Practice Makes Perfect … Most of the Time

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
September 21, 2023 by Leave a Comment

When it comes to household chores, homeschooling the children, and well, cooking, something has to take a back seat! I’m not perfect nor do I strive for perfection. I do strive for balance.Practice Makes Perfect Most of the Time

By Felice Gerwitz

There are challenges to motherhood. There are challenges to owning a business. When you combine the two, you can have an instant recipe for overwhelm. Or, as I’ll share… lots and lots of practice at getting to “perfect.”

Not to bore you with the details, suffice it to say that life has been a bit hectic in the Gerwitz household.

Today I spent a fun hour with Cindy Rushton and her guests at an online conference, her “Ultimate Homeschool Expo.” Being a minor-celeb in the homeschool world has its ups and downs. I can still go out with my children without being mobbed for my autograph, yet sometimes the two worlds are hard to balance.

After my professional endeavor, it was back to the family.

Christina was visiting today (my substitute teacher!) and she and the kids read about the Ancient American Indians. Being an Anthropology minor, she had lots to add to the book. Of course, she was accompanied by her three little children, three and under. Add that to my own three, and it becomes a houseful!

I have four children who currently live at home…one husband (thank you, Lord), and one father, who is elderly but a fantastic cook. Did I mention that he used to own, first an Italian bakery in NY, and second an Italian Restaurant when we moved to Florida? Needless to say, the smell of garlic can be found simmering anytime after 9:30 in the morning.

Hobbies

Well, every once in a while Dad (Papa) needs to escape to my brother’s home in Winter Haven, for a visit. (Yes, it’s quieter there. Joe and Nikki have two children.) Well, since Papa has been gone the cooking has fallen on my shoulders.

My hobby is baking and I love to cook, but since Papa moved in several years ago he’s taken over my kitchen. Of course, it had to be remodeled when he moved in and we now have three ovens (okay, that was my addition, not his), a larger work surface, and a knife set that would rival any chef’s. So, since he was gone I opted for a simple dinner, grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, chili, and melted cheese over chips. An American kid’s dream dinner, and one that would leave my father grumbling in Italian that in his country not even the pigs would eat that fare.

Out of Practice?

Having been out of practice I ended up overcooking the meat on the grill, forgetting to take out the burger rolls, and then the ground beef for the chili, from the freezer. No problem, I decided we needed a vegetarian version of the chili. Oh, and I melted the cheese for the chips way too early and had to heat it up several more times. Today, the kids still wouldn’t eat any of the leftover chili for lunch!

Perfection or Balance?

It does take some juggling between running a publishing business, writing several blogs, and running a consulting business for aspiring authors. When it comes to household chores, homeschooling the children, and well, cooking, something has to take a back seat! I’m not perfect nor do I strive for perfection. I do strive for balance.

Back to Normal(ish)

Nicholas my 13-year-old loves to cook and the meat would have been grilled to perfection if he had been home, but he wasn’t. Anne (10) and Michael (8) are both decent chefs and were a big help with my cooking endeavors. By the time we ate, we were all starved so no one had much to say about my rusty cooking skills. But, they did ask when Grandpa was coming home. Yes, I got the hint! I called him today and he’ll be back in a day or two. Then, things will be back to normal, (whatever that is), in the Gerwitz household. Practice makes perfect, most of the time.

About the Author

Meet Felice Gerwitz: A Devoted Homeschool Mom, Author, Publisher, and Podcast Host

A heartfelt enthusiast for education and faith, Felice Gerwitz has embarked on an incredible journey as a homeschooling mom, guided by her unyielding devotion to the Lord. Alongside her incredible husband and five wonderful children, Felice’s life is a testament to the beauty of balancing family, faith, and personal aspirations.

In 1986, Felice embarked on her homeschooling adventure, a path colored with both triumphs and challenges. Through the years, she has amassed a wealth of experience and wisdom that she eagerly shares with the world. As the founder of Media Angels, Inc., Felice has embraced her role as an educator and stepped into the shoes of an author and publisher. Her creative ventures have enriched her family’s learning journey and inspired countless others to seek alternative educational paths.

You can continue reading her story in her very personal story, One More Child, from Media Angels, Inc.

Filed Under: Blog, Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Tagged With: ,

How Homeschool-Themed Podcasts Empower and Encourage Homeschool Moms

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
August 7, 2023 by Leave a Comment

How Homeschool-Themed Podcasts Empower and Encourage Homeschool Moms (plus some faves you won't want to miss listening to!)Homeschooling is a beautiful journey filled with ups and downs, challenges, and triumphs. As a homeschool mom, you have taken on the noble responsibility of educating and nurturing your children at home, providing them with a personalized learning experience. However, like any journey, there might be times when you feel overwhelmed or unsure of your choices. During these moments, homeschool-themed podcasts can be a source of inspiration, guidance, and encouragement. In fact, that’s a BIG part of how the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network came to be!

Hey-ya! Don’t miss our Homeschool Do-Over’s Giveaway.

Let’s explore how you can use homeschool-themed podcasts to empower yourself, grow as an educator, and find the support you need to thrive on this incredible homeschooling adventure.

1. Finding Community and Connection:

Homeschool-themed podcasts create a sense of community by connecting you with other like-minded homeschooling parents and experts in the field. Listening to these podcasts allows you to hear real-life stories, struggles, and successes of other homeschool moms. It reminds you that you are not alone in this journey and that there is a vast network of support available to you. Embrace the shared experiences and connect with these virtual communities, which can help you feel understood, supported, and motivated to continue on your path.

2. Gaining Valuable Insights and Advice:

Many homeschool-themed podcasts feature experienced homeschool moms and educators as guests, sharing their knowledge, tips, and tricks. By listening to their advice, you can gain valuable insights into various aspects of homeschooling, such as curriculum choices, time management, creating a conducive learning environment, handling challenges, and nurturing your child’s passions. Learning from others’ experiences can help you refine your own homeschooling methods and strategies, ultimately leading to a more enriching educational experience for your children.

3. Fostering Self-Care and Personal Growth:

As a homeschool mom, it’s essential to prioritize self-care and personal growth. Listening to homeschool-themed podcasts allows you to take some time for yourself, even in the midst of a busy day. By dedicating a few moments to listen to episodes that resonate with you, you can gain fresh perspectives, encouragement, and renewed energy to keep going. These podcasts might inspire you to explore new hobbies, develop your skills, or simply encourage you to take a well-deserved break when needed.

4. Staying Informed about Current Trends and Research:

Education is an ever-evolving field, and homeschool-themed podcasts often highlight the latest trends and research in the homeschooling community. Staying informed about innovative teaching methods, educational resources, and advancements in the homeschooling world can help you stay ahead of the curve and continually improve your approach as an educator. Being up-to-date with relevant information will boost your confidence and allow you to make well-informed decisions about your homeschooling journey.

5. Celebrating Milestones and Progress:

In the fast-paced world of homeschooling, it’s easy to overlook the little victories and milestones achieved by you and your children. Homeschool-themed podcasts often share heartwarming stories of families celebrating their successes, both big and small. By listening to these stories, you can gain a sense of pride and fulfillment in your own accomplishments. Celebrate each milestone you and your children reach and acknowledge the hard work and dedication you put into their education.

A Rewarding Experience

Homeschooling is a rewarding and challenging experience, and as a homeschool mom, you have embarked on an incredible journey of lifelong learning with your children. Homeschool-themed podcasts can serve as a powerful tool to inspire, guide, and encourage you throughout this adventure. By finding community, gaining valuable insights, fostering self-care, staying informed, and celebrating milestones, you can nurture your passion for homeschooling and create an enriching environment for your children’s education. Embrace the power of podcasts, and let them empower you as you continue to embrace the joys of homeschooling!

Podcasts to Get You Started

Vintage Homeschool Moms:

 Making Biblical Family Life Practical

Military Homeschool Podcast

LifeSkill101

Homeschool Sanity Show

 

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We Don’t Mom-Shame at Homeschool Highschool Podcast- Special Replay

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
January 17, 2023 by Leave a Comment

This week on HSHSP: We Don’t Mom-Shame at Homeschool Highschool Podcast- Special Replay. This is a replay of a classic episode.

We Don't Mom-Shame at Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Special Replay

We Don’t Mom-Shame at Homeschool Highschool Podcast

Join Vicki and Sabrina, together in the same room for this week’s episode! It’s been a while since they have found the time to get together, what with Sabrina traveling so much. Hey, if you need an inspiring speaker with a gripping story, contact her.

In this episode of Homeschool Highschool Podcast, we are talking about *mom-shaming*. In short: we don’t mom-shame!

Mom-shaming is easy to fall into: When life isn’t working out how we want it to, it is easy to project our frustrations onto other (whether we know we are doing it or not). Then we begin to judge. Next we begin to correct others (whether they asked for it or not). Then we begin to fix others (whether they asked for it or not). That’s mom-shaming.

Mom-shaming is especially easy when we are on social media, because the barriers to slow us down are so low. That’s sad because when we mom-shame, we create a culture of fear.

We don’t mom-shame at 7Sisters or here on HSHSP.

Motherhood is all about guilt, so it is easy to feel guilty without our friends’s help.

We don’t mom-shame! With age we 7Sisters have learned a thing or two about grace and patience over the years (whether we asked God to teach us that or not). All our homeschoolers have graduated and we found that they all have different:

  • Personalities
  • Needs
  • Abilities
  • Interests

We could tailor their academics and extracurriculars into a box that some friend, some speaker or some publisher says we should use.

But tailoring our many kinds of kids into another person’s box is a destructive strategy.

Instead, we recommend that you look at each child. Ask yourself:

  • What can you invest in them?
  • What tools can you give them individually?

Then boldly begin to invest in your homeschoolers the best that you can, knowing that you will be good enough by God’s grace…but that you will need His grace.

boldly begin to invest in your homeschoolers the best that you can, knowing that you will be good enough by God's grace...but that you will need His grace.

In the early days of homeschooling, there were a few big voices (opinionated thought leaders who sometimes said that homeschooling needed to happen THEIR way). Now that we have the internet, there are not just a few big voices. Rather, there are many voices and a some of them will say THIS is the way to homeschool. They sometimes imply the ominous: If you don’t homeschool OUR way, you are dooming your kids!

The real truth is: Our kids and our families are on a journey of growth and discovery. Each journey is different. We need to be sensitive to the needs of each of our homeschoolers. That’s why we don’t mom-shame.

Remember: We invest in our kids the best we can but God is in charge of the outcomes. (Thanks to our friends, The Fletchers at Homeschooling in Real Life, for that quote.)

So, want our advice?

  • Motherhood is all about guilt.

    • We will never do good enough in our own eyes. We can do the best we can.
    • The needs are infinite and we are finite, so we must daily go to HIM on how to handle things.
    • Sometimes this looks like a programmatic curriculum or philosophy, sometimes it doesn’t.

  • While each of us are individuals, we are also in need of community.

    • We can be good sisters in community.
    • When we feel the need to fix someone, pray first, ask a question…privately.
    • A kind question, not a leading question, not a point-out-your-problems question
    • If done in public, questioning is unkind and invites little but defensiveness.
    • Ask yourself: What is my intent?
    • Are you guided by humilty (beware of pride or fear on your part)?
    • Look to be a sister, a support, do not fix your sister.

  • Model this for your kids.

    • With curriculum: You kid-shame if you have feel you “have to do it this way, kids, suck it up and just do it.”
    • That could lead to shaping character that is harsh and rigid and teaching them to feel helpless and frustrated.
    • If they are writing a paper with seven tabs open that do not have anything to do with. If they are clearly doing something wrong, it is a parent’s job to point that out.
    • If they are struggling or bored, try something like this: “I see you are not liking Chemistry. What is not working for you?”
    • Ask questions that show you care, you are curious about what is working and what is not.

This is why 7SistersHomeschool.com’s curriculum exists. It is adaptable, no-busywork to fit many homeschoolers’ needs. However, we know that it will not fit everyone because there’s not ONE right way to do homeschooling! (So, we have a money-back guarantee.) To help adapt curriculum to needs: In each text or literature/writing guide, there are instructions on how to adapt to various goals and abilities. Also check out the syllabus available for many of the texts.

We want you to feel more confident as you grow in God’s work in you and your homeschoolers.

Check us out at 7SistersHomeschool.com

Join Vicki and Sabrina for encouragement and support and NO mom-shaming!

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We don’t mom-shame at Homeschool Highschool Podcast

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Strength in Adversity for Homeschool Families, Interview with Meredith Curtis

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
November 2, 2021 by Leave a Comment

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Strength in Adversity for Homeschool Families, Interview with Meredith Curtis.

Strength in Adversity for Homeschool Families, Interview with Meredith Curtis

Strength in Adversity for Homeschool Families, Interview with Meredith Curtis

Sometimes life is tough and you need a little encouragement. These last couple of years have been tough for everyone. That’s why Vicki was chatting with our friend and colleague at the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network, Meredith Curtis. She is also a curriculum writer (her website is PowerlineProd.com)

Meredith is the host of the Finish Well Podcast. And she has finished raising a bunch of homeschool high schoolers well! She is the mother of five children: four daughters and a son.

Vicki and Meredith started homeschooling back in the old days when homeschool moms all seemed to wear denim jumpers and drove huge vans. Both ladies kind of broke the mold because they never got around to doing either. However, both us us loved the time with our kids all the way through high school. For instance, we loved to help them develop their interests, skills, faith and character qualities.

Meredith was busy homeschooling her family from 1991-2016, when she graduated her youngest. She was sad to finish up homeschooling. However, she found a renewed need for her experience in her local homeschool co-ops and helping out her oldest daughter who was married and had young children. Therefore, she became a supporter and mentor to those around her.

Through her experiences homeschooling her own teens, Meredith developed curriculum that filled some holes in the material available to homeschoolers. She continues to share her materials and wisdom on her website and podcast.

Both Vicki and Meredith have noticed that our kids were friends through their teen years and (what a blessing!) have remained friends as adults. We have noticed that they will go to each other for comfort or advice in tough times. They find in each other some strength in times of adversity.

How to find strength in adversity for homeschool families

Speaking of adversity…adversity has always been an irritation to Vicki that it happens. She freely admits that, as a young mom, she hoped that by homeschooling her kids in as safe and nurturing environment, they would be shielded from hardships. She quickly found out that, despite her best efforts, she was not in charge of the universe and that tough times happen to everyone.

So how did we find strength in times of adversity? Let’s give some examples:

Some of the best ways to show how to survive adversity is to share specific stories from life. Vicki and Meredith hope you find some strength and encouragement for your tough times.

Church planting

Meredith and her husband are church planters. When they came to Florida to plant churches there, they experienced many times where the finances were low…of course, because building a tithing congregation takes time! There were many times that they prayed together as a family, “Lord, we don’t know how to pay these bills and care  hospitably for these church members.”

She remembers feeling angry or fearful during some of these prayers. That is real. We can be authentic with God. In the end, she found that each month, something happened to get them through.

Friends for our homeschool high schoolers

Vicki’s homeschool high schoolers were always active in homeschool co-ops, group classes, church youth group, choirs and other extracurriculars. Because they had so many experiences with their peers, they developed friendships. Unfortunately, occasionally those friendships would shift, leaving one or the other of her teens feeling sad and lonely.

Vicki found that when she prayed for God to show them new friends, He always answered. Soon, the teens would find that God was bringing a new friend across their paths.

Educational needs

One of Vicki’s kids had several learning disabilities. She prayed for God’s wisdom in training him to overcome the areas of weakness and also to accentuate his areas of giftedness. Not only that, she prayed that God work in her son’s heart to help him notice these gifts and interests in order to build his confidence. In the end, God worked in his life and is now a successful middle school teacher, where he can use his special creative gifts.

Teenage mood swings

There’s nothing like puberty! Meredith found that her daughters, who had been so chill during their younger days, became quite emotional during their teen years. She worked on her own self-awareness and prayer so that she could:

  • Understand what her daughters were going through
  • Support her during all these changes
  • Let go of the fallacy that since she is homeschooling her kids, she could protect them from the tough parts of growth and life

Strength for handling more painful adversities

Sometimes adversities are much more painful and long-lasting. How do we find strength for these adversities?

Chronic illness and severe disabilities

Vicki shares some of the story of her grandson who was born with severe disabilities. Throughout his mother’s pregnancy and all through his young life, the whole family has been praying for this little guy. The way that God has answered these prayers has been giving:

  • each family member the fortitude to pray for him
  • his parents the fortitude to care for him
  • open door for resources for him

When Vicki tells God how he should be running this problem (which God allows her to do), she is reminded that God handles things His way and His way is best…even when we do not like or understand it. Strength and faith grow as she holds onto this.

Caregiving for elderly parents and grandparents

Meredith shares about the time of adversity when her parents, in their seventies, became very ill while they were caring for her one-hundred year-old grandmother. She was needed for daily help for all of them, so found she would need to juggle taking some of her kids to help with the elders and leave some at home to babysit the youngsters. Then her mother died, leaving her father and grandmother. Meredith was heartbroken.

What Meredith needed in that time was the strength simply to function. She found it in prayer and with lots of support from her church community and her own family. On the other hand, she had to find a way to grieve while still caring for the family so she would pull away to work on projects. But finally she learned to explain what she needed to her kids and the family worked together to find a healthy way to adjust their homeschooling and lifestyle.

God showed Meredith that she does not always need to be strong. She can look for his grace in her weakness and find that he can sustain her well.

Allow yourself to feel your feelings and tell God how you feel.-Meredith Curtis

Suggestion for homeschooling parents going through times of adversity

This is a broken world with many adversities. That’s just reality. However, we can get through these challenging times. Here are some of Meredith’s suggestions:

Allow yourself to feel your feelings

Sadness or disappointment need to be acknowledged. Sometimes we need to tell God exactly how we are feeling. Sometimes we need a good friend to talk to (or even a counselor). Eventually we will find strength to keep going…and even move on.

Remember that no matter what things look like, God loves us

Just because you are going through adversity does not mean that God is loving you less. You can hang onto this fact even when in times of adversity when you do not understand what is going on. If you sometimes cannot do this, do not hesitate to talk to a friend, pastor or counselor.

Sometimes it helps to find a Scripture to pray and meditate on

Pray for a Scripture to help keep in mind. In difficult moments, a well-meditated Scripture can give you strength.

You will get so much unsolicited advice, ignore what is not helpful

Remember: no one is perfect, so if you are hearing guilt-inducing advice, turn it over to God and get it out of your mind. It is not your responsibility to explain to or appease folks who give unasked-for advice.

Remember: God is with us

God is with you. He is with you. God is with you. Hang onto that and look for His purposes and work in your life.

Join Meredith and Vicki for encouragement and comfort in this interview. You can reach Meredith at:

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HSHSP VIA COMPUTER

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OR PLEASE SUBSCRIBE VIA iPHONE

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Strength in Adversity for Homeschool Families, Interview with Meredith Curtis

 

 

 

 

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If I Could Talk to My Younger Self, Advice from Sabrina Justison

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
August 23, 2021 by Leave a Comment

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: If I Could Talk to My Younger Self, Advice from Sabrina Justison.

If I Could Talk to My Younger Self, Advice from Sabrina Justison

If I Could Talk to My Younger Self, Advice from Sabrina Justison

This week, Sabrina is here to give some encouragement and advice. As you know, our 7Sister Sabrina is a fount of wisdom and homeschooling experience. Her youngest has already graduated from his homeschooling phase of life. Sabrina has learned a lot as she homeschooled four kids all the way through high school.

So, ready for some encouragement? First, we appreciate that you are probably in the thick of homeschooling high school. We appreciate you! You’re our 7th Sisters!

Sabrina has always wanted to homeschool her kids, starting in Pre-K. She took things year by year, but each year decided to homeschool another year (her kids agreed with her). One of the things that made homeschooling work for Sabrina and her kids was sharing her adventures with others- like her sister (7Sister Allison), her parents, and the co-op moms who became the rest of the 7Sisters!

Advice to Sabrina’s younger self

  1. Oh my friend, there’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school. You will not find the perfect curriculum, philosophy or system that is going to work all the time for all your kids.
  2. If you try something that is not working for a particular kid, get rid of it and try something else!
  3. College is not for everyone. (Your kid heading to college is not the reward homeschool moms get for doing their job well. College is for some homeschool high schoolers, but not all. So do not get all guilty if your teen is not college bound.) Check out Sabrina and Vicki’s discussion on having “just average” teens.
  4. Don’t be afraid to look back at your high school experiences- the good and bad experiences. However, don’t try to draw exact parallels between your experience and your teens’ homeschooling experience. I mean, the world is SO different (internet, culture, etc etc) for our teens. Homeschooling is different than traditional school, also. It’s okay to have some similarities and lots of differences.
  5. Your kid is not you. Just saying.
  6. Learning to learn is vastly more important than learning the things that other people know. Try to help them find ways to think (critical thinking, philosophy, discussion skills) so they can continue to learn through their entire lives. Concentrate on learning how to ask questions and look for information in good places.
  7. There will be holes in their education. There is NO way to cover everything in the universe that it would be great for them to learn before they graduate. They can keep on learning after they graduate.
  8. Resist the urge to compare you and your homeschooling families to what other homeschooling moms and families appear to be. (Nobody’s lives are Pinterest perfect! Beware of comparing your real life to someone else’s social media pix.)
  9. While you’re at it, check your own social media health.
  10. Value communication over punctuation. At 7SistersHomeschool.com’s estore, you will find lots of study guides by Sabrina (literature, writing, speech, drama). She knows by experience and learning by living: what you are saying is more important than the grammar with which you are says. Grammar is for the second and third drafts (use Grammar Granules and/or Grammarly.com to help). BUT remember, the ideas are the most important, ideas are the heart of our communication.
  11. Be trustworthy and be honest when you fail. Your teens are watching you. If you can give them one thing and one thing only: a character of modeled trustworthiness, honesty and ownership of mistakes.
  12. If your teens disagree with you, that does not automatically mean disrespect. Adolescents are at a developmental phase (see 7Sisters Human Development text) where they start difficult conversations and they question and push to see what is solid in their lives. Watch their tone and attitude for the difference between their painful questions or trying to be disrespectful.
  13. Creativity saves lives. Do not underestimate the power of the Fine Arts and the power of noticing the creativity of God in nature. These are not extras but tools for survival. The ability to create something in the midst of chaos can save lives in a down or chaotic time.
  14. Homeschool high school is not an extension of elementary and middle school. It is different and you will run into things you don’t know how to teach. SO stay in community and switch up teaching different courses with a friend or co-op. Teens are different from their younger siblings, too (you now that), so remember this as you figure out what education should now look like.
  15. Find freedom in this phrase: There are actually worse things that could happen than the particular crisis that you are killing yourself to avoid in your teen. There’s not a formula. There’s no guarantee that your good work will end in the outcome you wish for. God is in charge of the outcomes- keep handing your homeschool and your teens to him. So if you take the energy you are putting into the trying to make your teen avoid the “scary outcome” and pour your energy into your relationship with God and your trust in his care for your teens, you will modeling how to need God for grace, redemption and support.

You can get more advice from all your 7th Sisters in 7SistersHomeschool Facebook group and in this Homeschool Highschool Podcast chat with Sabrina, Vicki and Kym with advice for new homeschool moms.

Join Sabrina for SO much encouragement in this week’s Homeschool Highschool Podcast episode.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HSHSP VIA COMPUTER

  1. Follow this link to our Apple Podcasts page.
  2. OR take this IMPORTANT STEP: Under our Homeschool Highschool Podcast logo, click on View in “…your favorite podcast source”
  3. This will take you to Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast source and our own podcast page.
  4. Click SUBSCRIBE.
  5. Click RATINGS AND REVIEW. (Please take a minute and do this. It helps others find us. Thanks!)
  6. Thanks!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE VIA iPHONE

  1. Tap the purple Podcast icon on your phone
  2. Tap the search icon on the bottom-right of your screen
  3. In the search bar type: Homeschool Highschool Podcast
  4. Tap the Homeschool Highschool Podcast icon
  5. Tap *Subscribe*
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Homeschool Mom: Take a Break, Interview with Latonya Moore

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
June 22, 2021 by Leave a Comment

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Homeschool Mom: Take a Break, Interview with Latonya Moore.

Homeschool Mom: Take a Break, Interview with Latonya Moore

Our friend, Latonya Moore from Joy in the Ordinary, joins us once more for a chat full of encouragement. Latonya is a familiar friend on Homeschool Highschool Podcast with episodes on getting middle schoolers ready for high school and being an African American homeschooling family.

Latonya is one of the most encouraging and gracious people we know. Although she is not a chatty person, when she says something it is definitely worth hearing. That’s why Vicki wanted to talk to her about an important topic from one of Latonya’s latest Joy in the Ordinary Podcast episodes: Taking a Break.

Since we last talked to Latonya, she and her daughter were in a serious car accident. It has been a long and difficult recovery for them. Through this, Latonya has learned so much on surviving difficult times. As Latonya says, all these ups and downs “make us who we are”. (Vicki points out what a healthy attitude that is: Trials and good times make us who we are rather than we are victims in trials.)

In Vicki’s work as a counselor, she has found that traumas, such as car accidents, affect spirit, soul and body in a person. When she asked Latonya what was bringing her through her in all those areas of recovery, Latonya shared:

  • Her daily prayer: Latonya has adapted Joshua 1:9 as a prayer for herself and for her family:
    • God has commanded us: We are strong and courageous. We are not afraid; we are not discouraged, for the Lord our God is with us wherever we go.
  • Staying in touch with her own story.
    • Because Latonya’s life has not always followed a “traditional” path, she has learned to watch God work in her and open doors for her. She reminds herself that she can relax and be encouraged that things will work out okay through God. God knows her situation and he is working.
  • Stay flexible.
    • Latonya found that rigidity would not help her succeed. She educates homeschoolers in the way that works at each phases of life (good times and hard times).
    • Vicki notes that this is a marvelous example of growth mindset. (Here’s a post with resources to develop a growth mindset.)
  • Be open to new things.
    • Latonya found that during her recovery, online courses have been enormously helpful in keeping her daughters on task academically. The digital world of classes:
    • “Crates” that come in the mail also helped keep the fun in schooling. Her daughters love these crates (even though they are aimed for younger folks, they still have fun with them):
  • Stay open to God’s open doors.
    • For instance: As Latonya was using Outschool for courses with her daughters, one thing led to another, Latonya started teaching on Outschool. She sent a video of her online class to the Outschool team and they hired her as a consultant for them and the other teaching teams. Now she is an administrator on staff. In return for her service to the organization, Latonya has been blessed: she shares about the way the Outschool staff have, in turn, supported her through her trials and good times.
  • Stay open to the ways God wants to use her at the moment.
    • She has adjusted her rhythms  for her podcast, blog and Facebook group.
  • Hold onto faith and family.
    • Latonya as found strength in her gratitude for her faith and her family. She has also found comfort and explaining her needs to God and her family. Through the trial of the recovery process, Latonya and family have drawn closer than ever.

One of Vicki’s favorite podcast episodes from Joy in the Ordinary is Take a Break. She asked Latonya to explain what taking a break means to her:

When we take a break, we give our minds and bodies a chance to rest and apply.

  • Taking a break allows us to listen to others and think creatively.
  • It allows you to take a nap or just do something light, if you need to do so, check your calendar (self-care is SO important). It allows time to ask, “What do I need to let go of?”
  • Beware of “I can’t because…” (especially if fear of what other folks think is keep ing you from taking a break).
  • Take stock of the privileges you have and take advantage of them.
  • Don’t talk yourself out of taking a break when you need it.

After we take a break, we have more energy to be present and available in the rest of life! Great lessons learned from great trial in her life; and good inspiration for us all.

Connect with Latonya Moore at:

Join Vicki and Latonya for advice to take a break!

Also check out more encouragement for homeschool moms with this interview with Misty Bailey.

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Hope for the Mom of a Wayward Child

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
May 3, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Finish Well Homeschool Podcast, Podcast #135, Hope for the Mom of a Wayward Child, with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

Hope for the Mom of a Wayward Child

In “Hope for the Mom of a Wayward Child,” Episode, #135, Meredith Curtis brings encouragement for moms who are desperately praying for their child to come back to Christ. She shares stories from church history and Scripture of mothers who have been in that situation and how they played a role in their child’s return to God. Pointing us to the One who loves our children more than we do, Meredith shows how God’s grace leaves the 99 to seek and save those who wander away, as well as the role that strategic prayer plays.

 

 

 

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Bringing Homeschool Joy to Families Everywhere!

Show Notes

The shocking conversation after my talk at a homeschool support group meeting.

A Mother’s Heart & Plans

Train a child in the way they should go….These words have I hidden in my heart….the fear and instruction of the Lord….Good News!

Organic baby food…family devotions….ministry at church….prayer & fasting….loving God together….Bible stories….Sunday school

Hijacked!

Questions or Sin or Heartache or Rebellion or Addition or Depression leading to turning their back on Jesus and His Word.

A generation gone astray.

Is faith gone? Will they get out of the pit they have fallen into? Will they stop believing lies?

Monica

Algeria 300s. Unfaithful husband with violent temper.

Her daughter was a devoted Christian, but Augustine. Wayward, drunken, false religion (Persian & later Plato philosophy), sexual immorality, living with a woman for 15 years.

“The child of these tears shall never perish.”

Ambrose in Milan

17 years of prayer & fasting while wholeheartedly serving God

Jochobed

Tribe of Levi. “Glory of God”

3 Children: Moses leader of Israel, Aaron first high priest, Mariam worship leader/songwriter

Multiply. Slavery. Midwives. Throw baby boys into the Nile.

Exodus 2:2-4: “And the woman conceived and gave birth to a son; and when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket and covered it with tar and pitch. Then she put the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. And his sister stood at a distance to find out what would happen to him.”

Hebrews 11:23 “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”

Wisdom. Courage. Trust.

Instead of throwing him into the Nile to his death, she placed him in the Nile within a protective basket.

Think of all the ways her plan can go wrong.

Jochebed is paid by the princess to nurse her baby. When he is weaned, she brings him to the princess.

Murderer. Fugitive. Pharoah wants to kill him. Escapes to Midian.

80 years/probably after her death

Annie

6 children. Slowly over decades 4 come to Christ.

Unwavering faith/prayer while wholeheartedly serving God until death.

Prayer & Fasting in Faith

Always pray and never give up! Stand in faith that the God who called you to the task of raising children for Him will pour out grace and mercy to rescue your child even if you do not live to see Him do it.

Fasting.

How to pray.

Continue to serve Jesus wholeheartedly.

Luke 18:1

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Resources

Jesus Fill My Heart and Home by Meredith Curtis Lovely to Behold A Wise Woman Builds by Meredith Curtis God's Girls 104: Motherhood by Meredith Curtis

 

How-to-Homeschool Books if you want to learn more about homeschooling or plan to homeschool 😊

Joyful and Successful Homeschooling by Meredith Curtis Unlocking the Mystery of Homeschooling High School by Meredith Curtis and Laura Nolette Quick & EZ Unit Study Fun by Meredith Curtis Seven R's of Homeschooling by Meredith Curtis

 

These are just a few of our many resources that work well for all ages together!

Newspaper Reporting by Meredith Curtis Travel God's World Geography by Meredith Curtis Travel God's World Cookbook by Meredith Curtis HIS Story of the 20th Century by Meredith Curtis

More Podcasts You Might Find Helpful

Don't Be a Nimrod Podcast #049 The Legend of Atlantis and Bull Leaping

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The Power of Homeschool Parents, Interview with Anita Gibson

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
January 12, 2021 by Leave a Comment

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: The Power of Homeschool Parents, Interview with Anita Gibson.

The Power of a Homeschool Parent, Interview with Anita Gibson

The Power of Homeschool Parents, Interview with Anita Gibson

Vicki is joined this week by one of our favorite friends, Anita Gibson. Anita is the author of Star Finder, face behind the encouraging Facebook group Simply Homeschool. She is now an advisor for Homeschool Legal Defense Association.

Anita’s got a lot going on these days. Her youngest just got married and she is busy in the new year as a homeschool advisor. Anita is so busy but she believes that when “you’re called to something, it doesn’t feel heavy.” Being able experience people being helped and blessed is a powerful reward. That’s what Titus 2 women like Anita are doing in this phase of life.

Speaking of being powerful, Anita and Vicki wanted to talk today about the ways homeschooling parents can find their personal power and their resource power!

Anita Gibson

Anita Gibson. Photo used with permission.

Anita wants homeschooling parents to know, that if God has called them to homeschool, He has plans to give them the strength and wisdom to homeschool. Homeschooling can be so intimidating when we start out. As Anita says, “Sometimes you just have to do it scared!”

Here are Anita’s tips for finding your power as a homeschool parent:

Anita has some words of wisdom for us.

Find a place and time to reflect and rest

This may sound impossible, but even homeschooling parents who are ALWAYS with their kids can find a one or two minutes per day to close the door (even the bathroom door), maybe lock it, and reflect on what God has given you and He is walking right there with you.

Remember when God, back in the burning bush, called Moses to serve Him, Moses’ first thoughts were: I can’t do this! But God gave him strength, wisdom, and people to help.

God actually is here to give you resources, inner strength and wisdom to homeschool!

Increase your knowledge about homeschooling

  • No matter where we are in the process, there is always something new to learn about homeschooling (well, isn’t this ALL of life? ALWAYS learning?)
  • If you are a newbie homeschooler:
    • What are your state laws?
    • Who can you connect with? (Look for kindred spirits. You don’t need to join every group, look for groups and people that feel comfortable to you.
    • Learn from folks in these groups how to do it. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
  • What are the available support systems, digitally (like Anita’s Facebook group and 7Sisters Facebook group)?
  • Find podcasts (like some of our favorite Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network podcasts about homeschooling high school). Check out these:

Minimize the rest of your life

There are probably some things you will need to set aside for this phase of life. This is because even homeschool moms need to be able to focus on homeschool…and a little margin.

  • Planning
  • Quality time for presence with your homeschoolers
    • Setting aside phones, work and laundry to be totally focused on your homeschooler so that you know well their:
  • Personalities
  • Strengths
  • Struggles
  • Interests
  • (If you haven’t checked out Anita’s book StarFinder, do)
  • Your kids don’t need 24 hours focused attention, but you need enough time to know them.

The more you are in God's presence, the more his life flows through you. -Anita Gibson

Concentrate on relationship during the homeschool high school years

As our friend, Melanie Wilson, says: Relationship before rules. Your relationship with your teens is what will be most enduring. Concentrate on making it a good relationship.

Get organized

If you don’t feel organized, you will feel out of control and chaotic. You don’t need to be an organization expert, just enough organization to keep your peace (and your teens’ peace).

  • Do your planning (check out 7Sisters Authoritative Guide to Planning Homeschool High School)
  • Create syllabi for your homeschool high schoolers’ courses
  • Agree on schedules that work for your teens (get their buy in)
  • Agree on environment
    • Do you need to have a “do school in your clothes, not pjs” system
    • Do you need to have a space to homeschool
  • Do you need a chore chart?
    • Anita has found a study that teens’ brains works more slowly in a cluttered environment because it is spending some time processing all the stuff as they try to focus on their studies.

Life is so much better when there is the right about of structure for your homeschool!

Grow in your faith in God

Anita found the most help in finding her power as a homeschooling mom as she did Bible studies that helped her understand God and herself.

Deepening your relationship with God and yourself helps homeschooling parents:

  • Confront and heal their fears
  • Confront and heal their tempers
  • Create a loving, healthy and calm environment for family and learning

The more you and your teens are in the presence of God, the more we become like Him.

Join Vicki and Anita for a powerful discussion on the power of homeschool parents (and find Anita at AnitaGibson.com), and check out our other interviews with Anita: Getting to Know and Understand Your Teens and Helping Teens Believe in Themselves.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HSHSP VIA COMPUTER

  1. Follow this link to our Apple Podcasts page.
  2. OR take this IMPORTANT STEP: Under our Homeschool Highschool Podcast logo, click on View in “…your favorite podcast source”
  3. This will take you to Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast source and our own podcast page.
  4. Click SUBSCRIBE.
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OR PLEASE SUBSCRIBE VIA iPHONE

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  4. Tap the Homeschool Highschool Podcast icon
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The Power of Homeschool Parents, Interview with Anita Gibson

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We Don’t Mom-Shame at Homeschool Highschool Podcast

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
January 20, 2020 by Leave a Comment

This week on HSHSP: We Don’t Mom-Shame at Homeschool Highschool Podcast.

We Don’t Mom-Shame at Homeschool Highschool Podcast

Join Vicki and Sabrina, together in the same room for this week’s episode! It’s been a while since they have found the time to get together, what with Sabrina traveling so much. Hey, if you need an inspiring speaker with a gripping story, contact her.

In this episode of Homeschool Highschool Podcast, we are talking about *mom-shaming*. In short: we don’t mom-shame!

Mom-shaming is easy to fall into: When life isn’t working out how we want it to, it is easy to project our frustrations onto other (whether we know we are doing it or not). Then we begin to judge. Then we begin to correct others (whether they asked for it or not). Then we begin to fix others (whether they asked for it or not). That’s mom-shaming.

Mom-shaming is especially easy when we are on social media, because the barriers to slow us down are so low. That’s sad because when we mom-shame, we create a culture of fear.

We don’t mom-shame at 7Sisters or here on HSHSP.

Motherhood is all about guilt, so it is easy to feel guilty without our friends’s help.

We don’t mom-shame! With age we 7Sisters have learned a thing or two about grace and patience over the years (whether we asked God to teach us that or not). All our homeschoolers have graduated and we found that they all have different:

  • Personalities
  • Needs
  • Abilities
  • Interests

We could tailor their academics and extracurriculars into a box that some friend, some speaker or some publisher says we should use.

But tailoring our many kinds of kids into another person’s box is a destructive strategy.

Instead, we recommend that you look at each child. Ask yourself:

  • What can you invest in them?
  • What tools can you give them individually?

Then boldly begin to invest in your homeschoolers the best that you can, knowing that you will be good enough by God’s grace…but that you will need His grace.

boldly begin to invest in your homeschoolers the best that you can, knowing that you will be good enough by God's grace...but that you will need His grace.

In the early days of homeschooling, there were a few big voices (opinionated thought leaders who sometimes said that homeschooling needed to happen THEIR way). Now that we have the internet, there are not just a few big voices. Rather, there are many voices and a some of them will say THIS is the way to homeschool. They sometimes imply the ominous: If you don’t homeschool OUR way, you are dooming your kids!

The real truth is: Our kids and our families are on a journey of growth and discovery. Each journey is different. We need to be sensitive to the needs of each of our homeschoolers. That’s why we don’t mom-shame.

Remember: We invest in our kids the best we can but God is in charge of the outcomes. (Thanks to our friends, The Fletchers at Homeschooling in Real Life, for that quote.)

So, want our advice?

  • Motherhood is all about guilt.
    • We will never do good enough in our own eyes. We can do the best we can.
    • The needs are infinite and we are finite, so we must daily go to HIM on how to handle things.
    • Sometimes this looks like a programmatic curriculum or philosophy, sometimes it doesn’t.
  • While each of us are individuals, we are also in need of community.
    • We can be good sisters in community.
    • When we feel the need to fix someone, pray first, ask a question…privately.
    • A kind question, not a leading question, not a point-out-your-problems question
    • If done in public, questioning is unkind and invites little but defensiveness.
    • Ask yourself: What is my intent?
    • Are you guided by humilty (beware of pride or fear on your part)?
    • Look to be a sister, a support, do not fix your sister.
  • Model this for your kids.
    • With curriculum: You kid-shame if you have feel you “have to do it this way, kids, suck it up and just do it.”
    • That could lead to shaping character that is harsh and rigid and teaching them to feel helpless and frustrated.
    • If they are writing a paper with seven tabs open that do not have anything to do with. If they are clearly doing something wrong, it is a parent’s job to point that out.
    • If they are struggling or bored, try something like this: “I see you are not liking Chemistry. What is not working for you?”
    • Ask questions that show you care, you are curious about what is working and what is not.

This is why 7SistersHomeschool.com’s curriculum exists. It is adaptable, no-busywork to fit many homeschoolers’ needs. However, we know that it will not fit everyone because there’s not ONE right way to do homeschooling! (So, we have a money-back guarantee.) To help adapt curriculum to needs: In each text or literature/writing guide, there are instructions on how to adapt to various goals and abilities. Also check out the syllabus available for many of the texts.

We want you to feel more confident as you grow in God’s work in you and your homeschoolers.

Check us out at 7SistersHomeschool.com

Join Vicki and Sabrina for encouragement and support and NO mom-shaming!

We don’t mom-shame at Homeschool Highschool Podcast

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You Can Do It

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
May 10, 2018 by Leave a Comment

You Can Do It

You Can Do It!

Podcast #49

Do you ever get discouraged? Wonder if you can homeschool? Feeling bogged down? Not sure what you are doing? Listen in to this weeks podcast, for some encouragement and tips.

Please join us as we travel along this journey on our podcast adventure. Let’s get connected! Learn more about the Florida Parent Educator’s Association and homeschooling in the beautiful state of Florida.
Please visit www.fpea.com to learn more about who we are!

Join us this May for our annual homeschool convention!

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