Home school & Parenting Help
Are you ready to declutter your life and make things easier for yourself and your family? In this podcast, we look at the things holding you back and how to declutter in a way that is super effective.
I’m in the midst of the new year, and I’m in the process of clearing up my files. The house has been put to order, mostly, but the end-of-the-year files need to be labeled, stored, and accessible this year as I prepare to file the new year’s receipts. It is a chore I typically dread and push off as long as I can, but this year, as I mentally prepared for the paperwork mess, I decided to not only take inventory of the old files but also look at my life in the same way.
When I store files, I look at the things I need to keep, essential records, and the receipts I can throw away, such as those from the grocery or retail stores. I file the papers I need for tax time or house repairs. I keep a file for warranty items as well. Those files stay available through the years, weeding out the items I no longer have.
I especially made an effort to categorize my kid’s homeschool papers so that I could show the progression of the year’s work. This is especially important if you opt to have a homeschool evaluation instead of your kids taking a standardized test.
Sometimes, I was overwhelmed with sorting and filing when I restarted my homeschooling in January or, truthfully, after any holiday like Thanksgiving or Easter. Whenever we took an extended period off, it wasn’t easy to jump back in, except for the new school year in September. I created an energized “back-to-school” atmosphere, and the kids looked forward to new school supplies, books, and topics of study.
This mess adds to the chaos and can become overwhelming. We all lead busy lives, so giving you a list of ten things to accomplish would be counterproductive. Instead, I would like you to think about the incremental approach. Or, as I call it, one step at a time.
What are some actionable things you can do easily in a short amount and find some measure of success?
You need time to recharge. If not early in the morning, then when? Is it late at night? Is it midday? Set aside some time, five, ten, or fifteen minutes, to take a breath and let your mind relax. This is not the time to make lists. If you are afraid, you will forget – jot yourself a note, but that’s it. During a busy season in my life, I put myself last, and when I eventually began having chronic migraines, I needed to reevaluate. Praise God. I learned it was an easy fix, so I drank copious amounts of water and added salt to my diet.
Decluttering your life takes a one-syllable word that is two letters. Did you guess the word “No?” If so, you are correct. No was so freeing for me, and it was such a blessing when I focused on my own physical and spiritual health, my spouse, home, and my kids over a homeschool co-op, field trip planning for large groups, or staging a play for 200 kids where I rewrote the play so everyone could have a part. (Yes, I did this for two years.)
I eventually learned that I had trained the other homeschool moms to rely on me to get things done, and I also found out that if I set aside one project, some other activity quickly took that place and all of my time to organize. I’m not saying you don’t help or that there is no season for this, but most homeschool moms I know jump in as new homeschoolers and quickly burn out. That is what happened to me.
Most of us are highly capable, or we wouldn’t be homeschooling. We can multi-task with the best of them, but seriously, this takes a toll on your family. Saying NO is my number one way to declutter my life to this day.
Another is looking at my tasks, setting up a day to complete them, and adding a time element. I started Media Angels when I had two children and was pregnant with my third. (No, this wasn’t planned. ) I then had two more children, all while running a thriving business. I knew traveling and speaking extensively was the norm, but my husband and I decided we’d keep it local and in our state (a few trips out of state), and then online conferences and speaking became a thing. Thank goodness for podcasts and, subsequently, this network that I began in 2013.
I had to decide whether the focus was family or business. Sure, many homeschool vendors are successful and make it full-time, but decision-making as a family is imperative, and we decided against full-time travel. What is your big decision to make this year, and how can you compromise as a family?
What are some decisions you need to make to thrive at home?
Working together as a family has been something I treasure. Whether it is helping to clean the house, make meals, or do the laundry, we are all in this together. Simplifying also means organization. (Media Angels has many planners. One of my favorite planning sets is the 12-Month Organizing & Goal Setting Bundle.)
For me, a clean surface helps me declutter mentally.
Routines help me with productivity.
Learning to say no, working together as a family, and using available resources are super helpful to start your new year. Whether listening to this during the summer months or in the New Year, looking at ways to declutter your life using an incremental approach is helpful.
Lastly, decluttering your personal life. What does this look like? Sadly, I’ve had to detach from different things throughout the year.
Leaving social media is difficult for some of us, of course we want to catch up with family and friends. However, analyze how much time you spend and what you can do instead if it is taking up your brain space. Does that make sense? This didn’t happen to me regarding social media, but it did in pleasure reading. When the characters take up my thoughts and wonder what they will do to get out of a specific situation, I can commend my fellow authors for a well-done job, but then I need to consider my time and reclaim my head space!
And let’s not forget toxic relationships. I’ve had friends who flit from one problem to another and make up a problem if there isn’t one that naturally occurs. Okay, I’m exaggerating, but you probably have a friend in this category, or perhaps you catch yourself in this role. I can’t handle complainers in the long term. And if I do complain on this podcast, you can have permission to email or leave me a post on the podcast show notes and tell me to stop! Of course, we all complain occasionally, but those who chronically complain about everything and everyone make it challenging to deal with in a positive and uplifting way.
I’ve made a point of focusing my day on God and prayer in some way. This priority has helped me in my spiritual life and my outlook on life in general. God’s got this, which encourages me as I navigate the sometimes busy and harrowing life of a wife and mom. (Check out A Few Minutes with God Podcast.)
Decluttering your life can take many forms, from organizing stuff to becoming more productive in the short term to letting go of the things that bog you down. I commend you for homeschooling and taking the time to focus on your family. I pray this podcast has been helpful and you refer to it at times when you need to be reminded of some quick fixes to help declutter your life!
Thanks to our episode sponsor! NowPrograms. I wholeheartedly agree with this unique approach, “Don’t accommodate, remediate. ” Check out the website today!
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Episode 254
Are you ready to celebrate Valentine’s day on the cheap, with very little money? In this episode, I will share some great ideas to make the day special for your own Valentine’s Day party for your immediate family or the gang! And there are even ideas for your spouse and for your kids and ways to cut those corners into hearts! Everyone will smile.
Thanks to our sponsor! NOW Programs.
Valentine’s Day was never my favorite holiday because I didn’t date as a student and didn’t see the examples of the “day” on the “day” at home. My parents told me it was a made-up holiday – yeah, they were realists, and I didn’t see my dad give mom flowers, although I knew they were deeply in love because they were inseparable. We changed all that when we got older and ordered flowers for my mom all the time, in my dad’s name. Gladly, he thought it was great and funny. She never knew!
Fast forward to my own experiences with my boyfriend, now my husband and a balloon incident I share on the podcast (listen to hear this funny and embarrassing story!) And, I was hooked!
Valentine’s Day can be so expensive. Flowers. Well, where do we begin? So here is my list of those wonderful shortcuts to a grand celebration.
Kids: Valentine’s Day On The Cheap
Be sure to stay on the email list for the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network – February’s download is many great ideas for February
Adults: Valentine’s Day On The Cheap
For Him and Her
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What family activity can you do as you close the year or ring in the new year? In this episode, Felice shares how she began the idea of family activities that have a lasting impact and unite the family.
Thanks to our sponsor, NowPrograms. I wholeheartedly agree with this unique approach, “Don’t accommodate, remediate. ” Check out the website today!
How can you share an activity with your family that will have an impact for years to come? No matter how old (or young) your children are, they can benefit from this idea. When my children were little, most family activities were related to what we did. We cooked, baked, and shared movie night together. There was a routine for these things. If it was movie night or pizza night, we ordered or made pizza, and we picked out a movie to watch as a family and dressed in pjs beforehand. We ate popcorn or some other snack and enjoyed this time together. The person who completed their entire school checklist, including all chores without reminders, could select the movie for the family. There were variations of this for movie selection, which could get contentious between siblings!
The family activity had these three elements:
The breaking of bread or eating together has a Biblical symbolism. In fact, many cultures enjoy the family meal, and that is actually a topic of an upcoming podcast in the new year. The family meal is a time to sit together, discuss the happenings of the day, and enjoy each other’s company. Our family rule was to ask permission to leave the table and stay until everyone finished. You may add things like no cell phones or come to the table with one thing you’d like to discuss or talk about — to give the kids time to think and prepare.
The developed or planned family activity grew from my children becoming teens and young adults. It was as if I went into hyperdrive to ensure that all that I wanted to teach them about important things were covered before they left. The activity parameters this time were different. It was more about uniting the family, having a faith focus, and ongoing.
Let me explain my reasoning so that you can use this as a starting point for your family and add to it as ideas come to you.
When do we do this? We typically hold our activities on the second-to-last day that everyone is with us for the Christmas holiday, but the ideas have been brewing for a while.
The ideas came in prayer, but then I tweaked them to make them work the best for our family. One idea stemmed from a favorite Christmas movie, “The Christmas Card.” The story was about a faithful young woman who wrote Christmas cards each year to the soldiers overseas. One of her cards went to a hardened sergeant who, when ordered, took leave and traveled to the town to see for himself if the town was as beautiful as the card made it seem.
The family activity was to write a Christmas Card to each other (randomly drawn names) and include a note encouraging them all year long. This turned out to be wonderful, and I treasure the card I received from one of my sons, which sits in my Bible. I take it out from time to time to read. As a family, we do not write to each other, especially when we all live under the same roof and even when the kids leave. It is so much easier to send a text or call. This was one of my favorite activities.
Another one was repurposing some cardstock door hangers. I printed them out with one side showing a beautiful mountain scene and a Scripture verse, and on the back, it was blank. I passed out stickers, each labeled with a fruit of the spirit. You can look up the fruit of the Spirit in the book of Galatians 5:22-23. In a nutshell, they are:
I asked each person to star the one they wished they had in abundance and put their name on the back of the door hanger. Then I collected them and passed them out randomly to each person. If someone gets their own, they hand it back or trade it with someone else. The “activity” is a year-long prayer for the person who received to receive this gift. I would remind the kids to pray for their “person,” and often, I was told, “Mom, I do each night!”
These activities are wonderful examples of how we can take a craft or event even and turn it into a memorable lesson for us all. Parents are included – I’m not sure I mentioned that earlier. Let me be honest here: my adult kids groaned every time I presented this type of thing and then fought with each other (good-naturedly), wanting to do the best job (at the craft part – at least). Did I say I have a very competitive family of athletes?
Be sure to let your spouse know about this activity in advance so they can pray in advance and give you ideas or suggestions.
This past Christmas, the idea centered around the Power of Three. This is Biblical because numbers are often repeated in the scriptures to teach a more profound truth. We think of the three of the Trinity – one God and three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We think of three in the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and so on. I explained this to my family, and then I explained that we would do a tangible activity and something they could keep in their Bibles for the year and consider the idea of the power of the Gospel and its impact on our lives.
I passed out a sheet of paper and had my family fold them into threes, horizontal and vertical, with the final square being small. Then, I asked them to open the paper and write the “threes” in Scripture that stood out to them. I also site the Scripture verse, Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
They dove into this activity, even “cheating” by pulling up the concept on their cell phones and citing the number of times three is used in scripture (467). After completing this, we discussed the importance of family and praying together. I then paired the family into two as prayer partners. Two or more symbolized the two, and the third was bringing God into their prayers.
This tiny idea was brewing for some time. At one point, I considered some memento, perhaps on a keychain, that reminds them to pray for each of us in the family. Instead, the folded paper idea won out. If you have ideas, contact me or post them on the website—VHM Episode 545. I’d love to see how you celebrate the new year with your family.
I pray this gives you some ideas for an activity you can do with the family after the Christmas holiday or whenever you gather together. I pray you had a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year. Thanks for listening in, and stay tuned for incredible new and exciting shows from Vintage Homeschool Moms and all of us at the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
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New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to make resolutions for the new year and share them with your family. In this episode, we explore ways to make New Year’s Eve memorable.
New Year’s Eve is associated with parties and festivities but with family, the ideas will be more in keeping with what really matters! With New Years Day approaching it is fun to make a New Year’s Resolution and prepare with your children ahead of time.
Food & Things To Do:
Thank you to our sponsor, NOW Programs.
The post New Year’s Eve Family Fun appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
Having fun and learning while teaching the faith, yes! Faith-building activities are discussed, as well as ways to help your children see the spiritual connection between faith and the Bible.
So, we all want to help our children grow in the Lord; in fact, the Scriptures tell us this Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. And of course, Deuteronomy 6:5-9 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart: And thou shalt tell them to thy children, and thou shalt meditate upon them sitting in thy house, and walking on thy journey, sleeping and rising. And thou shalt bind them as a sign on thy hand, and they shall be and shall move between thy eyes. And thou shalt write them in the entry, and on the doors of thy house.
There are so many more Scriptures as well! However, the most amazing thing I’ve learned, and I am sure you’ve experienced this, is that our kids pick up our worse habits! And, I’m sure it is because it is the ones that are modeled the most – yes, I’m talking to myself here as well. But the good news is that if we model great behavior, praying, reading our Bible, and doing Bible Study, the kids will also pick up our habits.
First, stop and pray. Ask the Lord how best to teach your children. Ask the Lord to help you to find those teachable moments that bring home the love and compassion the Lord has for each one of us and especially His unconditional love for us!
You know, when you look at other religions outside of Catholicism and Christianity, you find that the gods that these faiths worship require different things. Some require obedience and submission, others require worship or ritualistic sacrifice. Our God only requires our obedience and love, and He returns His love to us.
Christianity is the truth. It is the real thing. It is not a falsehood. And, with that comes an amazing responsibility to teach our children and share the good news.
Friends, remember that the best way to teach about our faith is by demonstrating your love of God to others and setting an example. I pray that this podcast has been helpful and ask that you share the show with a friend, give me a star rating on iTunes or any podcast app where you listen, and please join me next week when I discuss helpful tips for parenting.
This holiday replay episode is sponsored by NOW Programs.
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The best homeschool planning tips are the ones we often forget. With this simple outline your year will begin with a great start! Often, what we do is we get laser focused on school and forget we have a life. We are so excited we have our books – our schedule laid out and then when the afternoon rolls around we are FREAKED OUT we don’t have anything planned for dinner. In this episode I cover three simple guidelines.
Visit our podcast sponsor! NOW Programs.
Show Notes: The Best Homeschool Planning Tips
3. Think through things once and forget it!
Just like the crock pot recipe commercials would say the set it and forget it – the same thing with your planning.
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Can you save money during the holidays? There is no way, right? Holiday savings can happen no matter the season; Felice shares ten ways to make your holidays shine, from reusable decorations to gift-giving and regifting items that work.
Now Programs sponsors this episode. If you have a child who learns differently and needs help, check the website for more information.
One of my friends purchased an amazing home. It had turrets, a huge wood wrap-around porch, and many amazing extras like a library and room on the third floor she transformed into a school room. The fixtures were brass, there was an antique stove in the kitchen, and the lighting fixtures were priceless. This home went for way below market value, and all due to the downturn of the housing market and the overspending of the recipient of an inheritance given ahead of time.
The house was built using money that was a gift from the still-living parents. They wanted to see their children spend the money they left them while they were alive. So, the opportunity wasn’t because the family could not afford it but because it was a gift.
While you may not have a million dollars to gift your children for Christmas, this idea can spur you to think about what you have that you can give your kids.
What have you inherited from your grandparents, an aunt, or your parents that you can give (without hard feelings) to your children? Here is a list of some items I have:
So, some of my kids may not appreciate these gifts, but others would. There are many meaningful ways to give or regift.
Early on in our married life, none of us had much money, so when we gathered with my husband’s sisters, they were more frugal than I by a long shot. One sister took a wicker basket and placed an electrical clock on the front, and I used this in my kitchen for years until it broke. What gave her the idea? I had wicker baskets of all sizes hanging on the wall around my kitchen as decoration. What a great idea that cost so little; it probably cost under $5 if you considered getting the basket at a thrift store.
What do you know about the person you are buying for, and how can you use this knowledge to your advantage?
There are gift cards. Check your credit card dashboard to see if you can redeem points for gift cards. This is normally a fairly good way to redeem your points, but it changes depending on your cards. I use these for stocking stuffers.
Look for early Black Friday deals. Some restaurants offer ten-dollar gift cards with the purchase of one hundred dollars in advance. If you frequent this restaurant, it is worth the purchase. There are also deals on attractions. The zoo, aquarium, and all the attractions here in Florida. While $89 a person may be steep on sale, the usual price is $140. If you are planning to visit a unique location, check out the Black Friday sales, and you may save a ton of money.
Gift cards for services. I loved the gift cards for a neck rub, car wash, or even cleaning my glasses! I wore contact lenses so much of my life that when I switched to glasses at home, I could not stand even a speck of dirt. You can suggest gift cards for “services” you might enjoy from your little ones.
Thrift store shopping. My best friend from high school came to visit a few weeks ago, and I took her to thrift stores in a neighboring city near a high-end part of town. She knows her stuff and the cost. We ended up with amazing finds. She bought an entire place setting of china for less than four plates. There were some special sales, and we took advantage of them. I gained some wonderful candle sconces for the top of my fireplace for bargain prices and would have loved those as a gift!
While it may be hard to buy a gift from the Thrift store if your family is not so inclined, others may value these gifts.
You can definitely use thrift store items for decorations, and they are usually amazing. I purchased tablecloths in two colors and use them all year long: deep red and golden. I pair them with different-colored napkins depending on the season. I use cheap clear glass plates for my “expensive” tableware. If they break, I am not heartbroken.
What can you recycle, regift, or make for your family or friends? One of the treasured items these days is baked items. Many people I know do not bake sourdough, which is a new item on my gift-giving list. I’ve finally made the bread giftable. What item do you bake that is a good gift?
For those who do not like to bake, one of the best gifts I’ve received from friends who don’t cook is dipped chocolate items. One friend purchased large hard pretzels in a bag and used dipped chocolate on half with a drizzle of white chocolate and a light coating of sprinkles. She then bagged these and gifted them in a basket. (Again, something you can buy at bargain stores.)
Gift baskets are always well received, especially those created with love. That is the standing joke in our family: the food is made with love, and the gifts are given with love.
We recently started making homemade pasta with a pasta machine. Once we perfect the drying-out process, this will turn into another gift-giving idea. The pasta is made for pennies (yes, I know pasta is cheap), but it does not taste the same!
Brainstorm with your children (their ideas are often hilarious) and your spouse. See what you can come up with that are options and enjoy the Christmas season with less stress to break the bank!
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The countdown to Christmas can be a wonderful and blessed time, especially if we make a plan that this year will be different. The stress and harried approach is now in the past and we are going to do this with prayer and the grace that comes only from God! In this episode Felice shares some of her secrets to getting it down with plenty of time to spare.
Friends, it is time to take charge of our lives and get ready for the best Christmas ever with the focus on what really matters. I have about three steps to this plan so it is easy to implement and so simple!
One thing I would recommend is that you begin each day with prayer and end each day with prayers. We use an advent wreath. I have a special countdown to Christmas activity you can do with your children and I’ve podcasted about this as well – the link for that podcast is on this episode 310
First is make a list and cross off anything you do not want to do. I’m serious!
Here is what a typical Christmas countdown list looks like:
What is on this list that you can avoid? The two that stand out for me are the Christmas cards and the baking. Everything else you have to do… whether you buy presents or make them. You still have to wrap them.
Second is put your list in order of deadlines
Print out a month at a glance calendar – I have one on the show notes of VintageHomeschoolMoms.com if you don’t have one. You will need to add the dates to the calendar as it is blank. Use a pencil and list your deadline dates.
Try to get your shopping done one week ahead of time.
Third: Implement your list!
Helpful Christmas Countdown Hints:
Thank you to Heirloom Audios. Lasting value and spiritual benefits — Christian history – audio adventures Movies for the Minds CD Sets GiveTheAdventure.com and NOW Progams for sponsoring this podcast episode.
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It is the season to give thanks, but giving should be our mission, no matter the season. How can we encourage our children, spouse, and families to see the bright side? Felice shares simple tips and activities you can do with your family in this podcast.
Thanks to our sponsor, NowPrograms. Visit the website to learn about a unique way to help those who learn differently, regardless of age.
As I entered church this past Sunday, I noticed that the giving tree was up in the lobby. On this tree are name tags with a number and the item or product the family desires for their child. This year, I noticed our Parish selected a neighboring church that we ministered to many years before when my children were little. Several families banded together to create a party for the people at the church after a church service one Sunday. We were treated like royalty; all we did was put up festive decorations and bring trays and trays of cookies, cakes, and other foods that accompanied their vast trays of “real” food. We were trying to teach our children that giving thanks for what we had was more important than what we received.
It failed.
Why did this fail? It failed in the way we thought it would go, as we were hoping to bless this community. However, the lovely people who had nothing gave back so much in gratitude. We were blown away by how thankful the people were and how many kids came up and hugged us—even our kids! Truly, it wasn’t a total failure because our children did notice. They noticed how happy the families were who, by our standards, had nothing. We pointed out that the materially poor did not equal happiness and thankfulness.
We can talk about giving thanks or show our children in real and concrete ways. My co-author in the Creation Science Series, Jill Whitlock* would take her boys to the soup kitchen each Thanksgiving and help prepare and distribute meals to those struggling and less fortunate. She shared that often, there were families that joined the lines of those without. She began this after her divorce as a way to show her family that was struggling that others had it worse than they did. What a testimony to God’s love.
*Jill went to be with the Lord in 2007, and I miss her even today. She was such an inspiration for God’s love and faithfulness.
How can we teach our children to give? By giving ourselves. Some children have this innate love of giving. My youngest would find things around the house, wrap them up for me, and then gift them to me. I was often surprised at the trinkets he thought would be a good gift for his mom. It showed a loving heart; I could nurture this as a mom. It isn’t difficult for some children to give, but what about those who tend to be a bit more stingy?
One way is to enlist this child to help you brainstorm ideas or collect items to donate to others. My daughter would teach her children to select one stuffed animal or toy to give away yearly in a drive for gently used toys. Some children were on board, and others were not. She didn’t force the issue. However, she praised the children who did, marveling at their choices. This helped by providing an example for the reluctant child to participate. But, if the child did not, she didn’t make it a big deal and squelched any sibling peer pressure.
She explained that it was better to give from the heart or not at all — and she was right. You can’t force giving or someone to be thankful. I have a child who has struggled through his life to be grateful. One reason could be that hardships seem to follow him, but another is that he does not appreciate what God has given him.
Love and thankfulness are free. It is a gift, but it is totally free, and only when we recognize it can we appreciate it. Years ago, a downturn in the housing market hit us financially. Goen were the years of plenty, and we were in for the long haul of making do with what we had. I took an inventory of our lifestyle. It was easy for the children and me to gather together and look at what we could take away from our budget. The youngest three were the ones who learned the most from this trial.
We stopped buying paper plates, stopped bottled water delivery (it was way cheaper to bring empty bottles to the place and have them exchanged), and stopped the cleaning service we previously enjoyed. Everyone pitched it. When a dog came up for sale, the children band together, putting their hard-earned money toward the purchase of $100. They only had $95, and when we went to the private individual selling the dog, he accepted the $5 less. He saw they were a bunch of small bills, and I told him the children only had this much money.
This beloved dog passed away only a year ago; they had the dog for sixteen years. Life lessons can not be taught and don’t come out of a book.
Each Christmas, when the family gathers, all young adults now have an activity we share before they scatter to their own homes. Two are out of town, and the other three live in the same town. These activities keep us together and praying for each other all year long. First, when everyone gathers each night before bed, we pray, and then we go around the room saying what we are thankful for. It is an old routine from their youngest years and comes full circle into adult life.
I pray and ask the Lord for ideas for activities, and they change over the years. I hope to have a book for sale within the next year to share these activities. Currently, there are only twenty, but they have made an amazing impact on our lives. Last year, I placed words of encouragement in an envelope, and these were selected randomly. Each person kept their “word,” and we as a family wrote them down and prayed for each member for this word.
Two people received the word “hope.” Two people received the word “peace.” Two people received the word “love.” And, one received the word “joy.” My son, the one who struggles with thankfulness, received joy! I received the word peace along with my son in the military. I suggested we change out the activity this past Easter, and all said no! They wanted it to continue. I have no idea what the activity will be this year, but God does — so we will wait and see!
Look for life lessons in your family, whether it is making bread for the neighbor who lost their husband, helping to mow a neighbor’s lawn, or helping a poor church by purchasing gifts for each of the tags you select from a giving tree. When the children were younger, they would each select a gift and contribute to the purchase of an item with their “earned” money. I never paid for chores, but I did have a list of “extras” the kids could do to earn money. Any time the kids wanted to earn money, there were plenty of weeds to pull, trash to take out to the road (usually dad’s job), the garage to clean, cars to wash, etc. The job standards were high, so payment required a job well done with all items picked up in the end.
Out of five children, I have three who are extremely frugal and two who are not. Yet, all are thankful for the lives we’ve lived some years of struggling. This year, as we approach Thanksgiving, my husband needs a knee replacement. While the holidays are not a time I’d select, I’m thankful for the doctor who is a personal friend of the family, thankful for all of you who will pray and thankful for my family who is here to surround us and help.
May you have a blessed Thanksgiving, or whatever the upcoming holiday is, as you listen to this podcast–any season is the right season to be thankful and praise God for all that He has allowed to happen in our lives. Easy, no, but believe me, it will help you to be thankful for all those things that are free. The sunset, the sunrise, the food on the table, and the things we take for granted each day. Look around. What are you thankful for each and every day? Make it a habit, and it will bless you and your family!
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What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory? Another episode just for kids! Join Felice as she shares her encouragement to notice those little things that are important to appreciate.
Thanks to NowProgams for sponsoring this episode.
Be sure to go to VintageHomeschoolMoms.com – episode 416 and you will find a copy of the Thanksgiving Memory Book – Thanksgiving Memory Book
Thanksgiving is a time to make memories and share joy with others. A fun craft is to take branches and make a Thankful tree. You add leaves to the tree and on each, you can put a word that reminds you of something you are thankful for.
Think About This:
What are you thankful for? People may ask you that question and you may say, “I don’t know!” I get it, sometimes it seems that the questions you get asked don’t really have good answers. Here is a challenge for you. Do you think you can do this? Start looking around. What do you see?
Here are some possibilities. You see people in your family, you see the things that you own, you see the things that are part of your world. Maybe a pet, or something you think is important. It may not be valuable meaning it costs lots of money, but it is valuable to you.
So what are those things? Maybe you are thankful for:
These are just a few of the things you may be thankful for. We did this quickly, but you can take more time to do this on your own. So, the next time someone asks you what you are thankful for you will be able to answer it quickly.
Have you ever had a super fun time doing something and wish you had pictures or written down exactly what you did? How about keeping a memory book? Have you ever kept a journal? A memory book is something like that. I have a free one you can download here: – Thanksgiving Memory Book
You can add things like what you are grateful for but you can also list who was at your celebration, what you did, and what you ate. Maybe your family plays games. What is it that made the day special. What are some traditions that your family does every year? Think about this.
One time, friends of mine lived far away from their family and friends, in fact, they had just moved to a new town. So they decided they wanted to have a different type of Thanksgiving and had a picnic. They had turkey sandwiches, and fun sides, and they played games at the park. The kids all said it was one of their favorite Thanksgiving memories. Have you ever heard that what makes something special is what you put into it? You might not think the food at Thanksgiving is very good, maybe you don’t like turkey and gravy. But, either way what you are celebrating makes it special to you. (Remember – what are you putting into the celebration?)
I had another friend who used Thanksgiving as a day to help out at a soup kitchen, a place that cooks meals for the poor. She said she felt so thankful for all that God had given her that she wanted to give of her time for others. That is truly being unselfish, isn’t it? Each person can give from what they have and share it with someone else. You can do this in your family as well.
Whatever you do to celebrate this happy day, I pray that you make memories that you will always remember. I hope you have a very special thanksgiving with your family and your friends. Even if you have a turkey sandwich at the park this year, make it the best Thanksgiving memory ever!
The post Thanksgiving Memory Book appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
Have you considered education at home as an option for your family? Join Felice Gerwitz and Sam Sorbo, actress, author, conservative pundit, and home education advocate, for a lively discussion that will dispel many false concepts about home education.
Thanks to NowProgams for sponsoring this episode.
We are all called to homeschool, but few take up the challenge. There are many valid excuses for this, yet for those who believe, God will provide. Over the years, I’ve been a homeschool advocate. I homeschooled my five children for thirty-two years, yet I’ve never thought everyone should homeschool. I’ve changed my mind. The toxic culture in which we live begs for a new generation of Christian children who can stand up, articulate, and be heard. These are the kids whose faith only strengthens within the home and becomes the shining light of truth and justice. Educating this new generation of children is imperative for our culture to flourish. (End of soapbox rant
My special guest today is Sam Sorbo!
Mrs. Sam Sorbo is an actress, conservative pundit, radio show host, writer, and passionate child home education advocate. She released a PARENTS’ GUIDE TO HOMESCHOOL: MAKING EDUCATION EASY AND FUN – a soup-to-nuts, all-you-need-to-know-to-get-you-started workbook for parents who want to homeschool their children. Mrs. Sam Sorbo offers personal experience, insights, and encouragement to begin your and your children’s true educational journey. Visit her at Sorbo Studios. Sam’s perspective on homeschooling changed dramatically after placing her children in what was considered the best school at the time. In fact, they moved to be in the school district because of the school was highly recommended. She also became intune to her son’s outside influence within the structure of school and interactions with children of the same age. Sam’s passion is evident, and she is more than an advocate for homeschooling; she is the next champion of home education for new generations of parents. These are parents who care about their children’s academic education, yes, but more so about the future of their children’s minds and hearts. Having the ability and the passion for homeschooling, Sam has dedicated time to mentoring other parents at Sam Sorbo Locals – visit the link her for a sneak peak of the videos available.
Sam’s book helps parents figure out how they want to homeschool. It is a wonderful resource. One concept is to look at what you want in your life and how you want your relationship with your children to look, not only now but in the future. Check out the book on Sam’s website and get an autographed copy.
The post Education At Home ~ Sam Sorbo Homeschool Advocate appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
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