Homeschool Burnout: How to Get Your Groove Back

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
November 10, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Overcoming Homeschool Burnout on the LifeSkills101 Podcast with Lisa NehringHey there, learners! Today, we’re talking about something important: homeschool burnout. Ever felt super tired, both in your body and mind? That’s what we call burnout. It can happen to both parents and students. But wait, how is it different from regular stress? Well, stress is like having a lot on your plate, but burnout is when that plate overflows. It’s not fun for anyone! So, let’s figure out the signs and consequences of homeschool burnout together. Ready to dive in and learn how to make homeschooling feel balanced and awesome again? Let’s do it!

Watch this LifeSkills 101 Podcast on YouTube Homeschool Burnout

Navigating the Complex Terrain of Homeschool Burnout

Welcome to the Life Skills 101 Podcast, proudly presented by Blue Collar Homeschoolers and the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network. Whether you’re an experienced homeschooling family or just starting your homeschooling journey, this podcast is your go-to resource for equipping your family with the skills and knowledge needed for a successful future.

Show Notes for LifeSkills 101 Podcast Episode with Lisa Nehring

In today’s episode, we delve into a topic that resonates with many homeschooling parents and students: navigating homeschool burnout. Homeschooling is a rewarding journey, but the demands it places on both parents and students can lead to a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. It’s crucial to recognize the signs of burnout and understand the difference between stress and burnout. Join us as we uncover the root causes of homeschool burnout and share practical strategies to restore balance in your homeschooling journey. Whether you’re a seasoned homeschooler or just starting out, this episode is packed with insights to help you overcome burnout and create a fulfilling and sustainable homeschooling experience.

  •  Brief overview of homeschool burnout
  • Importance of recognizing and addressing burnout
  •  Purpose of the episode: providing guidance to navigate and overcome homeschool burnout

Understanding Homeschool Burnout

Alright, curious minds, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of understanding burnout. Imagine your energy tank running on empty – that’s burnout! It’s not just feeling tired; it’s feeling super, duper tired in your body, your heart, and your brain. Now, here’s the cool part: we need to figure out how burnout is different from regular stress. Stress is like having a bunch of homework to do, but burnout is when it feels like you’ve got way too much homework, and your brain is saying, ‘Nope, I need a break!’ So, buckle up for this learning adventure as we explore what burnout really means and how it can sneak up on us. Ready to be a burnout detective with us?

  • Definition of burnout
  • Differentiating between stress and burnout
  • Impact of burnout on parents and students
  • Recognizing signs and consequences of homeschool burnout

Addressing the Root Causes

Ever wondered why you feel so tired or stressed? It’s time to ask some important questions to uncover the real reasons behind it. Imagine you’re solving a mystery – we’re going to be like Sherlock Holmes, but for homeschool burnout! What are the things that might be secretly making us feel overwhelmed? It’s time to be super sleuths and figure out the clues that will help us understand what’s really going on. Ready to put on your detective hats and uncover the secrets behind burnout? Let’s crack the code together!

  • Importance of identifying root causes
  • Essential questions to uncover underlying issues
  • Creating awareness of potential triggers contributing to burnout

Strategies to Overcome Homeschool Burnout

  • Taking Breaks
  • Importance of breaks for rejuvenation
  • Incorporating short breaks into the daily routine

Establishing Routines

– Creating a structured daily schedule
– Balancing flexibility with routine for optimal learning

Setting Realistic Goals

– Significance of achievable objectives
– Strategies for setting and adjusting realistic goals

Prioritizing Self-Care

– Role of self-care in preventing burnout
– Incorporating self-care practices into daily life

Seeking Support for Homeschool Burnout

– Importance of a support system in homeschooling
– Strategies for reaching out and building a network

Experimenting with Teaching Methods

– Need for variety in teaching approaches
– Trying new methods to keep homeschooling engaging

Going on Field Trips

– Benefits of experiential learning outside the home
– Incorporating field trips into the curriculum

Delegating Tasks

– Recognizing the need to share responsibilities
– Strategies for delegating tasks effectively

Reviewing and Adjusting Your Approach

– Importance of ongoing assessment and adaptation
– Making necessary adjustments to the homeschooling approach

Seeking Professional Guidance for Homeschool Burnout

– Knowing when to seek professional help
– Resources and avenues for professional support

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Celebrate Fall Baking With Kids (replay)

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October 16, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Celebrate holiday baking this fall with life skills and memories. Celebrate Fall Baking With Kids ~ Episode 479 (Replay)

I love to bake and there is nothing better than celebrating fall baking with the kids. Just thinking about the warm spicy scents of pumpkin, ginger, and more brings back the joys of creating memories with our kids.

Don’t miss our 10th Birthday celebration happening right now, including a giveaway and special sponsors.

Can you smell that cinnamon? Fall is the best time to get your hands dirty and bake up some goodies with the kids. No matter your dietary restrictions, there are plenty of recipes online for all. Baking encourages children to get involved and even children who are typically unenthusiastic when it comes to hands-on activities such as crafts are often engaged when it comes to baking. I believe baking also instills good lifetime skills, such as cooperation and patience. Nothing is fast when it comes to making something without a box mix and when I talk about fall baking I’m suggesting homemade recipes.

Living in southwest Florida, the humidity is a factor in baking. Things go stale quickly if they are not stored in a cool place. If you live in a colder, less humid climate this may not be an issue for you! If so, that is great!

Safety is also important when baking. The kids learned quickly that heat burns! There are plenty of books in the library or bookstores that focus on baking with kids. These books are a good starting point if this is something that is new to you. When I was a younger mom, I had lots more energy and patience. I had a poster board with our most popular recipes written out.  And I used it for beginning reading practice. I also taught the children math and fractions while baking. As homeschool parents, we can use anything and everything at our disposal to teach our children.

Baking teaches so many skills:

  1. Measuring (precise)
  2. Fractions
  3. Reading
  4. Science (chemical reactions)
  5. Safety practices

And, those five are just off the top of my head. I think my favorite memory of baking is that it teaches a life skill. We’ve baked everything from loafs, french, and complex rolls. Of course, our favorites are cookies and candy.

During the fall we love anything with cinnamon and ginger. It is also the time of year that I begin making cookie dough which freezes very well ahead of time for the holiday. Cookies such as ginger and sugar cookies that you roll out and shape are the best to freeze. They can easily be thawed in the refrigerator and baked in small or large batches.

Quick guide for fall baking:

  1. What is it that you’d like to make? Tried and true recipes or something new, such as a gingerbread house or gingerbread men?
  2. When do you have time to bake? Schedule this. (You can use this as “school”, especially for the younger grades or middle school taking “home-ec”)
  3. What is your goal? Do you want to incorporate school-type activities or just have fun making memories?
  4. Make a list of recipes you’d like to tackle.
  5. Buy ingredients or use what you have on hand.

Go over the rules of baking with the children before you get started so that you all have the same expectations.

Kids want to dive in and do everything. Kids also love to touch everything. This can be dangerous when baking. What are your rules? Here are a few, to add to this list:

  1. Washing hands before beginning
  2. Do not taste anything without permission
  3. Safety – heat burns and whirling blades of a mixer should be avoided.
  4. Wait for instruction
  5. Share or divide the jobs. One person measures, another pours, etc.
  6. Take turns. Everyone will get one!
  7. Patience. Baking is fun but it takes time.
  8. Work together and be encouraging
  9. Clean up is for everyone, so being careful cuts down on the mess
  10. Tasting is great once the food cools.

Our all-time favorite recipes are gingerbread, layer cookies (easy and fast), and homemade fudge. My focus when baking is on cookies that last the longest in terms of freshness. I have a wonderful recipe for those yummy sugar cookies, you know the big chewy kind with thick sugar sprinkles on top? However, they go stale in about two days and must be kept in the refrigerator for freshness. Keep that in mind when deciding what you want to bake. In larger households, this may not be an issue. As my daughter with eight children says, there is always someone who likes something we are making and the kids are less discriminating when it comes to freshness than adults.

To Be Creative or Not?

One of my favorite tips when baking is to be creative without changing the recipe too much. In other words, you can be creative with shapes or decorating, but try to stick to the original recipe at least the first time. My mother was a good cook but not a baker because she baked by “eye” similar to her cooking. “By eye” is hit-and-miss. Sometimes her cookies would be great and other times, not! For example, if you are making a strawberry shortcake, you can decide not to add sugar to the strawberries, or to add sugar. If you add sugar to strawberries they must be eaten that day or the next, because the sugar causes the strawberries to shed water which makes that yummy strawberry juice which soaks into the cake. But after a few days, the strawberries taste rubbery.

What will you bake?

So, what will you bake? All Recipes is a website that has some good ideas. They have a list of easy-to-make recipes for kids. There are many other websites as well that you can use to bake with children. I’ve found that kids are happy to just count as you put in the ingredients and I usually have the kids break eggs, or measure flour separately, and I would put in the flour, etc. in the actual mix we used. Eggs are possibly the last skill I have the kids practice! There is something they love about eggs and wanting to break them is high on their list. If you are willing to have a mess, it is a good idea to give them a large bowl so you can fish out the shells. You can then use the eggs in your actual mix. I do this myself as it seems that these days the egg shells are so brittle and it is difficult to crack eggs without shells even for adults.

Baking Ingredients

Pumpkin is also a key ingredient in holiday baking. I buy baking pumpkins in bulk when I can, either from a wholesaler or from the grocery store. Another thing I do, I bake the pumpkins by cutting them in half (my husband or one of my stronger kids takes care of this for me!) I place the pumpkin halves face down in a large baking pan with a small amount of water. Once the pumpkins are soft I can easily scoop out the pulp and usually puree this in a food processor. I then store one cup pumpkin individually so that when I am ready to bake I can pull out a bag and allow it to defrost before using it.

Fruit bread is a great thing to make and is easy. The best thing is you do not need a mixer and the kids enjoy string (most of the time). I make pumpkin, banana, and apple bread. I’ve had zucchini or lemon bread as well. These are great for a quick breakfast and best of all the children enjoy eating what they bake! I found small coated loaf pans online that can be used for baking and you can use them to gift people without worrying about getting the pan back or trying to unmold and wrap your loaf. I used these when sending my college kids care packages and they arrived well through the mail!

As promised from the recording! Here is my tried and true muffin mix for you to enjoy.

Quick Recipe for Muffin Mix:

You can make all types of muffins using this handy mix. You can store this in an airtight container for months!

8 cups of flour, 3 cups of sugar, 3 Tablespoons of baking powder, 2 teaspoons of salt

Mix:

  • 2 ¾ cup of dry mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1/2 cup of melted butter
  • 1 cup of chocolate chips OR blueberries OR cut-up apples (add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon)

Directions: In a large bowl or 8-cup mixing bowl place the dry mix, and make a well in the middle. In another bowl melt the butter and add the milk and whisk the egg. Pour this mixture into the dry mix and use a fork to mix until incorporated. Do not overmix. Add your ingredients. You can make plain muffins or spice them up with chocolate chips or fruit. When I make apple muffins I swirl in 4 large tablespoons of apple butter after I add the apples. If you feel like you have overmixed the batter you can add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to the mix. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean from the center.

Listen to More Fall Themed Podcasts

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Life Skills Your Kids Need Before They Launch

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October 13, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Life Skills Your Kids Need Before They Launch

Join us in the Blue Collar Homeschoolers Group on Facebook.

what your kids need to know before they launch | Life Skills to LaunchThis show is called Life Skills, so let’s talk about 6 Life Skills Areas that will allow your kids to launch!

  • Food – Plan, Prep, Budget, Shop, Cook, Clean, Use Left-overs
  • Shelter -Shop for, save for pay mortgage and insurance
  • Vocation/ Work -what areas make sense for your kids, preparing for the future economies, including Gig Economy
  • Money -how to earn, save, spend, give
  • Health -keeping it, re-building, mental, social, physical, spiritual
  • Transportation – how to buy a car, maintain it, clean it, repair it and insure it.

True North Homeschool Academy Classes that teach Life Skills:

Personal Finance

Life Skills `

Entrepreneurship

Career Exploration Full Year Class

Economics

Other Resources

Joy of Cooking

Usborne First Cookbook

Hear Lisa speak in person at the Great Homeschool Conventions in SC, OH, and TX! She’ll be talking about: Ready for Launch: from Awkward Homeschooler to Confident Adult

FREEBIES from True North Homeschool Academy!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO Life Skills 101 VIA COMPUTER

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Helping a Reluctant Writer | 6 Tips from a Pro

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September 6, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Cultivating Writing Confidence: 6 Tips to Help Your Reluctant WriterCultivating Writing Confidence: 6 Tips to Help Your Reluctant Writer

Special Host: Beth Purcell

Welcome to another episode of the Life Skills 101 podcast on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network! Today, we have a special guest, Beth Purcell from True North Homeschool Academy, joining us to discuss a topic that many homeschooling parents encounter – helping reluctant writers find their voice and confidence. Whether your child struggles with putting pen to paper or faces writing assignments with trepidation, these six tips will guide you in nurturing their writing skills. Let’s get started with our first reluctant writer tip.

Reluctant Writer Tip 1: Reorient – Discover Their Interests

The first step in helping a reluctant writer is to reorient their perspective on writing. Begin by understanding their interests, passions, and hobbies. Encourage them to write about subjects they genuinely care about. By tapping into their curiosity, you’ll motivate them to explore and express themselves through the written word.

Tip 2 for the Reluctant Writer: Reconstruct – Create a Supportive Writing Environment

Once you’ve identified their interests, reconstruct their writing environment to be inviting and inspiring. Set up a dedicated writing space with supplies readily available. Make sure they have access to books, journals, and other writing materials. A comfortable and inviting atmosphere can help alleviate writing anxiety.

Reluctant Writer Tip 3: Restrict – Start with Small, Achievable Goals

Reluctant writers often become overwhelmed by lengthy assignments. To avoid this, restrict the scope by breaking down tasks into smaller, manageable goals. Encourage them to write a paragraph, a sentence, or even just a word a day. Gradually, they’ll build confidence and feel less intimidated by the writing process.

Tip 4: Refine – Provide Constructive Feedback

Feedback is essential in improving writing skills. However, it’s crucial to provide constructive, not critical, feedback. Focus on their strengths first and then gently address areas for improvement. Offer guidance, suggest revisions, and celebrate their progress. This positive reinforcement will boost their confidence and motivation.

Tip 5: Release – Encourage Creative Freedom

As your reluctant writer gains confidence, it’s essential to release control and encourage creative freedom. Allow them to choose their topics and writing styles. Embrace their unique voice and style, even if it differs from your own expectations. This freedom will foster a sense of ownership over their writing.

Tip 6: Regroup – Seek Additional Resources and Support

Finally, if your child continues to struggle, don’t hesitate to regroup and seek additional resources and support. Consider enrolling them in a writing class or workshop tailored to their age and skill level. Online courses, writing coaches, and peer editing groups can provide valuable assistance and a fresh perspective.

Conclusion:

Helping your reluctant writer find their voice and confidence is a journey that requires patience, understanding, and adaptability. Remember to reorient their perspective by tapping into their interests, reconstruct their writing environment for inspiration, restrict tasks into achievable goals, refine their skills through constructive feedback, release creative freedom, and regroup when necessary with external resources and support.

Beth Purcell from True North Homeschool Academy has shared these valuable insights with us today. Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Life Skills 101 podcast. We hope these tips empower you to guide your reluctant writer on a path toward becoming a more confident and capable wordsmith. Happy writing, and may your homeschooling journey be filled with creativity and growth!

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Life Skills Your Kids Need Before They Launch | Replay

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August 22, 2023 by Leave a Comment

This show is called Life Skills, so let’s talk about 6 Life Skills Areas that will allow your kids to launch!Life Skills Your Kids Need before they Launch

This show is called Life Skills, so let’s talk about 6 Life Skills Areas that will allow your kids to launch!

  • Food – Plan, Prep, Budget, Shop, Cook, Clean, Use Left-overs
  • Shelter -Shop for, save for pay mortgage and insurance
  • Vocation/ Work -what areas make sense for your kids, preparing for the future economies, including Gig Economy
  • Money -how to earn, save, spend, give
  • Health -keeping it, re-building, mental, social, physical, spiritual
  • Transportation – how to buy a car, maintain it, clean it, repair it and insure it.

True North Homeschool Academy Classes that teach Life Skills:

Personal Finance

Life Skills `

Health

Career Exploration Full Year Class

Study Skills 6 Week Summer Class

Study Skills Full Year Class

Economics

Classes in Bible, Theology and Apologetics

Other Resources

Joy of Cooking

Usborne First Cookbook

 

FREEBIES from True North Homeschool Academy!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO Life Skills 101 VIA COMPUTER

  1. Follow this link to our Apple Podcasts page.
  2. OR take this IMPORTANT STEP: Under our Life Skills 101 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!

OR 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: Life Skills 101 Podcast
  4. Tap the Life Skills 101 Podcast icon
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Building your Mom Team

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May 11, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Lisa Nehring is joined by Jennifer Uren, who podcasts at This Mom Knows. Jennifer says, “Every business  "yes" can feel like a parenting "no"Building your Mom Team

Today on the show, True North Homeschool Academy Director, Lisa Nehring is joined by Jennifer Uren, who podcasts at This Mom Knows. Life Jennifer says, “Every business  “yes” can feel like a parenting “no” – and that’s when mom guilt kicks in.  Through her website and podcast, This Mom Knows, Jennifer Uren coaches and encourages mompreneurs to find the right systems, tools, and people – their “Mom Team” – so they have the support and energy to be their best as both “mom” and “entrepreneur”.

  1. How do we know we need a Mom Team?

    We need a Mom Team all the time. But, we often confuse need with effectiveness. When things are going well, we believe that we are managing just fine. But when things are going a bit sidewise, we are often too overwhelmed to put into place the systems, tools and processes we need to create the best team.
    So, we need to build our team as we go.
    The Best Mom team consists of systems, tools and people, most often a combination of all three, put together when things seem to be going well.
    Mom Team –  Most things that we are doing require both:
    System- the process repeatable recordable; like a recipe- allows us to delegate.
    Tool- the specifics we use to work the system.
    To create the best team, you need to spend some time observing yourself ,your rhythms and routines; what works best for you. You want to take yourself out of the equation- often Mom’s feel like they have to do it all and that creates a bottleneck. Take time to analyze how you  think, how you function, what tools work best for you, what processes do you need to put into place.

  2. How do we sort through the myriad of systems to create the best team?

    1. Start with what we know- do research and make a choice.
    2. Once the choice is made, put blinders on and lean into what you have  – don’t submit to the shiny object syndrome.
    3. All systems have a learning curve- commit to learning the system and realize that friction (i.e. frustration) might be part of the process).

3. Are there any good, “Start here” systems to begin with as we build our team

    1. Home- meet our basic needs
      1. Meals- Planning, Shopping, Cooking, Clean-up, Storing
      2. Laundry- gateway to all things clean in our home
      3. Paper -Bills paid, events planned, activities prepped for
    2. Business/ Homeschool- create space for meaningful work
      1. Workspace – is it virtual, portable, permanent
      2. Email- the heart of communication and represents need, implementation and response.
      3. Time- rhythms and routines around tasks- creating space adn protecting that space to get everything done

To create an effective Mom Team we have to get out of the mindset that we have to be the ones who do it all. We have to quit creating the bottleneck. If we delegate and off-load we can have the energy that we need to do things that we are called to do. Who can trade, barter and pay for others to join our team.

While it can be hard to ask for help, it’s hard to receive help when we receive.

Keep in mind that you can’t do everything, but you can do many things, just not everything at once!

FREEBIES from True North Homeschool Academy!

About Jenn: Jenn Uren is very familiar with trying to juggle and do all the things herself but too often found that it was at the expense of her family, especially relationship with her kids. She hit a breaking point five years ago when she and her husband experienced a surprise adoption of a sibling set (100% unexpected – you can hear about it on her podcast).  This started her down a life-giving path of transformation as she learned how to ask for help, offer help, and lean into systems to simplify and create space in her own life – and she wants to help you do that, too. Because the good news is that you can do it all, just not by yourself.

She and her family have recently left the hustle and bustle of the Chicagoland area and are enjoying discovering their new hometown in Northwest Indiana.

Resources:

How to create a laundry routine.

Join True North Homeschool Academy Mom’s Membership: the Navigators and get a Homeschooling Mom Team! Book Studies, Mentorship, support and encouragement! For less than a cup of coffee a week you get the resources and homeschooling Mom Team you need to succeed!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO Life Skills 101 VIA COMPUTER

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Special Replay | Tools for Struggling Learners – Part 1

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April 27, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Tools for Struggling Learners pt. 1Tools for Struggling Learners – Part 1

Today we are talking with Cindy LaJoy. You might remember Cindy from a previous episode where we talked about the Soft Skills of Work Ethic. Cindy spent the pandemic busy as ever, learning many new videography skills, working on a graduate degree and co-authoring a book. Along with Natalie Vecchio, Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities

Cindy and her husband have adopted 5 kids, now young adults from Eastern Europe and has a fantastic story of hope for other Moms homeschooling non-traditional learners. Her five kids, some of whom were adopted as older children who did not speak English and were illiterate have over 25 diagnosis between them and yet, as young adults, they have gone on to college, entrepreneurship, owning an award winning business and hiring other developmentally challenged adults. Cindy is also the amazing homeschooling Momma behind Blue Collar Homeschooling and the Facebook page and group Blue Collar Homeschooling.

Cindy has spent the last decade and a half searching out appropriate curriculum, therapies and realistic opportunities for her non-traditional students, as well as helping them develop realistic life skills that have allowed them not only to manage and cope but thrive and become leaders in their own right.

She and her family make their home in Colorado. If you are in the Montrose, Colorado area, stop by their “Best in the Valley” shop, Buckaroos Slices and Scoops, for great pizza, ice-cream, and customer service!

In this episode and the next, we’ll take a look at what’s available for those who are homeschooling non-traditional learners.

FAFSD Hope Podcast Natalie Vecchio

Cindy LaJoy offers these services and classes through True North Homeschool Academy:

Special Needs and Transcripts

Meet Cindy LaJoy!

Join Cindy and me for Part II of Tools for Struggling Learners – Part 1 next time on Life Skills 101!

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We love coming alongside fellow homeschoolers to offer encouragement and support! Let us know how we can support YOU!

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Helping Teens Learn Productivity Skills, Interview with Melanie Wilson

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December 13, 2022 by Leave a Comment

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Helping Teens Learn Productivity Skills, Interview with Melanie Wilson.

Helping Teens Learn Productivity Skills, Interview with Melanie Wilson

Helping Teens Learn Productivity Skills, Interview with Melanie Wilson

Productivity skills do not come naturally to every single person, and that’s okay! That’s why there are organization experts among us to teach us creative hacks and to give us useful tips. One of these experts of productivity is Melanie Wilson from The Homeschool Sanity Podcast and Psycho With 6. Melanie can juggle flaming bowling pins in an organized structure if you let her. Learn some neat tips for helping teens learn productivity skills – and you can pick up a thing or two along the way as well!

About Melanie Wilson

Melanie is our wonderful friend from the Homeschool Sanity Podcast as well as Psycho With 6. She teaches workshops on organization skills for teens in a way that does not intimidate you. She has a gift of presenting information in a user-friendly way that can be applied towards several areas. 

Melanie is a psychologist who gave up her practice to become a homeschooling mom

She calls homeschooling her “most gratifying occupation ever.” Melanie has six children with three who have already graduated from homeschooling high school. The remaining three are still at home in their high school years.\.

As mentioned, she has a podcast and a blog, and she also writes books, such as the popular Grammar Galaxy language arts curriculum for elementary students. In addition to creating curriculums and books, Melanie is a public speaker as she does workshops, videos, and various types of activities that keep her busy, all on top of homeschooling her kids.

Now at this point, you may be thinking she has a full plate, but we are not done yet. That is not all Melanie does! She also loves playing tennis, playing pickleball with her husband and other couples, and she does scrapbooking with a friend on a regular basis. Of course, she also makes sure she has time for her family and her own personal development and reading time…

Some teens are automatically wired with productivity skills...some, not so much.

Tips For Helping Teens Learn Productivity Skills

You may have noticed this, even in your own teens perhaps, but some teens are automatically wired with organizational and productivity skills. Some teens are magnificent at analyzing situations and setting priorities with efficiency and productivity. 

However, many teens struggle in the productivity area. For these teens, the following organizational skills should help build productivity skills.

Make detailed lists of the things

Have your teens start making a detailed list of things that he needs to do on a regular basis. This will help them understand what is coming up and give them a sense of accomplishment when they have checked it off. 

But at the same time, it will help them stay organized in their mind, seeing the list of tasks they do on a regular basis serving as reminders for them. 

Understand there is more than one way to get things done

It is important to note that a lot of times as parents, we think there is only one way of getting work done – which is your way. But this is not true.

Teens who do notuse planners or lists can also get things done just like those who do use lists and organize details in planners. 

Meet your teen’s learning style and personal characteristics

As we all know, there’s not just ONE kind of teen. In fact, we could go as far as to say that not one single teen is the same! And this goes for their own set of characteristics too!

Understand your teen’s learning style so you can approach them with their own unique way towards productivity. For example, if your teen is a hands-on type of learner, you will teach him strategies for how to compensate for his style.

Help your teens notice how they are wired without them feeling judged

Teens can be sensitive or feel like they are being constantly judged at that age and stage of growth. Approach this by having a conversation with your teen about how you learned to do certain things as well as telling them some changes that have occurred in their particular productivity style. 

Give them examples of your own personal experiences

Give them examples of how you handled certain tasks lists while you were in college or how you did things when you first began working in high school. Let them understand that your own personal style has changed and adapted over time to your circumstances. 

This is a great way to open up the conversation because you are telling your teen that not only does your approach differ from the approach that will work best for them, but your approach has changed for you over time. And because of that, explain how you are constantly having to adjust to your new responsibilities and even a new season of life. 

Approach your child with an experimental mindset

Try to approach your child with an experimental mindset as it will give you a nonjudgmental attitude. By engaging your child in this way, you can offer them tips and tweaks on the things they’re currently doing. 

You can ask them questions, like:

“Have you thought of tweaking it this way?” Or,

“Have you ever tried another approach?” 

Notice how your teen responds to situations so you can help them with these tweaks. For example, if your teen likes the pressure of a deadline, let them know that, although there is nothing wrong with that, there are other approaches that can also help them get their work done in time. These approaches might not have so much stress attached to them. You could ask them to try one of these different methods and see how it feels for them afterward.

Try having genuine conversations about productivity

Try having genuine conversations

Stay curious about what as going on for them. Also, stay humble enough to offer what has worked for you without preaching to them. In this way you are inviting them into the process.

This will help your teen realize that they:

  • can grow
  • need to grow 
  • accept the fact that they are allowed to grow.

When you do this, you are letting your teens evaluate and come up with their own conclusion about what works and does not work for them.

About her book “A Year of Living Productively”

In 2013, Melanie had an idea that she could use her blog to help her become more productive. She learned that when she is accountable to other people, she becomes much more productive than if she is not. So she tried a different method for getting things done every week by writing about her results on her blog.

By doing this, she knew she could be consistent about blogging, even though she had no idea how many people were reading her blog (which turned out to be quite a few people!). But just the notion that one person was waiting for her and wondering where she was got her motivated. 

From this year-long process, after learning so much about the process, she started planning on writing a book at the end of that year. However, interestingly enough, when she attempted to write that book, she still had the wrong concepts in her head about getting things done. 

This spurred her on to discovering five-star methods of productivity!

Melanie’s book encourages other so find their own formulas for productivity

 A Year of Living Productively helps make this process a lot quicker by making a list of eighty different approaches – with full instructions – so that moms do not have to read the whole book to put the approach into practice.

With the book, she provides trackers for others to track their approaches and write them down so they can remember it.

Her book is personal and encouraging and feels like a big sister walking you through the approaches with tips along the way. It has a mentoring tone to the book with Melanie assisting with the approaches and then reminding you to look in the mirror and review what you did.

You can learn more about A Year of Living Productively here and connect with her at Psycho With Six and the Homeschool Sanity Podcast.

For more ideas on productivity, check out these:

Thank you Richie Soares with Homeschool and Humor for writing this blog post!

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Welcoming Skills Made Easy for Teens

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
October 19, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Finish Well Homeschool Podcast, Podcast #172, Welcoming Skills Made Easy for Teens, with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast NetworkWelcoming Skills Made Easy for Teens

In “Welcoming Skills Made Easy for Teens,” Episode, #172, Meredith Curtis interviews Vicki Tillman of Seven Sisters about helping even shy teens learn the skills they need to welcome others. These life skills helps in relationships, ministry, and in the business world. It is a great investment in your teen’s heart and life to equip them with these important life skills. Best of all, welcoming skills allow us to express the love of God to others.

 

 

 

Autumn at Powerline Productions

 

 

Powerline Productions, Inc.

Bringing Homeschool Joy to Families Everywhere!

 

 

 

 

Show Notes

Welcoming special guest Vicki Tillman.

What are Welcoming Skills

Especially important for teens.

Welcoming Skills Require Confidence

Greeting

Scriptures

Role Playing

Teaching Kids as Welcoming Skills

Need a Set of Behaviors that Work – Tools

Nonverbal Helps

How to Walk over and greet a new person

Ask a Question

After 2 or 3 Questions, person you are welcoming feels safe and able to talk

Help for Parents

Shy Children Can Learn to Be Welcomers

It is okay to be shy, introverted, and also okay to be treated the way they would want someone to treat them.

Reap what you sow.

Friendliness is a character trail not a personality trait

When to Start

Fifth or Sixth Grade is a great time to learn to reach out to others in their Sunday school class or homeschool co-op. In high school, Vicki gives them the assignment to be a welcomer.

Manners are now called life skills but they still matter.

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Life Skills Resources

God's Girls 101: Grow in Christ by Meredith Curtis with Powerline Productions, Inc. God's Girls 105: Homemaking by Meredith Curtis with Powerline Productions, Inc. The Making of Real Men by Mike Curtis with Powerline Productions, Inc. Real Men 103: Leadership

 

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Getting Started with Online Learning

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.
July 19, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Getting Started with Online LearningGetting Started with Online Learning

There are a variety of ways to enjoy and participate in online learning and in this episode, True North Homeschool Academy Director, Lisa Nehring is going to walk us through everything you need to know about getting started with online learning!

We’re going to get started with definitions because there are a LOT of different ways online learning can look!

Next, we’re going to talk about expectations for online learning, how to create a beneficial online learning space, and then a list of 18 questions to ask as you consider an online learning environment or class.

Finally, we’re going to talk about the 7 Benefits of online learning and why incorporating online education into your homeschool is a great idea!

Online learning is exploding at the speed of sounds and at True North Homeschool Academy we’re honored to be offering amazing resources for homeschooling families!

Resources and FREE Printables from True North Homeschool Academy!

 

True North Homeschool Academy offers 1st – 12th grade live on-line, dynamic, interactive classes for the Homeschool family that will inspire and delight! World class teachers, international community, syllabus and grading done for you, private and secure virtual campus that provides Parent and Student Dashboard, communication with instructors, monthly newsletter, topic and bulletin boards and more! We utlize gamification and the SAMR model to bring you time tested educational pedagogy and cutting edge technology. Discover the True North Homeschool Academy Difference! Fall registration is OPEN and classes begin the week of August 22!

 

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO Life Skills 101 VIA COMPUTER

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  4. Click SUBSCRIBE.
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