Homeschooling Day in the Life: Elizabeth, Homeschooling Mom to Three Boys and Podcast Host
A homeschool day in the life looks different almost every day, right? Over on our Instagram page, we love to give you a peek into lots of homeschool days regardless of how they change day to day.
Today, we’re going to give you a peek into the homeschool day in the life of Elizabeth, homeschooling mom to three boys and podcast host!
We can all learn and be inspired by one another, regardless of our homeschool approach. It’s not about looking good for social media, it’s about the connection going on inside our homeschool walls and sharing with others what works for us.We might all homeschool a little differently, but we can always look for ideas from each other that inspire, encourage and equip us in our own homeschool days. So each week we create blog posts for you to access later of each of those “days in the life”. We hope you keep coming back for more inspiration. Keep going, mama! These days at home are so worth it!
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Meet Elizabeth
Elizabeth @sunshineinmynest is the homeschooling mother of three boys. Her hope is to share what she is learning as a mother about gently nurturing and guiding her children toward the gospel with her life and speech.
In her spare time Elizabeth hosts a podcast where she interviews friends and mentors. It’s a 20 minute coffee date that she hopes leaves you feeling refreshed!
Active Children
Do you have an active child? I’ve got three of them! Here’s what I’ve learned about teaching them!
- Homeschool doesn’t have to look like a classroom!
- You don’t have to start in the morning!
- Try afternoon learning
- You don’t have to keep going until you’re done!
- Do one subject at a time
- You don’t have to use workbooks
- Try learning with games
Kids love learning! I’ve learned if I tweak my expectations a bit I release them to enjoy the process!
Habit Training
Do you habit train with your kids? The more I’m learning the more I’m realize that as humans we have to have purpose for joy and satisfaction. We need a place to own and belong.
Because of that we’ve started habit training. This gives them something to stack new habits with as they get older. Here’s some hacks:
- Make it visual with a list or chart
- Start small or with one thing
- Block off a week or two and focus
- Inspect every time
- Hand it over, and don’t take over.
- Remind them they are a valuable member
After a couple years of building and practicing it helps our mornings run smoothly and get out the door for our Charlotte Mason school/co-op more easily.
Reflection
This is our 4th year of homeschool!!!!! (I start counting at kinder) not counting the 18 years of being homeschooled. I’ve been looking in my heart and asking some deeper questions.
- What does my dream homeschool life look like?
- Does my energy level align with that dream?
- What pieces can I keep with the energy I have?
- How do I want my kids to remember me?
- What will have mattered when everyone has graduated?
Maybe you’ve been asking these questions too. Do any thoughtful or gut answers come to mind?
Middle Grade Fiction
What’s your favorite middle grade fiction? Keeping my kids in good books that they enjoy, and then figuring out how to store those books has been a huge under taking.
These + the whole Humphrey the Hamster series have been favorites of ours. Both as read aloud and audio!!
To store books we ended up converting this coat closet into a mini library that we call the Cloffice. How do you store the hundreds of books that come with Homeschooling?
Our Routine
Does your routine look like ours?
One of the things I’m most curious about is how other homeschool families lay out their day. It seems most people like to get everything done in the morning, but UNPOPULAR OPINION: I like to do little bits and pieces through the day so the boys aren’t overwhelmed. We do 40 min on and around an hour off and then circle back to it.
Homeschool Encouragement
1 Cor 13 for Homeschool moms
If I have the perfect words to teach classes on homeschool, and all the other moms want my advice on how to educate, but I don’t have love, I am as annoying as a toddler with a tambourine.
If I have…
Picked the best curriculum
Have the most beautiful homeschool room,
Raise a musical protégé
Tutor the spelling champion
Teach my kids the most Bible Verses
BUT have not love, I am nothing
If I babysit for other parents, and volunteer for co-op, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love listens to the littlest learn to read.
Love finds fun ways to learn.
Love patiently explains math problems over and over.
It doesn’t get angry when interrupted.
It doesn’t wake up resentful of the work that needs to be done.
It doesn’t rejoice when public-educating friends are struggling. She doesn’t declare “I TOLD YOU”. But rejoices when they succeed.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
Hope this brings you all some encouragement. I loved hanging out with you all today and hope you’ll come join me @sunshineinmynest
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ELIZABETH FOR SHARING YOUR FAMILY’S DAY WITH US!
If you want to see more Day in the Life photos and videos, be sure to check out our Instagram profile. There are highlights of each takeover at the top.
