OK y'all...I need some advice.

We have homeschooled from the beginning, and it has been brought to my attention (thankyousomuchdearhusband lol) that my son, 8th grade, is woefully lacking in US history.  Doesn't bother ME lol, since I don't have much recall about that stuff when I 'learned' it in school (and I use the term 'learn' very loosely; it was more like 'memorize this until the test is done') but we've had a couple of occasions lately that really perked up dear old dad's ears.  Example:  someone commented on a solemn faced baby, said he had his Richard Nixon face on; later discussion made my son ask 'who's that?' LOL. 

SO...we are in need of suggestions for US history books.  We've used Abeka in the past and well, frankly I wonder if that isn't part of our problem.  Not that Abeka isn't a good curriculum, but it's just so uninteresting to him.  I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a history buff and that a lot of it seems to be simply reading, which my sons hates.  Has anyone used anything that you'd recommend for our situation?  Money is definitely an issue, since I've pretty well spent my book allowance for this year, but we gotta have something.

Thanks for the help, y'all.  I appreciate any and all advice!

Hey y'all,

We've been homeschooling for quite a while, in fact this upcoming year will be our 9th, and it didn't take me long to discover the truth in this statement:  The people in your world who are supposed to love you best are often the ones who support you the least.  This includes parents, siblings, your closest friends, your church family and even your pastor.  Most of them don't MEAN to be unsupportive.  However, they don't seem to miss an opportunity to question, create doubt and even speak against your homeschooling and child-rearing styles.  Does any of this sound familiar?

~~What about learning to get along with others?  Are you sure?  What about when he starts algebra?  But you went to public school and you turned out alright!  Are you really sure?  What about sports, socialization, college??  But are you SURE?  You know, you can't shelter them forever! Well okkkaayyyy, if you think so.  (AND NOW, my personal favorite...body language: crossed arms, rolling eyes and mutter "Mmmhmmm")~~

Worse than what people say to you is what they say when you're not around.  Even well-meaning folks have plenty of comments and discussions, complete with eye-rolling, head-shaking and sighs.  As if this isn't enough to dissuade, often we discourage each other by being too critical of different methods or styles, by 'knowing it all', by making false assumptions.  We should be embracing each other, uplifting and supporting, lending a helping hand...not a slapped wrist, a harsh word, or a turned-up nose.  I've lost count of the times people have been appalled at some facet of our homeschooling.  I can't keep 'em all happy!

Every homeschooling family is different.  That bears repeating:

EVERY homeschooling family is different. 

What works for you may not work for me, and vice versa.  Don't assume that your way of learning, while it runs like a well-oiled machine at your house, would solve the dilemmas at my house.  Blowing off my issues does not show compassion; "I told you so" is not helpful.  I confess, there are times that I would pay good money to see one of these 'my way is the only way' people dropped into my household!  That wouldn't work either, because you see, we all have different goals.  Sure, we are similar in that we want the best for our children-- the best raising, the best learning, the best attitudes, the best family life.  But the details change, even within our own households at times.

If you are the grandparent, aunt, or close friend of a homeschooling family, be truly supportive; tell that mom how proud you are of her accomplishments, tell her that you know what she may have sacrificed in order to provide this environment for her children and what a good job she's doing.  Tell that dad that you're proud of him for providing for his family and creating a home where mom can teach, and for the teaching that he provides himself in spite of his busy work week.  If you're in church with a homeschooler, take a minute this Sunday to compliment the children's behavior, pat them on the back and say 'well done, good job!'  And if you're a homeschooler yourself, remember that every homeschool family is not like yours.  In fact, none of them are!  Support each other, greet one another with a hug, give someone a call and say, "Hey, I was just thinking about you!"  Don't try to 'fix them.'  Listen, listen, listen; remember God gave us twice as many ears as mouths, so use them accordingly.  And hey, homeschool mom?  I'm proud of you!

You know, last year was a tough homeschooling year. (I say this every year lol, I think.) We had a special speaker at our homeschool group, Ruth Martins y'all know her? WONDERFUL, and I was asking her about some 'schooling issues' I'd been having.  She asked a few questions, and then she said, "Oh honey... you have a 13-year-old, that's what the problem is!"  lol  So, I'm trying something different with the upcoming school year.  As usual lol.  Seems like I'm always trying something different, and the next year I say, "Hmm, that didn't work, I'm gonna try something different." 

My oldest child began homeschooling in kindergarten and, being a new homeschooler, totally clueless and pregnant with our 2nd child, I started 'school at home'.  You know, it's 8 a.m., time to pledge to the flag, sing My Country tis of Thee and sit down at the table with our stack of little books.   Now why I thought this plan would work for us when it didn't work in schools, I'll never know lol.  (I now like to say I'm a recovered school-at-homer.)  However, this child did not recover with me lol, and he doesn't think he's "doing school" unless he has his assignment list, his books, etc.  No live-n-learn for him, no sirree.  I've tried talking to him, showing him that he really IS learning... and he nods politely...and in the next breath wants to know when we're gonna "do school." 

My second child is so totally different, she's very lalala, whatever lol.  Her greatest delight was in informing relatives, her Sunday school teacher and/or perfect strangers that she couldn't read (1st-2nd grade age)  Didn't bother her a bit.  Can't read, don't care, whatever, lalala lol.  "What word is this...c-a-t?"  Shrug, she'd answer lol.  Nudging her into schooliness made her cry, and I failed to see what was productive about THAT.  So I let her go at her own pace, and one day, snap-my-fingers, it just happened!  They really will do these things in their own time.

However, I'm still here with Mr. Straight-n-Narrow lol.  SO...sigh...I have ordered him all the appropriate books and workbooks this year.  Learning Language Arts through Literature, Abeka Prealgebra, Mystery of History, Spelling Power, Abeka Health, Considering God's Creation science and his dad is going to teach a state history course.  I have also ordered appropriate books for lil herself, simply because she LOVES it lol and I don't want her to feel left out.  If she does them, fine, if not, fine.  Pray for us!

Thanks for listening :)

OK, for those of you who have and actually attempt to FOLLOW a schedule lol...

what are the ages of your children and what is your schedule?  I had a friend who did a subject a day, like on Monday they did all the math for that week, Tuesday was all science, etc.  Do you have an interesting way to homeschool?  Do share! 

Well I certainly did not get off to a good start, did I?  I created this blog, made a couple of entries and promptly let it go!  Ah well, such is my life...

Life certainly deals some curve balls, doesn't it?  Here it is July, and I'm still saying things like "I still have about another week of schooly-type stuff I'd like for us to do..."  I have officially given up on that idea now lol and you know what?  I'm okay with that :) 

Trying to plan next year's "agenda" and I put that word in quotes to denote 'take-it-with-a-grain-of-salt' intent lol.  I'm not good at schedules...but this past year of homeschooling was such a trial that I'm ready to try something else.  We started out as school at home, got over it lol...tried the unschooling approach, got over it lol...I guess we would fall somewhere in the middle now, if there is such a thing.  I honestly believe that children learn at their own pace and that grade levels are administrative tools used by institutions to maintain the hordes of small minds that they are warping...uh....I mean...that they are teaching. :)  However, my oldest child is, well a tad quirky (and I mean that in the best possible way LOL) and he just doesn't DO well with this happy go lucky approach.  Bless him, I love the child dearly and he is so much like me...but he needs more than my whatever style to feed his mind.  Sooo...I'm shooting for somewhere in the middle.

OK, here's today's question:

I recently heard a local homeschool mom deliver a 'speech' in which she basically said that she felt it was important to get your kids up, dressed, fed etc. within a timeframe because it teaches them the responsibility that will be required to work in the real world.  What do y'all think of this statement? (because yes we many, many and in fact MOST days have school in our jammies at whatever time lol)

Have a great summer day!