Looking for non-woke cosmetic company? I’ve started to compile a list based on research and recommendations. I’ve also included some great beauty tools!
Be sure to bookmark this post and check back here often — we’ll be updating this page as we have more recommendations!
Ahhh, toddlers. Gotta love ’em. I have been homeschooling successfully with toddlers for many years. Or not!
You know me, I like to keep things real. And in the interest in being perfectly honest, let me just start by saying I’ve tried everything I know how to try and nothing is ever foolproof. Nothing works all the time. Real-life isn’t like Pinterest.
Here’s the big thing I’ve learned though. Are you ready? The best thing I can do for myself and my toddlers is to appreciate them. I have lots of fun toddler stories but one of my favorites is from 1998, the first year we were homeschooling. I was still in “let’s see if I can really do this” mode and I was very serious about it all. One cold winter morning as I was teaching Sierra from our favorite book on reading “Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons,” I noticed that I had not heard from the toddler in some time.
Quietly, stealthily, I made my way to the back of the house, down the long hallway that had four identical doors. Skylar, our 20-month-old, was behind door number 3. He had literally covered himself from head-to-toe in Desitin and then, he had proceeded to cover his ride-on giraffe in Desitin. But wait! There’s more! After that, he decided it would be a good idea to dump all the baby powder on top of himself and “Giraffey.” Have you ever tried to get powder and Desitin out of bedding and pillows and wooden toys and carpet? Let’s just say it’s not something I’d like to spend another 8 hours doing.
As you might have guessed, we didn’t get to finish our reading lesson that day. I don’t think I made dinner. Our landlord was coming over to check some faulty water heater or something. There was no way I was letting him see the house covered in baby powder and Desitin!
Toddlers. You’ve gotta love ’em. Fast forward 15 years. That toddler is now a handsome young man. His days of dumping Desitin are over until he has his own child. I’m pretty much living for that. (Just kidding.) I tell you this story to remind you that if you’re in the throes of homeschooling and toddler taming, it doesn’t last forever. Enjoy your toddlers as much as you can. Laugh as much as you can. Don’t wish these toddler years away.
Of course, there are some logistical things that might help with the “taming” part of parenting toddlers, especially if you’re trying to homeschool older children too, so here are a few things I’ve learned.
Hard truth: children need consistency. They just do. I feel sorry for moms who are being pulled and pushed around by little tyrants that are only a couple feet tall—especially when the mom could be doing something about it. Now I’m not saying every child needs the same thing, far from it! But I am saying this: most toddlers are smarter than their moms give them credit for being. Of course there’s the occasional “exception to the rule” but make no mistake, your toddler knows you. And he knows what you mean when you give instructions. This whole counting to ten or three or whatever needs to stop.
I love this book by Ginger Plowman: “Don’t Make Me Count to Three” is one of the best books on toddler taming I’ve ever read. Check it out.
Bottom line? Toddlers know they are loved when you give them boundaries and stick to them. I’m not suggesting that there is no room for grace; but grace is given, like consequences, on a case-by-case basis. Love your toddler by being consistent in every area.
This is a lesson I have learned the hard way over and over. It’s worth taking the time to find out what the problem is. Sometimes, it’s a simple case of the child needing more affirmation or time from his parents. Toddlers are growing in every way. They need lots of love and affirmation along with consistency from you. You can do both, by the way. Keep in mind that whatever you do should be motivated by love.
I have tried everything under the sun to keep our toddlers busy while we do school. Sometimes, I wait for “difficult” subjects until the toddler is napping. Sometimes, I put in a video (here are my favorite videos in the whole wide world.) Sometimes, I set up a little area at the table where the toddler can color and feel like he/she is doing “school” with us. Sometimes, I give them the Sharpies and tell them to just color the walls. (Not really. But I’ve felt like it.) My point: experiment until you find a rhythm. Do what works for you.
This has worked the best for us over the years. It’s a win/win/win if you can figure it out:
Giving your older children the important role of mentor and big brother/sister is an entirely separate homeschool course. It’s worth investing in.
Love your toddler, busy mom! Soak ’em up! It only lasts a couple of years and you don’t get it back. Play, play, play when you can with your toddlers. You’ll be surprised at how their little eyes will light up. 😉
What are some of YOUR great ideas for keeping toddlers busy during the day?
It goes by fast,
Shop Heidi’s Amazon Store for Homeschool resources, recommendations, and more!
It’s here! The most wonderful time of the year … to read! Reading together is a favorite activity in our family, and over the years, reading aloud has become a cherished part of our family’s Christmas tradition. I’ve spent years scoping out books at yard sales and thrift stores looking for hidden treasures to read to the kids. I won’t lie to you—I’ve also purchased some books that were total losers, and they ended right back where I found them. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
I had a great response to the list of favorite Thanksgiving books, so I’ve compiled a few of our favorite Christmas books too—in case you needed some inspiration as you start or continue to build your own family library.
Remember, these books can be found at the library, thrift stores, eBay and a host of other places. If you’re like me, and you want to build a family library, make some room in your budget to purchase at least one or two every year. Those books will create their own special memories for you and your kids in the years to come.
Coupla’ things before you see the list: I think moms need to be sneaky if they’re gonna teach their children to love to read. Sneaky moms put books everywhere.
Would you like your children to read more? You can put your Christmas books into a basket and simply put them in a cozy spot, complete with couch pillows and throw blankets. Don’t be surprised when you find the kids going back to those baskets over and over again.
Some ideas:
You could wrap each one, then pull out one each day to unwrap as you count down the days. You could pick a few favorites that lend themselves to great crafts and make a special day out of each one—or— you could grab a few that specifically teach about some of the traditions in your home. Keep it simple, busy mom! (Remember: Your kids won’t miss what you don’t create an expectation for.)
And for the record:
I don’t do most of that stuff I just suggested. (sorry.) I just put books in cozy places all over the house and when the opportunity arises, we read. Voila! Take the pressure off and enjoy this literature-rich season with your children— toddlers, tweens and even teens. Here are just a few of our family faves. Merry Christmas!
{This post contains affiliate links.}
Christmas Love Letters from God Bible Stories (A lift-the-flap book) – I LOVE this new book from Zondervan. Written for children ages four to eight, Christmas Love Letters from God cleverly combines both prose and poetry as the story of Jesus’ birth unfolds. The book includes seven stories, beginning with Isaiah’s prophecy and ending with the visit of the wise men. Following each story, the child will find his or her own letter from God, folded into a small envelope attached to the page. Each letter begins with a space in which to write the child’s name, so each one can be specially addressed to the child.
Written as if God is speaking, each personalized message gives the young reader a sense of wonder as they discover anew the Christmas holiday and the birth of Jesus. A very special Bible verse, entitled God’s Perfect Promise, also accompanies each story and letter as God’s personal words of love, promise, and hope.
This would make a great keepsake as it clearly gives the message of the gospel.
Goodnight, Manger – Goodnight, Manger, written by Laura Sassi and illustrated by New York Times bestselling artist Jane Chapman, tells the story of Mary and Joseph as they try to lull Jesus to sleep in the noisy stable after his birth. It’s bedtime for Baby Jesus, but who knew a manger could be so loud? Mama, Papa, and all of the animals try to lull the baby to sleep, but between itchy hay, angels’ joyful hosanas, and three kings bearing noisy gifts, it’s just too loud. Until Mama finds a way for everyone to work together to shepherd Baby into peaceful dreams under the twinkling stars. With sweet, rhyming text in the style of Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site, Goodnight, Manger offers a unique twist on the classic manger tale, deftly weaving together the comforting and familiar routines of bedtime with the special magic and wonder of the manger story.
Night of Great Joy – One of my favorite artists, Mary Engelbreit has created
, a delightful picture book that celebrates the joyful season of Christmas. This book tells the story of the nativity through the performance of a children’s Christmas pageant. With adorable illustrations and simple storytelling, Engelbreit paints a wonderful picture of the night that Jesus was born.
A Night of Great Joy recalls that fateful night with wonder and awe. From the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem to the gathering of many before the baby Jesus, this holiday treasure leads children through the tale of the birth of Jesus, guiding them with the star of Bethlehem.
Berenstain Bears Christmas Fun Sticker and Activity Book – I love all things Berenstain. This is a great early Christmas gift. The Berenstain Bears come to life this holiday season with puzzles, activity pages, and more than 50 reusable stickers in The Berenstain Bears’ Christmas Fun Sticker and Activity Book.
Featuring Papa, Mama, Brother, Sister, and Honey and the rest of the Bear Country gang, kids are sure to find lots to do helping Honey Bear find the missing piece of the Bear family Nativity scene, doing crosswords and word searches with Brother and Sister, and even helping out at the Christmas Eve service at Chapel in the Woods.
One Wintry Night
Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend
How the Grinch Stole Christmas – If you haven’t read this to your kids yet, get crackin’. This is a Christmas classic! The Grinch, whose heart is two sizes too small, hates Who-ville’s holiday celebrations, and plans to steal all the presents to prevent Christmas from coming. To his amazement, Christmas comes anyway, and the Grinch discovers that the heart of Christmas is not found in “things.”
Come and see: A Christmas story
The Little Drummer Boy
This Is the Star
A Little House Christmas Treasury: Festive Holiday Stories
The Something Wonderful: A Christmas Story
Christmas Trolls
Santa’s Favorite Story: Santa Tells the Story of the First Christmas
Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey with CD: Gift Edition
Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story
Night Tree
The Wild Christmas Reindeer
Many years ago, my family discovered a trilogy created just for advent. Believe me, you won’t want to read just one. The whole series is great!
Jotham’s Journey – In this widely popular, exciting story for the advent season, readers follow ten-year-old Jotham across Israel as he searches for his family. Though he faces thieves, robbers, and kidnappers, Jotham also encounters the wise men, shepherds, and innkeepers until at last he finds his way to the Savior born in Bethlehem.
The highly anticipated follow-up to Jotham’s Journey, Bartholomew’s Passage, is an engaging story that guides families through the Advent season. Young Bartholomew’s adventures start when Roman soldiers destroy his village and disperse his family, continue through his enslavement to a tyrannical master and his escape with his new friend Nathan, and end with a reunion with his family in Bethlehem. Along the way Bartholomew makes a new friend, a young boy named Jotham!
Tabitha’s Travels completes the trilogy. Curious, competent, and courageous Tabitha is the daughter of a shepherd who is taking his family on caravan to his birthplace. Along the way, she meets and becomes friends with Jotham and Bartholomew, watches as Romans take her father prisoner, spends time with Zechariah and Elizabeth, helps Mary and Joseph just before Christ s birth, and ends her travels at the stable in Bethlehem.
Christmas reads for grown-ups
The Christmas Box was given to me as a gift several years ago. It’s a beautiful little story that is just the right length to read in a single sitting, with or without your children. I’d call it a modern-day classic, if “they” let me do that sort of thing. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry—you’ll be changed. Powerful, powerful reading.
Christmas Stories – I’m a sap for pretty much anything written by Max Lucado, and this is one of my faves. It’s filled with short(er) stories of Christmas, and, because Max has a style all his own, you’ll soon be wanting to read the next story and the next and the next. These stories—like your favorite Christmas ornaments—come in all shapes and sizes. They unfold in a variety of settings, from ancient Bethlehem to rural England. From a small Texas town to the heavenly realms. Some are short. Others many chapters long. Some offer reflections. Others imagine Christmas through the eyes of a burnt-out candle maker, a lonely business man, or heavenly angels.
Yet all are vintage Lucado, and all resonate with the wonder of the season.
Yes! Leaves are falling, candles are lit. Cider abounds. Bring it, holiday season! This year, maybe more than ever, I’m ready for some good old fashioned holiday rest and love. 🙂
I’m a little bit of a fanatic about Thanksgiving—because it allows us to be thankful for what we have without the pressure of gift exchanges. Thanksgiving offers us the chance to focus on what really matters in this life. To slow down. To reflect.
To be thankful.
Continue reading St. John Family Favorites: Thanksgiving Books for Families
Stefanie Garber, Elementary Principal & District Superintendent, has an excellent response to the mandates coming down on districts.
You can find the original here.
My heart is breaking for our Republic today. I know many of you are grieving with me.
2020 will go down in history, at least for me, as the year we lost our Republic. The 24/7 attacks against our President by the mainstream media and leftist elites seems to have had its intended result: the faith in our democracy has all but disappeared for over 75 million Americans who watched as the unimaginable happened in slow motion
right before our eyes.
President Trump, though he is flawed like the rest of us and even arrogant at times, was a champion for this country, for Israel, and for the unborn, to name just a few of the reasons I loved and supported his presidency. His patriotism moved a generation out of their slumber and back into caring about what happens in DC.
Trump wisely saw a storm brewing on the horizon. That storm is socialism, and it is here now. With no one to stop it, it can sweep unhindered over the free people of this great nation like a swarm of locust over the plains of Africa.
Trump tried to stop it, and the elites in Washington hated him for it.
Unlike Biden, Trump couldn’t be bought.
Like him or not, Trump didn’t mince words about the issues we sent him to Washington to address. He told the truth about everything from the sanctity of human life to the truth about gender. He rightly noted that there are only two genders. He refused to play the political game. It was why we elected him. He spoke for us. He couldn’t be bought, and they knew it. For this, he was castigated, investigated, abandoned by the cowards in his own party and ultimately, cheated out of re-election through a fraud and deception that only the devil himself could have designed.
But the devil didn’t do this alone, of course.
He had help.
“Woke” Christian leaders, many of whom I have studied under and admired for my entire adult life, have shown themselves to be woefully lacking in discernment about simple ideas like socialism but also about spiritual matters, like the sanctity of human life and the dangerous nature of rebelling against
God’s clear instructions regarding sex and gender.
Speaking out about this fact comes at a high price today. I have paid both personally and professionally— right down to my career as an author … simply because I supported President Trump and the ideas he represented. The wounds are real, as many of the President’s supporters will attest to.
Many of these wounds have been carried by my family and myself privately because to disclose them publicly would have been professional suicide.
And so instead, we suffered a thousand cuts in private as I stood by my convictions and stated them in the public square. It’s what I have always done. But this time, it was different. This time, it was costly.
The public is no place for discourse in this brave, socialist world, is it? Speak and get canceled. That’s the lesson they want you to learn. Social media will teach you the hard way if you don’t conform to their version of truth.
Fact checked lately? Yeah. That’s because you’re stupid and they’re not. Get it?
“Learn it now, and don’t you ever forget it.” That’s the lesson they want you to learn.
In the spring of 2020, Covid hit the US. The nation buckled under the weight as the Democrats, who had spent the previous three years trying to make something out of nothing, finally saw their chance to do mortal damage to the man who was well on his way to winning another term.
We.Can’t.Have.That. So the political elites, far-left governors and doctors who hadn’t seen real patients in years locked us down. The country could go to hell for all they cared.
This was political. It was NEVER about our health.
You will never convince me that a nation who murders its most vulnerable cares about my health. Never.
My husband and I suffered the loss of nearly 100% of the income we bring in from my speaking engagements as one event after another was forced to cancel. That “stimulus” check we just received? It was like getting a sucker in exchange for the government stealing our livelihood.
It was an insult.
Days turned to months. Fear got a strangle hold on us. After almost a YEAR of watching our businesses die from government mandates, after months of “social distancing” and watching doctors who spoke the truth about the virus lose their jobs and reputations at the hands of the media elites, things became very clear:
we could be controlled by fear.
Never mind that the virus has a 99.89% survival rate. Forget the facts.
Feelings and fear are what we worship now.
God says, “Do NOT fear!” But we’re not listening to Him right now. Father Fauci is the one we listen to.
Weary, disillusioned and discouraged, we obeyed and treated each other like enemies. Thanks to Fauci and his ilk, we are no longer the Americans who hug one another at weddings or give handshakes in the grocery stores. No. Instead, we are disease carriers, who could accidentally pass on a highly survivable virus.
“STAY HOME!” they ordered.
And so we did. More distance. Only now, there was anger mixed with sadness. The plan was working. The elites went on with life as usual. Governors dining at expensive restaurants w/out masks or the required “social distancing” while the serfs in the United States were forbidden from gathering.
Our elderly were left to die alone. The elites justified this.
It was for their safety, you know. And yours. “It’s for the best,” they told us. “We’re all in this together,” they said via their television commercials and magazine covers. How did we fall for this?
Are we really this stupid? Yes. Yes we are.
The double-standard of the highly politicized corona virus was stunning: no social distancing seemed to be required as Black Lives Matter burned our cities for the sake of “justice” and taunted our law enforcement officers. We watched in disbelief while the political elites and woke celebrity evangelicals remained silent.
Somehow, this was allowed.
Portland, Oregon, the city I grew up in is no longer recognizable to the native Portlander. It’s not safe. But hey. We’re all in this together. The drug epidemic. The street fighting. The murder and looting. It’s cool. It’s for justice.
During a debate, Biden casually said that a “long, dark winter” was coming. It was almost like he knew something that the rest of us didn’t. His vision of America was coming true, it seemed.
By the time November rolled around, we were right where the self-aware and woke evangelicals wanted us to be. Tired and discouraged, we were easy prey for their shiny new version of evangelicalism. “Be good citizens,” they told us. “Stop being nationalists. Especially white ones. Really stop that. Y’all are racists, you know.”
The social justice warriors then turned their attention to our schools and churches. Critical Race Theory was embraced. Why? Don’t you know yet? All this pain and suffering is our fault, you know. Our crime?
Supporting our President. We have this coming.
That’s what they tell us, anyway.
I thought it was fascinating that while our nation was struggling under the weight of the Chinese Virus, the man who would be the President of the United States did not campaign. He won no one over. He was unappealing on almost every level. Forget the fact that he has obvious signs of serious mental deterioration
and often seems confused and bewildered.
They want us to believe this is the man who got more votes than President Obama. And we’ll believe it, or else. We’re supposed to swallow what they tell us no matter how hard it goes down. We know the drill by now. “Swallow it! NOW. Or we’re gonna fact-check you into oblivion, you stupid commoner!” Our social medial overlords, working in tandem with the mainstream media meant business. We knew it—because most of us have at the very least been sent to social media jail or shadowbanned for the sin of thinking for ourselves.
We don’t do that now, you know. Mail-in ballot dumps in the middle of the night? Swallow it. All the bell-weather counties wrong? Swallow it. Sworn testimonies from people who witnessed fraud at the ballot box? Swallow it!
Or else. Stop asking questions. Put your mask back on. Shut up.
So we did.
On election day, the nations watched. Many of my Canadian friends, who themselves are living under a tyrannical government, fasted and prayed. They knew the stakes. They all know what happens if the US fails. It seems we’re the only ones who don’t know. The nations of the world, including our enemies, know that as the USA goes, so goes the rest of the world. We have always held back evil. Now, it appears that we have all but been overcome by it.
I know some of you can’t understand my sorrow. That’s okay. I won’t cry forever. Instead, I’ll ask God to allow this terrible time in our nation’s history to wake us up. Not the “woke” kind of awake, but the real kind. The waking that comes from truly seeing the sin that our nation is literally drowning in. This kind of “awake” means seeing the mess we’re in as a result of our national rebellion against the God who gave us the freedom we have enjoyed for so long.
I’m grieving today. But tomorrow, I’ll ask God what He wants me to do and how He wants me to participate in this new version of the America I love and find myself still living in.
I also know that some of you are mocking me—and that’s okay.
I honestly don’t care anymore.
I know that I don’t know much—but I do know this: we need to refocus. We need to remove our kids from public schools—and do it yesterday. They are not safe places for young minds. We need to get back to training our children about what it means to really follow Jesus. To share the gospel. To be students of the Word of God. God’s justice is the real kind of justice. Social justice is just worldly justice which has no root in righteousness.
Our kids need to know this.
Some of you will say that my writing reveals that my hope hung too much on politics. Not so. It wasn’t in Trump (though I like him) or in the cowardly Republicans who didn’t have the will to do the right thing even when they had the House and the Senate. No. My hope has never been in a political party—but I did believe that we at least understood good versus evil.
I was naïve enough to believe we had at least a rudimentary understanding of socialism and Marxism.
I was wrong.
So yes. I’m not sure of much right now, but I am sure of this one thing: Jesus will return some day and He will set all this right. Until then, I will keep praying, keep trusting, keep telling the truth
and keep loving those people God places in my life.
I was blessed to have lived in the days of Reagan. My grandpa was a pastor who loved this nation with a passion. He taught me that we must never take for granted the freedom that so many died to give us. And so I will not. I will defend it as long as I have breath.
And yes. I can do that and still follow Jesus Christ with an unbridled passion. We can love both God and our nation. It is a lie to say otherwise—a dangerous lie that evangelical elites will keep peddling from their platforms to the applause of the “woke” and the “social justice warriors” who are loving every moment of this,
now that the “Orange Man” has been defeated .
To be fair, I don’t think these evangelicals understand what they’re celebrating. But someday soon, they will.
I will continue to support President Trump. As I watched him leave on AirForce One today,
I wished I could hug him and say one thing:
“Thank you for your service, Sir—and I’m sorry for the shameful way this country treated you from the day you were inaugurated.
Some of us saw it for what it was.”
Most of you know that I am an accidental homeschooler. It’s true. So when I got into this wild, crazy homeschooling adventure, I honestly had no idea what I was doing. No. Idea. I knew I could do it, I’d seen it done. I just didn’t know what it meant for me.
That was 1999. I’ve learned a few things since then. Most of them the hard way. (Hard to believe? Believe it.) I noticed early on that even though we were new to homeschooling, people still wanted to know what we were doing for our homeschool. My answer: “I’m learning as I go.” Even now, I usually hesitate to tell folks what we do, because frankly, what works for my family may not work for your family.
However—I also keenly remember how I felt when I began our homeschool journey. I devoured every “how to” book I could find on the subject. I would have given just about anything to follow a seasoned homeschool mom around and spy on her just to see how she did it. Trouble was, no one would let me spy on them. Even when I asked! And I did ask. This mom who lived in Mount Vernon, WA and had homeschooled in the “dinosaur age” of homeschooling. I asked her. She looked at me like I had just decided to write an expose on her style of homeschooling. Things got awkward fast. Maybe back in 2000, it was just a creepy request? I don’t know. In any case, I’ve changed my mind about sharing how we “do” school; mostly because of that memory in particular.
In the next few days, you’ll read some (not all) of “how” we do it; because one very important thing I’ve learned is this: You start each year with the same building blocks: but it can, and will, look very different from year to year. Don’t let yourself be taken hostage by someone else’s idea of what your homeschool should look like, either. Make it your own.
Here’s part one of a three part series I’m writing on “How We Homeschool.” I hope it encourages you, because if I can do it, you can too.
So let’s talk about each one of these for just a moment.
1. Think like a teacher.I get a little bit of criticism for this, but I believe it’s essential that I take off my “mom” hat for a few moments and put on my “teacher” hat. And yes, homeschool moms need to be able to wear both “hats” at the same time. It just helps me think better when I can separate the two. Here’s how I do it:
Keep in mind that I change things up every year. This is my schedule from a few years ago. Since then I have changed math programs and added some things that have helped us stay on course in light of our travel schedule.
Truth be told, every homeschooling family should be choosing what works best for them. Since our family travels quite a bit for work, we incorporate a lot of of that into our schooling.
2. Write the core subjects under each child’s name. I’ve put the grade in place of the name for the sake of our kids, but normally, you’d see the name of the student next to the grade at the top.
3. Decide on Curriculum.
This is the part that really frustrates many parents. I ask myself three questions when choosing curriculum:
a. Does it overwhelm me? If my first response is to feel like I’ll never measure up; I’ll usually pass to the next option.
b. Does it fit MY learning style as the teacher? If it doesn’t resonate with me as the teacher, I’ve learned that I will have a hard time using it to teach our children. Not sure of your learning style? Find out. There are many books out there on the subject. “The Way They Learn” by Cynthia Tobias is my fave. You can even take online quizzes!
c. Am I choosing it out of fear? I’ve been surprised at how a sales pitch can make me feel like I’m doing a disservice to my children by not choosing a particular program. After 14 years of homeschooling, I usually decide to go with my instinct. If I like it, and if it feels do-able, I’ll try it. Fancy-schmancy sales pitches don’t impress me much.
4. Come up with a schedule. I wrote about this at length in my book, “The Busy Homeschool Mom’s Guide to Daylight.” I’m a huge fan of scheduling—to a point. When it rules your life, it’s not good for you. The Bible teaches us about moderation and the power of not being “mastered” by anything. Including a schedule. Here’s our schedule from a few years ago. Read the post for more information:
5. Organize your school space. You don’t need a “school room” to homeschool. All you need is a shelf. It’s true! I’ve done it every which way—some years we’ve had more space than others; so I’m here to bust the myth that you can’t homeschool without a schoolroom. Right now, we have a schoolroom; and it’s great. I store our books up there. We use it for study and teaching space. But more often than not, it’s the room that gets all the junk we don’t want to deal with. True story. Use what you have and be happy. It’s enough.
TRY THIS:
Get clear containers for things like scissors and crayons. Label them. (I LOVE these.) Your storage containers don’t always need lids. In fact, I like it better without lids these days. Easier. We just keep them on a shelf for easy access.
Create a space for each child on your bookshelf. It doesn’t have to be the whole shelf! A part of a shelf will do. Be creative. Less, as it turns out, really is more.
CHEAP WHITEBOARD IDEA:
Shower board. Ask your husband to take you on a date and pick out some white shower board. Home Depot, etc. They all have it. Easy cleanup, and you can use whiteboard markers with it. We have used shower boards for years instead of expensive, “official” whiteboards.
Have you read my post about scheduling?
Next time: Notebooking
You can do this!
Shop Heidi’s Amazon Store for Homeschool resources, recommendations, and more!
