Ten Thoughts on Homeschooling from a Beginner

1. I wish I had purchased the 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum last year. I recently decided to order it and it arrived yesterday. I have only been skimming it so far but I am greatly impressed. I know my words as a homeschooler aren't worth much salt yet but this book is for a total newbie just like myself. This will give you a starting direction and help see where you need to go.

2. I am greatly anticipating attending the 2012 MACHS Conference. There will be workshops and vendor tables. I am going there with a plan of attack. I am going with checklists. I am going prepared to learn.

3. I NEED STRUCTURE! While for the most part I love our free living lifestyle I NEED something to keep me on schedule and on track. I need long range plans with short term flexibility. This will suit both my needs and my children's needs. I am a classic procrastinator and having guidelines keeps me in check. I know that is a weakness of mine. Knowing that is a major part of our planning.

4. Choosing and researching and wading the waters of curriculum is confusing. In a big way. With all the various approaches and styles and philosophies there really is something for everyone. BUT, finding it is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Therefore SEE #1.

5. Stigma sucks. I don't have a lot of support regarding my decision to homeschool. I feel that much of the stigma regarding homeschooling is to blame. I need to grow a back bone where this is concerned though. People can think and feel how they want to think and feel. Still though, stigma sucks.

6. Invest in bookshelves and storage systems. You are basically operating a classroom out of your home. The materials available in an average classroom are more than likely going to need to be available in your home in some way. Where do you keep this stuff? Books, crafts, toys, manipulatives, worksheets, projects................

7. Gathering time is the best part of our day. I like to begin our homeschool days with a routine that consists of: O Canada, reciting the Our Father, reading a devotion, two minutes of silence and reflection, morning/welcome song, calendar/weather/season/moon, fun/activity song and stretches. Then we are ready to learn.

8. It can be very overwhelming. Not a day goes by that I don't question or second guess myself a little bit. Whether it is the excessive complaining that day or my own insecurities or a whole variety of factors there is always something to make feel inadequate as a homeschooling parent. I just remind myself of why I am doing this in the first place and that together we will overcome new challenges every day.

9. It is work. While there is a lot of fun there is also a lot of work. This goes for both the children and me. The preparing and carrying out of lessons and activities can be exhausting. Being a parent is hard, being a stay at home parent has challenges and then I have gone and done added another whole big piece of something to my plate. Again though I take it a day at a time. I am learning when to back of and when to push something.

10. Seeing my children learn and grow and develop every day makes all the stress and stigma and work worth it. Choosing to homeschool is something that I do not take lightly. It is something I will not ever regret doing. It is  a path for our family that I plan to continue on for many years to come.

Weighty Frustrations

Recycling the same five pounds.

Yo yoing.

Trampoline.

Up and down.

Plateau.

Whatever I refer to it as it does not change what it is. FRUSTRATING.

I am at an odd point in my weight loss. I seem to hit a similar point at this weight every time. I am so close to surpassing a major hurdle and I can't quite get over it. It isn't even a physical hurdle either. This is all mental. It is all in my head. I am psyching myself out.

Perhaps it is because on the other side of 200 lbs lies territory I have not seen in a long time. The new/old territory will bring along some definite challenges. Am I afraid of it? Maybe not afraid. Intimidated? That is maybe more accurate. I can't get away with the same diet flub ups. As I lose weight my caloric needs reduce and I have to account for that. I am going to have to become more strict with myself. Even add some exercise.

Exercise. Yes. That is certainly something I need to do. To my credit I did a day of the Jillian Michael's 30 day shred yesterday and OH EM GEE am I sore today. I really should have powered through another day of it today but could not. If I wanted my legs to make it up and down the stairs of my house to do laundry Jillian was just going to have to weight. Haha. I meant wait. How is that for a Freudian slip?

In regards to exercise though I have been able to get away with losing 30+ lbs and not actually had to really exercise. I am living proof that weight loss is something like 80% diet and 20% exercise. What exercise does do though besides burn those calories is motivate you to eat better in order to not have to burn as many calories. At least that is what I am hoping. I want the effort I put into exercising to inspire me to eat better. Not just less calories but better food overall. Healthier food.

In regards to eating. Normally I am pretty decent at staying within my daily weight watchers points range but lately I have been bad at tracking. Either not measuring or saying to heck with it and not tracking at all. Now, while I stay in range when I am being a good girl the food quality isn't necessarily the greatest. I know all about clean eating principles. I make my kids great snacks and meals. Why is it so difficult to do it for myself? It isn't even that hard.

What has spurned this post into being is that today was weigh in day. I weighed 204.4 this morning. Which is 1 lb down this week but so not where I pictured myself 2 months ago. Two months ago I saw myself already in the high 180s by this point. I went off track a bit, partially my own doing, partially out of necessity. Getting back on track has been hard. Even in this round 3 of biggest loser I am only 1 lb down from staring and we are a number of weeks in. I have little to show for it.

I'm hoping to kick this complacency's ass this week though. Today was a good day. Tomorrow will be better. I keep hoping to be at the 175 mark for summer. If I want that I have to work for it. I have to want it.  And for the record not just 175 but a fit and toned 175. I want to get these flabby arms and legs leaner and stronger. Perhaps with summer activities I can lose the remaining 10 for a final goal of 165. These are not lofty goals. They are realistic and attainable. I will attain them.

I have several weeks left in the biggest loser challenge. I don't know if there will be a round four. Many of the participants have gotten to where they want to be. I really need to work on establishing a good program for myself now so when that support is finished I can still go on. Although I really hope our group stays together. They have been such a wealth up support and inspiration.

Now that I have said these things I feel that I can move on with the next stage. Get over whatever is holding me back and go full force. I know the force is with me.

May the force be with you as well.

Discovering Tea

I have always enjoyed a nice cup of tea. I started drinking it as most do, as a child. I drank what my mother had on hand. As I grew older I dabbled in a few basic loose teas and then settled on liking earl grey. My preferred choice. On occasion a chai would be nice as well. Sadly my loose tea connection closed down and regular bagged tea became the norm. Today that is no longer the case.

Enter in my friend Erin. She introduced me to a whole new world of loose tea. Erin also happens to be a tea genius. She knows A LOT about tea. What she doesn’t know she will be sure to research it and let you know. I look forward to her weekly videos on everything from How To Make Matcha to Proper Cookie Dunking Technique. I highly recommend that anyone with an interest in tea check her out and be sure participate on her highly active Facebook Page or even find her on Twitter.

Now, back to tea. It began with a nice stash from Davids Tea (where Erin opened my eyes to the ways of the loose leaf). I have also recently added some Teaopia. I am hoping to try some Tealish soon and if I’m feeling saucy I’m going to order in some pricy teas from Bellocq (a place I read about in the most recent issue of Martha Stewart Living).

Needless to say I have been doing a lot of experimenting and sampling. Finding what I like and what I certainly do not like. One of my recent experiments was purchasing the Kids Tea Pack from Teaopia. My children have already enjoyed many of the teas I have tried so I thought getting them some tea just for them would be nice. I mentioned it to Erin who asked me if I would like to review them for her blog. Without hesitation I said yes. 

The last few days have been filled with taste testing four different flavors marketed as kids tea. We tried them as hot tea and also as iced tea. 

I will say here that while my intention was tea for the kids I may have found some new flavours for myself as well. If you would like to read my full review please head on over and visit my friend Erin and check it out.