matter is about finding the perfect homeschooling method.  Does it really exist?

"Homeschooling philosophies abound. Books, magazines, and websites all boast the right and best way to guide your child through their school days. Which method should you choose?"

Click here to read more.

Have a great day!

***Also, Dawn very sweetly spotlighted me here for Foto Friday.  Thanks, Dawn!

the heart of the matter

Today my post at The Heart of the Matter is about renewing the homeschooling vision when things start dragging:

"That unsettling feeling that there is no point to what you do each and every day is all too common simply because we are human. Worksheets, spelling tests, and science projects all have a way of becoming a burden if you lose the vision of why you homeschool your children."

Click here to read more.

This was our view yesterday during school:

Dark and cold, but nice and snowy!

the heart of the matter

If you are a homeschooler, or if you are interested in finding out more about it, this brand-new blog is for you! 

Each and every day will feature articles, tips and encouragement written by homeschooling moms from around the blogosphere, and once per month an online magazine will be available for you.  I am excited to say that I will be there a couple of times per month as well!

Today's launch features the magazine as well as other fun stuff. 

I will see you there!

of school days and whales

Our school year is in full swing and I am loving it!  Our scheduled days filled with "to-do's" somehow leave me with more free-time and motivation than the lazy days of summer.  Maybe next year we will skip summer break?!?  My kids would probably mutiny if I did that, but the thought leaves me feeling all peaceful inside.

Our favorite new book this year is  Exploring Creation with Biology---Swimming Creatures.   I (I mean the kids) have learned so much already. 

When we got to the chapter about whales my kids fell in love with the humpbacks.   I remember the humpbacks from when I was a kid, but my memory doesn't come from a textbook.

My mom is a lover of all animals.  When I was a kids we had pictures of endangered seals and tigers in our living room, and we had enough cats to start our own cat plantation.  What we also had was a record called "Songs of the Humpback Whale".  This record was a recording of the sounds that humpback whales make underwater.   It was a full length record--or was it double-length?--and, quite honestly, I thought it was weird. 

Now, my mom was not opposed to embarrassing her  children, so she played her record ALL THE TIME.  This included when we had friends over and on Saturday mornings with the front door wide open, with the volume high enough for all of the neighbors to hear.  As a teenager, this was enough to push me over the edge.

While I am not opposed to embarrassing my kids on occasion , I do understand that doing certain things are just not OK.  So we listened to the "Songs" on our computer, all by ourselves, with the doors and windows closed to keep the sound inside.

They loved it.

To hear the songs, click here.

To learn more about the humpbacks, click here

Have a lovely weekend!

today's post is brought to you by the letter "b"

As part of Aubry's school this year she is creating an ABC book.  Basically there is a page per letter and she cuts and pastes and draws and tapes to fill her page with pictures, letters and words.  She is a creative gal so this seems more like fun-time than work-time to her!

Our letter for this week is "B" and here is Miss Smarty-pants' word selection:

She's a crack-up, isn't she?

thanks!

Many thanks to all who participated in Back to Homeschool Week!  The response was amazing and unexpected.  All together there are more than 300 posts.  If you need some homeschooling encouragement, advice and even a caution or two, just click away.  You are sure to find what you are looking for!  And please feel free to email me if you have something you would like to chat about. I love to talk homeschooling!

There is so much encouragement to be found when a group of women get together to share their life experiences and goals.  So often we realize that we are more alike than different, and that by opening up we can spur each other on while we travel along life's road.  Who among us doesn't need a little bit of "spurring" now and then?  I know that I do!

At this point my sights are set towards our first day of school.  The first week of September is my goal and a very large stack of books awaits my attention.  We are using a couple of new things this year and I need to familiarize myself with what I will be teaching ( what a concept, huh?) before I attempt to engage my children in learning.  For now the books are in a big basket in my living room---the same place I put the library books that the kids use for school during the school year---so that they meet my eye each and everyday.

The new school year always feels like a clean slate to me.  It is an opportunity to discover new things, explore fresh ideas and, most importantly, to deepen relationships.  Sometimes I can't believe that I lucked out and got to be a part of this awesome adventure called "family". 

Thanks again!

Welcome to Back to Homeschool Week!  All are invited to participate during this week, and you may do so according to your ability---one post or five is fine with me!  My hope is that this week will provide you with information, encouragement and maybe a new friend or two.  Feel free to browse, comment and ask questions!

Scroll down to view this week's posts and links, or click below:

What is Back to Homeschool Week?
Monday--What led to your decision to homeschool?
Tuesday--How do you homeschool?
Wednesday--Getting out there...
Thursday--If I Had Only Known...
Friday--Curriculum

curriculum

    ***Today's topic is "Curriculum".  Simply scroll to the bottom of this post to find links to the blogs of other participants or to post your own blog post URL.  Please feel free to join in!

I have gone back and forth on what I should post today.  A master list of curriculum?  My favorite curriculum suppliers?  Homeschool goods I can't do without?

Well, my decision is to post Aubry's 1st grade curriculum list.  I am doing this so that you can see that homeschooling in the early grades doesn't need to be book-laden or time intensive.  This is a time to read together, play together, work together and learn together.  Honestly, I have to try hard to stretch her "3 R's" time past one hour.  Generally we work together for about 45 minutes and then she gathers craft supplies and creates things.  Lots of things.  This time of creating is at least as important as the time we spend learning phonics and numbers.

I have five children, ages 5-19.  All of them are homeschooled and one has graduated and is in college, so you can trust me when I suggest that you don't sweat the early years.  These are the fun and simple ones!

Here is Aubry's little pile of books:

Math: Rod and Staff Grade One--These workbooks build on concepts slowly and the student reviews all of the math operations throughout the year.

Phonics: MCP Plaid Phonics--I have used this series with every one of my kids.  In Kindergarten the child learns letter recognition and sounds, and then moves on to short vowel word combinations and then to long vowel combinations.  The simple way of building on what the student has already learned makes this a perfect (and inexpensive) way to teach reading.  I use this series until 3rd grade when I move on to ABeka language.

Writing: A Reason for Writing A--All of my kids have loved these books because of the "border sheets" that they get to write and color on at the end of each week.  Scriptures are the basis of each week's lesson and the border sheets can be hung on the refrigerator or they can be mailed to grandmas and grandpas to show off the child's writing skills.

Reading:--Rod and Staff Readers for Grade One   and lots and lots of library books!  These readers have cute and simple stories with a focus on the Bible and family.  Reading aloud from these books daily helps the child to strengthen their reading skills.  A trip to the library is on our calendar each week and Aubry gets to pick five books to bring home.  We try to have all of these read before they need to be returned, and at this age I think that mom reading to child is just as necessary as child reading to mom.  If you can get your child reading within the first few years of homeschooling, you are well on your way to a successful education!

***I realize that not all kids are strong readers, but most children can master the basics of reading which will allow them to learn about anything!

If you look on my right sidebar you will notice a link called "homeschool helps and supplies".  Click on it to find the curriculum suppliers that we use most often.

Happy homeschooling!

if i had only known...

    ***Today's topic is "If I Had Only Known...".  Simply scroll to the bottom of this post to find links to the blogs of other participants or to post your own blog post URL.     Tomorrow's topic will be "Curriculum...".    Please feel free to join in!

I have learned that when something doesn't work, stop doing it.  That perfect curriculum that everyone is talking about, the one that has revolutionized everyone's homeschooling experience, may not work for my children and me.

Curriculum suppliers have noticed tremendous economic potential among homeschoolers and they are capitalizing on it by offering multitudes of lesson plans, text books and unit studies.  I will admit that this makes for a great selection when it comes time to purchase items for the school year, but if you don't do a little learning yourself before shopping, you might find yourself buying books based on what everyone else says rather than what you know that you need

It is a wise to learn somethings about children's learning styles and teaching styles (classical, unschooling, unit study, etc.) before attending a homeschool conference or a curriculum sale so that you can make knowledgeable decisions about what to purchase.

When my children were younger (4 kids under 8 years old) I was fully convinced of the value of unit studies.  I gathered materials and supplies, I made outlines and schedules, only to find myself completely frustrated and ready to throw up my hands in despair.  No one had mentioned that attempting to teach with the unit study method with babies and toddlers underfoot could be quite a challenge.  And for me, a teacher who thrives on some semblance of schedule, I needed to try a method that wasn't so completely hands-on all day long.

If something simply isn't working for your family, set is aside or toss it in the trash.  Then set out to find what works---for you!  Asking fellow homeschoolers f or direction is good, but it is even better when you have educated yourself to know what works best for your own homeschool.

getting out there...

    ***I am so excited at the response for Back to Homeschool Week!  There is a ton of encouragement and inspiration within all of the posts and I thank you all for that!

Today's topic is "Getting out there...".  Simply scroll to the bottom of this post to find links to the blogs of other participants or to post your own blog post URL.     Tomorrow's topic will be "If I Had Only Known...".    Please feel free to join in!

One of the things that I love the most about homeschooling is the ability I have as a parent to pick the best social situations for my children.  We spend lots of time out in our community, with friends, and at church, but we always pick what is best and what enhances the life that we lead.

While I desire for my kids to engage in their world and relate with people from all walks of life, I won't allow them to do things that compromise the teaching and instruction that my husband and I are establishing at home.  We pick activities that build our kids up, allow them to learn and to be of service to others, and we always make sure that parents are welcome.  There have been many times, even with church activities, that parents are subtlely let known that they don't need to be there.  Even if competent adults are present, my hubby and I like to be a part of what our kids do because we are the ones who are responsible for them.

Some of the activities that we engage in regularly are: karate classes, church, co-op (during the school year), soccer games and picnics in the park with other families, family game-night, park day (twice monthly), sewing days (the moms sew while the kids play), bbq's with friends, etc., etc., etc.  The kids have friends over about twice a week (not as much during the school year) and they visit the homes of their friends often as well.

Homeschooling allows my hubby and I to make the best choices for our kids.  There are tons of things to choose from, but not all are good or even beneficial for us.  This might sound rather rigid, but my children are happy, healthy and they enjoy life.  They also love each other and the people around them. 

Being choosy about what our kids engage in is not being too strict, it is simply doing our job as parents.

how do you homeschool?

***Today's topic is "How do you homeschool?".   There will be many topics to read about today since this topic is so broad.  Simply scroll to the bottom of this post to find links to the blogs of other participants or to post your own blog post URL.

Tomorrow's topic will be Getting out there...  Please feel free to join in!

Co-ops

From the time we began homeschooling, we have been involved in some sort of co-op.  Co-ops are a perfect way to teach difficult subjects, let your kids learn from other adults, and they provide a nice time of fellowship on a regular basis.

Our first co-op was The Happy Hearts Preschool Co-op when my oldest was four.  We painted matching t-shirts for all of the kids, taught ABC's and 123's, and we took field trips to the grocery store and fire station.  (Hold on a minute while I sniffle because I just realized how very sweet that time was!)  This was a perfect way to begin those days of homeschooling when I lacked confidence and spent too much time questioning our decision.

Over the years we have co-op'ed simply by meeting with a few other families to teach a particular subject such as history.  Meeting once a week and sharing the teaching load allows for a fun learning experience and the kids enjoy being taught by someone new.  With kids older than 4th grade, you can let them do at least some of the research and sharing of information, and projects are a great way for kids to share what they have learned.  You can be as elaborate or as simple as you want to be with the kid's assignments.  Some co-ops make homemade costumes and recreate historical scenes, while some rely on poster board reports and short essays by the kids.  Either way is valuable.

Right now we are involved in a large, highly structured co-op.  Thirty-five families meet twice a month and the kids can choose from approximately twenty classes each semester.   Being able to work with people is crucial in a setting like this since there are so many ideas and opinions being shared, and with all things that involve parents and children, the "opinionating" can get a little heated!  ;)

If you are interested in starting a co-op of some sort, just start talking to other homeschoolers.  It won't be long before you find one or two (or maybe ten!) families that are interested too!

***This morning the auto-links didn't work so I posted these links below:

Sara, Rhonda, Tammy, Rebecca, Heather, Elaine, Mama Squirrel, Paulanne, Sheri, Trish, Tiany, Heather, Tricia, Becky, Amy, Amy, Barb, Cricket, Lori, Flo, Heidi, DebD, Lesley,Christy,...

You can post your blog URL below:

what led to your decision to homeschool?

***Today's topic is "What led to your decision to homeschool?".   Simply scroll to the bottom of this post to find links to the blogs of other participants or to post your own blog post URL.

When we first set out on our homeschooling journey, our reasons for doing so were largely faith-based.  We wanted to teach our kids to follow God's ways.  Deuteronomy 6:4-7 has always been an important verse for our homeschooling vision and for our family, homeschooling has been the best way to implement it's principles.

Over they years our main reason has stayed the same, but others have taken their place beside it.  In this journey that we started long ago, we have found that the reasons to continue toward the goal keep getting stronger.

Academic reasons:  When kids enter the high school years they "blossom".  Our experience has been that they find their niche subject (or subjects) that interest them the most and that will take them into their futures successfully.  As teacher, the parent is able to tailor their studies to the student's interests and future goals.  A science-minded student can engage in research and experiments without being tied to a particular grade-level's scope of study.  The library and the internet provide useful information for this type of in-depth learning.

College classes are available online as well as on campus with most community colleges accepting students over 15 years of age.  These classes provides not only high school credit, but also college credit which makes it possible for the child earn a degree at a younger age than his peers.

Time-use reasons:  Each person has a limited amount of hours to work with everyday.  Homeschoolers tend to have an open schedule and are able to choose how to fill their day. School work that is typically done in the morning hours can easily be done in the afternoon or evening if other priorities crowd out the AM hours.

For teenagers this presents opprtunities for work, volunteering, and learning.  Employers looking to fill positions are often happy to learn that a teen is available during tradional school hours.  Veteranarians and doctors generally allow students to shadow them during the summer months when school is out, but homeschoolers can seek these opportunities all year long with so much competition.  For four years my oldest daughter has volunterreed for a local vet's office during the school year and this will be a benefit on her vet school application.

Relational reasons:  For most kids the high school years are busy ones.  This is a time period when opportunities arise that will be beneficial for the child's future, as well as the people around her.  For many this time becomes characterized by over-scheduling and stress, and this can lead to tense family relations.  Even though the student may feel competent in steering through her own life, a teenager's relationship with her parents is crucial for guidance and encouragement.

One of the benefits of homeschooling is the ability to tailor the teacher and student's day to make room for not only the things that must be done each day, but also for the time needed to relate with each other.  Filling in our schedules first with our priorities is easier when the bulk of the full day's hours are available, as opposed to only the late afternoon and evening hours left after school attendance.

As the high school years become busy, parent and child are able to arrange their schedules to reflect the important things in life.

 

Over the years our vision has not changed, but rather it has broadened.  The foundational principles that led us to homeschooling in the first place support the principles and proofs that have lined up alongside them.  Looking to the future of our homeschool, we see good things ahead for the lives of our children, as well as ourselves.

back to homeschool week

What is Back to Homeschool Week?

Topics for the week:

What led to your decision  to homeschool?

How do you homeschool?

Getting out there...

If only I had known...

Curriculum...

a couple of things for friday

I am very excited to report that the bag I entered in the Sew, Mama, Sew Bag Month Contest won a grand prize!  Seriously, I never win anything so this is a treat.  And the prize?  That is the best part:  $50.00 in fabric from Sew, Mama, Sew's fabulous online shop!  I have spent some time browsing which has only served to make the choices harder because her selection is wonderful, but I am positive that some Heather Ross fabric will be part of my final choices.  Adorable stuff!

Thank you!
_________________________________________________

Remember that next week is Back to Homeschool Week!  Please feel free to download the graphic and cut-and-paste any part of my post onto your own blog so that we can spread the word.  My hope is that many people will participate and find encouragement for the upcoming school year!

________________________________________________

Here is the proof that our harvest, while small, is beginning to trickle in:

Blessings to all of you on this Friday!

back to homeschool week!

I don't post much here on my blog about the subject of homeschooling simply because it is such an integral part of my day that I don't think about it very much.  We just do it.  For 14 years this has been our educational choice for our kids and I am assuming that I will be pursuing this for approximately 12 more years.

Honestly, I love it!  I love the lifestyle, the opportunity to spend time with my kids, the friends we have who are fellow homeschoolers, and the fruit that I see in the lives of my children because we have made this choice.

Next week, here on my blog, I will be hosting "Back to Homeschool Week".  There is a topic for each day and my hope is that my fellow homeschoolers here in the blogosphere will participate by posting their own experiences on their blogs.  This is the time of the year that our thoughts begin to turn towards curriculum, planning and scheduling, and I thought that gathering together to encourage one another would be beneficial all of us.

Below is the list of topics for the week.  I tried to keep the topics broad so that way we will have lots of different ideas and things to discuss.  You may participate for all five days or just for one.  Whatever you have time for.

Monday, August 6---What led to your decision to homeschool?   
Why do you do what you do?  What brought you to homeschooling?  What factors played a part in your decision?

Tuesday, August 7---How do you homeschool?
Scheduling, classical education, unschooling, getting the kids to help with chores, how to be "mom" and "teacher" at the same time, special needs, teaching an advanced child, how to teach the  tough subjects, teaching high school, teaching with babies and preschoolers in the house, budgeting for homeschool supplies, notebooking, etc., etc., etc...

Wednesday, August 8---Getting out there...
Extra-curricular activities, community involvement, volunteering, sports teams, music lessons,  making sure your kids have opportunities to be social, co-ops, etc., etc., etc...

Thursday, August 9---If I had only known...
What have you learned on your homeschooling journey?  What would you/did you change?  This is an opportunity to encourage others who are just starting out or who are struggling with issues that seem unsolvable.  It is also a perfect opportunity to tell us about one of those days made you want to throw in the towel.  A funny story?  Perfect!

Friday, August 10---Curriculum
What curriculum do you use?  Where do you buy it?  Have you found a "gem" that you must share with others?  Was something in particular a complete failure for you and your kids?

Please feel free to post the graphic on your blog so that the word will spread to others.  You can either download the image to your own computer or you can email me for the code.  My email link is on the left sidebar or you can leave me a comment with your email address listed.

You may also feel free to cut-and-paste any part of this post into your own blog post so that others know what it going on.  In each of my posts next week, I will have an auto-link so that you can link your own post from mine.

Because I know that opinions abound when it comes to homeschooling, I would hope to see everyone using this forum to encourage others, rather than to prove a point. My hope is that Back to Homeschool Week will provide someone with new insight and strength on their homeschooling journey.

I hope to see you next week!

***If any homeschooled kids would like to participate, I think this would be wonderful!  Either post on a blog of your own, or on your parents blog.  I think this would be a wonderful way to encourage parents in their homeschooling venture!

You can find me here today.

my girl likes books

Aubry has been learning to read this year and I have to say that she is coming along quite nicely.  Both of my older girls were easy students when it came to reading, but the boys, well, not so much.  The boys love reading and books, but the journey to learning to read was a little rocky.

For a week or so Aubry has been reading without my finger following along under the words and I only discovered that she could do this because I am hand-sewing at every opportunity (the craft fair, you know) and out of necessity she had to follow along on her own. 

Her step into the world of readers feels like a huge step for me.  Why is it that I thought she would never grow big?  As if she would stay tiny forever.  Ah, the wishing that we moms do.

A friend gave us a hand-me-down dress and Aubry was thrilled to find that it matches a dress in her Dick and Jane book.  Of course this prompted a hair styling session and some mommy-daughter reading time and naturally a few pictures.  Lucky for me this kid is used to my antics with a camera and even finds it kind of fun!  In her own quiet way, she loves being the center of attention. 

Watching my kids grow up and away is an amazing experience.  I can't help but wish that I could go back and do it all again, with more experience, patience and wisdom, but dwelling on the past blinds me to the joys of the present.  No, I don't have another one to diaper or teach the ABC's to, but I do have plenty of opportunities to teach and enjoy my kids every single day.  I am blessed beyond measure.

Life is very busy right now.  Crafts to finish, business cards to make, jury duty at a very inopportune time, and the day to day needs that I am responsible for.  Blogging may be a bit slow around here for a few days, maybe just a picture or a quick hello.  Knowing me, I will find some time to pop in and say "howdy", but I need to spend  a little more of my time doing the things that are high on my priority list.  Too many things calling my name right now.

Enjoy your day and hug your kids!  They grow up way too quickly!

if you build it, they will come

My son, Josiah, likes to make things, and because of this I try to include lots of hands-on activities in our homeschool lessons.  For the past few weeks we have been learning about birds so when we came across this website with directions on building a bird nest and testimonials that birds will actually inhabit the nests, he insisted on trying it out.

Now, I don't like my kids to be disappointed, so I promptly began to tell him not to expect actual birds to take over his nest.  After all, things like that don't usually happen.  But then I recalled a few years ago when he and his brother built a bird trap out of sticks and a heavy-duty Army net, and while they failed to catch a bird, they did catch a rabbit.  We found it all wound up in the net and we had to (very carefully) cut the net off of the little guy with a pair of scissors.  He was unharmed but very scared, and I don't know if I have ever seen an animal run faster in my entire life!

Josiah gathered all the supplies listed on the website and began carefully creating his nest.  He took into consideration the size of the birds, their eggs and the number of peeps in their family .  Also important was the fact that the birds must be warm and comfortable at night while there are babies in the nest so lots of straw was added.

After the nest was completed we spent quite a while scouring the yard for the perfect tree.  This took a little longer than usual because we needed a branch with more than two offshoots so that the nest wouldn't fall over in the wind.

Nest making is a messy way to spend time in the kitchen, but Josiah felt that the project was a success and he checks daily to see if any birds have claimed it as their own.  So far, no go, but the nest has managed to remain perched on the tree branch in spite of some heavy wind and rain.

Will the nest ever be filled?  My mommy brain says probably not, but a bird-trap building boy reminds me that you never can tell!

homeschooling discoveries

Recently I realized that I hardly ever post anything about homeschooling. I am not sure why this is so, maybe it is because homeschooling has been a part of my life for 13 years and I don't think about it much anymore. Whether this is good or bad, I am not sure!

For the entire time I have homeschooled my kids, they have done there "alone" work in the morning and we do our "together" work in the afternoon. This gives me time to work with Aubry mano-a-mano before the boys need me. Since we have recenly added some extra activities in the afternoons, I have been very frustrated over the fact that history and science work (our "together" subjects) have been falling by the wayside. And believe me when I say that I dislike falling behind in school subjects!

Last week I was talking to a very wise friend and she suggested that on the days that we have afternoon activities we should do "together" work in the morning and the boys can finish up their own work when we get home. Envisioning me with a glowing light bulb over my head would be appropriate since I feel like I unearthed a treasure when I heard this! So far it has worked wonders and I also find that I nod off less in the morning while reading books to the boys than I did while doing it in the afternoon. (Yes, I really do occasionally fall asleep while I read to my boys!)

I suppose that when you have been doing something for so long it becomes a habit, and the only way to get out of a rut is to get the point-of-view of a friend in order to solve a frustration. The answer was so simple and obvious, yet so hidden from my view. My only wish is that I had thought of it years ago!