5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials- Words

I’m doing a mini-series this week on essentials for our homeschool. I hope you enjoy day 1 of this series. Maybe you’ll be able to relate to some of these!

Encouraging Words

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I find that at various times my children may feel discouraged. Maybe it’s that math problem that can ruin the day. Perhaps reading fluency isn’t happening as quickly as it did for a sibling- comparisons can damper a day. Whatever it is, encouraging words are like a big, warm hug… but feel free to give a real big, warm hug with them! 

To help remind my children of their progress, I pull out their notebooks. It helps them to gain perspective when they look back at some of their work they did earlier in the year (or past years).

On the flip side, sometimes I need to be encouraged! There have been many times when my children have given me words of encouragement; I have one in particular who will quote Scripture to me (there is an unspeakable comfort for me to hear my child’s voice do this). My husband, other family and dear friends will also come by my side and encourage me- what blessings they all are to me!

 

Unexpected Words

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“No regular lessons today!” This doesn’t happen very often but it is nice to take a break from the regular routine and throw in something spontaneous-like. There are several things we may do instead.

Visit family

Visit friends

Visit someone in need

Help someone 
Do some random acts of kindness

Go for a nature walk

Play some board games

Go to the library 
Write letters to family or friends

Unexpected words could also mean verbalizing a sincere positive thought about my child. Have you ever caught yourself being consumed with daily tasks or concerns instead of the happy thoughts of how well your child is doing? I have. During those moments, I try to catch myself and shift my focus to where it ought to be… on my child and and his/her individual efforts and personal accomplishments. My children are aware of when my focus is on them or something else at hand. They know I have regained my focus when I deliver words of affirmation when they least expect it.

Verbal Expression of Words

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If you have an outgoing and/or auditory learners, have them learn in a separate room away from your quiet learners. I have one of these for sure and I suspect one of my younger ones is as well. It certainly makes for interesting dynamics around here. Once group subjects are taught and our children are ready to move on to their individual lessons, this particular child needs to be in a different room with me. I need to make sure that my time is devoted to paying attention to this child- I can help bounce ideas, be an active listener, and be good company. Do you know what I discovered after doing this? This child does so much better with lessons and their needs for *people time* are met.

Practicing Words

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Hanging out and chatting about random things helps our children to practice conversation skills and bond. I was a super quiet introvert as an adolescent. I often found conversations to be challenging. Then one day I heard Dr. Dobson on the radio explain that good conversation is like bouncing and catching balls back and forth. I had such a break through when hearing this- it gave such a great visual! A couple of my children can sometimes find conversation challenging; so we practice. 

Praying Words

 

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My family. Your family. We all have tough days! Sometimes it can be a struggle to homeschool. Maybe I’m drained and despite all of my efforts to have things go smoothly, it just isn’t happening. Perhaps I have a child choosing to be stubborn. Or my little guy Super Busy is fussy and extra clingy. Whatever it is, I have had days where I was so caught up in trying to just keep on goin’… trying to make it through the day, that praying about the situation sadly wasn’t my first thought. I am working on changing that… a day at a time.

His Holy Word

As important as all of those things are, the top most essential we need in our personal homeschool is the Bible. It has been an amazing journey of spiritual growth for our family as we learn Bible Principles in each and every subject. Would you like to see what I mean?

I wish I could share the whole of what I have learned along side of my children with The Noah Plan Curriculum and with learning how to apply Bible Principles. But since that is not possible in this blog post, I’ll share some highlights. 🙂

Bible Principles Cultivates a Superior Education

There was a ton of encouragement for me in the first quarter of seventh grade’s Bible lessons. As I went through the Scriptures with Scientist and Artsy Girl, I realized that these were all Scriptural Truths for our homeschool. In short, the necessities… the essentials… for educating the youth are all found in Scripture.

How reassuring it was to me that electives offered today are not essential for an excellent education. I feel freed from the trappings of the stress of, “How will we ever afford *fill in the blank* activity that everyone else is doing?” and “I wish we were able to afford these activities consistently for our kids.” I’m not saying that electives are not okay, I’m saying that it is not a cause for concern in the education of children if they are unable to take them for one reason or another. I now realize that their education is not *inferior* to those kids taking electives. Rather, it is superior if they follow the Biblical model. Learn the Biblical model of education for the youth in Scripture.

What About Gaps in Their Education?

I don’t know about you, but I have had my moments when I freak out about *gaps* in their education! Truth be told, we are all going to have gaps in our education because we are humans with limited abilities. We will never *know it all*… it’s not how God designed us.

Do I teach the traditional academics? Yes! First, I lay down the foundation of Bible Principles and then the subjects follow. BUT, my focus is that they learn the Word of God. I’d rather have my kids have gaps in the traditional academics and electives than I would Scriptural Truths.

Teaching them Bible Principles in each subject and all areas of life makes them well-rounded people according to a Biblical worldview.



So what can you relate to? What has helped you? Won’t you tell us in a comment below?