Uncategorized

The long days of winter can seem like they tirelessly go on and on and on.  This is especially true if you have a household full of little ones and they are just running around the house ragged trying  to burn off some energy.  In our  home we have many days where we bring in the scooters, slide over the furniture and the children ride laps around the house.  It helps to burn off some energy, sometimes ends in some smashed toes, but overall they have a fun time.  But lets just say you can’t bring the scooters in because it could cause some running over of little ones, what else can you do?  Here are thirty things we have done over the years to help occupy little ones when those long days of winter seem to drag on.

1. Play baseball with a wooden spoon and a balloon.
2. Let children help make Daddy’s favorite meal and set the table like you are having company.
3. Teach children to tie shoes.
4. Let them play with suitcases, so they can pretend they are travelig.
5. Cut out pictures and past them into a homemade construction paper book.
6. Visit a lonely neighbor.
7. Make finger jell-o with cookie cutter shapes.
8. Put a homemade gift in the mailbox for the mailman.
9. Make face masks with brown paper bags.
10. Pack a picnic and let the children eat it in a toy house made with a card table and blankets over top.
11. Make marshmallow snowman with three big marshmallows and toothpicks.
12. Make a thankful list and see how long you can make it.  Put it away as something to look back on.
13. Play I Spy.
14. Put potatoes in water to watch them sprout.
15. Have a real tea party.
16. Help them plan for company and decide the menu.
17. Draw faces on white foam cups and plant grass seed.  You can give hair cuts to your plants.
18. Make paper snowflakes.
19. Teach simple embroiderl.
20. Get a washer box to play in.
21. Make paper airplanes.
22. Hide a small toy and let them find it.
23. Let them make a homemade card to mail to someone.
24. Make your children’s favorite food.
25. String up Cheerios.
26. Read bedtime stories each night.
27. Let children make notes to put into Dad’s lunch.
28. Let the children do the dusting.
29. Play hopscotch by using masking tape to mark off areas.
30. Practice throwing rolled up socks into a large bowl.

Want to help build some excitement in your home?  Take these and write them on slips of paper and put them into a bowl.  Every afternoon at 2 o’clock have your child pull out a task and you can do it with them.  Do only one a day and then each day at that time they can look forward to their “fun” time with Mom.  Or you can write a different idea on a calendar to remember to do one each day.  Just something to change the monotony of boring, being locked up inside days.

I long for warmer days………….I am right there with you….from a Mom of many little ones.

I was asked to put together a list of some of the mistakes that parents make when choosing to homeschooling.  I am speaking from direct experience as I write this out.  Things I have personally learned to do and not to do.

Top ten mistakes made by homeschooling parents–and written out of motivation from what I have done wrong:)

 1.  Thinking “one size fits all.”

Every child is unique and learns at different rates, with different methods, and in their own ways.  That is what makes up who we are, our job as parents is to find out “how” to teach them so that we can do an effective job.

2.  Being unprepared.

I love the saying, “If you fail to plan, than you are preparing to fail.”  So true in life and with homeschooling.  You have to have a plan before you begin to know what to accomplish.

3.  Being motivated by fear.

One thing I learned early on is that everyone wants to question your motives and methods.  Even well meaning people.  They will wonder why your child can’t read or can’t spell a certain word by age 6.  Don’t let fear of your child not being able to do something motivate you to teach them.  If you work with them, naturally they are going to learn and if they don’t get something at the “public school standards time frame” they will learn it eventually.

4.  Always rescuing your children.

Life is going to have disappointments and failures.  It is part of the learning process we go through.  If we always try and “save” our children from falling, they are never going to learn how to get back up and continue onward.

5.  Being inconsistent.

When a child knows what to expect, and what the consequences will bring if they do not, they will comply.  But if they know that maybe that “one time” you will give in, then they will push you to the limits.  Having a routine helps your child know how to set personal and time management goals, which is key in life.

6.  Not admitting when we as parents are wrong.

If we can humble ourselves and admit our failures and wrong doings to our children, this will go a long way when teaching life lessons for them.

7.  Leading based on emotions instead of principle.

Getting emotionally involved when necessary is only going to lead to more heated conflict.  You need to separate yourself from the situation and teach from a distance.  Giving instruction, but not giving into their whims.  That is what they desire.  They desire to toil with your emotions and if you give in one time, they will remember that for the next time they want to manipulate you.

8.  Saying “yes” to too many engagements outside of the home.

You cannot teach your children how to learn contentment in life, if you are constantly filling up your schedule.  Children need time to sit and do work, where they don’t need to feel rushed.  They need time to think, to plan, to dream.  Having outside the home activities is fine, but if it is not creating a peaceful haven in your home, evaluate which ones you need to cut back on.

9.  Internet overhaul.

There are a million great ideas on the web.  I love Pinterest just as much as the next person, but if we are constantly looking up ideas and wanting to do every last one to fulfill a desire within ourselves it is wrong. Pick one and work through it.  Then when it is finished, move onto another idea.  Don’t implement too many at once, it will only overwhelm your child.

10.  As much as I hate to admit it…..I am not supermom!

Remember to set down expectation that you would “normally” have IF all of your children were in school and away from home each day.  The house would stay neater, things would not get out of place, your table would not become a constant book holder, dishes would be caught up, there would be no paper crumbs on the floor, and laundry would be done.  When you are a homeschooling mother or father, know that you have to do more than the job of keeping up the home.  Your first job is to be the teacher and the rest gets put on hold.  Don’t set unrealistic expectations for yourself.  Learn to let things go and just do.

The best way to teach your children is to DO as you SAY and as you DO!

Hope you are having a good week——I am busy coming up with a new thing I will be debuting in the next few weeks here. I look forward to sharing with you, this new venture in my life.  Be blessed.  Amy