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.

We recently returned home from a 10 day road trip to the west coast to visit the ocean and extended family. I grew up in the Northwest visiting the ocean beaches every summer, so it was so meaningful to get to share this area with our kids.

With it’s large luscious foliage, majestic evergreens and crisp salty beaches, it was a sensory delight for the kids. We were blessed with gorgeous weather most of the trip and loved every minute of juicy black berry picking, forest trail exploring, digging in the sand and splashing in the waves!

What tips for traveling as a large family I will cover

PACKING
TRAVEL
STAY
ATTITUDES
RETURN HOME

We had prayed before we set out asking specifically that we would not have any vehicle issues because our previous long trips had been full of those! Well, God heard and answered our prayers! The van did great, so did all the kids, and we had lovely weather most of the time with no derailments! A first for us!

Because we are a homeschooling family, we already spend a lot of time together and naturally have some strategies and systems in place which makes these larger quantities of time together more manageable. However, no matter what the size of your family is, in order to avoid a state of constant chaos with kids, some systems and strategies are very helpful.  

Tips for traveling as a large family– packing

1. Create a printable packing list for everyone
2. Pack 2 bags if staying in multiple locations
3. Limit toys & extras to a specified size bag

Create a printable packing list for everyone

I give this list to the older kids in time for them to have rounded up what they need for the trip or have it washed. The kids ages 10+ do their own laundry, so they can have their things washed and ready for packing the day BEFORE we leave. I usually only have to help the 10 year old and supervise the 12 year old. I go through their bag with them on packing day just in case anything was looked over. The oldest kids do well enough on their own.

I pack for the youngest 3 kids with them helping as desired. It takes me a few hours to pack for them, myself and the baby for a long trip like this, so I plan accordingly, and don’t expect to be able to throw it together in a jiffy! I gather what we’ll need and put it in the garage or by the front door we’ll be loading from as I go. This way I can see the progress and keep track of what’s left. I take care of the packing and my husband (and older kids now) do all the loading into the car and pack the miscellaneous items like strollers etc.

Pack 2 bags if staying in multiple locations

We usually road trip with a maximum windshield time each day of 8 hours. Which means we often have a stay over on our way to our final destination. We try to plan our route to stay with friends and family on our way in, too, so we don’t try to max our day driving and show up fried. It’s more fun to leave a little time margin to visit or swim in the hotel pool.

Because of this, we pack a backpack with the nights on the road’s worth of clothes, jammies and a swim suit. We leave a larger duffle for our extended stay that we don’t even need to open until we arrive. This saves sanity when unloading and reloading. All the kiddos can carry their own backpack in and know where to find and put their things on the short stays.

Limit toys and extras to a specified size bag

We let the kids pack whatever toys or fun things they want as long as it fits in a reasonable sized bag. We use small backpacks, but even if you want to make it a ziplock they love to have freedom within limits. Pillows and a blanky are freebies. But, if we let them pack whatever they want it can quickly get ridiculous! For the size of our van a backpack easily fits under their seats and is a manageable amount for them.

Tips for traveling as a large family– travel time (air or car)

1. Activities tote to share and rotate
2. Set timer and alternate activities (plus screen time)
3. Pack healthy snacks along with fun treats
4. Play interactive games together

Activities tote to share and rotate

I used to buy everyone some fun activities for their backpacks, but I learned that was just too much for them to keep track of and created more chaos in the car and quick boredom. Instead, we keep a small flat latching lid tote that has drawing, writing, and reading activities for the kids in it to rotate and share. This has helped keep things more clean, while also keeping things fresh and new. Plastic trays like these also work well for this, as well as providing a place to play and keep track of small toys.

I can usually find enough options at the Dollar store and pickup extra coloring things while I’m at it.

I include things like:

• Crosword puzzles
• Word search books
• Trace by number
• Coloring books
• Clipboard with plain paper
• Markers
• Fun sticker activity books

Set timer and alternate activities (and screen time)

If there are a limited amount of devices to share, we like the kids to take 30 minute turns to share them fairly. Or, you can set specific timers for reading, devices, listening to music, etc. It helps break up the time between stops and creates less boredom if they aren’t playing until they choose to be done. We also have certain things everyone does while the baby sleeps. It’s easier to say- “Everyone can play the iPad when the baby falls asleep!” Than “Not yet, not yet, not yet.” Also motivates kids to be quiet so the littes can fall asleep!

Make sure to bring enough chargers for devices, and maybe try downloading some fun new games or movies for the kids to watch on the trip.

Audiobooks and fun music are a great things to do together as a shared activity. Create a playlist before you leave of your favorite songs, or get some books downloaded everyone can enjoy together. We have such a diverse age demographic in our family and fairly large van, so we usually just listen to books individually. But if your kids are closer in age, this a fun thing to do together. Most quality juvenile lit is usually enjoyable for we adults, too!

Here is a great list on READ ALOUD REVIVAL of audiobook recommendations to get you started.

Our kids’ favorite iPad games currently are:

• Dragonvale
• Sneaky Sasquatch
• Asphalt 8
• Crossyroads

Pack healthy snacks & special treats

We like to bring a cooler that sits between us in our big van that we pack with healthy snacks and treats. Usually the snacks help ward off low blood sugar between stops for a heartier meal, but also help aid boredom in between activities as needed.

We usually include things like:

• fruit: grapes, clementines, blueberries, bananas
• cheese sticks
• healthy bars
• rice crackers and crisps
• breakfast items: muffins, egg bake cut in pieces
• Special treats make the trip fun and can be another activity! (see below)

Play interactive games together

Playing games together is part of the fun of traveling together. Have set times you do things alone and then together keeps the atmosphere fun and inviting. Here are our top 10 favorite games to play in the car or anytime we are tempted by boredom.

1. License plates by state 
2. Scavenger hunt for kinds of places/ signs/ words etc 
3. Letters of the alphabet in order on signs or cars
4. Sequential numbers from license plates
5. Pick a make and model of car to look for- winner gets to pick next car (boys love this)
6. Sing songs with rounds if you know them!
7. Play I packed my bag and brought “_____” in alphabetical order taking turns and the next person has to say all items previously said then add one. 
8. Look up funny jokes or memes to share
9. Play “I’m thinking of something”
10. Treat fun- Who can blow the biggest bubblegum bubble? Who can suck the sucker without biting it the longest?

Bonus tips for traveling as a large family- on the road with littles

Tips for traveling as a large family- stay

1. Designate a space for your things
2. Unpack clean clothes in drawers if staying an extended visit
3. Keep dirty clothes separate from clean ones
4. Have a clean and dirty swim outfit if staying near sand/dirt
5. Have designated tidy times
6. Get kids ready for bed before they are tired
7. Keep similar sleep routines

Designate a space for your things

Assign a space for your things- especially shoes! This makes heading out the door for fun easier when you can find the toddler’s shoes. Hang coats on hangers, keep bags in the same spot and have a place where the kids know where and how to hang their wet swim clothes or towels.

Unpack clean clothes in drawers if staying an extended visit

If staying an extended stay, unpack the clean clothes into drawers and put dirty clothes in the bag as they go. We’ve found this makes it easier for little kids to find their clothes in a drawer than stuffed back in their bag or all over the floor. This keeps things more familiar for them, and easier to keep the space tidy. It also makes packing to go home easier and unpacking once you get home.

Keep dirty clothes separate from clean ones

We find it helpful to keep dirty clothes separate from clean clothes, whether they are in drawers or different bags. The kids have an easier time finding something clean to wear without dumping the contents of the bag or drawer out this way. This is super helpful when camping, at the beach or anywhere there is sand and dirt that will get all over the still clean clothes. 

Have a clean and dirty swim outfit if staying near sand/dirt

We had a pool swim outfit and a beach swim outfit so we weren’t getting pool suits sandy, and having to wash between. If you can have more than one of each- even better- as they never seem to dry out fast enough for the all the swimming fun!

*BONUS TIPS:

BABY POWDER IS A LIFE SAVER FOR GETTING WET SAND OFF! RUB IT ON AND WIPE IT AWAY WITH THE NOW DRY SAND! PLUS EVERYONE SMELLS FRESH AFTER.

A HAIR DRYER COMES IN HANDY TO DRY A WET SUIT IN A PINCH

Have designated tidy times

Vacation is certainly not the time to be uptight about cleanliness and organization, but a certain amount of order goes a long way toward a more relaxing stay for everyone. We have found just having some set quick pickup times, like before nap or bed, before we leave or get back can keep the place in reasonable order. Have everyone just put their things where they belong. Don’t worry about crumbs on the floor or stress if the bags are untidy, just putting things back in their area and pathways clear will help everyone find their things when they need them and keep Mom from being the designated finder.

I like to make our bed and the little’s bed for the day. I think it helps to be able to sit, snuggle, rest and relax easier on a made bed, but I don’t ask the older kids to make theirs. It is my preference. Whatever sounds to you like it would make your stay more enjoyable for minimal work is what I’m getting at here.

Get kids ready for bed before they are tired

At first sign of tiredness try to get kids in jammies BEFORE they’re exhausted and the inevitable melt down takes place. Ask me how I know! Even if they get to come back to the campfire etc- not having to go get teeth brushed, or find blankies when they are already exhausted can prevent a stressful bedtime. It’s so nice to have a little one fall asleep on dad’s lap while visiting when they are ready and their beds are, too.

Keep similar sleep routines

We’ve found it doesn’t  have to be at the same times, but the same order helps the most. Do they always have a bath at home before bed, then a story? Than keep that routine as much as possible. Do they have a fan on or sleep sound machine? Make sure to pack one or use a music app on your phone. Our little guys love listening to an audio book, music or sleep music on the first few nights of adjusting. A few extra minutes of reassuring pattern can make such a  difference to a peaceful put down and sleep.

Tips for traveling as a large family- organizing attitudes

Togetherness can be stressful

Part of travel is having to all adjust to “togetherness”. This is likely easier if you homeschool as you are already used to dealing with conflict resolution on a regular basis. Otherwise, that is likely the biggest problem to come up. And it WILL come up. Kids will get irritable, littles will melt down, teens will argue about seating arrangements but it is how we handle it that makes all the difference. If we expect these occurrences and have a plan in action of how to deal with them it will make the outcome so much better.

Parent preemptively

Try to decide ahead of time with your hubby how and who will deal with public outbursts/ meltdowns (if you don’t already have an action plan) remember their frame and give as much warning time, and preemptive notice and warning as you can. For example, a quick reminder of how to behave in a restaurant, what’s expected and consequences before actually going in, helps to minimize problems.

Also we like to encourage beforehand  toward the positive IE- “How nice for Auntie and Uncle to host us, let’s be kind and pick up our toys and say lots of pleases and thank yous so they know how happy and grateful we are to stay with them and eat their yummy food!”   

Remember this isn’t the time to deal with larger deeper issues that you might notice while you have this concentrated time together- those can be noted and dealt with later. This is, however, a great time to affirm and encourage all the great things you do see new in your kiddos and correct and maintain your current discipline strategy without trying to invent a new plan of action. You might go home with a list of things to reinforce in training, but don’t make vacation all about that. 

Tips for traveling as a large family- return home

1. Unload dirty clothes bags immediately
2. Put away clean clothes as you go
3. Vacuume out suitcases
4. Let them down gently

Unloading everything into the house and immediately putting the dirty clothes either in hampers or the laundry room will help your mind feel more at ease. That way any clean clothes in bags can be found, if needed, before the bags are all unpacked.

Have the kids put any clean clothes back into their drawers and bring you their suitcase. I vacuum the suitcases out real quick before tucking them away because there is always something left in a pocket, even if it’s just sand that we don’t want on our things the next trip!

Coming back from a vacation whirlwind of fun can be a hard left down, so I like to ease us ALL back in gently, if I can. I try to do one small fun thing the next day, like a special movie and popcorn, a trip to the park, or even just new coloring pages to color. Plus, I try not to get so caught up in getting everything back in order that I am not as present to just be there for the little ones who are not quite readjusted and might need more reassurance time from Mommy. Things will get there in time, the clothes will eventually be washed, the kids will be adjusted and excited to play with their own things again, like most things, they just need a little time.

Plan, pack and travel with intention and you will have some extra bandwidth for a creative fun time together! Hope this was helpful for you today, friend!

Tried any of these? Let me know in the comments below which were the most helpful and add your own!

Thanks for being here in my little corner!

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