as
an EcoQuest International distributor (air and water purifiers) as
long as I have three with asthma living in this house! I spend minimal
time on my home businesses due to my commitment to simplify our lives.
8) Your favorite color: Blue, Bill's is red, and "our" color is yellow.
I recently discovered those colors to be my favorite in decorating
(a surprise to me) so I now have wood floors, yellow walls, denium
sofas, etc. and LOVE it!
9) How would you describe your homeschool
style? I've tried various methods over the past eight years, but I
prefer traditional and the kids are thriving on our schedule. If I
had my way, we'd home school ALL YEAR by traveling the USA and Canada.
We have been able to travel a lot during the summer (7,000 miles last
summer, 4,000 this summer), and the kids learn a terrific amount.
We've seen many interesting places in all 50 states, and we've met
some fascinating people! All four of my kids love history!
10) Schedules
- I've tried to get on a schedule for years and failed, but now that
I feel CONVICTED about the importance of a schedule, things are going
really great! The kids absolutely LOVE the schedule--it's posted.
In order to pull it off, we've eliminated nearly every appointment
this year (except music) with the idea that we can take a break this
year and add more appointments next year. At one point, we had 18
appointments per week (four kids). Someone pointed out that it wouldn't
hurt kids to have at least one or two things to learn when they get
older. I was surprised that the total fussing time about canceling
most of the 18 appointments was less than 15 minutes!! Maybe I'd lived
in "fear" of my kids. Actually in the long run they've thanked me
for it, and we've had more time to do things we've always wanted to
do. Right now we're working on fitting our curriculum into four days
a week with one day to play (science experiments, scrapbooking, and
anything educational that the kids want to do). They're excited about
it, and they're working really hard on their subjects! We just
returned from a backpacking trip with two other families (9 kids,
ages 7-15) who met us in the mountains of Wyoming. Many homes in Wyoming
are so remote that I know the occupants don't head to Wal-Mart or
other stores in town each week. If they can go to town only when it's
extremely important, so can I. Of course it helps that my husband
brings home the items on my food list. I want to encourage any of
you who really want a schedule to SIMPLIFY by getting rid of the appointments.
It won't kill a child to miss out on that special activity, etc. for
a year. The less time you spend on the road, the more fun you'll have
with the kids!
Intro - Melissa S.
1) My name is Melissa
2) Kristin
8, Andrew 6, Nathan 4, Hannah 16mo
3) This is my first year to home
school
4) I won't know for a while, or maybe I do already. :)
5) fear
6)
I have an interest in graphic arts,sewing and domestic things
8) Purple
10)
A schedule is needed very much for sanity purposes, not as a "carved
in stone" or "do or die" rule, just as a guideline.
Intro -
Charilyn W.
1) Your Name - Charilyn
2) Your children's ages and names
(if you feel comfortable) - Stephen 8yrs & Joshua 6yrs
3) How many
years you have homeschooled : depends on what counts as homeschool.
Stephen spent 1/2 a year in a classroom with another teacher.
4) What
you like about homeschooling - watching individuality and learning
styles develop
5) What you dislike about homeschooling - feeling uncertain
6)
Do you have a business or interest you delve in on the side? - No
7)
Your pet's name or most interesting animal you have ever owned? -
none
8) Your favorite color - blue
9) How would you describe your homeschool
style? - I haven't figured it out yet
10) Schedules - thumbs up or
thumbs down? - I love being scheduled. I hate being the motivational
force behind maintaining the family schedule.
Intro - Diedri
W.
1) Your Name - Diedri
2) Your children's ages and names (if you feel
comfortable) Jessica (18) - attends Southern Adventist University,
Sarah
(15) - 10th grade, Abigail (11) - 6th grade
3) How many years you have
homeschooled? - About 18 (since my oldest was born)
4) What you like
about homeschooling? - The opportunity to help my children develop
a value system based on the Christian principles that will have eternal
significance. Also, it provides them with the opportunity to
develop their own God-given abilities in freedom without peer pressure.
This helps them to achieve their own "personal best."
5) What you dislike
about homeschooling? It can sometimes be isolating and confining for
me.
6) Do you have a business or interest you delve in on the side?
- No, not at this time. I am currently enrolled in an MS program
via Chicago Medical School/FUHS in Nutrition. I am a Registered
Dietitian, but have not practiced for 18 years. I hope to eventually
teach on the University level.
7) Your pet's name or most interesting
animal you have ever owned? - We have several pets: Katie -
Collie; Alex - German Shepherd; Buttercup - Yorkshire Terrier; 3 cats
- Barley, Snowflake, Pumpkin; and 1 parakeet - Angel
8) Your favorite
color - Green or Blue (soft shades)
9) How would you describe your
homeschool style? - "Middle of the Road" I do believe in some
scheduling, especially now that they are older, in order to accomplish
academic objectives necessary to enter the collegiate atmosphere.
I am strongly in favor of college education for all of my girls.
However, we have done many "unscheduled" activities, or just plain
"thrown in the towel" to break up the monotony. I have used
a variety of curriculum, all relative to the current developmental
stage. Developing responsibility via household and family obligations
has been extremely important in the success of our homeschool environment,
and prepared them for greater tasks and responsibilities.
10) Schedules
- thumbs up or thumbs down? - I think it's a personal choice.
I believe in some degree of organization and scheduling, as life will
not always functions as we please or to our liking when we get older
and take on greater responsibilities.
