This is a guest post by Esther Littlefield of WellnessMomLife.com. Be sure to grab her great freebie!
When my husband and I first decided we would homeschool our daughter, I had a few stipulations. He had always thought homeschooling was a good idea. I, on the other hand, thought it was crazy. Not because homeschooling is crazy – but I knew myself, and I knew my daughter. I anticipated that it would be a big challenge for me to tackle the homeschooling thing.
Between my husband and I, we have 2 businesses, plus I have my blog. I also lead a women’s Bible study, run a local business networking group, and help out at our church. So when we discussed it, we had to come up with a plan that would allow to us balance our marriage, homeschooling, and both our businesses.
All three of these things – marriage, homeschooling, and having a business – are hard work in and of themselves. They can also be an absolute joy. But when you combine them together, you can create a potential implosion if you are not intentional about how to balance them all.
Here are a few tips that we have found to work for our family, and I hope they might help you, too, if you’re in a similar situation.
5 Keys to Balancing Marriage, Homeschooling, and Business:
Be willing to frequently evaluate your roles and time commitments.
When we first started this adventure, we agreed that I would be the primary homeschooling parent. However, we both wanted my husband to be involved on some level, and so our plan was to have him do the homeschooling one morning a week.
Since my husband’s hours are flexible, and he works from home on Fridays, we decided that Friday mornings would be his time to do the schooling. This allows me to attend my networking group, as well as run errands and have a little bit of time to myself.
There is no magical solution for this, especially if you both have businesses or other responsibilities. The key is to have frequent conversations about how it is going, and be willing to make adjustments as needed.
Give each other space for free time.
Due to our situation and our schedule, we have more time together and with our daughter than the average family, and we love that. However, we also both have outside pursuits that allow us to have breaks and enjoy things that are important to us.
For me, I have a weekly Bible study I lead, and that has become something I look forward to every week. He has his time to play video games with friends or go play his guitar with some other guys. This free time is important for both of us, and this is key to both of us maintaining wellness (and sanity) in our lives.
Schedule time together.
On the other hand, since we do spend more time together than the average family, it’s easy to neglect spending intentional time together. My husband and I spend a lot of time around one another, but how much of that is truly engaging in quality conversation? Or time away from our daughter?
We have found that scheduling a couple nights a week to spend time together – instead of working on our businesses – is important. We also make it a point to have a date night at least once a month. We have to be intentional about maintaining our connection and improving our communication.
For each family, it may look different. But just because you may spend more time together at home doesn’t mean that you are actually focused on each other. Scheduling this time shows that you value each other and your family.
Show respect and appreciation for each other’s roles.
Finally, it’s incredibly important when you are balancing marriage, homeschooling, and business(es) to be sure to respect each other and the work that you do.
The best way you can respect each other is to show appreciation for the things you each do every day. Whether it’s little or big, taking the time to show appreciation can make your spouse feel incredible.
Put your spouse’s needs before the kids and the business.
This is always a tricky one. But clearly we homeschooling moms love our kids. We spend all day with them, we teach them, we take them places – we invest A LOT into our kids. Sometimes this dedication to our kids can come at an expense: we end up neglecting our husband because by the time he is home, we are spent.
I’ll admit that there are days that I completely fail at this. As soon as my husband walks through the door, I want to tap out. I want to be done, and I’m not very invested in him or his needs.
But the truth is, if I neglect my husband, I’m actually neglecting our family. If I push him to the bottom of my priority list, I am slowly killing my marriage. And this is not good for my kids or for me.
If this is an area you struggle with, I can relate. I’ve created a free download for you: “10 Tips for Putting Your Husband Before the Kids”, which you can grab right here.
This job of parenting and homeschooling is not easy. Having a business can have huge risks, stressors, and it can be an emotional roller coaster. Marriage can have it’s challenges. Using these 5 keys to balance all of this can produce less stress and more wellness for you as a family!
Which of the 5 keys that I mentioned do you need to implement today? Share in the comments!
Esther Littlefield helps busy moms find ways to take care of themselves by sharing her personal journey of failures, triumphs, and tools for success so that they can experience wellness & achieve balance. Find her at WellnessMomLife.com
At this time of year, I wish I were Oprah and could afford to give all my readers my favorite things for Christmas. While I can’t do that, I’m thrilled that I’ve been given some amazing gifts to pass on, many of them from 2 to 1 Conference Sponsors. If you’re a homeschooler involved in social media, I hope you’ll join me at 2 to 1 in October, 2016!
I am also purchasing a few of these gifts to bless a couple of my readers. I encourage you to enter for a chance to win the gifts in both giveaways, but to purchase them as well. If you win, some of your Christmas shopping is done! Would you like to hear more about these great gifts? Scroll down to see the Periscope video where I share more.
I am all about sanity for homeschoolers and there’s nothing like a planner to organize you and give you peace of mind. This comprehensive planner by Debra Bell is flexible enough to be used with any kind of homeschooling approach for up to six kids. My favorite aspect of the planner is that you’re encouraged to plan spiritually and to reflect on God’s grace to you throughout the week. Another huge plus is space to record the little victories! The planner was a gift from Apologia. I know you’ll love it! But if you want to make this an even better gift for yourself, ask for a night away to do some planning for the new year.
You can make any field trip you take this year that much more educational with this journal. Your kids will write about the story of their day and what they want to remember. But there are also spaces for specific field trips like state and seasonal trips. You don’t have to use Apologia Science to enjoy this journal. You could add a certificate to this promising a fun field trip. We have used a Groupon for rock climbing as a gift–a big hit! The journal is also a gift from Apologia.
Speaking of journals, if you’d like your kids to document their reading and learn more about literature at the same time, you’ll love the Kids’ Reading Journal. It’s so cute that once again, I want to write in it! Even better, it doesn’t bore kids by requiring the same journaling every day and it uses short entries that don’t overwhelm kids. Add a set of great books as a gift for young readers. The journal is a gift from Kim Sorgius of NotConsumed.com.
I’ve raved about this curriculum before. The truth is that I don’t care as much about my kids learning about 21st Century music as I do about learning it myself! The lessons are short and fun — perfect for a unit study, co-op, or just to use when you need a break from your regular curriculum, like now! Add a musical instrument that your child would like to try as a gift, like this beginner’s guitar. This curriculum is a gift from Gena Mayo of IChooseJoy.org.
Maybe you have little ones who aren’t old enough to truly appreciate 21st Century music. They’ll love this DVD music video that includes Christmas and Easter praise songs. This would make a great stocking stuffer. A portable DVD player with headphones would be extra fun. It’s a gift from YancyMinistries.com.
What would a homeschool gift package be without a book? This picture book by a pastor teaches character and would be a great gift (along with a puzzle like this underwater scene floor puzzle) for your preschooler. It’s a gift from Kenneth Good.
Enter the giveaway below and then scroll down to check out the gifts exclusively for you.
The Well Planned Day, On the Go Planner You have your Ultimate Homeschool Planner, but what about the rest of your life? The pretty Well Planned Day Planner tucks in your purse keeping your appointments and to-do’s organized with place for meal planning as well. Keep up with your goal to read through the Bible this year with the reading plan. Make this an extra-special gift for you or a friend by adding a set of my favorite erasable pens. The planner is a gift from HEDUA. That I May Know Him Bible Study The Christmas season is a perfect time for you to delve into a Bible study specifically about knowing the Lord better. It’s a short study, making it perfect for the busy holiday season. A new Bible with study notes would make this an even better gift. This is a gift from Homeworks By Precept.The Renewing Your Mind Project This book by Barb Raveling, a Bible study author who homeschooled her children, has changed my life. Next to the Bible, it is my #1 resource for managing emotions, changing habits, and meeting goals. I love it so much that the Kindle version is a gift from me to you. Add an “I Can Do Everything Through Him” journal to make this an especially generous gift for you or a friend. Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes+ Mascara from Younique Not long after I started using Periscope, I saw a broadcast by Kristin Blackwell who demonstrated this mascara. It doesn’t just coat the lashes with liquid, but with fibers that make the lashes appear thicker–much thicker. I ordered it immediately and love it. The mascara is a gift from Kristin Blackwell. Add an eyelash curler as an extra gift. Norwex Window/Polishing Cloth One thing that drives me crazy as a homemaker with many kids is keeping my windows clean. Why do kids feel the need to touch windows constantly? Cleaning them in the typical way involves lots of cleaner and paper towels that invariably leave residue on the windows. When I tried a Norwex cloth with plain water, I was astounded. It leaves my windows cleaner than any other method I’ve tried. My daughter helped me demonstrate in this Periscope broadcast. The Norwex cloth is a gift from me. Add a water mister bottle and you’re all set. Revlon ColorStay Overtime Lipstick I am usually too busy and lazy to reapply lipstick. When it’s gone, it’s gone. When I learned that there was a lipstick that I could apply once and have it last all day, I ordered it right away. And it works! It lasts so long that the only way to get it off completely is to wash it off. I use a makeup-removing toilette. It can make your lips feel a little drier than with no lipstick on at all. I like to reapply the gloss at those times and I wear Carmex to bed at night to keep my lips moist all day. The lipstick is a gift from me. a Rafflecopter giveaway
This week I’ve written about how to help your child read and read fluently. The final piece of the reading puzzle is your child understanding what he has read. We want children to read for pleasure frequently, but we also want them to be able to make sense of what they read. Reading comprehension is vital for succeeding in advanced studies.
Why Your Child May Have Poor Reading Comprehension
If your child is a beginning reader, there are a number of factors that work against her in understanding what she reads.
First, she must expend most of her mental effort in decoding words. Her attention is focused on the words rather than their meaning in context. If you’ve ever been nervous as you read something out loud, you may have noticed that you had no idea what you read. Divided attention can decrease reading comprehension.
Second, he has a limited vocabulary and literary knowledge. Parents may assume their child knows a word when in fact, he does not. To make matters worse, a beginning reader may not ask the meaning of words he does not know. Your child may also be unfamiliar with themes in literature that would help him make accurate predictions about what he will be reading.
Third, your child doesn’t have advanced reasoning ability. He is unlikely to make connections unless they are explicitly stated in the text because of his developmental level. This is also why word problems in math can be difficult for young students.
Regardless of your child’s reading level, there are a number of strategies you as her teacher can use to improve her reading comprehension.
How to Increase Your Child’s Reading Comprehension
Modify the SQ3R method.
Survey: Before reading to your child, look at the book together. Look at the front cover, any description of the book on the back cover, and any chapter titles or headings as you skim through.
Question: Based on your survey of the book, give your child questions that you expect the book to answer. If you will be reading a book about snakes and one of the headings is “Snake Habitats,” suggest that the book will answer the question, “What are snake habitats like?” Encourage your child to give you questions he expects the book to answer.
Read: As you read, point out the answer to a question you thought the book would answer. Be sure to define words that your child may not know. When reading fiction, ask your child what he thinks will happen. Use literary terms that are appropriate to your child’s level like character, antagonist, or climax.
Recite: Stop at the end of a section or chapter and ask your child to explain what happened or what was learned. For example, ask your child why she thinks a character did what she did. If she isn’t sure, review key passages together.
Review: Ask your child to retell the story or content to a family member later in the day. Continue to ask your child to recall key information from what was read later in the week.
I had successfully taught my oldest three sons to read using The Phonics Game, Jr. and Christian Liberty Press readers.
Phonics Readers, 4 Volumes, Grade K By Florence M. Lindstrom / Christian Liberty PressHelp your new readers master the basic sounds of the English language with this colorfully illustrated series. The first two books emphasize single-syllable short vowel sounds. The other two cover long vowels and build vocabulary skills. Simple consonant blends are introduced throughout the series. One to three pages in length, each story honors God and teaches Christian values. 27–59 pages each, four softcovers.
I was feeling pretty confident in my teaching ability!
Then my fourth son was ready to learn to read. Strangers had commented on his advanced vocabulary for his age, so I was sure he would be an early reader. Nope. We used the same materials and while he knew the letter names and sounds, he could not use phonics to read.
I had read that I should have him sing the sounds to make them easier to run together. This particular son loves to sing, so I was sure that would work. Nope again.
I decided he was just a little slower in making the connections, so wasn’t worried. We continued to review phonics. But as the months went by, he continued to sound out c-a-t without ever once blending the sounds into a word. Although he couldn’t read phonetically, he was doing something interesting. He was memorizing words and was guessing at the rest using some letter sounds and context.
Although he definitely had a system for reading, it was clearly the wrong one! Everything I had read about teaching reading suggested that he HAD to learn to read phonetically. He memorized words very quickly and was very clever at decoding words apart from straight phonics. But I knew that I wouldn’t always be there to teach him unknown words. Phonics would be.
I Asked an Expert
My neighbor is a reading specialist. Convenient, no? I mentioned my son’s struggle to read phonetically and what he was doing instead. “Oh,” she answered. “He just needs to read using whole language.”
Oh. What was whole language again? I had to look it up. It’s an approach to teaching reading that has been in and out of vogue for decades. It emphasizes learning to read whole words and through literature rather than with the decoding skills of the phonics approach.
When I shared what she had said with my mother, Mom said, “That’s how you learned to read.” Sure enough, I remember being in class and circling the word that the teacher read. There were no phonics-based worksheets that have become a staple of modern reading instruction. And yet I learned to read.
I was still nervous about not continuing to drill my son with phonics. I asked yet another expert at a homeschooling convention if I would be hurting my son by allowing him to read his way instead of the phonetic way. He agreed with my neighbor. I should let him memorize words and use the context to read.
What Happened When I Stopped Using Phonics to Teach My Son
My first thought was that I was going to drill my son with sight words. I bought a sight-word curriculum and I noticed that it bored him. I didn’t blame him. It really was boring.
Fortunately, sight words weren’t the only change in my approach. I started letting him read the Christian Liberty Press readers with help. We would review the words on the left page (the same approach I had used with my sons who used phonics to read). Then when he couldn’t read a word in the paragraph on the right, I didn’t tell him to sound it out. I just told him the word. He would say it and keep reading.
At first my son was surprised by his newfound freedom from phonics. He was also hesitant to use his reading method. I realized that I had inadvertently communicated to him that he wasn’t a good reader, simply because he couldn’t sound out words. I started praising him for reading his way. He grew more confident and eager to read.
The end result is that within no time, he was reading at grade level and then beyond. I shouldn’t have worried about his lack of phonics skills. His basic phonics knowledge, great exposure to literature through audio books and read alouds, and his excellent use of context has enabled him to read new words on his own.
What to Do When Phonics Doesn’t Work
I have shared my story a few times with other homeschooling moms who say phonics doesn’t work. I haven’t expected them to relate. I figured my son was just a rare bird. Turns out that there are a number of kids who do not use phonics to read in the way we expect.
Recognize that pure phonics doesn’t work for every child and that’s okay. Most children should be taught using aspects of both phonics and whole language activities. This article shares how.
Talk to an expert. It’s possible your child has a visual, auditory, or learning issue that is at the heart of the problem. Get help addressing these issues if they are present. If a diagnosis doesn’t apply, consider the next few tips.
Teach your child how to use context in reading. Before reading a passage, make sure your child looks at the pictures. Pictures stimulate the brain to choose appropriate words from a range of possibilities. Ask your child to summarize what she has read up to the unknown word. The previous sentences and words provide important clues to the new word.
Encourage guessing. Pure phonics discourages guessing, but the slow pace of phonics decoding really puts off some kids like my son. Allow your child to make an educated guess using context and any recognizable phonics. If your child guesses wrong, tell him the word.
Encourage your child to memorize words. Everyone memorizes words. The only time accomplished readers use phonics is for new words and names. Some children prefer this strategy right from the beginning. While sight word flashcards may have some value, reading the same words over and over is even more effective. Repetitive books like Dr. Seuss titles are excellent for this purpose.
Praise your child’s reading skills. If, like me, you have communicated that your child isn’t reading right, you will want to make an effort to encourage your child. Explain that his approach definitely works; it’s just different.
Reading is a vitally important skill for our children to develop. Because it is, we have to do what we can to make reading appealing. Research suggests that teaching approach has a powerful impact on children’s attitudes toward reading and the amount of time spent reading independently. Are you doing any of these things in your homeschool that could discourage your child from reading?
Limiting the Range of Books That Can Be Read
Studies of kids whose academic progress is stunted in summers off from school suggest they are kids with the least number of books in the home. While I’ve never met a homeschooler who didn’t have a lot of books, I have known some who have very strict standards for literature. Of course we don’t want our children to read books that conflict with our values or that aren’t high quality. But limiting our children’s reading selection to the 1800s classics that you love may have the unwanted side effect of inciting rebellion in other areas.
Our children have different personalities and preferences than we do. Refusing to allow them to choose books that appeal to their God-given passions may not only kill their desire to read, but may wound their spirits. Reading what you consider to be a silly book may bring a lot of joy to your child and may encourage him to read more serious works later.
When my son was little, he was obsessed with dinosaurs. I found two dinosaur books at the time written from a Christian perspective. If I had limited his reading to those two books, he would have been extremely frustrated. Instead, we checked out every book we could find on dinosaurs from the library. We used the evolutionary statements in the books as opportunities to review what we know to be true–a teaching approach with proven effectiveness.
One of the things I did this year in our literature co-op was allow each child to choose one classic book and one book of their choice for the group to read. Which books do you think the kids were most excited about? I want children to be exposed to classics, but when they beg me to let them read another excellent book in a contemporary series, why would I ever say no?
Freedom of reading choice (within reasonable limits) encourages children to read.
Requiring Extra Work With Reading
Reading is intrinsically rewarding when a child is able to read with adequate speed and comprehension (I have upcoming posts on these topics). But we can make reading a chore when we always tack on assignments.
Book reports, chapter summaries, and writing definitions for vocabulary words are excellent means of developing particular skills. Unfortunately, they are terrible ways of encouraging children to read. Few children find these assignments fun. Would you want to read if you had to do these tasks for every book?
In math the expression “drill and kill” refers to the practice of requiring students to complete pages and pages of problems, with the end result of killing joy for math. We can drill and kill in language arts as well. Elementary students should primarily be focused on discovering the joy of reading, rather than on developing technical skills. Assignments that are given should be short and purposeful.
Once the kids in our literature co-op had practiced completing a literature map for books several times, I stopped requiring it. They understood literary terms and enjoyed using them in our discussions without the busy work.
Reading without having to produce extra work encourages children to read.
Not Allowing Time for Reading
A new program in some public schools called Stop, Drop and Read is having a great deal of success in promoting independent reading. Freedom of reading choice and not requiring additional assignments have likely made it effective. But I would argue that the most powerful part of the program is the dedicated time for reading.
Today’s schedules that are packed with extra-curricular activities and online access have made reading a luxury few think they can afford. Many of my adult friends tell me they simply don’t have time to read. How will we prepare our children to be readers in the future if we don’t create a space in our lives for books?
Reading for enjoyment (the most powerful predictor of academic and life success) can easily be neglected in lieu of more “serious” schoolwork. Even reading aloud as families (which is my favorite part of homeschooling) should not be undertaken at the expense of time for your child to read on her own.
Our family encourages reading before bed, but sometimes we stop, drop, and read too. What’s critically important is that parents participate. The modeling speaks volumes, to use a reading metaphor. If we are too busy to read for pleasure, how can we expect our children to take the time? Put a free reading time on your calendar or add it to your child’s lesson plan. I have found that adding reading time to the other, less desirable assignments encourages reading. It’s the first subject my kids complete for the quarter.
Making dedicated time for reading encourages children to read.
Not Providing Reading Support
Just as children are unique in their reading interests, they are unique in their preferred format. Failing to provide support will keep our kids from reading.
As a busy homeschooling mom, I can relate to wanting a child, who knows how to read, to read independently. But some children need you or another mature reader with them while they read out loud for emotional or decoding support. If your child hates to mispronounce or misread a word, he will be reluctant to pick up a book on his own until he is more confident. This child will need lots of encouragement and reminders that any mistakes he makes will be corrected as he reads more. It’s worth it to spend the time building this type of reader up.
Reading and discussing in a group can also provide the support your child needs to read more. I’ve already mentioned that my kids read for a literature class in our co-op. It works so well to get kids reading. The kids ask each other how far they are in the book. But consider another option that I am considering for this year: start a book club. The book 100 Books for Girls to Grow On describes the benefits of reading books for tween girls in a mother-daughter book club. You could start a mother-son or a father-son or a grandparent-grandchild book club with any age child and build readers while you’re building relationships.
Some children with dyslexia find the process of reading printed materials exhausting and need a different kind of support. These readers can benefit from listening to audio books for fun. Another option is to have your struggling reader listen to books while they read the text. Disney Story Central, Epic Books, and Amazon’s Immersion Reading titles have this reading support built in. Our digital-native children may feel more comfortable reading on a Kindle than printed books. Borrow a friend’s Kindle for your child to try and see what she thinks.
Less confident readers may also be very sensitive to the format of the words on a page. Graphic novels that look like comic books are very successful in pulling these types of readers in. Capstone Publishers produce fiction and nonfiction titles on high-interest topics that are for lower-level readers. There are captivating pictures and lots of white space to encourage aspiring readers. You can find their books at your public library.
Providing books in your child’s preferred format encourages children to read.
Not Getting Outside Help
A child who hates to read is usually a child who feels he isn’t good at it. If you haven’t had your child’s vision, hearing, or reading skills evaluated, I recommend it.
Homeschoolers are understandably concerned about admitting to those outside the homeschooling community that our child isn’t reading well. But there are professionals–even those associated with public schools–who can be of great help. Every situation is unique, however, so my advice is to contact someone in a local or state homeschool support group for advice. You may have a reading specialist who now homeschools in your group! You won’t know until you ask. I also recommend the blog Homeschooling With Dyslexia.
When my child was struggling to read, I discussed it with my neighbor–a teacher and reading specialist. Her advice made all the difference! I’ll be sharing about our experience later this week.
Getting outside help for struggling readers encourages them to read.
Not Expecting Your Child to Be a Reader
If you aren’t a reader or your spouse isn’t, it can be easy to communicate that you don’t expect your child to be an avid reader. Homeschooling can reverse the no-reading habit for you and your child.
Remember that being a reader isn’t limited to reading War and Peace for fun. Reading is important and enjoyable for all kinds of kids, whether they want to enter a profession or a trade. Reading isn’t for “smart kids.” Reading is what makes kids smart. We shouldn’t automatically assume that dyslexic kids won’t be readers, either. Kids with learning disabilities can be the most passionate readers of all, because they have had to work for their skills.
I know people who aren’t readers, but who love God’s Word. If for no other reason than you want your child to enjoy a close, wonderful relationship with the Lord, expect that your child will be a reader. Children always want to meet the expectations of a loving parent. Pray that God would give you wisdom and direction as you seek to raise a reader.
Expect your child to be a reader to encourage her to read.
What to Do If You’ve Made These Mistakes
If you have already made some of these mistakes with your child, and it’s appropriate, apologize. One of the most valuable lessons we can teach our children is how to admit when we are wrong. Taking the blame has the added benefit of encouraging your child to believe that he CAN be an avid reader and that it isn’t his fault. Explain that it’s something you will work on together and with God’s help, you will succeed.
Have you ever asked your kids to write and heard groans in response? I have! That is until I started encouraging my kids to write funny stuff. Suddenly writing was fun!
Humorous writing not only motivates reluctant writers, but aids memory and learning. Kids (and adults) remember funny material better.
The first step is to give your kids permission to use humor. Even the blandest writing prompts can be hilarious when young writers feel free to let their funny creative juices flow.
The second step is to give them prompts that are related to what is going on with them. I did my master’s thesis in psychology on humor and learned the obvious: relatable humor is funny! Depressed people will laugh at depression jokes, for example. So give the kids writing prompts about fall in the fall! Can’t come up with anything? No worries! I’ve got you covered. You can either use the writing prompts that follow in your homeschool or classroom verbally or you can use the colorful printables with handwriting lines available to subscribers.
The third step is to be flexible with the form of writing. Allow your students to dictate their writing or type it depending on their level. By the way, I don’t think there’s an age range for these prompts.
Funny Fall Writing Prompts
If I were a leaf, I would like to fall on_____________because________________.
Jack Frost is a mythical character who is said to create the frost we see on windows. Name and describe a character who is responsible for leaves changing color in the fall.
Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper from Johnny Appleseed, admitting that you didn’t exactly plant all the apple trees, even though that’s what everyone says.
Write a paper to convince people that your favorite kind of apple is the best.
Write a story about a squirrel who thought it was spring when it was fall.
Write about what happened when a horse who was allergic to hay pulled a wagon for a hay ride.
Create a recipe that includes pumpkin that really shouldn’t include it.
If you were a talking jack-o-lantern, what would you say?
Write a poem about fall the way Eeyore of Winnie-the-Pooh would write it (it doesn’t have to rhyme).
Write a poem about fall the way Tigger of Winnie-the-Pooh would write it.
Write a letter to hunters as though you were a turkey wanting to live.
If you served all of your favorite foods for Thanksgiving, what would be on the menu?
Download Your Free Funny Fall Writing Prompts Printables
Can you say that subtitle three times fast? 😉 In the PDF, I share more tips for encouraging your kids to write humorous material. You’ll get a printable page for hand-written work for each prompt. You’ll also automatically receive the winter, spring, and summer versions. If you hate getting email, know that once you subscribe, you can change your preferences to Freebies Only. You’ll only be notified when a post describes a new subscriber freebie, which you’ll automatically have access to.
Click the turkey image below, add your email, and the download will automatically arrive. By the way, if you like this material, I would love for you to share it with other teachers and parents you know.
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.
