"Why do you homeschool?"

Hundreds of thousands of parents in the United States are teaching their children at home rather than sending them to school. Homeschooling is gaining popularity among parents who are concerned about drugs and crime in public schools and about a decline in the quality of teachers. What is my reason? Mary and Joseph had six other children after Mary gave birth to Jesus, and Mary was a spiritually minded woman. I endeavor to imitate Mary’s fine example of working hard and selflessly to fulfill Scriptural obligations. I strive to be a devoted wife and mother who displays patience and endurance, keeping spiritual matters ahead of my own desire for comfort and pleasure. I know, as Mary did, that worshipping God together with my children strengthens and unifies the family. Proverbs 22:6 tells parents to "train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it." God requires parents to train their children. He wants children to be happy, as Ecclesiastes 11:9 brings out: "Rejoice...in your youth, and let your heart do you good in the days of your [youth]." In the world today, young ones are often marred by painful mistakes and bad judgment that can leave deep emotional scars. Children tend to imitate their parents, either for good or for bad. So, as a parent, I want to be setting a good example by centering my life and decisions on true worship. God’s law must first be our family's priority so that our children become God-fearing children. By striving to apply Bible principles in everyday matters, Little Miss and the Little Boy should be able to conclude that Bible principles are really important and practical. As a Christian parent, I realize that my children require more than material things. I don't want my children taught to pursue goals that would serve only for their material advantage, in harmony with the counsel found in Ecclesiastes 7:12, which states, "wisdom is for a protection the same as money is for a protection; but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom itself preserves alive its owners." Jesus taught his disciples to make spiritual values and pursuits their priority. (Matthew 6:33) Therefore, in imitation of Jesus, I also strive to cultivate in my children a desire to pursue spiritual goals. I want my children to have wholesome associations and to become acquainted with those who share enthusiasm about the joys of serving Jehovah. As my blog profile lists, I believe homeschooling means having a pro-active lifestyle based on our Christian beliefs and values. The children gain positive social skills, such as leadership, humor, empathy, reasonableness, reverence for life, selflessness, joy, and good work ethic. They learn to be discerning and use good judgment based on their Bible-based training. Children are a gift from God and I want Little Miss and the Little Boy to want to please God by learning his ways, and to make it their goal to live in harmony with his purpose. My children know they can trust me to do what's best for them even if it's hard for me, and I won't turn my back on them. When love and skill work together, you can expect a masterpiece. I seek to help my children develop a mind that knows Jehovah and a heart that loves him. Jesus spent time with children and was interested in their thoughts and feelings. Jesus also provided children with a fine example of interest in spiritual things. There is too much pressure to succeed in today’s world. I want to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of my children. I want to help them set reasonable goals and help them reach those goals. If children’s emotional needs are not met at home, they will go elsewhere for the affection and recognition they crave. I want to foster a spiritual environment for my children. “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need,” said Jesus Christ.—Matthew 5:3. I want the best for my children because I love them and I love Jehovah. I want to be their example, companion, communicator, and teacher, helping my children form close personal relationships with Jehovah God. Their relationships with God will encourage them to be happy as Christians, striving to live up to their faith even when faced with temptations. I want to help them appreciate this precious relationship. No school is going to do that.

Fewer than 50 days left already?!?!

It is hard to believe that there are less than 50 school days left to the year already. Time flies when you're having fun, so the saying goes. And no ~ I'm not saying it humorously as if I am not enjoying myself. :P
Interestingly, we still have new things happening at Suaemoc. Gearing up for the Suaemoc 'Home's Cool' Farm is exciting. We decided to add a few crops to it. Onions, parsley, and basil seeds are anxiously waiting to be planted in our farm, along with the beets, carrots, and beans seeds. Yes ~ you look at the adorable little packages of seeds on our table and you can tell they can't wait to grow and thrive in Suaemoc 'Home's Cool' Farm. :D We don't have our tomato seedlings yet, but we're sure they'll be equally as anxious to make their way into our farm. ;)
We got a new game, which the Little Boy and I played together for the first time yesterday. To quote LB, "This is fun!" It's Homeschoolopoly. The first thing I noticed and loved about this game is the disclaimer: “2 to 6 Players—Ages *8 to Adult *Homeschoolers tend to be advanced, so ages may vary.” Awesome...
You choose your game piece (either a little girl, little boy, rocking chair, bicycle, globe, or a dog) and being at “Home Sweet Homeschool.” You work your way around the board, landing on fun squares such as “Field Trip”, where you get to collect all the money from the middle of the board paid to “Public School Tax” or the “Family Vacation Fund.” There are opportunities to buy things like a “Family Bus.” Landing on “Grace” and “Mercy” cards gives you the chance to get to participate in a Homeschool Talent Show, Win the Spelling Bee, get a Park Day Card and more. The game revolves around homeschooling and the companies specializing in homeschool materials, publications, and support, as well as homeschool events, the worries that keep us up at night, and the truancy officer that sends you straight to court – do not pass home sweet homeschool, do not collect $200. :P I was able to find new homeschooling resources while playing the game with the Little Boy because the deed cards contain information about the companies. The houses and hotels are stacks of books and Keys to Knowledge ~ how fun! We were playing for almost three hours, though, and did not finish. While there is a "quick play" version in the directions, the game might best be played over the course of several days. (Or with more than two players ~ just a thought.)
The Little Boy finished the Place Values portion of States by the Numbers. He really likes learning the information about Connecticut while doing the math problems. The math is an easy review of skills for him, but we love the twist of adding in social studies. The Little Boy thinks it's neat. :)
Little Miss is completely finished with almost half of her 8th grade books. While planning for the Little Boy's 4th grade year has begun, it's sad to think Little Miss's schooling will be out of my hands next year. In a small way, I'm anxious to be able to focus on the Little Boy's education. I will not say it's easy to be teaching two children who are so far apart in age. However, there is a bittersweet feeling with Little Miss graduating from middle to high school. I have chosen a high school program which will be fantastic for her and I can't wait for her to begin. The program is the Career Prep Diploma Program through The American Academy. http://www.theamericanacademy.com/homeschool/diploma-programs One of the career and technical education electives they offer is Horse Management ~ right up her alley! It is divided into units, each with several assignments and a quiz. There is also a midterm test, and a final. The units are: Introduction to the World of Horses, Safety, Equipment and Trailering, Overview of Equine Body Systems, Nutrition and Feeding, Routine Health Care, Conformation and Lameness, Health Problems and First Aid, Life Cycle, Breeding, and Genetics, and Breeds of Horses. I'm sure she will do very well. :) I just hope there's something she will end up 'needing me' to help her with. ;)
Encouraged by our recent Assembly, we also did some brainstorming and comprised lists of our spiritual goals. There are goals LB and LM hope to reach before the last of the remaining 50 or so school days is behind us, as well as goals they hope to reach by the time we begin the 2010-2011 school year. I'm looking forward to the accomplishment of their spiritual goals and discussing a new set of goals with them soon.
So, while some things are wrapping up, some other things are just beginning. After all, does homeschooling really ever see a "last day of school?" ;) Onward to the final weeks of Suaemoc's debut year!

Home Farming

This is an awesome thing that we certainly intend to do. :)







Having a home garden is easy and fun! And when the kids get involved, it gives them a real sense of pride in taking responsibility for their crops. ♥ Of course, they also get a horticulture lesson, in addition to gaining more appreciation for what our Creator has provided us with. "How many your works are, O Jehovah! All of them in wisdom you have made." (Ps. 104:24)
Triscuit and Urban Farming have joined together for the Triscuit Home Farming Movement. Urban Farming, a non-profit organization, and Triscuit have common goals to create an abundance of deliciously fresh and healthier food for people in need by planting farms on unused land and space while increasing diversity, educating people, and providing an environmentally sustainable system to uplift communities. Their funding of community-based home farms is core to the continued growth of The Home Farming Movement in urban areas and everyone is welcome to get involved. :)
Suaemoc is getting involved! Last season, the Little Boy had a small crop of string beans. He truly enjoyed taking care of his little plants and most truly loved eating the fruits of his labor. ;) This season, we're looking forward to creating a bigger, better "Suaemoc 'Home's Cool' Farm!" The Triscuit Home Farming Movement website has fantastic tips, encouragement, and even a map you can add your own home farm to! :D (Suaemoc's 'Home's Cool' Farm is on there!)
We also learned from the website, that we can have a 4' X 8' raised bed garden in our sunniest spot, where we will be cultivating the recommended beets, carrots, beans, and tomatoes. We will be planting our beet and carrot seeds at the end of March, then our bean seeds and tomato seedlings can be planted the first full week in April. We're really looking forward to it!
Home farming grows joy. ♥ The kids and I really hope to hear about your home farm, too! :)

States by the Numbers

Fellow homeschoolers ~ this is a great product!! :)
Make It Real Learning Company's (www.MakeItRealLearning.com) workbook series, "States by the Numbers," is a real-data math adventure across the United States. For $3, I bought the Connecticut e-book through The Old Schoolhouse Store (www.theoldschoolhousestore.com) and printed it out for the Little Boy.
The workbooks focus on place values, rounding, estimation, fractions, and percentages. There are 80 practice problems and a "What's the big idea?" pages after each section for the student to reflect on the things they've learned. :)
The coolest thing is that the data for each problem is taken directly from the Census Bureau's 2008 Statistical Abstract of the United States, with State-specific facts! So, it's Math practice/learning and Social Studies all in one! :D
*For example, the first question under "Place Value Practice" is: The population of Connecticut is projected to be 3,577,490 in 2010. What is the digit in the thousands place?
It's just so neat! :)
The Connecticut e-book I purchased has 38 pages (4 are answer key pages at the end of the booklet). These workbooks address the content and process standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The activities are designed specifically for the independent learner. :)
If you have an early elementary homeschooler either learning these math concepts, or needing some reinforcement in these concepts, I would recommend adding one of these workbooks for your State (or your favorite State) to your curriculum.
Happy Homeschooling!! ;)

Fun drinks to enjoy with the kids :)

The kids and I found some interesting and yummy drink recipes ~ perfect for taking outside and enjoying a little sunshine for a fun afternoon snack. ;)

The first is called the "Dr. Pepper Cherry Blaster."
*ice cold Dr. Pepper
*sugar-free cherry-flavored gelatin
*light whipped topping
*Maraschino cherries
Prepare gelatin according to package; chill for four hours.
When the gelatin is set, cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Place 16 cubes into a tall glass and add Dr. Pepper. Top with light whipped topping and a Maraschino cherry. :) (If you use diet Dr. Pepper in a 12-oz. glass, this is 1 Weight Watcher point!)

Next, a "Ginger Strawberry Frappe."
*ice cold Ginger Ale (using diet makes one serving 0 Weight Watchers points!)
*quartered fresh strawberries
*ice cubes
In a blender, combine 8-oz. Ginger Ale, 1/2-cup strawberries, and 3 ice cubes per serving. Pour into a tall glass and garnish with a fresh strawberry. :)

Finally, we like the "Sunkist Sungria."
*diced fruit (kiwi, pineapple, raspberries, strawberries)
*ice cold Sunkist Orange Soda (diet makes one serving of this drink 1 Weight Watcher point!)
*white grape juice
*Canada Dry Seltzer
*orange slices
In a tall glass, add 1/2-cup diced fruit, 6-oz. orange soda, 1-oz. white grape juice, and 2-oz. seltzer. Top with an orange slice for garnish and add crushed ice, if desired. :) Yummy!

If you try any of these, comment to let us know what you think and which was your favorite! :)

Meteorologically speaking...

Always striving to focus on things which are most appealing to the children, Suaemoc now includes weather reporting.
The Little Boy has exhibited profound interest in science; particularly weather. He loves to be hands-on, so the integration of Suaemoc’s Weather Chart is a fun opportunity for him to individually contribute to the classroom.
As our “meteorologist,” he will need to be attentive to the evening newscast and/or research online to obtain the weather outlook. We all know how changeable the forecast can be, so it will be important that he makes sure our classroom’s weather chart is accurate each day and that changes to the weather images are made accordingly.The Little Boy has Suaemoc’s Weather Chart all set up for the current week as forecasted at present. He’s looking forward to fulfilling his weather responsibilities for our classroom, and we are certainly looking forward to his valuable assistance. :)

'Homeschool Prizes--Three Customers Will Win All'

'Homeschool Prizes--Three Customers Will Win All'

The Old Schoolhouse is a wonderful resource for Christian homeschooling families. :)
Wonderful products are offered for purchase, as well as weekly emailed newsletters, TOS Magazine, and even fabulous freebies! AND ~ an order during their promotion period could be your chance to win a package of goodies worth over $345! :)