Staring At A New School Year-To Homeschool or Not?

Summer Is Coming To An End - DECIDING TO HOMESCHOOL or NOT

This is a big decision many people have at the end of the homeschooling whether they have been homeschooling their children or their kids have been in public, private or alternative schools. Up until recently, many people didn't even have Homeschooling or Working While Homeschooling on their radar as an option. Now, many know that they have more options in customizing education for their kids than ever before.

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO HOMESCOOL

You can decide to homeschool your child at any time of the year. You have the option to 'try' on traditional education, and decide that it's not for you, then take your child out to homeschool them.

However, if you plan on homeschooling your child first, then putting them back in traditional school, you may consider some of the hurdles with this option.

-Elementary School: There is an easier transition to elementary school if the child homeschools. They may give the child a placement test, then enroll them in their grade based on their age.

-Middle School: This is the grade range where special programs for gifted students, and students with interest that can easily migrate into like high school programs happen. The risk is that your child may not be eligible for some of those programs if you enroll them after 7th grade. However, you can request that your child get tested for those programs.

-High School: No homeschool credit will be acceptable at the High School level. So homeschooling your child for several grades, they will still have to finish 4 years of English and 3 years of Math (4 in some states) which may require summer school or doubling up on classes.

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO HOMESCOOL

When you decide to homeschool and it's a new idea, don't rush to buy curriculum, jump into school and plan long lessons, schedule and days. Take a step back and talk to your child, find out how they like to learn, what they want to accomplish this school year, and what is their most difficult and rewarding subjects. Then test their skill to see if they have educational gaps, have a love language that works well for positive reinforcements, and socialization preferences.

Unschool them, by doing nothing specific with school work, but get them to a point where you are interacting with them on a fun, loving and bonding manner.

Then start their schooling with focusing on the following in the order below:

1) First quarter of school, work on filling the educational gaps in Math, Reading, Writing.

2) Second quarter of school: start your curriculum for the school year with four subjects, adding the additional subjects after a week or two.

3) BE FLEXIBLE, realize kids like us need breaks, gets bored, don't want to show up to work and need vacations.

WORKING PARENTS HOMESCHOOL AND JOB FAIR

Last Day of Early Bird Sales!

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The Reluctant Homeschooling Parent

When I first started homeschooling my child, I didn't want to do it. That was over seven years ago, and fear kept me from pursuing one of the most rewarding accomplishments I have had as a parent. It's alright to not want to do something that doesn't feel comfortable. However, that shouldn't stop you from doing what has to be done anyway.

REALIZE YOU and YOUR KID AREN'T PERFECT

We all seem to strive for perfection within ourselves, but we need to give ourselves freedom to just be who we are without expectations. Once you stop trying to be like every other homeschooling parent you know or working parent you know, there will be a heavy burden of self imposed stress lifted. Don't just give yourself that pass of perfection, realize your kids feel the same way too. When they come home to homeschool, they experience many psychological and social changes that at their young age, they have no idea how to process.

TAKE NIBBLES BEFORE THE ENTIRE BITE

Don't try to push tons of curriculums, schedules, work or more onto your plate or your child when you first start to homeschool. Spend the first weeks or months filling in any educational gaps, making learning fun, and getting to know your child on a level you may not have been able to before. By spending the time to get to know your child's moods, abilities and build a foundation in learning, you will gain confidence in homeschooling.

MAKE TIME TO RELAX and PLAY WITH YOUR KIDS

Managing homeschooling while working can be daunting. Stick to the core subjects, but make it a point to play with your child for all other subjects that have some flexibility. Giving yourself and your child a planned moment of rest will allow you to thrive in many ways. A thirty minute nap can make a huge difference in your attitude and your child's mood no matter how old.

TURN RELUCTANCE INTO SUCCESS by making it a point to stay in the negative head space that is hindering your success.

REDIRECTING YOUR HOMESCHOOLER WHEN NEEDED

THIS YEAR DIDN'T GO AS PLANNED

So we redirected the path

Freedom in homeschooling allowed us to be flexible during a time that we thought we had everything planned perfectly for our son.

This May he was supposed to walk across the stage of the online college he had been attending and get his BS in Information Systems Management. He'd already started taking classes to also start his two-year program in Airplane Mechanics. The summer IT internship he was supposed to start got cancelled. He broke his collarbone and had to be laid off from his part-time job that he enjoyed.

Then things drastically changed when his graduation got cancelled, the Aircraft Mechanics program put him back on the waiting list to accommodate students that were displaced with the circumstances of the pandemic and new laws about social distancing.

REDIRECTING AND FLEXIBILITY

Know that you have time and there is no rush when homeschooling. Since my son was only 16 years old, he voiced his desire to have an actual college graduation. He was willing to work on other interest for a year so he would have the chance to walk the stage next year.

He added a minor onto his degree in Marketing since he said he was interested in that subject. He was only required to take three more classes.

In order to redirect and allow our child to explore a new path we:

• Did a Mind Map and Brainstorm of other interest
• Pointed out what was important to him
• Identified areas he needed more help (like networking skills, desire to learn music, need to practice public speaking more)
• Pointed out experiences he wanted
• Gave himself permission to put a direction at rest (for now or maybe forever)
• Pointed out what was most important to him

Speed Racer wanted a graduation. He also decided to table the Aircraft Mechanic program since it was something he'd decided to pursue in support of his dream of becoming a pilot. He did waver on becoming a pilot since the travel industry took a big hit - but we encouraged him to see the benefits of gaining a private pilot license for no reason but for personal and life growth. He agreed he'd still like to pursue the private pilot license and see what happens. 

PLAN FOR THE EXTENDED HOMESCHOOLING COLLEGE YEAR

He has changed his plans to include learning music, improving his breakdancing (hoping to be able to pursue the next Olympics in Break dancing), do a year of canoe racing since he missed the opportunity. For school work, he is minoring in Marketing, graduating in May 2021 with his sister who is graduating with her MS (at age 20 years), taking more computer programming classes, some homeschool classes in speech and debate so he can be around other teens.

HELP THEM TO SEE LIFE AS A GREAT ADVENTURE

In all the redirection, help them to see life as the great path of possibilities. Change is normal and can be fun as well as exciting. Closed paths aren't about the closing but about the learning and growing as a person.

by LM Preston, Author of Homeschooling and Working While Raising Amazing Learners

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Doing School At Night and Weekends

You Can Do School Whenever You Want

Yes, as a homeschooling parent, you can change it up and do school at odd hours, working it around when you and your kids are both home and able to sit down and do work together

Schedule Alternate Times For Schooling

As we worked outside the home, we had to make alternate schooling time work for our kids. Doing so meant we had to realistically spend sitting down and giving one child attention.

Changing up the subject to work with our kid on what they needed help on most was ideal.

Mix in times when the child should be doing independent work. Help them to build the ability to do independent work.

Let The Kids Sleep In

The best part of having the kids work on their schooling in the evening is they get to sleep until they wake up. If you work from home, letting the kids stay up late and sleep in gives you time to work in the morning while they are sleep. 

Weekend Only School

You could make school year around, but only do one-on-one school during the weekend and project based, movie based, independent study and exploration based during the weekdays.

Try It For A Change

Even if you had a day schedule, try out an alternative schedule to change things up and to give yourself and the kids a shake up. You may find that it works better for you.

We did night and weekend school for the entire time we homeschooled since both my husband and I worked, now my kids are still maintaining the schedule even though they are working and college. One child who was an early riser, still does so, she just does things she enjoys before getting to work.

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SEEMINGLY UNPRODUCTIVE DAYS ARE NOT WASTED

HOMESCHOOLING, WORKING, REVIVE A BAD DAY

By the time the holiday’s roll around, most parents are a bit burned out by the hectic pace of managing parenting, schooling, work and more. Use your FREEDOM IN HOMESCHOOLING and be flexible on days and times of the school year that you need to re-ignite your love of managing it all.

First, give yourself permission to goof off a bit. Be thankful for the power you hold to be flexible. Find that freedom and use it wisely.

CHANGE UP LEARNING EXPECTATIONS AND METHODS OVER THE HOLIDAY

This time of year, we take it easy and redirect learning to more movie based, experience based, project based learning approaches. This allows us to lay around, watch videos, do craft projects, go on field trips
, notebook what we are learning, have deep discussions on topics of interest. Mainly, it’s about interest lead learning with the exception of math, reading and writing.

THINGS THAT DERAIL US

Moodiness, holiday burnout, lack of focus, and much more. Let's face it. Our home students have good days and DOG days. You know, they don't want to wake up. They argue with you for hours about how BORING the work is. They want to take tons of bathroom breaks and you want to scream. Sometimes you do. This is a sure sign, a redirection is needed.

IT's OKAY

Give yourself permission to just take a week off, heck the holiday’s off. Refocus and redirect what you are grateful and thankful for, but need to have a break from. When I have days like that at work, I leave early or I just don't go. Sometimes,  I even take a long lunch break just to get my head back in the game.

TAKE A SIESTA

Times like this. I give us all a 'timed' break. I set the alarm and tell the kids they can do anything BUT play video games or go outside. Usually, they just get a snack, watch a show, or read a book of choice. Me - I take a short nap.

Why? Well because if Mom's cranky, her kids know it and mom/teacher can't redirect when cranky.

MAKE UP DAY...

Sometimes the day is a totally wash. So...we make it up. I move the work and lesson to the following day. Or do school on a day I had plan to have no school.

SHORTEN THE LESSON

This is another secret weapon. On days where we have somewhere to go, the kids are not engaged, or I'm too distracted to do an entire lesson. We shorten it. I don't do their DVD teaching section, I teach the new subject myself to the student. Or we don't do every homework practice problem or even cut our any of our electives for that day.

REMIND YOURSELF TO BE THANKFUL and CREATE A LIST FOR ALL TO SEE

Remembering why we are doing all we do is a good way to ignite passion back into a hectic schedule that is compounded by holiday expectations. Thanksgiving seems to come at the right time. Include the kids in the creation of a Be Thankful board that you place on your walls, in your room, on your refridgerator to remind you just how much you have to be thankful for, then tell your kids just how much you are thankful for a particular trait or action they did to make you happy. Words have power and using them to get ourselves on track is a great way to prepare for the holidays ahead.

By LM Preston, www.empoweredsteps.com and www.lmpreston.com blog: homeschoolandwork.blogspot.com/  

We Survived The First Month of School - Barely!

MY SON INSIST ON DRESSING NICE FOR COLLEGE DAYS

Here's a long awaited update of our homeschooling journey which includes Community College courses, homeschool classes, and online University courses.

Madness I know, yet my highly active, high energy kid keeps rising to the challenge (with some nagging and oversight for accountability by mom).

OVERVIEW OF HIS SCHEDULE

Parental Support: Review and validate homework before he turns it in. Gives him accountability measures and boundaries.

Monday: Read Physics chapter, create notes in Quizlet for studying, review notes on Quizlet with a practice test. Do reading for his four online college classes. He usually ask me to review his discussion post before he submits them. Mom gets home from work, I read his discussion post, give him the okay to turn it in. Then he plays video games or watch movies until really late at night.

Activity: Martial Arts

Tuesday: He sleeps til 11am. Goes to Community College Physics Lab class, then the homework help center and to tutoring. Physics online class he does the discussion and the homework problems at the homework help lab. He takes the bus to his friends high school and hangs out there while his friend finishes practice, then catches a ride home with his buddy. My husband scoops him up from his friend's house.

Activity: Go to the Gym with Dad and Sister

Wednesday: He finishes the discussion post (usually 2 to 3 paragraphs with 2 references) for each of his online University classes (Project Management, Telecommunications, Systems Analysis and Design, and American Society Sociology). Quizlet study of Physics terms and problems. Dad checks his progress, if he isn't progressing, his weekend plans are usually on the line. No fun on the weekend until work is done. Also, dad takes his cellphone until progress is made. This doesn't happen much but it is the rule in our house.

Activity: Go to Youth Service and Bible Study

Thursday: Draft papers or do projects for University classes. Quizlet study of Physics terms and problems. If he is having problems with papers, he sends email to professor or post on the online board. Then ask mom or dad to help.

Activity: Go to the Gym with Dad and Sister

Friday: Finish papers and all assignments for course. If he isn't finished but has something he wants to do, he has to explain why and it has to be at least 80% done. We check to make sure, then he will do the work on Saturday morning. All his online University work has to be done by Saturday night - the school requires its turned in by Sunday.

Activity: Martial Arts or BreakDance practice

Activity: Hang out with friends

Saturday: All work done and turned into online courses (mom or dad reviews his work and the quality, give him the okay to turn it in, if it's not good, he has to fix it).

Activity: Go to flying lessons or social justice group. Hang out with friends

Sunday: No work, just church and relax

WORK and HOME BALANCE

Working and Homeschooling 

MEAL PREP: I've had to change up what I cook. No pastas, no potato, no starch. Oh my! I've basically have delegated dinner to the other kids for 2 days and I am prepping 3 days. Crock pot and oven meals are where it's at for us. We've been doing well - this month.

HOUSE CLEANING: My son who now has tons of activities with his friend has been doing a great job of doing his chores (so he can go hang out with his friends). My youngest daughter cleans on the weekend. However, my room is still unkempt, our clothes need to be washed, so we actually had to go to the laundry mat to catch up on washing clothes. Yes, it's been one of those weeks. Overall, the house is okay, not spotless, but you can find a place to sleep and it smells good (lots of air fresh and essential oils)

LESSON PLANNING: My son request that I give him a weekly schedule and I still have had to send daily reminders (kids!).

MARRIAGE CHECKUP: Well I've basically overrun our date night and my husband and I left the kids home to go out to dinner and a movie. He kidnapped me I think, ha!

SELF CARE: I have been getting my nap time in you know. Thirty minutes to two hours, whatever I need and when I need it. I just tell my son to wake me up in an hour.

Keeping House Clean As a Busy Mom

HOW TO PULL OFF A CLEAN HOUSE WITH 

LITTLE KIDS

My number one strategy for keeping a clean house when our children were little was, limiting where they were able to roam. They only had one room that was their domain, and that was THE PLAYROOM. 

PLAYROOM: We had a small house, but we realized that we needed to designate an area where our kids would have their toys, things they played with, and that place had rules.

Coral The Kids

When kids are small and you are a homeschooling and working parent, there is little time for cleaning the entire house. We had to find a way to coral the kids into only a few areas in the house so we had to only clean two rooms daily. The kids rooms they played in was the Playroom (our former living room or dining room). We would be in that room with the kids and if we were working while they wanted to play or watch television, it would be in that room. We would take our laptop and either watch what we wanted on our laptop or tablet, do work, or read.  

The bedroom was only for sleeping and there were no toys in the bedroom besides what toy they wanted to go take to bed with them.

In the bathroom, they had their own shelf where they were taught to put their stuff.

The kitchen was for eating, snacking, and there was a small TV in there that they could watch if there was a show they just had to see while snacking. They couldn't watch television during lunch or dinner though.

Playroom (or Family Room) Rules

This is the kids domain. They need to have one and we gave up a living room and sometimes a dining room for them to have this space. As parents we hung out in the playroom with them. We just learned to tune out their play if we weren't actively playing with them. They also were responsible for helping us clean it as soon as they could walk and carry their own toys they learned to put them in the bins. Truthfully, they were cleaner as children than as teenagers.

-There is only one room for playing with toys, doing art, watching TV and looking at devices for entertainment

-No food in the playroom

-No drinking in the playroom without a top on bottle, sip cup

-Organization of types of toys in toy box with lid and bookcase

-Limit the amount of toys and do an overhaul monthly if needed to donate old toys

-Every night before bed is the sing the 'Clean Up' song and put the toys away

There is an Independent Learner in Every Child

 MY TIPS AND TRIPS to RAISING AN INDEPENDENT LEARNER

MY METHODS

I believe in giving my children a challenge and watching, observing how they respond to it so I can figure out how they best are 'sparked' into the hunger for that topic.

Kids love playing games, challenges, and rewards. I created these scenarios with them at various times by giving them something to 'hunt' for within a chosen topic.

MOTIVATING LEARNING THROUGH ADVENTURES

We used the Sue Patrick Workbox Method to keep us organized. Also, to allow my child to go to one place for their assignments, turning in their work, and letting me know when they needed help. This was an invaluable training resource for their INDEPENDENCE at a young age.

SCAVENGER HUNTS

Creating learning and topical scavenger hunts for information is a really good way to stir up additional and directed learning curiosity. Allowing the child to use whatever source, method or type of research material to gather the pieces to the puzzle for their learning really solidifies the topic. My kids did this a lot with HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SCIENCE and TOPICS OF THEIR CHOICE. This is a great way to add to a topic or completely teach a subject. You can get really creative with this and end in a DISCUSSION, PROJECT PRESENTATION, or a SHOW AND TELL of their findings.

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS

This assignment should include all the makings of a scientific experiment and argument building exercise. With research methods including outward discovery and even finding or coming up with solutions that are not presented within their findings. It can include a paper, artwork, a collage, and a scientific demonstration of their newfound facts. ~Make it fun ~ and validate the child's responses and retention. Make the topic something that they are interested in. Give them methods for research, analysis. Consider the outcome being *creating a game to discover the findings, a video, acting out the finding ~ do whatever you can to make it fun.

DISCOVERY MISSIONS

Discovery missions is a way of opening up a learning opportunity by sharing one piece of the study at a time and in different ways. You could experience literature by reading a comic together, then going to see the play, then watching a movie, and going to the location, creating the food for that adventure, or artifacts, or creating a room that represents that adventure, or even have your child plan the adventure to show you the way to their discovery.

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

Part of making the experience fun, is to figure out how to ask the right questions to lead your child to share, desire discovery, and to interact through the learning experience. They should be fueled by questions, that 'spark' a desire to research to find out more about their topic.

GO ON THE ADVENTURE WITH THEM

The best part of the experience, is when they are finished their discoveries, they take you on the adventure with them. Let them do it alone first, to 'map the route', then have them take you on the journey to share their methods of discovery, learning, pitfalls, and wins.

VALIDATE THE EXPERIENCE by EVALUATING THE LEARNING

Lastly, you want your child to have ownership in validating the exercise. The topic areas, the ways you can improve the experience of their learning journey for them. What they learned from it? How they responded? Did it make them more independent?

HOW DID THIS WORK FOR MY HOMESCHOOL

My kids don't want me to help them initially. They seek to work through their assignments independently first. Then when I check and review their assignments, I ask them about their responses. Then I suggest a method to use to get or confirm their answers.

WHERE DOES INDEPENDENT LEARNING BENEFIT MY CHILD

All of my children have become confident in the discovery of information to support their interest. They do ask for my advice and guidance, but usually only after they have done extensive research themselves. Most times, they just want guidance, not the answers. The answers, they love to discover for themselves.

Surviving Homeschooling While Working

There are many circumstances that may change in a parenting journey. There are those that start homeschooling due to a desire to give their children a unique learning experience, or those that due to their child’s challenges in traditional schools, decide to take the plunge into a new world of homeschooling their kids. As a career focused parent, the consideration of homeschooling had seemed off the table of possibilities in order to maintain the home and lifestyle desired. Trying to work and balance teaching your child takes a total change of mindset about a career, school, and your family dynamics.

MINDSET CHANGE

You can survive making the transition to working and homeschooling no matter which direction you are approaching it from. If you were a stay at home parent that didn’t have to work, but now has to, you can survive this. Those working parents that can’t find the right fit for their child – you can do it. To survive first begins with the attitude that you and only you can ‘Own Your Flexibility,’ in homeschooling and working.

RESHAPING YOUR EXPECTATIONS

We have many expectations of what homeschooling is supposed to emulate. Sometimes, we forget that it doesn’t ‘have’ to be like traditional school or any other homeschool. It is a gift of learning in your own way, to shape to the needs of your family and your child. The one and only expectation one should have is that homeschooling is meant to be flexible. Usually, it isn’t because we stand in our own way. Making homeschooling and working a reality means to envelope the freedom to shape school any way you need and around when you need to redefine the way you accomplish schooling.

The first way to approach homeschooling and working a job or running a business is to be honest about your situation. There is only enough time in the day. Therefore, you need to use your time wisely. Pinpoint how much time you have during the day to hyper focus on either instruction or work review for your child. Don’t consider what you want to do with them for the day, only job down what you can do for them during the day. Total up that time within the full day for seven days out of the week. When you homeschool and work, you need to be flexible with your homeschooling time and fit it around work time. That opens up evenings, nights and weekends to doing school. Kids are usually more fluid and their ability to work within a schedule. You may also find that they actually like it when their day is changed around.

CHANGE UP STYLES AND SCHEDULES

            Most people are creatures of habits. Changing children from learning during the morning and afternoon time seems odd to the point where it isn’t even considered as an options. Schooling on the weekends is also off limits for many families, except when kids are in traditional school, homework is usually done on the weekends. The benefit of homeschooling and working is that the parent has the ability to mix up styles. Learning styles are important, but all can be used to teach within the parameters of the needs of your child and your house hold. If your child’s primary learning style is audio, they still benefit and learn by being presented with the information visually or written. Feel free to present learning in all methods depending on what the family schedule needs, but lead with the child’s preferred learning style whenever possible. In scheduling, there are quite a few popular scheduling methods. Own your freedom by using a traditional five day schedule during the time the kids are cooped up in the house for the winter, then after the holidays when they are bursting at the seams to have a break, do unschooling for a few months, then end with a Need-to-Want-to schedule. Use the various combinations of scheduling and styles of homeschooling to your benefit based on the time constraints and goals of the family.

DELEGATE OR DITCH IT

            The major area of flexibility to utilize while homeschooling is the ability to delegate a task or forget about it. In instances where you need to do yard work, house work, go to work at a job or your business, start thinking about delegating a task. If it’s a task you have to hire out, ask yourself how much money you would lose by paying someone to do something you could do. So for instance, if you are considering working full-time, but have to pay for child care, compare the cost of child-care per hour against what you make per hour. If that isn’t a good tradeoff, maybe just working part-time around your spouse’s work schedule would be a better delegation of childcare. Also, if you would take two hours to do the yard work, and a yard service would cost less than that, pay for the service. Beyond comparison, there are things you just can’t do or don’t want to do for the level of time required. In those cases, getting the kids involved to help tackle the task works by teaching them the skill and getting you help. Consider what you can’t delegate, don’t have the time to do yourself, and take a family vote to ditch it.  If cleaning the dishes everyday takes an hour you don’t have, make the investment and buy paper plates and only wash the dishes once a day.

OWN YOUR FLEXIBILITY

            When you are working and homeschooling, you survive by owning the flexibility to change all the pieces of making homeschool work, to fit you. This is the most powerful gift of homeschooling, the ability to change it to be whatever you need it to become for your family. There is no rules, no time constraints, it’s about customization of education.

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Priorities for a Working And Homeschooling Parent

EVERY TIME SOMEONE ASKED ME

HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO DO THIS?

The picture says it all. I had many, many sacrifices. I gave up surfing the internet for hours after work. I didn't go to happy hour with co-workers or friends unless my husband was working with the kids that night.

EVERY NIGHT AFTER WORK

I spent time focusing on my kids. Giving them my full attention. That meant giving up a lot, but it was fun, stressful, but worth it.

ACCOUNTABILITY

This is so important. Checking their work every day was what kept them on course. Helping them to understand the steps to researching and answering their problems, questions, and getting the right solutions.

GETTING THEM HELP

I didn't usually teach them. I knew I worked best as teacher support. We made sure we found teaching curriculum that taught the steps to our kids. Then we supported them by helping them with their homework, finding them tutors when they needed it.

PLAY WITH THEM

We used play to build our relationships with them. We used play to solidify topics and subjects they didn't understand.

THIS WAS NOT EASY, NOTHING EVER IS

I just guess to many people I made it look easy, because we truly loved every moment of homeschooling our kids, even though, we were working outside the home to do it.

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Recipe for Selecting The Best Curriculum For Your Child

There is a recipe for selecting the best possible curriculum for your child, but it may not be what you think it is.

When you first start homeschooling, the task of selecting a curriculum is overwhelming. Take a deep breath and realize that what works for one child may not work for your child - or you as a working parent.

THE RECIPE

Learning Style is a big part of finding a compatible curriculum for your child. However, you can still use curriculum that may not fit perfectly by overlapping exposure to a subject by reinforcing the topic with the child's learning style for presentation.

The child's attention span. This is where traditional school really misses the mark. Take the time to learn your child. Observe how many minutes that they can actually be engaged in focused attention for audio, visual, read, and interactive information. Then keep that number to find realistically how much time your child can focus in spurts.

Gaps in learning can stagger a students progress. Identify the learning gaps in order to find a curriculum that can fill in and reinforce those knowledge gaps.

OTHER GOT TO's

Personality Type plays heavily in learning, ability, interest and ways to communicate. Have fun and learn yours and your family's personality types to understand how best to work with one another, to understand challenges that may arise between siblings or even you and your child. It is a way to identify how best to work and encourage healthy relationships between your child and you.

Love language of your child is important. Learning how your child needs to receive affirmation from you as the parent. This is the extra topping on building a great relationship with your child.

Your availability for one-on-one time. If it is limited, you may have to find curriculum that will do most all the teaching, and you will be the follow up (sort of like helping child with homework). To do that successfully, filling in the gaps and meeting your child's learning style needs makes a big difference.

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HOMESCHOOLING AND WORKING WHILE RAISING AMAZING LEARNERS BLOG TOUR

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Homeschooling and Working While Shaping Amazing Learners is a nuts to bolts guide for working parents who want to groom exceptional learners through the flexibility of homeschooling. Learn to juggle working and homeschooling your kids while maintaining your sanity. Also, use aspects of homeschooling for after schooling when traditional school isn’t working. Single parents are given options for executing homeschooling or after schooling methods that work in practical bits for the busy parent. Learn how to take your child from an average student to an exceptional student by exploring the possibilities shown in the section on acceleration of learning. From pre-K to homeschooling college, open your eyes to the many options in flexibility this approach to learning can give. You can homeschool and work to shape amazing learners by exploring the possibilities. 

Virtual Book Tour - August 7 - September 18

August 7 - RABT Book Tours - Kick Off

August 8 - Nana's Book Reviews - Spotlight

August 9 - The Avid Reader - Interview

August 10 - T's Stuff - Spotlight

August 12 - Book Lover Blog - Spotlight

August 13 - Java John Z's - Excerpt

August 14 - Beach Bound Books - Spotlight

August 15 - The Bookworm Lodge - Spotlight

August 16 - Angela's Freelance Writing - Excerpt

August 17 - Jazzy's Book Reviews - Spotlight

August 19 - Truly Trendy - Review

August 20 - Mythical Books - Guest Post

August 21 - Alyssa Faye Blog - Interview

August 22 - Novel News Network - Review

August 23 - Jena Baxter Books - Spotlight

August 26 - Silver Dagger Scriptorium - Spotlight

August 27 - Texas Book Nook - Review

August 28 - Stephanie's Book Reviews - Spotlight

August 29 - The Sexy Nerd Revue - Spotlight

August 30 - The Indie Express - Review

August 31 - Dina Rae Writes Stuff - Spotlight

September 2 - Momma and Her Stories - Excerpt

September 3 - Momma Says to Read or Not to Read - Spotlight

September 4 - A Life Through Books - Interview

September 5 - Book Reviews by Virginia Lee - Spotlight

September 6 - On a Reading Bender - Review

September 9 - The Voluptuous Book Diva - Spotlight

September 11 - Beach Bound Books - Spotlight

September 13 - Sylv.net - Spotlight

September 16 - Tea Time and Books - Review

September 17 - Crossroads Reviews - Spotlight

September 18 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up 

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