Q: You've worked with a lot of home schooling families. What are the biggest mistakes you've seen? What things would you tell people to watch out for or avoid?

A: That is an interesting question. Let me turn it around and tell you what I see successful home schooling families doing.

1. Successful families have a plan and generally stick with it.
It's okay to be flexible, and it's good to admit when something isn't working. But, don't fall into the trap of continually trying that new "magic" quick fix. Also, while students may give input and have choices, parents should make final decisions when it comes to schedule, routine or curriculum.

2. Successful families have a church home. They attend worship together weekly, and are involved beyond that initial commitment as well. Here's an interesting note: Barna says that kids who aren't CONNECTED with a church family by age 12, probably never will be. Successful families know that the church is a part of God's plan for worship, fellowship, Christian education, accountability and service.

3. Successful families balance time spent at home with time spent in extra-curricular activities. They are not hermits, but neither are their kids stressed out because of too many outside requirements.

4. Successful families hold their children to high standards of accountability and respect. If an assignment is made, it is checked. Sarcasm and flippant remarks do not have room in their family's conversations.

5. Successful families have fun together and enjoy one another's company! "All work and no play makes you a boring mom or dad!" Besides, who has time to be boring? My personal teaching philosophy is to have fun while I teach; that way, even if my kids decide to be sticks in the mud for the day, I'm having a great time!

Successful families don't make EVERY minute a "teachable moment." They know that sometimes, it's okay to let an error in grammar go uncorrected, and it's okay to be on vacation and skip the lecture on the topography of the destination.

6. Successful families are connected with other successful families. They network, co-op, hang-out, support and pray with other home schooling families. They seek mentors, read good books and go to a conference now and then. They see learning as a life-long process for their kids, and for themselves, and they know they can benefit from the experiences and wisdom of others.

7. Successful families are in it for the long haul. That doesn't necessarily mean committing to home school through high school, but don't say, "We'll give this a try for a semester." Also, successful families don't say to their kids, "If you don't start doing better in math, I'm sending you back to public school!" (If the kids wanted to go back to public school, a clear path has just been established for them to do exactly that.) A commitment is made to home schooling, and it becomes not just a way to do school, but a way to do life.

8. Successful families make home schooling a time priority. An in-home business is sometimes a great asset to a home schooling family, but it doesn't interrupt the home school day; the answering machine picks up calls, and parents are present, in every sense of the word. Also, a routine is established, and school starts at a reasonable time in the morning, with all members of the family, present, accounted for... and dressed. Moms included. A mom who's on the ball has probably even brushed her teeth and is wearing make-up. (Okay, at least a little lip balm.)

Home schooling, as with most any endeavor, can be successful when it is bathed in prayer and pursued with wisdom. No one can achieve perfection in home schooling. Sometimes, we even make BIG mistakes. But, that's what learning is. We make a mistake, we correct it, and move on. Thankfully, there aren't many mistakes that will ruin a child's educational progress for life.

So, don't let fear of mistakes, or of failure, slow you down. Go ahead, and make some mistakes. Have some fun. Do your best. Make excellence and creativity your goals.

"Shoot for the moon. If you miss, maybe you'll land on a star."

Happy Home Schooling!
Mrs. Sherry

Q: I was sailing along just fine as a home school mom of a second grader and kindergarten student, but then we added a newborn, who is a blessing, but I feel like home schooling is a mess. What can I do to get it together?

A: First of all, congratulations on the birth of your new baby! Adding a new baby is an adjustment for any family, but presents a special challenge to a home school mom. Here are some tips I hope will help.

1. Give yourself a break! Literally. Remember how everyone told you to "sleep when the baby sleeps" with your first child, and you really did it? Find a way to get the rest you need. Is there a friend, grandparent or older home school student you know who could come for an hour a day just to give you some rest for the first few weeks? Is there any chance that your older kids could visit relatives for a week? Now would be a great time for grandma to teach some home-ec lessons in cooking and basic sewing!

Along that same vein, consider revamping your school year calendar. How many school days are required by your state? Take your "summer break" while your infant is neediest, and pick up home schooling again in a couple of months. A "year-round" calendar may be what you need to consider; maybe you could focus only on core subjects (reading, math, language) for now, and then add the other things back in later. That's the beauty of the freedom we have as home schoolers! Besides, your kids are learning a lot about life by having a new baby in your home!

Realize, too, that your second grader can probably do quite a bit independently. Let her do what she can on her own, and pick up the things she needs more help with later. This might be a good time to consider co-op teaching with a home school friend, too. Be creative and think about the options that are available to you. Remember that you don't have to do home schooling the same way every year.

2. Cut out all extra obligations. This is particularly important for moms who are nursing a baby or who are potty-training a toddler. These can be taxing seasons in a mom's life, and now may not be the best time to volunteer at church as the VBS director. That isn't to say that you shouldn't serve others, but be very prayerful, and seek your husband's input, before committing to anything outside your home.

3. When I was beginning home school pre-k activities with my son, and my daughter was an infant, I set up a "baby station" in each area of my house. I put the baby swing in one room, the high chair in the kitchen, and a bouncy seat in the basement. I also had a basket of diapers and wipes stocked on the main floor and in the basement, so I wouldn't have to leave an activity completely to change a diaper. I also held her on my lap and included her in whatever we were doing as much as possible. OOO... those were sweet moments!

My son was beginning to read at that time, so I always put my daughter down for her nap 30 minutes before my son. That 30 minute window was "mommy/son" time, and that's when we read together, and usually played a learning game together, without baby interruptions. While they were both sleeping, I had great expectations for getting things done, but sometimes, I slept! With older kids, you can still require them to spend 30 minutes a day quietly in their bedrooms, so everyone's quiet at once. You might not get a nap in, but you could at least take a shower, sip some hot tea.. or collapse on the couch and just close your eyes for awhile.

4. If you have a toddler on the move or potty-training, life may seem more hectic than if you have a newborn! Here are some fun things toddlers can do while you're helping older children with school work:

a. In and Out box: Put several random (safe) objects/toys in a big box, bag or bowl. You'll be amazed at how fun it is for your little one to take things out, put things in, and dump them out again.

b. Household objects: You know that kids love boxes better than the toys that come inside them! Find a box big enough to crawl in and out of. Give your toddler a bowl full of cotton balls to stir with a wooden spoon. Put a piece of scotch tape on his nose for him to try to take off (we call this the elephant nose game). A roll of toilet paper or ball of yarn also makes a really fun mess! (supervision required, of course!)

c. Motor Skills Development: Invest in some collapsible play equipment or a small indoor play structure. Tunnels are great fun! If you don't have a manufactured tunnel, build one with blankets over a table or chairs. Put an object at the end of the tunnel for your child to find and bring back.

d. Books, books, books! Provide plenty of cloth and board books for your toddler to enjoy. My kids sat and looked quietly at books very early; I'm sure it's partly because of their personalities, but it was also because their environment was saturated with books. I also LOVE the Color Wonder products (special finger paints and markers that work only on Color Wonder paper). Younger siblings love to do their "homework" like the big kids!

I'm sure there are lots of veteran home school moms out there who have home schooled with babies in tow. I'd love to hear how you made it work!

Have a great weekend, and enjoy those babies! If you know someone with a newborn, take her a casserole tomorrow!

Happy Home Schooling,
Mrs. Sherry

Q: Dear Mrs. Sherry,
I have a first grader and a three year old. Do you have any ideas you could share that I could use to keep my three year old busy while I work with my first grader?

A: I have a kindergarten student and a three year old, so we're in the same boat! Here are a few things I do to keep my boat afloat:

1. I plan ahead. I do write out a basic lesson plan sketch for each day, including plans for my three year old. I plan a number and a letter activity for her to do each day. In an index card file box, I have written out activities that my pre-k daughter can do from the toys/learning supplies I have on hand, and I choose one each day from one of the following categories: ABC's/Reading, Numbers/Math, Motor Skills, Language Development. I'll give some specific activity ideas below.

2. I (try to) stay organized. I keep all of the books we're currently using in a cute leather-look basket, and I have a caddy with all of my pens and teacher supplies nearby. The kids have all of their supplies in a pencil box, ready to go. This prevents wasting time looking for things which inevitably leads to mommy and kid melt-downs. One key to this is to make sure your school space is cleaned up and ready to go for the next day before bedtime the night before.

3. I do as much together as possible. The first thing we do is our "calendar time." We gather in front of our bulletin board to do the pledge, memory verse and pray. Then, we do calendar and math activities together. Next, we do an oral alphabet exercise. Sometimes, we'll recite a poem or sing a song that goes along with our current theme. As much as possible, I involve my 3-year old in what my kindergartener is doing. I adapt my expectations, and she has a great time. I imagine she absorbs a lot more than I realize. Sometimes, I let my kindergartener sit in the "teacher spot" with my pointer, and he leads his sister and I through our morning routine.

Here's one example of how I adapt the same activity for both of my kids: I give each child a die, a math "mat," and a bowl of teddy bear counters. My kindergarten student rolls the die twice, and sets out the correct number of teddy bear counters each time
on his math mat, then adds the total together. My pre-schooler rolls the die once, identifies the number on the die, and sets out the correct number of bears on her mat.

4. Okay, now for the fun stuff! Here are some fun, and meaningful, things for your pre-schooler to do while you work with an older student. Your pre-k kiddo might enjoy:

a. going on a scavenger hunt! (language development and motor skills) Make a list or a set of index cards up in advance of things your pre-k child can find. Include concrete clues (a sock, a ball) and abstract clues (something yellow, something pretty, something soft). Or, you can buy a pre-made set called My First Scavenger Hunt from www.pazow.com. This will keep her busy at least long enough for you to give directions to an older student.

b. texture play (language development and motor skills). Get out the biggest bowl you have an fill it with any of the following: rice, pasta, beans or sand. Add an extra bowl, a colander/sieve, measuring cups/spoons and a tin pie plate, and you're in the money! On sunny days, I open up the screen door, and send my little girl out on the deck to play; I sit at the table to work with my son so I can still see her, and then when my son does his work well, he may join her. He loves it, too! I LOVE the new moon sand; there's a special offer for it at www.moonsand.tv

c. "ticket time." As I mentioned before, I keep lots of things handy in our school room: foam blocks, lacing cards, puzzles, felt activities...and I choose one thing for her to do quietly, on her own, each day while my son reads to me. This is called our "ticket time." When my son reads with a good attitude, he gets a punch on his ticket toward earning a free mini-pizza; when my daughter plays quietly while we read, she gets a punch toward a new learning item (usually a bargain book I've found). Then, we swap, and I read with my daughter while my son plays, or we read/play all together.

d. watching a video. Okay, this is only for desperate moments, and we do this only when I really need a 30-minute block of time with my son. And, I'm really picky about what they can see. My daughter enjoys the Bella Ballerina activity DVD, and I like it, too, because it gets her up and moving, and learning. Otherwise, we're fans of Miss Pattycake, Dora or GoFish (www.gofishguys.com). If you don't have Miss Pattycake or GoFish in your pre-k DVD library, you're missing out.


Of course, there are also co-op opportunities which can be wonderful! Last year, I taught a 3-hour pre-k class once a week in our school room, while another mom led a play group for all the younger siblings in our play area downstairs. We took a break in the middle of the session and had prayer, snack and read a book all together. It was a perfect arrangement!

Being flexible with your schedule and involving dad or grandparents can also be a great way to get the job done.

I hope that gives you a few ideas to start with; tomorrow, I'll share some ideas that are helpful for those of you with toddlers or babies in your home school household.

I really love home schooling, and having a multi-age learning environment is a blessing. Capitalize on your situation as a positive, and you'll begin to see that having kids at different ages all learning together is an asset. It not only creates an incredible bond in your family, but also prepares your children well to work not only with peers, but also with people who are older and younger.

Happy Home Schooling!
Mrs. Sherry

Dear Home School Solutions Friends,

God has given you a January! Hooray!

If you're in need of a little inspiration to jump start the new year, the poem below is for you. Written by the founder of the Radio Bible Class, it's one of my favorites.

I don't write resolutions, but I do make goal posters for myself. I have several writing goals for 2008, and I have typed them out by month, and posted a copy by my computer. I gain a great sense of satisfaction when I can cross out a goal I've reached on my goal poster!

I also spent time last night creating home school lesson plans for the coming weeks and months. My practice is to outline themes on an annual timeline for each subject area at the beginning of the school year, and then I revise my plans in January. It's a great system for me, and keeps me on track.

I hope you'll take a few minutes to re-think your personal and/or home school plans and write down your goals this week. I believe the adage, "Fail to plan; plan to fail." Do remember that good plans are always flexible, however, so don't let your goals become chains.

Watch for upcoming blogs about occupying younger siblings while you teach older ones, and designing your home school space.

I hope you had a wonderfully merry Christmas as you celebrated the birthday of Jesus, and are looking forward to all God has planned for you in '07!

Happy Home Schooling,
Mrs. Sherry

"Start Over"
By Woodrow Kroll

When you've trusted Jesus and walked his way
When you've felt his hand lead you day by day
But your steps now take you another way,
START OVER

When you've made your plans and they've gone awry
When you've tried your best and there's no more try
When you've failed yourself and you don't know why,
START OVER

When you've told your friends what you plan to do
When you've trusted them and they didn't come through
And now you're all alone and it's up to you,
START OVER

When you've failed your kids and they're grown and gone
When you've done your best but it's turned out wrong
And now your grandchildren have come along,
START OVER

When you've prayed to God so you'll know his will
When you've prayed and prayed and you don't know still
When you want to stop cause you've had your fill,
START OVER

When you think you're finished and want to quit
When you've bottomed out in life's deepest pit
When you've tried and tried to get out of it,
START OVER

When the year has been long and successes few
When December comes and you're feeling blue
God gives a January just for you,
START OVER

Starting over means "Victories Won"
Starting over means "A Race Well Run"
Starting over means "The Lords' Will Done"
Don't just sit there.......
START OVER