- Top Tips for Organized Lifestyle - Simplify and Organize Your Life - 5 Ways Teens Can Make a Difference in the World
ISSN 2379-2841 July / August 2016 $6.50
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Publisher’s Letter
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Brilliant Publishing LLC Post Office Box 31687, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588 Telephone: 717.571.9233
PUBLISHER / ADVERTISING Publisher
Maureen Williams maureen@thehomeschoolhandbook.com 717.608.5869
Account Executive Alex Chambers alex@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
EDITORIAL Editor In Chief
MaryAnne Morrill maryanne@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
Senior Editor
For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.
~Benjamin Franklin
Organization is the key to freeing up time so that your days will be productive and happy. I admit I am an organizing junkie. I try a new system it seems every time I turn around. Hence the many piles and half completed attempts at this organization stuff. I really NEED to find a system as the paperwork and books are taking over my office!! I truly admire minimalists and people who can purge without regret. Unfortunately I did not get that gene. I am a bit of a hoarder. I have yet to throw away any of my son’s artwork or his earlier schoolwork. It also takes up residence in bins in the garage for that oh-so-far-away day that I will have time to scrapbook! Like I said I love the idea of organization and do work at it daily. I plan to find a system that works this year and stick to it! If you have found something that works, that does not leave a room bare of life; one that is fun and easy to do please share it with me. My house and family will thank you. This month is the perfect month to finally get organized! So that this school year will be productive and stress free! My first step…my desk! While I make my organizing minutes count let’s hope I get some extra hours, after all who can’t use a few extra hours in the day. As always we thank you sincerely for your time and for reading our publication. Thank you also to all those who have taken the time to write, give suggestions, email and follow Digital Homeschool our newest launch! Enjoy the issue!
Maureen Williams, Publisher maureen@thehomeschoolhandbook.com 717-608-5869
http://twitter.com/@TheHomeschool www.facebook.com/TheHomeschoolHandbook http://pinterest.com/thehomeschool/
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The Homeschool Handbook | July / August 2016
Michelle Donofry editor@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
Social Media/Asst. Editor
Molly Anika molly@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
Style / Asst. Editor Charity Plata
Subscription Service / Back Issues:
Circulation@thehomeschoolhandbook.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Vicki Bentley, Dr. Bernard Bull, Maria Gracia Richard Havenga, Homeschool Handbook Staff, Tanya Moat, MaryAnne Morrill, Annie Murphy Paul, Donna Vail, Megan Zechman
PRODUCTION / DESIGN Art Director
Jeremy Tingle art@thehomeschoolhandbook.com The Homeschool Handbook is published bi-monthly by Brilliant Publishing LLC, Post Office Box 31687, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588 Telephone: (717) 571-9233, Fax: 843-215-7712. Postage paid at Scottsdale, AZ and additional offices. POSTMASTER please send address changes to The Homeschool Handbook, Post Office Box 31687, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588. Volume 7 Number 04. The Homeschool Handbook subscription rates: one-year $19.95 USD, Canada & Mexico $49.95 International $79.95. All subscriptions are non-refundable. Copyright© 2016 Brilliant Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material. Advertisers, and/or their agents, assume the responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on the advertisement. Editorial contributors assume responsibility for their published works and assume responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on published work. No part of this publication can be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher. All items submitted to The Homeschool Handbook become the sole property of Brilliant Publishing LLC. Editorial content does not reflect the views of the publisher. The imprints, logos, trademarks or trade names (collectively the “Marks”) displayed on the products featured in The Homeschool Handbook are for illustrative purposes only and are not available for sale. The Marks do not represent the implied or actual endorsement by the owners of the Marks of the product on which they appear. All of the Marks are the property of the respective owners and are not the property of either the advertisers using the Marks or The Homeschool Handbook. MEDICAL DISCLAIMER No warranty whatsoever is made by the publisher and there is absolutely no assurance that any statement contained or cited in any article touching on medical matters is true, correct, precise, or up-to-date. Even if a statement made about medicine is accurate, it may not apply to you or your symptoms. The medical information provided is, at best, of a general nature and cannot substitute for the advice of a medical professional (for instance, a qualified doctor/physician, nurse, pharmacist/chemist, and so on). None of the individual contributors, LLC members, subcontractors, advertisers, or anyone else connected to Brilliant Publishing LLC and The Homeschool Handbook can take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented in this magazine. Nothing included, as a part of this publication should be construed as an attempt to offer or render a medical opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of medicine.
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issue 04
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inside
The Homeschool
Handbook 10
8
cover story 8 Top Tips for Organized Lifestyle of Learning from 20 Years of Homeschooling Six Children
special features 3
Ideas to Save Time and Money Organizing Your Homeschool
solutions 10 Simplify and Organize Your Life 12 Organizing Your Home to Create a ‘Learning Lifestyle’ Environment
15 16 18
Don’t Just Learn –Relearn to Remember Organizing A to Z A Culture of Learning Starts in The Home
inspiration 20 22
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5 Ways Teens Can Make a Difference in the World The Blessing of Rivers
health and hearth 24 25
Organized Parenting 101 Sweet Potato Fries
resources 26
Index/Resources List
Fo r b r e ak i n g n ew s & t i p s b e sur e to f o ll ow T h e H o m e s c h o o l H an db o o k o n s o c i al m e di a: twitter.com/@TheHomeschool
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By: Donna Vail
Top Tips Organized for
Lifestyle of Learning from 20 Years of Homeschooling Six Children
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hen I first began homeschooling and buying all the curriculum and learning supplies, manipulatives and educational gadgets I had no idea what I was in for or what keeping a well-run homeschool looked like. I spent a great deal of time when my children were little, purchasing and managing so much stuff, always re-organizing and moving it around to a new and better combination. Then, one day, I finally woke up asking myself why I kept managing all this stuff. There are so many people to see, interesting places to go and books to read with all that time and energy. So my challenge then became to find a way to fix it and forget it yet be functional for a very active houseful of people. Let me share with you 6 tips and tricks to finally have it put away and get on with enjoying your children, be relieved of stress, have more room for learning and fun while also helping your children learn to be orderly, clean and organized themselves. Tip #1: First and foremost, I’ve learned from the most successful, you have to work on yourself and your mind. If you have a cluttered mind, it’s going to show up on your desk, in your drawers, and in the garage. This may seem strange at first but have you ever noticed all the piles that show up on your desk, the kitchen counter and in the garage when you’re extremely busy, stressed or worried? As well as vice versa, clutter in your physical surroundings will clutter your mind and spirit. We love organization so much because we have an innate ability to be organized. Our mind actually functions better organized. In order to have an organized mind, we have to tame our frenzy by letting go of the stress and all that’s no longer serving us. Sleep well, exercise, have quiet meditative prayer time, relax during the day even for a few minutes taking time to be in slow mode. Self-care used to be a luxury but now we must do it daily to remain healthy, energized and productive. Focusing in on one task instead of many as well as having time that you’re free from your
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I finally woke up asking myself why I kept managing all this stuff. There are so many people to see, interesting places to go and books to read with all that time and energy. phone or the constant flow of notifications from your device. It’s about putting the brakes on doing “everything” and aligning with doing only what really matters and is value to your life purpose fulfillment. Tip #2: Create a family rhythm instead of a crazy busy incremental schedule. We have to change our thoughts and beliefs about time and how to manage it. Instead of scheduling each family member individually we create a family rhythm based on what we do naturally, then work with balancing our most important priorities. After years and years of productivity planners in the pile, I no longer use them. It’s about simplifying to the point of being more mindful about what we’re doing and what we’re creating rather than working on keeping up a system that just gives us more busy work. The more I do this and align with what is naturally happening, the more successful we are in our everyday pursuits. Tip #3: Let go of the “home school” and create a lifestyle of learning. Our home is a library, learning center, natural history museum, art studio, experimental lab and a nurturing nest. We have a place for books in most all rooms creating each room into a library where we are constantly living with books. We use only the resources that have stood the test of time which means we’ve been able to let go of the piles of curriculums and schoolish things that are unnecessary and take a lot of management. Of course, there are still tools and supplies so we keep those well organized in the room where they’re used. I have dedicated one particular closet just for supplies using a cubby and organizing containers. You’ll most likely find cool rocks, a handful of dried weeds, works of art, more books, journals and notebooks throughout the house. Get comfortable with a learning lifestyle that’s not Better Homes and Gardens but rather the Smithsonian. Tip #4: Our house is usually clean and orderly even though we have a lot going on in the house every day. For years, we have practiced the Fly Lady cleaning method by dividing the house into zones. Cleaning responsibilities for each child including their own room, their bathroom as well as a common room. This is their responsibility to clean as well as keep tidy on a daily basis. As soon as a child can walk they learn how to pick up after themselves. The responsibilities graduate from there, also being fully trained on how to clean house. When we form a team it creates ownership to all work together the home and responsibilities to run it. It’s inevitable and only natural, siblings end up policing each other with keeping their zones clean but this is a great learning opportunity which also brings them to keeping their things picked up and not strung out all about the house. If you have the resources, housecleaning is the first thing to delegate. Even if you have a housecleaner ©
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coming, you and your family can clean in between to ensure life skill development. Tip #5: Prioritize, streamline, and delegate. Keeping a household, working, parenting and homeschooling on top of all that is no easy task. It takes all you’ve got and then some on other days. A mother’s best friend is her systems that support her to create the experience desired for family living while also educating and enjoying the time learning together. In everything that is done around the house prioritize, streamline and delegate. Know what is truly most important, streamline it into a system so you’re not repeating work steps that are unnecessary and get help by delegating. Whether you hire someone to come help you or get help from your family, it’s important that you don’t take it all on as your own. These are important life lessons you’ll impart on your children for them carry forward into their adulthood. Tip #6: Make it so easy your seven-year-old can run the house. As you implement all the tips I’ve shared here, keep it simple so it’s easy for everyone involved, including your youngest. Keep things for littles down low where they can reach them including everything they need to set the table or to unload the dishwasher as well as easily put away toys, clothes, and shoes. Have a place for small things that’s extremely easy to clean up with a two-minute timer. Passing the two minute timer challenge verifies its simple enough to maintain by everyone. If your organization is too complicated no one will keep it up and then you’re in the circle to manage it again. I taught my children how to layout a small lightweight rug or mat to put their little play things on and then pick it up when they were done. We learned this in our Montessori days. If we’re reading a book aloud we have a basket of small things just for littles to play with during that time. I’m all about wide open time for free play and projects but remember, part of that process is the cleanup. These are important life lessons on taking care of things which become bigger more expensive things as they grow older. As I look back on my 20+ years of homeschooling and continue to raise my children I don’t have any regrets. It’s the most magical and rewarding time in life. What has helped me the absolute most has been working on bettering and growing myself. As I focus on being a better version of me so often it’s like osmosis and the children grow right along with me. Do this for yourself and invite the family to come along and you too will find that blissful organization and enthusiasm to learn. If you need more tips, guidance or support be sure to connect with me through my website where I have a wealth of resources for you. There is nothing like a well-organized room, cabinet, drawer and life. Fix it once and for all, then when you open it, you can hear the heavenly music play. July / August 2016 | ©The Homeschool Handbook
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