I didn’t always call myself a relaxed homeschooler.  When I began homeschooling my three precious children 11 years ago, I started on a different path. I had very specific plans. My children were going to be advanced beyond their years. They were going to read at 5^th or 6^th grade level by first grade. They were going to begin Latin by second. I was going to show everyone what homeschooling could do by creating super progeny.

By this point, you may be thinking that I’m kidding. Sadly, I’m not. I was dead serious and after much research, I ordered the best textbooks, phonics programs and manipulatives that were sure to guarantee success.

Excited to get the show on the road, I sat my bright little young ‘uns down at the kitchen table and we proceeded to plod through the workbooks one by one. It didn’t take long to realize that this was just not going to work. Soon, they were miserable and I was ready to quit. The excitement of teaching my little ones at home soon faded and instead of a blessing it became a chore. 

I began praying fervently that the Lord would allow me to quit and send the kids to school but my husband was not swayed by my pleas. He knew that the best thing for our children was to be home where they could be taught our values and beliefs and learn at their pace and according to their abilities. He suggested that I ease up.    

In tears and frustration I began to reassess the situation. I realized that though a really structured school-like setting may be wonderful for some families, it certainly did not work for us. So, I tried to forget everything I knew about school. I gave away the school desks, packed away almost all of the textbooks and realized that before I homeschooled, I was simply a mother who had taught her kids something from day one. I slowly began to realize that learning truly does happen all the time.  

This new mindset did not happen overnight. Yet, somewhere along the line, I learned that it was okay not to keep up with everyone else. It was okay for my children to learn about their interests and not what the textbook dictated. It was okay if we took a day off book work and the boys rode their bikes and climbed trees. It was okay if we were really enjoying a history lesson and we didn’t want to stop after 45 minutes, but chose to spend 3 hours reading books and completing a project.

 Slowly, I began to be excited about homeschooling again and in the process and as I relaxed, my children became excited about learning.

Academically, my kids are pretty much where they should be and though I never did get around to teaching Latin, I’m comfortable with how school looks in our home. I’m so thankful that the Lord led us on this journey.

Tonya Prater and her husband have homeschooled their three children ages 16, 14, and 13 for the past 11 years using every homeschool method ever invented before settling on what seems to resemble the Charlotte Mason philosophy with an unschooling/relaxed flair. After traveling for the past four years with her husband’s job, they finally took a huge stop of faith and became a Full-time-RV-Living-Roadschooling-Family. You can read about the day to day happenings of their journey at Live the Adventure (http://www.thetravelingpraters.blogspot.com ).

• Begin making your checklist for spring cleaning projects, or just get out the rags and bucket and hop to it. 
•  Consider decluttering with a "spring fling" and fling out items you no longer need. 
•  Sell unused curriculum and budget for next year's supplies.
•  Declutter and tame winter chaos outdoors as well--clear away debris and create a clean canvas against which Spring's beauty will shine forth.
•  Begin organizing this year's school work and records and sketch out plans for next year's studies.
• Evaluate the schedule and declutter your time as well.  What activities are draining the family more than energizing or benefiting? 

Domestic Chaos Tamer and Homeschool Mom of Five, Dell writes about home, heart and hearth.

The First Day of Spring is a perfect time for a picnic.  If the weather allows, have your picnic out in the yard or garden by all means; but if the weather is more wintry than spring-like, spread your blanket on the floor indoors and have a First Day of Spring picnic anyway! 

Picnic foods are simply fun.  Let your children help set the menu with their favorite picnic treats.  Simple, finger foods are the best picnic fare in my opinion, though you can choose what your family enjoys. 

When we picnic, I pack a basket with healthy goodies like:

• cheese
• bread or crackers
• grapes, apple slices, or other seasonal fruits
• olives
• nuts
• muffins or cookies for dessert

You can make your picnic as fancy as you like by using a seasonal tablecloth and napkins, pretty spring-themed dishes, etc.  

To make the food a bit more special, try cutting sandwiches into butterfly or flower shapes using cookie cutters.  Make sugar cookies using the same shape cutters, and add some edible flower garnishes to your dishes.  

Why not start a new family tradition this year and declare it the First Day of Spring Family Picnic.  Or invite your neighbors and friends and make it a friends and family picnic!

However you decide to celebrate,

have a Happy First Day of Spring!

Catherine

Catherine Love lives in the heart of Texas with her husband Carl, and their 3 daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Cana.  They enjoy cooking, gardening, and learning new things as they seek to live a lifestyle of learning together as a family.  You can read Catherine's Kitchen Adventures and more on her blog- Seeds of Love.

"[O]n Monday, my administration will send to Congress our blueprint for an updated Elementary and Secondary Education Act to overhaul No Child Left Behind. What this plan recognizes is that while the federal government can play a leading role in encouraging the reforms and high standards we need, the impetus for that change will come from states, and from local schools and school districts. "

In order to qualify for the pots of money President Obama is eager to hand out, states must accept 100 percent of the Common Core standards document. They cannot pick and choose. Exercising any judgment based on what teachers and parents know about kids and about literature is forbidden. To get the Obama bribe, state politicos must promise that schoolchildren will be forced to swallow ALL the Kool-Aid. If states want federal money, they have to reform education the Obama way.

"amounts to an unnecessary overreach by the federal government to coerce states to adopt a particular approach or be shut out of future funding for key programs."

"If groups of states on their own want to establish common standards for public schools, that is one thing. HSLDA firmly believes that educational decisions should be left up to the states and local school boards, not Washington, DC. However, we believe that any attempts by congress to create nationalized standards, curriculum, or testing would be unconstitutional, and harmful to students and families. Homeschool famlies have demonstrated that parents, not bureaucrats in Washington, best know their children and what htey need to learn."

This week's entry honoring National Women's History Month is a bit of an extension of my last month's writings.  We've been talking about developing our emerging adults' (our high schoolers') "saltiness."  I began to think of the many wonderful young ladies in our circle of family friends whom I've come to know and love over the last 6 or 7 years.  These young ladies are being carefully and intentionally raised for the Lord, and to esteem the role of wife and mother, and I am so grateful to their parents!  (I have two sons, you know...)

"My daughter will stay at home, under the protection of her father, and will serve God by serving her father and our family until He brings a husband to her in His perfect time."

"My daughter is going to college to get her degree and plan for a career; if God brings a husband to her, and she then decides to be a full-time wife and mother, that's wonderful...but she will finish her education and have that degree." 

I tell you what, this is one hot debate.  I won't "weigh in" here, at least not directly.  I see incredible validity in both points.  I see serious potential problems in both points.

• Gladys Aylward  Gladys Aylward, a housemaid from England, dared to trust God in the face of dire and seemingly hopeless circumstances. Her amazing adventure of faith and determination is one of the truly great missionary stories of our era (1902-1970).
  
• Amy Carmichael  Amy Carmichael's life was one of simple, determined obedience to God, regardless of the consequences. Her service in India is a vivid example of the impact one person who will fear God and nothing else can have.
  
• Corrie ten Boom Corrie ten Boom's life of determination, faith, and forgiveness in the face of unimaginable brutality and hardship is a stunning testimony of the sustaining power of God (1892-1983).
  
• Mary Slessor  While many missionaries died within months, this fiery mill worker from Scotland labored in love among the unreached tribes of Africa's Calabar region for thirty-nine years (1848-1915).  One of my top 3 favs!!!
  
• Betty Green WWII veteran Betty Greene's desire to use airplanes to help spread the gospel was realized when she helped found the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) (1920-1997).
  
• Lottie Moon  After becoming the most educated woman in the American South, Lottie Moon (1840-1912) spent thirty-nine years in China. As she watched her fellow missionaries fall to disease and exhaustion, she became just as dedicated to educating Christians about the often preventable tragedies of missionary life as she was to educating Chinese people about the Christian life.
  
• Ida Scudder  During nearly sixty years in India, Dr. Ida Scudder pioneered rural healthcare and the medical training of Indian women. An amazing testimony to the courage, compassion, and truth found in Christ (1870-1960).  One of my top 3 favs!!!
  
• Lillian Thrasher  Others thought that a lone American woman in Egypt would surely be killed or starve to death. Instead she cared for thousands of desperate children, with unwavering faith that God does indeed look after the orphans (1887-1961).  One of my top 3 favs!!!
  
• Florence Young  New Zealander Florence Young (1856-1940) rose to her calling and became a fearless and faithful witness for Jesus Christ in the remote and dangerous Solomon Islands and in China during the deadly Boxer Rebellion.
  
• Rachel Saint  Despite the martyrdom of five missionaries by Waorani spears, Rachel boldly persisted in following God. In one of the greatest testimonies to God's grace and power in our time, this pioneering Bible translator would live for two decades with her own brother's killers, for the joy of seeing them become brothers and sisters in Christ (1914-1994).

As I read these wonderful books, the over-arching message stood out in stark relief: God called these brave young women into HIS service.  These were young women who were listening for His call.  By obeying Him, they were able to do nothing short of miraculous feats through the power of Jesus Christ.

The high school years need to be a time of training for many things, but most importantly for seeking God's will and listening for His voice, and being prepared to answer His call with, "Here am I, send me."  

May God Bless you and your homeschool this week!

~Lori

With Daylight Saving Time just days away, I thought you might like a book recommendation for some quick family friendly breakfast ideas; especially since breakfast time will be coming even earlier next week! 

The Vegetarian Family Cookbook by Nava Atlas has excellent ideas for making breakfast not only fast but healthy.  Even though my family isn't vegetarian, I use  this book quite a bit, and is one I frequently pick up when I want to add something new to the menu.  Many of the recipes can be adapted easily if your family would like some eggs, cheese, or meat on the breakfast plate.  Here are just a few of the tasty breakfast ideas and recipes in this book: Cream Cheese & Berry Rollups, Breakfast Quesadillas, breakfast sandwiches, Yogurt Pancakes and Muffin Tin Popovers. 

Check out this great book for adding some delicious new dishes to your menu plan this week.  Not limited to breakfast, you'll find plenty of recipes for lunch, dinner and snack-time, as well! 

Blessings,

Catherine

Catherine Love lives in the heart of Texas with her husband Carl, and their 3 daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Cana.  They enjoy cooking, gardening, and learning new things as they seek to live a lifestyle of learning together as a family.  You can read Catherine's Kitchen Adventures and more on her blog- Seeds of Love.