...how podcasts changed my life

This is a post from 2016.  I am a hoarder of blogs and have started at least 6 blogs.  Well, I am importing this one because it was my first step into my BE NOT AFRAID year of 2016.  This was my first step as a 45 year old woman to step out of my comfort zone.  One year later, and I have grown by leaps and bounds.  I am still scared to do stuff, but I am not the same as I was before.  One day I will write about that.

Post
2016

Overcoming a fear is hard, and scary and sometimes it paralyzes you.  This year (2016) is the year I am going to overcome some of my fears.  My biggest fear is inaction because of the what if’s.  My biggest fear is over thinking things and wondering what others would think, and the biggest of biggest fear is being scared about what I would think.  Do I look foolish, do I sound foolish, will I make mistakes, and will I say something wrong?  Those thoughts can stop you dead in your tracks and have done so to me many, many times.  But this year, that will change. 

http://www.dearestdoula.com/linda/

The one thing I did to jump start this new change was book myself on a podcast.  This is a huge deal for me because 1.  I didn’t think I had anything to offer an audience.  2.  I was worried I would sound weird, bad, or stupid.  And 3.  I was giving over my control of something.  If I didn’t like it, too bad, I couldn’t stop it from airing.  If I sounded stupid, too bad.  Once it was done, it was out of my hands.

The day came when Nathalie (the hostess of the podcast) messaged me to inform me that it was going to air the next day.  I was excited but scared.  Then it was the next day and she sent me a link.  My heart was pounding but I didn’t tell anyone because I had to listen first (that control thing).  So, I listened and I loved it.  Sure, I made mistakes.  A few that I want to correct here.  1.  My friend who gave me the book I suggested was not a doula but a midwife.  J.  2.  The quote I used “Scared money don’t make money” is from Chalene Johnson over at Build your tribe podcast.  I forgot to mention her name. I am sure there are more, but I can't think of them right now. 

After listening I realized that I did have something to offer, and maybe I didn't like how I sounded (who does really?) but I sounded like me.  I can't be anyone else but me.  It gave me inspiration to move forward with other things I have wanted to do.  In fact, a previous podcast on Dearest Doula got me moving on one of my goals to become a Certified Child Birth Educator.    I hope you go and take a listen to Nathalie and you too will just fall in love with her.   If you want to listen to a wonderful podcast, even if you are not a doula, head on over to Dearest Doula and take a listen.  Nathalie alone, is reason enough.   :D

I love podcasts and besides giving me inspirations, podcasts have given me confidence.  Build your tribe is one such podcast.

Chalene Johnson, is the main reason I even agreed to be on the podcast dearest doula. Her motivational and inspiring periscopes and podcasts have propelled me forward in the short few months I have listened to her.  So, I felt terrible that I forgot to mention her.  Yikes. I listen to her maybe 2 or 3 times a day. I listen to some more than once because the information is incredible.

If you have problems with confidence I suggest you head on over to her site and learn to overcome that fear.  She also has tons, and I mean tons of wonderful advice to start and grow your business.  I always get inspired by her podcasts, and I know you will too.

I want to leave you with a third podcast that is also one of my favorites, Read aloud revival.  This podcast is educational, wonderful, and full of wonderful information on the importance of reading aloud to your child, whether they are 1 or 19 years old. 

It’s a wonderful way to bond with your kids, help them build their word banks to become better readers and writers,  and spend that quality time with your family. 

I read to my kids but unfortunately, I am not consistent.  This podcast had reignited the love of reading aloud again to my family.  I have learned why its important to read aloud regardless of the age of your children, in fact, its more important to read to them as they get older.  I also get to learn about titles I have never heard of, which might not be good for my wallet.  Sarah Mackenzie is the hostess, and even though I have just started listening, I am blown away by her and her guests.  

These podcasts have really changed my way of thinking on so many things.  Its wonderful in this time and age for us to have so many avenues to be involved in learning communities.  Podcasts are one way to engage your mind, and learn so much without investing in classes.  They are free!!  Check out itunes and search a topic you love.  I am sure there are podcasts out there for your interests.  

As for me, I give all the credit I can to the podcasts I listen to for giving me direction, for showing me a new way to go, and for connecting with others.

...steps to Homeschooling Part 2

If you haven't read the first part of my homeschool series please do so here.

Once you have found your purpose or reason for homeschooling, timeline and went out looking for a support system, you need to figure out the different ways to homeschool.  I know, I know, you are itching to buy that curriculum and set up your schedule and just start already.  Ok, fine, but don't.  One huge piece of advice that I give new homeschool moms and dads is to wait before shelling out the bucks for a curriculum you are not even sure you will like.  Take a break and study up before you invest.

There are many different ways to homeschool.  I will show you how I evolved into what I do today.  Which is just a mix of so many different styles.  I will probably not be able to cover all of them but you will get an idea and maybe search out the info that appeals to you and fall down some rabbit holes in which you will find so much information about different homeschool styles

Tradition homeschooling (Textbook/Workbook)

When families first start homeschooling, they do what they know.  Traditional or textbook/workbook styles of homeschooling is a safe and familiar way to homeschool.  When I first started homeschooling, I knew nothing about types or styles of homeschooling, I just knew I wanted to teach my son something at home.  

I went to the nearest Walmart and purchased a few 1st. grade jumbo workbooks, a chalkboard and an American Flag.  I also purchased a teachers academic planner and some colorful posters.  I think you know where I am going with this.  I was trying to duplicate the school room, in my living room.  It was cute, and fun and then it wasn't.  I even purchased a real homeschool curriculum for math.  We ended up working on math for 3 hours.  No joke. I felt I had to do every single activity from that math book.  The weather, the calendar, the counting bears, the practice sheets and the actual assignment.  I learned early on, to take what I wanted and leave the rest.
  Plus, I had a very strict schedule from morning to night time.  I thought I had to fill the same hours at home that my kids did at school.  Nope, you don't.  But we will talk about that in another post.  As homeschoolers get more comfortable they start branching out a little, looking for something different.  And then again, some don't and love the structure and familiarity of textbook learning.  That's fine.  Everyone is different.  I am really different so I kept looking.  But before I tell you what I found next I want to just share a few examples of Textbook  and/or Workbook style curricula.  A couple which I still use with my kids.

Text Books/workbook style

A couple of well known  homeschool companies.
1.  Abeka
2. BJU
3. Saxon (mostly math)
4.  Alpha Omega (workbook style)
5.  School of Tomorrow

This is by no means a complete list.  I just listed those that I have used or have heard from other families that really enjoy them.

Classical/Charlotte Mason education

I am combining these two together not because they are the same but because I found them at roughly the same time. 

I don't think I will do this justice because there is so much to tell about classical and Charlotte Mason education.  I worked at a homeschool bookstore  and I ALWAYS recommended The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer.  In the edition I had, (don't know which one it was and I lent it to someone and its still gone.) it even had daily schedules and pages of resources for purchasing the books needed for classical education.  This book is not the only book on Classical Education but its my favorite out of the ones I have read.  I loved it, and constantly referred back to it.    I visited the site recently and found it to be a wonderful resource for parents.  

Classical education divides the teaching of subjects into stages and not grades.  You will not be in 1st grade, 2nd grade etc.  You will be in 3 different stages of education.  The first stage is the Grammar stage.  This stages is between K- 6, the elementary ages.   At this stage kids are absorbing facts.  They learn through memorization and singing.  The ABC Song, a Song for States and learning math facts through song and memorization.  Their brain is learning concrete information, not abstract information.

The next stage is Logic stage. This is the middle school years.  In this stage the student uses all those facts they learned and make connections.  Compare them, contrast them and find out how they relate to each other.  They start learning by reasoning and learning how to defend a topic through independent thinking.  

The third stage is the Rhetoric stage.  This is roughly the high school years.  The students now have the tools to go forward and educate themselves.  They can gather facts, apply them and even defend them.  Student focus on communication and expression.  Students in this stage are gearing up for adulthood and they can work toward their desired interests.  They are able to use their abstract thinking with the tenets learned in the previous two stages.

Wow, that is a lot of information.

  Also, The Well Trained Mind is not the only source for classical education out there.  There are many different ways to teach classical education.  There are co-ops like Classical Conversations and many many books and sites that teach in the Classical Education Style.
Below are some of my favorite Classical Education companies.

1 Memoria Press
2 Beautiful Feet
3. Veritas Press 

The main reason I loved this style is because its very literary based.  Lots of good books, hardly any textbooks and also children are learning languages such as Latin and Greek.  As I searched more and learned more I found my way to the Charlotte Mason style of education.  This for me was the next logical step.  Many do consider Charlotte Mason a classical education curriculum.


Charlotte Mason was a teacher in the early 20th century in England.   Charlotte Mason education is three-pronged: in her words, “Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life.”  She believed in living books, not twaddle, or dumbing down education.  I loved that idea. She educated the whole child.  She believed that children were not blank slates and teachers molded them into a functioning adult.  Children were endowed with gifts and abilities to deal with knowledge and ideas  
Sadly, my kids were not readers and I had to mosey on down the road but I kept many many ideas from Charlotte Mason.  I found a free online curriculum called Ambleside Online.  It has books schedules, daily and weekly schedules for every academic year plus many books are free online.   Its a great resource that I still include in my homeschool toolbox.

Unschooling or Child led education.

Child led education is a great tool to have in that homeschool toolbox.  This style of education gets a lot of criticism because it doesn't look like what we consider education.  I have used this and still do because eventually, I do what works for each child.  
Child led education, is just that.  We allow the child or children to follow interests.   The educator (parent) does not dictate the path, but follows the path the child chooses.  They provide opportunities and supplies (like books, art supplies, videos etc) to help their child learn and grow by following that which interest them.   

A wonderful Ted Talk by Logan LaPlante is wonderful at explaining how this helped him grow and learn.






These are just of the few styles I have personally used.  My information of each style is very basic but I hope it piques your interest enough to learn more about these different styles of education.

Currently I am leaning towards A Thomas Jefferson Education.  This had completely changed the way I think about education.  It has inspired me.  I have learned the importance of educating myself to be able to educate those around me.  You can do it at the same time.  No need to learn everything before you start homeschooling.  I will talk more about this on a post about what I use to continually inspire and motivate myself.    

Next up:  Schedules and the S word (socialization) 

steps to Homeschooling. 3 things to consider before you start Part 1

So, you are considering homeschooling?  Awesome.  I have been homeschooling for about 17 years off and on.  I have had my kids in public school, and charter schools, co-ops, and private lessons.  I have done it all.  After all these years I think I have come up with an answer to the question I am asked all the time.  “How do you homeschool school?”  I have said it before, that questions makes me think.  How?  Do you mean the steps to withdrawing your kids, the laws, the curriculum..what?  That is such a vague question to me.  So after looking like a deer in headlights when I first get that question, I have come up with a quick response.

“ There are a few stages to think about. Let's talk.”

Today we are going to talk about the first stage that new homeschoolers, or those thinking of homeschooling should consider.  Remember, this is my opinion from years of experience and talking to others about what holds them back or makes them quit homeschooling.

The first thing I suggest you consider before you buy that shiny new curriculum and the student desks is: Why?  Why am I homeschooling?  List those reasons.  Is it one main reason, or many little reasons.  Knowing why you are starting this crazy journey will give you a vision and purpose when you are having a horrendous, my kids don’t listen to me, and my house is a mess day.  It happens.  I am sure it happens to you regardless of where your kids go to school.  Your kids don’t turn to angels because you are now homeschooling.  Well, unless they are angels, if so, YOU ARE LUCKY!!!!  Don’t freak out, I know you worked hard to make them that way.   I didn’t and so I have those crazy horrendous days more often than I care to remember.  Seriously, having a good reason to homeschool will be like a beacon during the sea of hard days.

People homeschool for many reasons.  Some of those reasons have staying power and some don’t.  For example my original reason to homeschool was that I missed my kids.  Well, kid.  I only had one at the time.  When he went to school, I sat at home worried about everything.   Would he know what to do?  He is only 5, could he manage?  He is so little.  Etc.  I wouldn’t go anywhere because I thought I wouldn’t be home to meet his bus.  My goodness I was a wreck.  

That is a pretty good reason, missing your kids.  But, after a while you start missing your sanity so is that reason a good anchor on those rocky days?  Maybe.  One reason that might not be a good enough reason to homeschool, or at least give you a good strong purpose is “I think I can teach my kids better than..insert person”.  Sure we all think we can do better.   But will that help you envision your purpose when you have a pile of laundry, a crying baby, no food in the fridge because your grocery shopping field  trip fell through because it was nap time, and it's 4:45.  4:45 seems to be a magic number in some families because it means dad will be home soon.  My husband works shift work so I don’t have a magic number.  I am just constantly forgetting when he will get home.  So that little bit of forgetfulness saves me some anxiety.  A few days like that and you couldn’t care less who is teaching the kids or what they are teaching your kids.  (Some parents don’t like the curriculum that the schools decide to teach)

I finally came up with a reason that has helped me stick to the course.  I was called to do this.  God called me to teach my kids.  When I first pulled my kids out of school, I had visions of  a little school house where we would be reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and reciting all the states.  Yeah, um, that got old quick.  For me, there are people out there who stick to their first idea of homeschool and plow their way through the 12 years of education.  Not me, I get bored very quickly.  During the years I have sent my kids back to school for many reasons.  1.  I get caught up in the back to school hoopla.  Again, if you don’t have  strong purpose you will get caught up in anything new and shiny.  Like shiny new clothes and school supplies.  I guess it’s like that quote:  You have to stand for something or you will fall for anything.  Cuz I usually fell for anything.   I then regretted my decision to put them back in school and pulled them out again.  FINALLY my husband asked me if I had prayed about it.  Hmm?  Well, I did pray about putting them back in school, because I was desperate and begging Him for help.  But, I didn’t really pray for guidance to homeschool or if that was His plan.  So I did, and He said it was His plan for us.  Now, let me tell you, that has real staying power and grants me purpose during those hard days.  

So, find your purpose and make it a good one.

The second thing you need to consider is how long you will homeschool.   Are you homeschooling just to get your kids over a hump or difficult situation?  Or are you homeschooling until they walk the stage in a cap and gown?   There are pros and cons to both of these decisions. If you are just homeschooling for a little bit, that’s fine.  You have an end in sight and you can plan accordingly.  You get your kids over that hump and send them right back.  Lots of families do that.  Its very stressful because you will have days like those mentioned above and you will stress that you are not keeping up with your daily requirements.  That leads to feeling of failure, and anxiety because you are thinking you will be sending them back having learned nothing..and you will get blamed.  You must keep in mind many things when you are just homeschooling for a season.  First, you must relax.  Second, Keep a schedule, but don’t freak out when it's going off the rails.  Take a break and start over.  Enjoy those few months or couple of years you have decided to keep your kids home.  One thing I do suggest is not to start homeschooling with the idea that you are just “trying it out”.  That doesn’t work.  You need to have a good idea when you are going to be done homeschooling.  Even if you don’t know how long you want to try it, don’t just wing it.  When you don’t have a set timeline, you will give up at the first hint of civil disobedience from you kids.  You will.  I promise.   

I learned early on that if I didn’t have a pretty good idea how long I was going to homeschool, I would keep throwing my hands up in the air and beg for August to come so I could march those kids back to school.  When I finally sat down and said to myself “God called me to this and that means I am going to finish it”  Now, when things happen that throw off my groove, I tell myself, we have time.  Lets relax and start over tomorrow.   Knowing that you are in it for the long haul helps when your days are just not going the way you imagined.  Yep, it does help....a lot.

Don’t hold the idea of returning your kids to school in the back pocket as a safety net.  If you found your purpose and feel called to homeschool pray or ponder for how long.  It’s very important.  

Finally, consider who will support you and your decision to homeschool.  Who will be there when you need someone to talk to about how crazy it all is going.  As homeschooling moms we feel we must always keep it together because then the ‘I told you so's” start piling up.  When we decide to homeschool we get those visions of grandeur.  You know the ones.  My kids will be so smart and they will graduate at 12 and head off to MIT or Harvard.  My kids will have so much time to create and practice their (whatever) and they will become the best of the best of the best.  (Think Men in Black).  The first day your kids don’t want to get out of bed and you can’t find their school work, and your kitchen have dishes stacked up to the ceiling, those visions will come crashing down all around you.  Don’t get me wrong, your child might very well graduate at 12 and be the best of the best of the best.  But you will still have a kid  who will try to get out of chores and school work a few days out of the week.  Except for those moms who run a tight ship.  Those moms are great, really they are.  I am not one of those moms and I stand all amazed at those moms and sometimes wonder why I am not one of those moms. I realize then, I just love facebook too much.  

So after you read about all those awesome moms on facebook, have someone you can turn to who will understand that you are doing so much and sometimes it's hard.  That person could be your husband, or mom, or another homeschool friend or that facebook page for moms who don’t have it all together.  I am sure there is one out there somewhere under the title “Homeschool moms and their awesome kids”. I don’t know.  But you will need that support and don’t try to do it alone.  Please, you will be sending those kids back to school before you finished half of that over priced box curriculum.  You will, I know.  

Homeschooling is hard, and fun and awesome and it can be the best experience you will ever have in your life.  Remember, have a purpose, a good one.  Think about your time commitment to homeschooling and FIND SUPPORT!!!!!!!  

Next time will we get into the nitty gritty of homeschooling. So, I decided to homeschool found my purpose, yada yada, now what?

PS. Please excuse my grammar etc. I was typing with a 6 year old digging his feet into my ribs..so..you know, my mind was a bit occupied.