Tag Archives: priorities

Planning Your Homeschool Year

It’s that time of year, busy moms!! I put together a list of resources for you here that will help you with ALL aspects of planning your homeschool year!

Grab a cup of coffee or a glass of sweet tea and be inspired as you read through these links! Bookmark this page to come back to when you’re needing fresh inspiration and encouragement!

Homeschool Inspiration

How Your Husband Can Help
Blessing Your Husband as a Homeschool Mom
Homeschooling CAN Be Simple
18 Things I’ve Learned in 18 Years of Homeschooling
When Kids Can’t Focus
The Goal of Education: Discipleship
When It’s All Said And Done {words from a homeschool grad}
Faith vs. Formula
Homeschooling Held Hostage
The Myth of Socialization
The One Thing All Homeschoolers Need
Confessions of a Veteran Homeschooler
Homeschooling BOYS
The Busy Mom’s Guide to Romance {marriage first!}

Now that you’re inspired, here is some practical help for you. Help with the actual PLANNING: choosing curriculum, types of learning, priorities and goals!

Homeschooling Planning Helps

Choosing Curriculum
Delight Directed Learning: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Finding Your Child’s Learning Style
5 Essentials for A New Homeschool Year
Homeschooling With Toddlers
Notebooking: How We Do It
3 Tips to Prioritizing Your Day
5 Tips for Choosing Curriculum
Organizing Your Chores
Lesson Plans for An Entire Year
Planning Tips for Multiple Ages
Our Homeschool Schedule {Why Routines Are Good}
Setting Goals For Your Homeschool {Free Printable}
Write a Mission Statement For Your Homeschool {Free Printable}
The Busy Mom’s Guide to Daylight
Listen to Heidi’s mp3’s for more inspiration! {scroll down}

Lastly, encouragement for your mama’s heart. We all know that there will be bad days. When those days come, carve out some time for prayer and keep coming back to this page for snippets of encouragement!

When Homeschooling is Hard

Well, I hope you’re as inspired as I am! This page should keep you busy reading and being inspired for weeks to come! From the Busy Mom Writers, we hope and pray your coming school year is FULL TO THE BRIM of joy and learning together as you follow the path Jesus has for your family!

When Your Homeschool Doesn’t Meet Your Expectations

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I came from a long line of highly educated people. Even my grandmother, born at the turn of the century, had an advanced degree. So naturally, when I started homeschooling, I expected that my children would also be highly academic.

Then I discovered the world of dyslexia.

Dyslexia causes otherwise intelligent people to struggle mightily with reading, writing and spelling. So while my kids had all of the intelligence to succeed academically, their execution of school-type work hindered them. In fact, because these things were so hard for them, and despite their great creativity, imagination and love of learning itself, they disliked traditional academic pursuits. Yikes! This mama was worried.

Looking back now after 20 years of homeschooling dyslexic kids, I realize that I could have saved myself a lot of sorrow if I had realized one basic fact much sooner.

God’s Purposes Over My Purposes

God created my kids with great purpose from before time began.

God…called us with a holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to His own purpose and grace
which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
2 Timothy 1:8-9

While I may not know God’s exact purposes for my kids, I can know that they are good and perfect, awesome and doable.

Somehow, intellectually I understood this but practically speaking, I wanted things my way. As I learned to lean on God and ask Him for direction for my kids’ lives I found peace.

Many Types of Intelligence

All of my years trying to figure out dyslexia taught me that there are many types of intelligence. Not only that but that they were perfectly created that way by God so that they could beautifully and naturally fulfill their God-given purpose!

So relax mamas, breathe! Lay your burdened thoughts for your children and their futures down before the Lord. Let go of your expectations and ask God for wisdom. As God slowly weaves your story and the stories of your children together, it will be tempting to pick up that burden once again, but I assure you – God is faithful. His promises are true.

While your child may not be meeting your expectations, he or she is being prepared day-by-day, experience-by-experience for God’s purposes to be fulfilled in their lives.

Discovering God-given Talents

Once we have laid down our agenda for our kids, we are free to observe our kids natural interests and strengths. Where do they excel in ability? What really interests them? Where these two intersect, interest and ability, may well be where their purpose lies.

Questions to Ask

Are you teaching them about the wonderful works of God? Are you pointing them to Jesus in their trials? Have they experienced the faithfulness of God?

Honestly, what would be the worst thing that could happen if your child never mastered Algebra? Read all of the classics? Or never went to college? Could God still use their lives? Of course!

Now go and lay those burdens down and pray for God’s good and perfect purpose to be made known in your lives and the lives of your kids.

Family Fun at the Beach

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Summer is here and many families are spending time at the beach. I’m not a fan of the beach myself, but my boys are beach bums! Living in Florida means that it’s beach weather for most of the year, and I try to get my boys out as often as I can. I had so much fun sharing things to do at the park with your kids that I thought I’d do a list for the beach.

5 Things to do with your Family at the Beach

1. Nature walk: Yep can do this at the beach as well. Walk along the shore and the sand and look for animals. Consider doing a morning walk, an afternoon walk and an evening walk and notice the difference in what you find. Or a high tide walk and a low tide walk! We usually find hermit crabs, small fish and seagulls on our walks. And every now and then we are blessed with a dolphin or manatee sighting. Just be sure to watch out for jellyfish, they sting! (Take pics of what you find if you can’t collect it, then identify it in a nature book when you’re back home!)

2. Collect sea shells: There are many different kinds of shells at the beach. Take some time to collect some as you hang out on the shore. You can start a collection, or use the shells to decorate by filling glass containers, scattering them on window sills or decorating picture frames. You can also make charts and graphs of the different animals, sizes, colors and shapes of shells you collected.

3. Build a sand castle: Every year around summer time I take my boys to the dollar store to stock up on buckets and shovels for the beach. We are not very skilled at sand castle construction, but we have a lot of fun trying. I learned that the trick to getting your castle to stand is to use wet sand. My boys have fun collecting buckets of sand that we pile in rows and columns to build our kingdom. We also use some of our sea shell collection as decorations.

4. Pick up trash: Sadly, the beach can be covered with litter. I like to take a few minutes before we head home to pick up any garbage that we see on the sand and near the water. Especially be on the lookout for those plastic soda rings those are very deadly for the sea animals.

5. Have fun! Get out there and splash in the water with your children. The waves can be a ton of fun. My boys like to be thrown into the big waves when we are at the beach. I can’t pick them up anymore, but I can gently push them into the water. Be willing to do something you might not enjoy for the sake of making a memory with your children. It’s worth it!

BONUS: Many of us like to gather books to read before we go to the beach, so you’ll be familiar with what you see while you’re there. Here are some of our favorites:

North American Wildlife: An Illustrated Guide (perfect for identifying just about everything you’ll find at the beach – or elsewhere)
Let’s Read and Find Out Science Starfish
Let’s Read and Find Out Science “What Lives in a Shell?”
Seashells, Crabs and Sea Stars: A Take-Along Book
The Seaside Switch (a book about the tides)

Those are just a few ideas of ways to have fun with your family at the beach. We usually spend an entire afternoon/late evening in the sun. I pack lunch/dinner, snacks and lots of water.

What are some of your favorite things to do at the beach?

When You Can’t Get It “All” Done: Confessions of a Recovering Perfectionist

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The other day, a sweet mom in Harrisburg asked me, “What does your day look like?” In other words, “HOW DO YOU GET IT ALL DONE?” I love this question, because it allows me to be totally transparent with whomever I’m talking to, and hopefully, speak a little freedom at the same time.

Basically, I have two answers for that particular Busy Mom FAQ:

1) I have a book (and a workshop on CD) about that called, The Busy Homeschool Mom’s Guide to Daylight! Really, you should check it out … it’s full of ideas and encouragement for busy moms like you! 🙂

2) While there are many practical tips for getting things done, I hesitate to tell you how I do it ALL. Why? Because the reality is that I don’t do “it all.” Not even close. No one does.

I am a recovering perfectionist. “Type A” at my core. It’s easy for me to judge the inside of my life by the outside of someone else’s. I see “that mom” who’s blogging and homeschooling and pinning her latest frugal fashion finds and I think, “What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I be like that?” Can you relate?

If you can, be encouraged, because no one is doing it all. They’re really not. Pictures only tell a nano-second of the real story; the rest goes unseen—and the rest of the story is this: Pinterest Perfect Mom isn’t getting it all done either, because she doesn’t exist.

Of course, it’s important to get things done—but how these things get done will look different in each family, each year, each season, and likely even for each child. And that’s okay. You don’t have to try and be SuperMom. You just need to be surrendered.

Only God knows exactly the plans He has for you – and the best way to find out what that plan is… is to listen.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Don’t you love that? I do, because it means I’m free to seek God’s heart for my family—free to stop comparing my life to that woman I think is “super mom” and free to be all that God has created me to be.

Are you listening to that “still, small voice?” It’s so hard to be still, but it is a requirement if we’re going to hear from God in this bustling, busy world.

Shhh. He’s still speaking.

Spring Home School Burnout

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The weather is getting warmer, summer is almost here. It’s the last leg of the school year and I’m ready to throw in the towel and give up! This is our 18th year of homeschooling and it happens every year: the exciting days of fall, when I had high hopes of all that we would accomplish, have been buried under hopelessness. Reality is a harsh task master and it’s reminding me that we simply are NOT going to get it all done.

You would think that by now I would be immune to this annual event. I’m not. It has faded some, but still seems to rear its ugly head. Are you feeling the same way? Let’s take a minute, really think about this, and consider some things:

First of all, do you remember WHY you started to home school in the first place? For us, it was because we felt like we could give our kids a love for learning by letting them school more naturally, according to their giftings and interests. We wanted to protect them from influences that did not instill the values in them that we held important. We wanted to spend more time together as a family. We wanted flexibility. We wanted to prepare our kids for real life by living real life with them. Most of all we wanted our children to come into ownership of their own walks with God.

Are any of these your reasons? Did you notice that NONE of them had any direct correlation to curriculum? And yet, at the end of the day, it’s SO hard not to measure our homeschooling in terms of pages finished and projects completed.

God works in a very different economy. It’s hard to remember that. But He really does. His greatest concern is for our hearts, and as moms, that should be our greatest concern for OUR children. Are you seeing growth in your children’s souls? Are they learning HOW to think, rather than WHAT to think? Do they still love learning? Are the relationships within your family, for the most part, peaceful and healthy?

And how about you, Mom? Do you think YOU need to change to become what your children need or do you believe that you are uniquely qualified for this job? That you were made, by God’s design, to be these children’s mother and, they, to be YOUR children? Do you think that you need to figure everything out or that there is a perfect plan already in place? Do you believe that the results must measure up to expectations or that the results are on HIS shoulders? That you are responsible for everything, or that you are part of a team?

God loves our kids more than we do. Our job is to trust Him and do the next thing. He truly is good and faithful. So let’s take some time to breathe a prayer of thanks, rest in Him and enjoy our kids!

Tell Them So That They Will Know Full Well!

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I was sitting next to her mother when the young woman arrived to pick up her son. She was tall, thin, and her long dark hair was naturally curly and complimented her dark eyes. She walked over to where her mother and I were sitting, greeted us, grabbed her son’s hand, and left. She never made eye contact.

“Your daughter is beautiful,” I said. “Oh, really?” she answered. “She doesn’t think she is. Her father and I made it a point to never tell her she was beautiful because we didn’t want her to become prideful.”

I was stunned.

I knew the young woman’s story. She had been homeschooled and had come from a very strict, rules oriented home. When she graduated from high school and got a job that didn’t revolve around the church or her home, she began to receive the kind of attention and affirmation that she had not received at home. She married a man her parents did not approve of and she now had a child. She was living under the cloud of her parent’s disapproval.

I know that the young woman’s parents were well meaning. I have known others with a similar parenting philosophy. But I left that conversation feeling very sad, and I resolved to not follow in her footsteps. My children were very young at the time and I couldn’t imagine NOT encouraging them in any way possible!

So, how can a parent encourage their children and keep them from becoming prideful?

1. It is not our job to “raise Godly children” or to “keep them from becoming prideful”. It is our calling to be:

authentic believers and live out the gospel in humility before our children.
to nurture, instruct, guide, love, build up, and pray for our children.
to share God’s Word and share the gospel with our children.

God is the only one who can work in a child’s heart and change him into a godly, humble person. His Spirit draws them, opens their eyes, and changes and matures them.

2. Children are born with a prideful, sinful, and self focused heart.

Ephesians 2:3 tells us that we are all “by nature children of wrath.”
Proverbs 22:15 tells us, “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child.”
Psalm 51:5 states that we all come into the world as sinners: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.”
Ephesians 2:2 says that all people who are not in Christ are “sons of disobedience.”
Genesis 8:21 declares, “…the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth.”

3. We can help our kids learn how to deal with the pride that is already in their hearts by:

teaching them how to fight the fight we are all in, and letting them know that we as are all in this fight together.
making sure they know that we are coming along side them, will help equip them to be able to sift through all the messages that are out there and see things in the right perspective! GOD’S perspective!
helping them to see and sift through the lies of our culture that might cause them to stumble.

God has created every single aspect of our being to be used to bring Him glory. We are made in His image, which means we are a reflection of Him. That means who we are physically, mentally/emotionally, spiritually, and our gifts and abilities. All these things show us how good God is and they are gifts from him. They are also areas that can cause us to focus on Him if we see them correctly.

We can affirm our children because God has made them uniquely the way they are, and when we do that we are glorifying God for his good works.

I’m not talking about flattery or “building self-esteem”. I’m not talking about feeding the prideful desire for human praise. I am talking about praising the work that God has done and is doing in another person.

Praising people to the glory of God.

Back to the young woman. I wonder if she would have made different choices if she had been encouraged and affirmed as she was growing up. If she had learned how to handle the attention she would get outside of the four walls of her home and church, learned that she was created in the image of God, and that her beauty and abilities were a reflection of HIS image, maybe things would have been different. I don’t know. But ignoring the fact that she was beautiful didn’t make the fact that she was beautiful non-existent. All it did was make her feel like she wasn’t anything special and that she wasn’t attractive. Nothing was done to help equip her in how to use these characteristics to point others to God.

I can think of nothing better than refreshing my children and pointing them to God and His goodness, by expressing gratitude for how God has made them and what God is doing in them. It enables them to see God’s great work, but also helps them to see Him as the source.

I am looking for every opportunity I can to encourage my children, and others, in this way so that they are refreshed and God gets the glory He deserves

Tell them they are beautiful….inside and out!

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

Tell them so that they will know full well!

5 simple ways to start your day well

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A few years ago I was pretty sure that I had mastered a morning routine. I was in a good rhythm, and rarely missed a beat. But after my third kiddo was born, I couldn’t find a way to get back into a routine. Having three was my tipping point, and the morning routine went right out the door.

Over the past couple of years I’ve come to realize that there will be no such thing as a perfect morning routine. Especially when you have a handful of children. But, you can find a way to start your day well.

A the list maker that I am, I decided to jot down key elements that needed to come out of my morning routine in order for me to start my day well and put my best foot forward each day. These were:

Feel Awake
Be Alert
Feel Healthy
Be Mentally Refreshed

I’ve found that these things combined were not only a benefit to myself, but also to my family, and anyone who comes into contact with me. I kept it simple, and uncomplicated. I left out the list making, the workouts, and anything I considered busy work.

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO START YOUR DAY WELL

1 – Get up before your kids

I know, I know. Sometimes, it’s not that easy. But having time without the kiddies jumping all over you first thing, is super important and essential to helping you start off your days well. It doesn’t matter if you work outside of the home, or are a stay at home mom – you should try and get into this habit. I’ve been both a work-out-of-the-home mom and now I’m a stay-at-home-mom (working from home). Waking up before my kids is a make it or break it for my day.

Are your children early risers? Gradually get them into the habit of staying in their rooms until you call them out. Or, if they are old enough, put a clock in their room and tell them they can’t come out in the morning until “x” time. If that isn’t an option, set them up in the living room with some quiet toys like coloring books. The key is to get them into the habit that until Mommy is ready for the day, they should try and stay calm and quiet.

2- Shower/wash your face

A shower first thing in the morning always wakes me up – mind and body. But sometimes I don’t have time for a shower first thing, or I’ve already showered at night. That’s when I make sure to at the very least – wash my face. It won’t have the exact wake-up effect as a shower, but it will take you from “bed-face” to “I’m-awake” face!

3- Drink a tall glass of cold water

You have gone 6-8 hours without fluids and you need to give your body water. Dehydration messes with how you feel and look. Your body needs fluids first thing in the morning.

Why cold water? Drinking cold water first thing speeds up your metabolism! Your body has to warm up that water as it enters your system. Which means you will be increasing your metabolism in the process.

4- Drink Green Tea

I’m a coffee junkie. But for first thing in the morning I prefer some green tea with honey. Green tea is loaded with antioxidants, it improves brain function and doesn’t contain as much caffeine as coffee. You’d think the less caffeine would be a deal breaker, but for me I feel lighter when I drink green tea first thing. I’ve also read the green tea helps with fat burning and lowering your risk of several types of cancer.

5- Read your Bible and pray

Starting the day off in the Word and prayer helps to set the right tone for the day. Refreshing yourself daily in the Word keeps it as a constant reminder throughout the day. If you don’t know what to read, or what to pray about, check out the different reading plans on YouVersion. They offer them by topic and you can listen to the audio version right from the app. I would also check out Heidi’s podcasts. They are all so encouraging, and she takes you right to the Word where you can read the verses yourself and pray over them.

A tip if you have little ones: Take it one step at a time. If your kids are not in the habit of being calm in the morning while you get ready for the day – you can’t expect them to get into that habit instantly. They’ll need time to get into to the new routine, so don’t stress it and don’t overwhelm yourself.

These are my 5 must do things in the morning if I want start my day well. When I skip any of these, I feel it throughout the day. Without these, I can’t even begin to tackle to-do lists, workouts, homeschooling, or chores. I would LOVE for you to share what are some of your must-do things in the morning to help you start you day off well.

Heidi St. John

Speaking the Truth in Love