Start your own preschool right in your home!

  So here it is, my dream...one day, I hope to be able to open my own in-home preschool. Not a daycare, mind you, but a preschool. I currently teach in a local daycare. Starting this Friday, I will move out of my current position as a helper in the two's and three's, and into the four's and five's as their preschool teacher. I love my job; I love the kids; the staff is super and the director is a godly woman who tries to keep all of us happy at work. Even still, I dream of my own place. Not a center atmosphere, not to compete with local day cares, nothing big,  just me in my own little classroom, teaching a small group of children godly values and kindergarten readiness. So when I finally finish my ECE degree, that is my eventual goal. This may be years away but it's fun to dream. :)


   In between taking my college classes I also take training from a bubbly, enthusiastic preschool owner/teacher named Joy Anderson. She is the one who introduced me to the idea of working from home as a preschool teacher. I love to watch her videos and see the ideas she has. She is a wealth of information. She is also very business-savvy, bringing in a wonderful income. She just opened her second preschool, with plans to add a kindergarten class next year.


   Feel free to check out her info. You can get a session from her for free and see how easy this job can be. I can't wait until I graduate from college and can get my preschool started! If you are wanting to work from home, or be home with your kids, this might be just the opportunity for you.
Blessings,
Lynn

I want to find out how to start my own preschool at home

It's bittersweet but official

My homeschooling days are over. This season in life is over. Gone are the read-alouds on the couch, daily Bible lessons, and my favorite--unit studies. I have been a working mom for over a year now, and just began selling off my curriculum---I think that's when I really accepted in my heart that this new life might be a forever life. It's that hard to let go of what you know, of what's familiar and comforting.

For eleven years I was "homeschool mom"...my whole identity was wrapped up in my schooling and I loved every minute of it, even the struggling days. I know God had me homeschooling to give my children the best Christian education they could get, aside from private schooling, which was not in my budget. I will never regret my homeschooling days and the training grounds they provided me with; my only regret is that my younger two children will miss out on much of what I was able to give to their older brother. I feel as if if they (and especially my baby girl) have been "jipped" as we Southerners like to say. I will just have to work harder to teach them about the love of God among the worldly attributes they have grown accustomed to seeing every day.

I knew my season was over when my husband got sick, one illness after another, even having heart problems, bleeding ulcers that almost killed him, you name it. He went for a long spell not able to give his physical best at work, and his work demanded him to pull 60-plus hours a week. For 13 years he had pulled those shifts and I think his body just began to rebel, in some very dangerous ways. I began my return to the workforce by doing cleaning jobs while trying to continue homeschooling but more and I more we struggled until I had no no other way out than to enroll my children in school and go to work full-time. We needed my income to grow and my children needed more schooling than I could give at that point. This just about broke my heart, as I had so many plans for our homeschooling. I wanted my younger children to experience scouting, co-ops, field trips, all the wonderful things an active homeschool group can supply. I wanted to have that snuggle time with each of them, a time to really impact them for Christ, and in my heart I had decided there was no other way to really do that than to homeschool. Now here is is, over a year later with me working full-time...how do I feel today? I know I still would jump at the chance to homeschool my youngest children, but I know for this season, and here's where dedicated homeschool mom's gulp--maybe forever--I will be a career mom. My husband eventually lost his job and he has started over working for himself from home repairing car ECU's and game consoles. I am proud of him for taking those old sour lemons life gave us and making some sweet lemonade. I am proud of him for trying to learn new skills. I am proud of the way he has gotten closer to God since losing his job (maybe the job loss will turn out to be a blessing after all!), and I know it it my time to support him, the way he supported me those eleven precious years at home.

I was bitter on many levels at first but I have learned to see God's blessings in the midst of the upheaval. Jarred now has time for home and family, church and growing in God's Word, which was my prayer for a long time while he was pulling 60 and 70-hour shifts. I have a wonderful job in a local daycare where I get to assist and teach a lively bunch of lovable two's and three's, under the guidance of a wonderful Christian boss. I love my class and really enjoy each child. My younger children have a wonderful school with some marvelous, godly influences. And I returned to college this year to finish my Early Childhood Education degree from Western Governors University online.


 I am also taking Joy Anderson's Start a Preschool training. I have always loved working with little ones; even when we homeschooled I found myself among younger children at church and in our co-op. My dream job is to eventually open an in-home Christian preschool--not a daycare--a PRESCHOOL, where I can educate 3-5 year-olds in a love of God and get them kindergarten-ready. I spend much of my driving time praying about and daydreaming about it, from the way my classroom looks to the set up of the playground area. Nothing big, just small classes of about 8 children, two rotations a day, 5 days a week. I can't help but smile every time I start to picture it. I guess that's kind of how you know what you need to be doing...the thought of that "work" brings a natural smile to your face. My homeschooling made me smile, and working with little ones makes me smile too, plus it is a ministry of sorts. Planting seeds in these little hearts for God is a good thing. Now I think maybe I've been making lemonade, too. :)

I guess the point of all my rambling is sometimes God seems to throw a fork in our path, or open a new door, or put some unexpected food on our plate and gently say, "Taste it." We are often resistant to these changes, but they can be for a reason, and we can learn to use them in new ways to serve Him and our loved ones. Not being at home makes it more difficult to counteract all the nasty things my kids see during their day but that just means I have to work harder when I'm with them to show Satan what I'm made of. I have to have a dedication to really raising them right and to keeping them active in service to Him.

Life has certainly changed considerably in only one year, but it's not all for naught. It's just a new road, a new path, a new direction, a new food to taste, and God is still sovereign over all. God may be waiting for you to make some lemonade this year!

Merry Christmas friends, and a blessed and productive New Year,

Lynn

In times of economic crisis, do what you know!

The economy dip hit my family hard early on, as my husband works in the automotive industry and I was a stay-at-home mom with one child still a preschooler. We were able to survive for a while using money from our savings and from selling off an extra vehicle. At first things were ok. Not great, but ok and I am used to a budget, so it didn't feel like a strain. But then, just as overtime was picking back up and things looked brighter, my husband got sick. He was out of work for 3 and 1/2 months in 2009. When my husband and I had used all of our savings and our bills had mounted to the point where I could no longer be JUST a stay-at-home mom, I tried to think of things I could so with my children at home to allow me to continue homeschooling them.

I already had two Etsy shops which provided a little spending cash, but clearly not enough to live on. I had wanted and tried to run an in-home preschool but finding children was harder than I thought, despite my years of experience with pre-k and homeschooling and my large, fenced-in back yard. I guess everyone else, like me, was trying to avoid spending the $85 a week fee that childcare in my area runs.

I needed cash and fast. What skills did I have after being out of the workforce for so long? Other than some teaching skills, crafting skills, and childcare skills, I had years of experience cleaning my own home. My kids were always underfoot, always making messes. So I put my experience to work. I located a few busy friends who needed a break and were willing to pay for a cleaning. I made a list of all I needed to do to get each home clean. I had a basic list (vacuum, dust, mop, sweep, clean bathrooms, general pick-up, etc.) and this service ran $40 and took about 2-3 hours to accomplish. For $60 I would add in dusting blinds/ceiling fans, doing some laundry, changing bedsheets, cleaning up after pets, sweeping porches/decks, etc. This one was called "the works" because it was pretty much (within reason) what the owner wanted done most. A "works" house took about 4-5 hours to clean, maybe a little more. Also, any two story home automatically was charged the $60 rate due to size. I cleaned those few homes and then used that as a spring board to finding more, all the while bathing the endeavor in prayer. Within only weeks I had 12 or so rotating locations. Not all were regulars but it was still more money than I'd had at home. My only problem was it was getting harder and harder to accomplish any schoolwork with my new jobs. I'd have to leave home by 8 or so to get the jobs done, and wouldn't be back most days until lunch time. By the time I had gotten settled in to helping all three children, it'd be time to go pick up my husband at work (we'd sold the extra vehicle for extra money). For the first time in our homeschooling lives, I felt someone was always getting "jipped". My then 5 year- old needed to learn to read; my highschooler needed help with at least two subjects a day, and my then 4th grader was getting into harder math and language. I never had time to do the fun extra things we always had. It was becoming bare bones and no fun at all. It was with a heavy heart, tons of tears, and hours of prayer that I decided, for a season, we needed to make changes in order for me to be able to be there for my husband and our finances and really give it my all. So I enrolled the children and focused on getting as many cleaning jobs as possible.

I occasionally cleaned two locations in one day. If they are small jobs, two hours or so, it's very workable. But if you have two 4-hour homes for example, it's very physically draining. Yes, you may think, that's only an 8- hour work day for $120 at my rate. But lifting and tugging the vacuum, climbing stairs all day, and bending over scrubbing tubs will kill your back if you don't take a break. So I never recommend two large homes in one day. (I have a curved spine and what I think may be a heel spur and two homes a day will about kill me. I ache all night when I do that. Think moderation and remember your health).

Why one earth would anyone want to clean for a living???

The pros....

1. Good pay. If you can find the right clients you can easily make between $10-20 an hour.

2. It's fairly flexible. Got a sick kid? Most clients understand and will let you come another day. You can generally work the hours you want to; my hours were sometime between 9 am and 2:30 pm. Not bad at all and allowed me to get kids to and from school. I've even been allowed to bring my kids along. They pack a lunch and toys and play while I work.

3. It's honest work and you know you're making a difference in someone's life. For me it wasn't just about the money. I wanted these tired, over-worked moms to come home and breath a sigh of relief that I had been there.

4. As you expand you can hire someone to help you. But that is a whole other issue and can get complicated. My husband and sister and my own kids have all helped at one point or another. My sister and kids I pay in combo meals at the drive through. :) My husband and I split the money equally.

5. You're a neat freak and like to clean things. This job might just be for you!

6. Added bonus...weight loss! I have lost about 20 pounds in the last two years. Admittedly, some of it was stress-related but the last 5 lbs. or so have been from the constant cleaning. I'd get up and drink a breakfast drink or have a small bowl of cereal. Then clean for hours 5-6 days a week. Even with my daily fast food 3 pm "lunch" I still lost weight. Imagine how much I could have lost on a good diet and cutting out sodas combined with my cleaning!

7. Instant payment. At most homes I was paid immediately. Meaning I could buy some groceries right away, hand out lunch money, or fill the gas tank if needed. That is a big perk for those living on a very tight budget.

Now for the cons....

1. It's physically hard

2. Even if you like cleaning, you may soon tire of it.

3. You can't please everyone all the time, but try to do your very best to clean each home to the owner's expectations. Some of us are more detail-oriented while others are more concerned with the big picture and over-all pick up of the home. This one abhors dust; another lady a clean tub. Women tend to be very different in what they expect of a house keeper.

4. You'll have to be careful to calculate gas, cleaners, and other expenses to make money. Packing a lunch to take along will certainly help. Try to plan out the day's errands according to where you'll be cleaning.

Legalities

Don't forget also to figure out the legalities of running your own business. Do you need to make sure you're legally protected in case you break something? What happens if you are injured? What if your vacuum sucks up a necklace or toy and breaks? What about taxes? Will you need a DBA account? Make sure you check with a professional on these issues.

Growing your business

Do some research in your area to find out the going rate. Get business off social networking sites and through word-of-mouth. Clean a few friend's homes for free or at a reduced rate and ask them to be references. Hang fliers in beauty shops and grocery stores. Offer holiday or birthday specials. Give regular customers a discount off their next cleaning for every referral or for booking you 2-3 times in advance. Allow clients to purchase a coupon for a free cleaning as a gift for a friend.

Naming it

Think of a catchy name for your business. One mom of 5 children, all under the age of 12 said to me, "I clean but the mess is right back the next day. It's not as if the cleaning fairies are going to pop out during the night and clean it all up again." What a cute image I thought....a cleaning fairy! I could picture the logo...a little fairy with a sparkly feather duster in her hand instead of a wand. The slogan: "The Cleaning Fairy--working her magic to make your home spotless."

Ground rules and basics

You''ll need to decide some ground rules. How far are you willing to go at each home? What would you not be willing to do, if anything? Are you willing to pick up children's rooms for an hour just to be able to get to the dresser top to dust and see the floor to vacuum? Or would you rather toys be cleaned upon your arrival? Are you willing to clean hardwoods the way each owner wants them to be cleaned (such as with a spray bottle and cloth, on your hands and knees) or use certain cleaners? Who will provide the cleaners? And what will you use? (From my own experience I found some of the best bathroom cleaners are also the most dangerous to inhale. On more than one occasion I thought my lungs were going to burn out before I could exit an enclosed shower to get fresh air. There are some great recipes for all-natural cleaners online. Vinegar is an excellent cleaner once you get past the smell).

Things I wish I'd known....

I am now entering a different job that is more steady than cleaning is in my area. But before I go I wanted to give a few last tips, things I wish I'd done differently:

1. Have a contract. Make it very detailed. Discuss how you'll handle the cleaning, what your client can expect, how many hours you think you'll be in their home, and what to do if an accident occurs or an item gets broken (I have had 2 broken items in 6 months of cleaning and almost toppled from a staircase landing-better to be safe than sorry!). Also, will there be a door left open for you? Will you have a key or alarm code? Can your children come along if they happen to be home on school break or are slightly under the weather? Do your clients mind you having helpers?

2. If you want toys and clutter removed before you arrive, say so! This was one of my worst mistakes. It is SO hard to clean a home that is filled with clutter, loose toys, and knick-knacks. It adds a lot of extra time sorting and even after cleaning, if you put all the owner's items back where they were, it still looks dirty. I cleaned a home with a live-in hoarder of sorts. All I was allowed to do was lift the items, clean under them, and put them all back because this girl would have a fit if things were not in their places. You couldn't tell I'd even been there!

3. Have a home walk-through. Go to each new client's home with a notebook and follow them through each room asking what they want done. Then you can decide how much to charge. It will also help you to make notes on where bedsheets are located, which cleaners to use where, etc.

4. Compile a notebook with all your contracts and checklists. I wish I'd made a check list sheet for each home. If I had it to again I would so this and leave a copy of what was done each week for my client, also keeping one for myself so I'd recall which rotating items were done and which needed to be done. It is extremely difficult to keep up with whose blinds were dusted, which baseboards were wiped, and which beds were changed in multiple locations who may not need these things done each time you arrive.

5. Ask owners where you need to put loose items in each room. My big pet peeve is clutter...little odd things everywhere. I believe every thing has its place and I stick to that pretty strictly in my own home. I just can't function if there is stuff everywhere. When I clean I have the same philosophy. I want the owners to come home to a home that looks inviting and relaxing. So what to do with the things that aren't trash but don't have an obvious place to go? I suggest each owner have at least one basket for oddball items, perhaps even one basket per room. This would be where random toys, homework, library books, receipts, loose change, etc. would go. You can't imagine how many times I've confused a home owner by putting something where I feel it would go, and then she can't locate it upon arriving home.

6. Clean from top to bottom. Work yourself into a routine at each house. You might choose to do all the dusting in every room, then all the mopping, etc. Or you might find it easier to carry your supplies from room to room and completely clean one room from top to bottom. I have done it both ways but tend to do all like chores at once. I start most homes with general pick-up, then dusting/wiping counter tops. Then bathrooms, laundry, etc. I finish with sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping. At first homes took me forever to clean but the more often I went, the more into my routine I got.

7. If you have helpers, make sure they clean thoroughly. And make sure they are reliable and honest. My helpers and I divide the workload. Each person knows what they are to do and we do it. We try to pick the chores based on what we are best at and like. I hate dusting but love a clean bathroom. My husband likes to dust and can reach high places. My sister enjoys Windexing. With each person doing what they like best, you're sure to have a clean home.

8. Look into cleaning churches and businesses. I find it is much easier to clean a church than a home. Most of the time the offices and churches will be very predictable and routine. You just never know what you're going to see in a home from week to week. Also, if you can't be away from home by day, cleaning churches and offices is usually an evening job.

9. Last of all, you might want to lock yourself in while cleaning. I hadn't thought much of it until I began to clean a beautiful, 2- story Georgian brick way out in the country. I'd be cleaning away, music blasting, never imagining anyone could be around. I'd often take my 6 year old with me to this house as it was very child-friendly and the owner didn't mind. Anyway, she had gone out in the backyard to play one day while I cleaned downstairs. She came running back in and told me that the woman outside had waved at her. I immediately went out to see who she was talking about and saw no one. Talk about chills! From that point on I made a rule she couldn't play out at a house unless I was working where I could see her and I began locking doors behind me. Coming into a home that has been left unlocked for you could also be dangerous. I prefer to enter a locked home and leave the same way. I found out, after months of cleaning a certain home, that this lady has a neighbor who keeps close tabs on everyone, including me. He seems to know when I come and go and has a history of going in and out of people's basements, gardens, etc. You can be sure I locked myself in there. Maybe he's just a harmless, lonely man, but better to not take chances.

I hope this helps those of you who may be searching for a side job or a new business. House keeping is not easy but it tends to pay well. You just need a good reputation, be willing to work hard, and build your business steadily. It can be a very rewarding business.

Lynn

Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas to all!

I pray the Lord keeps you and blesses you in 2011. He has certainly blessed and kept me and my family this year. I am so thankful His love for me isn't conditional, based on my actions and weaknesses. Not that I haven't been disciplined a few times. Ok, a lot of times. :)

I am trying to adjust to life being a working mom after 11 years of being a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom. I will never regret our time at home and still believe God called me to it. For 11 years I was able to be my husband's help meet in the areas of keeping meals prepared, seeing to his personal needs such as having his laundry clean, budgeting, shopping, house-keeping, and caring for and educating the children. I am now called to be my husband's help by providing a steady income. I do miss our homeschooling; I miss the days of snuggling on the couch with a great book...building models in the kitchen...nature walks and field trips and co-op classes with friends. But I also feel good knowing I can help financially and free my husband of some of the burden he has carried so long as our sole provider.

I began housekeeping in July of 2010 and actually enjoyed it. It is hard work, very physically demanding, and sometimes emotionally draining as I tried to learn what each mom wanted done. I plan to continue cleaning a few of my regular homes as I merge into my new job with the school system as a special education teacher's aid. I could write a book on residential cleaning; I learned that much in only 6 months and still have so much to learn. It is good money but not the most steady job. Still, it helped when I needed it and I was glad to have some alone time to think and just do something mindless. I hope to post on tips for starting your own cleaning job, in case there are other moms trying to find some work that can fit into their schedules.

I was pleased to get the job as an aid. I was especially pleased to pass the parapro test with a very good score. I always say I am not all that smart, but I am a pretty good test-taker. And that's the honest truth. But maybe 11 years of schooling three different grade levels also paid off. I have always said if I couldn't homeschool, I'd love to be a preschool teacher, kindergarten teacher, or maybe an elementary social studies teacher. Who knows what doors this might open for me. I've even toyed with the idea of finishing my degree. I'll just have to hop on the train and ride it out.

As for my new job I am a little nervous but excited. I enjoy teaching and so if I couldn't teach at home, it was only a matter of time before I found myself in a different classroom setting. Knowing I am on someone else's time frame makes me much more thankful of the spent homeschooling and setting my own schedule based upon our family's needs. To all my homeschooling friends---enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! I can't tell you how much I DON'T do mornings and that has to be one of the worst parts of my working outside the home (think waking up while it is dark and cranking the car on mornings when the temperature is 27...brrr!). I also miss our daily devotions. I have still not mastered the art of a family quiet time on school days and that is a true shame as a Christian mother. On the other hand, public schooling gives my kids a chance to meet and make new friends and be part of some activities we couldn't do at home. I think they needed to see life on the other side to appreciate the sacrifice their father and I made for them all these years. I was so looking forward to homeschooling my daughter into godly womanhood; she is strong-willed and needs some extra training but is such a beautiful person. I am glad that my sons got so much Biblical training but I feel she is getting cheated. I'd love to hear ideas from public school moms about getting in some meaningful, daily Bible study when you're schedule is already bursting at the seams. Meanwhile I take every chance I get to teach her to be obedient to us and God.

I have no idea what God is doing in my life right now. A popular contemporary song says, " Whatever You're doing inside of me....it feels like chaos, but somehow there's peace." I have really experienced the "peace that passes understanding" this year. I have truly been through some valleys and yet, I'd feel this indescribable peace. And mercy. And love. And gratitude. And blessings. Not that I haven't felt worry...and fear...and sorrow...and emptiness. Christians can get weighed down by the burdens of this world, too. But underneath it all, I have hope. I know I am God's child, a daughter of the King of this universe who owns "the cattle on a thousand hills"...He cares for me and knows every trivial detail of my life.

I have a plethora of verses I have been posting around the house to encourage me. I got that idea from a friend who has scripture verses written and painted on the walls of her home. Such a blessing to me! I'd go to clean and perhaps was having a horrible day and just the right verse would be there. I'd read it and be moved to tears because I knew God was speaking to me through His Word. So many prayers sent up...so many prayers answered...many more to come I'm sure. Thank you Lord, for Your patience with me!

Jarred is feeling better and will be able to return to work in January. I know he is ready.

Nick is growing every day and really is becoming a man. He has been my right-hand man this past year and is a big help at home. Its hard to believe he is 15 already. He is ready to take his permit test. I think I'll die. :)

Adrian is really coming out of his shell. He can crack some comebacks with the best of them now. He's still my sweet boy though; easy to please and not very demanding. That is a breath of fresh air for me.

Ashleigh is six going on sixteen. She is sweet, prissy, and very girly. And did I say emotional?? Girls sure do change moods easily. Raising boys might be a little easier. Ask me again in ten years. ;)

Only a few more days until my 17th wedding anniversary and the New Year. I have no way of knowing what the new year will bring but whatever it does, I can't wait to experience it with my friends and family.

Luke 2:10-11

Blessings!

Lynn

Vocabulary Cartoons: SAT Word Power

Vocabulary Cartoons: SAT Word Power

Learn Hundreds of SAT Words with Easy Memory Techniques

by New Monic Books, Inc.

(941)575-6669

info@vocabularycartoons.com

http://www.vocabularycartoons.com

(I received this book, free of charge, as another delightful review product through the TOS magazine's Homeschool Crew).

This book has been a wonderful tool to help my oldest son prepare for the vocabulary portion of the SAT. Recommended for grades 7-12, this book does just what it claims to do: the child views a cartoon that teaches the meaning of an SAT word. For example, on page 115 we see a visual of a man clinging desperately to a tree on a tiny speck of land in the middle of the ocean, as sharks circle him and one tries to bite him. The vocabulary word to be learned is "dearth" and the linking word ( a word that rhymes with the vocabulary word) is "earth". The definition for 'dearth" is given: it means scarcity or lack. Then under the cartoon of the poor man the caption reads "There is a dearth of earth in the middle of the ocean." If that's not enough to help the student recall the word there are three example sentences given under each cartoon as well.

My son was able to read it in only a few days while waiting on his computer schooling to load. Most of the cartoons were really funny and helped him to easily recall the meaning of the words. It's not overwhelming to read just a few pages a day, even for the child who doesn't enjoy reading and the added visual of the cartoon really locks the words into your memory. And what child doesn't like to read cartoons or comics?

There are other vocabulary books available from the company at www.vocabularycartoons.com.

You can also see sample pages which will give you a much better idea of how the product works and how simple it is to add into your daily school routine:

http://www.vocabularycartoons.com/home/pages/Cartoon-Samples.html

The books in the series are only $12.95 each. You can also get the books in a computer cd-rom format.

Math Tutor Video Series

After homeschooling for almost 12 years, I had to stop recently to return to work due to a family illness and its lingering effects. While waiting for my children's public school enrollments to take affect, I continued to receive a few items from vendors to review for TOS magazine, free of charge, in exchange for my honest opinion of these items. Two videos from the Math Tutor company were among the supplies received.

Unfortunately, I was unable to use either dvd. One was a pre-algebra level and the other, a Texas Instruments Calculator usage video. None of my children are at the pre-algebra level and the oldest has not yet been introduced to any sort of specialty calculator. We did put them into the dvd player and watch each briefly, skimming through the chapters and seeing how these videos compared to others from this company.

While I was unable to dive into this set, my oldest son, who has used other videos from the Math Tutor series with great success, said both dvd's were very similar to previous lessons he had. Jason Gipson is the instructor on the dvd's, and he is thorough and works through problems slowly. By the time a child is done with a Math Tutor video, he or she should have a good grasp of the basics of the course. Mr. Gipson has a friendly, laid-back approach to math which helped my son get over some the anxiety he associates with it. We used the Algebra 1 and 2 dvd's with great success.

While not a lone program (the name "tutor" says it all), this is a great supplementary curriculum to add to your regular math program. Depending on how slow one moves, there are only a few months of lessons (maybe even days or weeks if the student is really fast) on each dvd. You can add the companion worksheet cd-roms to your video series to flesh it out a bit. But overall, it is not meant to be a complete, core curriculum. Use the Math Tutor series with a child struggling as an alternative to a pricey tutor and you'll likely be impressed.

The price for most dvd's is around $26 for 5-7 hours of video-much less than you'd pay a private tutor- and we found the dvd's we have used to be extremely user-friendly and helpful. Mr. Gipson has courses ranging from Basic Math all the way to Calculus 3 and Physics.

Visit www.MathTutorDVD.com to see detailed lists of what each video includes as well as samples of actual video clips. The site says "Raise grades or your money back." Give it a try!

-Lynn

The end of the homeschooling journey?

After 11 years (almost 12) of homeschooling, I returned to work this year. At first I tried working and homeschooling but my younger children needed more of me than I could give. So at present my 10-year old and 5-year old are in public school. My high schooler is registered, records have been transferred, and we await placement testing. If all goes well there, he should be in school by next week. There have been many hold-ups along the way that make me wonder if this is God's will for him; still praying that if it isn't we'll know soon. As in by this week.

I will try to journal some of my thoughts, feelings, and even helpful hints along the way for those of you contemplating homeschooling or putting homeschooled children into a public school setting. I hope to be able to return to homeschooling all my kids in the future but until then, journey with me into this new season of life.

Lynn