Monsters of Homeschooling: Money

Monsters of Homeschooling

I love the saying, "If it's important, you'll find a way. If it's not, you'll find an excuse." If homeschooling is important to you, you CAN make it work. Sure, you won't be wearing designer clothes or taking fancy vacations, but you have to decide what the real payoff will be. 

Most homeschool families live on one income or at least one full-time income. I tell my hard-working husband that his job is to make the money and my job is to make every dollar go as far as it can. We live in San Francisco where the cost of living is 168% higher than the national average. We know very few people who live on one income and the fact that we do usually astonishes people. We don't live a lavish lifestyle but we are comfortable and happy. 

Money surely doesn't buy happiness but it does provide stability and security. Money is also one of the reasons people think that homeschooling isn't for them and one of the reasons people quit homeschooling.
Are you ready to learn how to avoid the Money Monster?

1. Be realistic. If you were to get a job, how much money would you really be bringing home? Don't forget to factor in the extra childcare costs, the dinners out because you're too tired to cook, work clothes, etc.

2. Check your cell phone bill. Are you signed up for a plan that you're not really using? Do you need all the options?

3. Also look at your cable bill. Chances are you are paying more than you need to for channels you don't watch. Switch to a cheaper plan for a month and see if you truly miss it. Or go radical like we did and just live without cable! The kids watch Netflix or watch shows online.

4. Are you eating your money? If you eat out more than once a week, you are throwing your money away. One fast food meal out for a family of 4 can run $30 or more! For $30 at the grocery store, you could purchase food for 3 days AND it would be better food. You can still dine out, just do it wisely. Find restaurants where kids eat free on certain nights, split meals or sign up for Groupons. If you don't use Groupons, go sign up!

5. Make a weekly menu. Don't ever go shopping without a list! Buy what you need and use coupons if you can. It is a great idea to stock up on items when they are super cheap. I've been known to have cereal stashed in my closet because it was $0.50 a box! Coupon Mom is a great place to learn how to save money and create a stockpile. The Grocery Game is another popular site but it charges a fee and that goes against my "trying-to-save-money" mentality.

6. Use coupons or Groupons for anything you can. If you sign up for Kohls emails, you get coupons all the time. Most stores have a similar system. Shop at Home is super helpful if you are an online shopper. If you install the toolbar on your web browser, you can use that as your search engine for shopping. Not only does it provide you with a coupon to use but you earn a percentage of your purchase. I've made over $50 this way and I don't do a ton of shopping. I have yet to find a store that doesn't have some kind of coupon or cash back.

7. Find it free or used. Freecycle is a wonderful place to give away unwanted items and get used items for free. Craigslist is always a good place to find new and used items. I also love thrift stores like Goodwill. A little know secret is that I buy all my jeans from Goodwill. I can get Gap jeans that were $90 new, for $7. No one would ever know if I didn't tell them. Goodwill is also a great place to buy books! Thred Up is an online children's clothing consignment store.

8. Get back to basics on holidays and celebrations. I don't remember ever going to a birthday party when I was a kid where there was a petting zoo or pony rides. Americans have gone off the deep end when it comes to birthday parties. We recently attended a party for a 6 year old where they had "normal" birthday party activities like pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs and a pinata. You know what, those boys had so much fun, even the older ones!
Then there's Christmas. Seriously folks, let's find a budget and stick to it. If your 3 year old is getting an iPad, I want to be adopted by you.  I am all about the magic of Christmas, but spending $1000 per kid is just nuts!
I had a friend that gave each of her kids 3 presents to represent the gold, frankincense and myrrh that was presented to baby Jesus. The gold present is big and the other two are smaller. If you have a big family, draw names for presents. This is so much more fun because you can really put more thought into your gift. Whatever you do, don't go into debt for presents.

Again, I know I am not telling you anything new. These cost cutting measures are often heard but seldom followed.

Monsters of Homeschooling: Fear

Monsters of Homeschooling 

How will I  know what to teach?

What if my kids drive me crazy?

What if I can't stay organized?

How will I teach 4 kids?

Depending on how you look at it, fear can either be an obstacle or a great motivator. How do you handle fear?

Fear can keep you from trying. Fear can make you weak. Fear can make you believe things that aren't true or rational. Fear can steal your energy, joy, creativity, focus, and passion. 

What would you or could you do if you weren't afraid? And truthfully, what are you afraid of?

When it comes to homeschooling, the most common fear is that we are going to somehow mess up our kids. There is a certain amount of fear that you should feel when it comes to the awesome responsibility of educating your children. But it needs to be the kind of fear that is backed with huge amount of respect. A mixed feeling of fear and respect can propel you into greatness instead of keeping you paralyzed in the shadows. 

Are you ready to send the Fear Monster back to his corner?

Let's look at the fears I listed above.

1. How will I know what to teach?

There are so many options now on types of homeschool methods and curricula, it can be overwhelming. I highly recommend Cathy Duffy's book if you are just starting out. DO NOT buy it in the digital version (i.e. Kindle, etc.) as you will want to be able to write notes. I originally bought the Kindle version and was not happy. She also has a website for reviewing curricula. If you don't know how you teach, how your kids learn or what kind of homeschooler you are, BUY THE BOOK! You will be taken step by step through identifying how your child learns, how you like to teach, etc. At the end of the process, you will have a much clearer idea of what to do.

Knowing what kind of homeschooler you are can help you navigate through the endless options of curricula. If you choose to go the route of not using curricula, you can find all sorts of educational standards to help you stay on track.  Core Knowledge is a popular one. You can also check with you local school districts or state standards.

2. What if my kids drive me crazy?

Ready for a short answer? They will. 

Ha! You will have days that you want to pull out your hair, but I think ALL parents feel that way even if their kids go to school. Just ask a public school parent about homework. 

3. What if I can't stay organized?

No one says you have to have some picture perfect homeschool room. We can dream of having rooms that belong on Pinterest. Be realistic. Find a system of keeping up with important papers first. Then worry about how to organize the chapter books or art supplies.
Set aside a day each week to file, sort and purge. I like to do this on Fridays when our school day is a bit shorter. Make it a "must do" on your schedule. 

4. How will I teach 4 kids? (or whatever # you have)
This is a BIG fear and often the one that derails a parent faster than anything. If a teacher can divide herself by 20 or more, you can divide yourself by much less.
I like Sue Patrick's Workbox System. Many people try it and love it and some try it and it doesn't work for them. Here is a helpful video from a mom that uses workboxes. We use the Trofast drawers from Ikea.

If you're wondering more about how to do workboxes, check back tomorrow for more information and some useful resources for Freebie Friday.

Monsters of Homeschooling: Doubt

Oh that little monster called Doubt. It sneaks in and robs you of your confidence and joy. Even if you can see it coming you are often not equipped to face it and make it flee.

It doesn't help that we hear the seeds of doubt all around us. If you tell someone that you homeschool, you'll most likely hear responses along the lines of:

I could never do that.

How are you going to teach them Algebra?

How do you know you're doing enough?

 

Don't you get burnt out?

 

When people ask you these questions, I am sure that their intentions are not to plant seeds of doubt. They are simply stating their own doubts and questions on how they would handle your situation. Anytime you do something outside the norm, you raise questions in each person you talk to about it.

Regardless of their intentions, these questions can find their way into our hearts and minds. 

So what can you do about it? 

1. Be prepared for these questions and understand the hidden power they contain. While it is a simple question or statement, it can plant itself if you are unaware.  

2. Come up with some responses that will help you to deflect the doubt. Of course, be as nice as possible. You certainly don't ever have to defend your choices to anyone, but you should be watchful of the doubt monster.

3. Find a confidant that shares your views on homeschooling. This can be your spouse, family member, or close friend. If you're part of a homeschool group, this would be a great topic to discuss. Having a support system can help you navigate the tough patches. It's also comforting to know that other homeschool parents share the same struggles. 

Be confident in who you are and the decisions you have made.