The Working Parent's Guide to Homeschooling

One-room schoolhouse, Calico Ghost Town, Yermo, CA

I am so excited.  My first book is almost complete and I just can't wait.  So I am going to serialize it, one chapter at a time.  Not only that, I am going to give away the download of each chapter for FREE for the first week!  

Now, I am still polishing up that first chapter, because I want it to be perfect for you.  So let me tell you about the book.

"The Working Mom's Parent's Guide to Homeschooling" is for anyone who's ever wanted to homeschool, but thought they couldn't unless they stayed home full time.  I've been there.  I've made mistakes, and had lots of success and I want to share what I've learned, to make it easier for you to jump in and make an incredible new life for you and your children.

In "The Working Mom's Parent's Guide to Homeschooling", I address perplexing issues, such as Scheduling (Chapter 2), Who Watches the Kids? (Chapter 3), and locating and obtaining affordable curriculum (Chapters 4, 6, 7 and 8).  

I share my thoughts on record keeping, and understanding your state's homeschooling laws (Chapter 10) and I wrap everything up with a chapter on nine different styles of homeschooling, their definitions, and where to find resources for each different style.

In these days of ereaders, social networking and high speed internet, homeschooling is possible like never before.  In "The Working Mom's Parent's Guide to Homeschooling", I hope to encourage you to commit yourself to taking charge of your children's education.  I want to give you ideas and starting points for your journey.  Most of all, I want to convince you that this is doable, regardless of your particular situation.  That with creative thinking, determination and support, you and your children can start experiencing the joys of homeschooling today!

So keep your eyes here on "Around The Homestead", for your first FREE download of "The Working Mom's Parent's Guide to Homeschooling".

Remembering Why I Moved to the Country

The llama in the playhouse.

My extended stay in the Big City this year has served as a good reminder to me of why I moved out to the country.  The endless miles of cement and asphalt, cookie cutter houses with postage stamp yards, piles of rules regulating everything from garage sales to whether you can walk down the street with your child on a school day.  The gray skies that sometimes open up to blue by mid-day.  The 24 hour traffic.  The constant noise.  The overwhelming amount of activity.  The brown haze that obscures the mountains from view.  The over-chlorinated pools.  The speed at which life flies by.

Yet, there have been advantages.  Walking to daily Mass.  Spending time with my dad, my older children, my grandson, and my cousins.  Being present for the many special events that took place with my family this summer.  Seeing some old friends and making some new.  Then, there are those things that can only happen in Southern California:  black beans, lettuce and ranch dressing as pizza toppings.  Spending the morning in the mountains and the afternoon at the beach.  Hummer stretch limos.

Caught in the act.

Coming home was not without its problems.  I lost my entire sheep herd while I was gone.  One mama and baby in lambing, the other mama and baby to coyotes.  My rascally goats spent the summer systematically working their fence until they could open up a section.  So we have been systematically closing up each new hole and reinforcing the fence.  Fencing on the homestead is a never ending project.  My dog ran off to parts unknown, though she was last spotted playing with some campers visiting from another area.  I hope they're giving her a good home.

The new dogs are awesome.  The llamas were utterly displeased with sharing the back yard with them, however, so a new pen has been constructed for them.  It does have a nice shed, which, when cleaned out, will make as nice a shelter as the playhouse they were using in the back yard.

Home sweet home.

I've lost the ten pounds I gained just getting back to my normal routine and diet.  We do have a few new neighbors, creating some extra noise in my peaceful haven, but I am sure glad to be home.  Ten acres on a dirt road with clear skies trumps asphalt and constant highway noise any old day.