New Bee Homeschooler

I hope you had a great time partying at the Blogabration. We are still finishing up with the winners.

If you are struggling with gearing back up for the school year, I want to share a few pointers that help me plod along.

I believe in second chances and do-overs in homeschooling. There are so many things in life that we can't do over but homeschooling is not one of them. If you didn't get covered what you wanted to last year, make it a priority this year. Priority means first. You get a second chance.

If you are sheepishly returning to homeschool because putting your children back in public or private school didn't work, don't pick up where you left off. Determine first if it was the homeschool or because life happened. If you just pick up where you left off without examining what the stress inducer was you could be setting yourself up for another disappointment.

Hear my heart on this next point. We read so much about leaving guilt at the door but not enough about analyzing it. If we had no feelings of guilt, what kind of mom would we be? Would we even be viewed as human? Feelings of guilt means that we are aware of our weaknesses and we realize there is a standard. I feel this way when I can't live up to God's standards. It keeps me aware of my weaknesses and that there is a standard I desire to live by. I strive to do better next time.

Balance is required though because we can't get that confused with trying to be a perfectionist homeschooler. Are our feelings of guilt because we couldn't marry our expectations of unrealistic homeschooling with what we could actually do? Then they that needs to be left behind. Analyzing but not constant agonizing over past mistakes keeps us balanced. If we always tend to contemplate on how we are not doing enough in our day it can erode our homeschooling. Erosion is a slow process and then we may sabotage our own homeschool because we give up.

Remember ........

1) analyze guilt not agonize over it;

2) don't be confused between guilt feelings of trying to school by a higher standard and having perfectionist standards that nobody can meet. Good can come out of trying harder next time; and

3) avoid erosion which is constant wearing down. If it is our thinking we need to change, if we need to join a support group, if we need to leave a support group or if we need minimal contact with naysayers, then take positive actions to do it now to keep your joy in homeschooling.

I do think that at the end of my homeschool journey that I might want a do over on something but I won't regret trying to make it right this year.

Mark Your Calendars:

July 25 and 26. I got word from the author of the book The Pilgrim Adventure {Our America Series} that it will be free for kindle download on those two dates. Remember too don't miss any freebies I post on our facebook page or here from Amazon because you don't have a kindle. Amazon has a free app and you can download freebies to your smart phone, computers or tablets. I will try to remind you again, but, if you are doing a study on that time period this living book that I reviewed is ideal to include for kids ages 10 and up.

Kelley and I have started planning field trips for our local group and we are going to have a Geography Quest for Back to School next month. I have some printables coming up on that to share with you too.

I also have some printables on a new lapbook.

Another living book review is coming soon.

Also I have started working on Student Planner Pages.

I always have a post or two to share about the how to's of homeschool and organization.

I was inspired by this quote today as I don't want to let go of what I learned last year..

"The knowledge of the past stays with us. To let go is to release the images and emotions, the grudges and fears, the clingings and disappointments of the past that bind our spirit."

Hugs and love ya,