Showing posts with label Homeschool Mother's Journal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homeschool Mother's Journal. Show all posts

Wednesday 30 September 2020

Homeschool Covid Isolation

I'm starting to grieve the lost year with my teen son.  At the start of the year I was enjoying watching his independence grow, new friendships being made and high school opportunities begining to open up.  All snatched away in what began as a four week flatten the curve exercise which has now morphed into something that words fail to describe. Here I sit six months later under what is effectively house arrest in Melbourne along with a fifth of Australia's population when...

A fellow homeschool Mom in a local homeschool group penned the following words which resonated with my heart and I would like to share with you today. (Shared with her permission.)



My heart is as heavy as yours.
 
As we joyfully see all other children returning to day care and school - enjoying their friendships and social time, and lessons as normal - but we privately mourn for our own children.
 
Because for the first time in history, group home education programs are considered socialisation. While all other children enjoy seeing their friends and learning together, our children remain in total isolation, not able to resume any of our cherished group learning programs. 
 
Homeschooled children need connection with friends too. They need normalcy too. They need their education to return to normal too. Homeschooling mothers need a break too. 
 
People may say things like “We’re in this together”. But it doesn’t feel like that right now. We feel excluded from the togetherness.
 
My gut tells me that I won’t see my children participating in their homeschool education programs until 2021. We haven’t had anything running since March, and while the past eight weeks of canceled day care and remote learning have been so hard for families... it’s been six months for us. Please think of us.
 
“All the world is my school” (George Whitman), if only it could be right now
 We are in plain sight yet forgotten.  What most families do not grasp is that this is not normal for us either.  We enjoy all the aspects of homechooling and covid schooling restrictions impact us too.  

 
How are you all coping with 'covid normal' and home educating?  

Chareen
 

Saturday 28 March 2020

Quarantine-schooling is NOT Homeschooling and other thoughts.

I recently came accross and shared the following thought on Facebook:  "Non of us are truly homeschooling; we are quarantine-schooling.  Homeschooling involves visits to libraries, parks, the ice-skating rink, play dates, museums, co-op, gymnastics, etc ...  This is completely different."  Some families are emergency schooling at home or have found themselves with children at home due to early school closures.  I wanted to say take a deep breath and please do remember that homeschool/education is NOT school at home.  You do not need to school for eight hours a day.  I will be sharing more on Monday.


I got thinking about this new normal that we are all struggling with and decided to blow the dust off my blog and start sharing some resources as I find them whilst ambling through too much social media!

One of the biggest blessings in my life is the homeschool friends I have met through being a member of the Homeschool Review Crew.  My friend Michele from over at Family, Faith & Fridays has set forth a fabulous challenge:  A Letter a Day.  I think I will be taking this one up starting on Monday. I really love the idea of posting a letter, yes a snail mail letter to someone.  Social distancing does not mean disconnection.

Here are some great ideas and articals
Oh my I have just found a lovely old book on Google Books.  It's a free eBook called: Grand-Papa's Arithmetic: A Story of Two Little Apple Merchants. 

Are you wanting to purchase books to be home delivered?  Take a look at these companies:


If you are looking for some quick links to specific areas be sure to check out my page of Homeschool Help links.

In anticipation of more regular blogging and wondering how you are all holding up with the lack of social contact.

Blessings
Chareen

Linking with Homeschool Highlights.

Saturday 16 April 2016

Week 3 April {HSMJ}


The weather is cooling and autumn is beginning to show her lovely colours here in Melbourne. Unfortunately on this side of Melbourne there are very few deciduous trees so it's not really possible to appreciate the variety of autumn colour in all it's glory.  Paul and I joined another homeschooling family this week and took a drive over to the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens.  If you are in Melbourne I would encourage you to pack a picnic and go and take a look at the stunning autumn garden in all it's splendor.

I really hope that many families will read this: What We Mean When We Say We Need a Break She puts so much into perspective.  I think this is something partners should really discuss with one another :)

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

In our home school this week…
  • We spent time watching the trilogy of movies The Note, The Note II and The Note III. So many many heart healing issues addressed and beautiful uplifting stories.
  • First time I've seen Flushed Away.  Cute movie.
  • We read Caterpillars and Butterflies 
  • Nathaniel is reading David Livingston the Explorer Missionary to Africa to me from Hero Tales.
  • We started a free trial of the Veritas Bible curriculum.
  • I'm learning to be more hands off and allowing Nathaniel to follow his passions and interests.  One of them is movies and projectors.  He has saved, worked for dollars and spent countless hours comparing projectors and finally purchased one for himself.  
  • It was time for his monthly orthodontic check up too.  The dentist is pleased with his progress.
  • We started the second book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy: The Two Towers.  
  • A good homeschool friend recently introduced me to Stitcher.  This app allows you to either stream or download podcasts to your phone to listen to.  I'm so pleased.  Now I need to make time so I can listen to some great homeschool content.
  • The first podcast I listened to was from the Morning Basket: Plutarch 101.
  • I took Timothy to the airport as he is off on a three month adventure.

My favourite thing this week was…
I'm so very proud of my sister Nadeen. She has walked 60 kilometer's in order to fund raise to help end woman's cancer.  She is still in need of some once off donations in order to reach her goal.  Please take some time to consider donating and helping her reach her donations goal.  You can make an Australian tax deductible donation here: Participant ID: 131063-0.



 On the WWW I’m reading…
 I’m cooking…

 A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

"Once Intellect admits us into the realms of History, we live in a great and stirring world, full of entertainment and sometimes of regret; and at last we begin to understand that we, too, are making History, and that we are all part of the whole; that the people who went before us were all very like ourselves, or else we should not be able to understand them. If some of them were worse than we, and in some things their times were worse than ours, yet we make acquaintance with many who were noble and great, and our hearts beat with a desire to be like them.” - Charlotte Mason

Blessings
Chareen


Connect with me
 Facebook Google+ Pinterest Instagram YouTube RSS Feed

Linking to
Homegrown Learners

Photo collages made with: Photoscape a FREE photo editor


A Week In Review Link UP

Join Lisa and I each week and share your week in review.  We look forward to reading about your

Week in Review
Field Trips
School Work&nbsp
Homeschool projects
And anything homeschool related.

Here is a button for your post.
My Week in Review Link UP



Saturday 2 April 2016

April has arrived ... {HSMJ}


 In my life this week…

This morning I took a drive across Melbourne and discovered the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens.  IF you're ever in Melbourne I strongly recommend you take a drive out there and enjoy a morning strolling this beautiful place.


Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…
Are you on Instagram ?  If so we've been invited by The Schoolhouse Review Crew to participate in a IG challenge for April



My favourite thing this week was…

 Things I’m working on…

 On the WWW I’m reading…
 I’m thinking of cooking…

Blessings
Chareen


Connect with me
 Facebook Google+ Pinterest Instagram YouTube RSS Feed

Linking to
Homegrown Learners

Photo collages made with: Photoscape a FREE photo editor


A Week In Review Link UP

Join Lisa and I each week and share your week in review.  We look forward to reading about your

Week in Review
Field Trips
School Work&nbsp
Homeschool projects
And anything homeschool related.

Here is a button for your post.
My Week in Review Link UP



Saturday 19 March 2016

March 19 {HSMJ}


 In my life this week…
It's been a much needed week of rest.  Today I will share you a few photo's of our week and over the next few weeks I will share in depth about our explorations.

Enjoying the Murry River

Every day the sky was painted

Nathaniel enjoyed swimming each day.

Capri Waters Country Club.

Paul fishing in the Murry River


Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…


Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
  • Mulwala and Yarrawonga


My favourite thing this week was…



 On the WWW I’m reading…
 I’m cooking…


Blessings
Chareen


Connect with me
 Facebook Google+ Pinterest Instagram YouTube RSS Feed

Linking to
Homegrown Learners

Photo collages made with: Photoscape a FREE photo editor


A Week In Review Link UP

Join Lisa and I each week and share your week in review.  We look forward to reading about your

Week in Review
Field Trips
School Work&nbsp
Homeschool projects
And anything homeschool related.

Here is a button for your post.
My Week in Review Link UP



Saturday 12 March 2016

March 12 Homeschool Mothers Journal.


 In my life this week…
  • We are New Zealand citizens who are currently living in Australia under a bi-lateral agreement.  Recently the Australian government announced a new pathway to citizenship for NZ citizens who arrived in Australia between 27 February 2001 to 19 February 2016.  Please be in prayer for us over this as this is something we desire for our family having a pathway to citizenship.  For my New Zealand friends who are in Australia here is some information for you: Additional citizenship pathway for New Zealanders
  • I'm still on a mission to regain health and strength this year.  I just found a wonderful post by Dolly: How to get started on THM on a budget
  • Goodness I'm looking forward to next week we are going away for a weeks holidays!
Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

In our home school this week…


My favourite thing this week was…

 Things I’m working on…

 On the WWW I’m reading…
 Trim Healthy Mama…
A photo, video, link, or quote to share…
This week Joey passed from earth to glory.  This is an amazing video of her singing a love song to her husband for the first day after she is gone and walking on streets of gold...  Be sure to have your tissues handy when watching When I'm Gone.  It was a timely reminder for me to appreciate Paul more.

Joey+Rory - "When I'm Gone" from Hickory Films on Vimeo.

Blessings
Chareen


Connect with me
 Facebook Google+ Pinterest Instagram YouTube RSS Feed

Linking to
Homegrown Learners

Photo collages made with: Photoscape a FREE photo editor


A Week In Review Link UP

Join Lisa and I each week and share your week in review.  We look forward to reading about your

Week in Review
Field Trips
School Work&nbsp
Homeschool projects
And anything homeschool related.

Here is a button for your post.
My Week in Review Link UP