Simple Craft: DIY Brag Tags

Hey Guys, Today's simple crafts is making brag tags!
Last school year my kids earned brag tags by reading on their own. I'll link to that when I edit this. 
For this school year I decided we would make some of our own tags in addition to using the ones from last year.
Instead of only getting them for reading they will also get one when they accomplished a goal.  My kids are highly motivated by earning "stuff".  I don't love it, but it's just how it is.  So these little tags are perfect for our family.

Here's how you can make these:
Trace a tag onto cardstock (or design your own shape) .
Design the front with the goal you want to accomplish.
Cut them out.
Sign your name on the back so you know who's it is.
Laminate them.
Cut them out again.
Punch or cut a hole for a necklace to go through.

Viola!

What are your goals for your kids this year?  What are theirs?  Ask them, you may be surprised!

Fun Friday! Only The Best Educational Games

One thing that really worked for us last school year was designating FRIDAY as our FUN day throughout the fall. So from our start day (mid-August) until our Christmas break we only did traditional learning 4 days a week. Friday was set aside for running errands, free reading, arts and crafts, free play, and a lot of GAMES! Here are our top 15 game purchases from our 2013-2014 school year.  Oh, and of course you don't need to be a homeschooler to enjoy these games! 

The prices on these right now are really great, and if you have Amazon Prime you can score free shipping (if not, you can sign up here to Start a Free Trial Now ). 

I've been a Prime member for years and LOVE it! 

If you don't have Amazon Prime these items ship free when you spend $35.  These all also make great gifts, so buy one for yourselves and one to give!

Here is a very real look at our game closet!  It's not Pinterest worthy, but it works for us!


This post contains my affiliate links.  You may read more about why I use affiliate links here.

Birthday Giveaway: Seasons of a Mother's Heart

 

This post contains affiliate links. A Slightly Better Wife (Quincey B.) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

I wanted to hop on and share with you quick where I'm finding my homeschooling encouragement today!

I'm a part of a book club on Instagram (use hashtag #HomeEducator to find us and other excellent homeschooling posts) where we are working through the book called Seasons of a Mother's Heart, 2nd edition.  There is still time to join in, as we check-in each Tuesday to discuss what we've read.  I'm acting all cool like I'm a part of the group, but to be honest, I just got my book YESTERDAY!  haha.  So to all the members who have been a part of this since day one, THANK YOU for welcoming me in! :)

Even if you aren't interested in joining the book club or can't find time to fit it in right now, I think this is an excellent book full of encouragement that all homeschooling moms should have on their bookshelves!  This is the perfect book to loan out when you encounter a momma who confesses that she could use a little inspiration in the homeschooling department.  I love what a tight-knit community we are, don't you?  :)

As promised, I am hosting giveaways to celebrate MY BIRTHDAY!  So this first giveaway is for your very own copy of Seasons of a Mother's Heart, 2nd edition! 

If you're interested in entering, use the Rafflecopter link on my facebook page: www.Facebook.com/ASlightlyBetterWife
or ---> http://tinyurl.com/oqjdxpy

If you'd like to buy the book, would you consider purchasing it through my Amazon Affiliate link (by clicking on any of the book links above, or clicking on this picture below)?  You can see my post here about my affiliate relationship with Amazon.  Basically your purchases provide me with a little extra income to help support our homeschool journey! 

Homeschool: Reading Incentives

It's no secret that I am an avid follower of Confessions of a Homeschooler.  Her blog posts and YouTube videos have been a great inspiration in our homeschooling journey.  If you haven't checked out her homeschool room tour, you've just got to do it... like right now... Well, you know, after you finish reading this! 

Last month I stumbled over THIS POST she had about reading incentives.  She had adapted it from another blog post that she saw.  Isn't that great how us women can keep on encouraging, adapting and sharing?  I love it!

I've shared here before that my oldest daughter (The Fashionista) has dyslexia.  The Fashionista has made great big strides in reading, but it can still be a struggle to get her to set aside time to read. 

She is the type that is highly motivated by a prize.  I don't like rewarding everything (in fact, that's a pet peeve of mine!), but this is one area I think it's okay to give a little encouragement. 

If you're a teacher (homeschool or other) looking for a way to encourage your students I highly suggest you check out Confessions of a Homeschooler for details on how to make your own reading incentive area. 



Because we have a huge whiteboard already on the wall, we just didn't have room for a bulletin board too.  Instead we used push pins to stick the reading necklaces in the tree on the wall. It works perfectly for our family! 

I think this idea could easily be adapted to whatever your child needs an incentive for: Behavior, chores, school work, feeding the pets, etc. 

If you take on this little #DIY project, I'd love to see it!  Post a picture to my facebook page: www.facebook.com/ASlightlyBetterWife



This picture was taken before we added our reading incentives, but you can see our beautiful whiteboard.  It was a $5 garage sale find from a friend.  Thank you Aimee!  It's been SO helpful in our schooling. 

Making Peace Makers

It is my intention to raise kind-hearted, Godly children.
We are using the book The Young Peacemaker, by Corlette Sande to help our children learn how to respond to conflict.
As we worked through our first lesson today, I realized that many of the quarrels I've faced as an adult were the result of either myself or someone else not following the guidelines for resolving conflict.
I'm sure this is something we all learned in Guidance class as elementary kids.  I do questions though, at what point do grown men & women decide they no longer need to play fair?  And why?

18 inch doll PJ shirt & tu-tu

The fashionista (formally known as, The Princess) has been wanting to learn how to sew for years. But life gets busy, you know?  Well we decided this week we would just go ahead and tackle her first sewing machine project!

Because it was her first project we started off simple. We took a onesie that no longer fit her baby sister and hemmed it into a PJ shirt for the doll.

Thrifty and fun!

After that we stitched up a little piece of elastic and tied tons and tons and tons...and tons more of tulle around it to form a tutu!
 

Success!  & the mother daughter bonding time was a beautiful success too!

 

What I Heard Wednesday: 8-21-13

Homeschooling is going fabulous!  Really, I'm not just saying that to spite all of you who think I'm in over my head. 

Now, granted this is only day 2 and things could (and I know they will) get tougher, but so far we are loving ever minute of it! 

So I'm telling the boy as we're creating a mini book that he needs to cut very carefully on the lines.  His response to me in his laid back, 'I'm so cool' voice:  "Yeah, so I can sell this thing to uncle Jeremy".
  Yes son, those were my thoughts exactly!  Uncle Jeremy would love to have a mini book all about Jack, who has a pack on his back that says QUACK!


The highlight of my day was when my princess came running up the stairs first thing in the morning and asked if she could start her math!  Isn't that just music to a  momma's ears?  Lovely!  She is such a great independent worker and I really appreciate her having a genuine love of learning.  She is such a joy to be around and just radiates kindness wherever she goes.  Love that girl!

School took a little longer today as we added in a few more subjects than we did yesterday.  Truth be told, I didn't want to start school until after Labor day.  But, I have eager learners, and there's no way I'm telling them to hold off on that sort of excitement. 

I have been working on laundry all day.  Literally, the whole day.  I even decided to be an overachiever and change the sheets on our beds.  The baby just had her sheets changed so I did everyone else's while she was napping.
Long story short, I went in to get her from her nap and her sheet was soaked.. and there sat her dry diaper that I got out, but forgot to put on her!  Hey look on the bright side though, now everyone's sheets have been washed on the same day.  I decided not too be too hard on myself, I mean forgetting to change a diaper once in 10 months isn't so bad, and she didn't seem to mind one bit. 

Homeschool- A Public School Teacher's Perspective

I've told you before, I don't have all the answers.  I just typed into Google "homeschool what should I be teaching".  Yes, I really did.
 I can teach my 5 year old just fine, but my almost 5th grader?  I haven't a clue what she is supposed to be learning right now. 
You see, I'm learning too. 
So I stumbled across this article, and it reaffirmed my stance on homeschool. 
Public School Teacher Talks Homeschooling

Okay, like, WOW!  Just as I typed that, my daughter walked into the room and said "I really want to do school.  It sounds like homeschool is fun because you have a lot of really cool activities". 

SWEETNESS!  Now I'm off to find something "cool" for my girl to do! 

PS.  Don't go jumpin' on my back-  This is just one teachers opinion, and I kinda liked it so I thought I'd share.  That's all. ;-)

School Days: Friday!

It's Friday! Friday is my favorite day of the week lately.  Sometimes because it merely means I survived another week of homeschooling my boy, and sometimes because I'm looking forward to the weekend.  We don't have much for weekend plans, which is fine by me, since next week is SO crazy busy for us. 

 

Today I am taking a few guilt free breaks to do some research. 

 Here is what I'll be reading:

 

Playstar swing set pamphlet, and the new Timberdoodle homeschool catalog.

 

I'm also printing out worksheets to fill our workboxes.  I'm enjoying the word searches from this web-site, for my sort of kindergartener.

 {I really don't know what to call his grade level, he's past preschool, and even  most of the typical kindergarten type work, but if we send him to public school in the fall, he'd start with kindergarten... yeah, I'm not worried about a label.. He's doin' just fine here}

 

I have also printed several multiplication sheets and some fun language arts sheets for my 4th grade brown-eyed beauty.  She is in public school and has an amazing teacher there, but I still like to give her a little work at home too.  And I really do try to only give her a little, since she is pretty burnt out after a full day of school work.

 

She will homeschool with us through the summer, just like we've done in past years.

 

School days: Greater than & less than

Watch "Alligator greater than by Peter Weatherall" on YouTube

Videos like this cheesy one really help my little guy to learn.  Videos like this also make me think I should be making educational YouTube videos.

I can talk all day long about what we are working on, but sometimes (most times) that's just boring.

What fun (or not so fun) videos have your kids watched lately to help them better understand a concept?

School Days: My response

I almost always respond to homeschool questions with grace, kindness, and honesty.

It's the right thing to do, and it's what I genuinely want to do.

 I try not to go too far into detail, because I've learned that most people don't want the details. 

There are times though that I feel hurt by the never ending questions that seem more like accusations that I'm somehow hindering my child by even considering educating them at home.  I keep a smile on my face, respond kindly, and in my mind, feel like a total failure.  Sometimes I even have a good cry when I think about how rude people can be. 

People, I do NOT know everything there is to know.  But I do enjoy learning, and I know how to learn.  I want to teach my children how to learn as well.  I feel led to do this, and I have nothing against anyone else who doesn't feel that way. 
My homeschool choices do have a whole lot to do with God, as do all decisions I make, the decision is not based on religious reasons alone.  And it's not an easy decision. 

I'm sure you aren't able to read this from the snapshot, but please do click here to read this post, and if you homeschool and face the same struggles that I do, I hope you can find humor and some comfort in words.

School Days: Lapbooks

The Boy, The Baby & I went to our local library for story time yesterday.  We met up with two other great moms & their kids.  The topic of homeschool was brought up and one of the moms said she found the greatest homeschooling blog "Confessions of a Homeschooler".  I've heard of it, I've followed it for a while, and refer back to it often.  But It's always while I'm on my phone and I'm just quickly scanning through the material.  Well this morning I found the Confessions of a Homeschooler Facebook Page & was guided to Lapbooks!

I've heard of lapbooks often in the blogger world and Pinterest.  The idea seemed great, but I never fully understood them.  Quite frankly, the process seemed overwhelming (I guess a lot of things seem that way, at first).  I thought these were for "smarter" more experienced homeschoolin' momma's.  That is, until I watched this video this morning.  I realized how easy they are, and that I am fully capable of making these and teaching my children with them.

So-  Enough from me, check out the video:


You can also go directly to her blogpost by clicking HERE.  Lots of good info there, so check it out!

School Days: Independent Practice

This sweet boy is independently practicing his 3 letter words.  He doesn't have a clue  that I'm standing behind him eating the very last Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie that Gpa sent home with us after the Super Bowl party.

We use a large oil drip pan from Wal-Mart (about $10) to attach our kid magnets to.  I like this way better than getting scratches on the fridge.  The magnets nicely fit in a tote when not in use, and the oil pan can easily slide behind a piece of furniture. 

School Days: Learning Words

Words are so very important.  They can heal, they can hurt, they can make, they can break.  I love getting sweet notes from my 10 year old princess.  And on occasion we have exchanged notes letting each other know where we are lacking, or how our feelings have been hurt.  This has been effective for us when verbal reminders/corrections aren't working.
I want my little boy to be able to express himself through notes too, not just pictures.  Although those are sweet too. :)  But how on earth can he write me a secret note if I'm spelling all the words for him? haha.
Well, little boys tend to have a tough time sitting still and working with pencil and paper.  This doesn't mean they are lacking the smarts to do it, it just means we have to find a way to teach them that they will enjoy.  By the way, even if your littles don't seem to enjoy it and you think you aren't getting anywhere... you probably actually are making progress!  They are smart little cookies soak up way more than you think!  Take a deep breath, you can do this momma! 
So, do you want to know my secret?  Little boys love MAGNETS!
He was showing an interest in reading about a year ago.  So I worked with him then.  Then it tapered off for awhile, and now it's back again.  We will keep working at his pace, with an occasional nudge to try more. 
What we're using is a $1 cookie sheet from the Dollar Tree & a couple packs of their magnetic letters, also $1.  So we've got less than $5 into it.  We used picture cards from our Hooked on Phonics set, but that was *insert whiny voice *..."too hard!".

Homeschooling the boy

While homeschooling my brilliant, sweet, boy...

Me: So, what would thirty-eight look like using numbers?

Him, totally serious: I think I need to take a dump, but keep talking.

Say What, Kid??!?!  Just yesterday he was still saying poo-poo...  The joys of boys!  & the joys of homeschool. ;) That turned into a teachable moment, real quick like!
I doubt I'll be hearing that out of his mouth again anytime soon!