The Most Important Supply List for the Homeschool Mom

It's the most wonderful time of the year. It's a clean slate, figuratively and literally. It's a brand new school year, a time for new resolutions and new beginnings. Around our house, we have fully enjoyed these long summer days. We have been free of any formal routine or schedule. In fact, we have been so free of it that we are actually longing for our days to

become structured once again.  The kids haven't verbally told me they are ready for a scheduled day, but their behavior lets me know loud and clear that IT IS TIME.  

I've been working on scheduling our school days in 30 minute blocks. My little guy, Jake, may or may not be going to a morning preschool. So I've made a schedule that includes him in our school day at home.This schedule allows me one-on-one time with each child. I took advice from another homeschool mom who follows the titus2.com home management plan. She advised that I take individual time with each child by allowing the other child(ren) to play with the younger one during that time. For instance, I'll be helping Mae (age 7) with math while Nate (age 5) is in another room entertaining Jake (age 2). Then, they will swap and Mae will be playing with Jake while Nate sits with me for his lesson. My older two will have some seatwork that will allow them to work independently, so that means I can have some special time with Jake as well. 
 I've tried a few different methods for scheduling our day, but my kids and I work best off a checklist.  We like charts, schedules and to-do lists.  My amazing friend Shelley, who owns this blog and TPT store, made some blank schedule cards.  My kids were excited about the graphics on these cute little cards, and I can use any help I can get to get them excited about starting school.  Here's the plan:  Print and laminate the cards.  Use a dry erase marker to write a task on each card. (You can actually purchase these for $3.50 at Tools for Schools Teacher Resources; just click on them.)

 Attach Velcro dots to the back of each card and also attach an envelope to the schedule board.  Each day I will put the cards on the schedule board for the kids and they will take down each card as the task is completed.  They will put the card in the envelope labeled "Done!".  I think they will enjoy watching their progress as they make all their tasks "disappear" throughout the day.  Like I said, my kids thrive on checklists.  I thought of some other uses for these cards as well.  Since they're blank I can use them for a lot of other purposes like name plates/cards, labels for classroom organization or even note cards.  If your child goes to school away from home you can use them for lunch box notes or even print them off for your kids to send notes to friends.  They would also work well as a gift tag for a birthday gift.  There are lots of good uses for the adorable little cards!
 

Here is what I ended up with for Nate's schedule cards.  I introduced these cards to you in this earlier post. Nowadays, I become very resourceful when I want to complete a project without taking three kids to Hobby Lobby for supplies.  So, in my attempts to avoid that dreadful scenario I found some long lost borders hiding behind a bookshelf.  I decided they would make a nice tree trunk if they were painted brown.  Then I decided to use some

notebook paper for the "palm leaves".  Jake and I enjoyed scribbling on the notebook paper with green crayons.  I think I was inspired by peg + cat illustrations.  I love how the background is always graphing paper in that show.  So cute.  Anyway, I "borrowed" some green yarn from my daughter's yarn collection and weaved it through the holes in the notebook paper.  It's supposed to look like vines.  I have an abundance of clothes pins so I decided to use those to hold up the schedule cards.  This can also help with Nate's fine motor skills as he take down the cards and clips the pin back on the "tree".  Below a picture of the end result.  Nothing too glamorous here, but I think Nate will like it.  Happy Homeschooling!

I've also put together a supply list for moms as we get ready for another year of home educating.  I hope you find it helpful and encouraging. 

Supply List for Homeschool Moms:

1. Patience                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         The first day, week, month or possibly year(s) of homeschooling will not go well. I'm not usually a pessimist, but I am realistic. Homeschooling (and parenting in general) is going to be a long, hard road. We may have to change things along the way on our homeschooling journeys. If something's not working, take a break, try something different, be patient.  Remember patience is not something we can create in ourselves, it's a fruit of the spirit.  When I hear people comment, "I just don't have the patience for homeschooling!", I often reply with, "Me neither!".  I don't have it within my own self to create a patient attitude.  Apart from the strength and grace of God, I can't do anything. This includes homeschooling.  If you are a Believer, you have patience.  You just have to "put it on."  Colossians 3:12 tells us to, "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.                         
   Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us." -Ephesians 3:20                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
2. Unity
                                                                                                                                                      Talk to you kids about some of your struggles and concerns. Let them know you are in this together and you are on their side, not against them. Your husband is your partner in all things, even in homeschooling. He must be on board with the homeschooling decision. If your decision to homeschool goes against your husbands wishes, you need to reconsider. If your children don't see a united front in Mom and Dad, homeschooling is useless. You will not be teaching them one of the fundamentals about a healthy relationship and a Biblical marriage. One of the common goals Christian homeschoolers share is that we are teaching our kids how to live a Godly life based on Biblical values. It will be difficult to achieve this goal if we are not following biblical guidelines ourselves.  Refer to Ephesians 5 for review on these guidelines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
3. Determination and resolve
                                                                                                                                                   There will be many, many, many days you want to give up. You will find yourself at one point or another considering the pros and cons of enrolling your kids in a public or private school. If God has called you to homeschool, resolve to be determined. You will not succeed at homeschooling if you take the approach that says, “We will just see how it goes, if we don't like it or it doesn't work we will put the kids in school. We are just taking it a year at a time.” There are days the kids are not going to like it, it's not going to work. You have to be determined that this is the calling God has placed on your family. Resolve that it's going to be difficult and unpleasant at times, but you are going to push through with God's strength on your side. Write out a family mission statement, a resolution to homeschool. List the reasons you decided to take this path and refer back to that list as needed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. -2 Thessalonians 3:13                                                                                                                                  
4. Encouraging friends                                                                                                      You may find friends through a homeschool group or you may find it in your non-homeschooling friends. Your family may be the greatest source of encouragement or they may be just the opposite (If the latter is the case, you will need to refer to your mission statement before and after family gatherings) Mostly when I tell people we homeschool they are highly encouraging. I can only remember one negative reaction from someone when I've told them we homeschool. A homeschool group, especially a like-minded group, is a valuable resource. I cannot tell you how many times I've been brought out of a pit of despair through emails, conversations and observations from my local homeschool group. Find a support group NOW!  A simple Google search may turn up a few groups in your area.                               

5. Jesus.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Yes, I know, the Sunday School answer. But surely I'm not the only one who tries to survive without His help and think I'm the one accomplishing this homeschooling thing. He is the teacher, the principal, the superintendent. Let us not forget that.                                                                                                    
6. Sticks and Sand                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Curriculum is SO much fun. There are so many choices!  It's so exciting to get new books at the beginning of the year (or throughout the year as the case may be). But don't forget those teachable moments that come that don't follow a lesson plan. Honestly, those are the lessons our kids will learn from and remember the most. 

Speaking of teachable moments, I leave you with this one brought to you by my seven and a half year old daughter. A few days ago, I was busy about my housework and Mae comes down the stairs and says, “Mom, I have a bible lesson about this rock!”. I said, “Oh, really?”, as I headed towards the laundry room. Thankfully, the Lord stopped me in my tracks. I turned around and sat down on the stairs with the laundry basket on my lap. It was there that she explained that the rock was really ugly on the outside, but when you broke it open it was filled with a beautiful shade of quartz. My girl is an aspiring geologist, by the way. She went on to explain that it reminded her of how God looks on the inside, at our hearts. I agreed with her and we read 1 Peter 3:3-4 together which states:

3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

You know what that moment taught me??? Parenting and homeschooling can be ugly, it's tough and we hardly see the fruit of our labor when our kids are so young. But we are doing our part to help create a beautiful heart in our children and in our family. Hopefully, we will see the precious gem of a life for the Lord shine forth when our children are grown. Occasionally, like this time on the stairs with Mae, we get a glimpse of the heart and life God is forming in our children. What a blessing. I'm so thankful the Holy Spirit reminded me to take this time with my child and hear what she had to say. I pray for many, many more of these moments.  

My friend, Shelley, has also included a homemade designer set of homeschool labels for FREE! Just click on the picture!