10 Reasons Why I Continue to Homeschool

Remember to "Pin" this post so you can share it with others.

There are days that being a homeschool parent is not easy. Yes, I said it. Sometimes all I want to do is grab a cup of hot tea or coffee, sit next to my fireplace, and curl up with a good book. Other times, I just want to catch up on e-mails or Facebook. I do not want to have to teach.

This feeling always seems to come over me right around this time, the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season. Mixed in with the beginning of winter and its cold temperatures, and all I find myself wanting to do is hibernate. This probably explains why we took so many weeks off last year around this time. (I promised myself that I would NOT do that again this year as it extended our year too far into late spring.)

Yes, there are times I wish I could call in a substitute. However, I don't have that luxury. Do any other homeschool parents feel this way? I'm sure I am not the only one.

So what keeps me going?

1. Knowing that as my children's role model it's important to teach them diligence. 
2. Believing that for this season of my life, this is God's purpose for me. This drives me to do it in a way that I hope glorifies Him.  
3. Listening to my youngest son, who started the first day of school in tears, tell me that he is glad to be homeschooled and that I am a great teacher.
4. Being blessed to have several friends who also homeschool that I can go to when I need encouragement.
5. Having a husband who is my biggest cheerleader and homeschool supporter. His help in dealing with any character issues that may arise within our children helps to keep our school on track. 
6. Praying; asking God daily to provide me with everything I need to teach my children.
7. Participating in school field trips. They help to break up our daily school routine.
8. Trusting that God will fill in all of the gaps in my children's education.
9. Creating a schedule that is easy and adaptable to "life" (illness, vacations, family emergencies, etc.).
10. Experiencing those "aha" moments with my children while watching them grow not only in their academic knowledge, but more importantly, in their knowledge (and faith) in God. 

If you're a homeschool parent, what are some things that help you continue on your journey?

©2011-2013 A Slice of Homeschool Pie. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.asliceofhomeschoolpie.com

Top 12 Reasons for My Thankfulness

Remember to "Pin" this post so you can share it with others.

On this Thanksgiving holiday, I thought I'd take the opportunity to share with you my Top 12 Reasons for being Thankful.

I am thankful because...

Read more »

Reaching Out to the Homeless

Remember to "Pin" this post so you can share it with others.

Filling Operation Christmas Backpacks

Every Christmas season my family and I get excited because it gives us (along with other families) another opportunity to reach out to homeless people in our area by providing them with basic essential items to help them through the harsh winters. We have named this ministry Operation Christmas Backpack.

To learn more about this ministry and the steps you can take to start an Operation Christmas Backpack in your hometown, read my article recently published on Hip Homeschool Moms here.

If you participate in some kind of an outreach program to help the homeless, please tell us about it under the comments below. I'd love to read it!

©2011-2013 A Slice of Homeschool Pie. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.asliceofhomeschoolpie.com

2014 TeenPact Leadership Classes

Remember to "Pin" this post so you can share it with others.

The schedule for the 2014 TeenPact Leadership Classes have been posted. (To read about our previous experiences with this program, click here and here.) This year my oldest son will be participating in their Political Communication Workshop. Below is the class description as written on their website:

"Attendees will participate in a day filled with academic material ranging from policy debates and mock legislative sessions to field experiences, not to mention continued interaction with likeminded teens and curriculum that guides students towards Biblical truth. TeenPact’s Political Communication Workshop is a great opportunity for those interested in improving their knowledge of public policy while learning about and practicing public speaking and communication!

At the Political Communication Workshop, students will learn:

• Fundamentals of speech writing
• Cross examination skills
• Aspects of presentation
• Principles of excellent communication"

Read more »

10 Benefits of Owning a Dry Erase Board

Remember to "Pin" this post so you can share it with others.

As a homeschool teacher, I knew our family needed to own a dry erase board. What I learned along the way is that homeschoolers aren't the only ones who should own a board; everyone should.

Below I have listed 10 benefits of owning this type of board:

Read more »

O Foolish One...

Remember to "Pin" this post so you can share it with others.

Yesterday I heard Jesus speaking to me....

Okay, I know those of you who still do not know Christ will probably think to yourself, "Oh no, another Jesus Freak." However, those who know Jesus will completely understand. I hope you are coming from the latter, and if not, I hope someday you'll come back and read this and understand.

The enemy likes to toy with us...wait, let me speak for myself; the enemy likes to toy with me. He knows just how to get under my skin. He knows my weaknesses and uses them against me. I wish I could say that my armor of shield protects me against him all the time, but sadly I don't always wear my shield in just the right way, so it sometimes slips off and when it does, that's when he comes and attacks.

Read more »

How We Use Stuffed Animals In Our Homeschool

Remember to "Pin" this post so you can share it with others.

Sometimes gaining the interest of my second grader means teaching him while at the same time playing with him. See these stuffed animals pictured here? They are VERY IMPORTANT in our home school. Why? These animals are helping my son learn. You see when it's time for "class", he gathers all the "students" together. (In our classroom my son is not the only student. These fury friends are learning alongside of him.) :-)

Read more »