Making Home School a part of LIFE

As with most home schoolers when I began over 20 years ago I thought I had to do it all.....just like 'regular' school.  We bought the desks, set up calendars, hung posters  and purchased a complete curriculum. I thought this is what I was 'supposed' to do.

For me, this only brought frustration, especially as more children came. The 2nd child didn't work well with this 'complete curriculum' I had purchased.  Why wasn't this working the way it did when I was in school.....every student learned exactly the same way, no adjusting because someone else learns differently.   I dreaded getting out of bed because we HAD to school.  What I thought was going to be a great experience, turned into just adding another 'chore' to accomplish each day. I thought Time passes and mom/teacher gets totally worn out.  More kids come, more planning, more, more, more....I can't DO ANY MORE!

Basically I had brought school home,

 I wasn't HOME schooling.

I discovered that each child learns differently.  The curriculum that works with one may very well flop with another.  Yearly adjustments are necessary.  So I researched, bought books, tried them, failed, sold them, bought some more until I found what worked best for US!  What worked best for each one of my children.  I found out years later that this is called 'eclectic homeschooling'.  Using a variety of curriculum to fit your student's needs.

After years of trying to figure it all out for myself (poor kids) I finally decided that if my children left my 'school' with these basic ideas, then we were successful:

Make God #1 in their lives

Learn HOW to learn

Know where to find the information on the subject you wish to learn about

Twenty years have passed  Four of my children have graduated. All four are living productive lives beyond our home.  Each one has taken what they learned under my roof all those years and are now living it. Each one has taken the basic ideas and made them their own.  We have been successful !!

The ONLY thing I can think of at the moment that I would do differently is for mom/teacher to ENJOY the time more.  Rather than looking at the education of my children as another 'thing' I had to do, I would embrace it, enjoy it, and love EVERY minute.  Yes, even the bad days...because all too soon you'll be wishing even for one bad school day.....JUST so you could have them all home again.

Read what other homeschoolers have to say about the "nuts & bolts" of their homeschool

Weekly Homeschooling Schedule by Julie @ HighHill Homeschool
http://highhillhomeschool.blogspot.com/2012/01/weekly-homeschooling-schedule.html

Virtual Curriculum Fair: Week 5: The Nuts & Bolts: Pulling it all
Together by Leah @ The Courtney Six Homeschool
http://courtneysix.blogspot.com/2012/01/virtual-curriculum-fair-week-5-nuts.html

Our Schedule's Working! by Eunora @ All Things NoriLynn
http://allthingsnorilynn.blogspot.com/2012/01/its-working.html

Homeschooling:  How do I do it all? by Debbie @ Debbie's Digest
http://debbiesdigest.blogspot.com/2012/01/homeschooling-how-do-i-do-it-all.html

Virtual Curriculum Fair--- Wrap-up Angie @ Petra School
http://pebblekeeper.wordpress.com/2012/01/28/virtual-curriculum-fairwrap-up/

Virtual Curriculum Fair: 5 Ways to Use an iPad in Your Homeschool by
Pam @ Everyday Snapshots
http://everydaysnapshots.blogspot.com/2012/01/virtual-cirriculum-fair-5-ways-to-use.html

A Peek Into Our School Day by Melissa @ Grace Christian Homeschool
http://www.gchomeschool.com/2011/11/peek-into-our-school-day.html

A Day in the Life... by Nicole @ Schooling in the Sun
http://schoolinginthesun.blogspot.com/2011/08/day-in-life.html

Homeschool and Life: How we get it done by Jen @ Forever, For Always,
No Matter What
http://www.foreverforalwaysnomatterwhat.com/2012/01/homeschool-and-life-how-we-get-it-done.html

Homeschooling at My House by Jessica @ Modest Mama
http://www.modest-mama.org/2012/01/homeschooling-at-my-house.html

Getting a Grip on Things by Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds
http://homeschoolheartandmind.blogspot.com/2012/01/getting-grip-on-things.html

Making Home School a part of LIFE by Cindy @ For One Another
http://for-one-another.blogspot.com/2012/01/making-home-school-part-of-life.html

Now Where's That Pencil Again? by Beth @ Ozark Ramblings
http://oramblings.blogspot.com/2012/01/now-wheres-that-pencil-again.html

Something About Homeschooling I Really Didn't See Coming by Letha @
justpitchingmytent
http://justpitchingmytent.blogspot.com/2012/01/something-about-homeschooling-i-really.html

Curriculum, Kids, and a Frazzled Homeschool Mama leads to Controlled
Chaos! by Laura O from AK @ Day by Day in Our World
http://daybydayinourworld.com/2012/01/curriculum-kids-and-a-frazzled-homeschool-mama-leads-to-controled-chaos/

The Virtual Curriculum Fair – Nuts and Bolts by Kristen @ Sunrise to Sunset
http://sunrisetosunsethomeschool.com/2012/01/30/the-virtual-curriculum-fair-nuts-and-bolts/

Staying on Top of Everything by Brenda Emmett @ Garden of Learning
http://myhomeschoolgarden.com/2012/01/30/staying-on-top-of-everything/

How Does This Homeschooling Thing Actually Work? Fitting it all
Together by Joelle @ Homeschooling for His Glory
http://homeschoolingforhisglory.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-does-this-homeschooling-thing.html

Nuts & Bolts: Pulling it all together by Christa Darr @ Fairfield Corner Academy
http://christadarr.blogspot.com/2012/01/nuts-bolts-pulling-it-all-together.html