My Ramblings Archives - Page 8 of 24

When You Just Want to Cry

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March 10, 2016 by Jolanthe Leave a Comment

If there’s one thing I can tell you for sure, there are days when homeschooling makes me want to cry. There are also days completely unrelated to homeschooling that make me want to cry. Parenting is tough. (Can I get an amen?)

Some days there is a whole lot of back and forth between the kids. And by back and forth, I mean of the “not kind” variety. They are quick to get offended, but equally as fast to dish it out when the mood strikes. (Before I pick on the kids too much, that also happens in adult life too.)

Some days there are bright shining moments of laughter and camaraderie between the kids. Hours are spent together without one unkind word. The moments we all long for as parents.

Today was a gorgeous day outside – almost 80 degrees and a much needed break from all the yuck and snow we literally had falling last week. The kids all headed to the backyard and set up their hammocks. Laurianna brought out her guitar and while I was sitting on the back porch, the sounds of all four kids singing together began to float through the air.

I’m sitting on our deck crying (happy tears). The kids have all their hammocks set up in the backyard, Laurianna has her guitar, and together they are singing and worshipping. You all. THIS. Yes, we did math and reading today, but ultimately this is what makes my heart the happiest. There are days when they fight. Or love fiercely and deeply. They are passionate kids and so full of life. But these – these moments are the ones that last and will be remembered, not only in my momma heart, but for years to come.

Posted by Homeschool Creations on Wednesday, 9 March 2016

(feed readers can watch the video clip here)

I sat on my deck crying. Happy tears.

You all. THIS.

While we did all of our schoolwork today, crossed the various subjects off our list, and it all looks good on paper, THIS is what makes my heart the happiest and means more than what any test or piece of paper can say.

I love what Lindsey said on Facebook when I shared the above video with you all:

“The most important and life long lessons don’t come from pencil and paper.”

There are days when the kids fight. Or love each other fiercely and deeply. They are passionate kids and so full of life.

But these – these moments are the ones that last and will be remembered, not only in my momma heart, but for years to come.

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Filed Under: Encouragement for Moms, Moments to Remember, My Ramblings Leave a Comment

Why Your Homeschool Needs a Rest Time

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February 23, 2016 by Jolanthe 12 Comments

When hearing the words ‘rest time,’ it takes me back to my years as a preschool teacher when the kids all had a nice mat, a warm blanket, and sleep drifted over (most of) the kids. There are always a few rowdies in the bunch!

As we started our homeschool journey, rest time was ALWAYS a part of the equation. Our kids were young. I was exhausted with the little ones (we had 4 kids 5 and under) and it was definitely a non-negotiable in our day. Now we are years down the road, our oldest is 14, and rest time is STILL a part of our day.

Here’s the thing – as homeschoolers, our family is around each other all.the.time. Pretty much 24/7. That can be exhausting, especially for kids (and moms) that need quiet to recharge. So much surrounds us that can overstimulate and push us over the edge, so to speak. For kids that are extroverts, well, it always good to practice giving others space as well – and they need the down time too.

Think we’re crazy? I promise you, I’m not! You NEED a rest time in your day, moms!! We can’t keep up a crazy pace and not feel like we’re going crazy ourselves!

Somehow the last few months we’ve gotten out of the habit of having our afternoon rest time. And it has truly shown in attitudes (mine and the kids) and mental states (that would be my sanity – keeping it real!). While I’ve had people ask how we can afford to take the time out of our day, I can honestly assure you, if anything, it has made things run so much more smoothly in our house.

What Rest Time Looks Like for Us

Rest. Sitting down. Feet up. That should sum it up, but each of the kids typically heads to their bed (if they want to sleep, go for it!). Rest time an opportunity for everyone to slow down and have a break from each other. I’m guessing my kids aren’t the only ones who can get on a sibling’s last nerve (or mine). The break and space apart is very beneficial to attitudes all around.

This includes mom! My spot is a cozy chair or under a blanket on my bed with a nice cup of coffee or tea. Books are almost always a part of my rest time, especially since I have a wonderful pile of books to read! I might even sneak in an episode of my favorite show without the kids peeking over my shoulder (Shhh!! PBS fans will understand, right?).

The kids are encouraged to grab a book (for fun – not school), listen to audiobooks with a sibling (or with headphones), listen to music, or play – QUIETLY. It’s not a time to be rowdy and fool around. The boys pull out a bin of LEGOS on their beds and dig through that while they listen to audiobooks they picked out from the library or build with some other fun toy.

Puzzles, quiet games…think of all those hardly used manipulatives you’ve stashed away. Pull out art supplies and sketch pads. You know what things are special for your kids (or hiding in your closet).

The impact of rest time was especially apparent to me today as I declared the hour of 2 – 3 pm sacred and the kids pulled out sleeping bags and hammocks and set up camp on the back deck (the girls may be a bit excited about their hammocks). They had books and stayed outside snuggled in their blankets (it was 48 degrees) for almost 2 hours. And do you know what happened the majority of the time – laughter. It literally brought tears to my eyes because we had a ROUGH morning. ROUGH. When rest time was well-past over, the kids all came in and attitudes were great toward each other. I may have also been completely relaxed because of hearing the calm and camaraderie between the four of them. My time was spent curled up reading two great books: The Life-Giving Home and Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World.

A complete win-win all around. (And my hubby may be extremely grateful for my sanity too).

What Our Rest Time is NOT

Catch-up on housework is a no-no. Rest time is NOT a time for me to scramble around the house doing all those little things that I’ve been putting off and finally remember to do. I have a list next to me where I can jot down notes if something comes to mind, but otherwise, computer is off.
Schoolwork is put aside. Yes, the kids sometimes get behind, but this isn’t a punishment time for them when they need to catch up on every last little thing. The breather is from all things that bog us down mentally and physically. The schoolwork will still be there when we’re done (much to their dismay).
Rest time is NOT a time to fight and argue. It’s a time to play or rest quietly (or see any of the above. Noise levels need to be minimal. If a fight erupts…well, that would definitely cross a line (it has happened a time or two) and there are repercussions. Don’t mess with the resting mama (grins).

Plan Your Own Rest Time

Does a daily rest time sound like something your family (and you) could use? Here are a few suggestions to get started.

Decide what the ‘guidelines’ for rest time will be. Is it resting on beds? Playing quietly allowed?How long is the time? How loud can the kids get? Where do kids need to stay (in rooms, a playroom, etc…)?
Figure out your routine. When during your day will you have rest time? Each family has a different rhythm, especially during different seasons of life. If you are making it a daily ritual, maybe you could end it by having a snack together? (There was a period of time where I made homemade cookie batter and froze it in small balls. Each day before rest time I took out 2 cookie balls per kid and popped them in the oven for a yummy treat at the end of rest time).
Make it special. For younger children, it may be helpful to put together a basket of activities, or busy bags, audiobooks, and more that will keep them occupied. Some days the kids take turn cuddling up with me and just chatting over a cup of hot chocolate.
Be consistent. I promise – it is worth every moment. Whether it be 30 minutes or 2 hours, a little bit of breathing room allows everyone a chance to reset, relax, and approach the rest of the day with more energy!

Laundry and housework can wait (I promise, it will still be there when you finish resting – it’s sad, but true). You though, will be in a much better mental state to tackle those piles!

Rest time in your day ultimately puts you ahead in the long run. We aren’t sprinting toward an invisible finish line – we’re in this for the long haul! And I promise – you CAN do this!

Share Your Thoughts!

Does your family have a rest time? What tips do you have to offer or what routines do you have in place?

Another post you may enjoy…10 Things to Eliminate from Your Homeschool.

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Filed Under: Homeschooling Tools, Mom Helps, My Ramblings 12 Comments

And Then There Was Snow

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January 25, 2016 by Jolanthe 2 Comments

Our kids are in for a rude awakening today. Well, after a wee bit of a snow delay (I’ll be nice and give them that in the morning!). Our area was dumped on with snow the last few days and area schools are likely to be closed for days. Unfortunately (for our kids), homeschool is ON! They will definitely have to enjoy the snow while we have it, so perhaps a bit of a lighter schedule so they can fully enjoy it, eh?

Ahhh…the beauty of homeschooling!

People around here get crazy worried when there is the slightest mention of snow. When I say crazy, I mean THE SHELVES OF COSTCO. BARE. (Other than the healthy bread, of course.) I suppose they could have eaten English muffins or some other nonsense, but no bread. I had to visit the aisle just to see how bad it was – and literally laughed out loud. There is a plus side to making homemade bread.

Snow = panic to most in our parts. Then again, the snow did deliver this time around! We didn’t panic, but were prepared and so happy not to lose power or heat. Instead we were able to relax and enjoy it all.

There is something so absolutely magical about untouched snow and trying to capture what your heart sees. The above image doesn’t even touch how gorgeous it has been around our house. The sun was setting through the trees. The warm colors touching the snow in patches on the ground. So peaceful.

Well, other than the kids whooping and hollering in the snow behind me. It almost made me forget for a brief moment. But I can look at the picture and imagine a serene and quiet wood. (Just go with me, people).

So we played in the snow. We shoveled. We laughed hilariously at our dog try to figure out how to deal with all the snow. Forts were built. Sleds went careening down hills and gave me near heart attacks. Maple syrup snow candy (aka Wax on Snow) was enjoyed immensely. No complaining about how cold it was (in fact, I had to remind children to put their jackets on). If anyone can tap and bottle up the ‘factor’ that had our kids outside with each other for hours playing and working together without any fighting, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

And me? I avoided any and all things school. Well, other than our current read aloud around the fire when the kids made the occasional pit stop inside to warm up and have some hot chocolate. I may have even managed to read TWO entire books cover to cover, finished Teaching from Rest, and have a good dent in the last one. Oh – and I cleaned out the fridge. Stellar weekend overall. (grins)

So – to wrap up. Lots of snow. Reading. Homeschoolers can have snow delays or even snow days (because that is the beauty of homeschooling). We survived and had much fun. All in all, a great blizzard!

Was your family effected by the blizzard too? I’d love for you to share how much you all were hit with and pictures of your kids, either in the comments below or in this thread on Facebook. Can’t wait to hear from you!

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Filed Under: My Ramblings 2 Comments

What is the Ideal Homeschool Day?

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January 18, 2016 by Jolanthe 4 Comments

the ideal homeschool day quote

We were supposed to have school today, and even though we did some school, there is always a part of my brain that thinks if THIS much isn’t done, or if we end before THIS time, we didn’t really do school. Not all my boxes were checked off and pages completed in the correct sequence. (gasp!)

Am I the only one that wrestles with this?

Ironically, as I was listening to a podcast this morning, they were talking about this very thing. What I do know is the kids had a lot of fun today, my hubby was off work, learning was involved in various forms throughout our day – and that’s ok.

All that to say, this last week has been a humdinger of mental overload. Between my mom having surgery again last week to check out another suspicious mass (it wasn’t cancerous – thank you, Lord!) to an abundance of close family members having some major health issues and a hospitalization, my brain truly wants to not work hard at all. There has been a whole heap of unpleasantness happening and frankly it feels overwhelming during many moments of the day.

Let’s face it – all the overwhelming stuff, it isn’t in my plans (and I’d really it rather not be, if we’re being honest). This isn’t how I envisioned our life, our homeschool time to be. Sometimes that is more unsettling to me than others.

There are the moments that I need to remind myself that it is OK to step back, recoup, and relax for my sanity – and my family’s. One portion of Teaching from Rest really resonated with me and I wanted to share it so you all can get a peek into my thoughts too:

“’The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one’s “own,” or “real” life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one’s real life – the life God is sending one day by day; what one calls one’s “real life” is a phantom of one’s own imagination.’(C.S. Lewis)

We are … meant to recognize every facet of our day as coming from the hand of God. It all passes through His fingers first, and He uses it to make sure that we lean hard on Him.

Surrender your idea of what the ideal homeschool day is supposed to look like and take on, with both hands, the day that it is.”

– Sarah Mackenzie, Teaching from Rest

In the days, weeks, and months to come there will be ample opportunities to lean hard and surrender (I know I can count on that). And I will. I must.

This goes far beyond just our homeschool days as well, although they are definitely intertwined. Here’s to letting go of my ‘ideal’ and recognizing each day for what it is.

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Filed Under: Encouragement for Moms, My Ramblings 4 Comments

10 Things to Eliminate from Your Homeschool

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January 11, 2016 by Jolanthe 9 Comments

With the new year barely past and the classroom all sparkly and clean from another purge after the holidays, our space feels more open and inviting. A friend recently shared a post on things to get rid of in the New Year and it prompted me to sit back and think a little more deeply on things that we need to eliminate from our homeschool.

10 Things to Eliminate from Your Homeschool

Get rid of something? That seems almost sacrilege to say to a homeschool parent. Because there may be a moment – someday in the future – when you will NEED that exact item for…something!

I’m not the only one that has felt that way, am I?

The only problem is, all that stuff gather and multiplies, and over the course of the year (or years) begins to bog us down. The room feels cluttered and stuffed and when you really need to find something, it’s too buried to even know where to start.

Here are ten things to eliminate from your homeschool – or at least take a good, hard look at and see if you need to make a few changes that will help bring a fresh perspective and motivation to your day!

Excess Paperwork

If you are anything like me and have a tendency to over save paperwork (both completed and not completed), you can take up a lot of room in your school room and storage space quickly. While it can be a daunting task to go through it all immediately, make a plan to review your papers every six weeks and toss out those daily handwriting papers, multiple worksheets, and extras that you do not really need to save, keeping key and important pieces that show progress or favorite memories.

While you may need to save papers for a portfolio or review, not every single paper is necessary. You can see how we organize homeschool paperwork in this post. At the end of each year take a bit of time to fully weed out the extra. Know how much you really need to save. Remember, you aren’t saving for a tax audit!

Unused Games and Manipulatives

They look useful when you pick them up at a used curriculum sale, or a friend hands them off to you, but they have never been used. Either put them to use with a learning jar or gift them to another family or your local thrift store.

Going through games periodically is helpful because your family may have outgrown some, don’t use them as you expected, or really don’t like them. It can be hard to do at first, especially with games that have been loved at one point, but if they are just taking up space for the sake of being ‘there’ than they have lost their usefulness and need to find a new home.

What Isn’t Working

If it is a physical piece of curriculum or a method of teaching that isn’t working well with your child (or children), weed it out and move on. If you’re struggling with curriculum not fitting, be sure to read this post for some suggestions. Pull those textbooks off the shelf and sell them or donate them to a friend who will love them.

When it comes to a behavior from either you or your child, take a step back and evaluate what the root of the issue is. Coming back from a break often makes it easier to see what teaching and/or parenting ruts we have gotten in to and allows us a chance to step back and try some different techniques in the weeks to follow. If you are really struggling – talk to your spouse or a friend and get their input as well!

Books

Giving away books can seem just plain wrong, but now is the time to look for duplicates, books you will never, ever read, ones you don’t enjoy, or ones that are falling apart at the seams (literally). Chances are if you ever need one of these books, the library or a friend will have them available.

Purge, purge, purge!

Art Projects

There are always projects that turn out even more beautiful than we imagine, but often there are creations that aren’t as lovely from our little Picassos. (I know I’m not the only one that struggles with this!) When Picasso Jr. is in complete adoration of his project, it makes it even harder!

Display projects and creations for a little bit, keep a few favorites and then take pictures of others for sentiments sake (and to keep the little ones happy). In today’s digital age, a little storage on a disk takes up much less space than in your school room or in a folder!

Unnecessary Commitments

Stretched a little thin on your time outside of the home? Feeling overwhelmed with over commitments is very common! Take a good hard look at the various co-ops, extra classes, sports, volunteering, and events you are involved in and evaluate if they are truly necessary.

We ALL need breathing room and running ourselves (and our kids) ragged is only going to burn us out in the end. You need to be the best mom (or dad) you can for your kids – and sometimes that means saying no to something that is good, but not good for you at the moment. This can be so hard, especially when there are many things that are beneficial – just maybe not in this season for you or your family.

Craft Supplies

Oh my heavens. Tissue paper, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and GLITTER!! The stuff seems to multiply when your back is turned – or find a new home all over the carpet. Every now and then it’s good to go through your craft boxes and get rid of those extra items that you are hanging on to – just because you may need them some day.

If you can’t quite bear to part with them just yet, throw them all in a plastic bag and let your kids have a free for all one afternoon this week to make the craziest project they can (and then refer to the art project section above when said project is complete!).

Distractions

Every now and then it’s good to sit down and take a good look at what is distracting not only the kids – but myself. Maybe it’s a family member that calls around the same time every day (that would be my mom) or someone who knows you homeschool and thinks it’s OK to interrupt – whenever.

Maybe Facebook or Instagram is just a touch of a button away on your phone – and easily pulls you in. Or Candy Crush. You know your vices, so put them down, remove them from your phone, or do what is necessary to keep your focus on what is in front of you.

Maybe there are toys (like Lego figures and creations – cough) that are distracting certain children when there is work that needs to be finished. It doesn’t mean the classroom has to be all bare bones, but there is a time and a place for certain things. If an item is becoming more of a hindrance and distraction than a tool to help – relocate it.

Fears and Doubts

There are often days and nights when snippets of doubt will creep in looking for a home. Abilities are questioned and fear can hold you captive. Doubts that enough isn’t being done. Thoughts that parenting skills are the worst in the world. Feelings of inadequacy.

And the list goes on.

This may sound silly, but write those fears down – and acknowledge them. Talk to a friend about them and then – speak the TRUTH over them. Fear and doubts are not truth, they are emotions. But do you know what is truth? God’s word.

For each of those fears and doubts, write a verse that declares the truth. Read this post (and the comments) for some great verses to write down and hold close to your heart.

Comparison

One of the quickest ways to suck the joy and life out of your homeschool time is getting stuck in the comparison trap. It all starts innocently enough with a few clicks on Facebook, seeing how gifted another child is, how clean another house is. Whether it be comparing our children to others, our homeschool to others – you name it – comparing this or that or ANYTHING, fixating on that issue, and letting it fester will destroy the joy of what you have been given.

God has gifted each of us with abilities that are unique to each one of us. Traits that are special and give us a special role. We are fearfully and wonderfully made {Psalm 139:14}.

Can I just encourage you today? Be the person that God created you to be!! Know who you are in Christ and cling to THAT truth! Be yourself ~ because you are the only person who can be uniquely you.

Have you focused on any of the above areas in your homeschool?

What other things would YOU suggest to eliminate from your homeschool?

Another post you may enjoy….Why Your Homeschool Needs a Rest Time.

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Filed Under: My Ramblings, Organizing 9 Comments

Year in Review :: Favorite Posts from 2015

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December 31, 2015 by Jolanthe 1 Comment

This past year was hard on many different levels – my mom had breast cancer and surgery, my dad had numerous surgeries, and emotionally I felt all over the place. Most appreciated were the MANY sweet comments, prayers, and emails that I received from you all. This blogging journey is so much more than just me spilling words onto a page. It has become a community and I absolutely love interacting with you all, hearing your heart and thoughts, and connecting in different ways.

At the end of each year, it’s always interesting to look back at the posts that you all visited the most and found helpful throughout the year. It helps me as I plan things to share on the blog in the new year. One things for sure – you all love printables and getting organized!

blog visitors 2015

Seeing where you all come from is just amazing too! 223 countries and 6 continents (because I hear the internet in Antarctica is pretty rough). I love seeing how the internet has connected us!

And I’m curious – was there a post that you really enjoyed this past year?