I am so glad that I homeschool and I have plenty of time to instill good values, manners, and love into our boys. They are teens now and are awesome!
The other day, our boys got $10 gift-cards for DQ. Instead of spending it on treats for themselves, they both decided that they wanted to treat our family to dinner after church. ...so sweet!
Do your kids surprise you that way?
Monday
Tuesday
Bible Class Books for Youth (PDF). Ebooks. Study the Bible on the Internet.
I found a GREAT resource for Bible study for the kids or for adults. You can go through a book of the Bible and then answer the corresponding questions. I love it for the boys (15 and 12). Espresso is in Exodus and Double Espresso is in Acts.
I just saved and printed up the PDF for the book that they are reading. Then, they can answer the questions on the paper to turn in to me.
Frustrated?
Recently, a homeschool mom mentioned that she was becoming frustrated and her children were't liking their curriculum.
Here is what I suggested:
It's easy to become frustrated in homeschooling. I've always homeschooled and my kids are 15 and 12 1/2. One thing that helps is to change things up for a while. I use Time4Learning for that! It's very fun and kids do learn from it. Son 2 really likes it and we keep him subscribed. It offers language arts, math, reading, writing, social studies, science (we don't use the science), etc.
You can watch a lesson demo on their website: www.time4learning.com. You can pick grade levels for each subject which is great and you don't have to do every subject.
If you decide to sign up, would you please say that I referred you? I get a bonus for that. My name is Janet Powers www.homeiscool4u at yahoo.com
Also, another thing that helps is to just take a month off! Remember, it's your homeschool and you can run it the way you want to. You can do field trips as a family, play board games together, watch the Discovery channel, rent educational movies, play learning games on the computer like www.funbrain.com. You could do art lesson on YouTube or even music lessons. The possibilities are endless!
We've taken time off and it is refreshing for everyone.
If you need more encouragement, I'd love to chat.
:) Blessings,
Janet
www.homeschoolercafe.blogspot.com
www.homeward4.blogspot.com
Friday
The English language is... weird!
I received this in my email and thought you would like it!
~Just cracked me up
We'll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes,
But the plural of ox becomes oxen, not oxes;
One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese,
Yet the plural of moose should never be meese;
You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice,
Yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.
But the plural of ox becomes oxen, not oxes;
One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese,
Yet the plural of moose should never be meese;
You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice,
Yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.
If the plural of man is always called men,
Why shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen ?
If I speak of my foot and show you my feet,
And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet ?
If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth ?
Why shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen ?
If I speak of my foot and show you my feet,
And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet ?
If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth ?
Then one may be that, & three would be those,
Yet hat in the plural would never be hose;
And the plural of cat is cats, not cose.
We speak of a brother & also of brethren,
But though we say mother, we never say methren.
Then the masculine pronouns are he, his & him,
But imagine the feminine: she, shis & shim !
Yet hat in the plural would never be hose;
And the plural of cat is cats, not cose.
We speak of a brother & also of brethren,
But though we say mother, we never say methren.
Then the masculine pronouns are he, his & him,
But imagine the feminine: she, shis & shim !
Let's face it - English is a crazy language.
There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger;
Neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England.
There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger;
Neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England.
We take English for granted,
but if we explore its paradoxes,
We find that quicksand can work slowly,
boxing rings are square;
A guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
Why is it that writers write, but fingers don't fing,
Grocers don't groce & hammers don't ham ?
but if we explore its paradoxes,
We find that quicksand can work slowly,
boxing rings are square;
A guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
Why is it that writers write, but fingers don't fing,
Grocers don't groce & hammers don't ham ?
Doesn't it seem crazy that ...
you can make amends but not one amend ?
If you have a bunch of odds and ends ...
and get rid of all but one of them,
What do you call it ?
you can make amends but not one amend ?
If you have a bunch of odds and ends ...
and get rid of all but one of them,
What do you call it ?
If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught ?
If a vegetarian eats vegetables,
what does a humanitarian eat ?
If a vegetarian eats vegetables,
what does a humanitarian eat ?
Sometimes I think all people who speak English
Should be in an asylum for the verbally insane.
In what other language do people recite at a play,
and play at a recital ?
In what other language do people recite at a play,
and play at a recital ?
We ship by truck but send cargo by ship ...
We have noses that run & feet that smell;
We park in a driveway & drive in a parkway.
And how can a slim chance & a fat chance be the same,
while a wise man & a wise guy are opposites ?
We have noses that run & feet that smell;
We park in a driveway & drive in a parkway.
And how can a slim chance & a fat chance be the same,
while a wise man & a wise guy are opposites ?
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language
in which your house can burn up as it burns down;
In which you fill in a form by filling it out,
& in which an alarm goes off by going on.
in which your house can burn up as it burns down;
In which you fill in a form by filling it out,
& in which an alarm goes off by going on.
And in closing ....
If Father is Pop ....
how come Mother's not Mop ? ? ? ?
How to eat a pomegranate
The pomegranate: extremely healthy, people have been eating them for thousands of years, mentioned in the Bible, God made them and they are gooood!
Getting those little, juicy seeds out can be difficult and messy! This video shows us how to do it simply.
Getting those little, juicy seeds out can be difficult and messy! This video shows us how to do it simply.
Tuesday
Hebrew~ Foreign Language for Kids
Foreign languages can be difficult for a parent to teach a child if the parent doesn't yet know the language! Because of this "minor" hurdle, I will also be learning the foreign language.
We will begin to study Hebrew. My reasons vary but, if the language was important enough for God to have the original people on this earth speak it, then... it's important! Also, the Old Testament was written in Hebrew and that is important too!
Hear the Hebrew alphabet (aleph bet) pronounced
Also on that page are free downloads of flashcards, alphabet practice pages and "Let's Sing It" for kids!
Hebrew For Christians also has a FREE homeschool unit! Hebrew Curriculum Unit 1
Hebrew Lessons
Hebrew Worksheets for Kids
Find your name in Hebrew
Hebrew Made Easy (Jewish not Christian)
This is all I have found so far. If you have resources, please share!
We will begin to study Hebrew. My reasons vary but, if the language was important enough for God to have the original people on this earth speak it, then... it's important! Also, the Old Testament was written in Hebrew and that is important too!
Hear the Hebrew alphabet (aleph bet) pronounced
Also on that page are free downloads of flashcards, alphabet practice pages and "Let's Sing It" for kids!
Hebrew For Christians also has a FREE homeschool unit! Hebrew Curriculum Unit 1
Hebrew Lessons
Hebrew Worksheets for Kids
Find your name in Hebrew
Hebrew Made Easy (Jewish not Christian)
This is all I have found so far. If you have resources, please share!
Thursday
Time4Learning
I'm sure by now, you've heard of the online homeschool program called Time4Learning! Their ads are all over the place on websites, blogs, and in magazines. You can give Time4Learning a try in exchange for a review on your blog or website like I did! (Sign up to review Time4Learning.)
Time4Learning offers a variety of subjects depending on the grade level of your child. Time4Learning offers subjects for grades pre-K through 8th.
Features from their website~
Time4Learning includes the following:
- Online curriculum for grades Pre-K through 8th
- More than 1,000 interactive animated lessons
- Self paced lessons that kids will enjoy working on
- Math & algebra tutorials & printable worksheets
- Language arts, phonics & grammar lessons
- Interactive, project-based reading activities
- Science (grades 1st - 6th) & social studies (grades 2nd - 7th)
- Detailed reporting for easy record keeping
- Extensive lesson plans & teaching tools for parents
- and much more...
Monthly cost: $19.95 for the first child and $14.95 for each additional child
My opinion:
Time4Learning is very animated, musical, and exciting. That is helpful for my son (12) as it appeals to his learning style. He likes it and learns from it; so I like it!
At the moment, we only use the Language Arts, LA Extensions, and the Math. Many times during this trial use, my son said that he learned in the subjects that he was doing. I appreciated hearing that! He also liked being able to take a break and go to the "playground" to play games. (The parents can set the time limits for the playground... another plus!)
Since I am a Christian, I am very picky as to what goes into my child's mind. In order for him to do the Social Studies and Science, I will have to listen in on every lesson. Time4Learning is not approached from a Christian worldview and I believe that there are many questionable concepts being taught. There is a discussion board on Time4Learning where people post about questionable teachings.
Another feature that I like with Time4Learning is the Parent/Administration area. I can look in on anything that my son has done. I can see what lessons he did and the grades that he got. I can even print his grades!
Try before you buy:
I give Time4Learning 4 out of 5 stars!
I received this product free for the purpose of reviewing it. I received no other compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are my personal, honest opinions. Please read my full disclosure policy for more details.
Monday
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