I am a mum of four - 3 girls and one little boy. My eldest daughter attends college and my other two daughters attend senior school. My reason for having a homeschool blog is that I am looking at ways to teach my son who is 20 months at home so that if he attends school at age five he is well prepared. I believe learning is an ongoing gift and although my daughters are not home schooled we strive to bring them up in the correct manner and with a view that learning does not just take place in school. I hope to meet other mums here and look forward to learning and finding new ideas for Jamie and I to share. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Fri, 8 May 2009 15:23:00 -0500 Fri, 8 May 2009 15:23:00 -0500   Becoming a mother makes you the mother of all children. From now on each wounded, abandoned, frightened child is yours. You live in the suffering mothers of every race and creed and weep with them. You long to comfort all who are desolate. ~Charlotte Gray http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/686993/ Fri, 8 May 2009 15:23:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/686993/ My little boy Jamie turned two recently and so I am thinking it may be time to start a more structured approach to his days. I would like to spend more time reading and being creative with him as at the moment he absolutely loves life and all it has to offer. I sent away for some books from Amazon based on being a two year old as it is such an important year for him and I want to be able to share it and understand it with him as much as I can. Does anyone here have a two year old. Do you structure your days with learning. All advice would be greatly appreciated, Janette http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/673213/ Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:17:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/673213/ The beauty of a home is order. The blessing of a home is contentment. The glory of a home is hospitality. The crown of a home is godliness. Source unknown http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/650615/ Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:28:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/650615/ "Cultivate faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love in your children. For if they are growing in these qualities, they won't be ineffective or unproductive, and they will never stumble." - paraphrase of II Peter 1:5-10 from "Hugs for the Heart" http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/637272/ Sun, 28 Dec 2008 10:52:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/637272/ Dear Santa, I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years. Here are my Christmas wishes: I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store. I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy. If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone. On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog. If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container. If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family. Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet. Yours Always, MOM P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa for many years to come. *Santa has asked that this gets passed on to all the mommies you know* http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/637014/ Sat, 27 Dec 2008 09:37:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/637014/   What Do You Do All Day?     A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in   their pajamas, making mud pies, with empty food boxes and wrappers   strewn all around the front yard.    The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house   and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an   even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was   wadded against one wall. In the front room there were books strewn everywhere, and the family room was strewn with toys, games and various items of   clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled   on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the   floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was   spread by the back door.   He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of   clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that   something serious had happened.  He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door.     As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn   over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had   been made into pictures on the mirror.     As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed   in her pajamas, reading a book. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how   his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked,  "What happened here today?"    She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home   from work and you ask me what in the world I do all day?"  "Yes," was his incredulous reply.   She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it."   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/616786/ Sun, 9 Nov 2008 14:48:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/616786/ A true mother is one of the holiest secrets of home happiness. God sends many beautiful things to this world, many noble gifts; but no blessing is richer than that which He bestows in a mother who has learned love’s lessons well, and has realized something of the meaning of her sacred calling. ~ J.R. Miller in Secrets of Happy Home Life http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/616783/ Sun, 9 Nov 2008 14:47:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/616783/ Excuse This House Some houses try to hide the fact That children shelter there; Ours boast of it quite openly. The signs are everywhere. For smears are on the windows, Little smudges on the doors; I should apologize, I guess. For toys strewn on the floor. But I sat down with the children And we played and laughed and read; And if the doorbell doesn’t shine, Their eyes will shine instead. For when at times I’m forced to choose The one job or the other; I’d like to cook and clean and scrub, But first I’ll be a mother.   -Author Unknown http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/616746/ Sun, 9 Nov 2008 12:50:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/616746/ Its been such a lazy day today that I'm quite ashamed of myself. I had such plans today - Jamie and I were to go to the park, the housework was going to be attacked with energy but alas I woke up in pain with my arms and shoulders, along with a tension headache due to lack of sleep - good old fibromyalgia always pops in to say hi when you've got better things to do. So a quiet day on the settee the two of us watching Bob The Builder who Jamie loves. Is this bad parenting - I hope not - its just been one of those days. I hope you are having a good start to your week. Blessings Janette   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/613740/ Mon, 3 Nov 2008 07:46:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/613740/ Born in Portsmouth in 1812 Charles Dickens moved to Chatham with his family when he was five and it was here that he spent the happiest years of his childhood. The family eventually moved away but Dickens never forgot his love of Kent, returning frequently to Broadstairs for holidays with his wife and children. The Dickens House Museum in Broadstairs was once the home of a Miss Mary Pearson Strong, said to be the original inspiration for the character of Miss betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield.   Across the bay from here can be seen the forbiddenly castellated building known as Fort House which Dickens had in mind when he wrote Bleak House.     Kents other attractions include the lonely Romney Marshes where Magwitch loomed alarmingly out of the mist to frighten PIp in Great Expectations.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/606670/ Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:46:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/bubblymumoffour/606670/