Advent calendar with optional activity

We’ve been using a canvas wall advent calendar I made years ago (this one is similar). Our’s has held up to the test of time. Sometimes I print off our verse cards with optional activities, and some years there is just some candy and I read something from one of our favorite advent books. The pockets are big enough to hold lots of candy and so we are able to use it for the whole family. I usually put in a different kind of candy each year and vary it through the month. Also, I don’t fill it all ahead of time because.. well that would be too tempting and plain dumb!

Add to our nativity set

We made a cute little set a couple years ago with peg dolls and because we let the kids play with it, we inevitably have new pieces to make or add in for fun. It is a simple peg doll kit you can get at Hobby Lobby. We just used the felt pieces you can get for under a dollar there as well. Here are some instructions to make your own

Supplies needed you can find at most craft stores or here online:

• Wooden peg doll kit
• Felt fabric pieces
• Hot glue gun and glue
• Scisoors for cutting

Gingerbread houses with graham crackers

Every year we make gingerbread men cookies, but not houses. Like I said, we keep it simple around here.

We aren’t about to go spend  $100+ on 9 gingerbread house kits either.

“Sorry  kids, one less gift this year because we bought gingerbread houses that you were frustrated to make and we wouldn’t let you eat until they were stale and dry!” hehehe. But seriously.

However, we do make these little graham cracker “gingerbread” houses that the kids love to create and we actually let them eat them when they want to. They’re small enough and I don’t actually want a bunch of gingerbread houses laying around all season anyway. 

Buy the kids a themed ornament every year

My hubby and I have a standing date at the start of the season where we do a couple things together to prepare. First up, we buy a themed ornament for each child every year that they will take with them when they leave. This was a tradition my parents started and when I got married, I got to take quite an assortment of sentimental ornaments with me. We always have a memory tree now, and that’s totally fine with me. Maybe someday we’ll have a designer tree, but likely not! For now, I love this tradition and the kids are so excited to see what we’ve bought them each year. We sharpie their name and the year on the bottom and hope they last through until they leave our home. Most won’t, but that’s ok too. 

Secondly we pick out our wrapping paper we’ll be using for the season at Hobby Lobby. They have the best options at a great price. You get a huge roll and can find many coordinating patterns. 

Our favorite stores with charming affordable ornaments

• World Market
• Target
• Hobby Lobby

Make inexpensive crafts from Hobby Lobby 

Every year when I am out doing my first solo outing, I pickup 2-4 easy craft kits from Hobby Lobby to have on hand. These are super affordable and have everything needed to make a fun ornament or gift for someone that I can pull out whenever we have a free evening. They’re cheap enough that I don’t care if the toddler paints all of it, but challenging enough that the middle schoolers usually want to join in, too.

Take the kids shopping to buy gifts

We put a spending freeze on come November. You aren’t allowed to buy anything for yourself so that you save your extra money for gifts. We keep a list of pay chores they can do throughout the month as well. Then we  take each group of kids shopping to the dollar store, Target or Walmart, stores that are affordable and easy to price check. Each child carries a shopping basket with their coat over so no one can peek. An older sibling takes them through the aisles and helps them with the math. We also let them pick out a wrapping paper of their own to wrap their gifts in. This really helps keep the focus on the excitement of giving instead of receiving. They get so much joy in anticipation of giving instead of receiving.

Cutting down our own Christmas tree in the National Forest

Usually the Friday after Thanksgiving, or very soon thereafter, we go “hunting” for a tree. We’ve kept up this tradition through all the babies since the first year we were married! This is one of our favorite traditions and we have lots of fun and crazy memories of these trips. Some years we have an abundance of snow and bring sleds. Some years there has been no snow and we find a tree in less than an hour. It’s so fun to see how far we have to trek each year to find that perfectly imperfect tree. We always have cocoa, coffee and candy canes packed along. Sometimes, we bring chilli with us to eat up there after.

Decorating the tree and house

We have learned to get 2 Christmas tree tags now, because I love decorating with real boughs around the house. The Sunday after we get our tree we pull out all of those saved, sentimental ornaments and ALL the rest of the decor and start decorating the tree. If we get to the rest of the house, that’s great, but otherwise we just decorate as I go through the week after that. I keep it super simple, with lots of fresh natural greenery, white lights and a few fun things added in each year I find on clearance. Every year Nick’s goal is to add one more item to our outside lighting display, as well. 

Pajama ride to see lights

Once the season has been kicked off we love to wake the kids up after they’ve been tucked in for a surprise ride to get a treat and see the lights in some special neighborhood on display. Some years we’ve made it extra special with cocoa in the car and a special ‘golden ticket” Polar Express style. Other years, we’ve gone through Dairy Queen or just taken an extra route through a highly lit neighborhood on our way home from somewhere.

Watch our favorite Christmas movies

I know this is the top pick for most families, but in case you see any new ideas below I’ll include ours. Be sure to leave your favorites in the comments below, too.

Our favorite movies that we cycle through each year are the following:

• It’s a wonderful life
• Little women
• The nativity
• The Star
• Elf
• Santa Claus
• The Family Man

Make candy cane tracks to leave on windshields

Some years we put together a larger homeless kit to pass out to the needy we have in our area, but since our town has a huge ministry for this, we often just leave tracks with candy canes with a sweet encouraging note and verse to leave on people’s windshields when out shopping. It’s also a fun activity to prep with the kids in the evening. Tying the little notes on each candy cane and having them help decide which verse and what to say are a fun activity. You can easily make your own, like we did, or here’s a fun free one!

Deliver gifts to neighbors

A few days before Christmas we deliver a homemade goodie to our neighbors. The kids usually help me make and package up these and then we all walk around the neighborhood together delivering them. We focus on the families we know well, or who have just moved in near us. This number usually doesn’t exceed 10 families, so it’s not a huge amount. 

Here’s what we normally make that is an affordable and easy to scale option:

• Cranberry orange sourdough loaf
• The easiest caramel corn- except I use honey in place of corn syrup and add spices.
• Mini cinnamon rolls

We don’t do this EVERY year, but definitely the ones when we have new neighbors to meet. 

Of course there are the usual Christmas parties to go to, cookies to bake and exchange and recitals to attend, and treats to make and eat, but these activities are always on our list to choose from each season. I hope they’ve given you some fresh inspiration and ideas to try in yours.

Pin to save & share 12 Christmas Traditions we actually do

As always, thanks for being here in my little corner today, friend!

In HIs service,

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I hope you can enjoy these books and some cozy moments with your family this season, as well!

Blessings,

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Fall favorite picture books

1. Homeplace by Ann Shelby

This was a new book to us this year and we fell in love with it! Such a sweet story about a grandmother telling her granddaughter the origins of the family homestead 5 generations back. Our kids loved tracking which generation is being referenced and what changes they’ve made to the homestead. Told in a sweet lyrical style, but not too wordy.

2. Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman

Our boys have loved the Bear Snores On series from forever, and this newer one is a fun retelling of the animals little Thanksgiving feast they collaborate one.

3. Bearskin by Howard Pyle

We’ve enjoyed several of Pyle’s books especially the cheeky Old English Robin Hood! Pyle, always the creative story teller, weaves a tale that has echos remnant of greek and roman myths with a compelling storyline!

4. From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer

A fun story illustrating the entire process of growth a pumpkin goes through from seed all the way to harvest for your inquisitive little minds. You get to see underground and inside the plant as it grows along it’s journey to harvest.

5. In a Pumpkin Shell by Joan Walsh Angland

This Mother Goose ABC nursery rhyme book is one of our favorites! With enchanting lyrical prose and poems you can enjoy with your little in any season.

6. Saint George and the Dragon retold by Margaret Hodges

This made the list as it has some gorgeous fall scenery and scapes in this beautifully illustrated retelling of an epic tale. Hands down, one of the top favorite picture books of our boys. This is a sweeping story of courage and perseverance until final victory. A retelling of Spenser’s The Faerie Queen.

Chapter books we enjoyed last quarter

7. The Blue Hill Meadow by Cynthia Rylant

This is a charming watercolor illustrated little chapter book my 4th grader enjoyed. The books takes you through the seasons with this charming anthropomorphic family living among the Blue Hill Meadows.

8. The Green Ember by S.D. Smith

We are circling back around again with this series for the younger boys and they are engrossed! A riveting tale of animal adventures you’ll be sure to get hooked on and enjoy the entire series through the season! If you like the Redwall series, you’ll enjoy these!

9. Poppy by Avi

This is a book we are reading for a bookclub with our coop, and although it is the 3rd book in the series, we heard it is the best one to start with. We have really enjoyed the conversations the story has prompted and the tale of heroism and bravery. It certainly could be read independently for confident readers, but it’s a great riveting story to discuss as a read aloud, as well. A brave mouse defies her family to find out the mystery behind why an owl keeps them under his “care”.

The post Favorite Fall picture books and read alouds appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

We can see moments of conflict as opportunities to teach them the invaluable biblical principles of restitution, resolution, repentance, forgiveness, loving our neighbor and so much more.

Training them while they are in our home how to biblically handle conflict is not just our responsibility as their parents, but can make our home life sweeter, foster loving sibling relationships, and will give them valuable life skills for their future as well.

Of course we don’t do this perfectly and our children struggle with greed, covetousness and unloving responses on a daily basis! But we can rest in knowing we are giving them the opportunity to practice and learn valuable life lessons and build character here in our home first as we seek to honor the Lord in this. However, we have seen the fruit of less strife and more enjoyment in each other with what we have learned and sought to apply over the years.

Basic principles for teaching children how to share and play together

It is helpful to first establish some basic principles for your home that you have as a foundation for how you will handle situations. This will help to give you clarity as well as enable you to be more clear and consistent with application. I encourage you to do this for your own home. Try to take some time, preferably as a couple, to get clarity on some principles of conduct in your home.

Seek the Word of God together and also look at your unique family dynamic and pitfalls. Every family is different and has differing needs. For example, with our large family of primarily boys, we had to be clear on physical limitations as well as reinforcing respect for other’s property. You might have a different dynamic that includes different specifics.

The principles we apply are based on our desire to establish Biblical character not just manage behavior. We want our children to learn contentment and that all things come from the Lord and we are merely to be grateful stewards of them. Teaching them how to love others more than themself and having a servant’s heart is also of primary importance to us.

Some basic principles of conduct for sharing and playing together

• Ask first
• Accept no for an answer
• Treat others’ property with respect
• Playing is to be mutually fun for all parties
• Restitution for destruction or stealing
• Do unto others as you would want to be treated
• No hitting
• Kind and gentle touching and words

How we teach this in the toddler years

Practice practice practice!

Teaching sharing and playing nicely in the toddler years requires the most time and patience from us as parents, but will be the most fruitful if we do our work here. This season is all about training and instructing how and what to do.

When we take the time to model the correct positive behavior and responses we will spend less time navigating the wrong ones. Little kids are learning and their sin natures will naturally tend towards selfish responses, but they need to be shown primarily what the right behavior looks like. Their instincts are going to be sinful but they need to learn what that even means, and that can happen with practice, and demonstration. When a conflict arises, we try to quickly address the wrong behavior, make apologies as needed, and then practice the correct responses for all involved.

Of course it is important that we correct their sinful responses, but we can spend all day doing that and not make any headway in our training if we are not teaching them the right responses and how to handle what they are feeling in a godly way.

Teaching how to share

For our large family, we try to not exacerbate littles by making toys primarily a sharing experience not an opportunity to breed more covetousness and greed by letting littles hoard toys or keep them to themselves.

We want to encourage our children that playing together and sharing is the better and more fun way to play and that everyone should work and do their part to help them all have fun.

Some practical ways we do this is by having the older children keep only a few special toys in their bedrooms , and the rest of the shareable toys out and accessible to all.

If a child wants to play with a toy that sibling is playing with they must wait patiently and play with something else, but we also encourage the sibling to help the other one find a toy to play with while they wait.

We store most of our sharing toys in bins and only have a few out at a time so that the children do not become overwhelmed as easily trying to decide what to play with. Or we can get another bin out for a child who is waiting a turn with a toy.

Some of our favorite toys for sharing:

• Duplos
• Legos
• Magna tiles
• Animals, dinosaurs and action figures
• Wooden blocks
• Playdough
• Dress ups
• Nerf guns
• Wooden Weapons
• Hot wheels

Teaching how to share as they get older

As the children get older and have the ability to care for their possessions, we let them keep a few special things in their room in a designated drawer or at least out of the reach of little careless hands. They learn stewardship this way and how to manage what they have. However, they are still encouraged to give their younger siblings observed turns and to share with each other and play together.

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Some toys that are personal or “special” toys:

• Small individual lego sets
• GI joes
• Decorative toys
• Art supplies
• Model cars

Bible verses for teaching children to share and play together

Being consistent in the formative years when children are little lays the invaluable foundation needed for when they are older. They won’t be free from greed or covetousness, but they will have the tools for handling it when they are. This is what we want to give our children! Tools and resources for how to combat their sin and overcome it as they are sanctified and learn to rely on their own Heavenly Father for strength.

Some verses that we have our children memorize and are helpful during this time are the following:

John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Romans 12: 10 “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

Luke 12:15 “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Teaching loving sibling relationships

We don’t really give our children the option of not getting along with a sibling. Instead, we remind them of their mutual love that is objectively a part of being in our family. They then must learn HOW to work that out, instead of catering to the natural selfish tendencies of withdrawing, pestering and belittling.

Our perspective is that our children are each other’s best friends! We reinforce this by reminding them of this all day long. We repeat to them that they love their brother and their brother loves them, that is why we treat each other with kindness.

Sometimes there are situations that particular children just aren’t getting along with each other. Maybe there is a wrong that needs to be made right and so we encourage them to keep short accounts with each other by confessing sins right away.

Other times, they just are annoyed or jealous and letting that take root in petty annoyances with each other. We try to get to the heart of the issue as soon as possible in that case. If we can’t get to the bottom of it and find resolution, we typically will have them spend MORE time together. I know this seems counterintuitive, and as parents we would rather not deal with that, but things usually get resolved as they learn to work it out. We’ll give them chores to do together or have them sit next to each other even! hehe

For example, sometimes it shows up by not wanting to hold hands during family prayer before our dinner. So we’ll have them hold hands for an extra minute nicely. This usually works! They have to just learn to get over whatever it is and work it out! This is also a good reason it is healthy for kids to share rooms together.

Our kids really are each other’s best friends and love spending time together. It is a gift from the Lord and a delight to witness, but it requires work!

Teaching children to share and play together in review

Let’s review! Here are some ways you can practically teach your children how to share and play together-

• Establish some rules for conduct in your home based on teaching biblical character rather than managing behavior.
• The little years are for learning through demonstration and lots of practice with the focus on positive behavior.
• Mutual fun is the goal of play, not lording over each other or greedily hoarding.
• As they get older teach them the principles from God’s Word of stewardship as well as kindness as they learn to lean on Him for strength to combat their sin.
• Communicate that the nature of their relationship is already established as being each other’s best friend, and have them confess sins as soon as possible.
• Not being in fellowship is not an option. They must work it out. More time together helps this, not less.

I hope this post today was helpful, and if it was please let me know in the comments. If you have any follow up questions I’d love to hear them!

Thanks for being here in my little corner today friends!

In HIS service,

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You’re rushing around trying to remember everything you need to bring to get out the door in the morning. The toddler doesn’t want to eat breakfast, and you can’t find the 3 year old’s shoes. You are trying to collect the library books to return just to have your 6 year old come tell you they don’t have any clean pants and then the baby has a blow out! This used to be me- it felt like every time we were getting ready to leave in the morning somewhere!

But after I strategized through trial and error I found getting out the door with my 9 children became much easier. We were able to arrive on time and in a calm manner most of the time, as well! That’s why I’m excited to share with you today some of my simple strategies for how to make leaving the house with kids easier!

I know you’re here for the tips- so let’s get right into it with a brief disclaimer first.

How to make leaving the house with kids easier- disclaimer

Some of these tips, you’ll notice require some advanced planning. It’s easy to be tired at the end of the day and tell ourselves we’ll do it tomorrow when we’re fresh. But, is that really what happens? Or we’ll do it later when we have more time. When will that be? Or we tell ourselves, it’s not that big of a deal and we’ll figure it out later. But the next day, it feels like a really big deal.

If nothing else, advanced planning gives us an opportunity to do the same things that we will be forced to do later when we can choose to do them instead. We can choose to get ahead, which is a much more rewarding and satisfying feeling than feeling rushed and behind.

There will be the inventible blow out, or tantrum that we can’t control, but we can instead anticipate these. A little advanced planning can maximize our margin for those predictably unpredictable moments.

Create a manageable storage system

How many of us have spent a frantic 10 minutes running around trying to find that missing shoe as we’re trying to head out the door? Having a shoe system can help minimize tracking down shoes.

Create a designated shoe storage area

Firstly, setup an area, if you have it, near the door you exit frequently. A shoe shelf, basket, or boot tray will do. Assigning a home to the shoes is key to finding them later. Even if they are tossed nearby, the area will be defined and more easier to manage.

Separate play shoes from nicer shoes

Secondly, keeping “play” shoes and “going out” shoes separate. This can help lesson the occasions you have to hunt down a shoe in the yard or find it muddy somewhere right before you need to leave.  We store the kids church shoes and nicer shoes that they wear for outings on a shelf in their bedroom. Anywhere that you can access easily that your younger kid’s can’t will suffice. Then leave out their designated “play” shoes in your storage area near the door they exit frequently.

Kids won’t always put their shoes where they go, but this help minimize the occurrences of getting left outside or muddied. When you come home, put their “nice” shoes away and then keep play shoes accessible for them.

We prefer crocs and flip flops for play shoes in the summer and rubber boots in the spring and fall. We also have tennis shoes for riding bikes etc. But these are usually different than their play shoes.

Having designated places for shoes helps kids know where to put their shoes when they come in and go out. Even if the don’t always do it.

Bonus tip: On laundry day, toss a few socks for your young children in a basket  near their shoes by the door you exit frequently! 

 Pack the night before

Set out or pack what you need the night before, especially if you plan to leave in the morning. This tip takes the most advance planning, but ensures you don’t have a missing shoe or no clean pants when it’s time to go in the morning. A little time spent checking for what you need the night before, packing it, and setting it by the door, will create a greater sense of calm in the morning and likely give you that buffer for the inevitable disruption. It’s less of an issue to change a blowout or deal with a meltdown calmly when everything else is ready.

Again, it’s easy feel too tired in the evenings, but you’ll still likely feel harried in the morning anyways and might not have what you actually need to leave. Better, to do what you can the night before, and instead enjoy the morning with your kids.

 Bonus tip: Get yourself ready first! Then you can calmly help everyone else without feeling as rushed and frantic.

Practice problem points

When you have more time

Practice make progress! If you work on the difficult points of leaving when you DO have a bit more time- like getting shoes on quickly, learning to tie laces, or buckling up- the next time usually goes better. Practicing can not only be for your child, but also for you. When you are not rushed and frenzied it’s easier to have more patient and impactful responses to your child and your teaching will be better received than when you’re stressed and rushed.

Practice when you’re not leaving anywhere

You can also use days you are home to practice cheerful obedience on the more difficult points. Tying shoes can be learned at anytime. So can learning to buckle in! Bring the car seat inside and have your toddler have fun getting in and out of it when it’s NOT time to go. When it’s time to leave, everyone, including mom, will be ahead of the curve.

Bonus tip: Try to make it a fun game, and offer rewards when they DO it! i.e. bubble gum for everyone if they load up cheerfully!

Plan your LOAD time. 

Planning a load by instead of leave by time! This is the time that everyone needs to be loading into the car instead of time you need to be pulling out of the driveway. It is key to be able to show up on time somewhere. Not only that, you will prevent those predictably unpredictable moments from eating up the time you should have been leaving by. AND, you can arrive where you’re going much more calm and collected.

Calculating your load time

This requires a bit of math.

1. Subtract your arrival time, by your drive time
2. Add 10+ min. (for that blow out, poop someone’s gotta take or toddler meltdown. )
3. This is your “load by” time

This will help you arrive, not only on time, but in a less harried and rushed state. 

Bonus tip: Give everyone a “leaving in 15 min. countdown” to your load by time- including yourself! Then use those extra minutes if nothing unpredictable happens, to load the dishes or switch the laundry if desired.

How to make leaving the house with kids easier in summary

Let’s review! Here are your strategies to implement to make leaving the house with kids easier, your life calmer, and your outings together more memorable.

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1. Set up a shoe storage system
2. Pack the night before
3. Practice problem points
4. Plan your load time not leave time

I hope this post has helped you and gives your life a greater sense of calm in the midst of chaos, and enables to you to be present to fully enjoy these moments with your kids.

Thanks for being here today, friend!

In His service,

The post How to make leaving the house with kids easier appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),  “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Ephesians 6:1-3

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How to help little ones obey? Establish connection

If we seek first to establish connection and a foundation of care and love, our children will naturally desire to listen to us and please us. God treats us this way. He cares for us, and points to that as He asks us to follow Him. So, let’s jump right into some practical ways we can do this.

Listen to them

It’s easy to think that by listening to our child we are automatically agreeing with what they are saying and doing. But, that’s not the case. When we listen to them, not only are we more able to properly assess the situation and their heart, but we also communicate many positive things to them. It communicates that you value them and care about them. This helps to establish a relationship of trust and understanding. When your child feels they can trust your care of them, they will feel loved. Feeling loved will better equip your child to listen to you and receive your instruction and correction.

Even if your child is throwing a tantrum or whining, we can still help the situation by listening to what they are trying to communicate before we rush in to respond or get them to stop. I have avoided many battles with my little ones just by finding out they had a small grievance, like a twisted sock, that was bothering them they just needed help with. Once they know we are there to help them, we can defuse many issues and tantrums and then have the opportunity to teach them the right responses.

Listening to them throughout the day to what they want to share with us is also important. Being ready to listen to their little stories or needs will help them feel heard, understood and loved. The more you can do this throughout the day, the more they will readily want to reciprocate and hear what you have to say.

Bonus tip: Listen fully and repeat back what you heard before responding.

Slow down and get down

Secondly, we can establish connection with our children by slowing down and getting down at their level. I mean literally, squatting or kneeling down. This enhances your ability to listen to them as well- my first point. If they’re throwing a tantrum, whining, or just talking to get attention, getting down at their level will immediately signal to them that you are fully present. Taking the time and posture to pay attention to them will help them know that you value them and are ready to help them.

It’s simple and effective to emphasize your intention to create an atmosphere of care and love for them. The more you can do this throughout the day, the more they will readily want to reciprocate and hear what you have to say. Getting down at their level is a way we can “show up” for them. Simple, but powerful.

Bonus tip: reach out and hold that chubby sweet little hand while you’re down there and give a hug when the conversation is finished! 

Make eye contact

Following along with the previous point, while we are taking time to intentionally listen to our littles, getting down at their level when speaking to them, it is also important that we look them in the eye when we’re giving them an instruction or command. When children are still young, and learning what obedience looks like, we need to make sure we are doing our part as parents by being clear and direct. So, making eye contact and being sure they hear us and understand, to their ability, will help equip them to obey what we’ve said.

It’s so easy in a busy household (believe me- I understand!) to just toss around this or that directive willy-nilly not even sure if it was heard or not. This can lead to us becoming frustrated at commands not being obeyed, but also lead our children to frustration as they weren’t even able to have a chance to hear that command. If we are intentional to make eye contact when giving instruction we can be more sure our child has heard us. It also keeps us from casually throwing around instructions, and instead helps us be intentional with what we are expecting of them.

Bonus tip: Smile whenever you’re looking at your child! They will learn to do the same! 

Lower your voice

Ok, I know this is a tough one! But, trust me on this! If you feel like raising your voice- something’s wrong, likely even just proximity. Now, I understand there are times you need to get a child’s attention or call them from a room down the hall, but if you are raising your voice in frustration- try to immediately take it DOWN and also take a more serious tone instead.

There are times where a child has committed a sin with more gravity that needs a firmer reprimand. That doesn’t necessitate yelling. If you lower your tone to a grave one and quiet down not only will it necessitate you to get in closer proximity to the child you are addressing, it also lets them know you REALLY mean business, without becoming angry. This is how you can express the gravity of a particular correction and still keep your own heart in check and obedient. 

Bonus tip: Hold your child’s hand as you speak to them this way. This communicates love and concern while still being very firm.

In Conclusion

Obedience in these formative years sets them up for obedience in the later years. When they desire to hear our voice and follow us, they are more prepared to hear their Saviors’s voice and follow Him, as well. We can make this easier for them by laying down a solid foundation in the beginning. A foundation of love, care and trust, as our Heavenly Father does for us.

Let’s review some of the simple ways I shared how to do that:

1. Listen to them
2. Slow down and get down at their level 
3. Make eye contact when giving an instruction and command
4. Lower your voice- when you feel like raising it.

I hope this post has encouraged you and given you some practical ideas to go practice in your own home, with your little ones! These are precious years, and the time taken to train and teach them now will bear much fruit later.

Thanks for being here!

In His Service,

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We have been homeschooling our 9 children since the very beginning with a very limited budget. However, we have still been able to provide a rich broad and classically based education for them. That is why I am so happy to be sharing with you today how we homeschool our large family on a budget. You don’t need to “unschool” to be able to homeschool your children with limited funds, nor do you need to buy every top of the line recommended curriculum in every subject. It is totally possible to create a curriculum that is reusable and repeatable yet customizable in order to best serve your family AND your budget! Today I’m sharing practical steps as well as tons of sources!

Is homeschooling a large family expensive?

Homeschooling a large family can get very expensive depending on how much time you have to give. Usually the more time you can give to planning, the less money expenditure is needed. For example the costs go up when the prep time is done for you. Full enrollment in online classes per child, for example, will cost the most. An open and go curriculum is also going to be a larger expense. The more you are able to plan and schedule yourself, the more money you will save per child. The good news is, if you put a little time in now, you will actually begin to save more every year and your costs will continue to go down and not up. This will happen by creating the ability to reuse books and repeat plans, plus you will get better at knowing what works! Read below to see how I plan and my free resources to help you!

Here is a cost comparison for homeschooling options:

Online tuition and co-op classes comparisons per student:

(Cost of books NOT included)

• Classical online full enrollment: $2,500- $5,000 a year (Courses usually range from $500-$700 each with the average being 4-6 courses enrolled a year NOT including the cost of books)
• Classical online partial enrollment: $1,500- $2,500
• Bi-weekly (with paid teaching) co-op enrollment: $350- $1,400
• Weekly co-op enrollment (volunteers or parents teach): $300- $500

As you can see from the above list, for us to afford 7 full time students in full enrollment I would need to put a full time job’s salary towards it. Remember these prices do not include the books and curriculum itself.

Curriculum price comparisons per student:

• Full open and go curriculum packages: $450-$1,200
• What we pay by planning and sourcing our own curriculum: $50-$250

The open and go packages are a great option, but it is totally possible to create a solid curriculum plan that is reusable and repeatable so you don’t need to purchase individually for each student every year.

Can you homeschool on a budget even through high school?

You can absolutely homeschool on even the tightest budget! I homeschooled the early years, for almost nothing! I borrowed books, printed off math and copywork sheets, got lots of books from the library, and still kept to a scheduled curriculum plan. Teacher’s manuels are usually very comprehensive. You only need to be one lesson ahead of your students in prep. It’s not as hard as it seems! As our children moved up in grades, some more investment was needed for them to study at a deep level. We invested in curriculum that could be reused with other students. Once we have purchased a book each consecutive student costs less.

We have also been blessed to be a part of a local private co-op that meets weekly. Our high school students took their science classes through that co-op which was a very affordable option at less than $50 a month per family. Parents and students alike volunteer their time to teach the classes, so it is a collaborative model. There is also a local program that offers middle school and high school classes for homeschoolers to prepare for college. Former teachers or homeschooling parents volunteer their time to teach at a very affordable rate.

What are the best affordable curricula- within our philosophy framework?

How we homeschool our large family on a budget primarily is by using a literature-based education. A feast of stories and first person accounts is rich as well as affordable, because many of these quality books are in the public domain or easy and inexpensive to source. Our children absorb and connect with the subject through the eyes of someone else’s experience. Tales of heroes, bravery, courage, and noble character also enhances their desires to live their lives in this way.

From what I have researched and found to fit our standards and goals for our children’s educations the following curricula are our top choices. Although there are many homeschool curriculum out there, these are practically free and provide a rich base to customize to your needs. Keep in mind, the more you source things yourself the more customizable you can keep it to your own preferences, and your children’s needs. You are also able to remain flexible when you aren’t buying an entire package and spending quite a bit per student.

Ambleside Online

We have found that the most affordable and comprehensive curriculum is Ambleside online. They have freely provided so many rich online resources that are free as well as schedules, plans and book suggestions. Ambleside Online will give your children a rich and deep education. It is also a heavy load for some, but you can tailor it to your specific needs. That is the beauty of it! I use Ambleside alongside A Gentle Feast to customize our subjects to each child and year as needed.

Price: Free!! + cost of books

A Gentle Feast

A Gentle Feast has a literature based scheduled plan that includes all grades and forms, as well as just a booklist option, so the prices range from very low upwards. The books are not included so you will have to source the books yourself, but she offers links that are discounted as well as free. As a result, her curriculum can be very affordable, especially as you acquire a library of books to be reused. Because of the affordability and ease of use of this program we have used it for the last 5 years. I already have purchased all 4 cycles. Consequently, each year, homeschooling costs us less!

Price: $5- $85 for entire family package including all grades and schedules (minus cost of books)

How we homeschool our large family on a budget – the breakdown

Keep it simple

It is very easy to feel like we aren’t doing enough for our children’s education. We can easily begin to feel that more would be better. More subjects, more projects, more books! However, in my experience usually when things don’t feel right, pulling back is the best answer. Simplifying and really focusing in on what works and what brings us joy will lead to more success in our homeschool. Leaning into our primary goals for our children’s education results in better retention and more joy in our work. Instead of heaping on more and more until we are both frazzled!

Establishing our core values has been crucial for determining which subjects are the most important. We desire our children to have a biblical worldview with a purpose of serving God by serving and loving His people. This means we desire them to be students of His Word and world, good communicators, and have tools and skills they can serve and share with others. Somedays these goals help me keep perspective even when trying to get through a tough math lesson. This also helps me remember buying a new book isn’t always the answer.

Doing our own planning & scheduling

As I mentioned above, paying for an open and go curriculum is what will save you time but not money. But, it doesn’t have to take a ton of time to schedule out and plan on your own. You can check out my post here on how I plan our homeschool. l also have an entire video series on it over here, which is basically a free course. Planning and scheduling doesn’t need to take you all summer. I explain the way I streamline and combine where I can, so I don’t have to plan and individualize every subject for every child. Get my templates below to start planning your year to save time and money!

Combining subjects and grades

In my planning post I also explained how I combine grades and subjects with some of our children in detail. This saves time as well as money, as I don’t have to purchase separate curriculum for each subject per child. About 75% of our subjects are combinable. The rest are individualized and require more one on one time with me. This helps our schedule to be more manageable and also our budget.

Printing our own schedules and charts

Most curriculum schedules out lessons to be completed in a 32-36 week school year. Decide how many weeks you want to be actively schooling and divide the lessons by that number of weeks. Then reassess each quarter or week if the pace needs adjusting. I then fill in a weekly assignment page for my children that work independently (grade 4-5 and up).

Using non-consumable books for our core curriculum

Our core subjects are reusable so we can sell them if they aren’t working for us, or lend to a friend to try. This ensures I’m not locked in to continuing something that isn’t working for us.

Here are our favorites:

Math: Life of Fred

This math curriculum we have used all the way through now, and loved it. The students use a notebook to work the problems and the answer key is included in the book, as well.

Science: Apologia

We love this science series because it works well to teach to multiple ages and grades. The kids seem to grasp the concepts well and relate with the information. There is also an audiobook version available! We don’t usually purchase the separate student notebooks until middle school. Hoping they come out with a pdf version soon, as we never use every page anyway. It would be a more affordable option if they did.

History: The Story of the World

This history has resonated with my boys the most, and also has a printable pdf activity book you can purchase through their website. This makes it a much more affordable option as you can print how many you need without repurchasing.

Grammar: IEW Fix it!

We discovered this last year, and wish we had sooner. A comprehensive and fun program my boys loved. The teacher’s manual comes with a printable student notebook option. The link is inside the book you can see after you purchase it, so you don’t need to buy the student text. Plus, this makes it easy and affordable to print as needed for multiple students at once.

Humanities/ Philosophy: Omnibus

Our highs schoolers have really enjoyed studying with these texts. They are pricey, but I only need to purchase it once and we have the set for the rest of the children, which saves more over the long run

Of course the countless literature books also qualify, but I won’t list all of those here.

Borrow books and sourcing used

Another way we homeschool our family on a budget is borrowing books or finding them free or inexpensively. After I have done my planning, I begin sourcing our books needed that year that we don’t already have. I rarely have to pay full price for a book unless it is one of the reusable core books I listed above. Even then, I usually can find them used or discounted. I keep a list on my computer of each book’s source as I find it, so I know which ones I’ve purchased and which I’ll need to check out at the library when the term we’re going to use it in comes up.

Here is the list I go down from free to most expensive.

1. Local library- my library lets me keep a saved list, and I group books by grades on there.
2. Borrow from friends – it’s fun to swap with each other!
3. Librivox for free audio versions
4. Amazon Kindle books have a lot of classics in the public domain or for very little
5. Check Facebook groups for used options for sale
6. Amazon’s discounted and used books
7. Abe books
8. Ebay
9. Christianbook usually runs sales

Printing most of our own consumables

We have been printing our own worksheets from the very beginning. It really doesn’t take much time at all. We bought a cheap black and white laser printer that we use and buy refurbished toner for, so it is a more affordable option for us.

Some sources for free online printables we use often:

• Seterra: great printable geography maps & drills
• Dads Worksheets: tons of math drills, plus handwriting paper.
• Super Coloring: great realistic coloring pages for history, art, architecture etc. Easy to navigate!

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In conclusion

I hope this post has given you excitement for how you can homeschool on a budget! There are lots of great resources out there, and I hope my lists here helped narrow things down for you, so you aren’t as overwhelmed. Stick to your values and search for what you love! Homeschooling can be such a joy to experience learning alongside your children!

In His service,

The post How we homeschool our large family on a budget appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

With more open time, summers can feel long with busy active kids! Boys, especially, can benefit from some guidance and focus for all their energy. Summer is a great time for learning and for doing new things. Never underestimate the power of play! I am always amazed how much the kids have matured, developed and learned over the summer when falls roles around again. Play and work are healthy and impactful ways children can be learning even without formal education time. This is why I’m excited to share with you today these screen free ways we keep our boys busy in the summer! Plus a booklist with some of our favorite series to binge.

Set parameters on screen time

First of all, the easiest way to encourage more screen-free activities for our kids is to set. parameters around screen time. The kids will inevitably ask to play all day if they think the option is available, so we designate certain times and days for screen time, as well as certain requirements they do before it. Games and tv have different rules. We have different boundaries on screen time that the kids can do together and ones that they do alone. This minimizes their default to screen time and naturally encourages them figure out something else to do!

Include them in our projects

Because we homeschool with our 9 children, the summer is our go time to get other projects done. We have an acre of property, so there is always summertime yard work, projects and landscaping to do. Home renovations and updates are also getting cranked out while we have nice weather and a bit more free time. So, one of the ways we keep the boys busy is having them help us. They actually really love working with us, whether it’s shoveling dirt to help landscape or learning alongside us how to paint a wall! Even the 5 year old loves to help any way he can. They learn life skills while also enjoying time with us. It’s a win win! The older boys now have skills that they have been hired by others to use.

Give them jobs to earn extra money

In the same context, we have reoccurring maintenance jobs, as well as project jobs that we pay the boys to do for us. This gives them some fun extra spending money, or an opportunity to save up for something they want to do or purchase. This includes things like deep cleaning inside, helping with projects or landscaping, regular maintenance chores like cleaning out the cars etc. We want to teach them that money is equated with work. They know that we will provide their basic needs and wants, but they learn young to work for the extras.

Pin to save these screen free ways we keep our boys busy in the summer!

Facilitate their interests

Our boys are really into mountain biking and trick biking right now. This is their sport of choice, so we do whatever we can to help them pursue this healthy hobby. Some of the ways we do this, is helping them have the tools they need for repair, find good deals on bikes and parts, and taking them to trails and parks. We’ve also picked up biking as a family activity, which we love! I now have a pull behind trailer for the youngest 2, so we can all bike together. Although I’m not mountain biking, it is still a fun healthy hobby we can all enjoy together.

Learn a new hobby or skill

Summer is a great time to learn a new skill or hobby. When the boys express interest in something we try to help them find opportunities to pursue it as well as fit them with the supplies needed. One of the challenges for hobbies can be the mess they makes, so we try to designate a special day together and also work during the baby’s nap. In our home this can be a simple as learning to bake to welding and knife crafting! Providing tools, as well as the time, space and also permission is what will make it happen.

Give them opportunities to be creative

The boys really just need a bit of time in order for their creativity to be engaged. This is easier to achieve with screen time boundaries in place. Boredom is imagination’s companion. They usually need the one in order for the other to show up. So, we make sure that outside of our schedule and routines the boys have plenty of open-ended time to be able to decide for themselves what sounds fun to do. This can be working on hobbies, dress-up role play games, jumping on the trampoline etc. Currently, our boys are into customizing and remaking over old hot wheels and model cars.

Draw or color while listening to a book together

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I am very intentional about rest time during the afternoons. This is a great space of time for the boys to decompress and rest, especially on a hot day. One of the activities we enjoy doing during this time is coloring or drawing while we listen to an audiobook. (See below for some we love!) I setup the paper and coloring supplies at the table and turn on a book, and before you know it, the boys have gathered around to draw. Our favorite website for free coloring pictures is supercoloring. Our boys really enjoy the realistic animal drawings on there, but there are plenty more to choose from. They also enjoy learning how to draw cartoons from Art For Kids Hub. We find many of our audiobooks for free either via Librivox or the Libby app through our local libary.

Spend time outside in nature together

Currently, our favorite way to spend time outside together is biking. Strapping the 2 littles up in the trailer for a ride together is something we can all enjoy. Being outside is the most natural activity I enjoy with our boys. They can literally run free uninhibited, and holler as loud and they want – most of the time. We find whatever local trails we can to frequent, or head out to the mountains for a more intense hike.

We also love getting out by the water as much as possible. A quick jaunt down to the river to fish for crawdads and frogs, or out to a lake to cool off. Setting up a slip and slide or sprinkler under the trampoline is another fun activity for a hot day. Giving them space to just be boys is such a valuable part of our summer memory making.

Get them into a great book series

Last, but not least, we seek out a great book series for them to get lost in. This can be hard sometimes, as each child has different reading paces at different ages, as well as preferences. Our local library makes it easier to try something and return for something else if it doesn’t work out. Having a great adventure series to get lost in outside in the shade or on the hammock is a wonderful way to spend a hot day. Some of our favorite series that our kids have loved over the years are listed below.

Early readers:

• Little Bear
• Frog and Toad
• Nate the Great
• Henry and Mudge
• Magic tree house
• The secret zoo

Middle school lit:

• Redwall
• Keeper of the Lost Cities
• The Chronicles of Narnia
• The Lord of the Rings
• Little Britches
• Farmer Boy and The Long Winter
• The Wingfeather Saga
• 100 cupboards series

Fave Juvenile lit classics

• Where the Red Fern grows
• The Yearling
• Summer of the Monkeys
• Men of Iron
• Robin Hood
• The White Company

I hope these ideas have give you some inspiration for ways to keep your boys happily, creatively and productively engaged this summer! Thanks for being here in my little corner today, as always!

The post Screen free ways we keep our boys busy in the summer appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

Today I’m sharing our homeschool year in review. What worked and what didn’t, the things we changed and loved this year, and our old standby favorites. We have some changes planned for the upcoming year, and I will be sharing those below as well.

Towards the close of the year I prefer to begin our planning for the next homeschool year. I’ve found the end of the current year is the best time for me to have fresh eyes for the next year. I can more easily see what will need to change without being unrealistic with what we can accomplish. The close of the year is a nice time to reflect back over the year and see what worked and what didn’t. Maybe schedules need to be tweaked, habits established better, or curricula changed. We have the children fill out an ”audit” of the year to see their preferences, as well. (You can watch my entire series on how we homeschool here on Youtube.)

Finally, a few things really clicked this year, especially for me as a teacher. What works best comes clearly into light when it’s repeated enough times, I suppose. I’ve found some things that really fit well for our family, and even though I’ve tried, some that don’t. Every family is different, and my desire with this post is to encourage you to do what works best for your family, and maybe get some new ideas, but not to feel compelled to have to do what we do.

Homeschool year in Review- What worked & What didn’t

This year we had grades 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th! This means I had all 4 forms going at once, along with our first graduate! (More of my thoughts on that in a future post ). However, I did not teach our 10th or 12th graders. I helped and oversaw some of their work, but they did history, literature, rhetoric, writing, and science with their co-op teachers, and most everything else, they worked on independently. I checked in with our 8th grader and went over his work with him everyday, but didn’t do any hands on teaching really. So, the magority of my teaching was spend with my 1st- 6th graders.

What worked + New favorites

I’m usually the type that prefers to stick with something for long enough to see if it works with different kids or another grade before giving it up. Over the years we’ve found books or curricula that work well for most of us, and I will tend to continue with those. However, there are times I try to make a book work because it fits in the right ”model”, but if it doesn’t meet these important criteria, we drop it.

• Challenges the students while maintaining their interest
• I enjoy the content along with the kids
• Can be finished in a timely fashion
• Not overly complicated
• Straightforward enough the students can work independently (when relevant)
• Affordable- or can be used again if cost is higher

It was challenging this year to teach with a baby then into a toddler along with 2 busy boys who needed lots of attention. For this reason, we kept our schedule flexible. Somedays we did our most important “mom time” work in the mornings, and sometimes we waited until naps. It just depended on the week or even the day. The kids would work on their independent work, which I oversaw as much as possible, until I could do their lessons with them.

History

The Story of the World Vol. 2 with Activity book
I found a printable pdf of the activity book as well as audio C.D’s of the readings. This is so helpful during our busier days, and it’s makes getting lessons ready so much easier!

This has been the only core history our boys have latched on to. They understand it, enjoy it, and I do as
well. There are plenty of suggestions for further study when we have more time, yet the main lessons are
very doable for our family, as well as the activities are just plain fun! I read aloud this book as family
history and give further assignments to the older students.

Omnibus– (history, literature, rhetoric.)

Our high schoolers have done this history with their coop group and really enjoyed it. It lends itself to
great discussions as well as critical thinking and logical essay writing. Whether you agree with the
prelude author’s perspective or not, it challenges the students to form their own conclusions in the frame of a Biblical worldview of some of the most formative books of our times.

A Gentle Feast’s booklist
We did Cycle 1 History this year, and many of the history and science biographies from the booklist were some of the boys’ favorites. Our highschoolers have also enjoyed supplementing their Omnibus lessons with books from the history selections in AGF booklist, as well. My son finished Susan Wise Bauer’s A Medieveal History of the World this year, as well as some Paul Johnson, David McCullough and others.

Science

Apologia Science– General Science, Biology, and Chemistry
This is one I’ve strayed away from a bit in the lower forms, and usually end up coming back to it. This
year my oldest 3 did the above listed books, and it worked really well for us. It’s a comprehensive
curriculum and offers alot of ways to learn the true scientific method of study in the upper levels. With
the teacher’s manual, it has been doable to keep up through 8th grade. However, our high schoolers
have been able to continue with a proficient coop teacher, so I can’t speak to those grades’ ease of
teaching. We prefer our older students to learn under a more skilled teacher, particularly in the upper levels of science, whenever possible.

Natural histories- Thornton Burgess and Arabella Buckley

Our littles still enjoyed the natural history books written by Thorton Burgess or Arabella Buckley that we get on librivox for free. They listened to these this year during quiet times in the afternoons, to save me some time.

Logic

The Art of Argument– This was our second time through this book and it’s worked really well for us. The firs time, we did it in a coop group, and this time my son worked on his own. He’s done well enough on his own with it, but it lends itself to a group context and discussion better.

Literature

A Gentle Feast booklist-
Forms 1 -3 stayed pretty true to the pace and schedule of the booklist with selections that correlated
with our history time period. That is one of our favorite parts of the curriculum! Our high schoolers had
their literature mostly covered in Omnibus. It has a pretty heavy booklist, so I don’t usually supplement
much other reading.

Geography

We’ve mostly enjoyed the biographies and autobiographies in the AGF booklist, minus a few exceptions listed below. We’ve had alot of success using the map activites included in our history activities, a map the kids print and color in slowly, alongside map drills on seterra.com.

Grammar

Ok, here’s where we started something new this year! We tried the IEW FIX IT! Grammar curricula for the first time this year, and loved it so much! We did books 1 & 3 and they were a huge hit. I ended up buying the pdf versions of all of the lesson books, and the corresponding teacher’s manuals. This makes it a very affordable option for using multiple times. My boys loved grammar for the first time! The lessons are complete sentences that build on top of each other to form an entire story that the student copies down. It requires only 10-15 minutes a day and builds applicable grammar skills to the context of a real story. Each lesson also includes a rich vocabulary word.

Math

Life of Fred– This still remains our math curricula of choice and we now have worked all the way through Algebra 2 in it. It is math program the teaches the students in a mastery method. The students master each math fact before moving on, while learning to find the formula and solution on their own through challenging story problems.

Our oldest daughter really wanted to do geometry this year as well, but she wasn’t able to finish it alongside a very challenging chemistry course, which also required a lot of math. She might continue on in the math program after graduation, though.

Phonics/ Writing

Explode the Code – We’ve been continuing with Explode the Code and I’ve seen a lot of progress in how fast the boys are picking up reading. The self-paced style is so doable for our family dynamic. I don’t have time to sit and teach long phonics lessons with each child. I work with them through the first few books and teach reading with Bob books now primarily. The 2 that were learning to read when we started seemed to to be reading chapter books independently much sooner. We have done all the books in the series until they’re ready to start grammar around 5th grade.

The Little Red Writing Book- Our oldest son really enjoyed working through this book and was able to apply a lot of it to his other writing. He worked independently with it, and it was challenging but doable. Our oldest daughter didn’t get as much from it, when she did it, but I don’t think it felt as relevant to her, as she isn’t as interested in creative writing and storytelling like our son is.

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What didn’t

I’ve had to give up some books that just haven’t worked as well in our dynamic or with our specific group of boys especially. I’m usually the type that prefers to stick something for awhile to see if it works with different kids before giving it up. Some books are better fits for different kids or in different years, so I’m not too quick to give up on something. But, after several times teaching through a book that hasn’t worked in different years with different children, we drop it.

History

Genevieve Foster Histories These core history books in the booklists from A Gentle Feast haven’t really worked for us. I really wanted to make them work, but they were written more factually then it seems from the outside. They do not have that exciting story landscape the way The Story of the World does and didn’t capture the boys’ imaginations. We’ve had to drop them and stick with The Story of the World for now. I enjoyed them fine, but the boys just couldn’t connect with them and I felt like narrations were challenging for them, which shows me they’re not grasping what was read.

Math

Older kids helping– I had assigned my high schoolers to work on math with one of their younger brothers once a week, to free up some time for me to work more on the reading lessons. Unfortunately, with their full high school load, this ended up not working out. They had a hard time being available when the littles were ready, and when they were available (afternoons for example) the littles were NOT interested in doing more school. I ended up just needing to do it with them in the mornings as ofter as I could, which meant we are a bit behind where I’d hoped we’d be at the end of the year.

Science

The Way Things Work– I love this book, but it didn’t work well for me to teach to multiple students, and mine weren’t ready to really jump in on their own. I think it is a great reference book, especially for boys that are interested in the particulars of mechanics, and the boys had fun reading through it, but I don’t think we really grasped enough from the book to make it a core book for our science base.

Geography

Hollings Geography books– Paddle to the Sea, Seabird etc. For some reason, I love these books, but the boys haven’t. They will listen and narrate, but I’m choosing to drop these books, too, just because I would rather put more time towards our other books we enjoy together more. We do a lot of map work and reference so a specified geography program isn’t as necessary for us, except some of the biographies we’ve enjoyed from either the Ambleside or AGF booklists.

Grammar

Simply Grammar– All of our boys despised this book. Maybe it would be better for younger girls. It works well enough, but it wasn’t challenging enough and felt dull.

Shurley English- We really enjoy the chants and songs we learned with the Shurley curriculum, but the FIX IT program from IEW has given the kids the insight into understanding grammar in contexts outside of the curriculum. I felt like with Shurley grammar the kids can do the work, but had a difficult time applying it to other sources.

Homeschool Year in Review- What we’re planning to change next year

C-Prep– We are looking into have our 3rd born take some C- prep classes that are offered here. He’ll be beginning is first year of high school and I want to give him the same opportunity our older 2 had to learn from other teachers and be challenged by a bit of healthy competition and fun with classmates. Particularly science, as we won’t have a coop class available to join, as far as we’ve found anyway.

Visual Latin– I have not been able to maintain a Latin curriculum with the kids alongside teaching the core subjects, but I’m very interested to try this online option next year. It looks to be more self-paced and engaging and I’d love the boys to have this base in their education! It also is an affordable option at only $25 a month for unlimited viewing and streaming of all of their offerings.

Apologia Science for middle school– We’re going back to Apologia for the Form 2 science next year. We will use the journals offered alonside it, as well. Simply because it is works the best when teaching multiple children and all our kids love it!

My hope is that you’ve found some inspiration to try a new idea or to continue on with what’s working currently for your family. Either way, I hope you feel encouraged to press on in this high calling we have to teach the next generation about the amazing world God has made!

Thanks for joining me today!

The post Our Homeschool Year in Review 2021-2022 appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

Here are some last minute Mother’s day gift ideas for homeschooling moms that have come from my own wishlist. If you’re like me, you have an amazon wishlist so your hunny and kids know what you want. Thought I would share my own list with you today, in case you needed to give them some ideas but needed a little inspo.

Gifts to wear

14K Gold plated Sterling Silver for $15.99 (at time of posting) This has been on my wishlist for awhile.

Mama necklace

Key leather chain wristlet- etsy

Ok, these are all the rage this year and it makes me wonder why we haven’t thought of this already? Such a genius idea. A stylish way to keep track of our keys hands free as we come and go with bags and books galore. Starts at $14

(Disclaimer: some of these are affiliate purchases, which does not mean they are sponsored- I picked these out myself. It just means I make a tiny commission off of these sales with no added expense to you. This helps the work I do here. Thanks in advance for the support!)

Baby teether key wristlet Minimalist teether key chain option 2

Only $10 for this fun version if you have littles! I would probably unclip the key part before giving to the baby. I love how there is a handy toy option at your disposal in a pinch!

Teeshirt: I can do all things through Christ

A little daily reminder and encouragement to wear everyday, and looks comfy and cute. Starting at $19.

Not all classrooms have 4 walls- red tee

All homeschool mamas know teaching can happen anywhere! Love this cute color option, but there are others available as well. Starting at $16.

Gifts to help

The Peaceful Planner

Every Homeschool mom can benefit from an organized system! I love what the Peaceful Press puts out and their philosophy on education lends itself to a more restful homeschooling atmosphere. I wanted to try this planner out for next year, as it is so well laid out and has a nice minimal design. Less than $25 (at time of posting).

Collapsible tote

I need this tote! I have a black grubby one that desperately needs this replacement! How cute is this design and fresh spring colors! Starts at less than $40.

Raising little disciples tote

The purchase of this tote (starting at $24.95 and ships quick) supports another christian mama shop! Can’t even with the cute and sweet message and simplistic design. What homeschool mama doesn’t need another great tote?

Gifts to savor

Stumptown coffee

This coffee is spendy, but oh so worth it- hence why it makes a great gift! Our favorite local coffee shop, with the BEST lattes, uses this coffee. I’m obsessed with it’s smooth yet strong nutty flavor. EVERY homeschool mama deserves a cup of good organic coffee!

Half Baked Harvets’s new cookbook!

Tiegan has a new book and it’s for everyday cooks- like we homeschool mamas! I have her other cookbook and her flavor combos never disappoint. Her website is aw-inspiring and this cookbook looks to be another winner. Ships for under $20 on sale at time of posting!

A FREE BONUS GIFT FROM ME!

A little daily reminder you can hang anywhere. Print for yourself, a friend, or send them over to print themselves!

PIN TO SAVE & SHARE IF YOU CARE

Thanks for stopping by my little corner today!

The post Mother’s day gift ideas for homeschooling moms appeared first on A Legacy In Days.

Are you wondering how to find your priorities as a mom? After some research and reading I finally stumbled upon a method that was clear and straightforward. I was able to adapt it for my life as a homeschool mom of a large family. Now, no matter what season of life I’m in, I can easily determine where my focus should be and create a task list that keeps me on track with my goals and prioriites. I am excited to share this simple 3 step method with you today!

As a busy mom, everyday there are a myriad of things to be done, and everything can feel like it’s urgent. Especially when you have a little one pulling on your pant leg, the food is burning, and you haven’t showered! You feel like your attention is demanded by someone or something 24/7. It can be overwhelming to even begin to think about what to do next. One crazy moment leads into the next and before you know it, you are falling into bed at the end of the night exhausted yet unsure of what you even did all day.

My story

I’ve experienced this feeling in different seasons of life. Sometimes it’s inevitable, like after a baby is born, or during a move or job change. However, I realized when my life began to feel like chaos is the new normal, something had to change.

My utmost desire is to be intentional with my time in the roles God has called me to. I would make a list of what I wanted to accomplish each day and then start chipping away at it as best I could. However, the inevitable needs or moment to moment crises would arise and my list would be derailed. Trying to decide what to do next felt futile and I would just give up and waste more time on the frivolous and unnecessary. I realized that I needed to determine my real priorities. But what I discovered was that I didn’t know how to do that. Isn’t everyone and everything I care about a priority??

Why it is important to determine your priorities as a mom

I truly believe every little thing we do in our home, in joy and service to the Lord, is worthy of our time. I believe the gospel works in an upside down measurement. It is in serving, not striving, that we find satisfaction and joy. Each diaper change, and meal made with love is of great value. However, my desire is to be intentional and focused on what God has called me to. It is easy to become distracted by other things and easily fritter my time away with unneccesary busy work.

We have limited resources as moms, and if we don’t have a clear vision, our everyday to-do list can feel insurmountable. It is crucial that we limit our task list to those things that will have the most impact on what we believe we are called to.

Without a clear definition of our priorities it also becomes more difficult to focus or accomplish our goals. I found it was easy for me to forget my priorities and get frazzled over undone tasks when I felt I had been diligent all day. When the baby is fussy and the toddler is needy everything can feel impossible. Most of us have heard that we need to keep our priorities in order. But it is determining them where we get hung up.

The method for how to find your priorities as a mom

After reading many different time management strategies and systems, I found one that was simple, but geared more to the corporate workspaces. An adapted version of Brian Tracy’s ABCD method is what helped me more clearly determine my priorities. Now I can easily see which tasks are the most important to focus on in any given day. Since discovering this method I am less distracted by unnecessary “busy” work. I can conquer my to-do list with confidence even when it only has 1 thing on it that day! This has been very freeing. 

At the end of this post I have a printable you can get to work through your own priority list and how to make a quick decision on what are your  top priorities.

ABCD principles

The Brian Tracy method is a method to determine which tasks fit into which priority list. Some of you might have heard of the phrase “Eat the frog.” This comes from his strategy. Although it sounds daunting, it’s actually a simple reminder to take care of the most important things first. Simply put, do the hardest most important thing first and it’s over for the rest of the day! I didn’t personally care for this metaphor. I don’t want to start my day with the worst thing. Also, with lots of little kids I can’t always just do the most important thing right away. 

However, his method for determining priorities has been very helpful for me. It simplified what I know I need to do next in any given moment. As a mom of 9, this list helps me not just do less important busy tasks to feel productive. Instead, when I have a free moment I am able to focus to become more effective and efficient.

The method works like this. First, there are A, B,C,D lists. This is just a lettered ranking system. A-D Top to bottom. Tasks get ranked on their urgency and importance. Sorry, we can’t always put time with kids and hubby in the A list and dishes and laundry in the D list!  

My adaptation

How I’ve adapted this list is by using a series of questions. Instead of an A to D list equalling urgent to less urgent, important to less important, I ask a few questions to determine which list the tasks should be included in.

First steps for how to find your priorities as a mom

1. Define your roles 

What has God called me to in particular? 

I believe he has called me, personally, to serve Him and His kingdom with my particular skills and abilities. These fit within the roles He has called me to as a wife and mother (teacher). Alongside those, I am to love and serve my extended family, church, community, and world with my gifts.

2. Determine your goals

What are my goals in each of these roles?

The previous list helps me realize which things take precedence. For me in particular, it helped me clarify that I value relationships over productivity. But this also will include things like caring for and running our home as a means to love my family and anyone who enters it. For me personally, it also means I homeschool our children and run a blog and youtube channel. For our family with seven boys, we have goals of establishing connection with our kids through creative production, service, ministry and physical activities together. Your goals will look different than mine, as well as your roles. But spending some time thinking through these things will pay off towards clarity, purpose and mission in how you spend your days.

Personal habits & care

It’s also important to determine the best way you can take care of yourself in your current season. What are the daily habits that help you steward well the body and time you have currently? This is an important step because if you’re not taking care of yourself, you won’t be well equipped to take care of anyone else. What do you need to do to maintain your spiritual and physical capabilities in your current life season and situation? What do you need to eat? How much to sleep and exercise? Newly forming habits and priorities fit within the A list automatically, but obviously not to the detriment or neglect of anyone else.

The final step for how to find your priorities

Now that you’ve defined your roles and goals, we can get into the nitty gritty of how to categorize those tasks.

To be clear, these tasks are new to come up on your to do list each day. Don’t include the menial tasks that are part of a good established routine and habits. However, if you don’t have those in place, then you could inlude the first step toward creating those systems in your A task list.

3. Questions to ask each task

Does this task move me toward my long term goals?

Does this task have negative consequences if I do not do it?

Can I delegate this?

Flowchart for how to find your priorities

A list: Yes to all three

B list: No to #1. Yes to # 2, No to #3

C list: Yes to #1, No to #2, No to #3

D list: No to #1, No to #2, No to #3

Note: Any task that you can delegate should not go on your list.

1. Does this task move me toward my long term goals?

It is important to sit down and make a list of the categories of general tasks you do everyday  first, so that you do not have to make these decisions for every task in every moment. A little brainstorming ahead of time eliminates a lot of the decision fatigue in the moment. Spending time connecting with your hubby might not seem urgent, but is it important for your relationship goals? Daily  habits that keep you healthy are also important even though they can be very small things, like taking your vitamins. 

2. Does this task have negative consequences if I do not do it?

Some things do not feel important in the moment, but will have negative consequences if left undone now, or for a long period of time. Sweeping your kitchen is not urgent, but if you don’t do it for a long time you’ll have varmits and bugs! The same goes for laundry or placing a grocery order, meal planning etc. Some things will vary on the day by how important it is and how bad the consequences are if not done. Although, this question helps keep us from always putting laundry or meal planning as the least important tasks, just because they might be our least favorite ones.

3. Can this be delegated?

Delegate any task to your husband or kids when you can. I am not suggesting that every menial task be. However, there are many things that only you are able to do. Think through tasks your husband or children can do. Establish those taks and then remove them from your lists. What does go on my list is household management tasks so I remember to check in on them, but not to STEP in for them. I am all for helping each other out, and everyone pitching in, but I don’t put my kid’s or hubby’s tasks on my list. If I sense a busy day for them and see a way I can help, I’ll gladly do so, but I keep to my lane as best I can. 

Keep in mind that the tasks that are on this list should not part of your regular routine and rhythm that are working. Unless you need to establish some, then you can use this list to write “create a healthy morning routine” for example. 

Some helpful tips for moms

Ask yourself what can I do NOW? Move through your list from A- D as you are ABLE.

Determine what timing is better for which tasks. Naptime for quiet tasks? Awake time for active tasks?

Keep relationships as a priority. Interruptions to the active tasks are not real interruptions- they are the important thing!

When the dishes and laundry pile up as you play with your needy littles, revisit your list at nap time. See what else you can do from your A or B task list, try to do one and then rest.

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Summary

1. Define your roles
2. Determine your goals (including personal care)
3. Give each task it’s assigned category

Begin taking action!

I hope this blog post has helped you see a way to assign each task it’s place and be able to limit the overwhelm of indecision.

Let me know if you have any questions or if you try this and LOVE it, or even if you are confused!

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the interwebs!

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The post How to find your priorities as a mom- 3 steps! appeared first on A Legacy In Days.