Homeschooling Myself

When we first decided to homeschool preschool for Abigail, I thought about the numerous ways that she would benefit from learning at home.  I never stopped to consider how I would benefit from being Abigail's teacher, but over the past year and a half, I have learned so much!

I have learned about my girls - spending all day with them and teaching them helps me know and understand them more thoroughly and appreciate them more.

I have learned a lot about myself - taking on the new challenge of teaching my girls has revealed some of my own strengths and weaknesses.

I have learned about God - preparing bible lessons for the girls has led me to explore those stories more deeply and spend more time in prayer asking God for help in teaching and in understanding.

I have learned about cooking - doing regular cooking projects with the girls has led me to exploring new recipes and techniques that I would never before have tried.

I have learned about the world around me - we have done unit studies on a variety of animals and I have learned about the animals while teaching

While I never expected homeschooling to lead to learning for me as well, I am so glad that it has!

Seeds of Wisdom --- Busy Day Dinners

This time of year, families are busy and household responsibilities (such as homecooked meals) often get neglected. Today, we share our  favorite busy-day recipes.  

Aurie  

My crockpot is my best friend on busy days! Here is a link to an awesome mac & cheese recipe. I also have a taco chicken that is wonderful.

Dorie

During these busy days, my favorite kitchen appliance is the crock pot. I use it to make soups, meats, and one-pot meals. One of our favorite meals from the crock pot is chili.   Here is a link to our family's chili recipe. 

Jessica

For an easy hot meal, I fall back on baked potatoes. My children love them and they are so easy. If I know the day is going to be packed, I like to put them in the crockpot the night before (no foil necessary!). My other favorite busy-day hot meal is pasta. We buy whole grain noodles that are high in protein and fiber, so it is filling and nutritious. I just cook the pasta and set bowls of different toppings on the table (olive oil, red sauce, meats or veggies on hand, cheese). I also like to keep 'emergency' frozen casseroles or leftovers around for moments when calling for pizza sounds like a good idea...then I can whip something out of the freezer instead with very little effort!

Marla

Like Aurie and Dorie, I LOVE the crockpot for busy day dinners.  I love the blog A Year of Slow Cooking .  My favorite recipes are crockpot lasagna and chicken parmesan.  We also love crockpot chili and taco soup on busy days.

Sam

My favorite comfort food that is easy has to be roast in the crockpot. I take a chuck roast, brown in it in EVVO, and then toss the veggies in to release some of their juices. I throw everything in the crockpot with beef broth and let it make it's magic. I use some of the juices to make homemade gravy, and serve with mashed potatoes and fresh, homemade bread. Yum!

Tracy

I love this recipe for taco chicken bowls. It makes several meals and fixes several different ways. I usually make the bowls on a Sunday; then later in the week we have tacos and nachos with the left overs. Plus, use different kinds of salsa for a slightly different flavor each time. So fun! 

 What are your favorite busy day dinner ideas?

Assessing Your Year

Most of us will be taking a break for the holidays. This is the perfect time to step away from the constant push of curriculum and slow down with your family.

Time to enjoy, and also to reflect.

I hope you will plan a day within your holiday schedule to spend some time alone. Grab your lesson plans and some hot tea, have a prayer, and see if your year is going the direction you want it to.

Perhaps you need more structure. Maybe now is when you decide to break free from the workbooks.
Each family is different, and each child is different.

Is there a subject everyone {even you} cringes to tackle each day? Does your child smile with excitement over learning something new each day?






Perhaps you might decide you jumped into homeschooling and have committed all of the Five Things Not To Do When You Start Homeschooling sins. {Not you!}


Homeschooling is a living, constantly changing thing. We might not always see what needs to change as we go through the daily routine, but in the calmness of a few hours alone you never know what revelation you might have.

Always be open to change, and make sure your year is everything you hoped it would be. If it isn’t- on with the next!