Spirit Promptings For Homeschooling

Dear Kids,

I went to a homeschooling conference yesterday, my first one! And I also presented! That was fun. I learned so much, both from the classes I attended and from presenting.

A few notes on what the spirit REALLY guided me on:

-I am going to pray for a vision of YOU. Donna Goff highly suggested this in master planning. She said, "Pray for a vision of your children in the future and what adults you are really going to turn out. It will help you in your stamina and diligence in teaching. It will help you look past all there little annoying behaviors today because you have a vision of their future." I LOVE this suggestion.

-I felt highly prompted to really focus on childhood development and research the best activities for you RIGHT NOW. I was not inspired to do homeschooling to bring the public school system home. I was inspired because the Lord is going to educate you through my hands. I must understand better your development, what your body is doing, how it is doing it and aid you inside of discovering it.

-The other big inspiration is that we have to move more. We have been having a hard time with all three of you really getting on each other's nerves a lot and stressing each other out. That means that you have to MOVE MORE. At least 2+ hours of activity and movement each day.

-The other part of Donna's presentation that was so good for me was her recommendations of "Rhythms" in our day. This is like a word for schedules, but I like it better. She reminded me that you are all under 8 years old. I can't have accountability systems for you to "return and report" on because the Lord doesn't even require that of children under 8. What you require is hands on time with me. I must be there WITH you, showing you, guiding you and readjusting my expectations to know that is part of the energy output I am going to have to do everyday. I have wanted you all to be independent too early. I think that is why there has been behavior problems. You can't be independent yet. You aren't supposed to be.

-The other suggestion was "One spelling rule, math rule, science rule and grammar rule a week. That's it. One artist of the week, one music piece a week."

-Choose one chore to do with them until they get it as a habit. And walk through EVERY DETAIL in the exact order every time. Example: their room. Everyday when we attack their "Room Habit" we make bed, dirty clothes to laundry, pick up books, pick up legos, pick up dolls... etc. And do it in the same order each time. Then once they have the habit and they can do it themselves after 21 days of repetition the SAME way, move onto another chore.

Those were my take home thoughts of the conference!

I love you,

Your Mom