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Published : April 18, 2009 |
Author : momofsix
Category : N. Household Management | Total Views
: 255 | Rating :  
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 momofsix
I am a homeschool mom with six children.
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Keeping Joy in the Home
1. Keep God first!
Set a time to get up early in the morning to pray and read. Stick to it! If the
morning is not a good time for you, then plan a time in the afternoon or evening. I like mornings
because it seems like the rest of the day goes much easier, and I receive instructions from God about
what I need to focus on for the day.
2. Take time for your husband.
Do small things like leave notes for him in the morning, Call
him and tell him how much you appreciate him. Plan a date night at least once a month where
you dress up for him. Don't criticize or nag him. Pray and give your frustrations to God instead. God does a
much better job at changing your husband!! If you try to change him, your attempts will be futile
and unsuccessful, and your marriage will feel the strain. Love him as the Bible commands.
Don't love him expecting something in return. Love him, and pray for him. God will greatly
reward you!
3. Take Care of yourself-
Eat healthy (sacrifice the wrong foods for your children and family). Eating the wrong
foods puts a huge strain on your immune system and thyroid gland, not to mention other parts of
your body. A quick way to get Iron is juicing beets or taking a big spoon of (health food store)
molasses in water- taste terrible but it works better than coffee!
Sleep!! There are times with young children that sleep is hard to come by. If you can,
schedule a quick 20 min. nap each day. Plan to go to bed early. The house may be messy, but
mom will be much happier if she gets her sleep. The children won't have memories of
whether the house was messy, but whether mom was a bear and upset all the time.
4. Have fun!!
You and your children need to have time playing chase in the yard, making
cookies, or sitting together to read. As your children get older and the academics get a little more
intense, make sure you keep a fun time to just wrestle, or run around with them.
5. Routine for the children.
As a school teacher, and having studied child psychology, I can tell
you that children feel much more secure and happy in a predictable environment. Whether you
chose a routine or schedule to follow, the important thing is to do the same thing every day.
Wow, you will find your flesh fight it, self discipline -yuck!! However, you will notice how
much easier the children will be to deal with (eliminate fussiness).
6. Discipline the children-
whatever consequences you issue, stick to it!! After each
disobedience, be quick to give the consequences. It isn't easy. However the firmer you are the
quicker the children will fall into line. Expect the first month to be rough, if this is new to you,
but the rest of the school year will be much, much easier.
7. Don't be a super woman-
Let your husband have the headship. Let him make the decisions for the family. A great
book on this is Daughters of Sarah. This book really helped me in letting my husband take the
lead in the family. You would be amazed at how much stress this will take off your shoulders.
DELEGATE your household duties. Don't try to pick up or clean up everything the
children mess up! Besides the fact that that in itself is exhausting, it teaches bad habits that will stay
with your children through their teenage years and married years (future spouse will thank you
later!). Use a chore chart or use a time frame where everyone cleans, etc. There are so many
different ways to approach this. Choose the path that is best for your family.
8. Delegate-activities and house!! schedule-keep things basic and not too busy. Too many
activities, and mom will be too exhausted; too much household clutter will overwhelm you!! Plan
a garage sale this summer and eliminate that clutter. It will make schooling much easier.
9.Take a Break
Plan your breaks throughout the day. How? Schedule or routine!!
Read a good book, listen to some music with a cup of tea in a corner.
Aromas that are soothing and relaxing are a special treat.
Recognize when you get under the most stress, and create a break during that time.
10. Assess your Goals.
Don't compare yourself to other home schoolers. Just as there is many different types of
ice cream there are different types of home schoolers. There are some home schoolers that may
use a traditional approach curriculum. There are others who prefer to use unit studies. We are
living in a wonderful time to home school with more choices than ever before. Remember that it
is God who gives us success - not the curriculum!
Also, don't compare what type of family you are to another family. We are all at different places in our
walks with the Lord. If one family seems to have it ALL together, they don't!! Discouragement
can come easily when we are always trying to compare. You may not be a chocolate ice cream
family. You may be a rainbow ice cream. Keep your goal that we are all trying to raise godly
children. There are many different ways to achieve the goal. Don't expect to do it the same way
your neighbor.
Most importantly, have grace and mercy with yourself. Don't expect unrealistic goals for
yourself. Each of us home schoolers are at a different season. Some of us have a lot of small
children, in which we have to let go of the perfectly clean house and ideal home schooling
expectations. Other home schoolers have older children and are dealing with different
challenges. Have grace and mercy with yourself, and this will pass onto your children.
11. Create the happy atmosphere in your home-
Use music, teaching the children quiet voices in the evening, light candles, dress children for bed early with bedtime stories or family time activities, give yourself time to dress for your husband. Set up your schedule for winding down in the
evening, greet your husband with a happy home. This will bless you and him, as well as the little
ones....
Lastly, no one is THERE yet. Don't believe anyone who says they are. We all fall short of
perfection. I am still working on the areas that I have shared with you. I am sharing with you
the things that God has impressed on my heart this school year. Isn't it amazing how good God
is? He cares about everything we do. I am grateful for the Holy Spirit that teaches us how to
home school. Seek the Lord for the real success of home schooling comes from Him.
How do I create a schedule or routine?
1. Begin by writing down time slots for the day. This is not meant to be legalistic but it will free
you, because it will give you a guideline for the day. Write down key meal times: breakfast,
lunch dinner.Use lines below.
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2. Write down the time you plan to do school with your children. You may leave an open slot
for three hours, or if they are older, more time. If you would like to have subject times, decide
on whether forty-five min. or an hour. Write that down.
3. Write the bedtime that you would like the children to go to bed. Studies say that young
children need twelve hours while older children may only need nine hours. Write down a time for
the children to prepare for bedtime (about thirty min.). However, if you want to help them with
this transition you may want a family quiet fun time or story time. Write a time frame for this.
You can always go back and change time frames once you iron out the kinks.
4. Decide when you want to get up in the morning (be realistic). Decide when you want your
time with God. Write that down. I like to get up with a hot cup of tea (healthier than coffee, and
healthy if you use herbs from your health food store-Raspberry tea leaves are high in Calcium,
Vit. A & C, Nettle leaves are high in Phosphorus, Vit. A & D, and Calcium, refer to great herbal
books to help provide info)
5. Determine a time for children to do chores. Make it the same time every day.
6. Write down a time for children to have outside fun.
7. Write down a time for you to have time with the children as a group.
8. Write down a time for your husband to have time to have fun with the children (even if it
is only 45 min. If it isn't planned it won't happen) Ask him to establish memories with the
children.
9. Write down a family time.
10. Write down a time for you to have one on one time with children.
11. Plan to do house work when the children do their chores. Put favorite music on, and all can
dance and sing as you do chores. |
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