What is wrong with me? I am definitely not ready to even think about school yet. In fact, I am feeling a little down. Maybe because I am:
- Getting over a cold and caring for others who are sick
- Doctor and pharmacy visits and nighttime vigils
- Hospitality for out of town family
- Dealing with painful relationship issues
- Having to put aside important work-related issues
- Missing my loved ones who live far away
- Recovering from the holidays–as is my house and my body
- Missing my routine of prayer and study times
- Feeling like I am going in circles and ending up in the same place
My biggest problem: the focus of that whole list was: me! The real reason for my blues: I need a change of perspective:
- God has given us food, clothes and a warm house in which to live and laugh and love.
- God has always provided enough to share with others.
- God continues to give me strength for one more day (and children helpers in training).
- God has provided a bounty in His Word so my soul can delight in fatness.
- Jesus was afflicted, rejected, and reviled by men so that I might live and move and have my being in Him (especially in those difficult relationships).
- God has sent people to my house that He might draw them to Himself, and teach us all to be loving servants.
- The Holy Spirit is doing His work in the hearts and lives of my children and teens as I find help at His throne of grace.
- God gives me the desire and ability to do His will while teaching me the grace of flexibility.
- Jesus is worth celebrating every day, all year round!
- God has blessed me to keep my children home where they belong to train for His purposes and discover what they were created to do for Him.
Real life can be discouraging, especially now, and our hearts can be easily overwhelmed. This is when we need to get a higher perspective from a safe, strong place:
“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.” (Psalm 61:1-3)
He knows our frame that we are but dust. He is the Excellency of power that dwells in us and holds us together. Cry out; He hears. To Him be the glory, and the power, forever and ever, Amen!
If you are wondering if you are achieving anything by homeschooling, check this out. You will be highly encouraged. ~ Deborah
|
|
|
Raising Real Men
January 6 is our family’s official end of the Christmas season. It’s the date many celebrate as Epiphany, the Feast of the Three Kings, or “Old Christmas” (many people used to exchange gifts on this “twelfth day of Christmas” instead of December 25th!) We’ll be taking down the tree, packing the decorations, and drinking our last round of eggnog tonight.
But for nearly all of us, the start of the calendar is the time to resume our routines–and getting back to homeschooling may be as hard as getting back to the office or factory after vacation. It may be harder because we load ourselves with resolutions: “This is the year we
Start Early and
Finish Everything and
Do It Right The First Time and
Really Go To The Gym.”
Give grace to yourself and your family. January 1 isn’t Fairy Godmother Day … lasting change takes time, whether it means losing 25 pounds or getting everybody back on a schedule for school. It’s okay to take a little time to transition, rather than expecting and hoping for instant change. Lighten up on the guilt, whether your own or what you put on your family.
Renew the love of learning. January is a good time to do some fun activities. Take a field trip. Watch some science or history videos. Bu
ild a model. Get dirty. Do a unit study. Explore something.
Remember your attitude’s important. Face it–kids take a lot of emotional cues from their parents. If we’re down in the dumps and full of dread and boredom about teaching, they will respond that way about
learning. Pray about it before you start the day. Set a cheerful tone for yourselves!
Don’t forget the environment. January can be a damp, cold, gray sort of time. Turn up the lights, be sure to take your vitamins, and make your school room a bubble of positive sights and sounds no matter how dingy the weather outside.
The apostle Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4), and Nehemiah said, “The joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10) Let’s embrace the new year and press on to follow close to the One who gives us that joy!
In Christ,
Hal and Melanie
Of course, the changing schedules and excitement of the holidays might bring out the wild in your boy. Are you wondering what got into him? Are you seeing behavior and mood changes you didn’t expect? Are you looking at your high schooler and worrying if you’ve covered everything before they graduate? Check out our popular webinar series, Boyhood Boot Camp (for parents of boys 9 and under), Boot Camp 9-12 (for parents with pre-teen boys), and PreFlight (for teens and their parents, too) — and use coupon code thmnewyear for 30% off! CLICK HERE AND FIND OUT MORE!
|
|
|
Advertisement
With thorough explanations, examples, worksheets and complete
solution keys, students are usually at the top of their math classes
when they get to college.
|
|
|
The Familyman
Christmas is over … now get back to work.
The question, “When are you starting school back up?” is typically asked at least once or twice over the holiday table. I know it was asked of my wife at least twice. I know it’s asked from a sincere interest with no malice intended. In fact, I know they don’t even really care when we’re starting. But I just feel myself bristle when we’re asked that.
My wife graciously answers, “Oh, probably on Monday after the New Year, unless I still haven’t recovered from the holiday mess.” I, on the other hand, feel mean and want to say, “We’ll start whenever we want to start. What’s it to you?” I know. I know. That’s a tad harsh and over reactive. But that’s how I feel. I hate that we homeschoolers LET the non-homeschooling world dictate when we start back up.
They have to get back into the swing. That’s how teachers get paid and parents get their free babysitting back. But we homeschool and know when it feels right to get back into things.
So, hear me well: You start whenever you feel like starting!!! Maybe you will have already begun (and that’s OK if that’s what YOU want) but maybe it will be another week or TWO. You jump back in when you’re ready and don’t let anyone guilt you into starting one minute earlier.
Todd
|
|
|
Announcement
Click here and get your free eBook
7 Things You Should Know When Choosing Homeschool
Curriculum from Excellent Quests .
|
|
|
Announcement
Share this newsletter with a friend, and be sure to let those
CONSIDERING homeschooling know about the enormous
FREE info-pack which awaits them here: www.TryHomeschooling.com.
|
|
|
A division of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine
Did you know? Every class is INCLUDED for members!
No limits
There are MANY new things happening on SchoolhouseTeachers.com! We have:
- More than 12 new classes starting this week
- Improved navigation with 40% fewer clicks needed to access a lesson
- Brand new “Classes by Grade Level” chart
There are now more than 200 courses available for your family on SchoolhouseTeachers.com! We’ve added over a dozen new classes this week alone, including three new elementary math workshops, Physical Science (video-based), Introduction to Graphic Design, Sparking the Noggin: Creative Writing with Pictures, Stepping Through History Starting with You!, Growing Readers, Image Editing, Economics for Everybody, and Bible Adventures in Bengali, German, and Portuguese!
Our Quick Links page has been given an overhaul! You can now navigate directly to your lessons from the Quick Links page with 40% fewer clicks. Click the “Lessons” link beside the class name and then click on the PDF files or watch the videos. It’s that simple! Come try it for yourself.
Courses by Grade Level has a brand new feature-a grade-by-grade breakdown of every class on SchoolhouseTeachers.com in one chart! See what we have for history, language arts, science, and more at a glance for 1st grade, 12th grade, and every grade in between.
Try SchoolhouseTeachers.com for thirty days for only $1. Keep it and pay just $12.95/month and lock in that rate for as long as you keep your membership, no matter how many new classes and features we add.
One membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com serves your entire family, regardless of how many children you are homeschooling or their ages. There are no per-child fees or additional fees for textbooks, and courses are not live, so you can start them at any time. If you or someone you know is interested in teaching a class on our site, please contact Executive Editor Bonnie Rose Hudson at bhudson@theoldschoolhouse.com.
|
|
|
Announcement
Color Coding Your Homeschool
The Old Schoolhouse®
Magazine.
|
|
|
Click here to get access to FREE back issues of
The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.
|
|
|
Contest Corner
For the month of January 2016
As parents, all of us wish to point to worthy heroes as examples to our children. Sadly, our culture seldom promotes those values and character qualities that one can pronounce as “heroic.” If this has been a concern in your heart you will undoubtedly find the Schoolhouse Crew’s newest review encouraging.
YWAM Publishing is a company that desires to provide quality literature that promotes prayer, discipleship, evangelism and mercy ministries. Their books introduce us to men and women that have been heroes throughout history. Rather than list facts and events, YWAM Publishing’s team of authors have enveloped their readers in the true character and sacrifice of their subjects.
The Crew had the privilege of reviewing books from two series of the YWAM catalog. The Heroes of History Series feature political figures such as Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Ronald Reagan. The Christian Heroes: Then & Now Series of books focuses on those men and women who have devoted their lives to answer God’s call. Missionaries like Amy Carmichael and Jim Elliot are featured.
YOU can WIN this the Heroes of History book, John Adams: Independence Forever, and the Unit Study Curriculum Guide CD to go with it!
TO ENTER:
Email Heather (hmader@thehomeschoolmagazine.com) with your name, mailing address, and phone number for contact purposes, with the subject line, “ John Adams Set” for a chance to win* it for your family!
|
|
|
|
|
Read the article
or download the free mobile apps at
VIEW BACK ISSUES:
Current subscribers go here to access all back issues.
The WINTER issue of Molly Green Magazine is available. Take a peek at our digital version below!
You can also get
Molly Green Magazine on these free mobile apps:
Have you activated your free access to RightNow Media and the 10,000 streaming videos library yet? Every member gets it. Try it for 30 days for a buck. Cancel anytime.
|
|
|
Check out these resources:
Who We Are:
|
|
|
“You are the ‘go-to’ [for] articles, quotes, ideas, sales. You help us stay connected!”
–Kamilla Oswald
|
|
|
“I am amazed at the number of times I open my Homeschool Minute newsletter and have the opportunity to read EXACTLY what I need that day! Thank you so much for putting a real face on homeschooling.”
–Michelle Sager
Liberty Twp, OH
|
|
|
“Only just this past week have I seriously checked into the content of the SchoolhouseTeachers.com site … May I just say wow?!”
–Janelle Chille
Mason City, IA
|
|
|
“I really enjoy reading all the THM articles. I learn a lot from Todd Wilson’s column. [He’s a] funny guy who speaks the simple truth! Thank you very much!”
–Charlene
Brandon, FL
|
|
|
“I look forward to THM every Wednesday. I really enjoy Deborah’s articles. For some reason, it must be God, she always writes about what I am needing to hear. Her ability to put scripture and God in the middle of all her articles keeps me coming back. I recently have been enjoying the Youngs’ [articles] because I have a young man (10) in my house. The encouragement of the Youngs is fabulous. I thank God for parents like them that pave the way for parents like myself and my husband.”
–Racheal Fowler
Glen Burnie, Maryland
|
|
|
“So love reading TOS on my iPad from cover to cover every month!!!”
–Leigh Anne McGrady
Dunwoody, GA
|
|
|
“What I appreciate most about Todd’s column is that he never assumes he knows what is best for me… but he KNOWS that God knows & encourages me to find that & follow that. Thanks for all the encouragement over the years!”
–CA
Kannapolis, NC
|
|
|
“…I appreciate them both so much. I love Diana’s passion for teaching history in a fun and interesting way. And that she is all about relationships first. I love that about Todd as well, and that he always, always says it is okay to relax about the schooling.“
–Mara Martin
Everett, WA
|
|
|
Have you been blessed by
The Homeschool Minute®?
|
|
|
|
 |
|
