Check This Out!

I don’t know if you have noticed yet, but we now have a new page on the blog.  Clicking on the links on the “Show Some Homeschool Pride!” page will take you to our shops at CafePress. 

My hope is that, in the future, these products will feature scenes from other homeschooling families learning and having fun as well.

There is a beauty and wonder found in homeschooling, and we want to celebrate that.

The proceeds from any sales at our shops will be used not only to support our homeschool family, but others as well.

Thank you for reading, and may God lead and bless your homeschooling efforts, as he’s blessed ours.

                              -The Social Homeschooler

Lewis, The Friendly Repo Man

Did the title get your attention?!  I thought it might! 

It has been a few years since Lewis and I met, for the first (and hopefully last) time, but for some reason I was thinking about him today.

This is the time of school year where many of us struggle a bit.  It’s almost Christmas, the kids aren’t playing outside maybe as much as they were, and we are in this for the long haul.  If Wednesday is the hump day of the week, then this is the hump we must hurdle of the school year.

But where does Lewis figure into all of this?  I’m getting there. 

Every school year has it’s ups and downs, but what happens when your year has more downs than ups?  This was the way of our first homeschool year.

Our first homeschool year was a year of a learning the ways of homeschooling, homeschooling with an infant in the house, watching our finances go down the drain in bankruptcy after a layoff, giving back our house and car to the bank and moving away from the only home our children had ever known kind of year.  It wasn’t always pretty, and it definitely wasn’t easy. 

Our old home wasn’t near any homeschool activities or support groups, and other than the online part of our support group, I was pretty much flying blind.  And to top it off, I really had no real money for homeschool resources.  But God was with us . . .

To Be Continued . . . Come back and meet Lewis next time here at Social City Homeschooler.

The Excitement Of Learning

I found a lid on a pot that my son had been using to boil water for tea.  Why did he use a lid?  Flashback to our earlier science lesson about Venus . . .

We are using Apologia's "Exploring Creation With Astronomy" for our science textbook this year, and in our study about Venus it talks about the thick atmosphere of clouds being like a lid on a pot of boiling water.  The lid keeps the heat in the pot (and the water boils faster).  The atmosphere on Venus keeps it hot all day and night.

Remembering that, my son wanted his tea water to boil faster so he put a lid on the pan while he heated the water.  He was heating tea water and performing a science experiment at the same time! 

Isn’t homeschooling great?  I love the fact that I know exactly what he is learning, and we can use that to make connections between “school time” and “regular family time”.  We congratulated him on his experiment, and hopefully another lesson was forever cemented in his mind. 

Hmm . . . I wonder which awesome Apologia science book we’ll decide to use next school year?

Yes, I’d Like The Garment Of Praise Please

The following two verses have come to me as the “Verse of the Day” from Bible Gateway the today and yesterday.  I have been receiving a verse everyday for awhile now but these two are especially timely.  I’ll tell you why they mean so much below each verse below.

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
I want to believe this so bad right now.  With the chaos of life swirling around me, I need for this to be true.  And the beautiful part of this is it is.  The problem isn’t that it isn’t true, the problem is that for a time I became caught up in the chaos, and took my eyes off the blessing.  Instead of delighting in all that the Lord has blessed us with, I let myself stay in frustration over what isn’t going well right now. 
 
Our school year is going well, and we have everything we need to have an abundant school experience this year.  Grammy blesses us with the means to provide some of our extracurricular activities.  We are healthy (for the most part), our children have clothes to wear (in abundance thanks to hand-me-downs), and food to eat.  We have a beautiful 60 year old house with beautiful original woodwork to live in, and we can pay all of our bills.  We have a beautiful little family, and a wonderful group of friends.
 
But a couple of people have been upset with me lately over petty things, the house needs so much work, and our house organization is . . . not working right now.  My husband still does not have steady work, and the unemployment is not going to go on forever.  The job situation is bleak and I’m sick of not having money.  Why am I focusing on this?!  Where is my delight?  He is taking care of us!  And this is where today’s “Verse of the Day” comes in . . .

Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
I’ve had so much joy in the past, and now I find myself getting bogged down.  That’s just where Satan wants me.  Why do I let him do that to me?!  Argggg!!


I was talking to a spirit led friend of mine the other day.  She told me about the importance of positive affirmation in the face of adversity.  When we are negative in our statements about what is happening in our life, we let Satan steal our joy.  It burns us out physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.


“I'm Trading My Sorrows” as Darrell Evans says in his song.  I am making a conscience decision to believe that God will bring my husband steady work.  He will continue to provide for us.  I will focus on doing what I can do to better organize our home, and continue to enjoy this wonderful homeschooling journey that we are on.  We will enjoy the blessing of living where we are living until God moves us.  I will try to bless my husband, and others that bless me in so many ways.  And I will serve those I can in the ways that God provides for me to do so.  I will be grateful for what God has provided for us, instead of focusing on what we don’t have.


I will put on “a garment of praise, instead of a spirit of despair" as Isaiah 61 says. 

Thank you Lord for my family and friends. Please help them to know the same blessing and joy that they bring me.  Please give us all “a garment of praise, instead of a spirit of despair” and help us to focus on your blessing so that you may restore the joy that only you can give, especially in the tough times.  Amen

The Lone Heron

When my husband first saw this Heron he couldn’t resist the temptation to get a few good photos.  As a family we love nature and photography, so why wouldn’t he?  We were very delighted and surprised that the Heron “stayed put” after so many photos (some of them taken very near to him).  Even so, we walked gingerly and respectfully quiet toward him.  Through it all the Heron did get a little nervous at the end, but remained tolerant of our photos, and quiet “oohs and aaahs” at being so close to such a beautiful bird.
Sometimes I feel like that Heron.  He had taken a different path from the others, and was alone when we saw him.  In the same way our family is alone among other family members, in some of the choices that we have made.  We are so much happier now that we have made the choices that we have, but sometimes we get the feeling that we are being watched closely and observed.  Sometimes there is open encouragement and support, and sometimes not so much.

Some of our family thinks “that all kids should be in school”, and they are leery of our decisions.  “We are definitely NOT mainstream!”, they say.  So we don’t watch the latest TV shows, but we do watch some of the older wholesome TV shows online.   We educate our kids at home.  We work together, and watching educational videos are as much of a treat for our kids as watching a movie.  They read, and watch the news, and check out the weather radar online.  They take the classes that interest them at the co-op and in the community at nature centers and such, and play “pretend” rather than video games.  We do a lot of activities with other kids, and their families outside the home.  We visit friends after church on Sunday.  And we enjoy games together, like “Scrabble” and “On Assignment With National Geographic”.  Why does that make us so weird?

We all make different decisions for our families.  I don’t make the choices that you might. And you might not make some of the choices that I have.  When looking at me, learn to see things from my point of view before you form an opinion.  If you give me the gentle understanding and grace that I deserve, then I will be able to let you know me better.

I am looking forward to knowing you better as well!  If you have your own blog, let me know.  You may also drop me a line at my profile page.
Blessings ;)

Community Of Educational Opportunities

I find the home in homeschooling laughable these days.  While much of our education IS at home, there are many opportunities outside the home.  There are SO many in fact, that we routinely pick and choose.  “Socialization”?  That’s not a problem here!

We had full run of a gymnastics facility earlier this week, and are preparing for drama, pottery, and art classes in the next few days.  The drama and pottery classes are at the same time, and at the same place, as they are offered through the co-op.  One less thing to worry about.  Art is offered through a wonderful man that moves between different locations, one of them being near us.  He supplies everything needed for the class.  It’s intensive, and it’s reasonable.  I love these opportunities!

But while these opportunities are all offered through the homeschooling community, there are a wealth of resources in the community at large. 

Science centers, libraries, nature centers, skating rinks, zoos, historical centers etc. are all possible resources for classes and/or positive physical activity for home school families.  And remember, that as an educator, you may be eligible for a discounted membership fee at many science centers, zoos, and historical centers.

We have created a school newspaper.  This is such a fun Language Arts activity.  Why not interview people in the community?  This is fantastic practice in interviewing, and communicating with strangers.

These are but a few of many possible ideas?

What ideas do you have to add?

Sharing The Homeschooling Journey . . . Together

We just started a new term of home school co-op classes, and I have to say that I enjoy them as much as my kids do.  Don’t get me wrong.  This summer was truly amazing!  Our family visited Grammy by the water.  We (well hubby and the boys) camped in the backyard.  We sat around the backyard fire pit and roasted s’mores a few times.  We went to many a family and friend party or get together, and we even visited some friends while THEY camped.  We have had so much fun!

But as much fun as it is to hang out with my family, I have truly missed the camaraderie of the other homeschooling moms, and the enjoyment of experiencing that on a regular basis.  Going back to the co-op, and the “mother’s room” was a treat.  It is so much fun seeing old faces and new, and the talks about curriculum and ideas for learning.  We laugh, we encourage, we inspire, and we truly enjoy each other.  I love these ladies as a kind of family.  There is an importance to being a part of a family, going down this road . . . together. 

There is a comfort in that at the end of the day, when you’ve told a neighbor that you are homeschooling, and you can practically hear the crickets chirping.  There is a comfort in the laughter that we have at “Moms’ Nights Out” over tea, and chocolate, and stories of the zany life of a homeschooling mom with her kids. 

Each of these ladies is precious, and each of them has earned the right to be cherished and honored, and others “in the trenches with us” . . . no matter what ;)

God Bless you on YOUR journey!

And, speaking of that, how is it going?!

Help Needed For The Social Stay-At-Home Mom!

If you've read the "About Me" section already you know that I never planned to homeschool in the beginning.  In fact I COULD NOT WAIT to send the kids to school at first!  Sobbing mother at the preschool door?  NOT ME!  I wanted some time to myself, and after I gave my hugs and kisses and "I love yous", I hit the door running!

To say that I am a social person is a gross understatement !  I love people, and I love talking.  Going from young working woman to stay-at-home mom was excruciating for me!  I went through postpartum depression and anxiety, and I hated every minute of it.  My husband received frequent texts during this time saying "Two Little Boys For Sale- Real Cheap!".  This was my way of telling him "Help!  I am drowning in dishes, laundry, toys, and little boy craziness!  My sanity is at risk here!  Reinforcements are needed . . . STAT!!!"

I mean, yeah, my sons are 16 1/2 months apart.  I became pregnant with my second when my oldest was 7 1/2 months old!  But I also didn't venture out to meet with other mothers until my younger son was about 1 1/2 years old.  That was a huge mistake, and it made the depression worse.  I can see that now, but unfortunately you are not always fully able to comprehend these things in the thick of the cloud of depression.  Going into depression is quick and easy, coming out is a different story!

If I could do it over, I would have gotten out to meet other mothers a LOT sooner.  When I finally did get to the library with the boys, I read about their reading times, and play groups with other mothers.  This led to new friendships, which led to a new local chapter of MOMS Club.  The MOMS in MOMS Club stands for Moms Offering Moms Support.  This pretty much says it all!  It's an international club with over 2,000 chapters in the US alone.  This group of ladies and our group play dates, Mom's nights out, and other group activities were like food for the hunger I had to talk with other mothers that were in the trenches with me. 

MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) is another great international group for moms that has many chapters all over the United States.  They are a great group of women, and worth checking out.

But whatever you do, if you are a social stay-at-home mom, make an effort to hang out with other mothers.  They are a wealth of information, support, and love for the social mother's soul!