Let's Play a Game...

Let’s play a game: “2 Truths and 1 Lie.” (Although we do have a caveat before we start, it is never ok to actually lie. ;))

Here’s how it works... we’ll share two surprising facts and one lie about homeschooling, and then you have to decide which “fact” is actually a lie. Ready? Put your game face on!

Fact: Homeschooling is fun. Growing in your relationships and being able to positively influence your children in every aspect of their development really is enjoyable. Sure, there will be hard seasons throughout your time together but the overall experience is well worth the effort.

Fact: It is easiest to walk your homeschooling journey alone so you don’t have to conform to any schedule or routine.

Fact: Perfectionism can hinder your homeschooling. Expecting and waiting for the perfect curriculum, for your house to be spotless and for your kids to always want to do their assigned work without complaints, all while telling yourself if your life isn’t IG perfect, you are a failure will kill the joy and love in your home.

Ready to learn which “fact” was actually a lie? *Drumroll please!*If you guessed that it is easiest to homeschool alone was a lie, you win this round! While we think going with the flow can be good, we’ve yet to experience one homeschooling family that didn’t benefit from having a routine that brings them out of the home to interact with friends and take a load off a parent for at least one subject as a welcomed part of the week. We are so thankful that we can help provide these homeschooling benefits to our families. Your turn! What’s a fact about you that people often think is a lie?

It is Not to Late to Change

When we read this quote from C.S. Lewis, it made us stop and pause in our busy day. We pondered the thought over and over for the rest of the day and it really made us consider the truth behind the statement.

There are times in our lives that we need to re-evaluate the needs of our families. We crave to make a slight change or even feel it in the pit of our stomach.

That change can look like leaving the public school system because their learning style doesn’t fit the “system”, you can see how the influences your children are encountering on a daily basis is changing them into being someone you know isn’t their best, or even that you are realizing your family values don’t a line with what is being taught day in and day out by people you don’t know or trust.

Change can also look like this, your children are happy to be homeschooling but they do crave a little more social interaction. You love being their mom, but sometimes you think they might benefit from being taught by someone that has another method that would connect with your child and enhance their love of learning but you are not willing to put them in public school.

Ultimately, when we read this insightful quote I reminded us it is not to late to make a change. Change can sometimes be filled with unknowns but thankfully you don’t have to do it alone. The Cedar Hill Academy family is rich with wisdom, enthusiastic people and love. Are you ready to love the path you have chosen for children?

Why Should You Choose a Homeschool Enrichment Program?

As a homeschool parent, life can be overwhelming and flat out hard.  You never feel like you get enough done, whether that be school work, housework, parenting, jobs, helping people… basically there is not enough time!  At the end of the day, we all want to lay down our head on our pillow and think to ourselves, “That was a wonderfully productive day! The house is clean, laundry done and put away, I studied my Bible, everyone was fed three healthy meals, school work went well and I got done what I planned, sports practices were successful, I helped the neighbor, worked the amount of hours I needed to at my job, got to take a shower and relax.” If you have ever had a moment like this, you know they rarely happen!

It is time to step back and reassess what you can do to help make life run more smoothly! Sometimes, that means that you choose to get help in areas that profit your family the most.  If you are a homeschool parent, one of the ways to create more time in your week is to add enrichment classes to your children’s’ education plan to boost their learning and provide some time for you to get other life necessities done! 

As a homeschool parent you are fully involved in your child’s learning plan so just adding activities without really looking at the benefits is not your style.  So, how do you choose a program that will fit your family’s needs?  Here are a few tips on how to find the program that will be the perfect fit for your family:

1.       Does the teacher teach in the style that your student learns best? 

2.       Do the moral values of the teacher match your families?

3.       Is the program designed to help relieve some of the pressure of teaching every subject at home?

4.       Will your child get the social interaction they crave?

5.       Is the class size small enough that your student will thrive?

At Cedar Hill Academy, we are committed to having a fun, nurturing hands-on environment where students can blossom as they learn.  They will be able to get messy doing projects that will capture the wonder of learning and the perfect part….you don’t have to plan the activity or clean up the mess! We feel strongly that children learn best when they are passionate about what they are doing. We all learn best that way!  With the unit study method of teaching, all of the subjects that children would normally whine and complain about become integrated into new discoveries each class day that they look forward to experiencing. No more morning tears about learning!

If you would like a Christian homeschool mentor to help guide you on your journey, classes that your children can’t wait to come to and which enhance their learning adventure, and extra time in your week, you have come to the right place.  We welcome you with a hug, warm cup of tea or coffee (hello… Mom caffeine bar) and the wisdom of many years of teaching.  We are excited to partner together on this experience of a lifetime! 

5 Benefits of Homeschooling

If you do a quick Google or Pinterest search for the "benefits of homeschooling" you will be bombarded with hundreds of ideas and thoughts. In order for your homeschooling to fully thrive though, you need to be able to distinguish what YOUR family believes are your foundational reasons for homeschooling. Having your reasons WHY will help you make it through the days that aren't so easy (yes, they happen...sometimes often), when people are questioning your decision and to help you meet your goals as a family through the years to come. Your motivations might change over time but the reasons why you start to homeschool will always be a source of strength that you will draw from in good seasons and bad. I challenge you to write down your top 5-10 reasons you are choosing or considering to homeschooling. Yes, write it down. If you feel like it, make it pretty (or not) and post it in the area you study each day or put it in a file that is easy to see so you can pull it out and be reminded of why you chose to make this very important decision.

For some inspiration, here are 5 of the benefits we feel are blessings of homeschooling:

1. Time

We are only allotted a small amount of time before our children will be ready to leave our nest and make their mark in the world. If you have the family motto of "we do life together," this should include education. I often joke to people that comment about having the boys with me all the time, that "we run in a pack." Does that mean that we are together 24/7? No, but we do spend a lot of time together that we would not get to if they were gone to different schools for many hours a day.

2. Sleep

Growing children need sleep. There are so many studies that have shown that health is directly related to sleep quantity and quality. Homeschool children have the luxury of being able to get a few extra hours of sleep if they need. When they are going through a growth spurt that might mean a lot of extra sleep time!

3. Individualized Learning

Labels can have such an immense impact on our children. Having the ability to teach a child the way they are most successful learning without the stress of "falling below grade level" or "being too far ahead of the curve" is one of the most important aspects of homeschooling.

4. Family Values and Beliefs

When you are truly the primary educator and directing the path your child's education will go, you have the ability to instill your family values and beliefs into all aspects of their life. You can take action, instead of reacting to what is being taught or to the situations and issues that are presented to them while away. When you decide to enrich your homeschooling experience with outside classes, you have the option to choose a program that mimics your worldview and upholds your family’s values and beliefs. There is no "luck of the draw" in homeschooling.

5. Flexibility in your Schedule

When you are the one that sets your routines, you have the opportunity to travel, take days off or adjust learning that fits the needs of your family. Disneyland in February, yes please! Want to take a play day on Friday? You have the ability to motivate your children to give a little more effort to get things done earlier in the week for the fun day! You also have the opportunity to help others during the week if the need arises and that is a lesson that you will all grow from.

As a veteran homeschool mom who has taken advantage of some outside enrichment over the course of our journey, I am a huge proponent that the benefits of homeschooling and believe the benefits FAR outweigh any negatives that might arise as you learn together.

I would love to hear some of your reasons that you are homeschooling or considering to homeschool your children!

Warmly,

Staci