Does your child LOVE to read?

It is finally raining here in West Virginia.  We need it really bad.  These are the days when I want to just relax, in front of the fan and read a good book.  These are also great days for our children to read.  Teaching them early to LOVE to read is important.  You can possibly be poor at History, Science and even Math and it not affect you like being poor in Reading. 

A good student starts with being a good reader.  Now a days they can find anything they need to know on the internet.  But what would happen if the internet was no longer available?  Easy, find a library and read. 

Challenge your kids.  Give them 3 questions and tell them to find the answer by using any book source.  NO INTERNET!  Have them write the answers and which books they found them in.  Then, have them find the same answers to those questions on the internet.  Compare the answers.  We forget that the things that are posted on the world wide web may not be 100% accurate and some are  opinions.  I think the internet is a wonderful thing, let's just make sure our children can live without it if need be. 

Again, readers make better adults :)

Happy Memorial Day

Please take the time to remember our fallen soldiers and the families who lost them. 

I want everyone to have a wonderful Memorial Day and be safe!

my first review

I am so excited to receive my first TOS review curriculum!  I can't wait to get started!  What is it?  It's a surprise......

Remember yourself

We homeschool mothers need to remember that we need a little TLC at times.  We are not only the teacher, we are the principle, the playground attendant, the counselor, the chauffeur, the spiritual advisor, the financial advisor, the food distributor, the cook, the nurse, the maid, the supplier of hs materials, the referee, and last but not least.... the washer of the shorts.  We get so caught up in our children's lives we sometimes forget that 'moms' need a little pampering. 

So do something nice for yourself!  Go get a hair cut, nails done, shopping or just sit alone in a quiet restaurant and have dessert.  Just do something for mom.  You deserve it :)

Beautiful day today!  Too nice to do traditional homeschooling ;)  My oldest loves to read so he did his reading outside under some shade today.  I love these days. 

Home economics day

What an awesome home economics school day yesterday!  Started out by taking the boys strawberry picking.  (They also had a free lesson on how to ask for direction when you can't find your destination as well.)  We picked about 17 pounds of strawberries in 10 minutes.  We had a blast!  It took longer to drive there, than to pick. 

When we got home, they helped me wash, trim, cut, mash, add sugar and put them in freezer bags. 

I think they realize now just how much work is involved in their 'strawberry shortcake'.  We didn't make homemade shortcake though.  I was just too beat.  We not only did the strawberries, but we made two loaves of banana bread for my father in law, two desserts to go with dinner for a family who's mother just died, and then of course the clean up. 

This is a homeschool day the boys will never forget.  These are the days that remind me why I homeschool.

Curriculum expense

I cannot get over how expensive curriculum is now a days.  I am at the end of my 8'th year of homeschooling and the price is going up every year.  I know my children are getting older and older students require more work, text, etc. but I am still amazed.  Some have a good return policy I'm sure.  But the big problem is that you may not know if it works for your family until you try it for a few months.  By then you have already spend a fortune and you are stuck with it until you can find someone to buy it from you.  

My oldest doesn't like History, but he loves to read..... perfect.  So this year I am going to have him read (most Newberry award metals) from a list from a certain curricula I have used in the past (his age level of course).  Most of these books are FREE at the library by the way.  I can question him on these books and what he has read myself.  I am lucky that 2 out of my 3 boys love to read.  I'm working on the 3'rd :)

I am also so excited about being on the TOS CREW!  I can't wait to try some new History curricula through them as well.  I am always open to new suggestions or ideas from others.