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Spring Cleaning Your 'Tudes

Dateline: 03/25/99

By Ann Zeise

Now if you came to this site looking for someone to tell you to clean your house, you came to the wrong site, sister! Yeh, yeh, I know half the Christian homeschooling sites tell you to clean your house before you even THINK about homeschooling. But realize that half DO NOT! Those are my type of Christians homeschool moms. The Jewish and Islamic sites don't even mention house cleaning. Right on moms! Just get on with it! Make a big MESS with your kids!

You say you already did that. Now what?

It's a matter of 'tudes, as the Slob Sisters point out. Knock those cobwebs out of your mind and heart this spring. Forgive me my Platitudes.

Start by showing a little Gratitude to the others in your family, in your life. So your kids made a mess. Did they help clean up at all? Thank them for their help. Thank them for being at all, even if they didn't help clean up! Imagine your life with out them. Wouldn't it be awful? Did your DH (online this stands either for "Dear Husband" or some other "D" word I'm not going to publish here :X) come home from work and complain how you ALWAYS leave the dishes for him? Mine did. Wasn't deliberate. Honest. I tried, "Oh, let me get that! You must have had such a hard day at work." Shoved him out of the way and put the two dishes that had been missed into the dishwasher. Hey! I'm grateful we have a dishwasher! Things could be worse!

If your child can't seem to grasp fractions, it may be your Attitude about it needs adjusting. Make a hard subject fun by making a game of it. There are loads of materials out there that make learning tough subjects fun. So pick that math book that has cartoons. Select a grammar book that sparks the imagination. Buy some inexpensive videos that even the most hardened teen will play over and over. Go to the movies to delve into history and literature. Explore the Internet to find the most delightful sites for children. Go through this check list to see if your methods will lead to success. Whatever you do, avoid feeling guilty about it!

Moms, I know this sounds nearly impossible, but do try to get some Solitude in each day. It's good for your kids to get some, too, but it is primarily important to take care of you, Mom, first. Plan to have some learning time for you. continuously improve yourself, if you don't you'll burn out: guaranteed.

If you don't keep up your Fortitude who will carry on? Plan for nutritious meals and time for exercise right along with planning for your children's homeschooling.

No matter what your Latitude there are other homeschooling parents to talk to, to assist you in many ways. Reach out to them. They may seem very different from you at first, but they are just like your neighbors. At times you'll need them for support and understanding where no one else will do.

As my grandfather always used to say: "Take time to smell the vanilla." There's but maybe a teaspoon of vanilla in a whole cake, but isn't the smell delightful? Life is a like that. Savor the small, special moments of delight and treasure them. The memory of them will get you through the tough times.

Just for fun, visit the Redneck translation of this page. It jist might help your 'tude. Fry mah hide!

Sites With An Attitude

The Brat Factor
Come meet and get comfortable with your inner brat. Attend the Brat Reform School. Brought to you by Pam, one of the Slob Sisters. Her new site.

Come on in to FlyLady's house!
Are YOU living in CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) like Franny in the pink sweats? Do you feel overwhelmed, overextended, and overdrawn? Hopeless and you don't know where to start? Don't worry friend, we've been there, too. We even have an email list!

Must I Be Organized?
Contrary to what some perfectionist homeschool moms espouse, organization is one of the LEAST important factors of a successful school year.

One of Those Days NEW
I look at the children and announce, "This is One of Those Days." They stop and look up expectantly; ready to hear what crazy cure Mom has in mind this time. If this sounds familiar, try these remedies with your kids.

Sidetracked Home Executives
Get organized with the Slob Sisters.

Singing the Burnout Blues
For many home-learning parents (this one included) that energy-sucking specter we recognize as burnout seems to be lurking in every dark corner. By Jacqueline M. Massey, HEM 5/6 03.

Books To Help You Get Started Homeschooling
 
Homeschooling at the Speed of Life: Balancing Home, School, And Family in the Real World
Homeschooling at the Speed of Life: Balancing Home, School, And Family in the Real World
by Marilyn Rockett
What should I do next; grade the math test or tackle the laundry? Homeschooling at the Speed of Life gives busy homeschooling mothers a thoughtfully thorough resource for bringing order back to their home.
 
The Complete Idiots Guide to Homeschooling
Complete Idiot's Guide to Homeschooling
by Marsha Ransom
If you find yourself teaching subjects you know little about, undecided about what curriculum to choose, or concerned that your children may miss out on band, drama, or sports, this guide provides practical advice from an author who has homeschooled four children.
 
The Complete Home Learning Source Book
The Complete Home Learning Source Book : The Essential Resource Guide for Homeschoolers, Parents, and Educators Covering Every Subject from Arithmetic to Zoology
by Rebecca Rupp
This ambitious reference guide lives up to its name. Practically three inches thick--and we're not talking large print here--it's packed with titles, ordering information, and Web site addresses.

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