Amazing Article About Homeschoolers:)

I received this today from a friend:) It's PERFECT-though the typical homeschool stereotype doesn't fit my out of the box family AT ALL;) I LOVE IT!!!

Enjoy if you are a homeschooler...if not, sorry in advance....;)

SONNY SCOTT*6/8/2008 9:39:01 AM Daily Journal

You see them at the grocery, or in a discount store.It's a big family by today's standards - "just like stair steps," as the old folks say. Freshly scrubbed boys with neatly trimmed hair and girls with braids, in clean but unfashionable clothes follow mom through the store as she fills her no-frills shopping list.There's no begging for gimcracks, no fretting, and no threats from mom. The older watch the younger, freeing mom to go peacefully about her task.You are looking at some of the estimated 2 million children being home schooled in the U.S., and the number is growing. Their reputation for academic achievement has caused colleges to begin aggressively recruiting them. Savings to the taxpayers in instructional costs are conservatively estimated at $4 billion, and some place the figure as high as $9 billion. When you consider that these families pay taxes to support public schools, but demand nothing from them, it seems quite a deal for the public.Home schooling parents are usually better educated than the norm, and are more likely to attend worship services. Their motives are many and varied. Some fear contagion from the anti-clericalism, coarse speech, suggestive behavior and hedonistic values that characterize secular schools. Others are concerned for their children's safety. Some want their children to be challenged beyond the minimal competencies of the public schools. Concern for a theistic world view largely permeates the movement.Indications are that home schooling is working well for the kids, and the parents are pleased with their choice, but the practice is coming under increasing suspicion, and even official attack, as in California.Why do we hate (or at least distrust) these people so much?Methinks American middle-class people are uncomfortable around the home schooled for the same reason the alcoholic is uneasy around the teetotaler.Their very existence represents a rejection of our values, and an indictment of our lifestyles. Those families are willing to render unto Caesar the things that Caesar's be, but they draw the line at their children. Those of us who have put our trust in the secular state (and effectively surrendered our children to it) recognize this act of defiance as a rejection of our values, and we reject them in return.Just as the jealous Chaldeans schemed to bring the wrath of the king upon the Hebrew eunuchs, we are happy to sic the state's bureaucrats on these "trouble makers." Their implicit rejection of America's most venerated idol, Materialism, (a.k.a. "Individualism" ) spurs us to heat the furnace and feed the lions.Young families must make the decision: Will junior go to day care and day school, or will mom stay home and raise him? The rationalizations begin. "A family just can't make it on one income." (Our parents did.) "It just costs so much to raise a child nowadays." (Yeah, if you buy brand-name clothing, pre-prepared food, join every club and activity, and spend half the cost of a house on the daughter's wedding, it does.) And so, the decision is made. We give up the bulk of our waking hours with our children, as well as the formation of their minds, philosophies, and attitudes, to strangers. We compensate by getting a boat to take them to the river, a van to carry them to Little League, a 2,800-square- foot house, an ATV, a zero-turn Cub Cadet, and a fund to finance a brand-name college education. And most significantly, we claim "our right" to pursue a career for our own"self-fulfillment. "Deep down, however, we know that our generation has eaten its seed corn. We lack the discipline and the vision to deny ourselves in the hope of something enduring and worthy for our posterity. We are tired from working extra jobs, and the looming depression threatens our 401k's. Credit cards are nearly maxed, and it costs a $100 to fuel the Suburban. Now the kid is raising hell again, demanding the latest Play Station as his price for doing his school work ... and there goes that modest young woman in the home-made dress with her four bright-eyed, well-behaved home-schooled children in tow. Wouldn't you just love to wipe that serene look right off her smug face?Is it any wonder we hate her so?

Sonny Scott a community columnist, lives on Sparta Road in Chickasaw Countyand his e-mail address is mailto:sonnyscott%40yahoo.com

More Planning, New Math U See and the GREATEST man on Earth...

WOW! I have been planning my brains out-my fingers hurt from typing, my eyes hurt from too much reading and computer use...But I am SO happy!!! I love planning:)
We are only doing a few subjects right now-Finishing up some things from Fall, like Math U See Epsilon, a few HOAC lapbooks (art appreciation, gravity...) and some astronomy lessons...(see post below). We will start back to fulltime lessons on February 4th. We will then be doing a myriad of things like the Penguins and Economics lapbooks from HOAC, more Math U See for all, and our regular programs:) I am so excited!!!
My man, my bf David, is the best guy on the planet...I am NOT kidding!:) He is a single guy who never planned on children....Imagine the shock when he met a lady online with FOUR children:) He was very nervous at first (scared to death more likely, LOL) but soon fell in love with my crowd and now it just "is" what it is:) The kids, BTW, adore him as well:) David listens ENDLESSLY to my almost constant homeschool chatter-we are currently long distance, but spend hours on the phone each night:) He probably knows more about what we "do" as homeschoolers, and the "whys" as well, then the children's father. (not probably, definitely) He is SO supportive and kind and interested....\
SO, how great is he??? I could go on forever about it, but the latest amazing thing that he has done is this: while on the phone the other night, I was rambling, mostly to myself, about purchases I needed to make in order to "be where we need to be" in February. (we will sit on the phone for hours late at night-he doing his work, me doing mine, or just watching the same TV show together:)) As I rambled on and on about Math U See needs, he asked me specifically which programs I needed...I went on about one child needing Gamma, another two needing Zeta...He asked me how to spell Math U See, and I realized he was looking for the website...I asked him what he was doing and after about 3 minutes of silence, he said "sending you math"...He ordered and paid for what I needed-simple as that...I was blown away!!! I have never met anyone so kind and wonderful!!!!! I have no real words for this man that fit-AMAZING just doesn't cover it!!!!
I need to rest my fingers for a bit, watch some playoff football (awesome Patriots!!!), and call him to say "I love you":)

Life kind of Sucks...

Wow...What a week. The guy who I was so PROUD to have become my general manager at work got fired...My rare pure white, very sweet and gentle parakeet, Indy, was killed during rough play with my son-this is a HUGE deal right now....And, well, I am simply in a funk. The weather is cool and dreary, the seasons are changing in the gray, cold bare way, and things are just not as bright as I would hope for.
My issue listed on the blog before this one seems to have faded into the woodwork. I have had no other issue, but jeez, that was enough drama for a year...
I am just plugging away, working as much as possible, teaching the kids, trying to look ahead...I need a goal...My life is gray and dull because I have no real goals at the moment...
hmmmm....

this is sad...

ok..here's the deal...I have been threatened...This is my really sad attempt to make document of the fact just in case. I am frightened. My kids are frightened. In case anything happens, this blog is accessible by my computer browser toolbar....
I was sexually harassed at work. It happened last summer, and the guy was fired-not for that, but for showing up at work drunk. They hired him back because he was in trouble with the law, in jail, and needed to a job to stay out of jail and on probation. They did him a favor even though they knew it was a problem. I told them that I would not tolerate any bad behavior and would report it immediately.
He spoke horribly about me behind my back on Sunday afternoon-so horribly, in fact, that those privy to the words will not repeat them. Those that heard what he said were shocked and disgusted and embarrassed. He was fired on Tuesday. He is irrational and he scares me and I have seen him angry....After being fired, his "girlfriend" called the store and basically threatened me and the manager, and then I got a threatening email. I am alone, here with four kids who have always gotten "creeps" and bad vibes from him, and we are all scared to death. The police have been notified. They said they can't really do anything. The promised to patrol the street-we are a block from the dept....I have yet to see a car and I have been watching...Edmund is a drunk and a loser with nothing to lose...And he stands a chance at returning to jail at this point. He thinks, because he is a drunk and loser, that this is MY fault.
I need to make note of this...In case...This is so sad...I just want to raise my kids and be a mom...
October 4th, 1:11am.....Sami

Homeschool Year 07-08:) Ideas, Ramblings Thoughts, Comments, Questions...;)

Hi Everyone:)
I am back from Durham NC-got home late last night and just finished unpacking and getting the kids ready to go with "dad" for the weekend while I work work work:)
I am so hardcore "homeschool planning" right now, it's kind of funny:) I have a copy writing account that is collecting dust, a cake to bake and decorate for a friend, and several doubles in my current schedule....All I can think about, however, is homeschooling.
Last month we lost our homeschool group of five years. I had started it, it was my baby, but I trusted the wrong person with my livelihood and they acted in a completely immature, unprofessional and conniving fashion and ruined something that had been really really good for a LONG time. At first I was devastated-mostly because of the time and effort invested over five years, and the fact that people would hurt children on purpose with selfish actions. Within a day, though, doors had opened for new opportunities, and by the fourth or fifth day, I couldn't believe the quality of our new life! Had I known that losing my group would lead to such freedom, such creativity, such plain "NON STRESS", I would have spent my time more wisely over the last few years. I would have invested MORE into our own lessons and life, and less into the lives of people who were pretty obviously using me. From this realization, I have bursted back into my over excited homeschool mom costume and it's like we are just getting a fresh new start!:) I am so happy, and my kids are thriving-totally thriving!
I am deep into planning for this year, efforts to get organized-like searching for a planning form or a new idea, have led me to great new sites and many new ideas!!! My challenge, of course, is to focus on a few great ones and not get lost in the masses:)
We have "notebooked" in the past, "lapbooked" as well. I like the notebooking better, but I haven't explored it very closely and haven't had a huge chance to actually see how it could work for us. My kids are varied ages and levels, and the creative aspect of the process can easily distract me from the whole picture of notebooking. I am so curious to learn how this approach of schooling has worked for their family...I'd love opinions from others who may be reading this:) I joined a few notebooking and form share yahoo groups for support, ideas and motivation:)
I have also re-discovered the Core Knowledge site. This site, along with the book series, was our first homeschool approach. The site offered little but a "What Your ~ Should Know" outline for each grade, with promises of a great future of added lessonplans. I hadn't been back in years, and today realized the the promises were kept! The lessonplan section is quite awesome! I saved each of my children's grade levels (save the whole link) to my desktop in their personal file for future referance.
I am having such a blast surfing the net for personal homeschool quest-I had gotten away from being excited about new HS ideas for awhile...Life happens;)
Another cool site that I stumbled upon last night is http://www.awesomelibrary.org/ .This site calls for more exploration and I can't wait to settle in and do just that. There seems to be TONS here for use:)
I have some rambling thoughts about homeschooling...Do most HS Moms constantly explore new options and ideas? Is it better the find something the works and stick with it for awhile, or is it ok to have changes during the year/s? I started out with a unit studies approach when my kids were preschoolers...Themes were based on the Core Knowledge scopes. Our first unit was on Rain forests...I got a little carried away;) As I added more children to the school day, I found a need for more structure and discovered The Well Trained Mind, which quickly became my homeschool bible. I still use curriculum ans theory gleaned from that incredible book, and with that, we have settled into a comfort zone for the last years. This year finds us more settled then in recent years, and with children that get their basic studies done rather independently. I feel that we now own more of our time, and that our personal interests and skills can really start to bloom within our homeschool lifestyle.
I have met many homeschool moms, all very different, but most enjoy searching out and discovering new "stuff". I have personally seen moms so wrapped up in the pretty "stuff" that they can barely dig themselves out from the UPS boxes long enough to do lessons:) I have seen moms change their philosophies and styles overnight for months at a time, and the "learning" seemed to drop off while mom researched and planned...I have hit that plateau as well-which is what has kept me so close to our basic plan for so long. I want to shake it up, but not too much:)
As a homeschool parent, do you embrace many changes or do you try to maintain a more settled and structured, constant approach? What has been your new discovery for this year-what will you drop, add or try? How are you implementing this into your lifestyle? Do your children help you decide what you want to do, use, try, as you plan for a new year? I am curious as to how others approach new years, new ideas....
Off to get ready for work and hopefully surf a little longer:)

Heat, Chinese Food, Homeschooling and etc...

We are back from the beach-a full five days of temperatures of 105+, and 97% humidity!!! It was fun though, the kids got to spend time with their grandparents, and also got to swim A LOT!:) They spent most days at the community pool at my folks place, and on Wednesday we ventured into the insane heat with a trip to the ocean. The heat index on the shores of Fenwick Island State Park was 115!!!! My children and I are not much on sunbathing-my legs have not seen the sun in probably 8 years-and although we slathered on serious sunblock, we all got too much sun. I was under two umbrellas, with a shirt over my legs, and I still got crisp on my legs. My daughter and middle son look like lobster faces and are already peeling. It was FUN though:)
Vacations always bring out the kid in me. Last year, two months after major surgery on my neck, I decided to play tag at the lazy river in our hotel in Va Beach. My insane competitive edge kicked in as my oldest son, Jordan, almost caught up with me. I looked up and saw a small hole cut into the giant rock formation in the center of the circular river, and in one movement, jumped up and THROUGH it!!!! It was only about a foot wide and high, and I took all the skin off of my thighs!!! Then, in effort to get away from my daughter, Skye, I dove into the water and pounded my head onto a rock wall....It was fun though....Memorable to say the least.
This vacation had us visiting one of my favorite places on earth-Ocean City Maryland. There are rides there that I have gotten on since I was 10 years old-so that's.....31 years ago!!!!!!!! Yikes!!!!:) My favorite ride, The Himalaya, plays loud music and loops you round and round while the operator yells "Do you wanna go reeeeeaaaal fast????" and everyone screams....Amazing how the operator has sounded exactly the same for over 30 years!!! I got on with my two oldest kids a few times, screamed like a 12 year old and had a BLAST:) Nothing makes you feel young like screaming on a ride:) I also got into the ocean, which I haven't done in years. I was way out, over my head to avoid getting pelted by the gravel in the breaking waves. I talked my daughter into joining me, then we decided to try to ride in on a wave...We got TRAMPLED, tristed, turned over and thrown onto the beach!!! I was lying in the sand in my bikini creaming for my eight year old to help me up out of the pit of sand that surrounded me when I got hit again and again by gravel filled waves! I was yelling and laughing so hard I couldn't get up and ended up with about three pounds of sand in my suit. That was IT for me, and I spent the rest of the day trying to get sand out of my ears.
The kids did math the whole time we were there. My mom watched as I wrangled kids in and out of the shower and into clean clothes, sitting them down in various parts of her house with their Singapore math workbooks. My daughter threw her daily math fit, acting helpless, while I ran back and forth between showers, bathrooms, and mathbooks, and just shook her head at my patience. "They would have been in school YESTERDAY" she said over and over. I just laughed and continued my running back and forth.
We have been working on Math all summer, with the older two also working on vocabulary while the younger two continuing with phonics and reading. It is making me nuts though, just trying to get those few subjects done each day-the neighborhood kids are outside riding MY kids bkes and skateboards up and down our driveway and pounding on the door every 10 minutes. I cannot WAIT for public school to start back up...Of course, we may very well take off the month of September:) I need a few weeks of peace to get my head-and lessonplans-together.
I am working doubles all weekend...Gotta run:)

Fall Curriculum!

I am so excited!!!! We have settled into some awesome programs and books in the last year and have just discovered some new as well:) I am well planned and excited to begin!! This is what we will be using: :)

Older Kids-ages 10 and 12

ScienceWorks-Chemistry
Read and Understand Science
Young Scientist

Math-U-See
Singapore Math

Grammer Usage and Mechanics
Spelling Workout
The Traits of Writing
Mastering Vocabulary
Vocabulary Grade 5 TCP

World Geography-EvanMoor.com (Africa)
Map Skills MCP

Spotlight on America Rev War, The Constitution, Elections.

Art Packs

Advantage Reading


Younger Kids ages 6 and 8

ScienceWorks-Space
Reading Comp-Science
Young Scientist

Math-U-See
Singapore Math

MCP Plaid Phonics B and C
Spelling Workout

World Geography-EvanMoor.com (Africa)
Map Skills MCP

Spotlight on America Rev War, The Constitution, Elections.

Art Packs


We are also considering Cub Scouts, Gymnastics, Basketball, and private Art Lessons...

Individual Projects this year, so far, include Skye learning oil painting, and Dakota designing a comicbook based on the antics of our three crazy parakeets.:)

Too Excited!!!!!

This is How We Do it~

I worked tonight. I am a server at a local restaurant and I really love it;) It's a fun place, the guests are mostly families with kids, and my co-workers are a great bunch of people. I laugh A LOT when I am at work. After being a SAHM for 11 years, having a place to go where I am just "Sami" and not "someones mom" is actually quite nice;) I love being there and talking about my kids. People are always shocked to find that I am forty, for starters, and that I even have kids. Then thay are shocked to find that I have FOUR...Then I drop in that I homeschool them-jaws drop-and, oh, yeah, "I am a single mom"...;) (my tips are pretty good;) LOL!) I find it rather interesting; People have such pre-conceived notions of women with several children, or homeschoolers, and of single moms...And I guess I am not fitting into any of those stereotypes;) I have always honored my need to be different and out of the box, and this works quite well for me;)
Everyone wants to know HOW I do it, and the answer is not a hard one to give-One, I just DO-it's like a Nike commercial;), and Two, I have great people in my life who believe that I am super woman and support me 100%. I don't have people "raising" my kids. I have seen many single parent situations where that has happened. My kids spend less then 10 hours a week with a sitter, at which time they are with my brother's family. I survive on divorce settlement savings, part time earnings budgetted well, and, of course, child support. I have no retirement plan, I have no long range personal plan, I simply live each day to raise my kids the way I intended, and that is my priority. I strongly believe that my decision is a good one, and one that I will continue to find Blessing in, in the future. This is my way of providing my kids with the BEST private education they can get, tailored to their own needs. I strongly believe this is the best way to raise my children to be the free thinking individuals they are meant to be. One does not have to live within a box, but be free to explore the ideas and boundries that exist in the "whole" world. My kids are welcome to embrace that ideal and have opinion and expression. It's not always easy for me to take, but it's their truth they need to find, not mine. For this, I dedicate myself to our homeschool life.
We don't live fancy, we budget our money and our time. My daughter (12) is a fashion freak inspired by the eighties, and she LOVES to shop at thrift stores and clearance sales;) She earns and spends her own money. My sons get stuff from cousins, friends with older kids. They love the "worn" look, so I rarely have to buy them clothes. I LOVE Target:) We don't NEED air conditioning to survive, or even much heat-got that from my dad (who never had a heating bill more then 45 dollars!). We don't do movies, but wait for Redbox DVDs, eat out at my work at a discount, and use coupons. I don't pay full price for ANYTHING! I only work enough to make our budget and get some into savings each month, and I have no credit cards. I also have no car payment and keep up maintenance on a 99 van. My kids don't purchase video games, though we have one that was given to us. They don't "get" the need for labels on their clothes. My daughter DOES have an iPod, which her dad and I got her for Christmas. They are level headed kids who don't ask for much at all;)
I teach my kids during the week, working a few nights a week while they stay with family. They go with "dad" for two weekends and other times during the month and I work then as well. On weekends, we are sometimes involved in soccer, and we are very involved in our UU church.
People think this is crazy and that I must be losing it. We are ok. I am great, actually. Granted, having some savings in the bank provides a great relief for me, but it's not that much. I never "had" a life of "things", so I don't feel deprived of anything-I did GREATLY in my marriage though. I sleep in sometimes, and stay up late, after the kids go to bed, writing, talking to friends on the phone, reading...I have friends everywhere that back me up, make me laugh, and love my kids. I take off two weekends a month, while the kids are away, and do something for myself, visit friends, travel, go out to eat. I think I have a pretty ok life;)
It's been a year-We are doing fine;)

"The Wind!! The Wind!!"

Today we starting building a weather station for our weather unit. Our first experiment was to make a weather vane out of straws, rubber bands, a pencil, a nail, and a piece of card stock. The boys put it together and took it out into the backyard as I looked on, camera in hand, doubting the experiment as the cards blew off and the winter wind whipped around the kids. The weather today is cloudy, very windy, and getting colder by the minute...

They set the weather vane up on the picnic table and waited for the wind as I tested the compass with my own directional knowledge. Soon the wind whipped through, the vane shook, spun a few times, and pointed to the direction of northwest....! The boys were excited to check in with the Weather Channel for the actual forecast proof....AND, it WORKED!!! The winds today are north/northwesterly at 11 miles an hour! We added the data to our weather charts along with the temperature and rainfall and diagrammed our findings in our science notebooks. Julian said it was "fun stuff school":)

Perhaps we should inform the Weather Channel that all they really need to study the weather are straws and rubber bands...:)

Angels do Phonics Too;)

This is my sweetie:) Julian, or "Jules", as he allows only me to call him, is my youngest. He is at that still sweet and cuddly age of five-six next month. He melts my heart easily with his brown eyes and pouting lower lip-I know it just drives my other three kids NUTS! He likes to do schoolwork, and makes me laugh at his observations and letter sound imitations:) His absolute favorite thing to do is play cars, and he has about 2000 Matchbox cars that end up in pockets, in the van, at every one's house...Everywhere we go, there are long lost cars waiting for him:) He can make incredible noises for each vehicle and his fire engine sounds can challenge the real ones that come from the fire station behind our house! He is old enough to make sense of things and make his own peanut butter sandwich, but still small enough to be adorable and loving and full of "lovies". When all else fails, when the other three are wild or smarty pants or just fighting it out, Jules is always available for a big hug and many kisses...

Order Returns

A strangely quiet morning here at the house. Almost frighteningly so;)
Everyone was away for the weekend, and I was on my own, doing what I do when I am merely "single Sami" instead of "MOM!". All the kids came home Sunday evening exhausted and somewhat ill-just colds. They all slept later then we planned, but got things done and got into their schoolwork without my guidance. Yes, REALLY!
After a year of being "off" of what was a lifelong daily routine for my children, we are now attempting to "get back to normal", whatever "normal" is, for a single parented homeschooling family of 5. We are settled enough in our new home-after five moves in the last year. The kids LOVE LOVE LOVE the neighborhood, which is full of kids and bikes and skateboards...:) My front yard is always full of kids, little boys on bicycles with raven's jackets on, pre-teen girls perched on the backyard picnic tables...My kids are happier then I have ever seen them. My homeschooled daughter is trying hard to put together her list for her birthday party-she has to keep it to 20 kids. Thankfully I don't have to pay for the "non swimmers" as her list also includes adults, older teens, and preschoolers:) I love this concept of Homeschoolers being unsocialized....LOL
So, back to the structure of things...I came down like a giant hammer on our lives last week. Schedules, chore lists, bedtimes, expectations, all came to light. There was serious resistance, of course, but by Wednesday things were looking better...And apparently, by the calmness of this morning, the reality of "Sami's Domain" has sunk into their heads...Public school is out for MLK day, so there is an incentive right outside the schoolroom window:) It's seventy degrees here, BTW....
It feels so good to be back blogging...It's been a long while...:) Things are SOOO much better...
Sami