Peace In My Lifetime - Pick Your Battles?

"'The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,' Hezekiah replied.  For he thought, 'Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?'"  (II Kings 20:19)

In the long list of the kings of Judah, Hezekiah stands out as one of the few who did not do "evil in the sight of the Lord."  In fact, the story of his righteous life is quite refreshing.  I particularly like the incident of God healing him from terminal illness in response to Hezekiah’s earnest prayer.

But I have to admit, one aspect of Hezekiah’s life perplexes and disappoints me.  When King Hezekiah pridefully displayed the wealth of Judah to the envoys from Babylon, Isaiah prophesied God’s judgment on this action. "Hear the word of the Lord: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon.  Nothing will be left, says the Lord.  And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, that will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." (II Kings 20:16-18)

What was Hezekiah’s response to this prophecy?
What would your response be?  

If God told you your possessions and wealth would be taken by force and your children kidnapped — but not in your lifetime — what would you do?

If I had been Hezekiah, I think I would have remembered God’s mercy in performing my miraculous healing. I think I would have remembered how I humbled myself and God answered my prayer. And I think I would have once more humbled myself and asked for His mercy, this time for my children and grandchildren. Is this what Hezekiah did?

You know the story. Hezekiah replied, "The word of the Lord you have spoken is good"....For he thought, "Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?"  He cared more for a peaceful life than he did for his children and grandchildren’s future!

Okay, you say.  How does this apply to homeschoolers?  After all, if we cared more about "peace" than our children’s future, we wouldn’t be homeschooling!

That’s absolutely true.  And yet, I wonder if we don’t sometimes make Hezekiah’s mistake in a more subtle way.  Have you ever heard, or made, these remarks?

• "I don’t really like Jimmy’s outfit either, but you have to pick your battles.  I let him do what he wants with his clothes as long as he doesn’t fight me about school work."  
• "Sandy won’t clean her room, so I said, 'Fine! Live in a pig sty then!  Just keep your bedroom door closed!'"  
• "My daughter just wouldn’t practice piano so I figured we might as well quit lessons."  
• "If you two kids are going to fight all day, then go outside where I don’t have to hear it!"

Sound familiar?

Peace Now, Consequences Later
We are all busy and it is often so much easier to opt for peace now, and the heck with the consequences in our children’s future lives.  If we can just get through the day, make it to co-op on time, and have a passing score on the tests, we count it a minor victory.  But God has called us to do more than simply chauffeur, grade tests, and fix dinner.  We are to be actively, all the time, training our children in godly character. Sometimes we forfeit temporary "peace" during that process. Sometimes it seems like we’re always having to discipline. Sometimes we’d just rather doggone well do something besides train the kids.  

But that’s when we need to pray for God’s grace to carry on and His wisdom to do the job right.  He does not require us to do things that He will not help us do.  When we wholeheartedly follow His Word in training and praying for our children, He brings about a true peace in our families — the peace of godly people living together for His glory.

If we are ever tempted to slack off and let Johnny do his own thing for a while, or let Susie have her tantrum, then it would behoove us to look at the fruit of Hezekiah’s story.  II Kings 21:2 tells us about Hezekiah’s son. "He did evil in the eyes of the Lord."  For 17 verses we read of the evil things Manasseh did.

Of course, a dirty room, sloppy outfits, and unpracticed piano lessons do not compare with the evil King Manasseh came up with.  But a parent who lets "small" character issues slide will face "large" character issues when the child grows up.

Manasseh had one of the godliest kings in Judah for a father — but Manasseh knew that his father cared more about having immediate peace than he cared about how the next generation turned out. And Manasseh rejected everything his father stood for.

Written by Heather Sheen

The Top Ten Mistakes of New Homeschoolers

Okay, I’ll admit up front that I am unmarried and have no children. What could I possibly know about mistakes new homeschoolers make? I’m just a pipsqueak!

My list of credentials is short but Very Weighty. (Every pipsqueak thinks their credentials are Very Weighty.) I was homeschooled my entire life. My parents have helped run support groups and state homeschooling organizations in several states. I’ve watched many homeschooling families and seen some run very successful homeschools and others crash and burn. By dint of keeping my eyes and ears open and using my Acute and Intuitive Perception (pipsqueaks always think they have Acute and Intuitive Perception), I have compiled a reasonable list of common errors that trap new homeschoolers. Kindly be impressed!

Error #1: Viewing academics as primary. Actually, homeschooling is first and foremost about character education. Raising an intellectual genius is pointless if he is lazy, rebellious, thinks humanistically, and lacks integrity, right? Some of the world’s wickedest men were very smart. But so what? They were evil. You are not just training your children’s minds, you are training their whole lives. When any proposed activity or learning opportunity comes your way, first ask “What will this do for Johnny’s character?” Then, and only then, ask what it does for his intellect.

Error #2: Having unrealistic expectations. You know the rosy picture…crisp clean books, a spotless house, a never-violated schedule, and smiling children who like nothing better than dividing 34,867 by 253 and converting it from cubic centimeters to cubic miles. Better yet is the picture of you—the cheerful, patient parent who excels at communication and makes school delightfully fun at all times. Sure, that’s a great goal. You’ll probably have a few days like that. But you’ll have more days when you overslept and the house is cluttery and the baby is sick and you burned the toast and everyone is cranky, including (or especially) you. That happens to everyone! The point is not to have a perfect homeschool—the point is to persevere even when it’s NOT perfect.

Error #3: Creating a school-home. Many new homeschoolers set out to copy the traditional classroom exactly. They have desks, a chalkboard, a set period for each subject and a scheduled recess. They do report cards. They stand at the front of the classroom and lecture. They make their children raise their hands before asking questions. Some even make their children call them “Mr.” and “Mrs.” instead of Mom or Dad.

Many of these things are done in traditional classrooms primarily for crowd control. But you’re not in a traditional classroom anymore! You’re home! Use the kitchen table! Have recess based on the children’s needs, not the clock. Forget report cards—they are designed to tell parents how their child is doing and you already know how they’re doing! Instead of lecturing at the front of the classroom, sit on the couch and talk over the material together. Institute hand-raising only if you desperately need to. And for goodness sake, let your children call you Mom or Dad!

Be careful about asking professional teachers for advice about structuring your homeschool. Professional teachers typically only think in the paradigm of the formal classroom. But you don’t have a formal classroom, you have a home. So ask homemakers for advice—other seasoned homeschooling families.

Error #4: Doing every assignment and test in the books. There is no law, regulation, or tax shelter that requires you to make your children do every single assignment or test in the curriculum. Curriculum providers purposely provide lots of questions and tests and suggested assignments to give you as many options as possible. But they are just that—options. Feel free to pick and choose. Don’t burn yourself or your children out by giving them repeated or “duh” assignments on material they already know.

Error #5: Not trusting your judgment. Most new homeschoolers lack confidence and frequently second-guess themselves and feel obligated to do what the “experts” say. Remember, your children are unique individuals. You as a parent know them best. Stop worrying about methods and what Dr. So-and-So (or your neighbor) says. Pray for wisdom and trust your common sense. Sure, ask advice if you need it. But remember that you are the expert on your children.

Error #6: Copying everyone else. This goes hand-in-hand with Error #5. If your friend has a wonderful homeschool and uses XYZ curriculum, it does not automatically follow that your children will also thrive on that curriculum. They might, but they might not. Slow down and mentally assess your children’s needs, strengths and weaknesses and choose a curriculum that works for them.

Error #7: Assuming that co-ops and video/satellite schools are superior. Co-ops and video/satellite schools sound great to many hesitant first-time homeschoolers. However, these are rarely optimal choices. Co-ops intrude greatly on your time and remove the highly desirable 1-1 teacher-student ratio. Video/satellite schools can be very demanding, inflexible, and time wasting. Why make your children sit there and watch the ins and outs of someone else’s classroom (handing out papers, answering “duh” questions, etc.) when they could read the book and answer the questions themselves? Why let someone else disciple your children when you could do it yourself?

Error #8: Not reading books. There are countless book written by fellow homeschoolers who have been down the road you are on now. Don’t assume that because you read one book and attend support group meetings that you know everything there is to know. Read, read, read! Learn from the mistakes and advice of others! If you have to turn off your television or get off the computer to make time for this reading, do. You will find it more profitable.

Error #9: Looking back. Homeschooling requires commitment. Stop casting a wistful eye on other school choices and thinking about how much easier your neighbors have it. You chose to homeschool because you thought it was best for your child, right? Good. Then, having put your hand to the plow, don’t look back! Do your best and enjoy the journey. Too many homeschoolers develop a “woe-is-me” attitude and over-focus on aaaaaaaaall the sacrifices they’ve made and how much they’d love to “get away” from their kids and have some me time. These thoughts create immediate discontent. Put them from your mind and thank God for His blessings in giving you your children in the first place and using you to mold them and them to mold you. Then feed the kids a healthy snack (eat one yourself too!) and send them outside to play for ten minutes. You’ll probably feel much better!

Error #10: Too much peer time. Kids don’t need a peer group in order to become a mature, well-socialized adult. They need a family. They need interaction with all ages, especially adults. Too much time with their peers makes them peer-dependant (no kidding!), less likely to think for themselves, and much more susceptible to following foolish fads and opinions. Limit peer time and opt for family time!

I thought about adding an Error #11, that of not listening to the advice of Very Weightily-Credentialed homeschooled pipsque—uh, graduates. But my Acute and Intuitive Perception concluded that that would be considered presumptuous.

Written by Raquelle Sheen

Who Is The Grand Poobah of Your Homeschool?

As homeschoolers gear up once again for another school year, a question arises. It’s a question that arises for every homeschooler in every state. The question is (drum roll, please):

Who is going to be the Grand Poobah of your homeschool?

First, let’s start by looking at who is NOT the Grand Poobah.

Curriculum is not the Grand Poobah of your homeschool. You are the teacher – you make the decisions. Homeschooling is all about customizing your children’s educational experience. Even institutional teachers occasionally decide to skip material or slow down at certain parts. Why not do the same if your children need it? Remember that the goal of an academic education is that your children learn the material, not just check off a box saying they read so many books and answered so many quizzes.

Your children are not the Grand Poobah of your homeschool. Time after time, I’ve seen parents wring their hands over their children’s bad behavior, as if there’s nothing they can do about it. In your role as parent, you control the food, the internet, the play time, and other childish desirables. Therefore, you have plenty of ability to sway your children’s behavior. You do not have to helplessly watch as they act like little stinkers.

The schedule is not the Grand Poobah of your homeschool. Schedules are for institutions. A homeschool is a family affair. So skip the schedule and instead establish a routine. A schedule says the house must be cleaned by 10 am. A routine says the house must be cleaned before school work commences. This gives you much more flexibility in your day. Routines are necessary to keep order in your home. But don’t let them become a god that takes over your life.

Your friends are not the Grand Poobahs of your homeschool. It’s easy to feel the need to look good in the eyes of friends, family and acquaintances. After all, they seem so sure of themselves when they give you advice! But remember this: They don’t know your children like you do. Their advice may be helpful, or it may not. But you must make the ultimate decisions on what to do based on what is best for your family.

The state is not the Grand Poobah of your homeschool. You should fulfill the basic requirements of the law. But don’t let fear of the law cause you to make decisions that are overly onerous for your family. Read the law carefully and do what is required – and that’s it. I’ve seen families get exhausted and burned out because they were trying to be some kind of “witness” to the officials by running themselves into the ground. That doesn’t help your family (your first responsibility) and it doesn’t help the homeschoolers around you who may not be able to do as much as you. If you choose to join an excessively busy co-op, let it be for reasons that benefit your family, not from perceived legal requirements.

Your church is not the Grand Poobah of your homeschool. Many churches in our state offer services to homeschoolers, such as co-ops, use of church facilities, tutoring, and so on. This is a wonderful blessing, but only use it in ways that will benefit your family. The fact that every other homeschooling family in your church goes to co-op classes on science every week does not necessitate you doing so, especially if you have a better way of teaching that subject in your family. This principle also applies to churches that are not so helpful to homeschoolers. For instance, the fact that every other family in church sends their children out of the main service into children's church does not necessitate you doing so. Do what is best for your family. Your church is not answerable to God for your children – you are.

Who's Left?
So of course, after eliminating all these contestants for Grand Poobah, it’s becoming pretty clear who’s left, right? You’re thinking, sheesh, this is obvious – my spouse and I are the Grand Poobahs of our homeschool!

But that’s not quite right either. Rather, let us say you’re the Assistant Grand Poobahs. The real Grand Poobah, with no irreverence intended, is God. He is the One who laid down, millennia ago, the principles for training children. He is the One who set before us the goals of godliness and wisdom for which we strive. And He is the One Who gives strength and wisdom to all parents who ask for it.

God is a lot smarter than we are and He knows a lot more about training children! He has promised to help those who ask Him for wisdom (James 1). So as you begin another year of home education, think about Who your authority is when you make decisions. Are you letting friends, curriculum, the state or other outsiders be your homeschool’s Grand Poobah? Or are you asking God for wisdom in making every decision?

Written by Heather Sheen

A Schedule or a Routine?

The schoolwork is finally done! You wearily make some tea and flop on the couch. You don’t see the invisible enemy, the All-Demanding-Schedule, approach you, rubbing his hands gleefully. He begins a conversation.

“Do you realize,” he whispers, “you are FOUR hours behind schedule today?”

You wince. He’s right. How did it happen?

“You overslept this morning,” he accuses. “A good homeschooler wouldn’t let little things like the baby keeping you up all night be an issue. A good homeschooler would get up on time at 4:30 a.m. anyway.”

You sip your tea disconsolately and feel like a wretch.

“Furthermore,” hisses the All-Demanding-Schedule, “You spent way too much time housecleaning this morning. Good homeschoolers’ houses are always spick-and-span and don’t need much cleaning. Think about your friend Lisa’s house!”

“But Lisa has a cleaning lady!” you protest helplessly.

“That is irrelevant,” growls the All-Demanding-Schedule sternly. “As I was saying, among other things you are also off-schedule because it took you all afternoon to get through Johnny’s math with him.”

“He didn’t understand it,” you object feebly.

“Good homeschoolers never have children who don’t understand,” he insists severely. “But if they ever do, good homeschoolers know how to give clear and coherent explanations. If Johnny didn’t understand, then you used a bad explanation and that’s all there is to it. You’re a failure,” he heckles relentlessly. “You never stick to your schedule. You let these kinds of trivial things get in the way. Good homeschoolers never even have these kinds of interruptions, much less spend so much time on them.”

“Look,” you plead, “I’m exhausted. I got no sleep last night. We at least finished all the school work — can’t you leave me alone and let me take a short nap before supper?”

“Oh sure, take a nap!” jeers the All-Demanding-Schedule. “Then you can be FIVE hours behind!”

A tear drips off your nose and falls in your tea. The All-Demanding-Schedule slips away, satisfied.

Just then the kindly Ever-Satisfied-Routine happens along! “Now, now, what’s the matter?’ he asks cheerily, seeing your tears.

“I’m a failure!” you sob. “I can’t stick to my schedule. Things keep interrupting me and nothing goes as planned.”

“Aha! The All-Demanding-Schedule has been here, hasn’t he?” observes the Ever-Satisfied-Routine grimly. “Now listen! Where does Scripture command you to have a down-to-the-minute schedule?”

You ponder. “I don’t know. But I’m sure the Proverbs 31 woman had a schedule!”

“A routine,” he corrects.

“A what?”

“A routine. A general plan for the day, not one that details everything down to the minute. Controlled flexibility, you might say. After all, do you think the Proverbs 31 woman never had to be flexible—never had unexpected company…or got sick…or had children who misbehaved and needed extra attention?” he smiles. “God is a God of order. However, rigidity doesn’t automatically mean order. Sometimes it just means rigid chaos, and it nearly always means frustration and eventual burnout.”

You exhale slowly. “So, if Johnny’s math takes extra time, that’s okay. It’s more important that he learns it than he finishes by 1:37 on the dot, right?”

“Precisely!” he beams.

“I wish I’d know this before!” you exclaim. Then you smile smugly. “Do you suppose the Proverbs 31 woman built naps into her routine?”

Written by Raquelle Sheen

Answering the Questions

My family has been in the homeschooling arena for about 30 years and we have seen the changes in society as it has responded to homeschooling during this time. One way of measuring these changes is the questions we hear when people discover that we homeschooled.

Is It Legal?
Originally the question was, “Is that legal?” The first reaction of our society was to question our right to homeschool. Back then the legality wasn’t clear in every state so as fathers we had some tough decisions to make. But God granted us victories wherever homeschooling was challenged. Laws were changed and only a few families ever lost their children (temporarily) or went to jail for homeschooling. This was an important time for homeschooling.  The movement grew because parents decided to do what was right, even if it wasn’t easy.

How Will You Teach...?
Once it became well established that homeschooling was legal, the next set of questions focused on academics. “Who will teach them calculus? What about biology lab? How will they get into college?” Homeschoolers’ creativity found ways to deal with each of those questions. In fact, homeschoolers are doing so well academically that colleges are recruiting homeschoolers and many are offering homeschoolers generous scholarships. As we fathers and mothers have set our families up to follow the model that God established – parents directing all aspects of their children’s upbringing - we have been blessed with good fruit for our labors.

What About Socialization?
Since homeschoolers began demonstrating that they could meet the academic tests, the questions shifted to, “What about socialization?” This was a very easy question to respond to since one of the most anti-social beings in the world is the typical American child. By teaching our children their social habits in the family, rather than in their peer group, they have developed excellent social habits and are turning out to be leaders. God shows us the power of an upright and godly life on our part when we see mature parental behavior reflected back in the lives of their children. As Christ has given us the freedom and wisdom to be servant-leaders, we find our children stepping into the same roles.

Not For Me!
The next question was really a statement, “Well homeschooling isn’t for everyone.” My response was usually, “Why not? It may not be the favorite choice of all parents, but it certainly will deliver the best results for any child.” I would then get excuses like, “What about single moms, or two income families?” We homeschooled long enough that I have met at least one family in virtually every family structure and economic situation who is homeschooling quite successfully.

It is interesting to see that when confronted with truth, people will grasp at anything rather than apply it in their lives. Our experience has been that God honors His Word. When you order your life according to God’s directives or patterns, He will meet your needs. (Incidentally, He also promises persecution, hence all these questions.)

The "Real" World
Homeschooling has answered these questions and the comment I often hear now is a belligerent, “Well, I want my kids to grow up in the real world!” Dads, be ready to face this one head-on.  We don’t want our children to grow up confined to the “real world” of the present day American pop culture.  We want them to be able to discern what in this “real world” is good, just, and holy, and what is evil and immoral.  To do that they need training in righteousness.  Our society is unprepared, possibly even unable, to provide that training. We, as parents, have the ability and the mandate from God to ensure that our children are brought up to be straight and true arrows in the quiver. As such, when it is time for battle and they are released, they will strike a decisive blow.

The questions keep changing, but the underlying issue is the same. Generally speaking, our society is unwilling to accept the responsibility for raising its children. We would rather give them to the state (or village) and go off to play. However, God called us to something higher when he granted us the privilege of becoming parents.

Written by Ray Sheen

Curriculum: Tool or Tyrant?

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. The end of another perfect homeschool day. This morning—like all mornings—all of the children jumped joyfully out of bed at the crack of dawn to meet the day. The hour of family worship set the tone for all—and it was so satisfying to hear the children reciting the Pentateuch. All of the chores were cheerfully accomplished, making the house a spotless and inviting center of learning. Each child applied himself to his assignments with alacrity and intensity of purpose. Now, dinner is simmering aromatically, awaiting the arrival of a happy Daddy from work.

What do you mean this doesn’t describe your homeschool?

Oh. I see. Instead, you are thinking: The end of another long homeschooling day has arrived. You are brain-dead. Your children are cranky. The house is a wreck. What in the world will you fix for dinner? Your long-suffering husband is getting tired of coming home to leftovers. In fact, you haven’t spent much time with your husband for weeks—you have been too busy homeschooling the children!

Wasn’t homeschooling supposed to be fun…or at least satisfying?

Didn’t people tell you that your children would enjoy learning? What could be wrong?

You stack up all of the school books. Look at all of those books! Why, you have diligently made sure that your children have read all of the chapters in the book, and have answered all of the questions at the end of those chapters.  They have completed a good stack of worksheets every day. You have given them every quiz in the test booklet. You had them write book reports for all of the books they have been reading. According to your record book, you are right on schedule—your almighty schedule!!

Still, nothing else is going right. Maybe you are giving them too much school work…but…on the other hand, those books were written by education experts. If they didn’t expect you to teach everything in the book, they would not have put those lessons in there. Right?

If you could only get your children to understand that! They keep complaining that they are bored and already know the material, but lots of repetition is a good thing, after all....isn’t it? If the children weren’t so grouchy and uncooperative, you could finish all of those books!

Maybe...maybe you just were not cut out to homeschool. (sniffle)

The Tyrant Attacks!
Guess what has happened to you?! (Sinister music builds in the background.)

You have been ensnared by.......The Curriculum Tyrant! (Dum da dump dum daaaa!)

Yes. The Curriculum Tyrant! The Curriculum Tyrant sneaks into your home under the guise of  “Good Books.” He begins to whisper to you that these books are the answer to all of your children’s needs. He then quietly, but persistently, begins to insist that you must not waste any of these Good Books, but must do all contained therein.

He virtuously points out, just for good measure, that you spent a fortune on these Good Books too. Certainly, you would not want to waste hard-earned money by not getting the most out of these Good Books. Before long you are feeling guilty and anxious for not having your children spend more and more of their time slaving away in the Good Books. It’s for their own good, after all!

You might be in the grip of The Curriculum Tyrant, but, hark! There is hope! To rescue you from the domain of The Curriculum Tyrant, we must step back to the beginning. First you must take the following pop quiz:

1. Who owns your children?
2. Who has God deputized to raise His children?
3. Does anyone on this earth know your children better than you?

Answers:
1. God does. Of course He does. The magnificent Creator of the universe owns all things, including your precious children. You knew that, remember?
2. You. Yes, God has graciously allowed you, as a parent, to be a steward over the dear blessings He has given you. Imagine the influence God is allowing you to wield—influence with eternal consequences. Wow!
3. No! God has placed you in the unique position of having special knowledge about your children that no one else can ever completely have. No one will ever know them the way you do.

Now, an essay question. What is an “expert”? 

Dictionary definition: “a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field.” So, in the “particular field” of your children, the “expert” is you! Not The Curriculum Tyrant. You! Do the authors of Good Books really know more about your children than you do? Does Scripture exhort authors of Good Books concerning how to raise children, or does it exhort parents? God has given the job of “resident expert” to you, and not to a stack of Good Books.

More Dangers From the Tyrant
Now that we have established who the real experts are, let’s take another look at the ways of The Curriculum Tyrant. The Curriculum Tyrant is unbalanced and relentless. He wants to take over your entire family life. Should your children slog through school work just because it’s in the book? If your daughter readily knows her multiplication tables, why are you wasting time with endless drills? If your son excitedly rushes into give you a blow-by-blow description of the book he is reading, why are you saddling him with a laborious book report? If Mary is bored with a textbook-dictated writing assignment, why not let her write about something she likes? If the chemistry text is covering the same math as the math textbook, does Johnny really need to do the same material again?

Anxiety and chaos are the price you pay for obeying The Curriculum Tyrant. By contrast, God is always balanced, and He is the God of order. Obeying Him brings peace and orderliness as we allow Him to tame The Curriculum Tyrant.

Fighting the Tyrant
So, you have reviewed all of the symptoms and have decided that, indeed, you have been seduced by The Curriculum Tyrant. Now what?

Stop what you are doing. Put the Good Books back on the shelf. Pray for wisdom. James 1:5 says: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (NIV)

Take some time and look at the skills each of your children has been demonstrating. Pay attention to what they are truly able to do, not just what the Good Books have been dictating. After you have taken an in-depth look at your children’s abilities, and have prayed for God’s leading, then you can pull the Good Books back off the shelf.

You are now ready for.....(happy music builds in the background) Curriculum Tools! (Tee de TEEEEEEEE!) That’s right. Curriculum Tools. Curriculum Tools are gifts God has given us to help raise our children properly. Good Books are wonderful Tools to be used, at your discretion, in teaching your children, but they need to be used wisely. Tools are used by the expert to create, build, and fix. The expert masters his tools and is not intimidated by them.

You do not necessarily need to throw out your curriculum and begin something new. I like the statement, “Any curriculum will work if the teacher does.” In other words, if you—and remember, you are the real expert!—take charge of what you have on hand, and regularly assess your children’s schoolwork and attitudes, you might not need to spend more money on new material. After evaluating what you have on the bookshelf, decide where your children should “plug in” to a book or a plan of study. What can they skip—yes, skip!—either because it is twaddle, or because they have already mastered it? What areas need more practice? Your answer will vary from subject to subject. New curriculum might be necessary, but be certain you make an informed decision and not a snap decision based on frustration.

Freedom!!
You have made the transition! You are now using Curriculum Tools to meet the needs of your children, rather than following the demands of the despotic Curriculum Tyrant. Such freedom! Life returns to normal as you fit curriculum into its proper place along with housekeeping, family time, devotions, and other important responsibilities. The frazzled, brain-dead mother disappears, replaced by a calm, smiling mother. The neglected daddy and perpetually cranky children disappear too. Is life perfect? Well, no, but home should now be a more pleasant place and the daily routine should flow more smoothly. Learning can now be interesting instead of the draining drudgery it once was. Hurrah for homeschooling!

Just a word of caution, though. The Curriculum Tyrant is never defeated. He will try to return, and he is very sneaky. But you will know when he returns if you pay attention. Recall the anxiety? The chaos? You will know. Trust me. I’m an expert!

Written by Holly Sheen

Three Great Secrets to Organization

This article is about organization. Do not laugh at me, please. Just because I’m not organized doesn’t mean I don’t know how to be organized, does it?

After all, I have a Mother Who Knows. She has told me how. For me, it’s simply a matter of self-discipline and enforcing what I already know. Ouch.

Painful thought it might be, friends, isn’t this where our problem lies? Most of us know how to be organized — we are aware of calendars, file folders, and alarm clocks. We just can’t seem to make ourselves follow through. And at this point many homeschoolers become discouraged and consider placing their children in an institutional school, conveniently forgetting the disadvantages and simply admiring the structure and order the school provides.

Alas, such homeschoolers do not know the Three Great Secrets of Organization. I do. No, I am not all-wise — I have a Mother Who Knows, remember? And my wise Mother Who Knows has taught me these secrets and they have helped me, yea, even one who is as Haphazardly Dizzy-Headed as I.

Secret Number One
Clean your house first. “Ha!” you say. “If I had time to clean my house, I’d have time to organize it. Don’t be ridiculous.” No, no. I am not talking about scrubbing, mopping, and dusting. I am talking basics — wash the dishes, do some laundry, pick up clutter. These things should be done first, before you go anywhere or do anything else in the morning. Make it part of your daily routine.

In our family, my Mother Who Knows made this simple rule: Immediately after breakfast, everyone spends 1-2 hours doing chores. This means scrubbing and sweeping the kitchen, making beds, tidying all rooms, cleaning bathroom countertops, and folding laundry. Yes, every day. Before school. Before errands.

While we obviously make occasional exceptions in occasionally exceptional circumstances, this is our family practice to this day. And let me tell you, as a Haphazard Dizzy-Head, this is the only thing that has kept me from being swallowed by my own disorganization. It works for me. It can work for you.

Secret Number Two
Share the work. You’re not trying to tidy the whole house yourself, are you? Oh, don’t do that. How excruciating! Recruit your Little Chickies to be Little Helpers. This is Home Ec., after all. It takes skill and knowledge to run a household well and your Little Chickies should learn early and learn well.

By the time my sister and I were about nine, we were each assigned certain rooms to clean every day — our own room, a bathroom, and one extra room each. This meant, among other things, making beds, putting away all clutter, disinfecting bathrooms sinks and counters, and straightening or replacing towels. Tip: our Mother Who Knows inspected our work every day because she not only knows about housecleaning, she knows about lazy and careless young children.

“But in the time it takes me to teach Johnny the chore and check up on him every day, I could do it myself!” you groan. This is probably true. But cheer up! A few extra hours with Johnny for a few weeks will pay off in the long run. Not to mention that Johnny will learn some important life skills — housecleaning, being faithful to instructions, accountability, and being organized.

Secret Number Three
Stay home more. Isn’t it funny how homeschooling families forget the word “home” in “homeschool”? They run hither and thither, participating in co-ops, field trips, music lessons, sports, church activities, etc. These things are fine in moderation. But the home is very important. It is the nerve center of your family, the "home base" for everything you do.

How can you be organized if you never remain home to do so? Stay home, especially in the mornings. Get the housework and schoolwork done and save selected special activities for afternoon. Guard your time. No, do not check your phone right now. It will disrupt and derail you. No, do not get on your computer right now. Save it for down time this afternoon, not during morning chores or school time.

These Three Great Secrets are tried and true. They are truly useful to Haphazard Dizzy-Heads like myself. And believe me, if they can work for me, they can work for you. Give it a try!

Written by Raquelle Sheen