Anti-Procrastination

Can you believe that it's November already? CRAZY! God's really been teaching me something this last week or so.

Procrastination = bad!

It keeps happening. I'm going to write that blog post tomorrow. We'll do that history project tomorrow. We'll clean out the garage tomorrow. Know what happens?

Tomorrow never comes.

Cliche, I know, but it's true. I missed posting the last two weeks, partially due to the fact that I was sick. But also because I kept procrastinating. I'd make plans to write at a later time, but when that time came: "Mommy, I need you," "Honey, I need to run to the store," "Where's my (insert appropriate response)?" Throw in the extreme fatigue and breathing issues I was having--I'd stare at my computer screen, unsure how to prioritize. And then I close the laptop, put everything away, let out a huge sigh and wonder how in the world I will ever get anything done.

Because I do know how to prioritize. God first, family second, everything else below that. And in order to take care of the family, I have to take care of myself.

However, there is also a fine line between valid excuses and true procrastination. Although my excuses make sense, there were times when I wasn't feeling so horrible, when the kids were quietly watching cartoons or coloring, and Ray was at work--and yet, I was so overwhelmed by what needed to be done that I did nothing.

That's not good.

How do we overcome the mountains we perceive as insurmountable? 

Prayer is a biggie. God doesn't give us more than we can handle, but He will give us enough that we need to lean on Him. 

Another gift is that many BIG tasks can be broken down into little tasks and prioritized. This way we can feel good as we tick off each of the littler tasks. 

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Enlisting family can help with the extra little stuff. When stuff starts piling up, let go of the need to do it all by ourselves, and delegate, delegate, delegate.

Avoid procrastinating in the first place! When you stay on top of it all and have things organized, when something comes up, it's much easier to avoid falling behind, or at least so far behind that you just want to stay under the covers.

Take it from me: procrastination = bad. 

When They Fail

Last week, I posted about my realization that I need to challenge my girls more and let them fail occasionally.  However, I know how hard it can be to watch your children struggle and/or fail.  So, today, I would like to share some tips I have found for supporting your children when they fail (or are afraid of failing).

1. Pray!!!!!

Prayer should always be your first response to problems (and joys) in your life.  Pray for your child and pray with your child that God will give him the strength to handle the situation.

2. Give your child a hug and reassure him/her with words.

Make sure that your child knows that you love her and will always love her, even when she fails.

3. Allow your child to share his/her feelings about the situation.

Let your child know that it is ok to feel bad about not being able to complete the task.  Encourage him to share feelings verbally or through writing/drawing.

4. Share stories with your child about times you have struggled or failed.

Children need to know that others struggle too and that failure is a part of growing.  They will feel much better about their failures if they know that you sometimes fail too.  You might also want to share with your children how you felt about the failure and how you overcame it.

5. Help your child create a plan for achieving his/her goal.

Sometimes, our children fail at something that we know they can accomplish.  In these cases, they may just need help figuring out a plan for success.  These times are a perfect opportunity to sit down with your child, discuss goal setting, and help her set goals.  Just be sure that your child has dealt with her emotions before attempting this.

Good luck as you help your child work through his/her failures.  As hard as it is for you and for them, remember the benefits that come from failure!

Marla is a former special education teacher and homeschooling mom of two little girls (ages 3 and 5) and is expecting #3 soon.  She has her PhD in Special Education and loves to put her knowledge to use teaching her children and sharing learning/teaching ideas.  She blogs about raising and teaching her children at Marla's Motherhood Musings and her family's experiences living in Zambia at Our Life in Lusaka.

Homeschooling Can Be Cheap

Today, we are so excited to welcome a guest post from Christa, who blogs at www.littlelogcottageschool.com !

One of the comments that scared me when I was considering homeschooling was, “It’s not always cheap…” That’s not really something that a stay at home mom who just had her third child wants to hear. 

After registering with an umbrella school, buying curriculum, supplies, and everything else that you think that you need to homeschool, I can see why people shy away from it.  Since I was a public school teacher for 8 years I set out to prove that I could homeschool my soon to be Kindergartener for next to nothing and have a great time doing it.  Using creative solutions can get you on the path to saving big bucks when it comes to homeschooling.   Here are some tips for those wanting to homeschool on the cheap:

1.     Register directly with your school board.  

It doesn’t cost a cent to register and you may have more freedom with your curriculum.  

2.     Get to know a teacher or someone who does.  

Teachers throw out books, curriculum, and resources every spring and most are more than happy to pass it on rather than throw it out.  I have a whole guest bedroom full of curriculum, resources, manipulatives, games, and even dramatic play toys that teachers have passed along to me.

3.     Pinterest and other great sites 

These can be a homeschooler’s best friends.  There are countless FREE material and resources that can provide anything that you need.

4.     Follow a teacher blog or website.  

If you haven’t purchased a curriculum you may be worried that your child isn’t getting all of the skills that they need.  I look for a few top-notch teachers who are keeping their parents and audience informed about the skills that they are teaching.  I have found many of these teachers through my hometown’s magnet school website.  Their newsletters keep me informed of what is being expected of children and has been a tremendous aid in my curriculum planning.

5.     Use your local library.  

I usually have a different theme that I study each week.  Just type the subject into your library’s card catalog and you will have a wealth of books to go along with your lessons.  I couldn’t live without the library!

6.     Plan, plan, and plan!  

Like any money saving strategy it does take some planning on your part.  I set up about 30 min. a day to plan.  I try to do one subject a day to get ready for the next week.  This way I am not spending all my time on the weekend planning.  You also may want to set up a school supply budget for each month because sometimes it is easy to go overboard!

If homeschooling is calling to you and your family, don’t allow the cost to scare you away.  Homeschooling may even add to your family coffer.  I started homeschooling last year and am actually making money this year by opening a cottage school.  I have created a place where local families bring their children 1-2 days a week for lessons.  So that means that I am actually getting paid to homeschool this year!  How cool is that?

Christa Brown is a homeschooling mom and founder of the Little Log Cottage School.  Her blog at www.littlelogcottageschool.com  is where she provides information about her lessons, techniques, and tips for homeschooling families and teachers.