What I learned as a home school mom....

Books that wont lay flat, being bound as we speak. It is a necessity. Otherwise I cannot home school my kids!

This is a true statement.

Remember sometimes it is the little things in life that make a difference.


If the sun hits your eyes every morning as you open your Bible curriculum causing instant headache and irritation...

MOVE YOUR DESK AN INCH OVER.  It might help.


If pencils NEVER being sharpened because of stupid sharpeners... find a way to get a better sharpener--- or borrow mine and do fifty pencils!

If you can never find your place in a book and this wastes times and again causes instant headache and irritation... buy or make some bookmarks.  UM hello... paperclips!

If you start LOSING the kids mid history and it is right before lunch...either have a quick snack before you start OR move lunch up 30 minutes.  IT CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.

If you have a squirmy kid---ME, ME, ME...keep them busy.  I used to HATE giving the kids busy work, I mean if felt futile and useless and just like more stuff to print out or have. 

I WAS WRONG... Please do not take my path.  If a kid has to wait even 3 minutes for YOUR attention, give them something to do.  We do a lot of chores, I am busy with one kid and tell Emily to go sweep the bathroom, or Matt go pick up the Lego table, or Kate go turn back the dryer.   Even the act of them leaving the table and doing something give you just a few more minutes to concentrate.  I have had one kid go make us a drink and by the time I am done, we all get up and have a nice drink!  Other ideas are: lacing cards, magnet letters and a list to spell, handwriting sheets, flash cards, the game Rush Hour ( I love this game for the kids!), Draw, Write Now worksheets, worksheets printed off the Internet (literally cheap busy work), Bible color sheets.... you get the idea!

If you lose the kids when taking a phone call and it takes you for ever to get back on track-- set up a voice mail and DO NOT ANSWER IT.  A real teacher at school cannot just stop class and answer the phone!

If you have tons of all these special things to do... art kits, learn the artist, How to play Marbles, Manners, Recorder lessons, math games, mind benders, hands on activities, theme lap books,  school related movies---- that you NEVER GET TO because heck you don't even finish the work you DID have planned.  PLAN BETTER- meaning more realistically  and then carve out a time to do them!  So what if you miss one day of math that week, or your spelling lessons are a day behind.  Take time to DO THOSE things every once in a while!  IT will be worth it in the end!

Plan a four day week so you ALWAYS have one day of catch up.  OR you end up having a free day to dig deeper on a subject, take an impromptu field trip, go to the zoo or just chill on the couch with books!

If you have a melt down on a day when you NEED to print something but you are magically OUT of paper... Hide a ream of paper- like a Christmas present- somewhere and then you will have it!

If you need to bribe your kids but it makes you feel bad.  DO a reward system.  That way it is the consequence of their behavior and not a bribe.  Set M&M jar on the table and the firm rule for every situation is when "X" happens you get 5 M&M's.  This is called a reward, not a bribe!  On the other hand make sure you have a firm rule for when "x" doesn't happen that you get .....!  THIS too is a consequence!


I bet our year is gonna be better this year.. I have learned so much!