Best tips for peace, sanity, or really helpful stuff!

[tnahid]

Yes, I have a tendency to want to add on more stuff too. But you are right, they don't need all of that extra. They do need us though. Thank you for pointing that out.

Blessings,
Tia

[Carrie]

What a wonderful thread! I am truly blessed by the wisdom contained within it! Thanks so much for bringing the thread up to the top of the board for this season!

Blessing,
Carrie

[grandsophy]

I find it peaceful to remember that curriculum guides are guidelines, not rules that must be followed. Curriculum guides are full of helpful options for children of various learning styles, and they are just that...options. If they don't all fit your family, use what you CAN use and don't stress the other stuff. Don't make a fabulous resource become a burden. (I have to mention that Heart of Dakota's guides are very sensible about not burdening us with tooooo much stuff to do.)

Also, I drink a lot of tea. I always make a proper pot of tea...it's worth taking the time to really make tea, not just throw a teabag into a mug of hot water. Especially if my oldest is showing a bit of an attitude problem, stepping away and making that pot of tea helps me regain calmness.

The greatest sanity-saver for me is afternoon Quiet Time. It began as nap time for my children when they were babies, but now it's solitude time. For two hours every afternoon, no one talks to me or to each other (they do push the envelope on this occasionally!). This is when my oldest does her history reading and some crafts (obviously the simple kind of crafts she can do alone in her bedroom). I am an introverted person and I need some quiet time to recharge. The kids are together all the time, and I think a little solitude is good for everyone.

[grandsophy]

Oh, I am soooo enjoying this thread! I really need to keep reading. These lists are very inspirational

As you all know by my username, I have the special challenge of an "only." Pray for me!! Most other homeschool moms don't understand how I do it and folks who don't homeschool think that I shouldn't homeschool.
To top it off, I have a friend that sent her son back to school (after only a year of homeschooling) and she tries to convince me to send mine back and tries to convince me that a well known boxed curriculum is the best thing since sliced bread!

So, I know that these tips were meant for me! You all keep rolling them in. I am really enjoying the chore ideas. My son will do some chores, but we don't have anything organized as of yet.
Hope I didn't get too far off topic with my post. Just had to vent!
Tina
ds8-beyond/bigger combo

If it's any encouragement, I'm an only child, a homeschool grad, and now a homeschool mom myself. Obviously I thought it was a successful educational choice.

[Marcee]

Thanks w2w, and I loved your list as well! Thanks also Terri - that was such a kind thing to say, and I am glad to hear it because we like you being here.

I can't believe with all of my words I did not share the chore chart thing either. I really like yours, w2w - it looks very clear and easy to follow, and I bet that has helped give you immense peace and sanity. We have rotating chore charts for each of the 2 older boys as well. I hang them on the fridge, and they check them off as they complete them. Most of them are completed first thing in the morning before we start school, but anything not finished must be done after lunch before free time begins. If something was not checked off when I check it the next day before they get up, then no dessert that day. It has worked great! They like to check them off as they complete them, and this is funny - but I play "Hard Working Man" by Brooks and Dunn (calling all country music fans here ) while they do their chores - they take such pride in their work! They have rotating chores, so each of them has a 1, 2, 3, and 4 sheet for the 4 weeks in a month. I'll just share their first sheet to give you an idea of how it works:



I also have a laminated "body check" for each of them the checkoff in the bathroom in the morning, and a laminated "room check" on each of their doors they check off in the morning as well. This has been a HUGE help in keeping their rooms clean and also in maintaining good personal hygiene! We worked on them all summer so when we started school they were doing great with it already. Here is a copy of each of their checkoffs:



I like checkoffs - but if looking at these makes you want to hyperventilate - just move on to reading someone else's ideas! For those of you that enjoy organizing, maybe something here will click for you!

In Christ,
Julie

Any chance you still have pictures of these?

[my3sons]

Hi Marcee! I got all organized and rearranged my photos in folder, and lo and behold, now the old ones aren't coming up. Go figure I try to get more organized and get less. I'll try posting them here:


We've been doing these several years now, and the house is running smoothly overall. I have the dc earn their special privileges by doing their chores. Right now, they earn their computer time through doing their chores. I know every household has different cleaning needs, but this reflects the needs ours has right now (and I mean a practical what it needs kind of list - not over the top clean ). HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[Marcee]

Hi Marcee! I got all organized and rearranged my photos in folder, and lo and behold, now the old ones aren't coming up. Go figure I try to get more organized and get less. I'll try posting them here:


We've been doing these several years now, and the house is running smoothly overall. I have the dc earn their special privileges by doing their chores. Right now, they earn their computer time through doing their chores. I know every household has different cleaning needs, but this reflects the needs ours has right now (and I mean a practical what it needs kind of list - not over the top clean ). HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

THANKS!! I need things like this for not only kids but myself as well. Unfortunately, I'm not good at coming up with them

[Annette]

Hi Water2wine!
Can you repost your chore chart? Only half of it is showing up. I have 5 kids and would like to use something similar to what you have, but it would help for me to see the whole thing. Thanks!

Annette

[Annette]

Tina,
You mentioned having kids make their own lunches as one of your sanity savers. What specifically do you keep on hand so they can do this? My hschooled kids are 11,9,and 4 and a half. I would love to start doing this.
Thanks!
Annette

[Annette]

Wanted to bump this one up cuz I have a couple questions,but when I posted them ,the thread still stayed in its same place. Not sure why. Also, I do think this is a really good thread and want to thank you ladies for all the tips. I think several of them will work for me. Thanks!

Annette

[Busymomma1]

Great ideas! Our current chore chart system is just not working... maybe the body check, etc, will! And I like it on the back of their doors. I would like an uncluttered fridge, for sure! And, they won't come out of their rooms until it's all done... maybe!

[water2wine]

Hi Water2wine!
Can you repost your chore chart? Only half of it is showing up. I have 5 kids and would like to use something similar to what you have, but it would help for me to see the whole thing. Thanks!

Annette

I have since changed it might be the issue. Let me get that into a different format and repost it. Might need the help of techno geek dh but I will get that for ya.

[water2wine]

Trying this one first.


Let me know if you can see that well enough. If you pm me your email I will send you the excell file. The sides have velcro with name labels. The lower 2 are my two youngest and for now their chores are fixed. the upper four rotate weekly. Seems to work well so nobody feels things are "unfair"