Homeschooling Changes

I've been homeschooling children for 13 years. I've started five children through kindergarten and I have tried so many different types of curriculum and homeschooling methods. Sometimes I think each one of my children has been one of my guinea pigs.

But what is truly important to me and to our homeschooling philosophy? Is it most important to produce an academic genius? How about a student that can enter the best of colleges (and pay for it for years)?

There's a passage in Matthew about gaining the whole world and yet losing your soul. I have to be reminded that although academic rigor looks good, that is not my ultimate goal. I want my children to have character, integrity, and a deep love for the Lord Jesus Christ. I want them to willingly submit to Him and willingly serve those around them; and that often means serving a brother or sister.

They could learn trigonometry, but if they don't learn the Word and hide it in their heart, what gain will it bring? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
How can I teach the fear of the Lord if we are always ignoring him for a science lab or math equations?

Yes, you can do school and bring the Lord into all that you study. To study science, basically means to study what the Lord has made and the principles He has created. But, I want more than that for my children. More than adding a Bible verse onto the top of a math page and believing I am giving them a Christian education.

I'm searching for the answers. I'm praying about what it will look like. I have a feeling it will be a whole lot different than what I have been trying to copy or produce these last 13 years...

Shut the Door - You're Letting all the Cold Air In

Who is not looking for ways to save some money these days? When every penny matters, it's important to learn where all the nickels and dimes are going. There are great financial advisors out there that may help their clients pay off a large debt or set up a budget; I'm just a mom of eight that has learned there are some simple ways to save. The ideas I'm sharing may not save you enough money to pay off your mortgage, but if implemented, the rewards will add up and the results will by satisfying.

Besides money, food is at the top
Cut down on the trips to Starbucks. Easy to say for someone who doesn't drink coffee, but do the exercise of adding up the cost of coffee drinks for one month. It may astound you!

If chips and pop consumption are a regular part of your family's diet, cut it down to 2-3 days a week. If that's hard, ask the kids to buy the extra snacks they want. Drink more water for health and savings.

Shop the day old bread shops. Store up and freeze what you won't be using right away.

Freezers are a good investment. Being able to buy food in bulk and store it safely can reduce your grocery bill. But make sure the bulk buying from your club store is something you will eventually eat.

Stay away from convenience foods. Compare a snack box of crackers and meat for you child versus buying the individual items and having many more servings.

Make a menu plan and buy accordingly. Go to the grocery with list in hand and promise to keep to it. This will cut down on the impulse buying.

Go, go, go...
Combine errands instead of making separate trips. If you live rurally, plan appointments and errands for the same day. A long day, though tiring, will still add up to less gas spent commuting.

Walk instead of drive. Not always feasible, but great for the heart and wallet, when possible.

Extracurricular school activities can be fun, but also mean money. Talk about playing only one sport a year instead of two. Dinners away from home, snacks, equipment and traveling costs add up quickly.

Heat and other household comforts
Turn the heat down and put on layers. I always hated hearing that one from my frugal husband, but with the costs of energy skyrocketing, I guess I can grab the sweater out of the closet.

Keep screens on outside doors and place towels around door crevices.

Pay bills online. Even savings on stamps will help a bit.

Use long distance phone cards instead of a long distance carrier. Even though there is extra time taken in dialing the access number, it is well worth it. Phone cards are available at Costco and other big stores.

Be sure to check your cell phone plan. Are you constantly running over the minutes allowed and paying extra? Seek out a plan that will work better for your lifestyle.

Ask for quotes from other insurance agencies. If they know you are interested in changing companies, they will work hard to give you a better price.

Instead of getting the newest book hot off the presses, check out the library and put in your request. CDs of your favorite music artists add up quickly. Multiply each jewel case by $10, at least. If movies are a frequent purchase or you spend a lot on rentals or late fees, try out a movie library club like Netflix for a constant monthly price.

Make natural cleaners instead of buying the expensive and toxic brands. There are plenty of websites that show you how to make cleaners from family-friendly ingredients.

Clothing
Don't run the washing machine for one or two items. Hang the laundry out to dry or on racks in your home.

Make use of second-hand stores for clothing and housing needs. People throw away things that are in great condition. You just have to look for the diamonds in the rough; discovery of a gem can be quite rewarding.

Teach your kids early that hand-me-downs are not a bad thing. Small children grow out of shoes and other clothing quickly without showing signs of wear.

Do a price comparison on cloth vs. disposable vs. "green" diapers. www.associatedcontent.com/article/1497561/cloth_diapers_vs_disposable_diapers.html

OK, these are a little harder...
Wash dishes by hand. It saves a lot of hot water and brings families together!

Sew your own clothing. Not many have this skill anymore, but if you do, compare store-bought prices to handmade.

Grow your own food. Again, not easy, but a huge cost savings if you have a green thumb. Lots of produce can be grown in very small places. Check out books like Square Foot Gardening.

Little changes made consistently can add up to great savings for the future. Try a few suggestions at a time so you and your family are not overwhelmed, then see if there is more money in the account at the end of the month. Give yourself a small reward if you have succeeded in cutting down on expenditures. Maybe even one trip to Starbucks...

More Photo Scavenger Hunt

More from our scavenger hunt. The goal was to get a picture of themselves and their grandpa. My dad was a really good sport.







Here the theme was "five". People always have a different way of looking at things.

Ways to Save

A family of ten needs to find some ways to cut corners and save some money. I could be a whole lot better at that. Just thinking about it, I came up with a list of ways to save money without really trying. At least not very hard...

1. Cut down on the trips to Starbucks. Do the exercise of adding up the cost of coffee drinks for one month. It may astound you!

2. If chips and pop consumption are a regular part of your family’s diet, cut it down to 2-3 days a week. If that’s hard, ask the kids to buy the extra snacks they want. Drink more water for health and savings.

3. Combine errands instead of making separate trips, especially if you live rurally. It makes for a long day, but if planned well, cuts down on transportation costs.

4. Use long distance phone cards instead of a long distance carrier. Even though there is extra time taken in dialing the access number, it is well worth it. Phone cards available at Costco and other big stores.

5. Make use of second-hand stores for clothing and housing needs. People throw away things that are in great condition. You just have to look for the diamonds in the rough. It can become quite rewarding.

6. Ask for quotes from other insurance agencies. If they know you are interested in changing companies, they will work hard to give you a better price.

7. Shop the day old bread shops. Store up and freeze what you won’t be using right away.

8. Freezers are a good investment. Being able to buy food in bulk and store it safely can reduce your grocery bill. But make sure the bulk buying from your club store is something you will eventually eat.

9. Stay away from convenience foods. Compare a snack box of crackers and meat for you child versus buying the individual items and having many more servings.

10. Walk instead of drive. Not easy in a lot of situations, but try it when possible.

11. Extracurricular school activities can be fun, but also mean money. Talk about playing only one sport a year instead of two. Dinners away from home, snacks, equipment and travelling costs add up quickly.

12. Instead of getting the newest book hot off the presses, check out the library and put in your request.

13. CDs of your favorite music artists add up quickly. Multiply each jewel case by $10, at least. If movies rentals are a frequent purchase, try out a movie club like Netflix which doesn't have late fees.

14. Make a menu plan and buy accordingly. Go to the grocery with list in hand and promise to keep to it. This will cut down the impulse buying.

15. Make natural cleaners instead of buying the expensive brands. There are plenty of websites that show you how to make cleaners from natural ingredients.

16. Don’t run the washing machine for one or two items. Hang the laundry out to dry or on racks in your home.

17. Sew your own clothing. (OK, not easy, but can be cheaper) Do price comparisons.

18. Teach your kids early that hand-me-downs are not a bad thing. Small children grow out of shoes quickly without wearing them out.

19. Turn the heat down and wear a sweater. Keep screens on outside doors and place towels around door crevices.

20. Pay bills online. Even savings on stamps will help a bit.

21. Grow your own food. Again, not easy, but a huge cost savings if you have a green thumb. Lots of produce can be grown in very small places. Check out books like Square Foot Gardening.

Got Free Time?

We made up a list of things to do when there is free time. Some of the ideas are just for fun, while others have some sort of educational or productive value.

1. Alphabetize a bookshelf
2. Shoot basketball hoops
3. Build a blanket fort
4. Build paper ships and see if they float
5. Make a card tower
6. Entertain a little sibling
7. Teach yourself to crochet or knit
8. Chalk art on the driveway
9. Build with blocks
10. Do a crossword puzzle
11. Make a friendship bracelet
12. Start a collection of leaves, feathers or rocks
13. Dominoes
14. Design a room or a whole house on paper
15. Practice flashcards
16. Memorize a poem or Bible verses
17. Clean your closet or a messy drawer
18. Do an act of service
19. Start a story and have someone else finish it
20. Jump rope

There are so many other ideas out there. The best thing is to have them on paper, so when that child asks what he should do, you will have just the answer!

Birthday Photo Contest

Do you like scavenger hunts? I always did, but you would often end up with a bag of stuff you didn't know what to do with after it was over. Now there are scavenger hunts where you can keep all the stuff, but it won't clutter your house.

It was my oldest daughter's birthday not long ago, so we decided to do a photo scavenger hunt. We have done some before, but decided to go with themes this time instead of specific images.

I will share a few of the favorites over the next few days. Enjoy!

One theme they had to display was "an emotion". These were some of the strong emotions entered in the contest.




Another requirement for the hunt was "you in a hat". My son took that very literally.






More next time...

Fasting

I am ashamed to say that I have been a Christian for over 30 years and I can count the number of times I have intentionally fasted on one hand. There have been many years of pregnancies and nursing that have kept fasting at a safe distance. I haven't had to consider it while I was taking care of a little one in the womb or out of it.

There have been times of fasting from activities or from a particular food, i.e. chocolate, mostly. Those fasting times are valid and sincere.



But what are my excuses for not fasting meals? My first experience with fasting was not a real positive one, so I have been slow at repeating it. I was a college student, just learning a bit about the disciplines of Christianity. Wanting to pray sincerely about a matter, I decided I would fast. I remember starting at midnight, probably after my 11:59 pm snack and feeling as though I was starving come breakfast. Just knowing I wasn't going to eat made it worse.



I struggled through the day's classes, constantly thinking about the discomfort in my belly instead of listening to the lectures or spending time praying! The on-campus store held my favorite chocolate-chocolate chip cookies, so they were purchased in anticipation of midnight. The digital clock was my constant companion as I tried to study and maybe even to pray that evening. At 12, I was free! How pathetic...



I heard on a sermon this week that the early church thought it was normal to fast a couple times a week. Jesus said, "When you fast", not if... We live in a time where self-denial is an ugly term and we don't know how to do it. Instant gratification is paramount.

Well, I am guilty. I'm not good at denying self or delaying gratification, but I want that to change.



Today, I started that process by fasting again. Did I forget about food and spend all day in prayer? No, and no. With eight children in the house, that would be an incredible feat. But the fast did look different than the one I did many years ago.



There was time to read the Word, to pray and to praise. I passed up some food and tried to focus on the Lord. Fasting is not about twisting God's arm until He gives you what you want, but drawing near to Him.



I'd like to work up to fasting for days instead of meals. I'd like to say "no" to my flesh more and practice this discipline. Although I have a lot to learn about fasting, I believe God saw my heart and my desire to know Him better today.