Calm, Cool, and Connected- 5 Digital Habits for a More Balanced Life- Review

I’ve got a bit of a dilemma. As a blogger, vlogger, and writer, technology plays a huge role in my life. Every day I spend hours upon hours on my laptop working, marketing, and interacting with those looking for homeschooling advice.

As a mom of 11, I find this very. very. draining.

You could say I’ve got a bit of an aversion to technology. You’d think that would make it easy for me to limit the time I spend on my phone and computer, but no. I get pulled in just like so many other people.

Did you ever notice that there’s always one more notification to check? One more email to respond to? And one more blog post to read? Before you know it, your “quick check-in on social media” turns into a 3-hour marathon tuning into everything, except for the reason you logged on to begin with! 

Advertisement

13 Unique Gift Ideas That Inspire Learning

Now that fall’s in full swing, the Christmas season is creeping ever and ever closer. As a mom who tries to be practical in every way, I try to steer clear of presents for my kids that are mere “fluff.” I want their gifts to have substance; I want them to inspire learning, and I want them to last.

Sound like a tall order?

I used to think so, but the other week, some lovely ladies in my Facebook group shared some of the most unique gift ideas I’ve ever come across.

Today I’d like to share them with you. 🙂 

3 Simple Ways to Schedule Unit Studies in Your Homeschool

Have you ever found yourself intrigued by the whole philosophy behind unit studies but had no idea how in the world to implement them? 

Believe me, I get it. When I was first introduced to unit studies, not only was I unsure of how to implement them, but I wasn’t even aware that they were to be used instead of textbooks, rather than in addition to them!

Figuring out how to use these amazing homeschooling resources can be a bit tricky if you don’t have a model to at least give you some ideas as to how to approach them. It can be really difficult to implement something that you’re not even sure how to schedule!

That’s what I’m going to help you with today. 🙂 

Where to Find a Homeschool-Friendly Liberal Arts College

I’ll never forget that day. My 10-year-old daughter had been playing at a friend’s house, when she walked into the house looking crestfallen.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

“Stephanie’s mom said that I’ll never get into college because I’m homeschooled.”

Sigh. 

20 Blind Bag Stocking Stuffers for $5 or Less!

As a mom of 11, Christmas shopping can be tricky for me. Since I have so many children to buy for, I have to make sure that:

a. The gifts are affordable, and

b. They’re something that my kids will actually play with.

In the past, I strictly stuck to items from the dollar store for stocking stuffers. The problem was that, while they were only $1, they always ended up either getting broken, lost, or thrown away within a week after Christmas was over.

Not a good feeling. 

Our Homeschool Afternoon Basket for Pre-K, 1st, and 2nd Grade

Don’t you just love the freedom we homeschool moms have to tailor our kids’ education to meet the needs of both them and our families?

Take morning time, for instance.

“Morning time” and “morning basket” are quickly becoming the most popular buzzwords in homeschool circles, and, although we do use a morning basket, today I’m going to let you in on a little secret… 

Our Homeschool Morning Basket for 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th Grade

As a relaxed homeschooling family, our family’s combined learning time is crucial to our everyday routine. When you’ve got multiple children learning- all at separate levels- consolidating your homeschool regimen as much as possible is an absolute must.

For us, this happens during our daily morning time.

As with all homeschooling techniques, morning time can and will look different for everyone. One thing that most families who incorporate this routine into their day will have in common is a morning basket. 

Our Homeschool Morning Time Routine

Although this is our 9th year homeschooling, by no means do I know everything there is to know about it.

Take morning time, for example.

Up until very recently, while I had heard the term “morning time” over and over again, I never really made much of an effort to find out what it was because I was happy with where we were at in our homeschool and didn’t see the need to try anything new.

Eventually, curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to find out what the fuss was all about. Interestingly enough, I discovered that morning time actually would fit perfectly into our homeschool routine because we were pretty much already doing it! 

Deschooling Vs. Unschooling- What’s the Difference?

Of all the buzzwords that make their rounds in the homeschooling community, the two that are confused the most often are “deschooling” and “unschooling,” and with good reason!

Since they are both intended to be as unlike traditional school as possible, it really can be difficult for someone on the outside looking in to determine which is which.

The key is really all about intention.