What does homeschooling look like to us?

We have homeschooled for 7 years.  I love it, the kids love it.  Even on the days where it "seems" like nothing gets done we love it.  WHY? Because we are together.  When I look at the "short" amount of time I have with my Trio (yes I have three kids-you will meet them here), I realize how precious this time is.  We have a short amount of time to invest in our children before we send them out into the world, and I intend to do a good job! 

Homeschooling...a word that you either love, hate or think "oh what a weirdo."  HAHA!  Yeah, I am a little strange sometimes. But I will go to bat for homeschooling anyday for I have seen the success that it brings.  I have fought the stereotypes, the clashes about socialization, and struggled with the whole question of "are they learning enough?"

We have done lots of different types of "homeschooling" over the past 7 years, we change it up a lot and think outside the box alot, especially since we are dealing with learning disabilities. We have done textbook learning, Charlotte Mason methods, unschooling, eclectic and some years a little bit of everything! I will think "aha! We have found a science book we like!" Only to realize that come next year it won't work for the soon to be highschooler...but that's okay, that's life, we grow, we move on and up and change if we have to... But I would never trade it for the world! 

Here are some pics from our homeschooling this year....enjoy.

 I should introduce you to one of our "bullies" HAHA!  Dillon, our old lab will chew up a pencil or wooden ruler if he can reach it...many a pencil has met its fate with these jaws.

 

This is my youngest dtr, Claire who is 9. We go on field trips to different places.  My kids are total animal lovers and artsy lovers, so our field trips usually revolve around that.

We foster animals...love this!  We have fostered 10 animals so far since starting it almost a year ago.

We use social media...my oldest dtr, Emily made our cat Bella her own facebook page.  Of course I supervise this.

My oldest Em and her passion-chickens! We have a wonderful flock of chickens.

My son Tyler, who is 11 and Spark, this is his first very own foster kitty that he takes care of. She absolutely adores him too.

Sometimes school is nature walks..we have found lots of interesting things this way.

We do lots of cooking too...so we can incorporate home ec, math, etc..into that.

We multi-task...read while waiting for your cupcakes to cook.

Lots of play!  My kids adore each other (and yes they argue), but they are lost when one of them is not home or sick and cannot play.

Mice!  Yuck!  I only post this in a homeschooling post, because when Bella catches one it interrupts our homeschooling...and so we learn to roll with life ya know?  Life is full of interruptions.

Sometimes we watch a video for a subject, esp. science...so then we can curl up with a furry friend and enjoy it.

We learn to overcome our disabilities, and see them as "different abilities."

crafts!

Yes, even the boy sews!

My oldest did a business venture this year and made Christmas cards for a friend who paid her and she used the money to buy supplies for the humane society we foster for.

We have recess and yes, it sometimes looks like this.

We are learning how to research.

My oldest is an artist.

More recess.

Drawing for science is Em's favorite thing to do.

We play games...these two love strategic ones!

Sometimes the cats decide its time for us to take a break.

Monopoly is always a hit and good for money skills.

Yes, some days we don't want to do school.

My gallon guy...a way to learn liquid measurements!

Em discovering water colors, learning how they work, how to mix them

we have snow days too!  So we play lots of games, watch tv...all that.

my Emily's buddy, Moocher. He is her constant companion.

Ty and Claire play basketball with Upwards (our second year) and I cannot say enough wonderful things about this program!  This is me and Claire

Me and Tyler...he is getting tooooo tall!

 

So, this is what homeschooling looks like for us. Its very different from the four cement walls and desk version I grew up with and there are days I fight that mentality...but then I see how much my kids really do...how much they enjoy reading, being with other kids, etc...and I know we are doing just fine. 

That's Life!