Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet LeAnna

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S!

Real Moms, who face different Obstacles and Challenges as they homeschool their kids, yet put their trust in their King, Jesus Christ, and Stand firm in what the Lord has called them too!

Another amazing homeschool mom I'd like to introduce you to......

LeAnna and her family

Me: "Hey, LeAnna. What a privilege to get to know you more as we talk today about your homeschooling journey. I am excited to hear what you have to say!"

LeAnna: Thank you for doing this! It's always an encouragement to me to talk with other homeschool moms!

Me: "I'd love for you to share a little about your family and what sort of things you all enjoy doing together"

LeAnna: I grew up in the midwest and met my husband about 13 years ago, at Bible college. A few years later, we got married and moved west to California, where he is from, and lived there 8 years.

The Lord then led us back to the midwest, back to where it all started. We are blessed with three children. Our son is 6, and will be a 1st grader this fall. Our daughters are 8 and 9 years old, and will be in 3rd and 4th grade.

My husband has a bit of a crazy schedule, so Sunday and Monday tend to be our family time. During this time, we love to cook together and try new recipes! While mine tend to be more "what can I make in 30 minutes or less", or if it's "freezer friendly", he likes to open my dust laden cookbooks and wow us with something really exciting! It's fun and I won't complain even one bit....(even if he leaves a bit of a mess behind. Heehee:)

During the summer, we love to go to baseball games, get together with family and friends for a bbq, play Kinect, go for ice cream, swim, and do lots of reading! We love all the summer reading programs available!

Me: "Have you always known you wanted to homeschool or are you what they call an 'accidental' homeschooler?"

LeAnna: I had pondered homeschooling for a while, but wasn't entirely sure of what I wanted to do, until a couple of years before my oldest started Kindergarten . As a child, I attended both public and private schools and then was homeschooled, so i felt like i had a good feel for what was out there. My husband was not homeschooled. He attended public school his first couple of years and then a private school for the rest. For our children, we knew public school was not an option, and private school was not within our budget... so this led us to try a year at homeschooling, and we have never looked back! It has been a joy and a blessing so many times over!

Me: "What are the reasons you have chosen to homeschool? How long have you been doing it for?

LeAnna: We have been homeschooling five years, this fall. There are so many reasons why we have chosen to homeschool... We love that we can spend so much time together as a family! We love that our children's education is rooted in the Word of God! We love the flexibility that comes with homeschooling! We love that we can tailor each child's education to their learning style and ability! So many... (I could keep going.:)

Me: What would you say has been the hardest aspects or obstacles you face with homeschooling and having your children home with you?

LeAnna: One of the hardest obstacles for me, is feeling confident in my curriculum choices. I think sometimes I revert back to my public school mindset and wonder, "Is this enough?" I also find myself wondering if they are getting enough interaction.... okay "socialization" with others than just with mom. And, lets just keep it even more real... Mom could use some "down time" now and then! lol
 
Me: "What is it you love the most about having your kids home with you? What does a typical day look like?"

LeAnna: I love that I get to see their excitement when they read a book for the first time! I love that when we are having a tough day, we can close the books, take a break and spend some time doing something fun... go sledding, make cookies, or even take a field trip to Target! Hahaha! (You know you all do it!;)

On a typical school day, we start the morning with breakfast and a few chores that each of the kids have, and then my older two have piano practice. I don't have a real strict schedule, but like to have the kids sitting down for school no later than 9am. We school the whole morning, then we have lunch and a little devotional with dad before he's off to work. After lunch, we tie up any loose ends that the kids have yet to do, and then they are free to play. In the afternoon too, I like to have a little "quiet time". The kids are free to do things like listen to music, read books, or color. But, i find that it helps us to all take a breather and refresh a little. After dinner, we like to spend some family time together, watching 'Little House on the Prairie' or reading.

Me: "I've learned so much about myself over the past few years as I have taken on homeschooling my girls. What have you learned the most about yourself during this homeschooling journey?"

LeAnna: Hmm, I have learned so much too, but i would say that over the course of our homeschool journey, I have learned to relax and trust the Lord. I went into homeschooling with more a "public school" mindset... how things should operate in our home. I would say that we were only about 1/4 CMer's. While I had always wanted to go that route, I was still hanging onto trying to match what the kids would be doing in the "classroom". It wasn't until this last school year, that I made almost an entire switch to CM, and it has made a difference in our family. Not only do the kids enjoy school more, but our day can be filled with so much more family time! It has been a blessing that I am so thankful for! The Lord has given me the peace to know that I don't have to match up to a particular way of teaching. He will guide me as a mom and a teacher and any of those gaps I am unsure about, He will fill them in!
 
Me: "Have there been days/times you felt like throwing in the towel with homeschooling? What encouragement would you give to any mom out there who is feeling discouraged or not excited in homeschooling her children?"

LeAnna: Oh yes! I think we all have those days from time to time, don't we? I know I do! This day in age, sometimes, we ponder if it wouldn't be easier if we had two incomes... which would require the kids to go to public school. Or, if I'm having difficulty getting a concept into my little one's head, and think it would be so much easier if someone else could help them grasp it. Or, lately, i have had so many people tell me, "Oh, public school isn't really that bad." "Your kids would be fine". So many times, I think Satan wants to try and widen those little cracks that get us so distracted from our goals of why we started homeschooling in the first place. I know there are so many times when I have needed a gentle reminder that what I am doing is my mission for the Lord. I sometimes have to physically make a list of pros and cons, and the pros of homeschooling always outweigh the cons.
He put it in mine and my husbands heart to homeschool our children, and while the road may not always be paved smoothly, He will still get us to where we need to be. I also believe He will bless us for our decision that we have made.:)

Me: "Do you have a homeschooling missions statement or a vision and purpose you want to share?"

LeAnna: Our purpose in homeschooling is first and foremost so that our children and have a Christ centered education. Secondly, so that we can spend so much time together as a family, and build those relationships. Thirdly, for the flexibility that homeschooling brings.

Me: "Do you take time away from the kids/home to do things for yourself? If so what do you enjoy doing?"

LeAnna: I take a little time, as it allows. One thing I am working toward, very slowly, is getting my nursing degree. I take a few classes here and there, but nothing too much. Homeschooling and home is first priority for me, so if it doesn't work out one year, it's no biggy. I enjoy taking classes, and maybe later, when the kids are out of house, i will pursue more. I also love to craft and sew, and home decorate. It is so much fun for me to take an idea from an expensive magazine and make it myself for just a few $.

Me: "What a blessing to be able to hear from you today! I pray you would continue to find joy on this journey! Thank you so much for giving of your time to answer my questions"

LeAnna: Thank you! I hope I was able to encourage someone today!:)

Just in case you missed it, here are the first six in the series:

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Introduction

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Sandi
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Sarah
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Tracy
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Minda
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Julia

Please Subscribe here if you don't want to miss upcoming posts or find me on Facebook!

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Julia

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S!

Real Moms, who face different Obstacles and Challenges as they homeschool their kids, yet put their trust in their King, Jesus Christ, and Stand firm in what the Lord has called them too!

This week I have the privilege of introducing you all to a friend I went to Bible College with!  I had no idea she was also homeschooling her kids until I saw something she had posted on Facebook!  She has some wonderful things to share and I hope you are all as encouraged by her words as I was!!

Julia and her family!

Me: "Hey, Julia. Thank you so much for being willing to let me interview you about your homeschooling experience"

Julia: Thank you for inviting me to participate! I love talking about homeschooling!

Me: "I already know a little about you and your family but share with my readers so they can get to know you more"

Julia: I am a married stay-at-home mom. I have three kids, ages 8, 5, and 7 months old. I'm also a licensed pastor and a musician. We live in Southern California in a little college town where we can walk to shops and restaurants. We are an attachment parenting/organic living/foodie type of family :)

Me: "Have you always known you wanted to homeschool or are you what they call an 'accidental' homeschooler?"

Julia: I guess you'd call it "accidental". When our oldest was little and it was "time" to put her in preschool, I just didn't want to part with her! I wanted to keep her home and keep having fun with her each day. I started looking into alternatives to preschool and praying about what to do. I had always thought that homeschoolers were "weird". I didn't know anybody who homeschooled. Once I started looking into it and asking around, I found out that homeschoolers are not "weird" at all and now I can't imagine doing anything but homeschooling. Sending my kids to a school seems "weird" to me now!  

Me: "What made you decide to homeschool and how long have you been doing it for?

Julia: Officially, I've been homeschooling for 5 years. I think the decision was made when I gathered materials to teach my oldest preschool at home. I read some great books on homeschooling and they described the kind of relationship and home life that I wanted for my family. I also felt like it was the path that God wanted for our family and so I also decided to do it out of obedience to Him. It was scary at first and seemed very overwhelming, but now I see it as a thing of joy and I have a lot of peace about it.  

Me: "What would you say has been the hardest aspect of having your kids home with you?

Julia: I don't know. I don't know any different, and so I guess I don't see it as I'm having to adjust to something different. I honestly don't know what it'd be like to not have them home. We are all so used to being together all the time, it doesn't feel normal when someone isn't around. We are a close knit family, lol!

Me: "What is your favorite thing about homeschooling?"

Julia: My favorite thing would be that we are all together all the time. I also like that I get to be their teacher. I love it that it was me who taught my kids how to read. I also love how it allows our family to live a "slower" life. We aren't having to rush around to get to school on time.

Me: "I know you had a baby not too long ago. How has this changed your day to day life and homeschool time?"

Julia: It has been an adjustment! I don't know how we got through all the curriculum this year, but we made it! Thankfully, we finished the school year just as the baby has started crawling. She had been napping during school time and so I would hold her and teach while she slept. Now that she's not napping as much, it would be much harder to accomplish anything. We'll see how it goes once we start up again in September. The plan is that I'll have the older two children switch off playing with her and working on school things. We are all going to have to be flexible!

Me: "What have you learned the most about yourself since homeschooling?"

Julia: Hmmmm, that's a hard one! I guess I've learned that God knows me better than I know myself. Before starting homeschooling, I would not have guessed that I would have liked it. He knows me better than I do! I absolutely love it!

Me: "Are there days/times you feel like throwing in the towel with homeschooling? What encouragement would you give to any mom out there who is feeling this way?"

Julia:  Sometimes I still feel overwhelmed. Usually when it's time to choose the next year's curriculum. There are so many choices! Sometimes I feel like maybe the kids are missing out on something by not being in a school setting with other kids and then I start to doubt our choices to homeschool. But when I step back and think about it I realize that homeschooling really is the best choice for us. My kids are each other's best friend. They have amazing imaginations and can play together all day. My oldest is a talented musician and she can devote hours each day to playing piano and writing songs.

When I feel overwhelmed, I tell my husband and he does a great job of reminding me that any stress I feel is so worth the investment we are making in our children. Parenting well is a lot of hard work! I am dependent each day on the strength I get from my Savior. Everyday I ask Him to fill me with the fruit of the spirit. Without love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control, I could not do any of this. Thankfully, He gives us what we do not have so we can do the things He calls us to do!

Me: "Thank you Julia so much for taking the time to share in a very real and honest way. I know your words are going to impact many!"

Julia: Thanks for asking me, Andrea. I hope I was helpful in some way :-)

Just in case you missed it, here are the first five in the series:

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Introduction

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Sandi
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Sarah
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Tracy
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Minda

Please Subscribe here if you don't want to miss upcoming posts or find me on Facebook!

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Minda

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S!

Real Moms, who face different Obstacles and Challenges as they homeschool their kids, yet put their trust in their King, Jesus Christ, and Stand firm in what the Lord has called them too!

Our summer series continues with another interview with a homeschooling mom!

Minda and her family!

Me: "Hey, Minda. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me interview you about your homeschooling experience"

Minda: "I am glad to have this opportunity to chat with you"


Me: "I'd love for you to share a little about you, your family, and what sort of things you all enjoy doing together"

Minda: "My husband and I have a large blended family. Together we have 10 children currently between 2 and 12 and "yes" we want more. We like to be with each other, which is good considering there are so many of us! We live in a small town in the Pacific North West right at the water. We like going down to the waterfront, playing in the woods behind our house, getting together with friends, and consuming as much pizza as possible. (hahaha)

Me: "Have you always known you wanted to homeschool or are you what they call an 'accidental' homeschooler?"

Minda: "I have always known that I wanted to homeschool. As a young teenager I was greatly influenced by several homeschooling families. I made the decision in highschool to be homeschooled myself and always knew I wanted to homeschool my children as well.

Me: "Have any of your children ever attended Public/Private School? What are the reasons you have chosen to homeschool? How long have you been doing it for?"

Minda:  "Well, Currently, being a blended family, three of the ten go to public school, although we would prefer it if we could homeschool them. Our oldest child attended preschool for about 6 months and the rest of the time/rest of the children have been solely homeschooled. I have however homeschooled in 4 different states "under the radar", private affidavit, and charter schools. Our oldest is going into 8th grade so we have been homeschooling now going on 9 years. Our reasons for homeschooling... well there are soooo many! Hmmm... trying to put it into one sentence.... God gave these children to us and the best way that we can steward this gift of children is to be the ones who raise/train them in all areas, educational, spiritual, emotional, etc. We could not facilitate that to the best of our ability if we were sending them off to be raised/trained up but others 5 days a week, consuming the majority of their waking hours.

Me: What would you say has been the hardest aspects or obstacles to overcome in with homeschooling?

Minda: My own pride! In the beginning I used to think I would be this super homeschool Mom whose children were so far ahead of the game. God really humbled me! I had to break free from my own ideals, being a public school trained brain learning to be a home schooler. I remember at one point in the beginning having to tell myself often "its not my inability to teach or their inability to learn we just haven't found the right system yet". Once I was able to set aside all my preconceived ideas and develop our own model of what it meant for our family to facilitate learning at home (see I even had to change the verbage to wrap my brain around it) then I started to see success as defined by each child's progression and not in comparison to everyone else.

Me: "What are some of your favorite aspects of homeschooling?"

Minda: Great question! 1) seeing the character qualities we want developed in our children being worked on everyday 2) practicing as a child what is appropriate for when you are an adult. We tell our children that often. Its soooo good to see older kids helping and tending to younger ones, having the kids participating in the day in and day out of running a household, taking care of a home and nurturing a family. Our children are not just taking in scholastic learning but how to be moms and dads, husbands and wives! Its not all about them, its about a unit. When they get older they will all most likely marry and have children. We believe our daughters will be better wives and mothers because they spent time as a child practicing those skills in our home and we believe our sons will be better husbands and fathers because they practiced those things tenderly and in real ways as they grew up. As parents we have the opportunity to instill in our children now as children the know how they will need to be amazing adults. 3) Just as much as I was excited when as babies they reached milestones, I am just as excited to see them reach milestones as they grow. Being there as they learn to read, master a hard math problem, allow God to mold them into his image. Those are beautiful things to witness and we get to be there along the way! This builds our bond together! and 4) would be that God gave our children to us to teach us, to refine us, to change us. I know more about Jesus and want to be more like Jesus because of the way he uses my children to point me to HIM.

Me: "What have you learned the most about yourself during this homeschooling journey?"

Minda: Hmmmm.... That I suck. HAHAHA! Did I just say that? Yes I did. I have learned I am selfish and lazy and even more totally depraved than I did before hand. Do you know how nice it would be to send my children off to school for the majority of the day and have a clean house, quiet aside from babies, chores getting done and not being messed up, free time to go run whenever I pleased, catching coffee with your girlfriends after you drop off kids at school??? Sounds great right? But ohh how God has shown me that all of those "wonderful things" sound wonderful because they indulge the part of me that is selfish and lazy. Having your kids home with you 24/7 is a BIG JOB and requires that you be full and present and it shows you your sinful nature all the more because you can not hide from it, theres too many people around; like little mirrors, reflecting the bad AND the good. I am a better person, friend, wife and mother because of the time spent with my family. It just would not be the same without homeschooling.  

Me: "Have there been days/times you felt like throwing in the towel with homeschooling? What encouragement would you give to any mom out there who is feeling discouraged or not excited in homeschooling her children?"

Minda: YES! There have been some very difficult seasons in my life. Lots of moving, babies constantly being born, difficult family circumstances, lots of change. There were times I actually had to just stop schooling because it could not be fit into the current situation. We have had gaps from kids not retaining things because of what was going on in our home. My encouragement is for Moms to remember that by the time they are graduating they really will be able to read and do math- so don't sweat it. If you have a new baby mid year and you can barely keep language arts and math going- THATS FINE! put side the other stuff! Have your kids read historical novels, watch science videos on netflix. Simplify. We encourage our kids to always be learning so even if I cant get to it all, they are still taking things in. I have found that many times when I am forced to back off that when we pick back up their skills have grown because they naturally worked on them through coloring, writing their own books, reading science magazines, etc. Get creative and count everything!!! Don't allow the lie of "failure" to creep into your brain- rebuke that thought, take a breather and pick up again when you can. Homeschooling is NOT suppose to look like a public school. Those teachers don't have to make food, flip the laundry, chase the dog, tackle a toddler, or school with a newborn attached to them. Homeschooling is day in and day out, go with the ebb and flow and count your successes! (and yes if the only success is that you and your other 4 children just spent 2 weeks potty training the 2 year old that is success! You may not have done "school" but you worked on character and life skills and when your kids have their own kids- they will be so good at teaching that skill to their 2 year old. SO- name it and claim it)

Me: "What are your long term goals with homeschooling your children?"

Minda: Well, we want them to love Jesus. Beyond that, we want the last 2 years of highschool to be college so that each child graduates with a 2 year degree. That can be facilitated through online classes and at the JC. God has given each of our kids different strengths, weaknesses and desires. We want to help shore up the weaknesses, expound on the strengths and give them a good foundation to seek God with their desires to accomplish his will in their lives.

Me: "Do you take time away from the kids/home to do things for yourself? If so what do you enjoy doing?"

Minda: I don't really have scheduled time out. With a larger family I find its better to be really flexible. I find little pockets of time throughout the day/week. My husband and I get up an hour before he goes to work to connect and have bible time. I then have roughly 30 minutes before kids get up to check e-mail, catch up on the news or whatever. Mid day the rhythm of our house changes because little ones are napping. And at night my babies go to bed at 7 p.m. and then big kids go to their rooms and read for another 30-45 minutes unless its a special family night. This makes an end to my day and time to recoup.   

Other than that I try not to A) be selfish with my time and B) be creative about when and what I do. I like to run but that does not always work out but when it does I am thankful. Reading and crocheting are also fun and easier to fit into the day. I have learned to adjust what I view as personal time throughout the different seasons in my life. I am a trained doula and photographer but those are things I haven't actively done in a long time because they do not fit into this current season.
I enjoy things that we can all do together. I'd rather find those things and do them than do nothing and complain about what I can't do. Its also a different dynamic now that I have a 12 year old. She is very responsible and I can leave for a time and she can hold down the house just fine. That makes things very different. I can go on an hour run, or meet up with a friend for an afternoon tea if I wanted too. It was different when all I had was little ones in the house, it made my blocks of time shorter for sure (hahaha) or at least made it to where the option of grabbing a coffee with a friend without kids wasn't possible.

 Even menial tasks like food prep and laundry can be redeemed through right attitude and some kick'n music! Plus it models that right attitude and outlook for my children as well and that's important. When I do "claim a moment" I have no problem telling that to the kids as well. "I need an hour this afternoon people. I am locking myself in my room with a cold coke and a book. Be good, mind your bones, and I'll see you then". hehehe- sounds funny to hear myself say it but that has happened. The kids don't have a problem with that either, I think the respect the time I claim because I do not misuse the right to claim it- does that make sense?

Me: "Is there anything else you'd like to say or add that I didn't cover?"

Minda:  You did a good job! I probably talked to much! I would encourage others just not to give up and to keep going. Don't be too hard on yourself and relax. If your child doesn't grow to be the best speller but their character is strong then you have run the course well.

Me: "I really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy household to share your heart with me! Thank you so much"

Minda: You are welcome. I had fun too! Thank you for your part of encouraging the homeschooling community!

Just in case you missed it, here are the first four in the series:

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Introduction

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Sandi
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Sarah
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Tracy

Please Subscribe here if you don't want to miss upcoming posts or find me on Facebook!

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Tracy

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S!

Real Moms, who face different Obstacles and Challenges as they homeschool their kids, yet put their trust in their King, Jesus Christ, and Stand firm in what the Lord has called them too!

Tracy and her boys!

Me: "Hey, Tracy. Thank you so much for your willingness to open up and share about your homeschooling journey. I am excited to hear what you have to say!"

Tracy: It's my pleasure to help out in any way.

Me: "I'd love for you to share a little about you, your family, and what sort of things you all enjoy doing together"

Tracy: I have been married to a GREAT man of faith for the last 20 years and we have 3 boys: 16, 8 and 3. I have total support from my husband, but since he works 2 jobs he is not really available to help out with the day-to-day of homeschool. My husband and I like to run together and have monthly date nights. As a family we read, attend church, bike ride, hike and SWIM. We all love the water and we are poolside in our backyard most of the summer. We do travel but not too much.

Me: "Have you always known you wanted to homeschool or are you what they call an 'accidental' homeschooler?"

Tracy: I guess you could say I have always said I (we) wanted to homeschool but we did not follow that path at first. I do believe with all my heart that homeschool was no accident, it was by God's grace that we followed the call.

Me: "Have any of your children ever attended Public/Private School or have you always homeschooled? What are the reasons you have chosen to homeschool? How long have you been doing it for?

Tracy: Yes, the oldest of the boys attended private Christian school from grade K - 8th grade. The middle boy has always been home and of course the 3 year old is just getting ready to join the fun too. To be honest, the cost of private school for highschool and then adding the middle man was way more then we could afford, so that was one reason. Since we always felt like homescool could be a good fit for our family, we thought "why not, go ahead, and give it a try". We started off with the oldest doing Cyber School and he still attends classes through CCA. We have moved onto Unit Studies and Lapbooks too. This fall will be are 5th year homeschooling. Wow, 5 years already!

Me: What would you say has been the hardest aspects or obstacles you face with homeschooling and having your children home with you?

Tracy: At first, the hardest part was telling our family. We are the only ones who homeschool, so at first they all thought we were crazy. Now most everyone seems to be okay with our choice. Having a baby in the house then a toddler was very hard for me. I always felt someone was not getting my attention or not getting the best of me. The strain of being pulled in too many directions was very hard. Since our boys are spaced out so far, keeping up with everyone's activities was hard to balance at first. I have now learned its OK to say "no" and go at a slower pace when it comes to sports, activities, and hobbies. The biggest obstacle of having them home is just getting a little "me time," but since our oldest is a teenager, I feel ok leaving for a cup of coffee with a friend or an afternoon run, and I NEED TO RUN to keep the stress level down.
 
Me: "What are some of your favorite aspects of homeschooling? Also any special moments that stand out in your mind that have affirmed all the more your decision to homeschool? "

Tracy: The favorite part for me is watching our boys love each other, I mean real love and friendship. Watching them mentor each other and have a true friendship is amazing. If they were all in school all day, they would not have the friendship they have, and its a true blessing. What stands out most for us is the LOVE for Jesus that is in our home. They are learning to put Him first in all that they do. When Christ is first, all academic stuff will come.


Me: "What have you learned the most about yourself during this homeschooling journey?"

Tracy: To listen to God in all areas of my life, and to place my trust in him. Also that I can do this; really I CAN DO ALL THINGS IN CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME
 
Me: "Have there been days/times you felt like throwing in the towel with homeschooling? What encouragement would you give to any mom out there who is feeling discouraged or not excited in homeschooling her children?"

Tracy: To be honest, I have not ever felt like throwing in the towel. I may have needed to step back and take a moment to see things through the eyes of our children or ask for help from other homeschool mom, but I never felt like I wanted to quit. I would tell other moms to seek the help of other homeschool moms, find a homeschool group just for moms and go and talk to other who have traveled this road and to go GOD in prayer.


Me: "Do you have a homeschooling missions statement or a vision and purpose you want to share?"

Tracy: Our homescool vision is to equip our boys to serve Christ and put others first, and that everything else in life will follow when you follow HIM.

Me: "Do you take time away from the kids/home to do things for yourself? If so what do you enjoy doing?"

Tracy: YES!!! I try to run at least 3 times a week and I try to get out with friends for coffee when I can. My husband and I have date night once a month, even if that means everyone to their rooms early. We just pop popcorn and watch a movie. I also try to attend a homeschool moms group through our church. It meets once a month and it's just for moms to chat and encourage each other.

Me: "Who has been your biggest mentor and encouragement on this homeschooling journey?"

Tracy: I have several mentors. We are blessed to attend a church that has many homeschool families and some have been homeschooling for a long time. They are so eager to reach out and help others. If I had to name at least two I would say Laura G and Peggy B.

Me: "Is there anything else you'd like to say or add that I didn't cover?"

Tracy: I was once told by a dear homeschooling mom that "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called," and that is so very true.

Me: "I really appreciate you taking the time to share with me and all those who read my blog! Thank you so much"

Tracy: You're very welcome, it's a true blessing to encourage anyone who is homeschooling or thinking about homeschooling.

Just in case you missed it, here are the first three in the series:

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Introduction

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Sandi
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Sarah

Please Subscribe here if you don't want to miss upcoming posts or find me on Facebook!

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Sarah

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S!

Real Moms, who face different Obstacles and Challenges as they homeschool their kids, yet put their trust in their King, Jesus Christ, and Stand firm in what the Lord has called them too!

Today I am so excited to introduce you all to my friend Sarah!  Sarah is very new to homeschooling but has found this lifestyle to be a breath of fresh air compared to life when her girls were in public school. 

Sarah and her girls

Me: "Hey, Sarah. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me interview you about your homeschooling experience"

Sarah: "No problem Andrea. I love chatting with you!"

Me: "So tell me a little about yourself and your kids"

Sarah:  "Well, I have twin girls, Alex and Zoe who are 10. I didn't decide until I was 30 that I wanted to have kids at all, and then only one. But God had different plans for me and blessed me with twins. I work part time from home as a computer consultant, so I keep very busy. We love to just be at home in the country with our animals. We all love animals and have quite the little farm going here with dogs, cats, chickens, rabbits, llamas and geckos. We even started our first ever garden, that we are hoping makes it with all this rain and no sun. The girls came up with the idea that if we actually do grow stuff, that they want to paint their thumbs green to show off to Daddy that we really do have green thumbs!"

Me: "Have you always known you wanted to homeschool or are you what they call an 'accidental' homeschooler?"

Sarah: "Well, if you'd told me 2 years ago that I would be homeschooling my kids, I would have laughed and said you were crazy!"

Me: "What made you decide to homeschool and how long have you been doing it for?

Sarah: "My kids always struggled in public school with the insane amounts of homework and with staying focused. I didn't think I had an alternative to spending 2 hours a night helping them with homework, starting in first grade even! I thought the complaining about being bored in school, couldn't be fixed. I got used to hearing them say; "I got left behind again today in math" or "I got left behind and couldn't finish", on a daily basis! I think something inside me just snapped and I didn't want to hear another "I got left behind" from them again. I remember thinking "so much for the No Child Left Behind concept!" After running into an old friend who had pulled her kids out of public school the previous year, and hearing her story, I realized right then that public school was the problem, not my kids, as the school was trying to have me believe! We have technically just finished our first full year homeschooling, but it has really turned into a journey that doesn't end. We learn from the world around us, and there isn't an end to that!"

Me: "What would you say has been the hardest adjustment to having your girls home instead of away at school?"

Sarah: "I honestly can't think of anything that was super hard about having them at home except maybe trying to figure out what to do with them during my OB appointments!"

Me: "Do your girls miss going to school and ever make comments about wanting to go back?"

Sarah: (laughing) "Nope! Never!"

Me: "What has been the most rewarding aspect of homeschooling?"

Sarah: "Every day I am amazed at how close our family has gotten. The quality time we get as a family is priceless. I remember when my husband would get an evening here and there with the girls back when they were in public school. Yelling, tears and hours of homework were the norm; it wasn't pretty. Every time now when Shawn takes the girls fishing, I have to remind myself how lucky we are that they get this quality alone time with their dad."

Me: "What have you learned the most about yourself since beginning this homeschooling journey?"

Sarah: "That I really enjoy parenting my girls. When they were in public school, I never felt like I was really parenting and I realize now that I was letting someone else have authority and control over my kids. I was pretty selfish with my time and thought everything was about me. Now, I've swung to the opposite side of the pendulum!"

Me: "Have there been days/times you felt like throwing in the towel with homeschooling? What encouragement would you give to any mom out there who is feeling discouraged or not excited in homeschooling her children?"

Sarah: "Duh, yes! I would think it's normal, or at least I hope it is, to feel this way at times. The world tells us that what we are doing isn't normal and we are going against what society thinks our kids should be doing. Anytime I feel frustrated, we stop and take a break from whatever it was that was frustrating us. If something I decided to do for a day isn't working out, then I just drop it and listen to the interests of my girls. I have realized that if I listen with an open mind, they will show me what they are interested in and how they could go about learning it. It usually isn't the way me and my public school brain would have thought at first, but for them, it works!"

Me: "Thank you so much for your time today, I really appreciate it so much"

Sarah: "Anytime! It's fun just getting together to chat while our kids play."

Just in case you missed it, here are the first two in the series:
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Introduction
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Sandi

Please Subscribe here if you don't want to miss upcoming posts or find me on Facebook!

The end of another year!

It is hard to believe we have wrapped up our 3rd year of homeschooling.  What a fun year this has been!  Probably the best so far.  The longer I homeschool the more I can't imagine doing anything else!  How about you? 

This week and last, the girls are participating in two different VBS programs as well as swim lessons.  After this week we will continue with some summer learning, including Harmony Art (art/music appreciation) and summer nature study.  We are doing our own summer reading program and regular review of math too!  "Mooki" will continue in summer piano lessons, group lessons though, not one-on-one.

We have come to the end of our year long "travels" all over the world through our Expedition Earth curriculum.  Here are some of our final photos!  I highly recommend this to anyone seeking a fun, hands-on world geography program for your kids!

Locating the country on the map!

New Zealand

Antarctica

The Artic

Maps & Flag

Showing off their favorite animals!

All the country labels added to Continents Poster!

Thank you so much for joining us this year on our homeschooling journey! 

Just in case you missed it, I am doing a summer blog series called "Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S".  Here are the first two in the series:
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Introduction
Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Sandi

Please Subscribe here if you don't want to miss upcoming posts or find me on Facebook!

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Meet Sandi

Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S!

Real Moms, who face different Obstacles and Challenges as they homeschool their kids, yet put their trust in their King, Jesus Christ, and Stand firm in what the Lord has called them too!

Since today is the first day of summer, I wanted to start the Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S series. I will be posting a new conversation each week (every Wednesday) throughout the summer! I hope you are blessed and encouraged by this!  I am starting out with a very "seasoned" homeschool mom, Sandi Queen!

Queen Family

Me: "Sandi, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to chit chat with you about your homeschooling experience! I'm excited to be interviewing a "seasoned" homeschool mom!

Sandi: Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Andrea.

Me: "Can you share a little about your family and how many years exactly you have been homeschooling?  Is this a decision you have always known you would do or is it a decision you made unexpectedly?"

Sandi: The Lord led us to homeschool our children when our firstborn, Kiley, was 7 months old. She will turn 26 this October. Our three daughters have all graduated from homeschooling and work full-time for our publishing company, Queen Homeschool Supplies, while I am still homeschooling our three sons. Since our youngest, Jeremiah, is just ten, I've got awhile to go yet!

I began reading to our first child when she was born. When we were at a friend's house one evening, I was reading to Kiley (our 7 month old) and Tara, her 3 year old daughter. When I finished, I said to my friend, "Just think - before you know it, she'll be going off to school!" My friend's response was, "No, my kids are never going to school. I'm going to homeschool them." I began the barrage of questions that, a few years later, became common questions asked to me by others - "What's THAT?" "Is that legal?" "How do you get started?" It's funny how things turned out. My friend never did homeschool her children. But her words stuck in my mind and my heart. I just knew this was the Lord's will for our family. Once my husband agreed, I was set. At 7 months of age, Kiley officially became a homeschooler. Seven months later, her sister Casey entered the world and became our second student. Since I've read to them and taught them since birth, I believe that's when homeschooling begins. And since learning is a natural process, even after graduation, it never really ends.

Me: "If you could name your top 5 favorite things you love about homeschooling your children, what would they be?"

Sandi: Hmmm...there are so many. I guess I would summarize my favorites as these:

1. The ability to be absolutely certain that what my children are learning is in accordance with God's Word. The Bible is most important, and we live our lives with It as our Guidebook. Since we write or publish all materials our children use for school, I know with all certainty that they are not being exposed to things that would be contradictory to our beliefs as Christians.

2. Togetherness. We live in a very rural area. The schoolbus picks our neighbor children up while it is still dark outside, and drops them off just as it is getting dark again. I can't imagine, nor would I want to experience, my children being away for that length of time every day!

3. Flexibility. Whether it's traveling to conventions to sell our books, performing musically for another church or church camp, riding in a bicycle race, or even just dealing with a health or extended family crisis - all things we've experienced, homeschooling allows us the flexibility to focus on these things while still getting our schooling in.

4. Time to focus on interests. Most of our kids are heavily involved in our church's music ministry. Several play musical instruments to accompany other singers, as well as singing together as a group, and also being part of various choirs and ensembles. They have played and sung at Christian camps and other churches, as well as at nursing homes. All this requires much practice, which requires much time. Since this is the Lord's work, it is of utmost importance to us as a family. Homeschooling affords them the time to practice during the day as often as necessary, as well as the ability to go to a funeral service and play the music for the grieving family without having to worry about missing school.

5. Being able to focus on educational interests and work at our own pace. Every child is different, and has different interests. Our son Luke spends hours some days making hand-made paracord bracelets, which he sells on our website and at conventions. He is learning new knots for different designs all the time, and custom makes bracelets all the time for people who have specific requests. He just picked up this interest one day and has gone with it. Our daughter Casey has been designing book covers and doing editing work for other publishers as well as for us since she was in high school. Homeschooling has allowed them to pursue interests such as these without being forced to sit in a classroom doing busywork for hours each day. It has allowed them the opportunities to do REAL things that they are interested in, and to see how their skills can be used in the world.

Me: "I know you have faced some challenges over the years in the midst of homeschooling your children. How did you make homeschooling work during those more difficult seasons?"

Sandi: Yes, our youngest son, Jeremiah, was diagnosed with cancer at age 3. He was in treatment for 3 1/2 years, every single day. That was 7 years ago, and he is still on a protocol every day. These things not only take much time, but they add a heavy stress burden to a family. Being away in the hospital with him for weeks, having to travel to our "local" hospital (2 hours away) weekly for spinal taps and chemo, having a visiting nurse come daily for chemo administrations, dealing with a 3 year old with a needle inserted into his chest which must remain for 3 weeks without getting bumped or rolled over on, and so much more, definitely takes it's toll. But homeschooling allowed us to be able to continue getting schoolwork done during this time, as well as to still be able to be there for each other. My other kids were there, every step of the way. They were there to hold Jeremiah's hand while the visiting nurse attached the IV bag to his mediport. They were able to make the 4 hour round trip to the hospital and back each week (and later, each month) with us, keeping Jeremiah from being afraid, as they joked and laughed with him in the backseat, discussing where we would go for dinner after the hospital visit. They were there when, after a spinal tap with chemo shot into his spinal column, he threw up in Walmart from chemo-induced nausea, and when he laid, nauseous from yet another of these same procedures, across my lap at his favorite restaurant, unable to even think about food, while the rest of us ate.

So many lessons were learned that they would have missed, had they been sequestered away in their separate schoolrooms in their separate schools, while my husband and I took care of Jeremiah alone. I have written a book, "Homeschooling Through Adversity," which is also available on CD, which tells how the Lord brought us through this time, and another book, "Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death: One Family's Journey Through Childhood Cancer," which chronicles the day to day life we lived during the 5 year time period beginning with Jeremiah's diagnosis. There is way too much to share here! But, in a nutshell, homeschooling during this time allowed our family to grieve the loss of Jeremiah's health and the loss of having a "regular," healthy family together, and to support each other. Though some of the day to day things my children saw and experienced during those times were indeed scary to them, I know it would have been far more frightening to them had they been away from home for ten or so hours each day, and had no idea what was going on with their little brother. 

Me: "You have had several of your children graduate already. Was it as hard as some might think to homeschool during the high school years? What are children, who have graduated, doing now with their lives?"

Sandi: Homeschooling through high school was actually easier than when our children were younger. The books we publish, written for our children, are based on the Charlotte Mason method. We have always used living books as a base, and have been big on teaching the children to find out "why." I wrote a book for them, "Learning How to Learn," which is a curriculum that teaches the user how to use research materials, so that they are equipped to find out whatever in life they want to know. From the beginning, once they could read, they were required to do daily research. Our history program, "A Living History of Our World," science series, "Discovering Nature," and geography series, "Bringing the World to Life," as well as our Bible studies, all require the child to research and find out things, then record their answers in their own words. I believe that's why our kids are so strong in learning how to do new things. They have been trained from an early age how to find things out!

We have six pretty amazing kids. :o) All have become authors when they were still being homeschooled. Jeremiah, at age 10, is now writing his first series of books with his two older brothers, which will be published within the next year. They all earn royalties on the sales of their books, which in part encourages them to find out new things and write even more. Our daughters who have graduated continue to work for us, running the office, dealing with wholesale accounts, running the warehouse, attending conventions, as well as developing and creating new products. They write books, proofread and edit, and design covers. Our daughters Casey and Haley are avid photographers, and have taken many of the photographs used in our books and on the covers. Casey has done book covers for other publishers as well, and also edits for others. Kiley most recently wrote two of the volumes in our "Discovering Nature" series, including the best-selling, "Our Animal Friends." And Haley is working on an art history program for publication. 

Me: "What advice would you give to any mom who is just starting out with homeschooling or contemplating the idea??

Sandi: Pray! Seek the Lord's direction for your family. 


Me: "Thank you so much for giving of your time to answer my questions.  Your years of experience with homeschooling is going to be such an encouragement for other moms!"

Sandi: Thank you again, Andrea, for the honor of being interviewed. I pray my words will be the blessing and catalyst that some family needs to begin their homeschool journey.

Just in case you missed it: Homeschooling R.O.C.K.S - Introduction

Please Subscribe here if you don't want to miss upcoming posts or find me on Facebook!