Two Subscriptions to Buy Your Child to Encourage Learning

The Covid-19 pandemic crippled the education system due to widespread school closures. As a result, parents, teachers, and students were left to seek ways to educate their children, with a significant number opting for homeschooling. On the other hand, educators sought out ways to encourage children to keep learning, which has brought the need for subscriptions. These subscriptions help provide kids with the necessary tools and knowledge that encourage learning.

Try the following subscriptions if you want to join the new schooling system and encourage your child to learn. 

Box Subscriptions

Subscription boxes are packages that will encourage your child to learn. This hot trend involves subscribing to a particular educative company to ensure that you receive a box with items and directions regarding a particular education subject, including art, math, and reading.

These boxes cover a wide variety of subjects; do you want to encourage your little one to write? Try a writer's box. If you want to make them inquisitive of the world around them, subscribe to the science subscription box for kids.

Choosing an Ideal Supplier

When subscribing, however, ensure that you choose a supplier whose boxes are written, curated, and created by teachers or educators with master's degrees and a love for teaching and inspiring people. It would also help to get box subscriptions from a site with an online presence to stay updated with new trends. 

Online Subscriptions

In addition, to getting monthly educational boxes for your child, you may subscribe to online platforms that provide educational lessons. While online subscriptions won't provide your kids with tools, they will provide comprehensive education and instructions. For instance, if your kid is a little scientist, you can find online platforms with DIY scientific videos for kids.

It would also help to subscribe to platforms that provide daily education lessons to ensure that your children get the necessary educative interaction. This way, you will remove the monotonous of having just you as the teacher or books as the main source of information. Ideally, before subscribing to an online educational platform, it would help discuss and encourage your kids to undertake these lessons.

Besides, online subscriptions will allow your child to access the specific educational content they need. For instance, if they miss a school lesson or don't understand more about a written topic, they can search that content on the subscribed platform. This way, they will have the content they need at hand.

Choosing an Ideal Platform

When looking for a site that provides educational online subscriptions, you will find platforms that provide education on a particular subject like art, science, or art. Others are more like schools, where different teachers provide learning in their specific fields of expertise.

Both options will help your child learn. However, getting multiple sites with specific subjects can be expensive. However, it will have more content than a general platform. By the end of the day, it's a matter of budget and preference.

Whether or not you are homeschooling your kids, you can help them reconnect with their love for learning with subscriptions. These subscriptions will teach them the ins and outs of math, science, technology, reading, and art. In addition, you can get monthly subscriptions to ensure that your kids receive updated boxes regularly. 

Welch's Fruit Snacks Are Now Available to Buy In Bulk From Amazon

Do you feel like your kids can't seem to stop eating and snacking? Of course many of us still have kids at home during the pandemic, since many schools are still not open for face-to-face learning. This means keeping extra snacks on hand are a must. Luckily, Welch's Fruit Snacks are now available in a bulk size for purchase on Amazon. That's right, you can get the 110-ct package of their mouthwatering flavors: Mixed Fruit and Berries 'n Cherries in a combo pack! 

Welch's fruit snacks have been a popular snack and lunchbox items for my kids for many years now. The are known to be America's #1 fruit snack for a reason. The first ingredient is fruit of course, and they are an excellent source of Vitamins A, C and E. Welch's fruit snacks are also contain no preservatives and are fat free & gluten free. This is definitely a plus for parents! 

They are perfect as a quick snack while they wait for a meal, or while out-and-about in the car running errands with mom or dad. I love keeping a couple packs stashed in my purse for that just-in-case snack. My adult daughters love filling the work jar with these delicious fruit snacks to share with co-workers. Adults love them just as much as kids do. 

*This post may contain affiliate links. 

With Halloween coming, Welch's Fruit Snacks are perfect to share with classmates and trick-or-treaters. Don't forget when you make your next Amazon order, add the 110-ct combo pack of Welch's Fruit snacks on your list! If you're a Prime customer, you can get FREE one-day shipping. You can buy them here. 

Thanks for stopping by today, and thank you Welch's Fruit Snacks for the tasty samples. All opinions are our own. 

Ways To Get Your Child Interested in Reading

When you were a kid, if you loved reading you probably don't remember how you discovered it. All you knew is you lost yourself in books for hours at a time. Now that you're a parent, you'd like your kids to develop good reading habits, too. Here are four different ways you can pique their interest starting now.

Read With Them

If you're not spending time actually reading with your child, they might not pick it up on their own. Set up a time each day for reading a good book together. Storytime is usually before bed, so make it a nightly routine. Your child will be excited about continuing the tale or starting a new one. Kids love to use their imagination when it comes to stories, so ask them plenty of questions.

Get Them a Personalized Book

One way to really get your little one's attention for reading is by giving them their very own adventure such as a personalized birthday book for child reading levels. In this story, they star as the main character and family members have roles, too. Not only is their very own storybook fun to receive, they'll ask to read it over and over. Remember to let a child read aloud as they're learning. It can help them to expand their vocabulary quickly.

Use Reading As a Reward

Reading is one activity that you can safely use as a reward for a job well done. Remember, reading is knowledge so more storytime is never a bad thing. If your child sees reading as a reward, the more they'll look forward to it. Reading in exchange for good behavior, or doing a chore, is much more beneficial than buying them another toy or handing out a sugary treat.

Set an Example

If you want your kids to be truly interested in the world of books, make sure you set a good example. Kids follow their parent's leads and by reading yourself, you'll demonstrate that reading is a lifelong love. Visit book stores often and keep plenty of books at home with your favorite ones in an important place where they can be treasured and admired.

Start Them Early

Reading can benefit your child in many ways, including expanding their vocabulary and letting them use their imagination. By starting as early as possible, you'll be setting them up for an activity they'll enjoy for the rest of their lives.

Free Printable Games From Welch’s Fruit Snacks

At this time, we know it can be challenging for most parents adjusting to the new normal, balancing working from home, and homeschooling the kids. No one was prepared for any of this!

To help keep the family a bit more entertained, Welch’s Fruit Snacks has released a number of printable games as a resource for kids and parents to enjoy during this time. From fruit snack themed bingo to crossword puzzles and word searches, we hope these games can bring a little fun to every household.

Check out the games here: https://welchsfruitsnacks.com/printable-games/

Stay home, cozy up, and spark some fruitful fun with activities that’ll entertain the whole family. Check out the links to print out games and coloring pages that’ll bring the gang together for a good time! Break out a pack of Welch’s® Fruit Snacks and let the games begin!

The Internet's Impact on Homeschooling

Just like the Internet has changed the way we shop, communicate, and conduct business, it has also revolutionized the world of education. Now more than ever, it is easier to learn outside a traditional classroom setting. Many college students take at least one online course to earn either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Online education has extended past college students and now includes K-12 students, as well.

Homeschooling families have more freedom and flexibility when it comes to education options. The Internet has significantly increased education options, homeschooling resources, online forums, and curriculum programs. The following are ways that the Internet has completely changed homeschooling.

Allows for More Student Independence and Less Parent Involvement

The Internet has brought about more and more at-home education methods. Accredited virtual schools and online homeschooling curriculums don’t require as much parent involvement as other at-home education methods.

Many parents assume that homeschooling will be time-consuming because it requires a lot of hand holding. Although this may be true for young learners, high school level students develop more independence around their education, especially if they are taking online courses. For most homeschool curriculums, parents or hired tutors must grade and review work to ensure the student is making progress.

Online schools require even less parent involvement because online teachers do the grading. This structure is especially helpful for parents who don’t have formal teacher training or work full- or part-time jobs.

Increases Education and Learning Options

Before the Internet, homeschooling families relied on textbooks and workbooks for their curriculum or created their own. Parents had to take charge of the entire learning process to either select or create a curriculum and teach their students the necessary subjects. The Internet, however, has made way for more and more education and learning methods. It really is impressive. So with so many dependent on the Internet and the knowledge that it brings, it's no wonder that many look to see how satellite internet works.

The Internet provides endless resources to help your student learn at home. Many different online curriculum programs and virtual schools are available to homeschooling families. Online homeschool curriculum provides Internet-based courses and resources for parents and students to be successful.

Online or virtual schools for K-12 students are also increasingly popular among families seeking alternative education methods. Online schools allow students to learn from teachers who are states away while attending classes from their home.

Many of these online schooling options are self-paced, so students can work through lessons as they master individual concepts. At the same time, if a student is struggling with a particular topic, they can receive extra help in this area. This is very beneficial for students with chronic illnesses or learning disabilities who may need frequent breaks.

Provides Online Resources and Technologies

The Internet gives homeschool students access to countless resources at home that helps them learn. Homeschool resources and learning technologies were limited before the Internet age. However, continuous advancements are being made in learning technologies.

Today, students can learn via e-readers, tablets, apps, digital coursework, and virtual schools. Parents also have access to a variety of resources to help them and their students get started with at-home education.

The Internet offers a plethora of information and resources. No longer are the days of students needing to spend hours sifting through textbooks or encyclopedias to write research papers. With the help of Google, information and multimedia resources are at students’ fingertips.

Makes Learning Fun with Gamification 

Games are a new way of learning. Gamification has helped create educational video games for students to learn about numerous subjects, such as coding, spelling, and foreign languages. These games allow students of all ages to learn about different topics and practice different skills in a fun and exciting way. The gamification of learning has also allowed students to study while riding in the car, traveling for the holidays, or waiting for appointments. Learning has become much more fun with the availability of learning with games on their phones, tablets, or computers.

Helps Students with At-Home Education 

Online schools and homeschool curriculums allow students to complete school and progress through grades from the comfort of their home or wherever they have Internet access. Students with disabilities, anxiety or depression, or chronic illnesses don’t have to worry about falling behind. Many students struggle to keep up in a classroom setting, so online education methods allow them to work at their own pace without falling behind in a traditional classroom setting. Likewise, students who are receiving treatment and recovering from an illness can make feeling better their number one priority.

Offers a Space for Online Homeschool Communities

Fostering a successful at-home education requires a support system. The Internet has made it easier for homeschooling families to connect with others who chose non-traditional schooling methods. Online forums and Facebook offer spaces for parents to discuss curriculums, education options, and homeschooling tips. Families can even connect with others in their area, which lets children make friends who are homeschooled, as well.

The Internet has affected almost every area of our lives, both positively and negatively. However, the impact that the digital age has had on education continues to benefit homeschooling families.

Sources:
https://www.noodle.com/articles/5-ways-the-internet-has-changed-homeschooling
https://www.nflcacademy.com/blog/5-ways-the-internet-has-changed-homeschooling

Benefits of Homeschooling at Night and Other Odd Times

As parents embark on the homeschooling journey with their children, often creating a schedule becomes the most complicated part of the entire homeschooling process. Usually, when the idea of schoolwork comes up, people think about the schedules that kids in school systems are put on. Days usually start by 8 a.m. and conclude by 3:30 p.m. or so.

However, one of the benefits of homeschooling is that you don’t have to abide by someone else’s schedule. Not all kids are their most productive at 8 a.m. Maybe your child is a night owl who performs better after 6 p.m. There are quite a few benefits to starting homeschooling at night or other “odd” times throughout the day.

1. Allows You to Do Schooling Around Work Schedules

When parents in a homeschooling household work odd hours, it might be challenging to complete coursework during the normal school day hours. If someone works overnights, starting schoolwork at 8 a.m. isn’t going to be conducive for their lifestyle. Instead, you might decide that 3 p.m. is a better time to do schoolwork. For those who work 12-hour shifts, your homeschooling schedules might look completely different than those who work a normal 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. job or stay at home with their children.

2. Makes It Easier to Schedule Appointments

We’ve all had to try to schedule doctor’s appointments around the many other commitments we have. By leaving more time open during the day, you can schedule all of your doctor’s appointments as well as other things like tax appointments during regular business hours without much hassle. Plus, doctors often have patients competing for the evening appointment times, so it might take a while to get in to see your doctors.

3. Gives You Time for Field Trips and Other Activities

It is not fun to sit around doing regular schoolwork all of the time. From time to time, it is important to schedule additional activities and field trips. You might be using these outings as learning experiences as well. Maybe once a month you have an afternoon outing to a place with some educational value like the zoo, botanical garden, or museum.
Taking time out of the morning or afternoon allows you to go to those places when they aren’t going to be crowded and busy like they would be in the evenings and on weekends.

4. Allows Others to Help with Teaching

In some households, a spouse might be a better teacher in one subject than the main teacher. If one parent is a whiz at math but works all day, it might be best to hold off on math lessons until that parent is back from work.

Additionally, some parents like to wait until they have some helping hands to do science experiments and art projects because they can get messy really fast. There is no shame in pushing some lessons to later in the day if that is what works best for your family.

5. Allows Students to Work When They Are Most Productive

Like we mentioned before, not everyone is a morning person. In some cases, children do their best work in the evening. It is important for many parents to allow their children to work on schooling when they are at their most focused and productive. This means that some children will need to have night homeschooling as an option.

Doing class work at night allows these kids to sleep in until they are well-rested without compromising on the amount of time they have to get their work done.

6. Allows a Tutor to Teach Students

Not every homeschooler is taught by a parent. Some children are homeschooled by a tutor who has other students or works full-time, which means that lessons need to work around a different schedule. If you’re interested in homeschooling, but don’t want to teach your children yourself, you will need to have a little flexibility when it comes down to the timing of your children’s education. You might be able to find tutors that can even teach your child when it best suits the student.

There are so many reasons that a parent may need or choose to homeschool at a time that isn’t considered normal schooling hours. However you need to work homeschooling into your routine is fine, as long as it works for you and your family. Find a homeschooling curriculum that works wells for your family and work it in however you need to support your child’s education.

Why Your Child Will Love Magic Sketch!

There's no denying that we live in the digital era. Everything from ordering our groceries, asking Siri or Alexa questions for help, and scheduling our doctors appointments can be done instantly from our digital devices. There are some things that can not be replaced by technology and that is good old-fashioned play time. Kids really need to be engaged in hands-on activities that encourage using their imagination to really learn and grow. 

We recently received the Magic Sketch for review, and my son was thrilled when we opened the box. Magic Sketch is a very simply yet super cool art tablet. There is no real assembly involved, so your child can start using it right away. Magic Sketch comes with a battery already installed, and lasts for years. This means your child can doodle and erase as much as they want! 

How does Magic Sketch work?

You simply use any of the included writing instruments or art tools to write or doodle on the the liquid crystal screen. There are templates included that offer a variety of games, drawing stencils, and learning stencils to practice handwriting, math skills, and more. The stamps and roller are very fun for learning patterns and repetition for younger kids. 

When your child is done drawing or writing, they simply push the button on the top and everything is magically erased!  

My son loves Magic Sketch as a tool to use for practicing or working out math problems. It is super convenient to use during his homeschool lessons. He is not big on art, so he enjoys using the drawing templates to trace pictures and shapes as well as creating his own works of art. Magic Sketch is very helpful to encourage fine motor and writing skills in younger children. The templates are easy to take out and replace, so kids can use it independently depending on their age. Another great thing is that you can make your own stencils according to what your child is interested in or learning at the time. 

Perks of the Magic Sketch

• No messy markers or crayons involved
• Perfect as a practice tablet for homeschoolers
• Great for travel and long road trips
• Kids can entertain themselves and parents don't have to supervise
• It's waterproof, unlike traditional tablets
• No recharging ever, and long battery life (7 years!)
• Makes a great gift for birthdays or holidays 

Where can you get Magic Sketch and what do you get? 

Each Magic Sketch retails for $29.95 and includes:

• Magic Sketch
• Protector Guard
• 1 Roller
• 3 Stamps
• 20 Learning Stencils
• 20 Games Stencils
• 20 Art Stencils

You can purchase it here and this is expected to be a HOT item for the 2017 holiday gifting season. My child loves his Magic Sketch and I think yours will, too. Any child would love to find this under the tree! Just be warned: Adults LOVE Magic Sketch, too! 

September 27th Is Math Storytelling Day

Monday, September 25th is Math Storytelling Day and here are some great short stories to share with your kids. These are courtesy of the Numbers Lady, Dr. Rebecca Klemm. You can check out her site here. 

Thanks for stopping by today!

We Are Officially Back-To-School

School is officially back in session around these parts. William is entering his third year of home education. He is well prepared for 4th grade and so far he has picked up where he left off. I admit I did not really push him super hard to do school work all summer long. We both really needed a break and now we're ready to get back to learning. 

I have to adjust my schedule a little bit to accommodate his lessons, especially after having three months off. I enjoyed my non-schedule all summer long. It's back to business and I will be sure to update with William's progress and share any resources I come across that can help others.

Are your kids back to school yet? Wishing all parents and students a fabulous 2017-18 school year. Thanks for stopping by today!

Math Skills- Subtraction Practice For Third Grade

Math is one area where most kids struggle or bump into some sort of challenge. I was really excited to be contacted by Education.com to share some practice work and strategies to help my son really grasp some math concepts. You can't ever have too much practice in math, although I am sure he would disagree. Below is a fun activity to help with subtraction.

Subtraction Action

Most parents probably wouldn't mind subtracting 8-9 years off their age. Here's a fun subtraction activity for your child that will do just that—in theory, anyway. It's also a good way to boost third grade subtraction skills and make them real and relevant.

What You Need:
Pencil
Paper

What You Do:

1. Explain to your child that his mission is to find out how old everyone was when he was born. Encourage your child to go around and record each family member's current age--don't forget grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts! Use the adult's age as the top number, and your child's age as the bottom number. Have your child set up the equation and subtract.
2. Now that your child knows how old everyone was when you were born, try it this way: Add his age to every family member’s age today. When you get the result, have your child make a line graph with numbers 0-100 on the y-axis (vertical) and names of family members on the x-axis (horizontal). Ask your child to plot the ages and connect the dots to see how large of an age difference there is between family members.
3. Write a word problem with your child using the ages collected above. For example, when I was born, mom was thirty years old. Now I am 9-years-old. How old is mom? Word problems in abundance!
4. What's going on? You're tying abstract math skills--the stuff on flashcards and worksheets--to real life. These kinds of activities help your child build lifetime skills, and they help make related topics--like the timelines of history--make perfect sense. Don't be surprised, of course, if you also end up with some cherished family stories while you're at it.

Homeschool Updates Spring 2017

We are headed into our final two months of third grade with William and thankfully next week is Spring Break. We both desperately need the break. I now understand why school teachers used to act like they were about to blow their top at this time of year. I admit, I am burned out. Some days wear me out to the point of aggravation. I am SO ready to get our last day out of the way so that we can relax for a week. I make sure that I take a power nap in the afternoon if I start getting too crazy. It has come to a point to where William recognizes that I need a little breather.

Don't get me wrong, William is a great student when he's not being lazy or getting distracted. He is doing so well and is currently making all A's with a 96% overall average. Let me tell you though, those good grades don't come easy! We both work hard to make it happen. I am so thankful that I can pinpoint what he struggles with so that we can review for as long as it takes until he gets it. I am grateful I have the gift of patience, because some days are trying.

Some days are hard, but every day is worth it 📓📚📝 . . . . #homeschool #unschooling #life #workhardplayhard #school #learn #believe #family #stem #mathalete

A post shared by Shelly 🇬🇾👑 (@momfiles) on Mar 28, 2017 at 9:45am PDT

William has really been enjoying learning about different cultures in his current unit in Language Arts and seems to really love math. He sometimes stumbles while learning new skills, but once he understands it, he aces through the work. One of the things I love is when he learns something that his dad recently taught him, which is usually about money, spending, or making smart choices. He geeks out and tells me he can't wait to tell his dad what he learned in school that day.

He is enjoying his life as a homeschooler and never complains about being bored or lonely. That was one of my biggest fears, but thankfully he is like an old man who enjoys the most simple things. We break up the day with outdoor play or having lunch on the back patio. I think we are both going to enjoy Spring Break and hope to be back refreshed and ready to tackle the end of year testing and final assignments. I have noticed that my friends with kids in public school have been going nuts with all of the spring festivities and craziness that comes at this time of year. I can definitely say that I do not miss any of that!

Anyway, I wanted to share the latest regarding William's school progress. Have your kids had their Spring Break yet?

#TBT The Early Years Of Learning

I stumbled across a video this morning that warmed my heart and brought me to tears at the same time. I used to teach William some reading and math basics at home before he was kindergarten age. Who knew he would end up being home schooled. He is in his second semester of third grade, and it looks like he will make high honors again like in the first semester. It's hard to believe that this little munchkin boy will be turning 9 this weekend!

Thanks for stopping by 💖

From The Kid Files- The Old Man Child

If you have been connected to me through this blog or social media, you might know about the chronicles of the old man child. William is turning 9 this month, but is truly a 70 year-old man trapped in a child's body. This kid has an old soul and every day is an adventure with him. I have to mentally prepare myself each morning before he wakes up to deal with his lectures and old man chatter. 

We had to go to Urgent Care the other day for both William and his big sister. They both had been sick and shared an appointment. First of all, Brie was the one who was having symptoms of the flu. Mr. Man only had a sore throat, but I didn't want to take any chances. When we got called back to do vitals, William was up first and when asked any questions, he answered in real old man style. He was questioned about his overall health and before I (as his MOTHER) could say a word, he put his hand up to speak on his own behalf. He explained to the nurse that he eats only healthy foods and no candy or junk food. The nurse's eyes got so big as if he was saying, "Excuuuuse the #(@% outta me" 😅

Again, his sister was the one who was ailing with a 103.5 temperature and the whole time she was being checked out, William had his hand over his mouth as he shook his head. So why did this child decide that he needed to be the one to take the examining table? And how do you all like the arm positioning? 

The doctor did an examination on the man child and determined that he had an ear infection. William then questions the doctor asking him how it's possible that he came in with a sore throat and has no ear pain, and ended up with an ear infection. He then asks the doctor, "Will you please explain this to me in detail?" 😐 The doctor looked at him with a smile and said, "You sound like my grandpa". I cracked up! Yep, even the doctor recognized the old man in him. 

Back up 2 weeks ago, William had an episode where he broke out in hives all over his body. I went over every single thing he ate, where he has been, if I washed clothes in anything different, or any changes at all that could have caused it. When he took Benedryl, it would disappear and thankfully was a 24-hour thing. William mentioned it to the doctor and was told it was either an allergic reaction or stress. The doctor smiled again and said, "I wouldn't be surprised if it was stress". He was right. William had been very worried about me in regards to a death in the family, and he wouldn't stop checking on me to make sure I was okay. He would even go the the extent of asking, "Are you sure you're okay, or are you lying to protect my feelings?" Ummm, what child even thinks to say that? Oh yeah, an old man child! 

William keeps me in check every day. His old man antics are a part of who he is. I'm glad he is home schooled, because his behavior is unlike any child you will ever meet. Any adult who has ever met him would agree. Thank you so much for stopping by. 💜

The Kid Files- When Your Child Has An Old Soul

Do you have a kid with an old soul? My son thinks and speaks like a 50 year old man most days. I guess when you're the youngest in a house full of adults, this is to be expected. The other day he was in his room with the door closed most of the way, and I knocked and asked him what he was doing. He told me he was playing with his toys. That seems like normal kid behavior, right? Well I noticed he had his radio on and a Zig Ziglar CD was playing. I said, "Did you feel like listening to Zig?". He responds, "Yes, I really needed some motivation". I was just like OH. I mean what do you even say?

This morning I was getting his breakfast cooked and he tells me that I need to eat too. I told him I wasn't quite hungry yet and he said, "It doesn't matter, you still need to eat now". I was also told that I had no excuse. Ugh, he's annoying 😅 Seriously, there's never a dull day around here. William always has something wise to say. I tell him almost daily that you're 8. Not 38, 48, or 58. Just eight. His favorite description of himself is that he is a 'professional man'. I fully blame his dad for that.

It's not unusual for him to walk up to me and put both hands on my cheeks and tell me, "Always believe in yourself". The funny thing is he does it at the time I really need it. It's like his spirit is in line with other people's feelings. He is a very special child. The bad part is when he loses his mind and has to be disciplined. I have to muster up all of my strength to be serious and not laugh. He asks for you to explain or elaborate when you are yelling telling him to cut out his foolishness.

As I am typing this post, he just yelled out from his room that his hand is itchy and he will be getting some money. You know what that means if you are old school. HA! William is a good trash talker. He will try to out talk anyone. He loves winning at everything. Don't watch sports with him. He gets super animated and yells at the TV. Also playing UNO with him is a trip. I don't know how he stays beating all of us and his celebrations are ridiculous. When he wins he says things like, "boom shakka-lakka, I am the champion!" and then does the whole superman shirt ripping thing and a victory dance.

Then there's the whole third child thing he has going on. This kid likes to ask about taking vacations and what resort we will stay at. He's very particular too. I think I can take the blame for that one. 😀 There are times where he attends gatherings with us, and any adult who comes in contact with him is usually blown away with William's words and mannerisms. Everyone agrees that he is most certainly not your average kid in any way.

William is an absolute joy and I couldn't imagine my days without having him around (even if it is 24/7 because of home school). Does your child have an old soul? I'm sure we aren't the only ones with an old man-child!

Homeschool Updates

We are a couple months into our second year of school from home and so far, everything is going smoothly. Third grade is certainly very different from second grade. The work load has been a lot more and it can been very tiring some days. I find myself telling William to go take a break while I do the same. I am lucky to have a child who almost never complains and is easy to work with. We have a flexible routine that has been working well for us. 

I make certain every couple weeks to ask William how he is doing and if he misses going to traditional school. He always responds with how much he loves home school and never wants to return to public school. This makes me happy to know that he is genuinely happy and feeling like this was a good choice for him. 

One of his new favorite things to do is to go outside and read while he watches the birds and dogs play. Hey, anything that encourages him to read works for me! As a matter of fact, his reading has improved tremendously and we are working on being more animated when reading out loud. He still has his stubborn boy moments, but he understands that he has no choice with getting his work done. He takes pride in checking off assignments as he completes them, and loves tracking his grades.

A lot has changed for me as a homemaker. A huge chunk of my day is dedicated to William's schooling, so keeping a super neat and tidy home just isn't a priority like it used to be. I try to get things done throughout the day, but don't beat myself up if I don't get to it all. I make time for myself each day just to do whatever I want, whether it's watching my favorite show on HGTV or taking a nap. I have learned the importance of self-care and refuse to allow myself to feel guilty about it. Do I have bad days where I feel like I'm failing? YES. Yes, I do. Thankfully those aren't too often.

William continues to go to his karate classes and swimming. It's funny how much more social he is since doing school from home. He is not shy at all and will chat with anyone who will listen. We still get a lot of people when we are out and about during school hours ask him why he's not in school. He proudly tells them, "I'm home-schooled!". Of course, some people are still very shocked by that and tell me I must be a "saint". I simply laugh it off and realize I too thought the same of parents who home-schooled their kids.

Right about now I am SO happy that I'm not on Facebook trying to push school fundraisers on any of my friends. Yep, don't miss any of that! Overall, we are very happy with school and plan to continue all the way to high school. If you have ever considered homeschooling your child, I suggest you try it out to see if it works for your family. You definitely won't know unless you try. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

The 6 Best New Language Learning Apps For Your Kids Out Right Now

Guest Post

I’m sure I’m not alone when I admit that I took four years of Spanish in high school because my counselor told me to, but I can’t remember much of it now. It stuck around for a few years but gradually faded away. Kids today don’t have the option to learn a language and forget it—with a growing international economy and global connections, it is becoming so important to speak another language. Not to mention that it looks great on college and job applications, which I’m sure moms everywhere will love.

Luckily for our kids, there are so many more resources than when we were in school. One of the best resources is something your kids are probably using constantly anyway—their smartphones. Set your kids on the path to language learning success with these six great education apps:

Hello Talk (free)

Most kids love to talk, so the chance to learn a new language through conversations with a native speaker is a huge selling point. Hello Talk steps away from strict memorization and quizzes and instead connects users with native speakers around the world to practice their new language skills and get instant feedback. Hello Talk is based on a worldwide network of more than 70 data centers set up by communications company Agora.io, which means that no matter where in the world you or your native speaker are, you can always have crystal-clear communication. It’s a reliable cultural experience for kids that shows them new parts of the world.
Download on iOS
Download on Android

busuu (free)

With no Internet connection required, you can access busuu anywhere and go at your own pace. Busuu works with native speakers around the world to teach languages by listening and speaking, so you can practice what you learn right after each lesson. Another great option is the streamlined learning system, which highlights the top 3000 words and 150 topics you need to know in each language, perfect if you are tight on time.

Download on iOS
Download on Android

Brainscape (free)

Brainscape doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some of the other apps, but it does produce great results that will stick with kids. Brainscape is all about flashcards, and it has a deck of thousands of words for each of the languages it teaches. The more you get a word correct, the less frequently it appears in your deck, just like words you struggle with show up more frequently. Brainscape also customizes your response time to make the flashcards as memorable and effective as possible.
Download on iOS

Memrise (free)

This app combines proven memory techniques with content created by native speakers to create a program that can teach an amazing 44 words per hour. With learning activities varying from videos to rapid recall and more, there’s something to match everyone’s learning style. One of the best features about Memrise is that it covers more than 100 languages, ranging from Arabic to Icelandic, and even languages from your favorite books and movies.
Download on iOS
Download on Android

Duolingo (free)

For game-loving kids, Duolingo is the obvious choice. The lessons are short and highlight a particular grammar principle or vocabulary area. The review activities involve a variety of games, with each correct answer earning the user more points to use within the app’s virtual store. The more you learn, the more levels you achieve—you can even compete against friends and other users to see who can reach certain levels the fastest. That’s huge motivation for my friends, and I love that the program is fun and effective.
Download on iOS
Download on Android

Lingvist (free)

If your child wants to learn French, Lingvist is a great option. Watch out for more languages to come, because this app can turn anyone into a language master in just 200 hours. Lingvist aims to teach practical, usable words and grammar skills and then apply them to situations where you may actually find yourself. The app also adjusts based on your learning progress to help you be as successful as possible.
Download on iOS
Download on Android

As the world continues to get more connected, learning a second (or third) language will become more important than ever. And thanks to mobile technology, it’s never been easier to learn something new. Put your kids on the path to global success with these great apps.

Are your kids learning a language right now?

Homeschool Pluses for Families

Online education is becoming very popular, with an increase in growth every year. Children receiving homeschooling do exceptionally well on standardized tests. Colleges and universities welcome homeschoolers, and are known to be self-directed learners and employees which are reliable, as adults. There are numerous pluses for families who decide to have their child participate in an online education.

Closer Family Relationships

Families that have a child participating in eLearning have each stressed how much closer their family relationships have become since beginning these courses. Due to more time being available than with attending a physical schoolroom, parents are able to have more quality time with their children. Siblings tend to have better relationships, spending time together during their online education classes help bring them together in a positive light.

Families with Emotional Freedom

When children are bothered by competition, peer pressure, bullies, and boredom – which are a normal part of the traditional school day – they can bring these stressors home. These stressors tend to lower a child’s self-esteem, mostly in middle-school girls. Studies have shown, online homeschool girls do not have these issues. Their self-esteem stays intact and they continue to thrive throughout their teenage years. When a child experiences these stressors, entire families tend to feel it. With eLearning, there is no stressors to put onto these families.

Remaining Stable During Difficulty

There are some times that families may seem as challenging, and difficult. Possibly an illness, a new baby, or family death, and homeschooling is a way that has helped families cope through these challenging times. Online homeschool is a stabilizing factor in a family’s life where so much more is mixed-up for the time being. During the time they are eLearning, everything is settled and normal.

FutureSchool.com brings many pluses to families with their online education of math and English courses. Families become closer together, making the most of eLearning.