Kerry Beck's Blog

Today I have guest author, Marilyn Rockett, sharing her tips on “STRESSLESS” organization.

by Marilyn Rockett

Now let me get this straight—a homeschool mom is supposed to teach her children (all academic subjects, all day long) while she keeps her home immaculate, bakes bread twice a week, chauffeurs the children to two activities per day, and still has time for her husband and her church. Right? A homeschool mother certainly didn’t start that rumor!

Regardless of false expectations, a homeschooling mother does have more to do on most days than almost any other human on the planet. Disorganization adds stress and frustration to her day. Is it possible to homeschool two children—or ten—and survive? Is it hard work? Yes, to both of those questions. However, when you’re organized, your job is much easier and less stressful.

STRESSLESS Organization

What does organization look like? Let’s eliminate the things that organization is not. It’s not having a perfect home that could go on the cover of a magazine at all times. It’s not running a boot camp in your home, never allowing a mess. It certainly isn’t having closets that could pose for the organized closet advertisements.

Organization is a state of mind and heart that desires God’s best for your home and family and the willingness to do whatever you need to do to work toward that best. It is a recognition that little things count. Elisabeth Elliot said it well in her book, Keep a Quiet Heart:

It is not easy to find children or adults who are dependable, careful, thorough, and faithful. So many lives seem honeycombed with small failures, neglectful of the little things that make the difference between order and chaos. Perhaps it is because they are so seldom taught that visible things are signs of an invisible reality; that common duties may be “an immeasurable ministry of love” (Revell, 1995).

If you experience stress due to disorganization, perhaps applying these ten principles will help you “stress less” in your home and homeschool.

See God’s perspective

In the bustle of life, we often are shortsighted and don’t realize how much the little things count. Training your children in the importance of every-day duties is as necessary as training them in academic subjects. God is a God of order; He made us in His image; and Scripture is replete with admonitions to plan well, count our days, and do things decently and in order. God tells us to do those things because they reflect His character. God never calls us to do anything for which He does not provide the means to obey that call. If you have grown lax in your homekeeping, you need to see your home from God’s perspective.

Take time to plan

Planning well does take time. However, it takes much less time to plan than to try to recover from the consequences of no planning. Each morning stop a moment to review the day’s plans, or each evening take ten minutes to plan the following day. Take a larger block of time once a week to review the coming week. Ecclesiastes 8:5b-6a tells us that a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure for everything. That is only true when you take time to reflect on wise plans.

Reevaluate your plans

Your plans don’t always work out as you thought or hoped they would, do they? When you see that a particular plan or method is not working, you need to reevaluate to see where you can make an effective change. Plans are your tools and means to accomplish the important things in life. It is normal for plans to change when they are not serving the intended purpose. An old proverb says, “A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.” Continual reevaluation will help you reach your intended destination.

Establish priorities

The most difficult part of getting organized is making choices. When your priorities are firmly established, you are able to fill your time with the best choices, maintaining a sense of direction. Personal and family priorities keep you on track and help you say no to things that do not fit your established priorities. Conscious choices are better than choices by default. A written Family Mission Statement, compiled by the family, gives direction and keeps balance in your home. Sit down together and decide what is most important to the family. Fill in the blanks for these statements: Our family purpose is _____. Does _______ [a specific activity] fit our purpose? Your list allows you to produce a mission statement that brings the family together for common purposes.

Set goals

Priorities give you direction, but goals are the means that move you in that direction. For success, goals must be simple, specific, measurable, and attainable. State goals in positive rather than negative terms. “I won’t let the laundry pile up” is not a goal. “I will keep the laundry current and in the drawers/closets immediately after it is clean each week” is a positive goal. “I will wash one load of laundry per day, Monday through Friday, will fold the load before lunch, and will have the children put the clean clothes away after lunch” is a plan to reach that goal. Don’t overplan and try to accomplish too many things at once. Work on the things that bother you most or the things that are out of control before tackling other problems. When you prioritize a problem and set a goal for changing it, you put the problem on track for a remedy. Your feeling of accomplishment when you see progress in areas in which you struggle motivates you to continue setting other goals.

Simplify Your System

No matter what method you chose to keep up with your activities, keep it simple. Some people prefer to use only a calendar; others prefer a nice paper planner or electronic means. Don’t tie yourself to a method that seems too complicated for you. Your planner or organizer is your tool and it should help you get the things done that you need to do. If it doesn’t, examine why that is true. Are you failing to use it properly to help you, or is it the wrong tool for you? Simplify your choices in every area possible—meals, schedule, and housework—and establish a simple, basic routine for your homekeeping. If you stick to a simple household routine, adding extras when possible, you will always have the basics accomplished.

List Your Plans

Lists won’t do your work for you, but they do keep you on track and aid your memory as your day squeezes tighter. If you keep one central planner or notebook, you will avoid scattered or lost notes to yourself. A written plan crystallizes your thinking and holds you accountable for what you said you were going to do. It helps you see the bigger picture when you record your plans and activities on a calendar, plan book, or notebook. How you put it in writing isn’t as important as actually doing it in some way. Use what is comfortable for you.

Eliminate Clutter

We don’t like to talk about clutter, and it frustrates us in multiple areas of our lives. We are ashamed of the messes (otherwise, why would we try to explain them away), and clutter usually causes more difficulty in our lives than we realize. The truth is that life is messy in all kinds of ways, and we have to face it eventually. Strive for the balance that I call “functional neatness”—neat enough to be peaceful and messy enough to be happy. Deal with the clutter in your life and experience freedom to produce fruit in important things. In the process, you will also teach your children to be good stewards of their possessions and their time.

Slow down

Life moves fast. Why do we believe that we can add more and more to our lives and not suffer the consequences? Homeschooling affords the opportunity for us to love and raise our children at a pace that produces real fruit and real life. Place time with the Lord first—He is your source of strength and wisdom. Learn to say no based on your priorities, and take time to rest and refresh yourself to continue in your mission. In a little book of quotations, I came across this wise advice: “One half the troubles of this life can be traced to saying yes too quick and not saying no soon enough” (Josh Billings, quoted in Little Things, edited by Louise Bachelder, The Peter Pauper Press, 1969). Slow down to eternal speed and enjoy your family!

Stay the course

If you haven’t planned well, evaluate how you failed and plan to do better. God is the one who is able, and His grace is boundless. When you commit to persevere, He will honor that commitment and lift you up to fulfill your mission. The Word of God encourages you to persevere in the most important task the Lord has called you to do—raise godly children. “Therefore, my beloved [sisters], be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NASB). “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass” (I Thessalonians 5:24, NASB).

I love what A. A. Milne (creator of Winnie-the-Pooh) said about organization: “Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up”* In order to display God’s glory through our homes and families, we don’t want our homes to be “all mixed up.” With God’s strength, you can reverse what could possibly be your most stress-inducing concern—disorganization. You and your family will reap the peaceful rewards of an organized household.

* Retrieved online, July 16, 2006. http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/a._a._milne/2.html

Marilyn Rockett is a “graduated” homeschool mom of four grown sons and Mimi to six homeschooled grandchildren, teaching for fifteen years before the Rocketts ran out of sons to teach. She is a contributor to multiple books and is the author of Homeschooling at the Speed of Life, her latest book that provides encouragement and organizational helps with a scriptural emphasis. For more than twenty-five years, Marilyn has worked in the homeschool community locally, statewide, and nationally and has contributed articles to many publications. She is currently a regular columnist for Homeschooling Today® magazine and speaks at homeschool and Christian women’s events as well as presenting her own “Minding Your Time” seminars. Visit her website at www.MarilynRockett.com or contact her at Marilyn@MarilynRockett.com

Today I have guest author, Janice Campbell, sharing on teaching your teen entrepreneurial experience.

by Janice Campbell

Once your students hit the teen years, chances are that they are looking forward to relevant, real-world applications for what they are learning. Many of them will have a hobby that they can, with a little guidance and a few resources, turn into a thriving microbusiness. The best thing about business for teens is that they gain practical entrepreneurial experience on a small, reasonably risk-free scale. The next best thing is that they just might end up with a career they love!

What Does a Microbusiness Look Like?

You may wonder what a microbusiness is, or what kind of things a teen can do as a small business. A microbusiness is usually a tiny business, often home-based, that is started and run without obtaining financing. It is low risk, and many regular businesses can be started on a microbusiness scale. Let me give you a few examples from my own experiences. Perhaps it will help your teen develop a vision for the type of business he or she would like to try.

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial bent, so I started my first microbusiness when I was young enough not to be embarrassed to drag my little red wagon through the neighborhood. For several years, I’d wait for avocado season, then load my wagon and peddle avocados through several blocks of our neighborhood. Our tree was really large, so I averaged nearly $100 a year, selling them at .25-50 cents each. I also sold lemons and limes, but those trees were a bit smaller so I didn’t make nearly as much. I started a savings account and saved most of my income, and years later, used it to help pay wedding expenses.

In intermediate school, I started a second microbusiness creating macramé bracelets with people’s names beaded in. I purchased the letter beads as I received orders, so I didn’t have to carry much inventory, and I made a very nice profit for as long as those were in style.

Beginning in high school, I started doing calligraphy on certificates, diplomas, and other items, and that business lasted into adulthood. Eventually, I taught calligraphy at craft stores and the community college for several years before transitioning into writing and speaking. I love what I do now, and don’t have any retirement plans!

I enjoyed each of my businesses, and in each one, I learned something a little different. My parents were very wise- they were there to answer questions or provide support services, but they didn’t make decisions for me, and they let me start, run, and drop each business in a very natural way. There was no pressure to keep working at a business when I was ready to move on. Daddy kept my wagon wheels oiled, and my mom took me to the craft store when I needed beads or pen nibs. I felt both responsible and supported.

Microbusinesses are an excellent addition to a teen’s curriculum. If your student is interested, he or she should begin by researching possibilities. I have a “home business” section on my website, with quite a bit of information and links to more, and the Small Business Administration offers a vast array of useful information on its website.

The essential thing is to let the teen do the research, choose the business, and make the relevant decisions, because that is how the most learning occurs. One of my sons taught himself programming, and started making websites when he was very young. This provided him with experience, a bit of income, and a nice line on his resume. He graduated from college with his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, and went directly into an excellent corporate job in the field.

Although I granted him credit on his transcript for what he learned, I didn’t teach him any of it– he found out what he needed to learn, and studied and practiced on his own. If he had waited for me to figure it out and create a “class,” we may never have gotten past the smattering of Basic programming commands I remembered from college in the early 1980’s. Not terribly useful!

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Originally, I planned to write what God is teaching me about the beatitudes today.  But, I’ve been reading 2 Samuel in the mornings and decided to write about showing more grace.

When David returns to Israel, after his son Absalom is killed, David encounters a variety of men.  One of these men is Shimei, who cursed David, the Lord’s annointed one.  Shimei tells David, “I have sinned. . . I am the first to come today of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet the lord the king.”  David’s men ask for permission to slay Shimei since he cursed David.

What does David do when he could have Shimei killed for just reasons?

…He showed mercy!

Shimei did not deserve mercy, but David showed mercy.

Mephibosheth rushes to meet David as well.  Earlier in the book, it appeared that Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, had deserted David.  At least that’s the story the servant tells David.  We learn that Mephibosheth was deceived.  Mephibosheth was actually faithful to David, not trimming his moustache or washing his clothes the entire time David was kicked out of Jerusalem. David extends grace to Mephiboseth and gives back the land.

Finally, Barzillai comes to meet King David.  Barzillai is about 80 years old, with not much time left to live.  Barzillai provided David with supplies while David fought Absalom.  David asks Barzillai to cross the Jordan to live with the king, but Barzillai refuses.  He would rather live his last few years at home.  Instead, David extends the same grace to his servant, Chimham.  Chimham doesn’t deserve to David’s kindness, but David exhibits grace to him.

As I read these stories, I ask myself how often I show grace and mercy to those around me.

Am I merciful & gracious to my husband?

…Or do I nag him?

Do I show mercy to my kids?

…Or do I make them “tow the line” which leads to legalism?

Do I extend grace to my friends?

…Or am I critical of the way they handle a situation?

One question I am asking myself is this, “What do my kids hear me talk about?”  If I’m always complaining about the way things are going at church, I am not showing mercy.  If I’m complaining about the way my husband handles a situation with our kids, I am not being gracious.  If I’m complaining about the kids, I’m not being Christlike.

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God….as lights in the world.  Philippians 2:13-14

Lastly, I’m reminded how often God is merciful to me when I fail him.  How gracious he is when I sin against him.  I am quickly reminded how important it is to be merciful and gracious to those around me.

Since this is National Pancake Week, why not celebrate and have pancakes for dinner???  Use your favorite pancake recipe and add your favorite topping.

If you don’t have a pancake recipe, this is the one I’ve been using over 20 years.

1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup flour

Mix the wet ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients all at one time and blend well.  Pour on to hot griddle.  Flip when bubbles on pancake.  Add syrup and eat while hot.  YUM YUM!

These verses meant alot to me several years ago.  As I read them again, I am reminded how important it is to have a soft, repentant heart for God.

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart – These, O God, You will not despise.

Psalm 51:16-17

What kind of heart do you have today?
Do those around you see a broken & repentant heart for God? repentant of our sins?

Today I have guest author and also a dear friend, Sharon Jeffus, sharing
ideas on incorporating music into art.

by Sharon Jeffus

My father had an amazing collection of old records.  The size of these old records can be large or small, but they make a wonderful lesson in fine art and painting.   Before you use an old record for artistic purposes, check this website to see if it has any value: http://www.wikihow.com/Sell-Old-Phonograph-Records

I found that most old records had no value.  I didn’t want to throw them away and I found that no one wanted them, so I got the idea to paint on them with children.  Not only can children recognize and learn painting technique, but it is an opportunity to talk about music history as well.

When I teach positive/negative space to children, I always mention the master artist Rembrandt.   He was a Dutch Baroque artist considered one of the greatest painters and

printmakers in  European art history.  The picture above is just one example of his use of positive and negative space.  Go to this website to see more examples: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembrandt

Another interesting study in art is the use of oval and circle surfaces for paintings in the Renaissance.

The above picture is by Botticelli.  As you can see, it is painted on a dark circle background.  This could easily be done on a record.  Painting on a circle shape is a challenge in itself.  What is the center of interest in this picture?  What do you look at first and why?  On important thing I always tell my students is how nothing is just one color.  Things are different colors because of how the light falls in the picture.

When I started painting on records, I realized that acrylic paint was the best kind to use and that sometimes two or three coats were needed.  I also realized that creating textures was an exciting and easy thing to do.  The best plan is to give students a circle piece of white paper before they paint, and allow them to put the composition on the paper first.

The delightful thing about this form of art is that you can paint on one side of the record and listen to the other.  Target and Sam’s Club both have record players that are CD and tape players, too.  On the opposite side of my aquarium record work of art, the songs are “Sunrise Serenade, “and similar pieces.

Classical music goes perfect with my outer space record.

I am just starting to watch children create wonderful things and learn music and art at the same time from this lesson.  They can even listen to World War 2 songs while studying history.  In my dad’s collection are Burl Ives and his wonderful folk songs, so enchanting for children to listen to.  Younger children can listen to his song “The Bear on the Ball with the Parasol” and then do a picture of it.  The St. Louis Symphony has a competition each year where children picture a piece of classical music.

Children also learn recycling.  Come to our new visualmanna.com website where you can get many lessons similar to this.  Our newest book, Dinosaurs, Dragons, Castles and Knights will be followed by Saving Money in Hard Times/Arts and Crafts used in the Depression.

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Copyright Sharon Jeffus, 2010.

This article is by Sharon Jeffus of Visual Manna. You can go to visualmanna.com for information on her books and internet workshops. Students learn techniques and how to do art step by step live on the internet. You can email her at visualmanna@gmail.com for information.

Today I have guest author, Cindy Rushton, sharing ideas on Notebooking.

by Cindy Rushton

Heard your buddies talking about Notebooking? Intrigued? Want to know more? OR…have you been Notebooking for years? Just need a bit of encouragement? Some fresh new ideas?

Well, wherever you are…however you prefer to teach your children…regardless of your children’s abilities, or even disabilities, you will find that Notebooking is EASY as A, B, C!

There is something precious about Notebooking that can transform any writer into an “addicted writer,” especially when they see that their work is precious to those they love the most. Notebooking can help us all to document those almost impossible studies that we really need to document. In fact, Notebooking is one idea that can revolutionize your homeschool. It has ours! This one idea can take your most reluctant writer and turn him into a researcher, who loves to write.

Want to know more? Let’s take a closer look at some Notebooking ABC’s…

A…Anybody Can Notebook!

Who? What ages? Well, this is perhaps the most exciting part about Notebooking! All ages can develop a notebook. High-schoolers can use the researching and recording skills developed through Notebooking for their daily lessons and then for the rest of their lives. Elementary age struggling writers will LOVE Notebooking. Even your toddlers will be thrilled to keep their pictures and “copywork” in their very own special notebook. Oh, even YOU will treasure keeping your own notebooks.

Oh, that is not all! It does not matter if your young writer is a whiz, your writer will be challenged daily by the skills that must be used with Notebooking. If you are a bit reluctant because your child already seems already a bit allergic to their pencil, your child is sure to love this one! In fact, I can almost promise that if you will just give Notebooking a try (What can you lose if the other ideas are not working?), you will find a different child within a year! Yes, this is one other thing that I love about Notebooking—it meets all of us right where we are. All abilities can be challenged through Notebooking. All interests can be developed completely. All learning styles are drawn to Notebooking. Notebooking is for anyone, well actually it is for everyone!

B…Because…Learn Why You Should Try Notebooking???

I have always been a “why” person. Convince me of “WHY” I am to do something and you have got me for life! Well, I want for you to know just a few of the perks that we have found along the way as we have used Notebooking for all subjects of study within our home. I will list and briefly explain a few…

* A place for everything and everything in its place! There is something deep within me that MUST have a place for everything AND must have everything in its place. In the busy homeschool, this has been my greatest struggle. I like to KNOW where things are and that I can be sure to find them when I need them. I also like for things to stay nice, especially if my children have worked so hard to finish their work with excellence. Hands-down, Notebooking is the best and easiest way to KEEP your child’s work nicely in a place that it can not only be found, but can also be viewed at any time by any one. A simple 3-ring binder can be used, by the child, to keep records naturally (and easily)…to help them see their progress… to teach them to be neat and orderly…and to encourage and teach the disciplines that are crucial for them all of their life (record-keeping, researching, thinking and discerning, organizing, categorizing, outlining, in-depth studies, writing). What amazes me the most is how effective this simple discipline is in training and developing the gifts of all children regardless of which age you begin using Notebooking or what level their current writing abilities may be.

* Perfect for each child and each family…I don’t know if you are as particular about the material that your children study, but this was one of the greatest concerns that we had as we began to homeschool. The problem with this is that EVEN in the homeschool market, there are materials that are in opposition to what we believe on a wide variety of topics and subjects. If this does not make things tough enough, materials are often written for specific ages and grades instead of to people of all ages and grades, making the material either “dumbed-down” or completely boring. Then, to top-it-off, we have run across great materials with completely inaccurate information. What to do, what to do??? Oh! Notebook!

* In order to teach our children our beliefs AND what others believe (and why we DON’T believe the same way), we have to search for material from a wide variety of sources. Notebooking is the perfect place to compile all of the information so our children can form their own beliefs and convictions based on a very thorough foundation. We don’t have to worry about age or grade segregated materials either. We can take out the great information (pictures, charts, terms, quotes, and stories), compile it in our notebooks, so all is used most effectively regardless of age. We even use the materials that have great pictures yet, have very little or sometimes NO truth in them. All can be used to build a notebook…well, all under our direction, which is yet another of the benefits of Notebooking!

* Wherever your child is…whatever may concern you…Notebooking gives the flexibility to teach to the child, not the book. Notebooking is so versatile. It goes the pace of the child. It can easily be added to any curriculum, especially those that could use a breath of life. Even those hard to document subjects or unit studies can be recorded in notebooks. Not to mention, LIFE can also be recorded in notebooks! Since education really consists of life, Notebooking documents the true education that takes place in the home.

* Notebooking is FUN!!! One of my struggles as we began homeschooling was the guilt I felt when we REALLY had fun homeschooling. Where on earth would my children learn the “fact of life” that life is not always fun??? (The answer to this question is CHORES!) Where would they learn to continue working even when it was tough…especially if they never had a hard time with their lessons? (The answer to this question is CHORES!) How could they learn from a wide variety of subjects unless those lessons were dictated by a curriculum? (This answer is coming soon!) Can education be effective and challenging IF it is fun?? (This answer is YES! Glorious YES!)

Well, well…this brings us to another advantage to Notebooking: Notebooking is FUN! The notebooks are wrapped around areas of interests NOT subjects. In fact, subjects are not even the focus. Instead, subjects are blended into study, in context, so they make sense instead of being disjointed and artificial. Since subjects are taught as part of the topic, children begin to see that learning is part of life—real life! They see that life is FULL of learning! Learning becomes a lifestyle, instead of in a box or to just pass a test.

In our home, we have found that our children have certain individual interests. If those interests are the means that we use to introduce new material, we can pretty much teach anything and be assured that they will develop a love for that new topic. Want a picture of what this looks like??? Our oldest son, Matthew (fifteen when I first wrote this article) absolutely LOVES anything to do with History, the military, and the “why” behind anything (even Phonics!). We have found that this VERY “boy” boy loves poetry…if it is historical in nature. He loves art…well, IF it depicts historical events (His favorite artists are Mort Kunstler and Norman Rockwell…both known for capturing American Life on canvas!). He loves music…especially if it represents ideas (He has collected lots of different songs from the Civil War for his notebooks. He loves them for daily Copywork AND believes that they tell the REAL story behind History!! Cute huh??) Your child is wired the same way. Regardless of your child’s interest, you can reach them through the discipline of Notebooking. ANY topic is game…even, well, ESPECIALLY if it is fun!

* No Artificial Deadlines!!! Remember writing assignments in high school and college? What is your stomach doing as you think about them? Probably churning as you remember those late nights living off of caffeine just to “buy” enough hours in the day to make the deadlines. Even now, I am not a “deadline” writer. My best work has to be mulled around…thought upon…lived…loved…and made a part of ME. Deadlines take away the heart of topics, and eventually the heart of education as well. In fact, they teach us that the product, even if it is shallow and undeveloped, is more important than the process or the relationships with the areas of study. Want true success? Want to develop a writer who loves writing?? Try the discipline of Notebooking!

* Notebooking follows the pace of your child. Whether your child comes to a skill that is challenging him to his limits or your child needs to find a real challenge in his education, Notebooking meets them where they are and gently challenges them onward without frustrating them! Notebooking, also, allows for growth.

An example of this comes from our family. We have many notebooks that have developed over the years. There are some that have had seasons of intense focus…followed by YEARS of dormancy…only to come back with such a passion that they have developed into workshops, magazine articles, books, and even several series’ of books! There are also many that have developed during a study that is now complete. Those are no less special. It is just that they are not “life” studies as others seem to be. In fact, some have been just for personal edification and for personal study. We keep them ALL! They are all beloved! They grow with us…and sometimes they even let us outgrow them. They are still beloved friends along our journey! Each has helped us to be more and more creative. Each has nurtured our delights and interests and in turn, continued our self-education.

* Encourages In-depth Studies… When I began Notebooking, it had nothing to do with homeschooling. It was as a practical discipline for my own studies. I began as a young wife to study in depth what the Bible said about being a godly wife, mother, mentor, and woman. I just naturally began to compile information along the way. Where did I keep it? In a three-ring binder of course! If I had not had a place to put little goodies that came along my way, I would probably have never continued the study for the last 15 years. I am also pretty certain that I would not write as much as I do had I not been able to find the information in “its spot” after I collected it. I probably would have grown very discouraged to not have a good system for keeping all of my dear information.

Our children are wired the same way. Notebooking is a discipline you will find in common with many of the greatest writers of all time. I love that in Scripture we see God commanding that the kings be trained by copying His Law in a book of their own so that it could be with them all of their lives (Deuteronomy 17: 18-20). Oh, it is not just for training…it is also a practice kept by God Himself (see Malachi 3: 16). Can’t you just see heaven? Full of shelves and shelves of binders???? Hoot! Hoot!

My dear friend, Notebooking is not just a technique that has been thought up over the last few years. It is eternal. It can continue as long as they would like to continue with a notebook or a topic. It is not limited to certain ages or grades, and of course, not to just one project or just in accompaniment to projects that come along the way. Notebooking can be a life discipline. No scope-and-sequences…focus on subjects…or hurt feelings from grading their hard work with red pens and abundant criticism. Instead, your children can develop a discipline of collecting gems and great information. They can dig deeper in areas of interest. And imagine…this covers all of those subjects naturally and EASILY!

* A Unique, Individual, Personalized Education! As I think of all of the benefits of Notebooking, I have to say that of all of them, I think this one is the most precious to me. Notebooking encourages a completely unique, individual, personalized education. There are NO topics off limits. ANYTHING can be a topic. If it can be a topic for a career or a book, it is game.

Think of those topics most mothers find their most reluctant writers “into”…baseball, dogs, history, sewing, racing, cooking, travel, games, on and on!! All of these can be used for notebooks (Did I leave out your child’s topic?? Trust me, I probably listed it in my book!). There are no limits! Notebooks can adapt to your child’s personality, creativity, and talents. There is NO right way to create a notebook NOR any wrong way to make a notebook. This is not to be vague, rather it is to encourage independence, creativity, and originality!

C…Chomping at the Bit??? Want to Know How To Get Started Now???

All right…fired up yet? Ready? Chomping at the bit to get busy building those notebooks??? Here are some easy how-to’s…

* Gather Your Supplies… Your supplies can be as simple as a 3-ring binder per child, plastic sheet protectors, and a pencil per child. The great thing about Notebooking is that you can make this whatever you would like! Over the years, Notebooking has worked so wonderfully in our home that we are constantly on the lookout for different and fun supplies. Since I am a Scrapbooking nut, we love trying out all of the new Scrapbooking supplies during our daily Notebooking time. Of course, you do not have to go this wild…but, I am sure you will want to! If you have no idea where to begin, see our shopping list for quick ideas of our favorite supplies!

* Make Them Accessible…Set aside a place for your materials and a place for your children to work. There is something wonderful about having a place for everything and everything RELIABLY in its place. The work in the beginning is well worth the time during the school year. When we begin a new study, I go through my books copying all pages that would make great coloring pages to go along with our Copywork and Narrations. I also reduce many pictures or copy all thumbnails that would be great for our History Timelines. We have a shelf that contains books that I find along the way with great Copywork that I would like for my children to add to their notebooks on those “no ideas are flowing” days. Just having everything there, ready to go, is such a blessing on those busy mornings. Plus, I have learned over the years that this is the best way to really utilize the resources that I have on my shelves.

Just file away any pages or pictures in either Manila envelopes or file folders. If the children know where they are, they are more than likely to use them on their own. Also, you will want to use anything else that you have in your home. I keep our paints, papers (plain and colored cardstock and 20lb paper; writing paper; etc.), glues, templates, cutting utensils, rulers, markers, pens, pencils, etc. on a shelf and in plastic bins by our dining table (where we do our daily lessons). They are in their spot and that spot is close by. If we want to encourage our young writers, we must give them free access to the best materials. The benefits are unbelievable!

* Turn Your Children Loose! Yep! This is all that is left! Inevitably, when I teach workshops on Notebooking, I can almost see the brains of mothers clicking away with one tough reality, “IF ONLY I HAD MORE TIME TO DO THIS!” Oh, beloved! Notebooking is not another thing for you to do! The hard part is almost over. The hard part is learning what this is all about and how to get everything together so we can turn our children loose!

When we began Notebooking, I copied a Bible Verse a day as a model for my son to copy. As he copied his verse, he would place his page for the day in a plastic sheet protector and add it to his notebook. The next day, his page for that day would slide in behind that page. The next day, he would add another page in another page protector. We built the entire notebook; not specific divisions or subjects. We chose not to divide by subjects because we wanted a nice full “product” built over time. As we added to the notebook each day, I could see the delight building in my young writers. They would sit and just flip through the pages. They loved seeing success. They loved seeing the notebook build up.

As time went on, my son began to find and copy poems that he liked, songs from church hymnal or from his history lessons. He began a collection of art prints. He added maps that highlighted journeys. At the end of the first year, we had a bulging notebook and a young writer that had gone from reluctant to really excited! The notebook quickly became “his own” notebook. At the end of the year, we divided our notebooks (there was no room to add anything else) into obvious divisions. We had a Bible Notebook, a History Notebook, a Poetry Notebook, and another Copybook. All of these have continued and several have divided into other notebooks through the years. As your children dig into their interests, they may have other Notebooks that develop. Let them go! You will learn more about your children as they learn more about topics AND writing!

So, What Do You Think?

Easy as A, B, C? Want to give it a try? If I could ask every homeschooling family to do just one thing, it would be to just give Notebooking a try. I am sure that if you try just a bit, you will be addicted too! So, think about it. Pray about it. Then, get those supplies. Set aside a spot for your supplies. Then, turn those budding young writers loose! Want to know what will happen? They will be addicted too!

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Need more help? Check out Cindy’s resources for teaching the Charlotte Mason Approach. They are the best!  Get Cindy’s Organized Mom Super Set to help your family get organized in your homeschool efforts today!

1. Keep your child’s schedule in mind. If your toddler usually naps from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a noon trip to the dry cleaners is more likely to trigger a meltdown. You might have to make more than one trip to get all of your errands done, but the extra gas may be worth it.
2. Tag team. Consider running errands with a friend (preferably one who has kids around the same age as yours). She can distract your child (and vice versa) when necessary or, if things get really bad, one mom can sit in the car with all the kids while the other gets the shopping done for both households.
3. Get the important things done first. Do the errands that can’t wait until tomorrow, today. Of course you don’t want to make multiple trips, but “trying to cover too much territory can backfire,” Jen Singer points out at American Baby.
4. Bring your bag of tricks. Just as having special toys at the ready helps when you have to work from home with little kids underfoot, having a set of “car toys” that only come out when you’re in the minivan can make running errands a treat instead of a chore.
5. Make at least one of the errands “kid friendly.” Stopping at the playground after the post office is a welcome break that can help keep boredom at bay for the rest of the day. No time for the swings? Pick up a cookie at the bakery before you steer your cart toward the grocery store check-out line; it’ll make the wait a lot sweeter for your child.
6. Pack plenty of the necessities. There are several things you should keep on hand whenever you leave your house with your child in tow: Wipes, diapers, juice boxes or sippy cups, snacks, extra clothing, and small trash bags are among the basics you should keep stashed in your car at all times.
7. Let your child get involved. Just because he’s strapped in the cart doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to help. Have your toddler help you pick items in the produce aisle — he can point to the perfect apples if you don’t want him to touch them.
8. Build extra time into your schedule. Sure, when you run errands alone you might be able to get everything done in a couple of hours. But toddlers dawddle, mishaps occur, and going anywhere with kids takes extra time. Planning for it will significantly reduce your stress levels.
9. Shop online. Avoiding a public meltdown may be worth the price of shipping. Bonus: Some stores allow you to buy online but make returns at a brick-and-mortar location.

Tips courtesy of workitmom.com and the Work It, Mom! Team

This weekend I discovered that I had problems with my blog.  If you signed up to receive email updates when I make a post, it hasn’t been doing that…since Sept 2009.  I’ve been working with support and fixed the problem…AND made another problem.  My blog broadcast sent you about 10 emails today.

I am sooo sorry!

I had no idea it would try to do “catch-up” on my blog.  I think it is fixed now, so you should receive emails when I post to my blog.  If you’re still having problems, please email me  info<at> curriculumconnection <dot> net

I’ll be posting my Valentine gift to you shortly.

Here’s another simple mexican meal you can make in less than 30 minutes.

Taco Bowls with Guac-a-Salsa Salad

Leftovers would make fast lunches.