Hey guys,
How are ya?! It feels like it’s been a while since my last post. I’ve missed ya! Once I came off my sugar high from Halloween this month has proved to be busier than I anticipated. Does anyone else feel that way or is it just me? Anybody?…Anybody??…Okay, maybe it’s just me! HA!
Anywho, I wanted to check in and let you know I’m super excited about what this blog is becoming. I made mention of this in a previous post but I’ve gotta say it again. At this point I probably need to update my “About Me” Page. Yes, I’ll be continuing to write about my children’s author aspirations but in the meantime it’s safe to say I’ll be writing a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Some posts it will be homeschool life, others will be parenting posts, some days may be updates about how my book(s) are coming along. Fair enough? Okay, good! Lol
Today I’m hoping this post will be short and sweet because dinner is on the stovetop and I’ve spent most of the day doing a bunch of random household items and a sista’s TIRED!
As you may already know, I’m a proud homeschooling mama…and I love it!
Equally, I’ve had many-a-conversation with current homeschooling moms. I’ve also spoken to moms who aren’t doing the home education thing right now but desperately wish to. And I’ve talked to plenty of moms who are completely fine with embracing the traditional 8 hour school setting for their crew. The funny thing is these three “types” of moms have more in common than they would think.
They all have a desire on some level to instruct their children. So if you fall into one of those categories, this post is for you.
Conversely, if you’re a lady but not a mom yet or if you don’t have support from those around you to affirm your desire to teach your kids, this post is also for you. My passion is to encourage and empower moms and moms-to-be everywhere! No matter your season of life you can play a vital role in the instruction of your children.
So buckle in tight…here’s 5 (or 6) reasons why you ARE able to teach your child!
1. For starters, you’re at least voting age – This means you’ve already accumulated a lifetime’s worth of knowledge which is way more than the little person in your care who has your eyes or favors your grandpa’s smile. In your every day conversations over dinner, after they’ve played with their friends and while you do the dishes, don’t be afraid to pass on some of that knowledge!
2. Do you like to travel and do you have a library card? – If so, then you have the ability to experience the sights and sounds of this great big world. Did you know Theodor Giesel aka Dr. Seuss illustrated political cartoons during World War II? Yup, I can thank the easy-reader my oldest daughter once borrowed from the local library for all the random facts I now know about his life.
As the great hymnist once sang, “Take a look, it’s in a book – Reading Rainbow.” But seriously guys, I feel like my brain has accumulated more knowledge than I can account for so I know for a fact my kids are becoming baby geniuses!
3. YouTube – That’s right…YouTube! This one needs no introduction. Let me tell y’all, YouTube has become a mainstay in my weekly lesson plans. This year alone, we’ve been to a sugarcane farm in Senegal to examine their irrigation system. Just last month, our tour of a water treatment facility in Canada allowed us to see the water purification process for how water goes from a river to your faucet. And on a more recent “trip” to Morocco, we learned how to create Henna designs on our hands. Simply put, YouTube has it all and so much more!
4. If YouTube is your jam then allow Pinterest to become your jawn! – First of all can the person who came up with Pinterest please take a bow?! Pinterest has saved me more times than I can count. This is especially true when my brain has been really fried and I couldn’t possibly think up another cute craft to compliment our Solar System Unit. One time, we were able to transform q-tips, black paper and some glue into miniature x-rays to help us better enhance our lesson on the letter “X”. Trust me, using Pinterest very well may be one of the best decisions you make in your life!
And lastly…
5. Have you ever looked out the window while on a car ride? – This sounds weird. I know, its an annoyingly obnoxious question but hear me out. If the kitchen is your homeroom, let the car be your classroom. Whether you’re going on a short trip to the bank or on an hour-long trip to grab some yummy apple cider from Linvilla, get used to the idea that the car can be a place where major learning happens.
Some weeks ago, I loaded the kiddies up with snacks, books and toys and embarked on a 2 hour trip to Crystal Cave. I actually HATE road trips and that day was no different. But, it turned into a pretty cool car ride. We were able to learn what the various highway signs meant in order to answer the question, “If we traveled WEST to get to the caves, which direction would we need to travel in order to get home?” And when I got really tired of talking, I pulled up PBSKids.org on my phone and let it do the teaching for me. All this to say, car rides can be a place where you are able to teach even in the absence of desks and notebooks.
That’s all I got folks! Thanks for reading. This list could go on and on but it’s Saturday night and bedtime can’t come soon enough for these kids!
Oh yeah, I’ve got one more way in which I know you are able to teach your child. 😉
You can do so by checking out my newly minted Facebook page Able to Teach! Didja catch how all throughout this post I’ve been slowly brainwashing you to visit my page by subtly mentioning the phrase “able to teach”?
*Insert evil laugh!*
But for real, I’m a testament to the fact that anyone is able to teach. I started my adult life with plans to own a private counseling practice. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined where the winding journey of this life would lead me. This is why, if you want some mom-spiration for fresh ideas or to see my really cute kids doing what they do best…learning…make your way on over to my page!
Trust me, you’re able to teach and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! 🙂
Until next time my friends,
Courtney
