End of Homeschool Year Reflections | Family Subjects Curriculum Reviews | 2023-2024 Homeschool Year

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

How has your homeschool year gone? Did you do family subjects? Did they work out for you?

[@worldofweeze]

Oohh we are doing Living Harmonies next year and we are all so excited about it!!

[@worldofweeze]

I had very similar issues with my stomach, that started about three months ago. After a few dr. visits, scans, tests, I finally discovered on my own that I have some food sensitivities. The higher ones for me were cows milk and wheat. Once I eliminated them, the discomfort went away in about two weeks. So bizarre!! My youngest has severe food allergies, but I have never had any issues until this year! So glad that you were able to discover the culprit for your child!!

[@TheChan7]

I feel like I’m totally always thinking ahead also. Love watching your videos to get ideas.

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

It’s a blessing and a curse all at the same time! 😂

[@TheChan7]

@@CalmintheChaosHomeschool tell me about it…

[@schultesweeties]

I always love hearing your updates!

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

Thank you for stopping by!

[@HomeSweetHomeschoolLife]

We love The Elements book.

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

It’s a beautiful one!

[@homeschoolteenswithjenny]

We had major issues with my 8th grader this year with health... by the end of the year, things were MUCH better, but I'm there with you on that one! 7th and 8th grades were really volatile with my daughter... just hard years!

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

Definitely a time of learning new things about our kids!

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

Have I ever invited you into our collab group on Facebook where we organize these collaborations?

[@homeschoolteenswithjenny]

@@CalmintheChaosHomeschool No, but I'd love to!

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

@homeschoolteenswithjenny can you message or email me on IG or with my email? [e-mail]?

[@homeschoolteenswithjenny]

@@CalmintheChaosHomeschool I'll email you. I don't have IG.

[@HomegrownHomeschool]

Gluten and dairy free has helped us SO much! I'm glad it helped you all

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

It’s nice to have something that helps!

[@journeyinthehome]

I have Living Harmonies on my list to look into as my kids get a bit older. :)

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

Is fun to be about to dive deeper into music appreciation around the word.

[@schultesweeties]

I wish we had done actions and reactions like you did 😂

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

😂 We know the RiGHT way to do it! Lol

[@RockSimmer-gal4God]

I noticed I didn’t kno how to handle the travelling we do when I found out in October we would be travelling most of the year so we got burned out but we are trying to figure it out!!! Praying for your kid with health issues!!! My older daughter stopped eating gluten herself and she told me she had stomach issues but she sees I have issues with gluten so she just tried it!!! I buy stuff that tastes better when possible for gluten free products!!! We do health every year but it’s not always from a book!!! It depends on what i feel we need!!! Wiv having kids of different ages I do certain subjects with just my older kids or younger kids!!! We studied Japan in November as my older daughter asked me for it!!!

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

It must be hard to juggle homeschooling with travel at times!

[@schultesweeties]

Hmm! That may be something for me to look into more-gluten free and dairy free for my oldest especially.

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

It’s amazing what a difference it makes. But it takes buy in from the child at that age for sure!

[@Homeschool.in.Paradise]

I need to look more into guest hollow! Looks like they have great curriculum

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

So fun and eclectic!

[@kristyauringer2116]

IN-teg-u-men-tary lol the skin….went to nursing school 😂 anatomy and physiology is super fun

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

😂 thanks! What a funny sounding word.

[@HomegrownHomeschool]

The Thomas Edison Book sounds great.

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

It was great! We are also enjoying the Wright Brothers book too!

[@HomegrownHomeschool]

@@CalmintheChaosHomeschool we started that one but never finished it. I need to pick that one back up over the summer

[@thehudsonshub]

It's so hard to have food allergies. I am glad that what you're doing food wise is helping your child's health.❤

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

Yes! It’s great when a solution just makes us healthier.

[@HomeschoolMamaJ]

I'm curious how you motivate, or encourage kids, especially neurodivergent ones, to want to learn and do school each day. What do you do when they are reluctant or straight up refusing? How did any of that change from when they were younger to now. I'm hoping for some advice to help us navigate these issues in our coming school year. Thanks!

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

That is a great question :) And, honestly not an easy one to answer. I think that how you approach this is very depending on the type of personality type you are. I personally run on the stricter side. So, first of all, I clearly lay out expectations, and I try to stay super consistent. We start at the same time each day, we do things in just about the same order every day. What is required for each day MUST be done before the extras. The extras are all things from screen time to some social times. If what is required that day does not get done, then that child will not be able to participate in the extras that come along. HOWEVER, I also am constantly evaluating what I am requiring. Is what I'm asking reasonable for THAT child? Are they not finishing their work because they are struggling academically? Or is it because of their attitudes and refusal to do the work? If they are struggling because I am requiring too much, I need to adjust my expectations, but be firm in those expectations. If it is attitude, then I need to stay firm in my expectations and it can take some time for the child to realize that I am serious. When they are sitting in the van finishing their work and not being able to participate in something they want to, they will generally get to work on what is required. Some children need some kind of step by step reward system to get them out of intense spirals of bad attitudes. I have had a child on a reward system that gave him points for every single step of the day from getting dressed, eating breakfast, to each subject being complete, taking a bath, etc etc. This child needed small rewards throughout the day in order to get out of a downward spiral of "not caring" about doing anything. OK, so then, with all of that firm routines and expectations, there is also flexibility, grace, and reasonableness (though I try not do do all this in the moment, but carefully think out each day and communicate any changes to my kids ahead of time, so that I am not reacting to their attitudes, but any changes we made was because of particular reasons in our schedule or based on that particular day). So, I have a base of what we generally do each day of the week based on our "usual" activities for that week. However, if there is something a little out of the ordinary popping up that week, I preplan what the expectations will be that day and I let my kids know before that day even comes. Overall, I try to consistent in my expectations, but if things need to be different, I communicate that with my kids ahead of time. So they know that I'm serious about whatever I have assigned them and they know that they must do their work if they want any extras. I hope that makes sense or helps :)

[@CalmintheChaosHomeschool]

Oh... and honestly, I also reward based on attitude. If people come to school with a positive attitude or try their best, they get some points that they can put towards rewards that they want. But they also know that if they don't complete the work, they don't get the freedoms to do some things that they want. Attitudes are learned behaviors that take some time to adjust to a more positive perspective... however, don't take that to mean that all my kids always have good attitudes... they do NOT, but we try to work on a habit of having a positive attitude about school. It's a real struggle that is always ongoing and what I mentioned above is just what I have found to work best for my family.

[@HomeschoolMamaJ]

@@CalmintheChaosHomeschool Thank you for such a thorough explanation of how you navigate these things in your family. It is very helpful and appreciated. 😊