One bit of information that I learned from this purchase is that waiting until late-August (or later if it fits into your schedule) allowed me to pay about half-price for the books I purchased, compared to buying them before our school year began. I also plan to buy the same phonics books for M5 that we've used this year, so I will be watching the prices of those books to get the best value for next year.
For those of you thinking about homeschooling, I can tell you about one overlooked bonus - your house stays clean! I know you think that having your children home all day will leave your house looking like a tornado has touched down in every room, but that just isn't the case. The bulk of our day is spend in a structured learning setting, with scheduled lunch, recess, and activities planned into the schedule. Your children are not running from one room to another just looking for things to do, which happens a lot at our house on Saturdays and summer days. Plus, adding a chore for each child to complete into your daily routine helps to ensure that they are doing their part to keep the house in shape. Elementary-aged children can:- empty/take out the garbage for pick-up day
- sort/fold/put away laundry
- dust
- wipe kitchen counters
- vacuum
- make beds
- straighten rooms
- wipe down sink/toilet in bathrooms
- clean the windows/doors with Windex
- loading/emptying dishwasher
- setting table for meals
I'm sure there are more they are capable of doing, we just haven't found them yet. Do you have any suggestions for chores/activities for elementary-aged children? I'd love to hear about them!
a little bit of structure is a good thing! it strikes me that the #1 responsibility of a home schooling parent is planning. reminds me of the old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
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