Mistakes I've made homeschooling our boys.

[@SimplyLivingIt]

❤️ Welcome, friend! I hope today's video is encouraging to you. There are many things I'd do differently if I could...however I can't negate the fact that is it part of our journey. It is how we learn and grow and adjust. Do not dwell in the past but use it as a helpful tool for how you want things to be NOW! Have a blessed day! XO 🤗

[@rosiecrowder2880]

It helped me im thinking its too much for my boy also when he starts kindergarten im going to do parent lead

[@MsMiaAlexis]

Great tips! Thank you.

[@zenlifetv4837]

Thank you for making this video! Your tips were very helpful!

[@CheyenneMarie]

i love love to see more vlogs of your days!!

[@megcampbell7827]

Needed to hear all of this so much! Thank you so much for sharing this! ❤️

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Thanks for being here, Meg!

[@yulisaterron4724]

Yes to everything you said!!!! There were things like FOOD that I had not acknowledged. Thank you and may God keep blessing you and your family ❤.

[@claireboltjes7646]

I've thought of all these things myself! Definitely working on what's too much and what's not enough. As for school outside, I wish. A. Windy location. 😂 B. Sensory issues lead to focus issues. But we go outside almost every day and do some sort of exercise that isn't torture as much as possible. Homeschooling means you be your own family, unlike any other that comes behind or before you. ❤ Thank you, Fellow Mama, for reminding me of what is real! You have been encouraging and helpful! 😊

[@michellecastro6560]

Great video! Thank you ❤

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Thank you for watching. 🤗

[@Rosieeeeeposiee]

I’m so glad I found your channel! Sooo wanting to quit today but your channel has been so encouraging and I relate so much. Two boys here 😅

[@ieyona]

This was lovely. I’ve been homeschooling my son for going on 2 years and I totally agree with having to have full bellies. 😆 Reading outside in a tent is a great idea too.

[@raising3arrows827]

This touched my heart just at the right time, thank you for listening to God, you are a blessing friend.

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Thank you for your encouragement! ❤️🤗

[@leahshingleton8428]

Needed this SO much! ❤ second year in and went through the stressful Abeka Kindergarten year, and now we’re in the loosey goosey year 😅 this is gold, and I love it. Thank you!

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Leah...that is amazing! I am so happy that you have found your happy place! Enjoy, mama!!!! ❤️🤗

[@CheyenneMarie]

i absolutely love your content. ❤

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Thank you so much! 🥹

[@CrazyFortClips]

This is my first year homeschooling and I’m having such a hard time. So glad I came across your video today.

[@SimplyLivingIt]

I am so, so sorry friend. Please know that some days are just that way...but it gets better. You are doing a great job. I think honeslty the first few years were the hardest for us. With time...things sort of settle in. I am so sorry you are struggling and I will send up a prayer just for you. 🌻

[@jennynelson2337]

Her video's are inspiring! When I started homeschooling my kiddos, her videos were 1 of the 1st I found & has been a blessing! She breaks things down & helps with simplifying things so much! I would encourage you to watch more videos of hers & take notes! Thats is what I did. There are a few other really great homeschooling momma's channels out there as well, but Jamie's is definitely some we can learn from & be encouraged! It may take time to find what all works & thats year by year too, but you will do fine! 🙏🏻 Ps, unit studies are a blessing as well!

[@hannahlowery1022]

Laughing out loud!!!!! 🤣 half way through listening… that is SO my boys!! Once they go out, it’s OVER! Mom’s distracted? Out the door!!! Into the field they go!

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Hannah! 🤣 Yes!!!!!!!

[@amymatthews9876]

Oh my gosh same!! Even my girls lol

[@bakerbrewz]

Lol same here! Boys remind me of that dog Doug from the movie Up - Squirrel!

[@calliehagood]

The same here Hannah! I'm learning the hard way. Lol.

[@hannahlowery1022]

@@calliehagood 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣

[@Kabukicabbage]

Thank you! I love listening to your experiences. It helps me so much. I am currently on the fence. I want to homeschool my kids. I was feeling so like excited and all in! But, have you ever experienced not a lot of support from family? I struggle with that and it gets discouraging… I want to homeschool and feel strongly to do it. But there is this HUGE pressure from close family that if I mess up I feel I will be humiliated and looked down on from people close to me. It’s terrifying to me…

[@Spmama444]

Haha!! I am type A but also a free spirit designer … and boys are probably going to be Dr.’s, lawyers, etc…they are so stinking smart… But I can relate I have three boys what I hear from you we should find what works for us and be ok with something not working !!!! Reevaluating … how I we are structuring our days!!!!

[@priscillaramos3033]

I totally agree with your tips.. the one about the breaks, the distractions , the full bellies, and the sleep.. I learned all this by trial and error lol

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Yes, same here! Hahahaha! We learn as we go! Haha!

[@jennynelson2337]

Love this! In the past 2 years of doing this, i definitely agree with all that u said! About the reading.... I agree & it really bugs me when others try to tell me or others that they need their reading level.... Or, they ask what level of books to get for them & I honestly don't know how to really answer them & just tell them any books (pure /healthy books) or any chapter books.... They seem to think that if they don't get "their reading level" then there's something wrong & then it becomes like a small debate.... Its kinda exhausting..... I just think, they're my kids & I get to choose what I tell someone they can get if they ask, not them deciding they know better because it may be under grade or reading level.... Thats about the hardest part anymore, is dealing with critics... Its one thing if they truly don't understand, but when they try to tell u how they think it should be done (for any subject or anything) , it becomes a problem..... Even some family members, thats the hardest..... Thanks again for your amazing video! The camping idea sounds great! Just anytime to connect with our kiddos is a blessing in itself! 🙏🏻💗

[@wendyd8888]

Bless your heart, my fourth year of homeschooling and it still feels like my first. Thank you sweet lady Xx The timer doesn't work for us, it did that first year but then somehow it got ignored along the way but what is working (currently) is that we homeschool MON-THU, if it gets done then we get Friday-Sun off. IF it doesn't get done then we don't get our Friday off. That has been the biggest motivator for everyone including me!

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Wendy, that is a great idea! It sounds like you have a system that is working for you at this time and that is such a blessing! 🙌 You're doing a great job mama! 🌻💜

[@RebeccaEnsz]

What you said about the phone is so true! So frustrating when the phone rings and have to answer it. Then I have to round up the kids again to get them back on track.

[@nildabridgeman8104]

I woke up this morning at 10 minutes to 11. I woke up twice last night with my 7 year old peed herself. I'm exhausted & so discouraged. I'm homeschooling 5.. I really needed a word of encouragement.. thanks 🥀

[@SimplyLivingIt]

💕 Keep your head up mama, tomorrow is a new day. I pray you all get rest tonight and wake up so refreshed. 🙏

[@nildabridgeman8104]

@@SimplyLivingIt Thankyou 💐

[@nancysfo5]

This was so neat. Thank you. The only thing is I am so similar to you and I know I will probably STILL make all those mistakes despite your warning, I haven't gotten my head around how to avoid most of them lol😅😬.

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Hey, that's ok! If we don't make mistakes... how can we learn?! You're doing to do a great job, friend! 🌸🤗

[@kimberlybaines9267]

So needed! You’re the best! Keep doing what you do! You’re a blessing!

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Kimberly, thank you! 💕

[@heatherpolidori787]

I don’t usually comment but I was led by the Holy Spirit to do so. Jamie your so inspirational! I love that you give it to us straight that homeschooling is hard but trial and error, right? I jumped into homeschool fall of 2020 and same mentality. It’s gonna be fun, we can go on field trips, include math into cooking with measurements lol all the things right and I even turned our shed into a homeschool room. I had a planner and everything. I researched some curriculum but I ended up just picking up all subjects of spectrum bc it was cheap and thought anything could teach my 3rd and 4th graders. I was wrong, we struggled almost daily. Mostly with my daughter who would whine and complain every day about doing school. I was terrible with planning and having “structure” or “routine.” Anyways I felt like a failure. My husband saw my struggles and stress so we enrolled them back in public in Feb 2021 and then we found a private school and thought this would be a better fit. Well after 2 yrs in private my daughter has failed 5th grade and had a bully issue, nothing has been done. Teachers say she daydreams and falls asleep. A couple months ago God put it on my heart to look into homeschool again but I enjoy watching videos as opposed to reading/research. I’ve learned about all the diff homestyle learning techniques, diff ways to teach and bc of the journey of research I figured out that both me, my daughter and my son are all auditory learners. I now know how to find curriculum that will be best for them together and invidually. So after 3 years of calling myself a failure at homeschooling, I stopped believing the lies of the enemy and others that don’t support me and I believe the truth that God does want me to do this and I will do good in it and there will be good and bad days but I now know that leaning on God to guide our steps, with his leading we will prevail! Thank you so much for everything you share. I have a similar personality as you, I am excited to reverse record keep and also have spent the last year decluttering and living more simply, and hoping more minimally and realize the things we think that matter actually don’t. Your awesome, and can’t wait to watch more videos! I’m super excited to dive into unit studies too and teaching textbooks and phonetic zoo for spelling!

[@zoikes2292]

LOL, my son just asked last Friday if he could chores instead of our lessons. 🤣

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Hahaha! So glad we're not alone over here! Lol! 🤣

[@alyshaschmidt535]

Oh my gosh, I have six boys. The amount of food they need is unreal 😂 I can feed them a nice full healthy meal, an hour later they're "starving".... 🤦‍♀️

[@miamembrenoshephard8901]

Me. Im the momma that needed to hear this. I’m teary eyed. I’ve been waiting for a video like this. I thought I was checking in to see if you’d uploaded but I think I got it at the moment I needed to watch this. Thank you ❤️

[@rubyhaskell1325]

Thank you for reminding us to slow down. ❤

[@SimplyLivingIt]

So thankful for you, Ruby. ❤️

[@amberwhite8914]

I couldn't love this any more!❤ Your videos are so encouraging! We are on our 7th year of homeschooling and I see sooo much of myself in this. I remember our first few years we tried to mimic a school setting with the same curriculum you had mentioned...(it's a great curriculum, just not for us) lots of tears and stress. We switched things up over the years and then I had a baby, school can be so overwhelming with a toddler. I need to give myself some grace but it's so easy to allow myself to feel guilty when really there's no reason to at all!

[@bakerbrewz]

It's so encouraging to hear that other moms out there are hitting some of the same speed bumps in the homeschooling journey. It's all a new adventure to me but it is truly overwhelming the sheer amount of resources out there that it's challenging to know what to start with and what not to!

[@kailynolson2281]

My first born had it way more structured and now there's a 7 year age gap and my second born Is about to start kindergarten and my plan is super basic and try to do 1000 hours outside this year as part of his kindergarten ❤️ the book "the call of the wild and free" has been amazing to confirm my heart and calling

[@johnnycanales9569]

I’m in the exact same boat regarding my two kids- the first very structured and now my almost 5 year old about to enter Kindergarten but all he’s interested in is play. But at this age, that’s probably still a great use of his time, along with reading quality books.

[@herron656]

This is so relatable!! My daughter is constantly hungry, distracted and ready to anything but school. Who would have thought snacks during lessons would be such a success!! And a timer is an absolute necessity when it comes to lessons!

[@kimberlyeisfeld8389]

I have 3 boys … the oldest is 16 and when I get distracted it’s like herding cats!!!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Love this, friend! This is SO my journey as well! Love that we are living parallel lives! hahaha

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Girl, yes we are! I'm so thankful for you!

[@bethart1985]

This is my 3rd year and this year I realized it's all about finding their learning language and finding our teaching language and combining the 2 as best as possible. Once you figure that out, it goes so much smoother.

[@kindnessmatters4068]

I just left a crazy long comment on your last video... I'm catching up today. Just loved these talks!!! ♡♡ love God so much!! He is so faithful and precious to us the way He leads!!!♡♡

[@kindnessmatters4068]

My mom homeschooled all five of us.♡ She did well... My brother graduated from law school about two years ago now and is a lawyer in Cinn. Ohio :-) I'm definitely going to be homeschooling!! Your advance will definitely be revisited ♡♡

[@rachelgustafson1207]

This was such a good reminder to me to continue reaching picture books and go on the nature walks. Mine are still little. We are just getting started! Thank you! ❤

[@SimplyLivingIt]

I'm so glad it encouraged you! Thank you for watching, friend! 🌸

[@ababy6074]

I am a home-schooling Mum in Australia and I have 1 child, a daughter, and I am very lucky that she's a huge reader. She started off with picture books but now she's only 7 and already she reads chapter books and books for teens. She's amazing. She refuses to go to bed at a decent hour because she just wants to read. I am SO grateful that she's home-schooled. It is the right thing to do.

[@priscillamerrow996]

Yes! My two oldest are girls (my boys aren't school age yet) and this all applies. I've made it a point to have read alouds regardless of picture book, chapter book, fiction, non-fiction, etc. I appreciate you being that reassuring voice of gentle, persistents.

[@care4teaching]

This resonates with me so much! Thank you for sharing! One thing we really love to do is take our kids to our local university library. They think they’re big stuff getting to go to the university and they like to read books in the children’s section once they’re done with their bookwork.

[@arwenrosalie3031]

Wow I felt like I was hearing myself talk. Everything you said makes so much sense. When friends ask me how they get anxiety or feel pressured because they feel inadequate in teaching EVERYTHING to their kids, I always ask them: “What can you remember in elementary that you learned or mastered very well” They cannot answer me! Because in elementary and middle school you move so fast and God forbid you didn’t understand a lesson you are now behind. Do you ever catch up? No , sadly no, you get told you need extra help at home, you have to stay after school, Saturday school, summer school. And all that is like punishing a child for not understanding. Homeschooling is quality and tailored education. And lets just say you actually have 8-15 kids of your own… you birthed them, or adopted, and have a very strong emotional bond with that child. I mean come on you go to a book store or library, you see a book and you gasp, knowing a specific child in your family will fall head over heels for that book. We embrace each of their personalities, flaws, and success. You cannot pay a private school money to do that!

[@AmatiinBC]

Yep my boys would rather do ANYTHING than schoolwork too. 😂

[@melindaadcock3976]

Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for sharing this. I am also a just get it done kind of mama! I need to give us breaks! So simple but something I don't do. Thank you so much. This is our second year homeschooling (5th, 3rd and K with a toddler and newborn) and I have found your channel very helpful! Thank you again!!!

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Thank you so much for watching! I'm so glad you have found it encouraging. 💜

[@sonniloomis9464]

I am on my fourth year of homeschooling my three boys. And all of this is spot on 100%

[@KitKat_1589]

This is such a wonderful video ❤️. We are in our 3rd year of homeschooling, and I feel we are just finally getting our footing.

[@lydiahubbard7511]

I've been learning these things this year after 5 years of homeschooling

[@emily-lifeonaranch7093]

❤️❤️❤️yes mama this has to be one of my favorites from you. Sooooo relatable and yes we are doing it too… the grace…. Thank you mama I needed to hear that. Love ya and happy homeschooling y’all❤️❤️❤️such a good video 🤗

[@SimplyLivingIt]

I miss you so much! Thank you for encouraging me, Emily! 💕

[@Kyml705]

I love this I have an almost 8 almost 5 and almost 3 year old great reminder to slow it down lol sit down with those picture books!! I work out side of the house so it’s too easy for time to get away😊

[@bakerbrewz]

I had to laugh and nod HEAVILY in agreement with your 3rd "mistake" about your kids needing full bellies! Mine are totally in that zone - boys gotta eat in order to have the attention for any kind of learning! I feel like all your tips are helpful and on point; as a new to homeschool mom I am going to take some time to meditate on your video and work on myself and what I want my homeschool days to look like for my boys. Thank you for sharing.

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Thank you so much for being here, friend! 🌻

[@mealprep4weightloss078]

Thank you so much❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🤗🤗🤗🤗

[@SimplyLivingIt]

❤️🤗 Thank you for watching!

[@Dreblueskies]

Meet in the middle! Not too far one way or another for us too! I couldn’t do the curriculum that had all the check boxes but can’t be too relaxed either. Copy and paste! 🙈 so me, trying to remember we are all so different. I want to be the crafty mom but I just can’t!! Thank you for sharing all this great information! 🙌

[@deannaelliott5523]

Wow, this was so encouraging and so true! We are on our 7th year homeschooling, always learning new and better ways to do it all, or to NOT do it all. Lol. Picture books are amazing for my son with language disorders to really get the topic in a multisensory way.

[@robincook7209]

I have a question about Kindergarten I am a homeschool mom of a kindergarten 2nd and 5th .. I feel like my kindergartener is behind she knows her letters but if I tell her to write a word and I spell it for her she says I don’t know how to make those letters mom and she is so upset .. we are in FLVS we live in Florida . They don’t teach any of that and I think that Is why she don’t get it I am so worried and scared she is going to be behind . Do you have any suggestions.. momma in tears here

[@gladiscecilia9603]

Yup this was us 😆 Awesome video like always.

[@SimplyLivingIt]

Thanks, friend! ❤️

[@Homeschoolmama2020]

Thank you for this uplifting video! I’ve been struggling. I’ve been worried about my 8 year old that is really struggling with any kind of writing. Her hand writing is great but she struggles with thinking up sentences to right about. Any ideas on what I could do to help her with creative writing?

[@reneegouge9698]

I am struggling has a grandma.my girls are 33and31.i homeschool my granddaughter I am a person who feels like a failure all the time.i was a single mom so I had to be hard and so I'm too soft has a grandma.i have a 13yr old and 7 year old that attend public schools their mommy would love to homeschool but their father says no .I homeschool my 6year old granddaughter.i want to teach her much .but I feel like a pushover.

[@Spmama444]

Haha!! I am type A but also a free spirit designer … and boys are probably going to be Dr.’s, lawyers, etc…they are so stinking smart… But I can relate I have three boys what I hear from you we should find what works for us and be ok with something not working !!!! Reevaluating … how I we are structuring our days!!!!