Homeschooling preschool and beyond

I have had several children, and have helped homeschool even more!  Over the years we have done preschool with toddlers many many times.  Our favorite thing about it is that you can turn almost anything into school and fun!!  Preschoolers learn by cooking, playing, play dough mushing, scooter racing, chalk fun, etc


Now that all my kids are past the toddler phase I often forget those days of never ending go go and keeping a toddler busy.  Lately I’ve been reminded with my friends child just how fun it can be!!  It helped remind me to go do some of this even with my older kids.  Home making food.  Lazy slower pace. Lots of book reading.  So much I needed to be reminded of again

As our boys have gotten older we have been more focused on papers and more book work.  I was glad to be reminded again to embrace the fun at home.

Here’s a glance of our years of fun with toddlers over the last five years

Corona schooling is NOT homeschooling...

But as a veteran homeschooler I feel like so many need encouragement.  If you need it. Here it is:





At first homeschooling feels hard.  It’s an adjustment, learning you and your children’s learning styles, learning new dynamics, and much more happens that first year

The bonus of homeschooling is we can be there for each other!  Yes, even we have had some hard adjustments (because yes, we are used to lots of friends and field trips and fun)  but here’s a few positive things that may help from my many years of homeschool experience!

First of all realize that you can take days off.  Earlier this week when the weather was perfect and gorgeous, we skipped school that day to just play outside all day.  Some days we just all need a mental health day and need snuggles and movies.  Homeschooling means you can have some flex with your schedule

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Next know that homeschooling can be done in just a couple hours a day.  We spend 1-3 hours a day on our school.  This is vastly different from what you may be used to with them gone 8 hours a day, but a lot of that is routine and classroom management.  It’s ok to realize that you don’t have to be a public school at home.  Just be what you and your children need for your home.




Also remember that there is support!  There are lots of moms who will hug you and remind you that’s it’s ok to have a bad day, it’s okay when they cry about math, and it’s okay to feel overwhelmed.  But we will also be here to remind you that you did amazing with that project last week, you got lots of hugs and smiles when they finally did get it, and you are their mom who is doing amazing and hard things!!

Lastly remember to never compare.   Some people do videos, some do Montessori, some do Charlotte mason, some do unschooling, etc.    It’s not about who is doing it the best or the prettiest.  It’s about YOU doing what YOU and your kids need.  You will eventually find your rhythm.  Your kids will eventually adjust.

Remember to not sweat the small stuff and focus on love, Grace, and character over academics.  In the long run making your kids feel loved and secure will go much further than drilling the alphabet and crying over fractions.  Academics will follow once you have the security and love


You are amazing mama and your kids love you always!

Yes, it feels hard.  It feels hard even for us doing this a while, but we have each others backs and we will get through this all together!!

Quarantine adventures 2020

Now that we have been shelter in place for a couple weeks we are finally falling into a good rhythm.  Our kids are adjusting to a slower life and not quite as upset over no parks, museums, zoos, and play dates.   We have been finding a new love of bike riding, board games, science experiments, and are finally doing all the things I had been too busy to do

I used to do our homeschool and make it epic!!  We did adventures, projects, and lots of hands on fun for several years.  After our daughter died my brain went to mush.  I went into survival mode.  We did school but just the essentials.  I had quit doing the fun and the family time the same.  I went into survival mode.  

We got to the point I could travel and start to have adventures slowly but I was definitely throwing myself into my work.  I’ve loved my job and my business but I knew that I was not giving my kids the 100% mama they had been used to.   This year I decided we needed to slow down.   I downsized my business, refocused into a new life, and started putting my focus back into our homeschool.   Little did I know the whole world would shut down and force me to really put this into action


I’m definitely missing friends and activities, but I’m thankful for the time to spend with my boys.  We spend 2-3 hours a day playing and walking and biking together.  We are star gazing and fort building and movie watching together.  We are creating great memories.  Even through my mental exhaustion I’m glad that this quarantine is allowing me the much needed reset I didn’t know how to give myself.


Down below are a handful of pictures from our relaxed and slowed down few weeks. ;)