Sep 26, 2020 | Family & Home, Homeschool
Every day is a joy to spend with my children, but it’s no secret that homeschooling can sometimes create a little cabin fever for the kiddos. I love to mix up their schedule every once in a while with what I like to call: Homeschool Fun Days!
Take a break from classwork to incorporate games, crafts, and fun educational content into your homeschool program. It’s a great way to fill their day with activities that feel out of the norm and special while still having some educational structure (the modern day way to play hookey).
Here are some of my favorite ways to get my kids out of their uniforms and into a Homeschool Fun Day:
Arts and Crafts
The world of possibilities is open to you! Whether it’s a drawing and coloring extravaganza, a home kitchen bake-a-thon, or paper airplane flyover, crafts are a treat to work into your kids’ schedules. You can easily incorporate educational material into arts and craft time with at-home science experiments. Click here for tons of projects you can take on at home. Giant Baking Soda Volcano, here we come!
Educational Screen Time
Not only is this a great resource for your kids, but it’s also a little breather for you! Set your kids up with exploratory videos to engage them in learning about global cultures, the animal world, or even space. Many streaming apps today have educational content for young eyes, like the kids channel on National Geographic. Or, if you are looking for something a little more active, try educational computer games. ABCya! is a free site that allows you to choose from a variety of games by grade level; as a mom of four, it helps me to have one resource accessible for all my kiddos (the ones currently schooling at least)!
Free Play
Sometimes your kids need the space to come up with their own idea of fun. What does it look like to them? Set a time frame where (almost) anything goes! This could be a wild game of backyard tag, a dress-up tea party, or even a round of board games. Free play allows me to focus on each of my children’s interests, giving them an opportunity to share something they like with me and their siblings.
Dance Parties (whoop, whoop!)
I don’t know about you, but we are a dancing household! Getting my kids up and grooving is a great way to help work out their wiggles. Get your iPhone out and film a music video! I like to make sure each of my kids get to pick their favorite song to bust a move to.
With just a few tweaks to your routine, your kids will be energized and excited to continue their homeschool journey!
Aug 30, 2020 | Family & Home, Homeschool
The 2020 School Year has come with a new normal — working and teaching from home! Yikes! Many weren’t ready for the culture shock of COVID-19. The good news is (with a few years of homeschooling experience under my belt) I believe I can be of some help.
For this month’s blogging, I wanted to go around the fluff and pretty photos that show the beauty and precious moments of homeschooling and dive into the raw mistakes you want to avoid. Sometimes, when you’re creeping on new territory, it’s best to know what to be aware of before it hits you all at once.
1. Don’t Set Unrealistic Expectations
Although homeschooling may look like an elephant you have to eat all at once in order to get your kids on the best learning level possible, you don’t have to tackle it all this year! Create a list of achievable goals and relax any stiff standards. Sure, keep following your favorite homeschool mentors (as myself) but take on what you know you can comfortably handle this year. Then, make room to give both yourself and your kids some grace.
2. Plan, Plan & Plan More!
Even if you’re being gracious to yourself and your new students, tossing caution to the wind and going with the flow every day isn’t practical. Create a realistic schedule for your school days, choose your favorite curriculums, and stick to it. Kids thrive on a schedule, and it helps to know what activity or subject is coming next. Plus, this means you can pencil in some daily quiet time for yourself. There are great templates on Pinterest and similar sites to make your schedule both functional and pleasant to look at.
3. Don’t Be Too Rigid
Now that you’ve laminated your gorgeous schedule and pinned it to a wall in your Instagram-worthy home classroom area, it would be a total fail to miss a single time slot, right? Wrong! The world is changing every day, and it’s a fair expectation that things in your new classroom will change, too. Perhaps your child just isn’t feeling it today and needs a break. Maybe math takes place in the kitchen while baking, or your spouse takes over helping with English. Take a breather and relax. The word of the year is definitely “grace”.
4. Don’t Ignore Your Kids’ Emotions & Learning Styles
Check in with your kids. They may not have the correct language or say all the right things, but open your eyes and ears to their little needs. Make a point to actually listen to and acknowledge their feelings. Sure, schoolwork has to get done and those projects have deadlines, but be mindful of their learning styles and their emotional needs. Maybe they miss their friends or the fractions are kicking their butts today. Work together, versus bulldozing right over their needs.
5. Don’t Ignore Yourself
Just like you check in with your kids, check in with yourself! I’ll say that again: Check in with you! Take time to examine your emotions and assess your stress. You cannot be emotionally or mentally present if your own needs aren’t met. There’s nothing wrong with taking a step back to recharge yourself and come back totally refreshed.
Aug 28, 2020 | Family & Home, Marriage
“So it’s not gonna be easy. It’s going to be really hard; we’re gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, every day.” – Noah (The Notebook)
This quote comes from a scene in The Notebook, (my favorite love story) where Allie and Noah have a huge argument. At this point, Noah expresses how willing he is to work through their disagreements because he wants her no matter what.
Marriage is the partnership between two sinful individuals—and sin plus sin typically does not equal perfection. Within marriage, I’ve been exposed to some ugly truths about myself. My flesh is wicked, constantly battling to overshadow the God that lives within me.
Naturally, we are flawed, selfish, impatient, and battling some sort of insecurity. While it’s easier to frequently be a finger pointer or the self-righteous one, I’m constantly reminded that the relationship is bigger than me. It’s bigger than us. Marriage was designed by God and we all know the enemy ain’t liking that! But marriage is for better or worse, and I have bound our vows around my neck and written them on the tablet of my heart!
Marriage has taught me that it’s crucial to pinpoint your enemy and your teammates. Being proactive and implementing guidelines to operate within is also vital. As I’ve stated before, I don’t necessarily enjoy team sports. I naturally flow better solo. But through marriage, I’m learning how to be an effective team player. Doing so has certainly strengthened my faith. It’s pushed me to rely on God and His truths. I choose not to rely on my own sinful ways, understanding, or strengths. When building a marriage that will last, know that it’s different from Hollywood’s love stories where the people dive off in the car and live “Happily Ever After”.
We never see the crisis they are faced with or how they balance all the things that come with life. Trials and hardships are a part of each of our lives individually, as well as our marriages. It’s inevitable, so establishing a plan of action is crucial for when things happen unexpectedly. We live in a world full of chaos and sin. How will you respond each time the enemy attempts to attack your marriage? Surrendering it all to God immediately should always be our first response.
Additionally, refuse to allow the schemes of the enemy to prevail. Stand firmly with locked arms, united hearts, and eyes fixed on the one who’s paid it all (the Lord). I often say marriage is like a Dorito chip, not the crumbled ones, lol. But with God at top and each of us working our way from the bottom up our individual side to Him, we won’t crumble. He will sustain us individually and collectively.
If you’re looking to strengthen your marriage, it’s important to first fuel your faith and know who’s number one, God. When you’re both pursuing Him earnestly, you can rise above all circumstances! Also, always seek wise counsel. Be consistent. When everything appears to be good, still check for cracks to seal that may or may not be visible.
I recall when we were engaged we made a vow to get marriage counseling every year regardless of how good we felt we were. It’s an ongoing investment to attempt to keep us on one accord. Life is a journey and marriage is a journey for life. As the days roll by I vow to constantly gain a greater understanding of my Husband, myself, and faith! I encourage you to pursue being a woman, man, and/or family after God’s own heart!
Jun 25, 2020 | Family & Home, Home Organization
Organizing makes my heart happy! I’m always working on home improvement tasks, and it brings me great joy to see it all come together. Like most of my projects, my organization method changes according to the task at hand. I’m constantly moving items around to find the perfect, most efficient places for things.
Regardless, I want to make sure that the most vital items are nearby and easy to find when I need them. Even in my junk drawers, I typically keep a pack of baby wipes, pens, coins, batteries, and the list goes on! I’m sure it’s obvious by now that I like to be prepared.
I have three great tips for getting your drawers organized (regardless of what room those drawers are in) and keeping important items at your fingertips.
Start Fresh
Anytime I’m organizing a new drawer, I begin by removing everything. Doing this gives me a clean slate to work from, and it inspires my vision. Once everything is on the counter, I categorize all the items. This is the time to toss anything unnecessary and take stock of what’s left. After you’ve narrowed down your collection, it’s time to organize everything into containers.
Measure Twice, Cut Once
For deeper drawers, I recommend drawer dividers. For smaller, shallow drawers, I recommend drawer organizers. There’s nothing like seeing all your items in their own spaces. You can also measure your drawers to ensure you purchase the right tools for your project. This way, those dividers will fit perfectly into position. These products and so many others can be found at The Container Store local spots or on their website.
Give Yourself A Win
For clothing, I typically hang the majority of our things, t-shirts included. We use drawer space in the bedrooms for undies and some athletic shorts. For the kids, I like to fold their pajamas and thin lounging sets, putting each outfit together. This way, my kiddos are able to find certain outfits without destroying the whole system. This saves time, gives the kids some independence and maintains my folded arrangement. It’s a win for everyone!
Containers, drawer dividers, and baskets always provide a cleaner look and solve any mess. And the good news is that you don’t have to break the bank to make your drawers look sleek! I prefer iDesign, The Home Edit, and The Container Store products, of course, but I also randomly find other great organizing pieces at Target or At Home Stores. Even the Dollar Store has great organizing items.
Here’s a great tip to leave with you: Don’t leave valuable drawer space filled with unnecessary things! Organizing your drawers is easy and worthwhile. I encourage you to reclaim your junk drawer, today!
May 28, 2020 | Family & Home, Parenting
It’s challenging not to raise entitled kids. Children are exposed to so much through technology and their peers. There is always some new toy that all their friends have. As a parent, I desire to spoil them endlessly and treat them like true royalty. It feels natural to want to give any and everything to my children and never deny them. Obviously, that isn’t wise. I would be doing a disservice to them by not preparing them for life. I had to realize, God doesn’t give me everything I desire and certainly not immediately because He knows it’s not always good for me. He is more concerned about me growing in Him and living a life that is a pure reflection of who He is!
We must be good stewards of our children.
Stewardship is a term we use for someone who manages and oversees things belonging to someone else. Our children are not 100% ours. They belong to God. Our job is to raise them to know who they belong to, and that is hard work. If I give my kids the world, never discipline them, and allow them to feel entitled to everything, then I’m not being a good steward of them! Exposing them to an entitled life would be me leading them down a road of destruction. The world would eventually chew them up and spit them out.
As shocking as it sounds, we are all sinners, raising sinners. Kids have their own ideas, opinions, behaviors and misbehaviors. We’re entrusted to nurture, shape, and mold them to honor God, serve others, and discover their passion and purpose through Him. Leaving my children the legacy of Jesus is more important to me than leaving them a legacy of worldly possessions! When our Master checks in to see how well we’ve cared for and invested in the children we’ve been given, what will He see? By following God, He will see stewards who did all they could with what was entrusted to them to bring honor to the one who truly owns it all.
Entitlement can lead to ungratefulness, and no one wants their children to take things for granted, especially in knowing how blessed we are by God.
Take some time to consider what legacy you are leaving behind for your children.
It’s never too late to refocus and lead your children toward Christ, our loving and gracious Creator.
May 26, 2020 | Books, Family & Home, Homeschool, Reviews
Growing up, it was my heart’s greatest desire to become a wife and a mom. I chose a career path in Education because I believed it would allow me to spend the most time serving my family while making a decent living. I say all of that because I’ve always felt called home. Once Demario was drafted in the NFL, it felt best for me to stay home, full time with our family. As we began planning for a family, I was impressed to begin homeschooling, which was foreign to both my husband and me. The more I attempted to dismiss the idea, the more I felt it tugging on my heart, so we went for it! This journey has been difficult at times, but God has shown up endlessly to remind me he’s called me to this, for this season of life!
In Called Home: Finding Joy in Letting God Lead Your Homeschool, Karen DeBeus does an exceptional job espousing her personal experiences and challenges, reminding readers of the importance of staying connected to God throughout their homeschool journey. He is the one who has called us home to serve our families, and He wants the ultimate glory from it. While reading this book, I felt the need to minimize all distractions and press into the One who called me to homeschool!
Frequently, I’d be exhausted, frustrated, and running on fumes. I can vividly recall the week I found this book. Life was chaotic! We’d recently relocated, and football season was rolling. I was attempting to do all the mom, wife and teacher duties solo. One kid was acting bat crap crazy, another one we believed was experiencing hearing loss, while the other child was suffering from anxiety. Did I mention I was also hosting various guests for a month? When everything is threatening my sanity, God shows up and exposes me to gems like this read.
Ultimately, my children’s relationship with the Lord is most essential; therefore, it’s vital I display and teach Jesus’ truths! Curriculums are amazing and needed in increments but submitting and surrendering all that we do to the Lord is vital in order to run this race! I paused our homeschool for a few weeks, and we had fun, studied God’s truths, and reset! Reading DeBeus’s book “Called Home” and spending time with God gave me the bravery to refocus our homeschool structure to make our time God-centric.
I would recommend this book for any parent who finds themselves questioning their decision to homeschool. Veteran and beginner homeschool teachers alike will find all the information in this little book necessary. The book is a quick read, with relevant truths. DeBeus shares encouragement and reminds readers to shift their focus back on God and keep Him at the center of their homeschooling journey.
