April 14, 2009
Reaching Higher is a free, monthly homeschool ezine to encourage and equip homeschoolers, bringing you the best advice, articles, websites and encouragement we can to help you as you raise your young ones and build your family legacy!
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Reaching Higher.
Little Footprints l Heritage Program l Highschool Program l Projects
Issue #28 - April 2009
Support
Support is imperative for a homeschool mom. This comes in different ways starting with the most personal circle of husband and children. Thereafter extended family and community play their part. This edition of Reaching Higher will focus on some aspects of homeschool support.
Advice
Questions that we often get asked are:
How do you do it all?
Am I doing enough?
How do I know my child is progressing?
How long should we do school?
These are all questions that are valid, but the longer a mom homeschools, the less they ask them as they become confident in the schooling and learning how their children “tick”.
But when you are starting out, or possibly when you have a bad homeschool day, the questions pop up all the time.
A new mom who does not have a support network like parents, siblings or friends who are also homeschooling (or at least supportive of her choice) may find that there is no one to answer these questions.
Coupled with that, if the family, friends and parents are anti-homeschooling, she may bring down on herself a rain of negative advice and “I-told-you-so” speeches.
So what is a mom to do?
There are a few key factors here:
1.Guard your heart and mouth.
Homeschooling is tough. (The toughness of it is thankfully balanced with the small victories and the character it builds in us). But because it is tough we can give into grumbling, nagging and feelings of inadequacy. Guard your heart – don’t allow those feelings and behaviors to rise up.
2.Be careful who you talk to
Parents and friends who are not supportive of homeschooling are not going to give you the help you need. Play your cards close to your chest and speak to other moms who are like-minded.
3.Find the support you need
Homeschool support groups can be a paradox because if you are not confident you can come away feeling worse than when you went. But at the same time they often are valuable sources for co-ops and outings.
4.Identify the stressors
Whether it is trying to do too much in a day, measuring your HOMEschool to a school timetable or bad attitudes at desk time…find the problem. Praying and asking God to help you identify the problem and give you a solution that you can act on in obedience will help you move forward.
Articles
Between the Footprints website, Shirley’s Preschool site and Wendy’s homeschool site there are a myriad of articles for you to read through for further help. If you are battling in your homeschool and second guessing yourself, be sure to take some time to read through these articles:
Start a Homeschool Support Group
Homeschool Support Group Pitfalls
Extensive help and support for South African moms, particulary moms of preschoolers.
Products
Remember our South African History Projects?
The second last project in this series, Gold and Diamonds is ready for you to download.
We have had feedback from parents who say their children really enjoy the writing, cutting, pasting and folding of the small books. Mom’s like the contained unit once it is done which is then also quick reference guides on these individual topics.
So if you haven’t tried one already, be sure to do it today – you will not find better South African themes at this price anywhere else!
Website recommendation
Recently we happened onto a wonderful project which is touching hearts all over South Africa. www.knit-a-square.com was started by an ex Zimbabwean woman who now lives in Australia.
She has a burden for the almost 1.4 million Aids orphans in South Africa and the way she is making a difference is with her website and her vision. So all who have children that can knit, or even you Mom, be sure to see how one little knitted square can help to make a difference.
Footprints News
Our homeschool outing section continues to grow and we now have the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal outings up.
Please remember to submit your own. In this way you will help another homeschooler and be part of the support network that we all need. Remember you also get an e-booklet as a way of thanks after you complete the form!
That's all for this month, we wish you every blessing
Wendy & Shirley
www.south-african-homeschool-curriculum.com
Footprints On Our Land - South African Homeschool Curriculum
