Starting homeschooling can feel exciting… until the overwhelm sets in. If you’re wondering how to start homeschooling without overwhelm, you’re not alone. Many parents step into this journey full of hope, only to feel buried under curriculum choices, schedules, and the pressure to “get it right.” The truth is, homeschooling doesn’t have to feel confusing…
Elementary student accountability can begin with growing independent work skills. Supportive instruction can go a long way in teaching your child to think for themselves and make great choices each day.
Kids who don’t continue summer reading show negative learning levels on standardized tests at the year’s beginning from where they ended the previous spring. This drop in reading scores and other tests is commonly referred to as summer slide. Just open any text books and you will see evidence. It is a common practice for…
Our blog’s name, 200 Fingers & Toes, is a testament to our unique challenge in homeschooling a house of ten kids. Yes, you read that right. Ten kids. Planning a homeschool day for such a diverse range of ages is no small feat. The older children have a more significant academic load, and the younger…
We show love by giving our time. [Tweet “Time is our most precious and finite resource”] Time. There is no more to be had, no place to buy an extra tomorrow. As homeschool parents we have left jobs, careers and opportunities behind to give instruction time to your child. We calculated and intentionally structured in our…
The second thing I did to Shatter My Negative Body Image was to remove the things that made me feel like I would never measure up You know your triggers. What is destroying your self worth? For me, one thing that would leave me feeling hopelessly inadequate was watching every skinny, beautiful actress in movies. They…
We had a great response from The Top 10 Sanity Savers When Remodeling. I was talking to my friend; they just took the plunge on a old farm house, who said she was taking notes. I want these tips to save you time, money and a bit of your sanity, I put them all in one place for you….
Tip #10 Cheer Up, you are right on track. Are you broke? Are you sitting in a new room on an old couch? Does the giant naked wall of your new entertainment room have an empty plug, just mocking you? This is normal. Let me tell you why…
There are some things you are going have to leave undone. Say it now, while you are just beginning and it will not sound like abandon when you reach the tipping point. [Tweet “At some point in your project you will run out of cash or the will to make one more decision, or both….
The energy meter for critical thinking can take a serious hit in a major project stretching several months. Protect your sanity by narrowing the field of choices with color palettes.
Animals are curious and will get them selves into messes. Thinking about them before you begin a job will save you and them a great deal of stress. Making arrangements before hand will save you money.
WE LEARNED TO BE FLEXIBLE AND TO BE PRESENT HAHAHAHAHAHhahahahahahaaaa! It was fun. No really, picture the scene for just a moment. We are 17 days from breaking ground on our project. Plans, contracts and coffee mugs covered my large round dining table and the chairs were filled with contractors, electricians, plumbers, an architect and…
#4 It is ok to stand your ground. You are going to have to make sacrifices and compromises like we talked about in tip #3, but following my #1 and #2 tip gives you the confidence to stand your ground. What are the key elements that are going to pull this whole remodel together for…
2. Create an idea file During our remodel we embarked on a dream that we had actually begun 15 years earlier with a box of scraps. It was full of pages with ideas, wants and likes, before “likes” were a thing. One of my favorite memories of the whole project was the day we pulled…
1. We hired an architect. Old houses have personality. They have character and they have big quirks that can make or break your project. An architect can help you sift through you wants and desires and assess what is possible, practical and what is gong to take too much of your remodeling budget. Ever situation…