How I Plan for a New Homeschool Year | Mom of 10

[@amyprice5014]

Wow. I happened to stumble upon this video today and instantly felt a kinship. I, too, am a homeschooling mom with 10 kiddos. I am just ten years ahead of you. We have been homeschooling for 25 years. I have six graduates and four more (ten more years) to go. I appreciated this video very much. These are very similar processes to how we get ready too. Thanks so much!!

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

Oh wow, nice to meet you! :) We would probably have a lot to talk about in person! Thanks for taking the time to comment. I love hearing from my viewers!

[@carinthiamontana7069]

I love love love your videos!! You are lifting pressure off my shoulders. A slow start doesn’t mean it’s all ruined, progress is the goal. That’s actually a great philosophy for all areas of life ❤

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

Thank you so much! I'm glad to hear that! Yes, progress!

[@anaf.848]

As a recovering Type-A personality 😆, I always find your videos very refreshing and reassuring. We're in our 3rd year of homeschooling, and I am definitely finding the value in a simple, relaxed approach. I appreciate all your reminders as I fine-tune that journey toward a simple homeschool.

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

Oh I'm so glad to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to share that with me. :)

[@frogleymom]

Beautiful! Your video popped up on my feed and caught my attention. I am also starting my 15th year of homeschooling, and my oldest is also 19. But I have 12 kids. 10 still at home. I love all your thoughts and suggestions. Such sweet simplicity.

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

Oh wow, so many similarities! Thanks for taking the time to comment and share that with me! Have a great year!

[@theslimechild]

Thank you for being the voice of simplicity, it’s the small and simple things we do each day that make all the difference.

[@sohappytogether88]

That's why I fell in love with her channel too!❤

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

Aw, I'm glad that my videos have had that effect! You're welcome. :)

[@kaitlynemcnutt8802]

I rarely ever buy school supplies because every church in our area does back to school parties where they give out school supplies. We only go to our church's party but aunties and grandma's grab the extras and bring them to us so they don't go to waste. And them aunties and grandma's get excited all throughout the year when they see supplies on sale or anything that they think is cute😂🎉

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

How nice that they help out with supplies for you!

[@faithfullyinfertile]

These were great reminders. I am starting my 12th yr and my oldest is a freshman in highschool this year. We use Classical Conversations as our spine. I especially appreciated the reminder that we don't have to have it all together to start. We just need to open the books and go from there. In a perfect world, I would have it ALL perfectly planned out and prepared...but we don't live in a perfect world. 💜 I hope you have a great start to your year with your children.

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

Thank you! :) Yes, so true! Have a great year with your kids!

[@greenlhsteph5229]

I just want to say thank you for your video. I like your approach.

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

I appreciate that! You're welcome! :)

[@Laura-kn7kp]

Sherry! I love all your videos. Can you address how you keep little ones happily and not destructively busy during lesson time? This is my 6th year homeschooling and I still struggle with this. I try to include my 3-year-old, have a little activities for him, but he usually ends up destroying the room or not interested and I'm so discouraged!

[@kellydimuzio1785]

Yes!!

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

Thank you so much! While I can't give a definite fix (entertaining toddlers while homeschooling is definitely challenging!), here are some things I do to help us keep going with little ones underfoot. How do you homeschool with ALL littles? kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGq3i2l6l8-ap68si=smP1Q8jUKEpZD-XD Best Tips for Homeschooling with Toddlers Around ourlifehomeschooling.com/2022/02/21/best-tips-for-homeschooling-with-toddlers-in-the-house/ I hope these give you some ideas!

[@kellydimuzio1785]

@@OurLifeHomeschooling I will be watching those tomorrow. Thanks!

[@OaksandArrows]

I am ALLLLL about keeping homeschool simple for our sake and our kids! Thanks for sharing ❤

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

You are so welcome!

[@courtneymckenzie3391]

I got your morning time notebook and we used it for the first time this morning- we all loved it!! ❤️ thank you so much for doing all the work for me😄

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

Oh I'm so glad! Thank you for purchasing my notebook! I hope it makes it easier for a lot of people! :)

[@katiewashburn1405]

Once again, this was SO encouraging ❤ Thank you for sharing. I always enjoy watching your videos.

[@katiewashburn1405]

Can’t wait to see your checklist. I really want to do this for my kids. 😊

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

I'm so glad! You're welcome! :)

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

That's what's next on my personal to-do list, so I'm excited to bring everyone along! :)

[@Regina7ish]

thank you so much!

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

You're welcome! :)

[@Devotedtolittles]

Such a helpful and encouraging video! My kids are a lot younger so it was really helpful to hear about some of your habits 🥰

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

Thank you! Oh, good, glad to hear that!

[@lillahigdon771]

😊

[@dakotabebo2024]

Is there a particular reason you do chores a little later in the morning vs. before breakfast? We currently do them before we eat but I wonder if having a set time after breakfast would allow me to be more involved with their work and overseeing it. Hmmm. Better training, perhaps?

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

Great question! My husband works random shift work. Sometimes he is gone in the mornings, other times, mornings are our only family times. Setting it up this way is the best compromise for us to make it work for whichever schedule he is on. When he is home in the morning, we like to have a laid back start to our day, so chores is after a relaxed family breakfast. I hope that helps answer your question. I would say do whatever works well for you!

[@Theultrateam4]

Starting with a newborn or almost newborn is where I am this year I am due end of September

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

You've got this! I've had a newborn at the beginning of a school year for three pregnancies. It's not easy, but it is doable! Lower your expectations and take the time you need to adjust as a family. Congrats on your precious blessing! Here's a video where I tell tips about homeschooling with an infant. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYiTmXiKqNOlZpIsi=mXM-S4kze1QEvy29

[@SeaSkyUniverse-Channel]

Absolutely beautiful ❤thank you and thanks to Jesus for His love and guidance. 💗

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

Thank you!

[@ezekielfenjavandehei3189]

This was a great video, thank you! When you mentioned being in a baby season of some kind the whole way through, I was just curious as to how you did that. I see your family and others, and I see my own, and I see how beautiful God's design is, but I'm really struggling with it emotionally lately. What do you do when you're burnt out?

[@deborahdillon5298]

Simplify, still plan on starting with something, get subject books from the library or a subject that interests them(with a lot of illustrations/pictures), think about math simply - dont stress - a clock, legos or other blocks, etc. As she said, PRAY! I've been schooling for 25 years with 17 yrs to go. Yes, it's hard. Yes, it is overwhelming at times. Your heart will ache, physical exhaustion, but in the midst of our weakness God is working! Never forget the privilege it is to be able to do this with and for your children(I have a particularly difficult child that can mess up every schedule/plan/good intentions). I know. You are not alone mama! Our eternal investment in them will be what lasts so keep up the good work, take a break for yourself(I have a parent and teacher conference with total agreement to not "school" a few times a year!😁). I am still learning!❤

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

You're welcome! :) Your comment resonates with me because I can remember being in that place many times in the early years of homeschooling when I had a lot of little children. It's hard to share all my thoughts in a short KZbin reply, but two things came to mind... 1. It gets easier the older your kids get and the longer you homeschool. 2. It's a balance between finding some solutions for the immediate struggles and having a long term perspective knowing that you will see fruit as your children grow. I've done lots of blog posts and videos on this topic...(how we did it all these years being in a baby season and not getting burned out), but I don't want to throw a link at your very real struggle. Undoubtedly, the thing that has helped me most has been to earnestly seek the Lord when I'm overwhelmed. The greater our need, the more we should run to Him. And I can attest that He has been faithful to help in my times of need. I hope you can find the peace and rest you need. :)

[@weaverwagon6084]

Thank for the reminder that you don’t have to have everything perfect before you start. Can you please share what math curriculum you use? We are finishing up our second grade math curriculum and we would like to try something different for third grade. We found a few mistakes in the math curriculum and the way it explained certain concepts was confusing for my daughter. Thank you

[@OurLifeHomeschooling]

We use Singapore. Years I switched from Right Start (which I really liked) to Singapore because I needed something that was less teacher intensive. I still use some of the Right Start methods and games to teach the kids when they are learning something new in their Singapore lessons. My kids are able to move through Singapore fairly independently. I have to stop and teach them when they come to new concepts, but the pace has been good for kids to do on their own which is perfect when you have multiple children. I share a little more about our math curriculum experience here. ourlifehomeschooling.com/2022/10/17/our-large-family-homeschool-curriculum/