I am a homeschool mother of 6. I don't have everything figured out, but I can help you with the experience I do have.Please join me as Christian mothers who seek answers through prayer in study in raising our children in a Godly way.
We started school off with independent work. I was getting a bit stressed out. It takes a long time to help my 4th and 5th grader with their homework. I wanted to start school with them but not at the expense of getting anything in with my 1st grader and preschooler. If I remember right, I probably just had my preschooler do ABC Mouse. Sometimes, that is a huge help on busy days. It gives my preschooler something to do and makes it so I don’t have another thing to check off.
As I mentioned, I was getting stressed out. I decided to go in my room and say a prayer. Heavenly Father really helped me calm down so that I could just get our work done. We pushed through with my 1st grader and older kids. During the times when I’m not working with my 1st grader, I’ve really tried to have her read more on her own. She’s been reading more books that aren’t part of her Good and Beautiful curriculum, and I think it has been good for her. Before long, it was lunch break.
Fortunately for us, the weather was fairly nice but cold on Monday. We dressed up to look like polar bears and withstood the frigid wind and temperatures during lunch break. I went on a short hike with my older two kids. It got pretty cold and my phone wasn’t working. I usually try to walk 30 minutes. We were probably close to that, but I’m not sure.
After lunch we did our circle time. During that my 3 and 5 year old join us for Bible time and songs. We are reading this Bible book. After we read a story about Jesus suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and dying on the cross, we sang the song Gethsemane by???? After that, I had my youngest kids color paw patrol books while we finished The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman. We started reading it, and I really wanted to finish it. It wasn’t a book that I would recommend for adults or children. There is definitely better books our there that encourage way better morals. My kids, thanks to Jenny Phillips Good and Beautiful curriculum, told me it wasn’t a good book. We were happy to get it done with.
After that was over, we finished the rest of my older children’s independent work. As everyone finished, they went on their way to do chores or play.
That night, my husband got home and we listened to President Trump’s inauguration address during what our church calls Family Home Evening. It is usually held on Monday night. We usually do some kind of an activity and have a short gospel message as a family.
Tuesday we had about an hour and a half to do some school. My older kids started their independent work while I gave my 5 year old a bath. At about 10:30 I let my kids quit school and run outside before we had to go on a 2 hour drive. My 11 and 13 year old went on a hike with me. When we got back, we drove for 2 hours to go to an orthodontist appointment.
On the way there and back we started listening to Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Rings by J. R.R. Tolkien on the library app Libby. We ran some errands in town including grabbing some groceries at Walmart. On the way home, I learned my husband could have easily died in a gas explosion while working on our camper trailer. We are so fortunate he is totally ok and walked away with some singed hair. Thankfully, I had cooked some ground beef the day before to prepare for dinner on Tuesday. We made what we called Casamatacos. It’s just casadillas with taco meat in them. My kids ate them well like they usually do.
“One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life is, I think, to have a happy childhood.”
Agatha Christie, https://themulberryjournal.com/writing-collective/200-homeschool-quotes, The Mulberry Journal, 200 Inspiring Quotes about Homeschool, Learning and Creativity, Eric Koelma, date found January 22, 2025
Wednesday we were supposed to go to our homeschool co op. However, there was a severe winter storm warning. My husband and I decided I shouldn’t go. It’s a two hour drive, and it’s just not worth risking our lives. Thankfully, our co op leaders also decided to cancel co op completely. Furthermore, we usually have church youth activities on Wednesday night. We decided not to attend those either do to the weather. To begin the day we watch shows on Curiosity Stream, and we cuddled up with blankets and stuffies. Next, we finished up lessons we had started on Tuesday. I got school in with all the older and younger kids. During circle time we also read 2 picture books to the younger kids. Bed time is always a hassle with my kids, so I decided to start a routine of reading books at circle time instead of bedtime. Delighted, we started a book by Mary Notgrass called Katy. It is very rare at the beginning of a book for my children to bed me to keep reading, yet this is exactly what happened with this book. We were all very pleased.
Furthermore, after we finished circle time, I helped my children with their independent work. That includes working with my preschooler with his school. After a dinner of casamatacos again and scriptures with my family, my younger three children and I played a game called Cootie by Hasbro. It was enjoyed by all. It took forever for my children to actually stay in bed, but then my husband and I were able to enjoy time together talking, trying to sell horses, and watching television. One highlight of the day is one of the picture books I read my kids. I love reading this book. It is called Ugly Pie by Lisa Wheeler and Heather Solomon. My sons decided to make the Ugly Pie out of the recipe in the back of the book. It turned out really good. I asked them to clean off our living room table before they made the pie. Now my family was able to enjoy a clean table and a yummy apple pie.c
Starting our day in a very delightful way, we got exercise outside. My oldest son and I plunged through the deep white snow on a hike. The rest of the kids chased after each other in the yard.
After playing, I spent some time with my youngest boys. After they got time with me, I really cracked down with my middle math and English with my middle children.
We paused school around lunch time and ate food. After that, the kids climbed into their thick snow clothes and scooted back out into the cold.
My oldest son finished his independent work early and decided to cook. He whipped up some scrumptious lava cake that he’s never made before.
Friday I was feeling really tired and kind of sick. I did school with my kids until I was too tired to do anymore. I decided since I wasn’t feeling well, the kids would watch curiosity stream while I took a nap. After they watched a few episodes, they went outside to play together. We worked on more school when they got home. We had Friday night famiky movie night. Instead of watch fun movies throughout the week, we really try to let our kids watch one on Friday nights and sometimes on Saturdays. My husband and I will watch movies sometimes after we put our kids to bed, but we really like to try not to let the kids watch too many. Sometimes we give in and especially let the toddlers watch one on a tablet.
