Catching Up

Hellloooooooo

How does time fly! Since we have updated nearly 4 years ago, we are still homeschooling, moved to Idaho, and tried multiple styles and changed blogging sites. I have not liked the other forums and after losing information I have come back to Blogger :)

I could complain about the ways I wish I had never left and I would have extensive content... buuuuut if we focused on every set back how would we ever succeed?

That being said, it's a great segway into the topic I was wanting to post on a blog for a while...

What to do when you lose track of your homeschooling? 

It's happened to all of us at one time or another... make a schedule up and it falls to the wayside.  It's okay and there is no reason to beat yourself up or feel inadequate. We all feel that way sometimes but remember that tomorrow is a new day and has new opportunities.

Since you are here though, I would like to share a few things I have learned along the way...

1. Always have a back-up plan: The joy of homeschooling comes with a few luxuries - the main one being that you don't have to worry about the education of 20 kids. If you find yourself off your schedule with one or a few kids though, it's not such an overwhelming event. It's good to take  the time to write down a back up list of things to do. I personally keep my back up list in my planning book on the last page. On those days when the little one is extra fussy or I hear a long sigh before I start a lesson I'll question whether it is a valid sign or simple burn out. If it is either of the two I check my back up list. On my list for this quarter (I do my planning in 3 month intervals) I write 5-10 options for rainy or blow off days. They include things like take a river walk and pick weeds and flowers for plant press, visit the nursery for some new seeds and plants, go to the aquarium... As we do these events I cross them off and so on and so on. If I don't use all of the ideas, they are there for the next quarter! 
2. Don't plan too far in advance: I keep my planner up to date for about 3 months in advance. I have tried both a year and 6 months, but this is what works for us. You may find you can do 1 month or even weekly. It's easier to plan smaller intervals as you can change it up as need. I advise those that are just starting out to plan on a monthly or weekly basis. 
3. Forgive yourself: I have heard of so many homeschooling moms and dads that beat themselves up over getting behind. If you are totally slacking or you find you can't keep up with the curriculum, being mean to yourself isn't going to help. You may want to think about a new style or why it is you fall behind in order to rectify the situation. Be critical of the problem not the people. 
4. Quit playing catch-up: Once you fall behind you may feel the need to try to get caught up but this process puts stress on your kids and rarely is an effective way for them to learn. Find areas where you can combine learning or consider pushing back the school year if you take summers off. Add more days to your calendar year rather than more stress to the overall process of homeschooling. 
5. Use co-ops: Just because you are a home educator doesn't mean that you need to do all of the work yourself! Explore homeschool groups in your area and get involved. Work with other parents - it's a healthy and happy option for you and the kids. 

So, there you have it!

I really am glad to be back!

Now, I'm off to practice my own advice! 

Movie Makers

Tristan and a friend of his made a movie - which technically was their first one!

HS Illegal in CA?

I can say after reading this, I am happy I am not in CA anymore! I can't believe they are really trying to enforce this. Doesn't the school system have enough on it's plate already?

LOS ANGELES, March 5, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Thousands of homeschoolers in California are left in legal limbo by an appeals court ruling that homeschooling is not a legal option in the state and that a family who has homeschooled all their children for years must enrol their two youngest in state or private schools. Justice H. Walter Croskey in a written opinion said, "California courts have held that under provisions in the Education Code, parents do not have a constitutional right to homeschool their children."

The sweeping February 29th ruling says that California law requires "persons between the ages of six and eighteen" to be in "public full-time day school," or a "private full-time day school" or "instructed by a tutor who holds a valid state teaching credential for the grade being taught".

The two youngest of Phillip and Mary Long's eight children must be enrolled in a state approved school. Phillip Long told WorldNetDaily, "We just don't want them teaching our children. They teach things that are totally contrary to what we believe. They put questions in our children's minds we don't feel they're ready for."

Mr. Long cited the state curriculum's inclusion of sex education, including its promotion of homosexuality as a normal lifestyle. "When they are much more mature, they can deal with these issues, alternative lifestyles, and such, or whether they came from primordial slop. At the present time it's my job to teach them the correct way of thinking," he said.

The Los Angeles-area family was targeted by Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services after one of the children reported "physical and emotional mistreatment by the children's father," according to documents submitted to the court.

The 2nd Appellate Court in Los Angeles agreed with the trial court decision that had found, "keeping the children at home deprived them of situations where they could interact with people outside the family".

"There are people who could provide help if something is amiss in the children's lives, and they could develop emotionally in a broader world than the parents' 'cloistered' setting," the ruling said.

Michael Smith, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), said in a March 3 statement that the organization "strongly disputes this interpretation of California law" and is studying the decision.

The group called the ruling "a very bad decision" saying, "the opinion holds that homeschooling is not a legal option in California."

"If the opinion is followed, then California will have the most regressive law in the nation and homeschooling will be effectively banned, because the only legal way to homeschool will be for the parent to hold a teaching certificate. Parents should not have to attend a four-year college education program just to teach their own children."

Smith added, "California is now on the path to being the only state to deny the vast majority of homeschooling parents their fundamental right to teach their own children at home."