More notes from a seminar I attended at my state homeschool convention a few years ago.......

The Organized Homeschooler

** Start by writing down your greatest organizational need.

** Five categories of organization we're all struggling with:

1.) Time

2.) Papers (paperwork)

3.) Supplies & materials

4.) Space (rooms and how to store things)

5.) Family

(The Organized Homeschooler deals with this.  It's not a step-by-step system, however, because every family is different.  It's about the heart of the matter ... do you really want to impove?)

** Why do you want to become more organized?  CHAOS possibly? ... Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome

** Where do you fit?...

- The organizationally challenged person (tries, but it doesn't work).

- Wannabes (people at home amongst chaos but feel they shouldn't be).

- Well-intentioned organized (life got in the way).

- Already well organized (always on the hunt for a better way to do things)

** The first thing you need to do is set goals (before you even buy a bookcase, closet system, etc.).

** 3 Kinds of Goals...

1.) Academic

2.) Process (goals that talk about how we do what we do ... use adverbs in this statement ... example: Doing schoolwork neatly.  In a timely manner.)

3.) Personal or Spiritual (character issues you're going to work on)

Set these for each of your children, but do it with them.  If you enlist your children in this, it becomes their vision too.  Then, do it for yourself!  Where do you need to improve?  Let your children see you do this because you are modeling it for them.

** Everything you do should have something to do with meeting your goals or you are wasting your time.

** Don't let schedules control you.  You are supposed to control them.

** Be smart about what you buy and why you buy it.

** Be intentional and think about what you believe.  Are you doing what you believe?  Everything is our choice.  You have to do what is right for your family.  Our time is precious.

** Our children need to learn responsibility.  They need to work and help around the house.  They need to know this for raising their own families.  You need to take care of your home as a family.

Seminar presented by Vicki Caruana.

Again, I apologize for all this being run together.  I don't know why my entries are posting this way.  Very frustrating.......