Whether this will be your first year of homeschooling or you’ve been at this a while, you won’t want to miss this incredible resource.
So many homeschooling books are the advice of one homeschool mom, who writes in detail about one approach. But what if that homeschooling mother is nothing like you?
The Big Book of Homeschooling IdeasClick here to view more details is like getting advice from more than 50 homeschooling mothers on topics ranging from preschool to high school. This book will grow with you as your homeschooling needs change and there are bound to be authors who seem to be writing just for you. I would have loved to have had this resource at my fingertips when I started homeschooling!
The chapter I contributed
I did the next best thing and authored a chapter on a topic near and dear to my heart: starting a homeschool co-op. Few aspects of my homeschooling have had as dramatic an impact as co-ops. I would love for you to consider my experience and the step-by-step instructions I share for how to start a co-op that will be a blessing for you and your children.
Why you’ll want to add this book to your homeschooling library
Even if you have no need to start a co-op, I know you will find something of value in this book that is over 500 pages long! You can check out the table of contents before you buy. And because it’s digital, it won’t take up four inches of precious bookshelf space!
As an author, I’m an affiliate for The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas, but I would recommend it anyway. $10.99 for over 500 pages of homeschooling ideas? Yes, please!
Which chapters are you most looking forward to reading?
He gave me a completely different vision of what it means to discover and then develop my children’s talent.
Honestly, I’ve been looking for skills that will make the judges of America’s Got Talent cry, and when I haven’t found them, I’ve felt exempt from talent education. Jonathan helped me see that this view of talent training doesn’t honor God and shortchanges my children’s future.
I worked through the How to Discover and Develop Your Child’s First 100 Hours ebook with a focus on my 14-year-old and have been really happy with the results. My son has a “talent” for tennis and drum, but I was surprised to discover that these interests and abilities are more likely hobbies that will continue to enjoy in the future. Drum may be a way for him to serve in a church, but his interests in money and rules, together with having an uncle in personal finance, has convinced me that business coursework is something he should explore in his first year of high school.
I liked this course so much that I wanted to promote it as an affiliate. You can check out Jonathan’s talent education course and his How to Showcase Your Talent on a Blog course at this link.
I love the idea of having kids write a blog as a means of developing their talent. As a passionate blogger and a homeschooler who is crazy about language arts, I think the idea allows students to learn many things at once. Jonathan’s course could be part of your language arts studies or another high school course. My kids don’t know it yet, but they’re going to be blogging! I’ll post the links to their blogs here when they’re up and running.
I’ve been homeschooling for 14 years, but I still need sanity savers. I usually turn to Pinterest to find them. When I need ideas for a unit study, motivation to get organized, or clever parenting tips, that’s where I go.
When I find something that I think will make homeschooling simpler, I pin it for me and for the homeschoolers who follow me. If you’d like a little more homeschool sanity, I recommend you follow these five boards and share them, too. When you click on a board link below, you’ll see the option to follow it and to send it to a friend (with an airplane icon).
#1 Organized Homeschool
The Organized Homeschool board is where I put the Organized Homeschool Challenge posts and related pins. Unlike other organizing challenges, this one is tailor-made for homeschoolers and isn’t just about decluttering. It’s about building relationships, planning for special events, and streamlining school. Organized Homeschool is a contributor board* which means other pinners are busy adding content they think will help you simplify your homeschooling, too.
#2 What’s Hot in Homeschooling
The What’s Hot in Homeschooling board took over the weekly roundup series I was doing on Psychowith6. It’s where I pin the best homeschooling ideas I come across with a seasonal emphasis. What’s wonderful is I have a number of contributors* who add tips, reviews, and printables for your attention, too.
#3 The Homeschool Sanity Show
I’ll be honest and say I didn’t know if The Homeschool Sanity Show would fly when I started it. I didn’t often listen to podcasts before I started one myself! But now I’m so excited when I finish an interview with an expert in homeschooling that I can’t wait to share it with people. That says a lot because I’ve attended homeschool conferences for many years and I’m still learning! I pin new podcasts to The Homeschool Sanity Show board and pins on related topics. If you subscribe to the podcast (or even if you don’t), you’ll appreciate having links to related sanity-saving resources.
#4 Christian Inspiration
It may seem strange that I’m including the Christian Inspiration board for homeschool sanity, but I find that if faith isn’t first in my life, my homeschooling can go downhill in a hurry. I love this board with many contributors because I always find something to read that encourages me to draw nearer to the Lord, give Him my burdens, and carry on with my homeschooling.
#5 Christian Parenting
If you’ve homeschooled a while like I have, you’ve probably been asked how you separate your roles as teacher and parent. The answer, of course, is you don’t. You’re both! I have found that when the parent part of me is sane, the teacher is, too. I use this Christian Parenting board to share inspirational posts as well as ideas for dealing with behavior problems. I’m a psychologist with six kids and I really benefit from the great ideas other parents share on Pinterest. I think you will, too.
Of course, I’d love for you to follow all of my boards. I have boards for the major subject areas, recipe categories, productivity, and more. The best way to make sure you get all the posts and freebies, too, is to subscribe to Psychowith6.
*Are you a blogger who would like to contribute to What’s Hot in Homeschooling, Organized Homeschool, or Christian Inspiration? Be sure to follow the boards and email me your Pinterest link at psychowith6 {at} gmail [dot] com.
There is no more powerful habit for an organized homeschool than devotional time. We won’t find the peace we want in a pretty bin, but in a relationship with the Prince of Peace.
Personal Devotions
I did not devote time to prayer and Bible reading until I was very pregnant with my second son. At that time, I attended a Becky Tirabassi seminar as part of a Women of Faith conference. Becky told story after story of answered prayer and beseeched us to make an “appointment with the King” every day.
At the time, sad to say, I was on staff at my church, but had never read the entire Bible. When Becky asked anyone who was fully committed to keeping that important appointment, to stand up, I did. I bought Becky’s Change Your Life Daily Bible and her My Partner Prayer Notebook and I was on a personal mission. (Becky shares her philosophy in Let Prayer Change Your Life.) I was so motivated to read the Bible through in a year that I even did my reading and prayer time in the hospital after giving birth. I don’t remember anything I read, but I kept my appointment!
Couple Devotions
I made time for personal devotions that did change my life, but I made a big mistake. I didn’t include my husband in the process. He felt left out of my new habit of Scripture reading and devoted time to prayer. He felt better when I bought him his own Daily Bible. We have changed Bibles since then, but we continue to have a shared habit of reading Scripture in the morning.
Christian homeschoolers usually do a great job of teaching the Bible as a part of their curriculum. In our busy lives, it can be harder to find time to pray and read Scripture as a family. We’ve been inconsistent over the years in using formal programs that require supplies for fun activities and more successful reading missionary biographies in the evenings or doing a short devotion in the mornings. My husband will read Scripture and then lead discussion of it, use a regular devotional book, or will join us for our school Bible time. He is not one who likes to be locked into doing the same thing at the same time. We have used Character Building for Families the most consistently because it’s short, meaty, and requires no preparation.
The most powerful family prayer time approach we have used is to each pray about something we are thankful for, something we are sorry for, and something we need help with. We have really been able to feel in touch with our kids’ hearts. Many times I have been upset about something the kids have done earlier in the day, only to be moved by their confession of it in prayer and their request for help from the Holy Spirit to avoid a similar error.
Yet another family devotional practice that has been meaningful for us is to save Christmas cards and pray over a few of them each day. We have the opportunity to share with the children more about family and friends they haven’t met or don’t know well, and to experience answers to prayer, too. We often hear from the prayed-for family soon after we’ve lifted them up to the Lord.
Your Challenge for This Week
#1 Establish a time, place, and an approach to personal devotions
You don’t have to find the perfect time and place, but decide on a time when you are most likely to be able to meet with the Lord undisturbed during this season of your life. Now that I don’t have babies, I have personal devotions in the morning before the kids are up. I get comfortable in a recliner with a great reading light. In the winter, I snuggle under a faux fur blanket. I often have something to drink as well. I want my time with the Lord to be the most appealing part of my day.
In years past, I have had devotional times before bed, in the middle of the night while nursing, and at lunch time. I’ve been in bed, on the couch, and even in my car to connect with God. The time and place that make devotions consistent is what you should choose — not what someone else is doing.
I am currently reading through the Bible using the John MacArthur study Bible, read a variety of daily devotionals (both print and digital) as I feel led, and use Pocket Prayer Pro to organize my prayer time. I’ve changed how I spend this time with God many, many times. The ingredients that I feel are essential are prayer and reading Scripture. I have enjoyed using organized prayer calendars for my husband, children, extended family, and pastors. When I am going through a challenging time, I have been greatly blessed by Streams in the Desert. Before you buy something new, see what you have that haven’t read and just start.
Remember that if your devotions get interrupted, the Lord Himself has allowed it.
#2 Establish a time, place, and an approach to couple devotions.
Talk and pray with your spouse about the best way to spend time with the Lord together. Could you pray together in the morning, on the phone over lunch, or before bed? Would you like to use an organized prayer calendar or a couples devotion? Would you like to read through Scripture together and discuss it? Again, you may already own materials that you could use. Allow your spouse to lead in choosing the approach that is most comfortable for him.
#3 Establish a time, place, and an approach to family devotions.
Connecting family devotions to established routines is most likely to be effective. Could you pray and read Scripture at meal times? Perhaps bedtime is a better option. If you’d like to do devotions that require pre-planning, when could this planning be done and who could be responsible for it? Pray for wisdom about this. The most important thing is to cover the process with grace and be willing to make adjustments until you find what works for your family.
Be sure to share what works for you and your family. You can inspire others with similar situations.
I hope you haven’t done all your shopping for Christmas all ready… if you have you may want to buy a big ticketed item for the whole family!
I’m so excited to bring to you, A Big Christmas Shopping Spree Giveway, where 3 readers will each win their own $250 Amazon Gift Card, to go on a shopping spree that they will never forget.
Let me introduce you to the wonderful sponsors of this amazing giveaway that you will not want to miss out on:
Here is how the Big Christmas Shopping Spree Giveaway works:
A big giveaway deserves big entry options – Between November 12th through November 18th, you can come back and register for as many options as you desire until you have entered all of them that you desire to enter.
Enter some entries more than once – You can add a new comment on a different blog every day, so visit more of the sponsors and leave a comment to have another entry! You can even tweet once a day for additional entries.
You must be 18 years old and living in the United States – The 3 winners will receive an Amazon Gift Card in the mail.
Winners will be verified – Each winner drawn will be verified that they entered the giveaway correctly.
Winners must provide mailing address within 48 hours of notification – To claim your prize, you only have 48 hours to provide your mailing address or a new winner will be drawn. No exceptions. Be sure to check your email on November 19th or 20th to be sure you don’t miss out on a shopping spree you will likely never forget!
Winners shop on Amazon – If you are one of the winners, you can shop online for all of those loved ones on your shopping list. All in time for Black Friday specials!
Now let’s get to the entry and one step closer to 3 people winning a $250 Amazon Gift Card for a Big Christmas Shopping Spree Giveaway:
It finally feels like fall around here. That’s probably why I’m in the mood to share some fall activities. I’m even willing to think about art projects, which I’m not a huge fan of. Hope you find something to get pumpkinned up about. (Sorry.)
Hands On As We Grow offers us this impressive list of things to do with the pumpkins that ARE ALREADY FOR SALE. I’m not ready for that, but I AM ready to try something new with the kids.
That’s a fancy way of saying leaf print. This pin shares a paint-free way of getting your art in. I love it. Just be careful with the hammer. I always associate them with ER visits.
This pin leads to a free printable of faces for kids to complete. Judging by my children’s penchant for creating similar funny faces in the kids’ church bulletins when they’re supposed to be listening, I think most kids will enjoy these.
If you have kids who are a little beyond the making-funny-faces stage (but who ever outgrows that?), you might be interested in these excellent materials from Kathy’s Cluttered Mind for teaching art history and appreciation. There is a wide variety here including lessons, biographies, and lapbooking materials.
If you want to be ready for the homeschool doldrums (you know they’re coming), download this free detectives lapbook from Homeschool Share. Who says learning can’t be fun? I might have my kids look for a missing $20 bill. I haven’t lost one that I know of, but wouldn’t it be fun if they found one?
I’m still depressed about having to do a report on North Dakota when I was in the fifth grade. Not only did I live in South Dakota, but North Dakota just didn’t have much of a claim to fame. I think that’s changed now, but if I had had these great printables to help me make my report, I probably would have had a ball–even writing about North Dakota. (Note: if you are from North Dakota, understand that I really don’t have anything against your state besides the bitter cold winds and the lack of anything exciting to do. Also note: I am kidding. Love you guys!) 123 Homeschool 4 Me has some incredible resources for doing a state study.
I’m a Christian psychologist turned homeschooling mother of six. My life can be a little crazy, so I look for sanity-saving ideas to use and share. I hope you’ll read my About page to learn more.
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