Intentional Homeschooling (Dana’s Day)

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Remember Dana?  She is back!

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Education Choices? What Are THOSE??

“Mooommm, please can’t we just be home-schooled???” That was the plea I would hear over and over again…usually in the mornings when sleeping in seemed like a better choice, or in the afternoon when homework seemed like a really bad choice.

I never thought I’d be a homeschool parent, or even an advocate. I thought that homeschooling parents must either be crazy or campaigning for sainthood. I am neither. Okay, maybe a little crazy.

Then middle school happened. Along with all of the physical changes happening in the bodies of the kids, comes the drama that precedes adulthood. Each class period saw the teachers spending less time teaching as they spent more time managing the behavior of the students. When we had 2 sons in middle school at the same time, that cacophony was even louder.

Spring of our oldest’s 8th grade year, we began giving home education serious consideration. Our choice was clear when we learned that B had moved himself to the lunch detention table on a permanent basis so that he could avoid the drama yet not hurt anyone’s feelings. (They all thought he had detention.)

B’s best friend started homeschooling that year. We respect his parents and chose the same curriculum that they were using. I did some research, looking to see if there were other options, but didn’t find any resources that were helpful. Spring of 2009 seems so long ago and homeschooling has exploded into the mainstream since then. There are tons more resources now!

That first year went smoothly. B joined the local rowing team that Fall and found his passion. Our second son, just one school year behind, chose to come home after the first quarter. Truly his reasons were far different. He had decided to joined the rowing team about a week before the end of the quarter. After 4 days of being rushed to get all of his school day completed, go to practice and then come home to more school work, he opted to come home and stay there.

So, we had 2 boys at home, ticking along. (Our daughter was in preK a couple of days a week.) We were convinced we’d made the right choice. I never realized how incredibly funny our boys are, until I was with them for so many hours every day. We laugh every single day now. The downside of that time is that the work was too easily glossed over and therefore too easy. By the end of the first year, our oldest was convinced that he needed to go back to public school just to get an education as he felt he wasn’t learning enough. Yikes!

So, year two, we made some changes and chose harder, more intense textbooks. The following year, we chose a hybrid program where the boys attended classes one day a week with their peers. It was literature based and less about grammar. Then this year we opted for community college dual enrollment, along with an online math course. Our youngest also chose to study for CLEP exams and to earn college credit by exam for high school credit.

All of this time, our daughter has attended our local public school. We did home educate her for one semester, when we moved last winter, but enrolled her in the new local school this past August. She is happy and thriving and, as much as we miss each other during the day, we are confident with our school choice for her.

So what did we learn, in a nutshell?

One, we learned that we could actually home educate during the high school years (our oldest was just accepted at the University of Wisconsin – Madison).

Two, we learned that there are tons of options open to families. I recently won a copy of the book Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners by Cindy West. Wow. I wish I’d had this book in 2009!! Watch for a complete review and an opportunity to win your own copy. It will be life-changing.

Three, we learned that we have choices, and way more power than we ever imagined, when it comes to educating our kids.

~dana

 

Beloved (Five Minute Friday)

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On Friday I like to write with at Lisa-Jo Baker’s blog.  She gives a prompt and we write for five minutes unedited.  I like to participate by writing but I also LOVE reading how one word inspires so many other women . . . here I go for this week.

Beloved

I am my beloved and he is mine!  My hands are showing their age–a life lived hard by serving others.  Most women are embarrassed by the spots and such–not me.  I’m ready to live out the next half of my life with grace and service–while wearing my vow . . .

I am my beloved and he is mine!

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This is my wedding band–in Hebrew it is inscribed with “I am my beloved and he is mine.”  For the full story check it out here!

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Be Blessed as you embrace exactly where you are, to be the woman you were meant to be!

What is your life’s journey? (a guest post)

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Today I have another fellow classmate guest posting!  I am so very blessed to have such an amazing group of writers in my life–AND she thinks I should be on T.V.  (psst good thing I bought the domain reneebaude.tv–but don’t tell anyone :-).

Here is Mel’s post!

If you spend anytime with me at all, there is one thing you will figure out about me.  I am passionate about “the Journey.” Every aspect of it.  Life is a journey. Every journey has value. We are not meant to travel alone. Every journey is a unique message to be shared with the world. And I aspire to Journey Well.  As I began to know Renee through Tribe Writers, I thought to myself, “This woman knows how to Journey Well!”  I also thought she should have her own tv show – I might go back to watching tv again if she were hosting!  As I pour through her site, I see that she inspires others to journey well. So, I felt like this was a good fit for me to guest blog and am honored that she offered me this opportunity.

 

I like to share secrets that I discover along the way to help make the journey better in some way.  I share one here about Energy.  Today, I thought I would greet new fellow travelers with secrets I have to share! When your hair goes stale and “blah” or your skin just doesn’t glow like it should and also has a case of the “blahs”, those in the beauty business will tell you – change it up!  Change the product line you are using.  Change the routine.  Try a new cut!  As I have considered this recently, I’ve realized that our journeys can grow stale.  We come down with the “blahs.” So today, I would like to challenge you to do something new to help refresh your own journey.  I have 10 inspiring ideas.  You can choose one or several or all – but please choose at least one.  Try something new.

 

1. Rock out a new look!

This one is a favorite of mine right now because that is exactly what I’m doing!  I rebranded in January – so my business has a new look.  I got a new hair cut and color last week that I am totally crazy about because it reflects who I am. “Sassy, smart, legit, approachable…” Those are comments I got when I revealed my new look on Facebook.  Nothing like a little tribe encouragement to lighten my step, right?  So, it’s your turn.  Invest in yourself.  New cut may be something for you to try.  Or how about a new piece of clothing.  You don’t have to spend money, either.  Style your hair a different way.  Mix and match wardrobe pieces to wear in a new way that you haven’t done before.  Add some accessories.  There are some out there who seriously believe their lives are changed with a new pair of shoes (I am not one of them) – so if that’s you, then rock a new style.

Your Turn: Step out in something new that celebrates you!

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2.  Take one straight from the Journey Spa

One of the things I do in my Journey Well mentoring group is each week I make sure I include something that inspires my group members to take care of themselves.  I also try to include something once a month in my newsletter from my Journey Spa files as well.  Most everything is a make at home recipe for a spa regimen of some sort.  One of the things that I have struggled with for years is skin care regimen.  I’ve tried it all and after 90 days I stop being satisfied with results. As I have aged, it has become more of a concern.  Who knew that the solution was cheap and in my house all along!  It is called the Oil Cleansing Method. I will give you my regimen after I adjusted and tweaked it for me.  My skin has NEVER been this good for as long as I can remember.

Your Turn:  So try it, enjoy.  Let me know how it works out for you!

 

3. New Music

Some of my most favorite music artists that I listen to I discovered through social media.  Friends on Facebook would post something I’d never heard of, I’d click and give it a listen… Like what I hear. Search YouTube for more by the same artist.  Would buy it if I liked what I heard.  Then I would let it lead me on the journey – I would look in the sidebar at other suggested/related videos and often find even more new music (be careful, you can go broke doing this!).  I was listening to Leona Lewis over a year before USA ever even heard of her because of a friend in London is a fan and posted her music.  I have other favorites from abroad that my friends in the USA have never heard of!  New music.  New perspective. New rhythm to life.

Your turn: Find new music. Adopt a theme song.

 

4. New Friends/New Connections

I always pay attention to who comments positively on threads in the various communities I’m active in.  When I come across someone I identify with, I will try to engage more through comments.  I will investigate their profile info, public posts, blogs, etc.  Eventually send friend request or follow or circle or whatever the social media platform demands.  In real life, I like to host girls night in or have a family over for dinner.  I look for new people to engage with rather than just stick with my friends all of the time.  It refreshes perspective and hopefully enhances the journey.

Your turn: Find your bravery! Make some new friends!

 

5. Aromatherapy

I love aromatherapy!  I spend quite a bit of time in the aisle where the wax blocks are sold my warmers.  I find that I grow used to a scent so much that I no longer notice it and as time goes by, it loses its potency as well.  So just a few dollars at Wal-Mart – refreshes the aroma in my home!  Essential Oils in a diffuser also work!

 Your Turn: Discover a new scent!

6. New Food

Buy a new cookbook. Try new recipes.  Liven up your menu.  Visit a new restaurant.  Order something you’ve never eaten before. Ask the wait staff what they recommend and go with it as long as it doesn’t contain allergens or something that just makes you nauseaous.  Cook a dish without a recipe – just put items together that you have on hand.  One of life’s greatest adventures is food!

Your turn: Be adventurous!

 

7. Perspective

Have an open-minded conversation with someone who takes an opposing belief or side of an issue from you.  Listen.  Gain understanding.  The object is not to convince anyone to change their position.  The object is to gain perspective and a deeper appreciation for your own experiences as well as for opposing views.

Your Turn: Who are you going to interview? What is their opposing belief or issue?

 

8. Muse

Interview someone who inspires you.  You can do by questions by email, Skype, phone – whatever venue that works.  Choose someone who inspires you and learn more about their journey.  Make the interview about them – end it with a question that might produce an answer that gives you an opportunity to learn.

Your Turn: Who inspires you? What do you want to know about them?

 

9. Start a Revolution or Be a Pioneer (Or Both!)

Recently I was wrestling with some changes I’d made in my business.  I felt like it was just going to be one more thing I was going to fail at.  But one night I couldn’t sleep.  And it occurred to me that I had been a major success in an industry I was once immersed in. In fact, I was a pioneer in bringing the industry from scattered forums to social media platforms. In fact, I was the first in my industry to do it.  It changed the industry and the way things were done.  I was well-respected.  I took on head to head the most hated person in our industry who conveniently was also anonymous. I took a positive approach to something they were doing negatively.  They didn’t like it.  They threatened me with curses behind hacker proxy.  I ignored.  It enraged them.  More threats came and one time they forgot to turn on their proxy.  I posted it into industry forums. I didn’t even bother to chase it down – I didn’t care who it was.  It shut them down for good.  They have never been heard from again. I formed a group of people within our industry that gave them opportunity to up level their hobby to income.  Some of those in their infancy in that group at that the time are some of the biggest names in the industry today. So, I went through this in my head – these are all things to be proud of.  So, I had been respected and successful before.  So I broke it down into a formula and it gave me my direction I am now headed today.  I asked myself the question: If I was back in that industry today – what would I do to revolutionize it?  What would I pioneer?  If you are stuck on the edge of success but have fear or self doubt – look back at what you’ve accomplished.  Break it down.  What were the steps.  Adapt them to your NOW.

Your Turn: What can you pioneer?  Can you start a revolution?

 

10. Faith

Return to the core of who you are. For writers, I recommend taking pen and paper and sit down and write.  Don’t stop.  Describe the God you believe in.  Imagine a conversation with Him. How does He make you feel?  What does being in His Presence feel like.  What Scripture is written on your heart and whispers to your soul right now?  What do you believe?  What is and always be unshaken no matter what?  Consider what has led you to believe the way you believe today?  What is the same from your past? What has changed?  How/why did it change?

Your Turn: Grab your pen and paper.  Start writing.  Share with me what new thing you discover about your faith journey!

 

and Bonus:  Gratitude

Start your own list if you haven’t already of 1000 Gifts.  Refine your perspective and gives you a much deeper appreciation for your own journey as well as others.

 

Thank you for allowing me to journey with you today.  It has been an honor!  I would love to hear from you.  Share with me how you rocked your own journey with something new inspired by this post today!

MelAnn