Considering Homeschooling? 5 Steps To Help You Get Started.

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Rebecca

Each year, at about this time, I receive an email (or five) that reads something like this:

Rebecca,

It’s been on my heart to homeschool my son next year. I’ve been praying about it and doing some reading. Where do I start? I’m really scared. What curriculum should I use? Any advice would be helpful. I’m not sure I can do this. And did I mention that I’m scared?

Sincerely,

Rebecca’s Friend (or friend of a friend)

I love getting those emails. Really, I do! And most of the homeschooling moms I know also love receiving them. We are honored to be asked. More importantly, we are excited as our friends embark on this adventure with their families. It is a difficult journey, but they will not regret it. So, for the benefit those friends who:

a) Have been too scared to ask, or
b) Are up at 2am, praying about this decision, and searching for answers, or
c) May not know me well enough to feel comfortable emailing me directly…

Here is my general response:

Dear Friend,

Yay! I am truly excited with and for you!

And…

Breathe! I know it can be overwhelming – especially at first. But remember that when God calls, He also equips. He will see you through this. Yes, there is a lot to learn, but you don’t have to know everything at the beginning. You can learn as you go. Furthermore, other families have gone before us. We can follow in their footsteps and learn from their mis-steps.

Here is the route I recommend:

1. Prayer is the most important part. It is the first step and should continue throughout your journey. So you are already on the right track. Search the Scriptures for the words ‘teach’ and ‘train.’ Pray those verses for yourself and your family.

2. The next step is to write out all the reasons you want to homeschool your son. List everything from the things the Lord is whispering in your heart, to the struggles you see him encountering now, to the strengths he has, to the dreams of what you want his education to look like. Then put that paper in a secure location. You may even want to make an extra copy. You will need it when you start to choose curriculum. And, if you’re like most of us, you’ll need it again in February when the winter doldrums hit. (In fact, go ahead and put a note in your calendar on 2/1 that will pop up with a reminder to re-read your list.)

3. Once you have the list, you’ll want to do some reading on local laws and basic education methods. The laws in Georgia are homeschool friendly and fairly relaxed. GHEA.org is the best resource for that. (If you’re not in Georgia, check HSLDA for the laws in your state.)

While you’re there, check out their recommended reading list. You do NOT have to read every book on the list. Choose a few books by different authors, with titles which appeal to you. My favorite author is Ruth Beechick. Sally Clarkson is also great. Another book that is not listed, but that I found helpful is The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer. Check your local library; they’ll have several books on homeschooling. There are a TON of educational philosophies and methods out there. Understand that you don’t have to choose one and stick with it forever. You just want to know which basic styles best match your vision, your lifestyle, and your son’s giftedness now. That is why you want the written list first.

4. From there, Cathy Duffy’s curriculum guide (also on that reading list) will help you choose the best curriculum for you and your son. She sorts everything by learning style and basic philosophy. It will save you some time and headaches by helping narrow your choices.

5. I HIGHLY encourage you to attend a local convention. That is where you can soak up knowledge from experienced parents who have walked this road before you. You can thumb through curricula to see whether they really appeal to you. And you can talk with publishers and sometimes even authors to determine whether their products are a good fit. (BTW – Dads and kids are welcome and encouraged to attend, too.)

In Georgia, we are blessed to have two conventions, GHEA, and the Southeast Homeschool Expo. We also have access to many more conventions in neighboring states as well as small workshops hosted by local support groups.

Check out Yahoo Groups and Facebook for information on conventions, workshops, book sales, hybrid schools, and field trips in your area.

There is much, much more that I could tell you, but this will get you well on your way.

Homeschooling is just like your first steps into motherhood. It is a wonderful, exciting adventure. It will be a learning experience for both you and your child. It will not always be easy. You will make mistakes. But God’s grace is big; He will bless your obedience to His will. And throughout the journey, you will learn more about who He is and how much He loves us.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions. My email address is rebeccasponderings@yahoo.com. I love helping new families get started homeschooling. It is not a bother, it is an honor.

May God bless you,

Rebecca

We’ve got worms!

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Rebecca

Seriously! We really do have worms. One pound of red wigglers. They arrived this week. And I was actually excited about it. Gasp! Who would have ever guessed that I would actually look forward to earth worms being placed on my doorstep?

I do not like worms. As a child, I absolutely hated fishing because we had to use real worms instead of the pretty, non-icky, fake ones. The sight of an earthworm still makes my skin crawl. I have to use garden gloves just to pull weeds so I do not accidentally touch a bug or worm. The first thing I did after ordering the worms was go buy a pair of heavy-duty gloves just so I will not have to touch them. So why on earth did I buy them?

I like compost more than I hate worms.

I want to garden, and any gardener knows that good compost is essential to healthy produce. Every time I have attempted a traditional compost pile or bin, I have failed. Most of them became wonderful beds for fire ants. A few simply became putrid messes on the back patio. Maybe it was a lack of fall leaves. Maybe it was a lack of manure. I really do not know. Further attempts have been out of the question because our current homeowners association frowns on such things.

With multiple failures under my belt, I began looking for options. That was how I discovered vermicomposting. I hit my favorite local book supplier (AKA the public library) to learn more. I checked out “Worms Eat My Garbage.” Here in this little book, I found all the information I needed to employ worms who create wonderful rich, dark compost from our kitchen scraps.

I asked my husband to build a wooden worm bin for me using these plans. He kindly agreed. However he insisted that the worms must remain outside the house. They would not be permitted to share our climate-controlled home. We needed a thermostat. By the time that arrived, it was summer. I was unsure how to keep the little wigglers from dying a cruel, smelly death in the sweltering Georgia heat, even with the thermostat. I could have researched it, but I was busy. Worms were not exactly at the top of my priority list because, well, they are worms. There was still an “ick” factor. So, my bin sat empty for months.

With the arrival of autumn’s cooler temperatures, my mind turned back to gardening. I began to dream of fresh herbs and vegetables growing in my windowsill all winter. I finally revisited the idea of vermicomposting. I ordered the worms and researched ways to insulate them from extreme heat and cold. I dug the worm bin out from under all our camping equipment. All was ready when the box finally arrived.

The kids were more excited than me. They helped open the box and unwrap the bag. Then they peered curiously over my shoulders as I opened the bag and dumped the contents into the bin. They helped add a little sand to aid the worms’ digestion. At last, they hovered to see how the creatures would adjust to their new home.

I was shocked when Bud told me he wanted to touch one of the worms. However, he insisted that he did not want to touch the dirt around it. Oh the irony. He will not touch the dirt; I will not touch the worms. The two of us combined might make one really good worm wrangler! Haha!

As of today our worms are still alive and well. We have been adding a little water daily, so they do not dry out. We will begin feeding them kitchen scraps soon. The most common mistake of rookie worm farmers is adding too much food, too soon. I hope to avoid that pitfall. Perhaps with a little luck, I will strike gardening gold after all.

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Amazon.com. If you choose to order the book through Amazon, they will send me a very small check as a thank you for sending them business. Of course, you are welcome to simply borrow the book from your local library as I did. I am not affiliated with ecoyardfarming.com. I simply liked their bin and wanted to give credit where it was due.

Yummy New Muffin Recipe

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Rebecca

My mom recently sent me a link to a recipe she had discovered: Banana Nut Grain-Free Muffins on Edible Harmony. She was raving about them. So this morning I decided to give them a try.

I liked that they are sweetened with dates instead of honey. The recipe calls for almond flour. My daughter can be sensitive to almonds if we over-use them, so I substituted hazelnut flour. I also was running low on almond butter, so I added what I had; it was probably almost 1 tablespoon instead of 2. Otherwise, I used the recipe as written.

Yum!

And the results?

One kid declared them a favorite. The other one liked them. But she is not a fan of bananas, so they are not her favorite. Personally, I think they’re very yummy! They’re not eggy at all. They raised nicely and are not heavy or dense. They are a little grainy in texture, though I believe that using blanched almond flour (as the recipe calls for) would eliminate that. I really loved the warm, sweet, banana flavor, reminiscent of the banana bread I enjoyed before I had to go GF.

I definitely plan to make them again. Once I get some more bananas, I plan to make a few batches to freeze for quick breakfasts. I’m also thinking of sharing these with the moms at our homeschool co-op next week.

Thank you, Edible Harmony. I am looking forward to trying more recipes from your site.

Back-to-School Sale on Notebooking Pages

Posted on August 4, 2012 by Rebecca

A quick note for all my friends who like notebooking or want to try it:

Be sure to check out NotebookingPages.com this week. Debra is hosting her annual Back-2-School Fun Sale Event through August 10th. She has some wonderful freebies and giveaways. Plus, both bundles and treasury memberships are available for a discount. If you were thinking of purchasing some notebooking pages this school year, now is the BEST time to buy.

Simple, Pretty, and Extremely Versatile – Furoshiki!

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Rebecca

I have been using our summer break from school to accomplish several personal goals, including taking time to sew. Sewing is therapeutic; it nourishes my creative side. While searching online for a cute backpack pattern last week, I discovered something called a furoshiki. I had no idea what a furoshiki was, but it looked cute. So, I typed the word into my search bar. Oh! What pretty fun that has led to!

I discovered that a furoshiki is a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth. It originally referred to the towel or bath wrap that people would take to public bath houses. However, the furoshiki developed into an incredibly versatile item. By tying and folding this simple cloth in various ways, it could be used as a gift wrap, a purse, a shoulder bag, a book carrier, a basket, a shawl, a belt, an apron, a suitcase, and so much more. It was origami in fabric – very pretty fabric.

What fun! I love products that multitask. I immediately thought of a myriad of ways I could use a pretty furoshiki. I tend to run cold, so I like to keep a shawl handy. When traveling, it could be an extra suitcase. I had been wanting a new handbag. I needed a basket for co-op days. An extra shopping tote is always handy. And of course, it is a beautiful, practical gift wrap. This would do it all! (Except the gift wrap.) But, I could make some to give as gifts…

At the fabric store, a pretty cotton shouted my name. It was a field of turquoise, scattered with fun, blue flowers. It fit the whimsical side of Becky perfectly. (I have different names to fit my mood and personality. Doesn’t everyone?) So, with one-and-one-quarter yards of fabric, I created my first furoshiki.

I had so much fun tying it into purses, bags, and other items that my daughter had to get in on the fun. On errand day, we stopped at the fabric store. She chose a pink fabric with flowers and butterflies. That afternoon, I taught her how to trim the edges with a rotary cutter, iron the hem, square the corners, and stitch it. (I am definitely counting that as a school day.) She was very proud of her accomplishment.

While shopping with my daughter, I also found a gorgeous cotton batik in the colors of the sunrise…

It was on sale…

It was calling, “Rebecca!”…

I now have two furoshiki.

With something so versatile, and so pretty, it is good to have more than one, right?