Welcome! I am a second-generation homeschooler, 32 years old and married for 11 years. Our children are Addie (9), Michael (6) and Emily (3). I love all of Dr. Ruth Beechick's books and we enjoy unit studies, but we use a little bit of everything! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:55:00 -0600 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:55:00 -0600 Click here to read some thoughts on homeschoolers and socialization.  I think Mrs. Parunak is spot on, well put!   I couldn't help but think of the upcoming "Black Friday" shopping event in which our country's adults get to display the social skills they learned as children from their peers.  I sincerely hope there are no casualties this year.  As for me, I'll be home safe, eating leftovers and maybe doing a little online shopping.  Go ahead, call me anti-social!  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/746269/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:55:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/746269/ The start of a new school year is always an exciting time, and with each year of homeschooling I enjoy this time of the year more.  I've been doing my online curriculum purchases over the summer but had been saving that trip to the store for school supplies for the last minute.  I have always made that trip by myself, buying paper, pencils, crayons and notebooks for our year while my husband kept the kids at home.  But this year, I decided to make a change and include the kids in the shopping.  It all started when I was grocery shopping last week and noticed a mom and her son with list in hand, searching for the items needed for his first day at school.  Something just clicked and I realized what a good kick off to the year it could be to include the kids.  I even started to think about a "Welcome Back" letter and by the time I came home I knew just what I wanted to do.  Yesterday when I sent the kids to make their beds, they found a surprise ~ their beds had already been made for them and lying on top of each one was a letter welcoming them to the next grade.  "Dear Addie, In just a few days, you will be starting Third Grade!  Please join our class for an exciting first day of school on Tuesday, September 8th.  On that day, you will find out about some of the things you will learn this year.  You will also set some goals for yourself, so be thinking about what YOU would like to achieve.  If you try your best, you will be AMAZED at what you can do!  You will need to bring a few supplies along to class this year, so remember to take the list below when you go school shopping.  Enjoy the rest of your summer and I will see you in class soon.  We're going to have a great year!  Love, Mom" http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/720789/ Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:23:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/720789/ My students are in grades 3, 2 and Pre-K this year.  The list below does not include library materials, which we use a LOT.  I've been blessed to have found many of our materials second hand which cut the cost way down. The following can be found on my bookshelves this year: Social Studies Galloping the Globe Material World: A Global Family Portrait Peoples of the World Children Just Like Me Manners Made Easy for the Family Science Exploring Creation with Astronomy (Apologia) Singapore Early Bird Science Healthy Me Language Arts AVKO Sequential Spelling 1 Storybook Weaver Handwriting Without Tears Workbooks Handwriting Without Tears Wood Pieces, Mat , and Capital Letter Cards Handwriting Without Tears Slates and Backboard with Double Lines Spectrum Workbooks Bible Devotions for the Children's Hour Math Maximum Math Pre Math-It Spectrum Workbooks Farm Animal Math Counters Counting Chips Music, Art, PE Music Ace Deluxe Visual Manna Physical Education for Homeschoolers Vol. 1 Home Ec Pearables Home Economics     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/720724/ Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:49:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/720724/ I'm getting ready to welcome my fourth baby into the world sometime in the next few weeks, our new little girl will make a total of three girls and one little prince in our home.  One more for the pink team! So even though this is my fourth time around, I am going to be trying something new..........I'm planning on using cloth diapers for the first time.  With my first two children, I had no idea that anyone really used cloth diapers anymore.  My mom tells me that she used cloth diapers with me, and I vaguely remember my little sister wearing them, but by the time I was expecting baby #1 in 2000 it seemed like everyone used disposables.  I never even considered anything else.  When I had my third baby, Emily, I used disposables again but boy was I getting fed up with them!  They didn't contain those explosive newborn messes well at all, and I found that most of my baby's clothing was getting stained.  As she got older, the heavy, smelly garbage bags of waste were such a pain to have to deal with.  Not to mention the cost!  Thousands of dollars hauled out the curb.  But I still didn't know that cloth was really an option.  When Emily potty-trained, she was dry during the day but was still wetting occasionally at night.  I was buying disposable pull-ups for nights, but it just wasn't working out.  They were stiff and crunchy and way overpriced.  She wasn't wet every night, so I tried to re-use them sometimes but they would rip after a couple uses and I didn't want to have her wear something that wasn't really clean anymore anyway.  That's when the thought finally hit me, "I wish these were washable." Isn't Google wonderful?  I mean, you have an idea, you "Google" around a bit and suddenly you've got loads of info.  I don't know how I would homeschool without Google.  This time in my search I used words like "plastic pants" and "cloth pull-ups".  To my amazement, a vast world of modern cloth diapering options unfolded before me.  People were doing it ............and not only that but they were passionate about it.  Their reasons for going to cloth were varied, and included things like saving money, wanting a natural alternative to "paper diapers", saving the environment and something called the "cute factor".  By this time I was pregnant for baby #4 and excited about the diapering options I had never known existed before.  I decided to buy some things online for my nighttime-wetter and kind of use her as a guinea pig before I went and invested in a whole stash of newborn diapers for the new baby.  There is a surprising amount of variety in cloth diapers, not only in types of fabric available but in actual styles of diaper, cover, or combination of both.  It took me a while to decipher all of the terms, read reviews on the various kinds and then finally try a few.  The options seemed never ending:  Cotton, hemp, fleece, wool, snaps, velcro, pull-up, covers, liners, doublers, pail liners, wetbags, microfleece, suedecloth, inserts, sprayers, soakers, longies, pocket diapers, Snappis, prefolds, flats, nylon.  It was totally overwhelming and I was determined to sort it all out.  After much research and some trial and error, I finally decided on some favorite choices.   I am a lover of all things simple and ended up settling on some pretty basic diapering solutions.  I have found that although the "fancy" cloth diapers are cute, the more old-fashioned types require less care, are more durable and cost a lot less.  Besides, in my book simple is beautiful, especially when it comes to babies! Prefolds are rectangular pieces of cloth with extra layers of fabric sewn in to a center panel for absorbency.  You fold them onto the baby and secure either with a Snappi or pins and then cover with a waterproof cover.  You would typically need a few sizes of prefolds to go from birth to potty training.  They are quite economical and range from $14 to $36 per dozen depending on size.  They wash up easily and dry in a reasonable amount of time.  I buy mine from Green Mountain Diapers, which sells them in 100% cotton, white or unbleached.  Here is a helpful video on youtube on how to fasten a prefold. Flat diapers are similar to prefolds but they are usually square and are always a single layer of fabric.  They need to be folded strategically before fastening onto the baby.  Here is a photo tutorial on how to do that.  They require a waterproof cover as well.  Flats are the most economical cloth diapering option at less than $13 per dozen.  They only come in one size and you fold them down smaller for a smaller baby, so you don't need to purchase more diapers in each size.  Flats are the easiest to wash and the fastest to dry.  I have a few in white and am waiting to try the unbleached flats when they are back in stock at Little Lion's Diapers. With both prefolds and flats, you do have the option of simply folding the diaper into a pad shape and laying it into a snug fitting waterproof wrap that you then fasten onto the baby.  No need for pinning.  Here is a great tutorial on how to "tri-fold into a wrap". I hope to write more on cloth diapering soon and share my favorite covers and accessories as well as my washing routine.  If you are interested in learning more about cloth diapering options, check out these links Nicki's Diapers Cotton Babies Jillian's Drawers Diaper Pin (reviews)     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/637382/ Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:32:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/637382/ As a new school year begins, my children are ages 8, 5 and almost 3, with a new little blessing due at the end of January!  Staying organized is an ongoing challenge, but I recently came across a system for memory work that is a real answer to my prayers.  My kids have always learned Bible verses as well as some poetry here or there.  But I never really had a system for review and sadly much of what had been learned at one time has been lost.  But no longer!  It only cost me a few dollars to put together this simple system.  I bought a small index card box, some index cards and a couple packs of dividers.  When learning something new, I write it down on a card and it is filed in the front of the box behind a divider labeled "Daily".  The kids recite the new material three times in a row at three separate times each day (meals are a great time for this!)  When the new material has been thoroughly memorized, it gets moved back farther in the box under a different divider and is reviewed frequently at first and then less frequently as the days pass.  A detailed explanation of this system can be found here.  I am so glad to finally have this very important part of our learning organized and to have a record of what has been learned.  If you are looking for some ideas for what to memorize, check out these suggestions. Happy Homeschooling! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/585079/ Thu, 4 Sep 2008 12:10:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/585079/ We are in the middle of a unit study based on Jan Brett's book "Comet's Nine Lives". We are really enjoying it and have learned a lot about lighthouses as well as hurricanes and weather forecasting.  Some of the "go-along" books we are using are "The Storm" by Cynthia Rylant and  "Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie" by Peter Roop.  I love the illustrations in all of Jan Brett's books, but "The Hat" and "Gingerbread Baby" are two of our very favorites.  There are over 4,000 pages of free activities on Jan Brett's website that go along with her wonderful books, check it out! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/509827/ Thu, 3 Apr 2008 10:09:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/509827/ This website is great, it has tons of unit studies and other resources contributed by various homeschool moms and teachers.  We are in the middle of a study (found on homeschoolshare) based on the book "Harry the Dirty Dog" and the kids are loving it!  Happy Homeschooling! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/475799/ Wed, 6 Feb 2008 14:44:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/475799/ This is usually the first question you hear when two homeschoolers meet for the first time, isn't it?   I don't use a packaged curriculum, I but choose materials based on our learning goals as well as the children's interests.  I do have to keep the NY State regulations in mind as I plan as well. I was once asked by a family member who is not familiar with homeschooling, "But how do you know what to teach?"  I probably shouldn't have shocked her so cruelly, but I replied "I just teach the kids what I want them to learn."  (hee-hee!)  I did go on to explain the State regulations, which are pretty strict here in NY state, and I guess that made her feel a little better.  I really do teach the kids what I want them to learn, but I also keep an eye on the typical course of study as well as our state regulations when making my yearly plan.  This provides a framework, a kind of structure to build on, which I then fill in with the best materials I can find.  MANY of them are found right at our local library.  I love literature based studies and we do a lot of reading aloud.  I really enjoy pulling together a custom curriculum this way, and I love the flexibility.  As far as consumables, we don't do a lot but there are a few I really like.  They are Handwriting Without Tears, Explode the Code, and Bright Minds math workbooks. Does it take more time to use a self-made curriculum?  NO WAY!   Best of all, there is no time wasted because everything we do is 100% relevant to what my kids need right now.  And I don't mind any of the time it takes, because we are having a blast!  We love to learn and there are not really set boundaries around what is "school time" and what is not.    I don't have many responsibilities outside the home, and I can't think of a better way to spend my time than this.  I am so pleased to be able to give my kids a curriculum that is as unique as they are.  To be able to get away from the cookie-cutter style of learning in the public schools is one of the reasons most of us choose homeschooling, isn't it? If you have thought about putting together your own custom curriculum but didn't know where to start, take a look at some of Ruth Beechick's books.  "The Three R's" series, "A Biblical Home Education" and "Yes!  You Can Teach your Child Successfully" helped to give me the confidence to do what was best for my kids. Happy Homeschooling! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/396581/ Mon, 24 Sep 2007 09:33:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/396581/ I try to incorporate art into our Unit studies when I can.  It's usually pretty easy, but it does require thinking ahead a bit.  Our current Unit study is on Native Americans, and this week we made tee-pees out of construction paper.  But for those days when planning ahead just isn't working out, I love Kumon books.  We have Easy Crafts, and we also like their mazes and-connect-the-dots books. Happy Homeschooling! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/390173/ Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:18:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/390173/ These books are wonderful, we just love them.  "I Can Draw Animals" is the easiest one, my kids were ready for it at about 3 or 4 years old. "I Can Draw People" is a little harder, maybe for ages 5 & up. My seven-year-old has been loving this one lately:   You can find more Ray Gibson books here, Happy Homeschooling! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/389294/ Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:46:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/learningforlife/389294/