Boys and a Dog Homemaking Homeschooling Tips for Busy Folks – Homemaking is not just about going from a messy house to a tidy one. It revolves around making your home a comfortable and welcoming place for you, your family and guests.
If you are homeschooling your kids, it will also be their classroom. Homemaking might seem like a lot of cleaning and organizing, but it’s much more than that. It is important to create an atmosphere at home that allows you to teach your kids effectively without being distracted by chores all the time.
This article gives some helpful tips on how you can make homeschooling easier while maintaining a clean and organized home.
Tips For Busy Folks
Create a quiet atmosphere
If you are homeschooling your kids, you’d be surprised how often you are the one doing the majority of the housekeeping. This can include taking a long shower, organizing their toys in the corner of the room they are allowed to use, and so much more.
While you should definitely clean the house occasionally, it is counterproductive to clean the house while your kids are away. The more you do the housekeeping while your kids are out, the less you are able to focus on their needs.
This kind of housekeeping is what creates a calming, quiet space in the home. As mentioned above, it’s especially important to create an environment that allows you to teach your kids effectively without being distracting.
If you have a busy schedule, it’s normal to do some housekeeping at all times. But when your home is a home, it’s different. It is your space, your home. The more you can focus on what’s going on in the house, the more your kids will feel included, supported and calm.
Keep your kids involved
When you are teaching your kids, there can be a lot of distractions in the form of toys, pets and siblings. You can keep your kids involved and at the same time avoid clutter by having them put their toys in a toy box or basket after they have finished playing with them.
Any activity that involves a lot of materials can become messy fast, so it’s important to remind the kids to pick up after themselves. If you have younger children, it might be wise to assign one area of the house for their activities.
Have separate work spaces for home and school
If you are teaching your kids at home, you need to have an area designated as a classroom. For younger children, this could be a corner of the dining room table or an entire room with shelves and cubbyholes where they can put their schoolwork when they are done with it.
For older children, you could use the dining room table and then let them spread out on the living room floor when they need extra space that isn’t available inside.
Use baskets for storing supplies
For younger children who are learning how to write, use baskets for storing crayons and pencils so that they don’t get lost under furniture or in toy boxes. This also helps keep things organized if there is more than one child doing homework at any given time because each child will know exactly where his/her things are when it is time to finish up.
Use a basket for storing homework
If your children have a lot of homework to complete, you could use a basket or some other type of container that can be easily accessed.
You can then keep the basket in their school area and they can leave their homework there until it is time to do it. This will help you to avoid the clutter of papers all over the house and make sure that everything is in its proper place.
Keep books in the same place
Keep books in one place so that your kids don’t have to search around for them when they need them for homework or want to read them just because they feel like it.
This will also help prevent things from getting lost under furniture and make sure that everything has its own special spot where it belongs so that everyone knows where things are placed and doesn’t have to search for them when they are needed.
Make sure you have a place for everything
Have a “home” for each item so that it doesn’t get misplaced. This will also help to keep things in their proper place when you are cleaning up and organizing your home.
Have a designated space for each type of item so that your kids can quickly put things away when they are done with them and don’t have to search around for an area to put them.
Create an organized playroom
If you have children, it is important to make sure that their playroom or play area is organized as well, since this is where they will most likely be playing with their toys and games. You could create an area where there are bins or baskets for each type of toy so that they can easily access the toys they want and put them back when they are done playing.
You could also separate different types of games into different areas so that your kids know where everything is when they want to play a specific game rather than just digging through all the boxes of games trying to find what they want.
Make your home a “safe space”
One of the best things you can do to make your home a more peaceful place is to create a “safe space” in which you can focus on your kids’ needs. Ideally, this safe space would be one that is separate from the main home space.
This way, you can still have access to the toys and other essential household items, but you won’t be tempted to open the door or go into the other rooms in a suspicious way.
It should also be easy for your kids to get out of if they need to use the bathroom or use the stairs. It doesn’t matter if you are a single adult or a family of five – if you have no idea where your kids are at, then it’s really hard to know how to help.
Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can help your kids feel included, reflected and safe in your home. You can start by making simple but meaningful efforts to make sure your kids are spending some time outside whenever they have a chance.
You can also encourage them to try different crafts and activities that they might not have been able to do at home. This can be as simple as giving them a project book to write their own tasks or teaching them how to use a remote-controlled machine to do household tasks.
It can also help to have a journal where you record everything you are thinking, feeling and doing in this place.
Encourage creativity and self-discipline
Even when your children are younger, they still need some inspiration. Even kids who have Down syndrome (which happens incredibly often) still need to see things through to completion.
If you make it a priority to spend some time creating new and creative projects for your kids, you might be surprised how much they love to do them. Sign up for creative writing or creative project assignments at the local library.
They usually have a section where kids can write and submit their work. You can also email assignments to your local school board or have them printed out and give to your local YMCA.
Another great way to encourage creativity and self-discipline is to use art and science kits. This can make a huge difference in your kids’ everyday lives. They may not be able to draw very well, but their artistic skills can come through much better than without these supplies.
Some people even suggest that you make an art journal for your home. This will allow you to draw and write anytime you want and record your thoughts, feelings and projects as they come up.
Home décor that works for you
It doesn’t matter how serious you are about your home decor choices – if they don’t work for you, then you won’t be able to use them in your home. It might sound like a simple thing to do, but it’s actually a lot more difficult than you might realize.
You’ll almost definitely need to invest in lighting, curtains, furniture and other decorations that work well with your home décor. It might also help to invest in some china or other decorative items that will add a charming, homey touch.
Most home décor accessory stores have a section that sells home décor ideas. This can help you find ideas that work well with your home décor.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on décor to make your home feel homey.
If you are really interested in improving the feel of your home, then go for things such as adding handmade sofas, rugs and tables that match your home’s style or color scheme. Decor can definitely make a difference in making your home a more appealing space.
Have a “clean room” calendar
If you want to keep your home feeling more like home, then you need to get rid of the cluttered mind. If you are like many parents, you may have a two-digit chores list that keeps coming up in your heads.
Luckily, there is a simple solution to this – create a “clean room” calendar. This is a calendar that has everything you need to do your chores at the same time.
You will only have to click on one entry and it will bring up that entry automatically.
It is great if you have a lot of things to do, but it is even better if they are all related to one thing – cleaning the house.
Be flexible with your cleaning schedule
You’d be surprised how often you do something that you know will be done, but you just don’t have the time for it. Even though you have a job to do every day, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed when doing it.
This often leads to overthinking and making bad choices. You need to be able to slow down and allow your kids to do their thing while you take care of your own. If you are constantly making wrong choices and overthinking them, then it’s really difficult to get your head out of theigo and actually do your things.
This can lead to a lot of frustration and even stress for your kids. If you are flexible with your cleaning schedule, you can still do your normal chores without getting in a huddle with them over who gets to do what.
This is also great if you have a family of 5 or more. You can choose which chores you want to perform and who gets to do them while your kids are distracted.
Keep things organized in the house
Keep your home clean and your kids happy by doing things in a more organized way. This could mean decorating the room with posters, stuffed animals and other kid-friendly things. Or it could mean having a ritual that you are both proud of. Something like, “We clean our room today.”” This makes your home more welcoming, less like a prison and more like a familyowned business.
It’s also a great way to keep track of all the chores that you know your kids will be want to do for you.
Work with Your kids to create a habit
Homeschool kids are learning to use their brains. They know how to prioritize and coordinate their tasks.
They also know how to communicate with others and make decisions together. This means that you can work alongside your kids in a more creative and informed way. Spend time brain training your kids on how to use different tools, how to answer emails and more. This will make your life easier and allow your kids to feel more confident in themselves while doing tasks.
Use the internet for good
The internet is a great way to do research, communicate with others and even learn. There are many websites out there that will help you with your homeschooling journey.
You can find games and fun ways to teach your kids things like math, science and more. This will make their education so much easier and fun that they will never want to leave home!
Hire a Professional to Help You Out
It can be tough to teach your kids everything on your own. There are some things that you know that they might not understand. There are also some things that you know will take a lot of time and energy to teach them. This is where a professional can come in handy. Hiring a tutor, teacher or even an online course can help your kids to learn in ways that you just cannot.
Take Care of Yourself!
Homeschooling is hard work! You need to make sure that you take care of yourself just as much as you take care of your kids. Make sure that you eat healthy, get plenty of sleep and exercise regularly so that your body will be able to keep up with the demands of homeschooling!
Popular Homeschool Freebies
Homeschool Freebies:
- Teachers Pay Teachers
- NASA
- The Buddy Bison School Program
- Save the Manate
- The Switch Energy Project.
How to Homeschool with Boys and a Dog
Homeschooling with boys and a dog is a challenge but it can be done! I have four boys ages 11, 8, 5, and 2.5. We started out homeschooling for a year when the boys were in preschool and kindergarten.
We also did some supplemental school work through the local public schools with our oldest son when he was in first grade.
When we first began homeschooling I was overwhelmed with how much there was to do and I thought that my life would be consumed by school work since we had boys! However, as time has gone on I have learned to set boundaries for myself and my children that keep us all happy and healthy!
In the morning we read together or do lessons from an online curriculum. The kids also get a chance to play outside before lunch which helps them burn off some of their extra energy!
After lunch we spend time outside again then come back inside to read or work on math or science lessons online until it is time for dinner. After dinner is when things get crazy around here!
The kids usually have homework that they need help with and chores that they need help finishing up before bedtime.
After everyone is in bed, I spend time each night either working on blog posts or doing lesson plans for upcoming weeks of school.
I love having my own business because it allows me to be home with my kids while still being able to provide for them financially. So far this has been the most rewarding experience of my life because I get to spend every day with my kids while teaching them and helping them grow as individuals.
I am grateful that I have a husband who is willing to help me out by providing for our family so that I can stay home. We are also thankful for the amazing friends and family members who help us out by watching our kids when we need a night out or when we go on vacation!
I’m glad you asked! Here’s some of the things that I do everyday:
- I search for new and fun activities to do with my kids.
- I read books to my kids.
- I teach my kids about Jesus Christ and His love for them.
- I spend time teaching my kids about the Bible and God’s word.
- I spend time doing school with my kids. This includes math, science, reading, writing, spelling, and history lessons.
- I try to get everyone to help around the house by having chores that they need to do each day. Chores include things like cleaning their room, picking up toys around their room, helping put away dishes after dinner, etc…
- I try to make sure that everyone finishes their homework everyday so we can do family activities or relax as a family at night instead of trying to finish it all in one night!
That is a lot of work! It might even sound overwhelming! But it really isn’t too bad because I love doing it all! I’m so glad you asked me this question because now I have a place where I can share some of the fun activities that we have been doing lately.
How do homeschoolers keep attendance?
Keeping attendance for homeschoolers can be a little tricky depending on your child’s school district. In my case, my children are homeschooled in the same district that their cousins attend and they are required to have a yearly meeting with the school district so they can keep track of them and I also have to send in a portfolio of their work at certain times throughout the year as well.
How do you keep track of your children’s progress?
I actually use an Excel spread sheet that I created myself. It has all the subjects that they should be learning by grade level in it and then each day I mark off how much they have done.
If there is something that needs done, I check it off as well and then when it is completed, I mark it off again so that we know how much progress has been made on whatever it was!
When a child makes this progress, you can use a small medal to praise their outstanding performance.
Medals not only acknowledge a child’s achievements on the surface, but also have a subtle and positive impact on their psychology. Through award medals, children will have higher expectations and demands for themselves, learn to cherish every opportunity, and strive to create their dreams.
What curriculum do you use?
I personally don’t use any particular curriculum for my children. Each one has their own specific learning style and we take time to figure out what works best for them!
For example, my son loves hands-on activities while my daughter loves reading books about her subject matter. We take time to figure out what works best for each child!
How can I homeschool without a room?
It is actually quite easy! I just have to make sure that I have a table for each child. We use the kitchen table, dining room table and coffee table as well as a little folding table that we keep in the living room.
How do you keep your children from being bored?
I find that boredom usually comes from not having enough to do or too much to do! We try to make sure that we balance it out so that they don’t get bored.
They love school so much (especially my daughter) because they are learning new things all the time and they seem to be very interested in it all!
What are some things you did before homeschooling?
Before homeschooling, I was a stay-at-home mom and then when my kids were old enough, I went back to work part time so that I could help them with their homework.
It was a lot of fun and it helped me figure out what works best for each child! It also helped me see what their strengths and weaknesses were so that we could work on those as well!
How has homeschooling changed your life?
Homeschooling has definitely changed my life in many ways. It has made me realize how important education is and how important it is for us to learn new things every day!
It also has taught us how much fun learning can be if you take the time out of your day to focus on what you are doing instead of just rushing through things.
Homeschooling has helped me see the world from a different perspective, and it has given me the opportunity to teach my kids about things that I never had the chance to learn about when I was growing up!
How does your family make homeschooling work financially?
Homeschooling has been very affordable for us. When we first started out, we were using public school textbooks and that worked out just fine for us! Now we use mostly free online curriculum and that is working out great as well!
We have also taken advantage of sales at our local office supply store and they have always had a large selection of books and materials at great prices!
What advice would you give to someone who is considering homeschooling?
I would definitely tell them to go for it! It is such a rewarding experience and there are so many resources available to help them get started. There are also tons of support groups available online or in person if they need help along the way!
I would also tell them that they need to be patient with themselves as they figure things out because it might take some time before they find what works best for their child(ren) but once they do, it will be so worth all the hard work that goes into it!
Boys and a Dog How To Make A Dresser Into A Desk
For many people, desks are essential pieces of furniture that they would like to have in their homes or offices as they provide ample space to place important items such as books, laptop computers or any other office essentials that will help them perform their job duties easily.
If you have recently moved into your new house or office space where there is no desk, you can make a dresser into a desk by following some simple steps:
- You need to measure the space where you want to place your new desk. If you have enough space, a large dresser will be a good choice as it can be used as a regular desk.
- Disassemble the dresser and remove all its drawers.
- Place the drawers on one side of the room, then place the dresser’s top on the other side of the room from where the drawers are placed.
- Attach some wood planks or wooden boards at both sides of the top part of your dresser, then attach another board measuring about 12 inches wide and 24 inches long at one end of your dresser’s top at a 45-degree angle from one end to another end on each side so as to create two legs for your new desk.
- Place it back in its original position and make sure that everything is leveled properly before adding any other fixtures such as legs or wheels so that you can easily move your new desk around when needed without causing any damage.
Making Your Own Soap at Home
Making your own soap at home is not as hard as you might think. It is actually quite easy and fun to do. You can make a variety of different soaps depending on what your skin type is, or what you want the soap to do for you by following these steps:
- Get a large pot and fill it with water.
- Bring the water to a boil, then add your soap making ingredients.
- Stir continuously until all of the ingredients dissolve, then turn off the heat and allow it to cool down for about 10 minutes.
- Add any fragrances or coloring that you would like to use, stir well then pour your soap into molds that you have made beforehand or into any clean plastic containers that you can find.
- Allow your soap to sit in its container for at least 24 hours before using it so that it can set up properly.
- Once your soap has set up, remove from the container and wash with warm water!
Making Your Own Wine Rack
If you are looking for some great homemade wine rack ideas then this is for you! Making a wine rack is actually quite easy if you know how to do it properly by following these steps:
- First, you will need to gather your materials, which consist of a wooden dowel, a saw and some nails.
- Cut the wooden dowel into a 16 inch piece and cut your board into the same length.
- Place the two pieces together on their side with the bottom of the board facing up and secure them together with nails.
- Then place another nail on top of each of these nails (2 total) to keep everything in place as you are working with it next to make sure that nothing gets out of line while you are working with it.
- Now that everything is secured together, you can begin cutting notches in it! You will want to cut out 11 notches in all for this project, so be sure that you do not skip any steps!
- Once all of your notches have been cut out, you can finish up by sanding down the wood and painting it if desired!
You can also paint or stain it to give it more personality or color if desired!
Making Your Own Soap Dispenser
Materials Needed:
- A soap dispenser.
- A whiteboard marker or any other type of marker that will write on glass.
- A measuring cup to measure out your soap.
- Funnel to help pour it in and some tape to seal it up with once you are done (optional).
If you don’t have a soap dispenser, you can also make one yourself! You can buy one from the store or use an empty hand soap bottle as well as a funnel to help pour it in if needed for an added touch!
Steps:
- First, you will want to put your soap into the measuring cup and then pour it into your soap dispenser by using the funnel if needed!
- Next, take the whiteboard marker and write out what is inside of the bottle so that everyone will know what is inside of it when they use it!
- Then place some tape over top of the opening so that nothing will fall out while you are using or storing it!
You now have your very own customized homemade gift set with homemade items inside of them as well as something personalized just for them on top of everything elsewhere.
You can also use other elements to decorate your room, and neon signs can help you make the space more fashionable and personalized.
Whether you prefer a minimalist style with pure white tones, or a lively or cool characteristic, using neon signs is a good choice. It can not only serve as an attractive decoration, but also provide good lighting conditions for you to do various things in the room.
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Boys and a Dog Homemaking Homeschooling Tips for Busy Folks