The Homeschool Sanity Show

Hey homeschoolers! I’m happy to be with you this week, talking about a topic that causes many of us anxiety: gaps in our children’s education. We worry that if we fail to teach them something, they will struggle in college, work, or even if they later return to a traditional school. Read the blog post I’m excited to address this topic today, but first I would love to have you subscribe to Psychowith6. I have so much fun sharing six sanity savers with you every week in my newsletter. It allows me to chat about how I’m finding sanity in my homeschooling life and to let you know about exclusive deals from me and my friends. Teaching Tip of the Week The teaching tip of the week is to teach multiple subjects using one curriculum. I did this from the very beginning of my homeschooling. I used Five in a Row and then Konos, a unit study curriculum. There are many curricula that allow you to incorporate more than one subject and this saves you time. It’s also a natural way to learn. When we learn about things in our daily life, we naturally incorporate multiple subjects and learning styles. This makes multi-subject learning a great way to not only save time, but to appeal to all of our students. One such curriculum that I have used in my homeschool is Notgrass History. I have used their American History curriculum in both high school and middle school. This year I am using From Adam to Us to teach ancient history, literature, Bible and more. I will be chatting with Charlene Notgrass on Facebook Live about a comprehensive approach to teaching history on August 22nd at 4E/3C/2M/1P. You will have the opportunity to see inside this amazing curriculum and even a chance to win From Adam to Us. What About Gaps in Your Homeschool? Now for this week’s topic. I am joined by Charlene Notgrass. Charlene is a Christian and a veteran homeschooling mom. Charlene received a bachelor's in urban planning from Middle Tennessee State University. She oversees curriculum development at Notgrass History and is a lead curriculum author. Charlene is the wife of the most wonderful man in the world. I’ve had the privilege of meeting her husband and he is a great guy. She has always loved being a mother and now relishes the role of mother-in-law and grandmother. She is proud of her grandma name, "Little." She enjoys working with children, especially in her annual role as assistant director for their daughter Mary Evelyn's historical dramas performed by homeschooled children. Charlene loves to encourage homeschooling mothers, whether speaking at homeschool conferences, counseling mothers individually, or through her blog, Daily Encouragement for Homeschooling Mothers. Charlene enjoys reading, quilting, drawing, sewing, improving their old house, and spending time with Ray, her husband since 1974, and their growing family. This episode is such an encouragement. Please share it with your homeschooling friends! Links Mentioned in the Podcast Notgrass History Daily Encouragement for Homeschooling Mothers

Hey homeschoolers! This week I had a reader question about curriculum that I just had to respond to with a podcast episode. It was essentially this. I have so many curriculum options. How do I choose which to use this year? We're going to chat about that in just a bit!   Read the blog post  If you are interested in a fun language arts curriculum for your elementary students, I would love to have you follow me on Facebook in the grammar guardians group or on Instagram at Grammar Galaxy Books. I occasionally share language arts helps on both platforms and guardians share their mission progress. It's so much fun and can be motivating to your kids. I choose a guardian of the month from those who share in the group, who tag Grammar Galaxy Books, or who use the hashtag #grammargalaxy. I send them exclusive motivational stickers, writing instruments, and bookmarks. Teaching Tip of the Week Watch a video review to make decisions on curriculum. When I started using Periscope two years ago, I found the video reviews on the platform so helpful. If I watched live, I could not only see inside the books or online program, but I could ask questions of experienced users. Since then, I have been doing my own curriculum reviews on Facebook Live at my Psychowith6: Homeschool Sanity Facebook page. I would love to have you join me each week for these reviews and other tips you can use regardless of the curriculum you're using. You can also search for video reviews on YouTube. If you have a question that hasn't been asked, comment and you'll get the information you need to make a decision. This week (August 15th at 4 E/3C/2M/1P) I will be reviewing Grammar Galaxy live on the Free Homeschooling 101 Facebook page. You'll have the chance to ask questions and to win a copy for free! The review will be added to YouTube and I am happy to answer your questions after the live video is over. Links About Curriculum Paralysis If your main struggle is curriculum addiction, you'll want to listen to the podcast I did on the topic I also did an episode on the questions you should ask when choosing curriculum. Refuse to Choose by Barbara Sher Classical Conversations Grammar Galaxy Loop Scheduling workshop Wall Schedule link Kids Cook Real Food course music appreciation course Have a happy homeschool week!

Hey, homeschoolers! I had the best birthday thanks to many of you. I appreciate your encouragement more than you know. This week I had the chance to catch up with our new homeschoolers. It was a fun conversation. The topic of the month is achieving goals with help. Read the blog post Before we get to our interview, I want to invite you to join the HomeschoolScopes.TV community. Whether you're a new or experienced homeschooler, I know you'll love the friendship and support there. Click to join and you'll be approved. Teaching Tip of the Week Prepare your young learner with an excellent phonics and handwriting program. This is the foundation for all future language arts learning, including Grammar Galaxy, my elementary language arts curriculum. Misty Leasy of Year Round Homeschooling has created a two-year phonics and handwriting curriculum that fills that need. It's fun and comes with free activities via email that correspond to the letters and sounds you're learning. Join me and Misty on Facebook on August 8th at 4E/3C/2M/1P or catch the replay to learn how to prepare young learners for reading and writing. Goals and Devotions Challenges I got to catch up with Mai Lynn, Courtney, Erica, and Jolene this week about chores and meal planning. Jeannette caught up with me via email. Chores went pretty well. Instead of going ahead and doing it because it was bothering me, I assigned jobs and they accomplished a lot most days. lol I didnt really get a hold of laundry yet. Meal planning did get a little better. knowing what I was going to make made dinner less stressful. I started cutting things and freezing it to prepare for meals. Some goals are to relax more and remember they are still young. We will focus on reading and character. My faith goes up and down daily. One day I'm sure God will provide and I remind myself of all He's done so far. Then other days I see no way and I wonder how it will all happen. But this journey so far definitely has given me more faith-filled days. Links The Organized Homeschool Life Instant Pot Sidetracked Home Executives Last month's homework

Hey homeschoolers! I am excited to be back with you after my month long vacation. I especially had a wonderful time meeting many of you at the great homeschool convention in St. Louis. This week I am addressing a topic that I desperately need help with. That is, how to be a consistent homeschooler. As we consider the new homeschooling year, our thoughts inevitably turn to the days that follow those exciting back-to-school days. I'm going to share with you the tips that I'll be using to stay consistent this year. Before we dive into that topic, however, I want to invite you to join me on the Psychowith6: Homeschool Sanity Facebook page on Friday, August 4 at 4 Eastern, 3 Central, 2 Mountain and 1 Pacific. I will be giving away five copies of The Organized Homeschool Life, the book that can not only help you be consistent but organize every aspect of your homeschool life in just 15 minutes a day. If you can't join me live for the flash giveaway, you can purchase the book for 50% off in honor of my 50th birthday, August 4th only. Read the blog post Claim your Homeschool Fun Jar printables In thinking about consistency, I realized that it is highly related to personality. Those of you who have heard me speak about personality know that my typology of choice is that developed by Florence Littauer, author of Personality Plus. There are four basic personalities which can create combinations. But today I'm only going to review the four main personalities, so  I can share tailor-made tips for helping you to become more consistent. The solution to inconsistency for the popular sanguine personality lies in planning for a variety of fun activities throughout the school year. To keep things exciting, you could even create a jar of fun ideas for your homeschool and choose one randomly. I created one for my family and you can steal it when you subscribe. Add your own ideas, too! Click the image below to find the link to download your copy. Alternatively, you could ask your children to take turns planning fun days. Just do something to keep the homeschooling process exciting. One of the best solutions for remaining consistent as a homeschooling mom who needs to have some control is to get regular feedback on what you're accomplishing. I did an interview with Deborah Bell about her Ultimate Homeschool Planner and how to plan your homeschool year that you will appreciate. Another way to feel that you are more in control is to take a leadership position. The Perfect Melancholy personality needs to adopt a new definition of consistency. The other thing you can do as a Perfect Melancholy homeschooler is to communicate your needs to your family. The Peaceful Phlegmatic homeschooler can be consistent this homeschool year by keeping the homeschooling routine and curriculum easy. What are some ways to make homeschooling easy? Listen to the podcast episode I did on how to homeschool in less time for ideas.  If you need some recommendations for curriculum that is an alternative to what you have been using, please join our homeschooling support group-- HomeschoolScopes.tv on Facebook. In that group you can ask any questions you have about curriculum and  get an array of very helpful answers.

This month while Dr. Melanie Wilson is taking a podcasting break, we’re replaying some of her best shows!    Listen to this interview with Rebecca Spooner about Homeschooling the Uncooperative Child. He never fails to groan when you announce it's time for school. It takes her forever to finish her work. Or worse yet, you get outright rebellion. What to do? Rebecca Spooner of Hip Hoomeschooling Blog.com shares her tips as a homeschool graduate and homeschooling mother of five on this episode of the podcast. Listen on iTunes Links HomeschoolScopes.TV 7 Sisters Homeschool Homeschooling the Uncooperative Child on Hip Homeschooling Blog Rebecca on Periscope, Facebook, and Pinterest  

This month while Dr. Melanie Wilson is taking a podcasting break, we’re replaying some of her best shows!  This show is #4 in her top shows, an interview with Julie Bogart about maintaining your homeschool commitment. What gets in the way of motivation to homeschool? This is what Julie Bogart and I discuss on this episode of The Homeschool Sanity Show. You'll want to take notes so the next time you're dreaming of a yellow school bus, you can review them and keep your homeschool commitment. Listen on ITUNES LINKS A Gracious Space BraveWriter.com BraveSchoolers on Facebook CoachJulieBogart.com Have a happy homeschool week!

This month while Dr. Melanie Wilson is taking a podcasting break, we're replaying some of her best shows!  This show, Homeschooling Boys, is her second top show based on number of listens on the podcast channel.  Enjoy! I homeschooled boys and only boys until my fifth child was a girl. I asked my Periscope viewers if homeschooling boys was really different. We had an interesting discussion that you can watch at the end of this post. I decided to determine what differences have actually been demonstrated in research. I can't wait to share with you what I found and how we can make positive changes in our homeschools. LISTEN ON ITUNES Links subscribe to Psychowith6.com RaisingRealMen.com Spring Activities Challenge. Reference Reference boys' artwork is more likely to depict action than girls' 19% of elementary and middle school teachers are men. Boys prefer to read comics and humorous books and students of both genders prefer contemporary books and series. Boys in all-boy Florida classrooms where teachers have been taught how best to teach boys have improved test scores dramatically. Boys in co-ed classrooms scored 37% proficient on the FCAT while boys in single-sex classrooms scored 86% proficient. how to find books your child will like Alex Rider Ranger's Apprentice Girls tend to excel with word problems and boys struggle free funny writing prompts for fall and winter Unjournaling Boys in classroom settings tend to think they are better students than they really are

How to get organized with the FLYLady While Melanie is on vacation this month, we have a few of her best episodes scheduled! Do you want to learn how to get organized with the FLYLady? I am so excited about this episode of the Homeschool Sanity Show and if you have struggled to get organized like I did when I started homeschooling 16 years ago, I think you will love my interview with Marla Cilley, the FLYLady. Even though I've been FLYing for years, I found myself incredibly motivated to make this year an even more orderly one after chatting with her. If you share my enthusiasm for homeschool organization, I think you'll love my new book, The Organized Homeschool Life. It will help you organize your entire homeschool life 15-minutes at a time.   Links Sink Reflections Body Clutter FlyLady & Friends podcast Amy Kuddy TED Talk Simply Homeschooling with Tami Fox Homeschool Teacher Control Joural Little Hands to Heaven Preschool curriculum (15 minutes at a time) FLYLady Events page The Power of Homeschool Routines with FLYLady   Have a happy homeschool week!

I am so excited about this week's episode of The Homeschool Sanity Show. I have been wanting to interview new homeschoolers for a long time and have my listeners take the journey with them. It's finally happening! I will get introduce you to the five women who are going to be joining me each month in a bit, but first I'd love to have you write a review of this podcast. I have no reviews on Stitcher, so I would especially love for you to write one there. Reviews are how homeschoolers find the show and decide to give it a try. It does take a few minutes of your time, so as a thank you, I will read a review or two and give you a shout out on the show.   Read the Blog Post Thank you so much to Apologia for sponsoring this podcast. Their quality Christian materials for planning, science, Bible, and literature are perfect for new and experienced homeschoolers alike. Find them at Apologia.com. Teaching Tip of the Week The teaching tip of the week is to use turn-key curriculum. I'm a creative person. I love to come up with my own unit studies and I've even written my own language arts curriculum. But I'm also a very busy person. I still have four kids at home and the two in college take a surprising amount of my time. I have no doubt you're busy too. Save your creative passion for the subjects you really love and find a ready-to-go curriculum for the subjects you don't. An excellent turn-key curriculum is Debra Bell's Readers and Writers in Residence from Apologia. I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Bell on Facebook Live about homeschool planning. I know you'll be impressed by her credentials and homeschooling experience. This curriculum is incredibly thorough and is directed to the student, 4th grade and up. Your teaching time is minimal. The combined student text and notebooks are beautiful! Your child will love using them. You can promote independent learning and know that your students are getting a quality foundation in language arts. Get an inside look, a discount code, and a chance to win these two curricula on Tuesday, June 27th at 4 E/3C/2M/1P on Facebook Live at Facebook.com/psychowith6. The Need for Routines in the First Year of Homeschooling Now for this week's topic. I interviewed four new homeschoolers about why they began homeschooling, what they've done to get ready to homeschool, and what routines look like in their home. If you're an experienced homeschooler, you'll enjoy hearing what Courtney had to say. We had some technical difficulties with her interview, so I'll be sharing her responses to my questions. You'll want to stay tuned for this month's assignment for homeschool sanity as well. Links FLYLady one editable chore checklist here and a new Chore Game printable for subscribers. the Konmari folding approach, Do Less Free meal planning ebook First Year Homeschoolers Homework for Routines If you'd like to follow along with our new homeschoolers, here is your homework assignment: * Listen to the podcast episode I did with FLYLady on the power of routines.

You'd like to get organized, but things are in chaos. If that's you, you'll love the six steps I share on the podcast that you can take today to break through the chaos and get organized. Read the blog post Watch on YouTube You'll be encouraged to pray, identify your must-do's, plan dinner, do the dishes and clear the table, declutter, and take time for self-care. You can do this! This episode will show you how. Links Podcast sponsor: Apologia What We Believe series from Apologia Interviewing David Webb, co-author of Apologia's What We Believe series on Tuesday, June 20 at four Eastern, three central, two mountain, one Pacific on my Facebook page Must Do List MelanieWilson.TV post on marriage the podcast on self-care I did with Andy and Kendra Fletcher of Homeschooling in Real Life Pomodoro technique Have a happy homeschool week!

In last week's episode my husband and I shared about how to keep a homeschooling marriage strong. That's so important! But a few months ago, one of my listeners pointed out that it's hard for her to hear homeschooling advice designed for moms whose husbands are supportive of homeschooling when hers isn't. That got me interested in talking to single homeschooling moms and married homeschooling moms whose husbands aren't supportive. I want those of you who are homeschooling without help to have sanity, too! Watch on YouTube     Read the Blog Post   Thank you to Apologia for sponsoring the podcast. Their middle and high school science courses have helped my kids develop the study skills they've needed to succeed in college. Join me on Facebook at the Psychowith6:Homeschool Sanity page on Tuesday, June 13th at 4E/3C/2M/1P for a review of their middle school science, a chance to win it and for a BIG exclusive discount for Sanity fans. You can enter by watching the replay as well. I interviewed Jessica Binkley (of Let's Break the Rules and DearPennyJane.com), a newly single homeschooling mom, and LaToya Edwards, a mother who was single when she began homeschooling, for The Homeschool Sanity Show podcast. These two ladies helped me to realize that homeschooling is an excellent choice for children whether their parents are single or married. For Jessica, putting her children in school after her divorce didn't make sense. LaToya met a single, homeschooling mom before making her decision to teach her kids at home, so she knew it could be done. Both women opened my eyes to the need for married, homeschooling moms like me to be more supportive. Unfortunately, other married homeschoolers were some of the loudest voices telling Jessica she couldn't keep homeschooling. Jessica and LaToya had these tips for single, homeschooling moms: #1 Keep a flexible, relaxed schedule. You may have to teach at unconventional times because of your work schedule or to accommodate your children's father's schedule. The blessing of homeschooling is being able to find a routine that fits your family. LaToya advises giving yourself time to find that. #2 Make time for you. Having time for self-care and refreshment can be very challenging. Jessica has made Sundays a completely free day on which she will not schedule anything. She still has her children with her, but it's a time when she can relax. Consider trading childcare with another homeschooling mom so you can have a few hours alone. #3 Let go. Jessica emphasized the importance of crying when you feel like it. She said things got better for her when she stopped expecting friends to help her. She determined to stop being hard on herself. LaToya noted that homeschooling improved for her when she stopped trying to make her school look like a traditional school or even a strict homeschool philosophy. She feels comfortable blending approaches that work for her family now. #4 Get support. LaToya pointed out that when she attends homeschool activities, the other mothers don't know she's a single mom. That allows her to feel comfortable in groups. Jessica has found support through Facebook groups for homeschoolers that aren't necessarily for single moms. Single homeschooling is becoming more common and you will feel great in ...

I can't wait to share my interview with my husband of 25 years in which we share secrets for a successful homeschool marriage.     Watch on YouTube   Read the blog post Links Apologia: Show sponsor Psychowith6: Homeschool Sanity Facebook page - join me Thursday 6/8/17 at 4E/3C/2M/1P for my interview with Debra Bell Ultimate Homeschool Planner by Debra Bell - use code SANITY to save 25% on any planner for a limited time Communication: Key to Your Marriage by H. Norman Wright. Personality Plus by Florence Littauer The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman Sheet Music by Kevin Leman. What other suggestions do you have for keeping a homeschooling marriage strong? Comment and let me know.

When your homeschooled child enters or will soon enter high school, their happiness becomes critical to ensuring the success of your homeschooling. Obviously, we can't base all our choices on what will make our kids happy. But doing what we can to make the high school years enjoyable is an important way of expressing love for our children. Here are my top tips.   [button link="http://psychowith6.com/keeping-homeschoolers-happy-in-high-school" type="big" color="orange" newwindow="yes"] Read the Blog Post[/button]     [button link="https://youtu.be/7WXdYCYMckk" type="big" color="orange" newwindow="yes"] Watch on YouTube[/button] LINKS Lessons Learned from Homeschooling High School 7SistersHomeschool Use code SANITY for 20% off through June 6th, 2017. Check out the FB Live review and giveaway. Comment to enter until on Tuesday, June 6th. Should you send your child to school? Listen to the podcast episode I did on talent education read the post Vicki Tillman wrote on high school electives listen to the podcast episode on ADD listen to the episode on the #1 question homeschoolers ask me Read The Defiant Child by Dr. Douglas Riley. Always consider hormones as a factor. too much of a desire to play video games. working with professionals as a homeschooler Do you have other tips for keeping homeschoolers happy? Comment here or on Facebook.

There are a number of problems homeschoolers have in using digital curriculum. I've had them myself! But now that I have the solutions, I'm excited about using digital curriculum again. I can't wait to share the solutions I've discovered.   Read the blog post or watch on YouTube Links print mission manuals for Grammar Galaxy I interviewed Beth Napoli about cool webtools for students The printer I recommend instructions for opening a PDFs on a tablet. the free Adobe Reader app Dropbox how to use Dropbox how to use Google Drive Airtable the database I've already created for you I'll show you step by step what to do in this video.

Summer is nearly here! Whether you are year-round homeschoolers or need to find ways to keep the education going while you take a break, this episode is for you.  READ THE BLOG POST or WATCH ON YOUTUBE Links Learn Math Fast (use code SANITY5 or SANITY10 for a discount). Join me at the Psychowith6 Facebook page for a video review and giveaway on Tuesday, May 16th at 4E/3C/2M/1P. Grammar Galaxy Well Trained Mind discussion of mastery math curriculum Barnes and Noble, Half Price Books, Chuck E. Cheese's, and Sylvan also have summer reading programs Reading for Treasure Map, books & activities bowl for free all summer similar summer program for roller skating free kid-friendly movies in the summer Home Depot nature study Games for Everyone playing educational board games.