Final Post

As I was thinking about this blog, I started to realize, there is much I can add to it, though I’ve tried. I also realized that blogging has become an obsession with me to the point I have too many blogs but, rarely have the time to update them.

So, I’ve decided to close down some my other blogs but, leave up the ones with the most information. I hope that my journey on this blog will inspire and help others find the information (however varied) that they are looking for. It doesn’t mean that this is the end of our journey. No, it is a new chapter in a new book.

I hope that you all will join me in that new journey and continue to find support and inspiration.

Modern Family Values

Stay at home/Work at home

I had a conversation with my husband yesterday about working at home. We originally planned that I would stay at home and continue to homeschool our almost 2 year old daughter. However, I did venture and try to find employment outside the home (with no luck). As much as I love being at home with my daughter, I find myself starved for adult interaction. My daughter is pretty self sufficient in many things. She can get her own drinks (provide I have already poured them in her cups and placed them in the fridge on her shelf), she knows to use the potty (though she doesn’t most times) but, she loves interacting with other children and has an only child she doesn’t often get that chance. Also, I want her to be immersed in the two languages we are learning at home.

My husband and I also discussed having more children and know we want to in the summer of 2014. In order to make that happen, we need to figure out a way to bring in extra income in a way that will still allow me to enroll my daughter in immersion classes, still give me some adult interaction and allow me to explore my {Gemini} creative side but, at the same time allow me the freedom and time to be with my family. I also want to feel good about what I do to know that I’m making an impact in someone’s life.

Sounds like the perfect idea job, yes? Well, it is, for me, however, I have no idea what that job is or I should say was until I spent a few days with my grandmother. On a trip to have some linen cleaned, we discussed different things and the difference between when she was growing up and now and the Gemini things (yes, my grandmother is a June Gemini as well) that we have in common.

I also looked at other ways to work at home such as photography, graphic design, and website design…all which require some artist background (which my brother has and I do not). Still, I thought I could self teach myself…that lead to a phone call with my brother and started our tri-weekly FaceTime lessons to teach me design. I think for now, I’ll leave the designing to my brother.

Whatever you chose to do to bring in extra income whether it’s outside the home or inside the home, make sure you follow these simple tips to ensure you find the job that is best suited for you and not just a job to earn a paycheck that will leave you drained, miserable, and angry.

1. Write out what you like to do.
2. List how each thing will affect your family.
3. List your strengths and weakness
4. If you choose to work at home, what will be your start up costs?
5. If you choose to work away from home, what will it cost you? (i.e. time away from family, commute, work hours, holidays)
6. What is required? (i.e. college degree, local classes, self taught)
7. Who is your audience? Where can you advertise yourself?
8. What type of impact will you make on someone’s life?
9. Is your job choose full time, part time, as needed, or year round?

Ask yourself these questions, if need be, talk to others. Sometimes, we are told by friends, family, and strangers that we are great at something. Research that something and see how far you can take it.

Until next time~

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Week Vacation

Monday will start Z’s vacation break for a week. Afterwards, we’ll start another 7 week school session. I was asked by a reader to list our schedule. I must note that our schedule and curriculum changes each term. I try to keep things interesting and mix it up a bit.

For the next seven weeks, we will be:

1. Reinforcing her Arabic and Chinese
2. Working with the numbers we have already learned (1-10)
3. Working on her colors
4. Sight words
5. Name spelling
6. We’ll add 3 books to our daily reading time

Our schedule time will change each time depending on my schedule.

The new timeline is as follows:
6-8 (My time. I’m usually in the gym for 1 1/2 then afterwards, i work on some schoolwork, housework, bills…etc.)
8-9 Arabic
9-10 Chinese
10-11 We work with her numbers in different ways
11-12 Lunch
12-2 nap (if she sleeps any longer she won’t get to bed at night; this is also the time I get some things done and work on my own studies)
2-3 snack and reading
3-4 We practice spelling her name with laminated letters and we use the sight words to make sentences
4-5 active time (I usually visit the gym at this point)
5-6 Dinner
7-8 We use arts during bath time (Crayola has many items you can use during bath time)
8-9 stories and bedtime

Of course depending on what’s going on, we don’t always follow this schedule but, it’s a general idea of what our day looks like.

Love Ikea!!!!

Since we are in Atlanta visiting my husband and he works during the week, Z and I took a trip to Ikea. The store is massive, beautiful, Eco-friendly and amazing! Though, it’s almost like a maze to get around, there are some incredible buys. For instance, I purchased an easel for Z. It’s a chalkboard and dry raise board.Z has been using the chalkboard side to play on and I’ve been using the dry erase side to teach on. Not only it’s it a great find, the price was unbeatable and cheaper than I expected and what I paid at Walmart for her crayons easel.

Even if you don’t live near and Ikea, you can order one from their website, though I recommend going into the store.

Three weeks into the Fall….

…So, we are three weeks into our toddler school fall term. Z has been enrolled in Arabic classes and so far so good. She spends a bit more time playing but, I also know that she’s learning. For instance, she’s learned “Shukran” which is “Thank you”. I’ve been mixing English with the Arabic. Soon, the sentences will be all Arabic instead of a mix English and Arabic. Aside from Arabic, we have been working on identifying objects around the house, potty training, and sight words. Because we have deceiced to become a multilingual home, English and ASL (American Sign Language) are used for reinforcement and understanding (because my daughter knows more English than the other languages we are teaching her). We are working on Arabic (which she takes classes for), French, Spanish, Mandarin, and Greek. Of course, there has been a lot of controversy and I’m sure well meaning concern about teaching our daughter so many languages at once, however, this works for us. Each child is different and not every child will be able to handle learning more than one language at a time. This is another conversation for another time.

So, while Z is enrolled in class (which she attends once a week) I toddler school her the rest of the week. It’s been a trying and hard three weeks since I have my own schooling but, the beginning of each 10 weeks, I will plan her focus. This will not only keep her mind active and on track but, help me as well. We’ve done a lot of traveling and will be doing a lot of traveling and that will also be incorporated into our lessons. I’ve also located playgroups in the areas where I’ll be traveling too. This will ensure that Z still has other little ones to play with and I’ll meet moms as well. We’ll mostly be traveling back and forth to the area where we’ll be relocating to next year.

I hope everyone had a less hectic but, fun weekend.. Until next time

~Happy Schooling

Networking: Join a Co-Op

I’ve spent quite a bit of time networking to find other homeschooling parents, websites, and curriculums. I’ve signed up to receive newsletters, deals, and freebies. One such website that I’ve found is the Homeschool Co-op. It’s a site where families can resale or advertise for specific curriculum for a lower price than purchasing through a retail store.

Visit their website, earn points, and even make a free student ID card for your homeschooler. You can print this card at home or pay shipping to have one sent to you. This is my first day on the Co-Op and I’m very excited to see all that it has to offer.

Be sure to click the link below to register for an account. This link has a reference code to be used when you register. If the click does not work, please let me know.

Directory of Homeschool Blogs

How long have you been searching the net for other homeschooling blogs? Printables? Ideas? How many have you found? I can you from experience, there are a lot. So many in fact that, it would take nearly a week or more to view them all and find the ones that best fits what you’re looking for. Hip Homeschool Moms created a blogroll with homeschool blogs listed by their curricula. Not only is this helpful to point you in the right direction, but it will give you an idea of the different curriculums. Now, not EVERY homeschool blog is listed, including some of my favorites, but this is to get you started. As you know, we are toddler-schooling. Finding blogs that cater to homeschooling toddlers is not impossible, but rare. Check out some of my earlier post to read about toddler-schooling. For now, head over to Hip Homeschool Moms and check them out.

Vacation=Education

You’ve seen my posts about our family moving from Georgia to Florida. Though our daughter is only nineteen months old, we are using the next several months as a learning journey. In Savannah, there are many activities that tourist take part. Though we are residents and will be moving, I decided to resend we are tourist. We live in our current cities, but our children rarely see what we do as we tend to stay away from tourist attractions. Become a tourist and take part in what your city has to offer. Record each activity on your daily record and take pictures for your picture book. Visit your tourism office for listings of tourist attractions, dates, times, and admissions. Not only will your child benefit from this as a learning experience, but it will create memories as well and create a learning book you can use in the future. Though we weren’t able to do this on our first trip to visit daddy (due to the weather) we hope to be able to do this on our next trip.

To make a learning book you’ll need the follow items:

A three ring binder 2-5″
Sheet protectors or a laminating system
Camera and SD card
Index cards
Brochures from the attractions
Card stock in multiple colors
Markers

Here’s what to do:
Take a photo of your child in front of the attraction. Glue the photo on the card stock and write the name if the attraction and the date on the card stock. Next laminate (or place in a she protector) the brochure of the attraction. On the index cards, list what you learned or discussed about this attraction and why it is important to the city.

This is a quick and easy way to capture and remember the moments. Try doing this for each city you visit, whether it’s to visit relatives or you have an extra few days while traveling.

I will be posting photos of our projects as we complete them and I add more. As always,

Happy Homeschooling