Conference time! Early Bird Sign Up!

 

Get in now for just $15 sign up!

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WORKING PARENTS HOMESCHOOL AND JOB FAIR

Last Day of Early Bird Sales!

Yep, it’s the last day of the cheaper-priced tickets, which means this is a GREAT DAY to do a big promotional push! Please, we need everyone to do their absolute best to get the word out as much as you can today – newsletters/emails, social media, and so on. The more everyone pitches in to get the word out, the more folks we will have attend, and the more fun we will have at our virtual conference! So, if you could please send out that email, make that post on your social media, and so on, that would be great!

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS for $15

Back To School Conference Time!

 

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It's here everyone~A Kick Off Conference for Christian Based Homeschool Learning

I am a speaker at the conference and am looking forward to seeing you all there!

Want to live a courageous life driven by the power of the Holy Spirit as you homeschool?
Want to restore your children's hearts to Jesus?
Want to intentionally create success for the next generation?

Global Christian Homeschool Conference
Virtual Speakers Pouring their Wisdom
August 17-21, 2020, 5 Days
Cost is only $20 – No, Really!

What makes this Homeschool Conference unique? God downloaded to me the idea of encouraging my brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the global homeschooling community. I chose mature Christian women and men who want to speak words of life into you, the homeschooling parent, so that you can stay home and mentor your children!

This year’s themes include:
1. The ABC’s of Homeschool, Diligent Prep for College,
2. Chats with Real Parents, Health & Wellness for Parents & Students
3. Courageous Living Teen Track, Unique Special Needs & Gifted Children,
4. Staying Power Marriage & Parenting,
5. Amazing Working Moms & Entrepreneurs

Features include:
• Passionate speakers that pour out words of life into homeschool parents
• Edifying Facebook community group where homeschool parents can interact with speakers, vendors, and homeschooling parents from around the world.
• Online “vendor hall” for attendees (will be photo albums in FB group).
• Giveaways during the “conference” week for attendees.
• Low ticket prices
• Unlimited, lifetime access to the conference (videos and handouts).

The Scripture focus this year is 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24. “23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP 

Student Maturity Happens in Waves

Tiger Lilly aka the new Willa Wonka

Doing School On the Road tested My patience and Their Maturity

Kids sometimes get the work done without nagging, overseeing and punishments. This last few weeks were like that, until the most recent week, I had to withhold fun activities before going on trip to get Speed Racer to finish his work on time.

The family went on a cruise, and stayed in Long Beach, CA for a time. The benefits of my job, was a discounted hotel room! Woot! But I also had to do some extra working hours to go without using all my vacation time, which I am saving up for a big family trip to Sydney, Australia and New Zealand next year.

It's been a struggle to post since I am trying to make my writing (publishing) side business. I will be revamping this blog once I publish my book in 2019, so stay tuned.

This week I get to work from home while completing some training. I find that being at home has sapped me of strength and a large amount of my motivation to do 'extra'. I guess since I am going doing this temporarily I don't have enough time to build a routine. However, I actually find I get LESS accomplished with housework and my son's school work with being home. Haven't figured out why yet.

KIDS PROGRESS

SPEED RACER's been bored. 
We have found a way to get rid of his boredom (for the most part) by having a multi-family game night and monthly mult-family cook out and get together with friends of ours with kids the same age. It's been a good thing for all the families.

Denying Being Homeschooled?

Lately, though, my son has been telling his non-homeschool friends (which he has much more of than homeschooling friends) that he goes to regular school and that he is in the 10th grade. He doesn't want them to know he is taking college classes since he just wants to be like 'one of the guys."

I plan to do a deeper post on this.

Homeschool Classes:
Investing: Finished this online Youtube course. 
Still haven't started playing the games. It's on the list for this weekend.
Recreational Pilot License Training: He wants to get this next summer so we are adding it into his curriculum. 

-He finished three videos with one quiz. He actually did pretty good.

Black History: This week we studied the MOORs and BLACK ACHIEVEMENTS

-  We sit in my room and in my bed eating popcorn watching these documentaries.

Astronomy: Something he wants to explore.

- Didn't get to these. Well, we are going on 2 months and haven't even picked up the lesson videos.

Bible Review: We are doing this together with videos. The Truth Unveiled Video playlist has been good for him. He asked several deep questions and we did some deep diving on topics.

- He and I finished 2 of these (he hates to admit it, but he likes these) and we are almost done with the series.

Cooking and Car Repair: The cooking I am letting him build his own recipes and prep dinner. Car Repair, he is helping his father and brother fix our cars. Oil Changes, Brake Pad changes, etc.

- He made smoothies and tacos this week, the rest of the meals I made.
- Car Repair - His dad is showing him how to change the oil in our van. Son is helping.

PE: Distance Canoe Team, Martial Arts and Breakdancing.

- Martial Arts - getting ready for belt test
- Breakdancing - only one day practice - Friday.

JavaScript and Unity 3D Programming: A Saturday small class with a teacher that meets from 8am til 1:30pm. All other kids are public school kids.
- The Hackathon was a good experience for him, he is also working on an online Java course.

Compuscholar (formerly homeschool programming) - Java
This is working well with our schedule and for reinforcement to his weekend class. He does this independently and this is an upgrade from the former HomeSchool Programming series curriculum.


College ClassesFinished: Biol 101 and Biol 102 (lab)
Finished: Info Sys in Org
Finished: Research WritingAdvanced Business Writing 
In week 4 of 8
-Finished three papers
-Finished 8 discussions and responses
-Finished 3 quizzes
-Finished project

College Algebra 
In week 4 of 8
-Finished 3 quizzes
-Completed 4 Discussion Homework



TIGER LILLY the Homeschool Graduate with a BS Degree, now Working on MS Degree

Is doing a great job of juggling her new full time position, her graduate degree course and her workout schedule.

In addition in her free time she has taken on some art commissions and is creating a bot for her gameplay website.

Also, participating in Nanowrimo and trying to finish her first novella and chapter of her Web Comic.

Dungeons and Dragons is something she loves to play and meets a group with her father to play one day a week.

WORK and HOME BALANCE Working and Homeschooling 

MEAL PREP: We are trying to revamp the meals we are doing since Tiger Lilly and I are signing up for Weight Watchers.

HOUSE CLEANING: I had to put the chore chart back up. They started arguing about who's day it was to do what. 

LESSON PLANNING: I didn't do the lesson plan for two weeks and it was a disaster. This week I was back on track and so is Speed Racer. 

MARRIAGE CHECKUP: We went on a marriage outing with our church and with another couple and had a great time.

SELF CARE: Took several naps and got a massage.

My Crazy and Unorthodox Way Of Homeschooling

THE SECRET IS

KNOWING THAT

WE CAN DO ANYTHING

I reflected on the last few years over my homschooling journey. I've always been a 'survivor' a 'never accept a NO until I find my own YES' kind of person.

Therefore, when it came to my kids, I wanted to expose them to everything while pushing their minds and abilities as far as I could until they grew, or asked for a reprieve. 

WHY PUSH and CHALLENGE MY KIDS

It's a method used in private schools, high schools and most work places. However, REMOVE THE STRESS by making it a DISCOVERY.

1) Reach for the MOON

Expose your child to BIG DREAMS but allow them a PASS TO REDIRECT.

2) Fall to the STARS

The redirect is , finish the road started, but revise, and repeat if you have to.

For example, Speed Racer, has taken Alg 1 for 2 years. He started at 11 yrs old. He got a 'C'. Then at 12 years old, we used a different curriculum, he got a 'B'. This year, we are combining Alg 1 with College Math, so far, he's working on an 'A'.

We encouraged him to pursue 3 careers since he enjoys flying glider planes (1) Aeronautical Engineer (2) Pilot (3) Aeronautical Mechanic

I don't actually expect him to do all three. However, both my husband and I have had to or more career or businesses at one time. I am an Engineer, an author, have been a College Professor, Mortgage Lender, Travel consultant, all why maintaining my engineering career. My husband has done the same. Therefore, we want our kids to know, that if you want to experience two or more complimenting careers in a lifetime...go for it. Just figure out a way to do it.

Also, we plan to have him finish a degree in at least 2 of these areas with a minor in Computer Science since he also loves coding.

3) If they want to CHANGE DIRECTION, let them.

4) Don't accept a direction without them researching, defending a new plan.

NOT FOR EVERYONE

This isn't the approach many parents choose to take. However, our minds are incredible gifts and when we encourage our kids that there are MANY MANY ROADS to their GOALS, that FAILURE doesn't mean DEFEAT but a CHANGE OF DIRECTION, they won't lose.

OUR WEEK IN REVIEW

SPEED RACER 

13 yrs old

Blended High Schooler

Speed Racer has matured so much in six months. I know he would, but sometimes as a parent, we are impatient. I try lots of methods to encourage positive growth, and never really knows what has worked, but I know, never giving up is the key.

CHANGES MADE TO CURRICULUM in 1st 3 weeks of SCHOOL

Removed curriculum (1) Logic with Compass Classroom (2) Physics removed completely to year before he officially starts Dual Enrollment at online college (3) Added in person Java class (child requested) on Sundays.

STRIDES MADE

Speed Racer doubled his quiz scores for study of the Computing DSST EXAM review with Instantcert. He has finished all independent work on time, before Friday, with good grades.

OUR WEEK IN REVIEW

TIGER LILLY

16 yrs old

Blended High Schooler

Tiger Lilly is pretty independent with her college classes. On Friday's I review all her work before she turns it in.

She requested another in person computer class. She's taking C#, Unity 3D and now Blender on Fridays for 2 hours. Her in person Japanese class will be moved to Spring since we both think her schedule is pretty booked.

Her homeschool business course is going well. Her website and blog are being created in the coming weeks.

WORK and HOME BALANCE

Working and Homeschooling 

MEAL PREP: I haven't gotten back on track with the mail planning or prep yet. I'm just throwing dinner together our we are grabbing fast food.  I am giving myself a month with our new schedule to get this corralled again.

HOUSE CLEANING: Not happening. This new schedule is wearing me down a bit and I haven't been enforcing (verifying that chores are done correctly and completely) like I should.


LESSON PLANNING: I do it mostly on Sunday evenings and it takes about an hour. We still use the Sue Patrick workbox system and the kids get a daily and weekly schedule. I am still working out our schedule. There are many changes in the first week and I am trimming curriculum down that I don't think is working.

MARRIAGE CHECKUP: With my husband and I co-teaching this year, with a more HANDS ON APPROACH to HOMESCHOOLING our Speed Racer, both of us have been. Date night hasn't happened in 2 weeks. I owe him big time and sent him an IOU and he did the same. We set a date over the holiday weekend to have a day together.