Dry-Erase Weekly Calendar--like on Pinterest

This idea is not original with me. I found it on Pinterest here. BUT I do get credit for actually doing something I found on Pinterest and not just pinning it!

I made a dry-erase weekly calendar using only things I already had! you can't beat that!

You need a collage frame. Of course, 7 or 8 frames are recommended, but I only had a 6 frame one.

Now, the one on Pinterest had each square a different pattern. I chose to use three different patterns with related colors. I also wanted to make sure each had black in the pattern because of the black frames. I just thought it would be more cohesive.

Here's my finished project.

As you can see, since I had 6 frames, the weekend is combined on one frame. I also tried to vary the direction of the patterns to add a little more interest.

I really like it! While many hang on the wall, this frame works better as a stand which makes it very convenient for me. It's right behind the chair I use for my computer, so as things come up, I just swivel around and post it on the schedule!  There are many more things on there since the picture was taken!

And you know what else was really nice? Just the fact that in the midst of the chaos which is my life, I could take a few minutes and bring some beauty and order to my family!


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The Well Planned Day software Giveaway WINNER!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Not" Back to School Hop--School Room week

I've written before about where learning takes place. I know some home educators have special rooms set up much like a classroom. I was a classroom teacher for about 8 years, so I know all about setting up a classroom. I choose not to follow that style for our homeschooling. I focus more on the word "home" rather than "school."  To me, comfort is one of the advantages of educating at home.

The majority of the time, we are at the kitchen table. I know it's not very original, but it works!

It has good lighting and plenty of room. While it is not an "official" school room, I have been known to put up posters or pictures of what we are discussing. 
Sometimes the sofa or chair feels more comfortable for "formal" classes especially so you can cuddle while reading.

Mija and Abuelita

Of course, any part of the house is fit for learning.

And there are times she learns outside of the home at the library, field trips, of course, ballet.

So, I don't have any special location or secrets of organization. I have a pile of books and supplies, a home, and the world at my disposal!

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Well-Planned Day Software--school and home planner GIVEAWAY!!!!

Let me tell you about The Well Planned Day software and.....give you a discount code and a chance to win a free year in a giveaway!! This post is going to packed!

First, I want to explain an difference between my husband and me. If you want to purchase my husband a gift, make it "toy".  You know the saying, "The difference between a man and boy are the size (and price) of their toys!" On the other hand, I like more practical gifts; something I can use. 

The Well Planned Day software meets both of our likes. It's a fun and functional program for homeschoolers!! 

Unlike many online planners, this doesn't just handle school or doesn't just handle your home and schedule. It does both and more!  There is Budgeting, Chores, Shopping, etc.

And the way it works for lesson planning is so cool! Here's a video to give you an idea of how it works.

Is that not cool!!

I will tell you I have two minor qualms. First, it's the brand-new beta, so there are tweeks or updates happening. Of course, it's all to make a better product, and they should become fewer and fewer. Second, in my state, we have to keep track of hours taught. There is no place to track hours right now, BUT I asked and they will be adding it after the 1.0 release which means any day now!

Thankfully, I can give you a discount code to receive $15 off the MWPD software price of $65. That means you can take care of you homeschool and home planning needs for only $50.  I know you can spend that on just a lesson planner or a day planner alone, so getting both for only $50 is definitely a deal. The code is case sensitive, no spaces, and will expire on October 1, 2012. Are you ready for the code?  Okay, here it is. 08wpdblog12 (It doesn't have to be color. I just wanted to make it stand out)

You can also try to get one for FREE! I am offering a one-year subscription FOR FREE as a giveaway!  I love it!  You know how I love FREE!!!  This giveaway if for US entries only (sorry to the rest of the world). It will run until midnight, Wednesday, August 22, so you will have it in plenty of time to either start or continue your school year.

a Rafflecopter giveaway




This giveaway is not connected to any social media site. I received a subscription of this software in exchange for my honest review.

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Using the Chore Bundle to Bring Family Harmony {Giveaway}

Don't tell anyone this, okay?


Recently, my mom and one of my sisters got into a BIG argument. Like most arguments that culminate with two adults yelling at each other on the front lawn with neighbors watching, the disagreement was in part about differences in housekeeping. 

What? Your family doesn't argue about cleaning houses?

You see, both mom and I were raised by my grandparents. They were both perfectionists. My grandmother was great at keeping the house clean before her health deteriorated, so my mom and I were never expected to do much, because, after all, if we did it, my grandmother would "just have to do it again." As such, we're not overly picky housekeepers. We both appreciate a lived in look and are not traumatized if the sofa is covered with papers and needs to be cleared off or there's a basket of clean clothes that haven't been put away. Mom, however, has a tiny-touch of hoarding mixed in. You have to understand, she was raised by parents who had just survived the Great Depression. You save anything you might have to use for later.

My sisters, on the other hand, grew up with mom. I think her little-bit of pack-rat along with lack of major housekeeping concerns made them swing the pendulum clear back the other way. Both of their homes are immaculate. If there is the slightest bit of clutter or dust....{shiver}...it's a catastrophe.

So, the two generations collided at mom's house the other day. 

I sit here typing this at a kitchen table is covered with several notebooks, a brush, a broken frisbee, books, magazines, a dirty coffee cup, dry erase board, sunglasses...I think you get the picture. I haven't given up attempting to grow and change my housekeeping ways, however. As long as I have breath, I can work on having a cleaner house and teaching my daughter the benefit of diligence and duty.

That's why when I had the chance, I chose Chores: Many Hands Make Light the Work from Eternal Encouragement. This bundle includes 6 e-books and 4 MP3 that you can listen to online or download.

Now, I've reviewed a bundle by Mrs. Lorrie Flem before and it was a blessing. The format has changed, however, and it's sooo convenient now. Instead of getting a bunch of separate documents, you now get one document with everything in it. You get all the e-books and articles back-to-back in one PDF which also includes the links to listen or download the audios. It's so easy to use and pretty. 

The contents are equally easy to use and, well, if not pretty, they will at least make your home look pretty. Keep in mind the title mentions many hands, so there are many ideas on how to teach and include your children into the cleaning process. I appreciate that help since I work at including my daughter so she isn't clueless when she grows up AND child labor is free! It's a win-win!

One thing Lorrie mentioned was the steps in teaching your child how to clean something.

1. I do, you watch.
2. I do, you help.
3. You do, I help.
4. You do, I watch.
5. You do, I inspect.
Isn't that great? You don't just assume they know or assume they get it the first time. Also, you can start at a fairly early age with this process, so by the time you watch or just inspect, you will see things actually being accomplished.

While there is a lot about children, the principles and practices still apply to cleaning as a whole. For instance, I'm more than willing to reward myself with a package of M&Ms as I sort through my magazine and paper basket!

I appreciate how practical and detailed the ideas are, but along with that, Lorrie shares the fact that how she does it may not be the way I do it. Each of us are at different places in our lives. My home with one 7-year-old will look different than Lorrie's home with 7 kids still at home. She encourages you to take her ideas and modify them for your own use.

There's a lot more I could share, but you need to get the bundle yourself to truly benefit. Here's a treat! You can actually enter to win your own bundle! First you go HERE. Second, you mention that you found out about it here on Mrs. Price is Right about Homeschooling. Lastly, you provide your name and mailing address. That's it.
Make sure to enter THE GIVEAWAY!

I am reviewing Encouraging Moments as an official member of The Gabby Moms blogging program for Eternal Encouragement magazine.  I did not receive compensation for this post and all opinions are solely my own.

Messiest Room Contest & Spring Clean by CurrClick.com

 

Isn't this the coolest idea? And it's only $2 for 3 sessions and entry into the contest! Here are the facts from CurrClick.com 

                          

 Is your room MESSY enough to win?

Do you have what it takes to get it CLEAN and then win again?
Sign up today to join the contest

General Information

Just $2 per student for 3 sessions and entry into the contest

Sessions begin March 20th
Three half hour sessions with lessons on organizational skills!

Required: Pictures of your messy room and a willingness to get it CLEAN!

A $25 gift certificate to THE CONTAINER STORE online will be awarded for the messiest room 

Another $25 gift certificate to THE CONTAINER STORE will be awarded for the cleanest room at the end of the contest!!

Contest Procedure:

• Sign up (enroll each student participating)----->  Shared room with 2 participants are accepted as one contestant.  Enroll one student only.  Prize will be shared.
  ----->  Shared room with 1 participant is accepted as one contestant.  

• Take picture of messy, untouched room and send to Ms. Lindsey on the course page

• Voting and winner for Messiest Room announced during first class session

• Attend Organization Series Classes

• Clean up room and apply learned organizational skills

• Take picture of room and pass in on the course page

Picture Details: 

• Must send a BEFORE and AFTER picture.

• Pics can be no larger than 300 by 300 px, jpeg, and no bigger than 20 KB 

• Messy Room pic deadline March 19th -- upload picture to Contest Course Page on CurrClick LIVE

• Clean Room pic deadline April 2nd -- upload picture to Contest Course Page on CurrClick LIVE

• Pictures will be shared on the course page for voting purposes

Voting Procedure:

• Voting will take place within class so you must attend to get your ballot in the box  

• Students are NOT allowed to vote for their own room  

Let the Organizing Begin!

Cutie Box from Oranges to Organizatioin

We love to eat Cuties this time of year.  Do you know Cuties?  They are yummy little Mandarin oranges.  They are known to be extremely easy to peel.  


They also come in a cute box.  I decided to use the boxes to help organize mija's drawers.  I get sooooo tired of hearing, "I can't find any socks." or "I can't find any panties."  So now, those items are stored in a Cutie box!




Here's one of the drawers with the box in it.

Nothing fancy, but definitely needed and an easy, re-use organizer!


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Chaos to Order: Bringing Organization to Your Homeschool

This is from a recent email from theoldschoolhousemagazine.com.

Chaos to Order: Bringing Organization to Your Homeschool

by Malia Russell


The best-kept secret about home educators is that ALL of us feel overwhelmed at times. Often we feel like we are disappointing ourselves or falling short of some mysterious goal that everyone else seems to reach. We struggle with chaos in our homes yet long for order and peacefulness and productivity we know could come from order.


There are many steps you can take to increase the order in your homeschool and eliminate days of chaos. To help you remember these steps, I created a mathematical formula to help increase order and eliminate chaos that looks like this:


Chaos
- distractions
- decisions
/ delegation
+ goals
x spiritual disciplines
= order


As you can see from this formula, two major things need to be subtracted in order to increase order: distractions and decisions.


A distraction is anything that diverts us from our goals.


Remove Distractions. A distraction is anything that diverts us from our goals. My primary goals are to be self-controlled and pure, busy at home, kind, and subject to my husband (Titus 2:3-5). In seeking out what the Bible has to say about what my goals should be done, I have also learned that everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way (I Corinthians 14:40) and that I am to love the Lord with all my heart, soul, and strength and teach my children God's commands (Deuteronomy 6:5-9). Research for yourself what the Bible's goals are for you and your children. Spend some time identifying academic goals for each child. Once you know these goals, look at all the distractions in your life and see how you can reduce or eliminate them. The following are some common distractions with tips to help you reduce them.


Calendars. Choose one calendar for all planning. Use a pencil to make appointments and use ink for those things that do not change (birthdays and anniversaries). Teach your children to put calendar items in a designated spot for you to input in your calendar each week.


Computer. Set limits on the amount of time you spend on the computer by using a timer. Protect your family by not having Internet access in private areas. Find a computer-savvy friend and offer him a free dinner to come over and teach you how to do this. Consider a computer with no Internet access for children.


Telephone. Learn how to turn off phone ringers. Set family limits. You may eliminate the phone during school hours, meal times, prayer times, or rest times.


Driving. Plan one errand day for every two (or more) weeks. Make a master list of all the possibilities for errand day. The night before, review your list and get everything necessary in the car, and pack some car snacks, CDs, and portable drinks. When errand day arrives, you'll be ready.

Library. Assign one child to be the library detective, responsible for checking the list from the library, gathering all books, and getting them ready the night before you go.


Books. Organize your personal bookshelves by subject. Children can have their own books in a box or crate they can carry, but for all reference and reading books you have, organizing them by categories helps when you are looking for a particular book. Use broad categories, such as science, history, language, Christian living, and fiction. Keep your system simple. Getting more complex only adds to your workload.


Television. When the TV becomes a distraction, go on a TV fast. You can be strict (no TV at all for four months) or relaxed (TV only on weekends). You can also let the children "earn" their TV time. You can award them five minutes of TV for each school subject or chore completed.


Anything with a plug or batteries.These items are privileges: lamps at night, Game Boys, radios, CD players, and noisy toys. Set limits for these gadgets.


Service. Even good service activities can be a distraction (Luke 10:38-42).


Eliminate Decisions

Let's take another look at the formula.


Chaos
- distractions
- decisions


We've looked at eliminating distractions. Next we need to reduce decisions. How many decisions do you make in an average day? According to dictionary.com, making a decision is "the passing of judgment on an issue under consideration." Each decision I make requires energy and attention.


To stop some of the chaos in your home, make some of your decisions ahead of time. You cannot avoid making some decisions daily, but for those you can anticipate, consider the following:

Determine a place for everything. The best thing you can do to eliminate chaos is to designate a place for everything and teach your children to return things to their proper place. In Mary Pride's book School Proof, she suggests that if something is not special enough to you to have its own place, you probably will not be able to find it again when you need it anyway. Get rid of it. Stop deciding where to stash and store stuff. Make a final call on where you want things or else get rid of them.


Schedule for the day and week. By prayerfully creating plans for the week, you eliminate much confusion. Schedules can be detailed or informal or somewhere in the middle. Even if you do not want to create a detailed schedule for everyone, make a rough plan for your toddler's day. Planning ahead for toddlers will increase your ability to keep them happily occupied. Empowering your older children by letting them see what is expected each day will go a long way toward increased independence for them. You will be amazed with what they will accomplish when you are not their academic bottleneck.


Plan meals. By making a meal plan of any sort, you can eliminate the problem of what to have for every meal. Meal plans can be very simple or very detailed. You can make a plan as simple as "chicken on Mondays, beef on Tuesdays, fish on Wednesdays, soup on Thursdays, pizza on Friday." You can rotate several recipes to keep it varied. Store frozen vegetables and side dishes that can fit with many meals. You can also be more detailed by planning each entrée and side dish. The more complicated your food plan is, the more difficult it will be to maintain. Keep it as simple as possible to stay effective.


Organize paperwork. Create one place for all paperwork, and teach your children to bring all loose papers, receipts, and calendar items to this spot. Have a basket for school papers waiting to be graded and one binder for each child. Children can learn to keep all graded papers and artwork in their binders.


Be consistent with rules and consequences. Let your rules be consistent and consequences simple. Decide what training is required for your children to be able to conform easily to the rules of your home.


Organize Schoolwork. Get your calendar and decide what breaks you want to take in your school year and number of weeks your want to be in session. Look at each curriculum subject and divide up the lessons into those weeks. Plan to revisit this plan several times a year to keep your schooling on track or make adjustments.


Delegate Tasks



Chaos
- distractions
- decisions
/ delegation


Now that we've eliminated distractions and decisions, delegation helps us not just reduce chaos but divide it.


Delegation, when done properly, can create a home in which all are blessed by the service of others. There are only a few chores that only you must do. In our home, that means my husband and I must take care of child training and care, paying the bills, meal planning, and the more difficult cooking. Nearly every other job can be done or shared by one or more of the children. The most effective way to delegate is to assign jobs to the youngest members of the family capable of doing the job (even if it will not be done perfectly). This frees older children to do more difficult jobs and helps all improve their skills. You manage most effectively when you do what only you can do while graciously and specifically enlisting the help of your children. You teach and train them for their benefit and for the benefit of all who live in your home.


Add Goals


After you've delegated chores among the members of the family, it's time to think about things to add.


Chaos
- distractions
- decisions
/ delegation
+ goals


Consider what God's best goals are for you and your family. Here are some questions to prayerfully consider:


Activities. Is this really what God intends for this child or me? How do I know? Does my husband or wife agree? What does God's Word say about this activity?


Curriculum. Is this curriculum functional, user-friendly, able to be used again by other students, and godly?


Service. Is this the best use of our family's time for service? Who am I serving? Am I bringing others or my family closer to Jesus through this activity?

Character development. What is God's standard for our lives? Where does each member fall short? Pick a couple of priorities and let the rest go until you have time to work on these few areas.


Interests. Will this interest last? Is it worth pursuing? How has God uniquely created this child or me to desire this activity?


Major Spiritual Disciplines


Chaos
- distractions
- decisions
/ delegation
+ goals
x spiritual discipline


If you start with spiritual disciplines, the rest will be so much easier, but most women desperate for help in their homes do not want to hear about spiritual disciplines. It sounds like I am advising you to add more to your ever-growing to-do list. The fact is, if you are wrapped up in Jesus, you can avoid getting upset, getting distracted, and getting overwhelmed. Go ahead and multiply these spiritual disciplines. The rest of the equation will be much easier.


Occasionally. Consider taking a private retreat, a family retreat, or having mom's day out. Attend homeschool conferences or go to hear local speakers.


Weekly. Commit to taking a Sunday Day of Rest that includes worship, Bible study, and small group fellowship. Consider fasting from anything that distracts you from your relationship with the Lord, including food, newspapers, magazines, advertisements, television, media, telephone, computer, eating out, or friends.


Daily. Pray alone and with your spouse. Spend some time daily reading Scriptures. Listen to uplifting, godly music while doing chores, in the car, or during play time. Be certain your book and curriculum choices honor and revere God.


Practice joyfulness. Joy comes from trusting and obeying God's Word and from knowing God is working to accomplish His purpose in all things for the good of those who love Him. Ruth Graham Lotz says, "If all you ever attempt is that which you know you can do, or have the resources for, how will you ever discover what [Jesus} can do?"


Attain Order

Chaos
- distractions
- decisions
/ delegation
+ goals
x spiritual discipline
= order


If you feel completely overwhelmed, look around and apply this formula. Just start with the area that bothers you most and work at it steadily. Reducing the chaos slowly but surely will help you increase order, peace, and productivity in your home and help you to accomplish the things that you know are most important.


Malia Russell is an author, speaker, the joyful wife to Duncan, and homeschool mother of five children, ages newborn-19. In addition to her duties at home, Malia is the director of: http://www.homemaking911.com.


My personal mission is to love the Lord my God with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind, and to serve my husband and raise my children in a way which is pleasing to God.


My ministry mission is to encourage families and share resources to help in many aspects of home management and home education, being a godly wife and mother, and becoming the type of woman God is calling each woman to be. We hope to encourage and equip mothers in the difficult tasks of womanhood, while keeping our focus clearly on the Word of God as the ultimate and final authority. Visit Malia at http://www.homemaking911.com

I'm back! AND Planning for the new school year.

We recently moved and have endured 2 weeks of no internet, so needless to say, I've got a lot of catching up to do!

Today I went shopping for my planner.  Ok, last year I kicked my planner to the curb during the last part of the year through no fault of its own.  I just decided I was thankful to get things done regardless if it was on paper.  Missouri law kind of allows me to do that since I don't officially need to keep records until my dd is 7 years old.  But since we are starting out in a new place (which is also a lot smaller), I felt the need to try to get "more organized" on many levels. 

At the teacher supply store, I had many choices that worked well when I was in the classroom, but not what I had in mind until I came across and end cap that had The Well-Planned Day which is made by Home Educating Family Magazine and what was funny was that it wasn't until I got home that I realized that I had just received a free copy of the magazine in the mail this week!  If you'd like to request a free sample go here.

The planner is not cheap.  It's $25 although you can get the PDF file for only $20 on their site.  I don't know about you, but I will gladly pay $5 extra for them to print it all up in color and spiral bind it.

Once I got home and have had a chance to really explore it at leisure, I'm very impressed with all it entails.

Here's a list from their site:

• Over 200 Full Color Pages
• Available in an 8.5 X 11 Spiral Bound Printed Book or PDF Download
• Full Year Planner: July 2010 - June 2011
• Organize and Plan for up to 4 children in one convenient book.
• Four Student Class Plans: Schedule each student's class assignments.
• Four Student Time Schedules: Track each day by the hour.
• Weekly Schedule: Organize your week with class assignments, weekly priorities, prayer requests, dinner menu, and notes.
• Month at a Glance: Plan field trips, enrichment activities and books to read
• Semester Attendance & Progress Reports
• Perforated Report Cards
• Menu Planning: Plan weekly meals and conveniently shop with perforated shopping lists.
• Family Worship: Read through the Bible in a year.
• Insightful homeschool articles and tips to inspire you throughout the year.
• and much more....

 The articles are nice, but not a big selling point to me as far as a planner goes.  It also gives a weekly catechism question which I think is awesome.  There are perforated shopping lists which I think is handy;  jot it down while you remember instead of forgetting after the lesson.  I like that the planning lines are in a vertical format.    Just looks more calendar/dayplanner like to me. 

At the end of the semester, you have an attendance report.  For me, I'm going to jot our total hours down each day on the date and then write the total on the space given for total attendance.  There is also a progress report that allows you to jot down weekly grades for each subject during each week. 

Oh, and the report cards included are a nice heavy card stock.  You know, like a "real" report card.

I'd love to find out what others are using.  Please share if you have time!

Help! I'm Organizationally Challenged!

This came from HSLDA's The Early Years Newsletter dated June 15, 2010






As I’ve spoken with many of you on the phone or via email and shared with you in person at your state conventions, a recurring theme has been: Help! I’m committed to homeschooling, but I’m feeling overwhelmed just by everyday life!


For those of you who were “born organized,” you either picked up the necessary skills sort of by osmosis, or you are quickly able to assimilate the ideas found in the typical organizing book. But for others, standard organizing tools sometimes don’t make sense, and we wonder what’s wrong with us. So this month, I’d like to share with you some tools that have helped this mom and other busy moms across the country to homeschool and get dinner on the table. . . on the same day. (Even if you are organized by nature, you may have a child who can benefit from this newsletter!)
Hope for the Organizationally Challenged


I am not naturally organized, at least not on the outside. I am fairly organized in my head, but I have trouble translating that to the physical realm because I am very visual, and if I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist (i.e., I can’t put that away someplace; I might forget to deal with it). Boy, can that make for a mess!


What I share with you here is not the only way to approach time/life management or organization, but it has been successful for me and many with whom I’ve shared it, so I hope it will encourage you. Here are three tools that have helped me clear most of the clutter from my desk and my mind:


Daily routines—where I can see them
Workable, categorized to-do lists—where I can see them
Time reminders—where I can see (and hear) them


Start with a Routine


When you feel so incredibly overwhelmed, start with the basics. What is getting dropped that just can’t? Meals? Bedtimes? Basic housekeeping? Revisit your routine—I don’t mean the sort of schedule that has you checking the to-do list every eight minutes, or dinging a bell to move from lunch to naptime. I mean covering at least the basics and having some regularity to your day. Knowing what comes next, without having to make one more decision, can be a relief. Children find security in routine, and we moms can find emotional freedom in having a basic structure for the day or week.


Don’t know where to begin? Mealtimes and bedtimes make a great framework for a routine. For example: “I’ll make a great effort to have breakfast by 7:30 and then lunch ready at 1:00 and supper at 6:30, and everyone has to be in their rooms by 9:00 p.m., whether they are in bed or quietly reading or something else safe (depending on ages).” Then plug everything else in around those times.


It helped us to have a morning start-up time of 8:45 to meet in the living room for 15 minutes of family devotions. I would drop all else at 8:45 to put on a praise and worship recording, call the kids in, and we’d just close our eyes and sing one or two songs. Then we’d have a quickie devotional or Bible/character lesson for about 10 minutes (from a book and the Bible—no major planning or thinking required), then pray together, either one of us or anyone who was led to. This gave me a consistent, prayerful, focused start to my school day, got everyone in one room, and gave us a launching point. That doesn’t mean we didn’t occasionally crash and burn later, but at least we started right!


What has to get done in a typical week in your house? What recurring activities can you plug into a repeating weekly routine? My goal is to run on autopilot as much as possible, so I needed a routine that helps me not have to think too hard.


I made columns on a paper and labeled them Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on through the week, and then plugged in each of my essentials on a day of the week. For example, learning time (homeschooling) was a daily activity, as were meals, but I could schedule most of the other items on specific days. The most fundamental household tasks were already part of our household management system (chore chart), so we already had dishes, daily bathroom tidying, and other chores covered.


(One important reason for me to have assigned days for most tasks was to give me liberty on the other days. If Tuesday and Friday are my laundry days, I don’t have to feel “behind” on Wednesday or Thursday when the pile is three feet high; it isn’t laundry day yet!)


I typed each of the daily routines onto a 4x6-inch card and put the cards into an inexpensive photo flip album; you can often find vinyl versions at the local dollar store. This flip-album sits in a conspicuous spot—in my house, near my computer—so I will often be reminded of my routine for that day. At the end of the day, I simply flip to the next page to be ready for tomorrow. It is vertical, so I cannot easily lose it or pile anything on top of it.

This photo was taken of my current routine flip-chart. In earlier days, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. included lesson time.








A Visual To-Do List


For many years, a notebook-style to-do list worked well for me. I don’t know what happened, but over the years, digging through a notebook or having to keep a steno-pad list unburied on my desk became more and more challenging. Setting my month-at-a-glance calendar upright in a decorative cast iron cookbook stand on my desk was a starting point—so it couldn’t get buried—but turning the pages for multiple to-do lists was difficult (and we know what happens if we don’t make it easy to do the to-do list; we don’t!). I needed to be able to see multiple upcoming tasks and projects. Enter: The Pocket Chart.

A vertical organizer can help keep your schedule and lists visible.






The particular model I found is an 11x12-inch vinyl easel with five rows of clear plastic pockets into which I can insert three 3.5-inch squares of paper (standard memo cube size) per row. The cards in the left column (see photo)are household related, while the center column cards are work related and the right column are home-business related. I jot tasks onto the cards as I think of them, and cross them off as they are completed. When the card is filled, I can turn it over to use the other side; then the card can be trashed. Because the cards aren’t dated, there is no transferring of tasks from day to day, unless the card gets almost filled and you want it to look nicer or have more space.


In his book, Getting Things Done, author David Allen discusses context lists. While that terminology was foreign to me, my daughter says this is basically the same concept, just using cards in the pockets instead of pages in a notebook.


Several moms have commented on how helpful it is for them—or for their children—to have their to-do lists outlined vertically like this in a tangible, accessible, and easily compartmentalized format. If a pocket chart is not an option for you, large self-stick notes on an easel or standing picture frame could be substituted.


Time Flies When You’re Having Fun


My good intentions, routines, and lists did me no good if I didn’t notice the time. I have an incredibly nonexistent concept of time. I could get something out for dinner, have wonderful intentions, and still get blindsided by the arrival of my sweet husband at dinnertime. I needed to set an alarm to start dinner. Better yet—one of those “his and hers” alarm clocks with two alarms, or more!


What I finally settled upon was one of those alarms designed to remind elderly patients to take their pills (some of them have up to 24 alarms each day!). The model I eventually found not only works simply and easily and has six—count ’em, six!—recurring alarms, but I can record a 10-second message for each alarm setting. At 7:30: “Beep, beep, beep�Good morning! Time to exercise and pray for your family.” A bit later: “Beep, beep, beep�8:30. Did you take something out for supper? It’s time to start work and pray for the homeschooling families.” And so on throughout the day until, “It’s 5:00—time to start supper for your wonderful husband and pray for his drive home.” (This might be even more effective if I have my wonderful husband actually record the message!).


Maybe you have children who could benefit from impartial “third party” reminders during the day. They could even record their own so they would be nagging themselves along the way!


Another homeschooling mom invested in a clock with quarter-hour chimes to remind her of the passing of time. Another programs her phone to call herself during the day, and yet another utilizes her computer’s features to send herself timely reminders. Whatever you might choose, the important thing is to be realistic and consistent.


Make Time for what Matters


Our goal is to glorify God. We can do that better in an orderly home because we can be more gracious to our children when we aren’t rushed or hunting for the keys or always behind, and we can be calmly hospitable. We can start our teaching times without the stress of undone tasks looming large, so we can concentrate on really being with our children.


Look for ways to bring order to your home, but don’t allow organization to be an idol. Get organized to give you the time and liberty for relationships.


Gotta go—time to make supper!
Vicki


Vicki Bentley
HSLDA Early Years coordinator










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5 Ways to Organize Your High School Student

I thought these were great ideas not only for high school, but to start working on now.





From theoldschoolhousemagazine.com





It's never too early to begin gathering information about homeschooling through high school. Regardless of our children's future dreams and aspirations--whether they want to graduate and begin missionary work, own their own businesses, learn a trade, or attend college, for many homeschooling parents, homeschooling through high school seems daunting. However, with the impressive selection of high school curricula and resources on the market, the explosion of online classes, and the increasing overall support, homeschooling high school is not as tough as you think!

One mom shares her tips for organizing a high school student. Even if high school is still a few years off for your family, you'll want to keep this list as a reference.

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5 Ways to Organize Your High School Student
by Susan Spann



1. Planner up! Make or give your student his or her own day planner, preferably one with hourly divisions. Let the student mark independent study time, and periodically transfer that record to your own master planner. Not only will your student learn to track and organize time, but an individual planner also fosters independence and responsibility.



2. Clock in, clock out-always have a clock about; Older students should have a clock or timepiece available in every room they use for school or study. Teach them to pay attention to the times they start and stop studying, as well as how much work they achieve in each session. Don't put inappropriate pressure or emphasis on speed; the timing technique is designed to help your student learn his or her standard pace and estimate the time required to complete a given task. Knowing this makes it easier to schedule time--a major component of an organized day!



3. Set Aside "My Space". Middle and high schoolers have more books, papers, and projects than elementary students, along with a growing need for personal space. Give your student a special place, separate from and inaccessible to younger siblings, to store books and other course work. A personal desk with cubbies or shelves works best, but creative solutions work too! Consider one shelf on a bookcase, a drawer in a filing cabinet, or even a milk crate turned sideways. Let your student organize and maintain the space in his or her own way. Encourage neatness, but leave room for your student to develop an individual method of organization.

4. Color Coordinate. Let your teen pick a color for each subject and mark or label related materials with matching colors. For example, if the English book has a blue cover, use a blue spiral notebook for essays and blue divider tabs to mark English assignments in three-ring binders (or a blue binder, if you have one for English alone). Removable colored stickers can also mark books, bindings, and folders.

5. Teach academic organization. Don't assume your teens automatically know how to organize! You taught them to clean their rooms--help them learn to clean their academic houses. Talk about using separate notebooks (or separate sections) for different subjects, and talk about keeping each subject's notes, flashcards, books, and tests together. Mixing everything up leads to confusion and costs precious minutes that could be spent in study--or recreation.

Bonus Tip: If your student has trouble figuring out how to highlight or underline important information in textbooks, consider the use of multiple colors to help with organization. For example, underline new words or definitions in red, critical facts in yellow, and important people or places in blue. Not only will this help your student focus on the kind of information he or she underlines, but finding the right passage is a snap the second time around! If you don't or can't permit writing on the pages, colored Post-it Notes serve the same purpose without creating permanent marks.

Susan Spann, Senior Contibuting WriterSusan Spann is a partner in the law firm Llewellyn Spann, where she specializes in copyright, trademark, and corporate law. Formerly a professor at Trinity Law School in Santa Ana, California, she currently teaches business law at William Jessup University. She blogs on legal issues from a Christian worldview at www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/SusanSpann.