‘Tis the season for gifting, so I thought I would share some of my favorite purchases and companies from 2020. I would love for you to comment and let me know what you are loving right now!
1) One of our family’s favorite Christmas traditions is the Cradle to the Cross Wreath from Ann Voskamp’s son at The Keeping Company. I am excited to add the Messiah Manger this year. We pair this with an advent reading. We have used Unwrapping the Greatest Gift in years past and loved it. We plan to use the advent reading from our church this year.
2) Needtobreathe’s new album Out of Body has been on repeat for a few months in our house. If you haven’t heard it yet, I hope you will give it a listen and let it encourage you as it has us.
3) I put these earrings on my wish list this year. Starfish Project is a Social Enterprise with a Holistic Care Program that cares for women escaping human trafficking and exploitation in Asia. At Starfish Project women and girls experience freedom, establish independence and develop careers. They have employed and trained over 150 women and served thousands more through community outreach.
4) The Christian Planner is by far my favorite planner to use for keeping it all together. I have used this planner in the past and am looking forward to returning to it in 2021. I chose the spiral bound for next year. This is a veteran owned business, and you can read more of their story here.
5) It is no secret that I love Beautycounter. The Lotus Cleansing Balm is my all time favorite product. Consider adding it to your wish list or gifting it to someone special!
6) I have read and followed Rebekah Lyons’ work for years. I loved her book, Rhythms of Renewal, that released last year. It came at a time when I desperately needed to work on re-establishing healthy rhythms in my life after multiple moves. The Rhythms for Life planner and journal released in October of this year. I plan to begin the journal today and work through the 90 days to dig deeper and really work on cementing those healthy rhythms. I think we could all use this after 2020.
7) Beautycounter gift sets. If you are shopping for someone special on your list, you can’t go wrong with a Beautycounter holiday gift set. Let me know if I can help you choose something for someone on your list!
8) I love Noonday Collection’s Opalescent Necklace, which is part of their Storyline Collection. The Storyline Collection helps women overcome exploitation in east Asia and offers them vital counseling and rehabilitation services, as well as dignified jobs that empower them to support themselves and their families.
9) Lovestitch. I bought the Maryn dress in black, and can’t recommend it enough. It is flattering, comfortable, fun, and you can be confident that you are supporting a company that is doing good. Their site shares that they only work with import factories which are certified fair trade and maintain ethical and responsible working conditions & practices. That is really really important to me.
10) Although I have been using essential oils for years, I made the switch to Revive essential oils this year. Their sleep blend is one of my current favorites. I’m definitely working on the restore rhythm (see #6)
11) Noonday Collection’s Adwa Foldover Clutch. Classic, beautiful, and made with love in Ethiopia, where they partner with Artisan Businesses seeking to bring hope and dignified work to women who have been made vulnerable by their circumstances. Many of the women who craft their pieces are beginning new lives after working on the streets of Addis Ababa. Through fair and meaningful work, these women are pulling themselves out of poverty—and rediscovering their value and worth.
12) Parachute sheet set. I splurged on these sheets this year, and am so happy I did. They are cooling, luxurious, and are safely made without any harmful chemicals or synthetics. They also partner with the United Nation’s Nothing But Nets campaign to send life-saving malaria-prevention bed nets to those in need.
13) Nine Line – In the military, a Nine Line is a medevac request for a soldier that is injured on the battlefield. To soldiers, a Nine Line symbolizes patriotism, hope, and trust in one’s countrymen. As a life-style brand, Nine Line Apparel aims to reinvigorate the sense of patriotism and national pride that is disappearing daily from our society. Where politics and dissent divide our country, we hope to inspire unity and brotherhood among all Americans as patriots under our common flag. If you have a veteran in your life, you need to check out this online store. You can find shirts, hats, barware, car decals, and much more. My veteran loves the items I have purchased here.
“Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go.” -unknown
I’m reflecting on that today.
Two years ago, fall ushered in the golden ginkgo leaves in Chengdu. It was such a beautiful, breathtaking display.
Our complex made pictures out of the Gingko leaves!
This year, we woke up to our second fall in South Texas. A second of something in this place. Although we don’t have the bright colors of the Ginkgo trees in Chengdu, or the Aspens in the Rocky Mountains or the bursting display of color in the Missouri Ozarks, there is a slight chill in the air, and blankets are being drug to the porch.
The birds are putting on a show as they migrate through our city. My eyes are caught upwards as they spiral down to land for a break at the wetlands across the street.
In our yard, the rabbits and chickens seem to take on new life as they frolic in response to the break from the oppressive heat.
There is excitement in the air. An expectation of what is to come. I light a candle and a boy bounces downstairs in response to the scent that whispers that fall is here.
The rhythm of the changes in seasons causes me to pause and reflect on what needs to change in my life. What do I want to take with me into this next season, and what do I need to leave behind? This particular season comes riddled with the oppressive weight of COVID, politics, and unrest. I squirm at the hint of conflict, so I have been squirming a lot lately. But, I’m learning to balance gratitude for what was, while trusting the Lord as I push forward into the unknown and uncertainty of what is next. I’m asking the question, what do I need to let go of in order to make room for something new?
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
I have been thinking a lot about planning lately. I am a planner. I always have been. However, my adult life has not gone exactly as planned. I planned to go to college (check), be a teacher (check), get married (check), have kids (check), and settle down and raise a family. To me, that meant putting down roots somewhere. Turns out, that part was not what was in store for me. If I’m honest, I have let bitterness and resentment creep in at times. If I’m even more honest, I have often let it stay for far too long.
I know I am not alone in that. We have all experienced unmet expectations at various times in our lives. But now, we are living in one big, collective unmet expectation. Planning sounds like a bad word.
So I want to be clear, that as I share our homeschool plans, I do it with somewhat of a heavy heart. I know that homeschooling is not for everyone. I know that nothing feels like the right answer. I know that if you do choose homeschooling in this season, there might be grieving that goes along with that choice. Resentment, even?
My prayer for each person that reads this, is that God will give you clarity and peace as you make a choice for your children this school year.
And if I may encourage you a little with what God says about our plans?
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB
“The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 NASB
“Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 NASB
Lean in to where He is leading you. Trust Him. He will guide your way.
I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out— plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 MSG
I am (slowly) learning that my plans were not always the best for me or the people I love. I am learning that trusting the Lord’s plans for my life is a much sweeter place to live. And I am learning to count the blessings along the way.
Here are our plans for the 2020-2021 school year. My hope in sharing this list is that it may help some of you who are considering homeschool as you sort through the many options available. I would love to hear what you are thinking for the coming school year. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about homeschooling.
4th Grade
Math: Beast Academy– We will continue using Beast Academy this year. This was a good fit for 3rd grade, and S is looking forward to level 4. This is an academically rigorous program filled with fun games, puzzles, and comics!
Language Arts: Michael Clay Thompson– We will continue using this curriculum from Royal Fireworks Press, geared towards Gifted and Talented students. It is rigorous, while fun and engaging.
History/Literature/Bible: Sonlight– We are looking forward to returning to the Story of the World this year, using Sonlight’s History/Literature/Bible G. We chose the 4 day program, and will use this for our 4th and 7th grader.
Science: We will be using two different resources this year for my 4th and 7th grader: Aristotle Leads the Way and Newton at the Center from the Story of Science, along with the Student Quest Guides, plus NOEO Chemistry 3. One or the other would be plenty, but my boys are wanting to dig deeper, and I’m not going to argue with that!
Grammar: Fix It! Grammar We have experienced a lot of gaps in grammar. Some schools that the boys attended barely touched on grammar, so we are working on filling in those gaps.
History/Literature/Bible: Sonlight– We are looking forward to returning to the Story of the World this year, using Sonlight’s History/Literature/Bible G. We chose the 4 day program, and will use this for our 4th and 7th grader.
Science: We will be using two different resources this year for my 4th and 7th grader: Aristotle Leads the Way and Newton at the Center from the Story of Science, along with the Student Quest Guides, plus NOEO Chemistry 3. One or the other would be plenty, but my boys are wanting to dig deeper, and I’m not going to argue with that!
Foreign Language: Latin Alive! 1. This will count towards a high school credit!
You may be wondering what happened to my rising 9th grader after reading the 8th grade curriculum review. Although we thought we were set to homeschool through high school, we changed courses and he will be attending a private classical Christian school next year.
This was my first school year to homeschool all 3 boys at the same time. Facing another move, they asked to be homeschooled while we got settled and learned the dynamics of our new city. Our boys have attended almost every type of school- public, private university model, international school, and homeschool. Although I have homeschooled them previously during transitions, or when a school environment was not a good fit for one of them, homeschool was never my ideal choice for them. However, it really was a perfect fit for us this school year for many reasons: being able to address gaps in learning due to many moves, being able to set a more restful pace as we processed through reverse culture shock, and then a surprise blessing of being able to maintain a semblance of normal during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although I have a bachelor’s degree in education, I feel like I have learned more about the field through navigating my own children’s education. I describe my educational philosophy as eclectic, but lean towards the classical approach of pursuing truth, goodness, and beauty, with a Charlotte Mason twist.
Maybe not surprisingly, education continues to be a passion of mine, despite being disillusioned as a brand new public school teacher. I never expected to homeschool, but seeds were planted early on in various ways- through that disillusionment, friends who homeschooled, and trying to find a place for my very out of the box oldest child (more on that later, in time).
As we face an uncertain new school year, my hope is that in sharing our homeschool journey, it may be an encouragement to anyone who is considering this path.
Overall, the year went well, and C (7th grade) and S (4th grade) will continue homeschooling next school year. I will post our curriculum choices for the coming school year next. L will attend a private classical Christian school for high school next year.
I use the Well Trained Mind, along with Cathy Duffy Reviews as a starting place for researching homeschool curriculum options. The following is a list of the curriculum that we ended up using, with a brief review of each. There is some repetitiveness within the post where the same curriculum was used for multiple grade levels.
3rd Grade
Math: Beast Academy– We used the level 3 books as well as Beast Academy online. S loved the comic book format, the presentation of new material, as well as the puzzles and games. My older boys often express that they wish that they had Beast Academy at that age. They all read and re-read the books for fun. Although this is a rigorous curriculum, we had a lot of fun with it. We will continue to use Beast Academy for 4th grade.
Language Arts: Michael Clay Thompson– We worked through the level 1 language arts program, excluding the literature trilogies. Michael Clay Thompson makes learning grammar fun- truly! S was always excited to hear what would happen next during Mud’s adventure on Grammar Island. We will continue to use this curriculum for 4th grade.
Handwriting: The Good and the Beautiful– This is more than a handwriting curriculum. The pages include images, artwork, poetry, Bible verses, drawing, spelling and grammar practice, and quotes that support high character, faith, nature, and creativity. We will continue to use this curriculum for 4th grade.
History: Notgrass Our Star-Spangled Story– This curriculum was new to us, but appealed to me for its simplicity. I knew that the boys would be able to read through the chapter and complete the assignments (map work, timeline, and activity book questions) independently, which is what I needed during our time of transition. S worked through Our Star-Spangled Story, while the older 2 worked through America the Beautiful. Generally, they were on the same topic throughout the year, which helped with discussion around historical events. There is a lot that I like about Notgrass, but we will not be using it again this next school year. My boys love History and would like a more in depth study, so we will be returning to The Story of the World with Sonlight literature selections.
Literature: Notgrass– The books that S read this year tied into our History curriculum.
Science: Master Books- Soil, Sea, and Sky– I chose to use this as the spine of our science curriculum for 3rd and 6th grade because it was advertised as a Charlotte Mason approach. Although it is a solid science curriculum, it was not a good fit for us. I felt like it was too worksheet oriented.
The Good and the Beautiful Marine Biology– I knew we wanted to focus on Marine Biology since we were moving to a city by the ocean. If you join their email list, you can receive the Marine Biology unit for free. We loved this unit. Another win from The Good and the Beautiful.
Additionally, he attended a homeschool science class at the local aquarium.
Latin: Song School Latin– This is really geared towards younger grades, but it is a fun introduction to Latin. S will be moving on to Latin for Children A for 4th grade.
Bible Study: We started our day reading from Character Sketches at breakfast. You can read more about the book by clicking on the title, which will take you to a previous post titled Morning Time. We also did a bible study called My Brother’s Keeper, and are currently working through Fruit of the Tongue, both by Not Consumed Ministries. I highly recommend both of these studies. Additionally, we are reading through the Bible as a family this year, using the YouVersion app. We discuss the questions and comments that were made in the “Talk it Over” section over dinner.
PE: S played soccer and basketball with local leagues. When my husband began working from home, he took over as the PE teacher, which was so nice. I will dedicate a post to PE ideas at a later date.
Language Arts: The Potter’s School Writing Fundamentals 6– I can’t say enough good things about our experience with The Potter’s School. They are an online homeschool resource for grades 4-12. They offer academically rigorous courses with a biblical worldview. C really grew in his writing this year and is looking forward to taking English from the same teacher next year!
Grammar: Fix It! Grammar– We have experienced a lot of gaps in grammar. Some schools that the boys attended barely touched on grammar, so we are working on filling in those gaps. I love this program and how it works through passages that cumulatively tell a story. It takes 10-15 minutes a day. Short and sweet.
History: Notgrass America the Beautiful– This curriculum was new to us, but appealed to me for its simplicity. I knew that the boys would be able to read through the chapter and complete the assignments (map work, timeline, and activity book questions) independently, which is what I needed during our time of transition. C and L worked through America the Beautiful, while S worked through Our Star-Spangled Story. Generally, they were on the same topic throughout the year, which helped with discussion around historical events. There is a lot that I liked about Notgrass, but we will not be using it again this next school year. My boys love History and would like a more in depth study, so we will be returning to The Story of the World with Sonlight literature selections.
Literature: Notgrass– These books tied into our History curriculum
Science: Master Books- Soil, Sea, and Sky– I chose to use this as the spine of our science curriculum for 3rd and 6th grade because it was advertised as a Charlotte Mason approach. Although it is a solid science curriculum, it was not a good fit for us. I felt like it was too worksheet oriented.
The Good and the Beautiful Marine Biology– I knew we wanted to focus on Marine Biology since we were moving to a city by the ocean. If you join their email list, you can receive the curriculum for free. We loved this unit. Another win from The Good and the Beautiful.
Additionally, he attended a homeschool science class at the local aquarium.
Handwriting: The Good and the Beautiful– This is more than a handwriting curriculum. The pages include images, artwork, poetry, Bible verses, drawing, spelling and grammar practice, and quotes that support high character, faith, nature, and creativity. We will continue to use this curriculum for 7th grade.
Bible Study: We started our day reading from Character Sketches at breakfast. You can read more about the book by clicking on the title, which will take you to a previous post titled Morning Time. We also did a bible study called My Brother’s Keeper, and are currently working through Fruit of the Tongue, both by Not Consumed Ministries. I highly recommend both of these studies. Additionally, we are reading through the Bible as a family this year, using the YouVersion app. We discuss the questions and comments that were made in the “Talk it Over” section over dinner.
Music: piano lessons
PE: C played basketball with a local homeschool league. When my husband began working from home, he took over as the PE teacher, which was so nice. I will dedicate a post to PE ideas at a later date.
Science: Physical Science with The Potter’s School– I can’t say enough good things about our experience with The Potter’s School. They are an online homeschool resource for grades 4-12. They offer academically rigorous courses with a biblical worldview.
History: Notgrass America the Beautiful– This curriculum was new to us, but appealed to me for its simplicity. I knew that the boys would be able to read through the chapter and complete the assignments (map work, timeline, and activity book questions) independently, which is what I needed during our time of transition. C and L worked through America the Beautiful, while S worked through Our Star-Spangled Story. Generally, they were on the same topic throughout the year, which helped with discussion around historical events. There is a lot that I liked about Notgrass, but we will not be using it again this next school year. My boys love History and would like a more in depth study, so we will be returning to The Story of the World with Sonlight literature selections.
Literature: Notgrass– These books tied into our History curriculum
Bible Study: We started our day reading from Character Sketches at breakfast. You can read more about the book by clicking on the title, which will take you to a previous post titled Morning Time. We also did a bible study called My Brother’s Keeper, and are currently working through Fruit of the Tongue, both by Not Consumed Ministries. I highly recommend both of these studies. Additionally, we are reading through the Bible as a family this year, using the YouVersion app. We discuss the questions and comments that were made in the “Talk it Over” section over dinner.
Technology: L took Computer Programming in Java through The Potter’s School. He participated in a homeschool Robotics league for part of the year, and he also enjoys coding through Scratch.
PE: L played basketball with a local homeschool league. When my husband began working from home, he took over as the PE teacher, which was so nice. I will dedicate a post to PE ideas at a later date.
Additional: 4H Agricultural Mechanics Project
The freedom of homeschooling allowed our family time to pursue individual interests, travel during the off season, raise a flock of chickens, start a garden, include our boys in home improvement projects and much more. I plan to elaborate on those endeavors and much more in the near future.
I am not a morning person. I thought that it would automatically happen when I grew up, but alas, it has not. When I had children, I quickly realized the importance of getting up before them, and the effect it had on our day.
As we started homeschooling, I felt like we were struggling in our transition from waking up, to morning chores, to starting school lessons and activities. After a bit of trial and error, I feel like we have found our rhythm.
First, I get up and start the coffee and get a healthy, protein packed breakfast going. I like to sit and do a morning devotional or bible study and order my thoughts before the kids are up. I turn on music (usually a Pandora station like Indelible Grace, David Nevue, JJ Heller, Ellie Holcomb, Bethel, or NeedtoBreathe), then wake the boys.
They come downstairs for breakfast and I read aloud while they eat. This works well for us because it limits chatter that can easily turn to careless words that can easily spiral and throw our day quickly off course. This time really does set the tone for our day. Currently, I am reading from Character Sketches. It is an older book, but all three of my boys are captivated by the fascinating animal facts, beautiful illustrations, and stories from Scripture.
The title page reads:
From the Pages of Scripture
God’s biographies reveal the secrets of warning and instruction for our daily lives. ” Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11
Illustrated in the World of Nature
“But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you.” Job 12:7-8
Dedicated to the vision of God raising up a vast host of men who are committed to His standards and their responsibility to build character and to meet the basic needs of each one in their families.
Volume I studies the character traits loyalty, responsibility, courage, determination, orderliness, initiative, and decisiveness by highlighting an animal that exhibits these traits in nature, followed by a character sketch of a historical figure from the Bible.
When I am done reading, I review their daily schedule with them, then the boys are responsible for cleaning up the kitchen, and beginning their morning chores. For our family, that means brushing their teeth, combing their hair, getting dressed, making their beds, and completing their animal chores, which currently includes a dog, a cat, 3 rabbits, and 4 chickens.
After the morning chores are complete, the younger two (3rd and 6th grade) then ease into handwriting while we all regroup and get ready to tackle the assignments for the day.
How about you? What is your morning routine? What helps your day get off to a good start?
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I think sharing a little of our story is a good place to begin. I didn’t plan to homeschool. In fact, I think it is safe to say that I did everything I could to avoid it.
I have a degree in education from the University of Texas and taught 6th grade for one year at a middle school in Houston. After getting married, my husband and I moved to central Texas, and I landed a job as the Education Curator at a zoo. I was quickly introduced to the world of informal education and fell in love with teaching in that capacity. After starting our own family, I assumed our children would go to public school. If I met someone who homeschooled their children, I would feel compelled to say that I would never be able to do that. I didn’t necessarily feel that it was wrong for them, I just thought I knew that it was not right for my family.
When it was time for our oldest to head to Kindergarten, he was filled with so much excitement. He loved learning and loved people, and he couldn’t wait to go. When school started, the excitement quickly turned to dread, and suddenly our bubbly boy was coming home from school in tears, saying he wasn’t allowed to learn. We assured him that it would get better, that it always takes awhile to sort out a new class, and encouraged him to be patient. Unfortunately, things did not improve for him, and continued to get worse. We met with his teacher often, identified that he was bored, and tried to come up with solutions. He tutored other kids in class, was a teacher’s helper, and he loved those times. But there was still a huge chunk of the day where he was literally bored to tears. He came home every day with stacks of completed worksheets, along with stacks of blank paper with his own stories and drawings, and buckets of tears. I was concerned that if this continued much longer, his desire to learn would be squashed completely. Before Christmas break, I withdrew him from public school, with the intention to homeschool short term while we figured out an alternative.
Our first semester of homeschooling went well. My son’s excitement for learning quickly returned, but I was convinced the situation was temporary. I assumed we would reconsider public school again the next year, and also spent a lot of time researching alternative educational options for him. We had friends who attended a university model school, and after attending an open house, we applied. That following year, he thrived in an environment with a teacher who challenged him. He went to school two days a week, and was sent home with work for the remaining three days. This seemed like a perfect fit for our family. He received outside instruction, a consistent peer group, and I got a break. He spent one and a half years there, and continued to grow in his love of learning.
When my oldest was in 3rd grade, and middle in 1st grade, the company my husband was working for filed for bankruptcy. My husband was offered a job in a new town, and we moved three hours north.
After our success with the university model approach, we applied to the university model school in the new town. It turns out all university model schools are not the same. My boys were pushing worksheets, and again in tears over not being able to learn. But this time, it was two of them. I was still not ready to embrace homeschool, and after many friends and neighbors spoke highly of the local public school, we decided to give public school another try. And it was good. There was a specialist who advocated for my boys in ways I didn’t know how, and before I knew it, they were both accelerated a year in math. The teachers, administrators, and staff made my boys feel known and loved.
Unfortunately, after a year and a half there, my husband was transferred to a new city, and my boys had to say goodbye to their new found friends and community.
After our successful public school experience, I focused our home search on an area in our new city where the schools were known to be some of the best. All three struggled tremendously during the transition. I dismissed their complaints as being the new kid again, encouraged them to push through and prayed that things would get better. The new school district did not accept the accelerated math from the previous district, and my oldest had to attend grade level math during the day, in addition to taking an online course at home in order for them to accept the acceleration. When that semester ended, we were all more than ready for summer break. With a few new friends, I was convinced things would get better. They didn’t. Although other families and children seemed to thrive, mine didn’t. My oldest was bullied incessantly, and all three were in tears for various reasons. My youngest cried and fought me every morning that he did not want to go to school, and my middle son was showing signs of depression and anxiety. I knew something needed to change.
I looked into university model schools in the area, and found that there was one up the road from us. I went to an information meeting, and was cautiously optimistic that this might be the answer. I signed the boys up to shadow for a day and prayed and worried most of the time they were there. When I went to pick them up, I was greeted with kids smiling ear to ear, and exclamations that it was the best school ever. The school was willing to take the younger boys mid year, and we made the switch. A few days in, I had my boys back. They loved their new school, were learning amazing things, and we were starting to feel like we were part of a precious community. Things continued to get worse and worse for my oldest, and I withdrew him a few weeks before the end of the school year, with the intention of him attending the university model school in the fall.
That summer, we received news that we were moving again. This time, to China. Not knowing what the international school system looked like, we decided to homeschool during our time there. However, the Chinese Communist Party confiscated most of our homeschool books in customs. After meeting some expats that attended a specific international school, we decided that would be the best option for our boys going forward. Although there were some challenges, it was truly a gift. My oldest was recognized as Most Outstanding in Science and Technology in the 7th grade, after only attending one semester. They were challenged academically, and again, all three boys felt known and loved by the teachers, administrators, and staff.
Our time in China was cut short, and we left a year earlier than we expected. We were heading back to Texas, but again, to a new city. This time, when all three boys asked to be homeschooled, I didn’t hesitate. They needed familiar in the midst of all the change. We needed time to process the previous year’s culture shock, subsequent reverse culture shock, and years of moving. For the first time in 8 years of having school aged children, I had complete peace that this is what we needed to do.
We are wrapping up our year of homeschool that was carefully planned over months of research. We still experience good days, bad days, and everything in between. Overall, it is working, and we know without a doubt that it is what the Lord has for us for now.
You may not have moved 6 times in the last 12 years (more on that later), but you were just thrown into a very unexpected, unplanned situation. Maybe you are trying to navigate how to work from home with children schooling from home, while dealing with the stress and anxiety of a global pandemic? My heart goes out to you. I have felt so burdened for everyone in this situation, and yet, so proud to watch everyone gather and share resources, and dedicate yourselves to making this happen.
There are many reasons to homeschool. And many reasons not to. Although a global pandemic was never one of my reasons, I want to offer some encouragement in this season. I think we can take this opportunity to show love to our children in a very unique way. You were made for such a time as this. I am praying there will be a revival of truth, beauty, and goodness in homes across America and around the world.
Be kind to yourself. It will take a few weeks to find your rhythm. And my boys and I will be sharing more about how we are finding ours.
The resources below have encouraged and guided me during our transition to homeschool. I highly recommend all of them. As always, feel free to reach out if you are looking for specific advice. I certainly don’t have all of the answers, but I might be able to guide you to someone who does!
Hey friends. I’m glad you are here. As many of you know, I homeschool my 3 boys, who are in 3rd, 6th, and 8th grade. What you may not know, is that I said I would never ever homeschool. I also said that I would never ever move to China, but more on those stories, and lessons learned on saying never ever later…
So, here I am. Reluctantly homeschooling my boys, but truly loving it on most days. And here you are. Walking down a path you maybe never saw coming.
I have been thinking of starting a blog for years. I had the name picked out, and often wrote posts in my head. But it never materialized. There was a lot of moving that happened, and my priorities were usually with the boxes and getting everyone settled. I dreamt of launching it on the first day of spring… my favorite season. I just didn’t expect the first day of spring to look like this, or my first post to be of this nature.
A lot of friends and acquaintances have reached out to me privately about what our homeschool looks like. Here is what I have said to them, and what I would say to you if we were sitting down over coffee, or on my back patio while the boys were at one of their many recesses… It is going to be okay. You do not need to figure everything out right now. We are all reeling from what all of this means and what it will look like. Now is the time to lean on the Lord, and lean on each other (from an appropriate social distance, of course). Take a week or two and process what is happening. We all have a lot to grieve.
Maybe your school will send work home and resources for your child. Great. Do that. Maybe they don’t. If that is the case, please remember it is the middle of March. Now is not the time to purchase a full homeschool curriculum. It is so easy to get overwhelmed with all of the resources that are available. That makes homeschooling easier than ever, but can also make you feel like you aren’t doing enough.
As the weeks progress, I will be posting more about what our days look like, and what works for us. For now, I hope you will let your kids absorb their new normal, let yourself absorb your new normal, play a little more, get outside a little more, and rest a little more.
If you are looking to get started on schooling at home at this point, a few thoughts on free resources for now:
Bible
We are reading through the Bible in one year as a family using the YouVersion app. I love that the boys can leave questions and comments in the “Talk it Over” section and we discuss it over dinner.
Math
If you have an elementary student, I think most of you have some sort of program in place for Math facts. Whether it is IXL, Reflex Math, or any of the other programs out there, keep doing that. It is something that is familiar, and that is good right now. If you have middle school or older, check out Khan Academy. Let this be a time to sharpen some skills that may be weak, or stretch into something new and challenging.
Language Arts
We are using The Good & the Beautiful for Marine Biology and Handwriting this year. I love her curriculum because it truly is just that- good and beautiful. I think of Philippians 4:8- “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”. This is the framework I use for our homeschool in general, so it is a good fit for us. The Marine Biology unit is free to download, along with Language Arts units for 1st-5th grade!
I would also encourage you to let your kids free write/journal. This is a great way to process what is going on around them, and will provide great memories later on!
Reading
Read great books. We are so lucky to live in a time when we can access ebooks and audiobooks in just a few seconds.
Science
Make an “I Wonder” journal. My kids are constantly asking questions, and if they had their way, we would probably stay there all day every day. So, if they have a question- regardless of the subject, it goes here. Write it down. Then, take a deep dive later to learn more about the topic!
Now is a great time to get outside, go on plenty of walks/hikes, and start a nature journal. Write and draw what you see. Plant something and watch it grow.
History
Spend some time going over American History by watching the fun and educational Liberty’s Kids series on YouTube! This has been a favorite for all of my boys when they were in elementary.
Crash Course is also free on Youtube and my boys love it.
Speaking of MIT, if you have high school students or students that would love a challenge, make sure to visit OpenCourseWare, where you can attend many of their college level courses online!
If you have any questions or need specific advice, please feel free to reach out to me. We have learned a lot through trial and error, and I am happy to share what has worked and what hasn’t for us!
Deep breath. Although most of us never saw this coming, God did. He is still here, in this season, and He is good!
Next week: What does our day actually look like? Where do household chores fit into all of this? What curriculum are we using? And more!
In Every Season 