Wondering what Mommy Homework is??? Each week you will have an “assignment” here to share in our comments here on this site. You will love this-both sharing AND enjoying answers by others. Some of them, I compile into an ebook (contributors can resell as a product of their own–be sure to submit your email and full name when you register so I can credit you appropriately!).
The result is AWESOME!
We get to know each other…we are encouraged in our journey…and we glean super ideas from other great moms!
Ready for this week’s MH? This is going to be a good one!
Ok! How many of you are gearing up for our Ultimate Homeschool Expo 2010? Even if you are not homeschooling, this is THE EVENT of the year! Not only do we have lots of great workshops for those who are gearing up for your new homeschool year, but we also have a full line-up of workshops that EVERYONE will want to hear. Learn more here: Ultimate Homeschool Expo 2010.
For those of you gearing up, this weekend is the time to prepare for a smooth week. I know that you will want to join us for as many workshops as possible. So, let’s make it as easy as possible for each other. Let’s share ideas for preparing our family and home so that we CAN balance a busy week. I think that this “Mommy Homework” assignment will help us when we regularly hit those BUSY WEEKS. Ready? Let’s share ideas:
During Busy Weeks, how do you…
1. Feed your family??? Share your ideas for easy meals that make those little and big tummies happy! 🙂
2. Occupy little ones with GOOD activities??? Share your ideas for keeping little ones busy but happy and learning.
3. Battle the distractions??? Inevitably, we all will have distractions, chaos, interruptions, and aggravations. Our children are not distractions. Neither are our husbands. But, how do we prepare them and our home so we can pull back and get the training, inspiration, and practical help to be our very best?
4. Organize all of this ULTIMATE information??? Yes! What good are all of the audios, ebooks, printables, and other great resources if we do not USE THEM! 🙂 How do you organize all of your resources? How do you work through USING them?
Ohhhh! I cannot wait to see these ideas. Jump in. Share your ideas. And, don’t miss checking back to get super ideas from your mommy pals here. Have fun! 
DIG IN!
Love ya!
Cindy
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Deadline–Friday at midnight CST.
Wow – great questions, Cindy!
1. Meals. These are very simple: We do toasted sandwiches or wraps, tacos and burritos – things that don’t require preheating the oven or major preparation. Cheese is already shredded, salad mix from the bag…
2. Kids. Favorite videos we haven’t watch in awhile. Coloring pages or simple lapbooks that intrigue them but that they enjoy looking at after completion. I will go outside with them and they can play while I read (homework) or even make phone calls.
3. Distractions. Oh, this is my biggest battle. When I’m overwhelmed, the distractions really throw me for a loop. I have to keep a checklist. i keep a family calendar on the fridge so we all know whats happening within our family, and I have a weekly checklist of chores, phone calls, schedules, responsibilities, meetings & appointments – that I keep in my
4. HOME NOTEBOOK. If I didn’t have a home notebook, I’d lose my mind entirely. I have one page of chores/lists – across from a weekly calendar. I have to break things down ONE week at a time. Any smaller and it’s too much – any bigger and I lose stuff. It isn’t too much paper to keep on hand for me, either. I actually store these pages so I can review my weeks later – see highs and lows and transition any important numbers or notes into my contacts list or baby books, etc. My 3 ring binder is small enough to carry with me but large enough to also hold my Time for Tea ezines (seriously!) so I can read them while I’m waiting somewhere, etc.
I have NOT mastered busy weeks or being overwhelmed. I get distracted sometimes by things like Facebook & blogging – but that’s moreso when I’m not faithful to my Quiet Time with the Lord. That is the ONE deciding factor for the success of each week. Not just production – but living life…
I’m looking forward to everyone else’s ideas. I admit that I am not good at this.
1. Frozen meals. I try to keep a couple frozen pizzas or freeze leftovers. Not exciting, but it gets us by.
2. This is one that I’m not good at. Letting them make a fort with dining room chairs.
3. Hmmm, I’ve been known to turn the telephone ringer off. 🙂
4. I have files both on the computer and in a file cabinet. I file things by what they are. I’m wondering if I should file them by what grade and subject. It is a challenge to look through them and use them at the correct time.
Linda Sprague
1. Meals are always pretty simple around here, but during busy weeks a lot of crock pot cooking and simple menu items. If it is a conference week or similar the boys get to go out with Daddy for treats (pizza or something).
2.I’m not really good at this one, however there are special movies that they only get to watch when Mommy is on a call or similar.. We also love legos and our playmobil toys for busy time activities.
3.Distractions are a big thing around here… Depending on what the activity that is “busy time” is, the phone may get ignored or the dishes and laundry.
4. I have a folder for MP3’s that I listen to regularly and a computer file for homeschool (with lots of folders for events, units, subjects, tools, ect…). This year I decided to make a notebook for conferences (online and regular) where I can file handouts and my own notes.
1) Since I’m in MST, I think the sessions will usually be over by dinner time but the middle one starts right a t lunch time! So, I’m picking up a few frozen pizzas that I can throw in the oven a bit before the session, slice, and send to the children either on the deck or in the playroom so that I don’t have 30 minutes of chatter and “Mom, where’s the…” while they make sandwiches and such. I also bought a couple of boxes of cereal for the same purpose – yes, cereal for lunch! They can have apples and carrot sticks with those. Just to be safe, I have meals cut up and ready to cook in the freezer. That way all I have to do is thaw, then do final cooking of things like terriyaki chicken, salisbury steaks, stroganoff. I’ve also precooked taco meat so we can just heat that plus tortillas, yank toppings out of the fridge, and eat in minutes – just in case there’s a late session!
2) My older girls are 9 (10 Memorial weekend!) and 11 so they’ll be able to work independently each morning on their unit studies. I’ve canceled Mommy intense subjects like spelling and math this week. We’ll do Bible time in between sessions and read together in the evenings. I’ve also got a couple of model planes they can work on together. Plus, Daddy’s birthday is the 15th so all 3 of my girls are going to make birthday cards and paint ceramics for him. The 4yo has Jumpstart games to play, some new library books, and some special just for her movies. BTW, in case your children get bored or need something different, if you have a Facebook account you can link to it through the Jumpstart site and get a free 15 day trial of their online games. On nice days, they’ve got bubbles to all play with and a digging area in the yard to tear up. On rainy days, they’ve got some Building Big and Animal Planet videos from Netflix to watch.
3) My husband has the schedule and I’ll highlight the times that I most don’t want disturbed. He’s very supportive of the Expo, so he tries to remember not to call just to say hello during those times. My older girls have gotten pretty good at not disturbing me due to practice the last couple of years, and having out of the norm, engrossing activities to do will help keep them from getting antsy for my attention. I’ve practiced with the 4yo during previews and met mixed success, but since her sisters will be more available this week it should minimize interruptions. I also promise to read to her and play with her between sessions so that she still gets plenty of Mommy attention. I’ll take her out to blow bubbles, swing, ride her bike, and just snuggle her. If someone has a true need that can’t wait, I’ll turn off the audio and know I can listen to it later.
4) For during the Expo, I have a folder with dividers for each day in which to file printables and take notes. These notes include session notes and notes of items from the vendor hall and grab bag that I want to check out later. After the Expo, I’ll type most of the session notes into my computer (good review) and store the information in computer folders I’ve set up over the years. Some will go into my household or homeschool notebooks so I can refer to them frequently. I’ll also prayerfully work my way through the grab bag and vendor notes to decide what to purchase, what to use next year, what to download and use in future years. I keep a section of my homeschool notebook with a page for each month where I write down what products I have or would like to have to do what I think we’ll work on that month so I’ll make notes in there as I go.
For audios, I always make sure I make an RSS bookmark of every Expo so I can easily pull up an index of all the audios I have available. Some that I want to review regularly, I have permanently downloaded and I’ll likely add a few more this year. Other audios I download as I want to listen because I need the reminder, am going through a struggle or temptation, or I’m entering a new season of mothering, educating, or wifing (Is that a word?) These usually go on my MP3 player for when I’m doing chores or walking. I can later delete these since I know I can always re-download them in the future and it keeps my computer and MP3 less cluttered.
Meals–Meal planning ahead of time is the key to meak success in busy times for me. My oldest daughter, who is 6, brought me her children’s cookbook tonight and she had fun helping me choose meals for the week. The best part of those meals is that they all have five ingredients or less! That works wonderfully for times when we are on the go and very busy. We regularly choose a cookbook (something on the shelf or the one that contains my own favorite recipes) and pick recipes for the week. We write the choices on our marker board on the kitchen wall and make up a shopping list right under that. I usually pick up the groceries after my PT appointments each week.
During busy times, we mostly choose casseroles, some freezer meals (not usually made by me…we like Stouffers lasagne…), and crock pot meals. Right now, I have a chicken in the crockpot simmering for soup tomorrow night, we plan to have mini pizzas on bagels the day after that, BLT roll up tortillas the next, my son will make special chicken enchilladas the next night, and the last night will be Daddy’s choice (whatever he has a coupon for and picks up on the way home for Netflix movie night). Lunches are always easy around here as the kids prefer sandwiches and fruit. The kids can make those themselves and do clean up afterwards, if I am not readily available.
Children–Fortunately, the ages of my children span 18yrs-1 yr, so if I am unavailable, such as during PT appointments each week, my second son can babysit. He earns a small wage (though he insisted he’d do it for free) which he is saving for a computer animation program. Also, if the time I need to remain undisturbed is not too long, I can put in a Signing TIme video or other educational video. If it is a bit longer, I can turn on our webite where the kids have their own links page (homeschool-for-free.webs.com) or put Reader Rabbit on the computer.
Best of all is that fact that my kids love to read, so I can refresh their book baskets and they will lose themselves in reading/looking at stories for hours. The littlest one, a boy, doesn’t do much but chew on books yet, but he does still take naps! 😉 The kids also LOVE a new box of crayons and a clean notebook to draw in. Plus, we have our homeschooling supplementary teaching materials (puzzles, games, cuisinaire rods, tangrams, etc.) organized in boxes by subject area or age (Preschool Box, Alphabet Box, Science Box, Music Box, Numbers Box, etc.) and since these boxes are a TREAT to get down (maybe once a week), if I take a new one down, it will occupy them for quite a while. It may be a bit messy when I am done with whatever I have had to do, but the kids usually do pretty well obeying the “one thing each at a time, then put it back” rule.
Distractions–Distractions are a given with large families and small children. You get used to them. I try to teach the children to respect my time ahead of time, and I do try to pay into their time bank before and after so they will not feel hurt that I don’t turn away from what I need to do during the important thing of the moment. I also try to give them something to look forward to such as promising to read TWO books each when I am done (usually it is just one each) or agreeing to make dessert for dinner that night (dessert are not regular around here) if they can minimize interruptions to only the most important things.
Organization–I have a Mommy Planner where I keep templates for the forms I use weekly, as well as lists of important numbers and information I need to get my hands on regularly. I have a personal cookbook of recipes I make often and we like. I keep a calendar for the current month on the fridge so we can keep track of what is going on all month. We also write what are the BIG events of the week (appointments, library/bookmobile visits, church activities) and what we are doing all week in school (verse of the week, objectives for the little ones, expectations for the older ones, chores) on the markerboard in the kitchen as an extra reminder. I have a journal where I write daily happenings (“J. said “baba” for the first time” will go in my journal for today!) I keep a writing notebook for book ideas and for the stories we write, a Bible study notebook with prayer lists, and another notebook just for notes from conventions and seminars. I have things in there from the first Ultimate Homeschool Expo I attended in 2008!
Hi,
This is a busy week for us and so was last week as we are doing some remodeling, trying to declutter and organize the house, have 4 children 3 and under and I want to listen to several of the expo sessions. 🙂
I need to write out a menu for this week. I think we will have a lot of sandwich days along with some easy crockpot meals. Last week I didn’t have a plan and we ended up eating out a few times and I even called DH and asked him to bring home a pizza one night! 🙂 I want to be eating healthy most of the time but some weeks it is easier to get ready made.
Occupy little ones with GOOD activities??? Last week my girls seemed to do a lot of this on their own. Sarah 3, made a picnic for her and Esther 1.5. They played in the yard a lot where I could see them. I also made a box of paper scraps and things I came across as I cleaned my craft room that they could have. Sarah is busy playing with that right now. They love to “write letters”. We also have a shelf and one cupboard section of things that only come out when Mom says. These are activities like play-dough, puzzles, crayons and coloring books, stamps, etc.
3. Battle the distractions??? I try to go with the flow but a lot of times I just lose it. This is really an area I need to work on. It seemed like something came up for almost every session I tried to listen to last week! LOL I guess I will just have to buy the set later on. 🙂
4. Organize all of this ULTIMATE information??? Some of the e-books I have printed out and put into notebooks. The other info I have in a folder on my computer titled Cindy Ruston. The there are several subrolders inside. Each seminar has a folder and then I have a folder for ebooks (each book in it’s own folder if it is a multiple file book), misc. audios, articles, HSEW, Time for Tea, etc. I love being able to turn on an audio while I work. The computer is located on our main floor and I can hear it any where on that level as I work during the day.
I am finding that keeping at least one area on the main level and my bedroom clean is a very good help to keeping calm. Sarah is really upset when things are out of order so I find this helps her as well. I am trying to get things back to order as quickly as possible when the work is done, for her and me. 🙂
Cathy
I usually just call school off for the week. Not very practical, I know, so I’m taking notes on what you Ladies offer.
My hubby likes homecooked meals everyday. So I really can’t do any frozen stuff or I have an upset hubby on my hands.
I have a few fun coloring books and workbooks saved for them. They are allowed certain DVDs and TV shows. Also certain websites are allowed for educational fun time.
I’m a mess everyday on/at distractions and organization so again ,,,,,, I’m taking notes.
I love, love, love my crockpot. It is so handy on time and uses so much less energy than the stove. The best thing is that I can put a meal together before the little ones even get up in the morning…saves me a lot of last minute rushing around to get dinner on the table (especially handy for nights we have soccer practice, dance lessons, you know the drill:-).
Now keeping the little ones busy is a challenge, especially the youngest (13 months). I’m looking for suggestions for young toddlers who still put everything into their mouths…anyone? My 4-year-old loves to draw. One of his favorite activities is to create picture “books.” I take a few sheets of blank paper, staple them along one page and let him go at it. He loves to create a story as he goes. After he’s done drawing his heart out, we go back and he tells me the story (I write the captions for each page). One of his other fave activities is “sewing” using some plastic canvas squares and plastic rexlace or shoelaces. I keep a number of activities for him in gallon-size zipper bags in a bin.
Distractions? I’m afraid distractions are the bane of my life, lol. Blame that on my ADD brain. I’ve gotten out of the habit, but in the past what has worked best for me is to just keep a loose schedule of what I want to accomplish today. Not an hour by hour schedule, but more of a list that I can refer to and check things off. It’s also good for me to have a list of what I need to do once I get on the computer…keeps me from going off on too many tangents and spending way more time than I intend.
And as for organization…I’m looking for tips. I admit I have a beleaguered hard-drive. I don’t know half of what I have. This is a project that keep getting bigger, too, because I never have the time to sit down and just do it. I need to take it in small pieces and work through it gradually. And get all those wonderful MP3s onto an MP3 player so I’ll get more out of them…except where can I listen to them without the kiddos yelling in the background, that’s the dilemma!
Busy , Busy, Busy ! ! !
That is what the end of last week and first of this week was for me. Every thing at once and they were are all things that I had not planned in my life. What did I do? First I took each one in order of priority, finishing as quickly as possible. Believe it or not everything that needed to be done was done some how, maybe not at 100 % correct but passable for this time. I did not have any children at home to be concerned about so that changes things.
When my children were young, I did not have great resources such Cindy’s to help me. In fact there was hardly any help except for my mother. There came a time that I became so stressed and wore out that my Lord had to just slow me down and He did. I learned never to get there again.
If I was doing it today what would I do for a meal? On busy day I would open a box of macaroni and cheese or hamburger helper (not the healthiest but ok in times like these).
To occupy little ones I would have an area that can be theirs with felt boards and stories, books, puzzles, blocks, all kinds of things or things they really like. Maybe even a big pillow or two to lay on while playing, having different things for different days, such as a Monday box, Tuesday box and etc.
Distractions, interruptions and aggravations will come to everyone at some time. When this happens the first thing to do is pray and seek God’s leading. I am ashamed to say that to many times I (self) try to fix it instead of going to God first. When things start to build up that’s when it’s time for me to get alone with my Lord and pray, read some in His Word even if it is only five minutes. I am amassed how things can look different when I turn it all over to Him. Than I may have to take things one at a time as I did a week ago.
I like to have things organized so I can find what I need but to often I spend to much time looking for something that’s missing. As far as my computer goes I put all of like items in a folder. Example a folder for each Lois’s lessons, Cindy, UHSE (by years), Lap books, Note booking, my pictures (each of them divided by different titles in their own folder), to list only a few. Then I save each on separate USB’s that way they are easy to find.
So in the house there may be days the floor doesn’t get swept, no dusting or dishes not done but life goes on and five years from now who is going to care? I have learned that my Lord and family are more important. So if my husband comes in and wants to do something what ever I am doing usually can wait. Our times together are more important.
So much of this I wish I had learned years and years ago.
Nancy Lewis
I’m in mountain time as well so being prepared with meal ideas ahead of time will be essential. For lunches we’ll have frozen burritoes, sandwiches, deli pizza, hotdogs, or something along those lines. Dinner will be easy too with tacos, spaghetti, or crock pot meals. The kids love breakfast for dinner. I have a laptop, so during some sessions, I’ll be setting my computer on the counter and listen while I prepare meals and the kids know while I’m listening to something to save discussions for later and interrupt for emergencies only. I keep a note book and pen next to the computer for quick notes. I may have a couple of the older daughters take turns listening as well and practice note taking. They may catch something I missed 🙂
Occupying the littles: I have enough bigs to keep them occupied 🙂 The bigs know when I’m listening to something, they quickly will assist or intercept a little one headed my way. If it is nice outside more fun will be available. Chalk. Bubbles. Bike riding. Hide and seek (their favorite game at the moment).
Keeping track of expo info: I have a folder on my computer that everything will go into. I’ll print the worksheets for each session and take some notes on those too. I’ll file these in an expo folder with the notebook. I’ll take careful notes or link to grab bags and speaker sites. I also have a folder in my “favorites” on my tool bar for easy linking.
For distractions: I’ll probably ignore the phone (check caller ID first). Everything else should be good. We live far enough out in the boonies I won’t have to worry about door knockers of any sort.
Any other time, I try not to schedule too much and have a busy chaotic week. With homeschooling 10 kids…chaotic is well….chaotic and fuses are short. We school 4 days a week leaving one day for errands or in case something comes up during the week than I won’t feel like I need to panic about school. We have that make-up day. I have educational videos available if I need to keep the littles occupied while teaching the bigs. There are certain toys/games that are allowed only during this time as well. If the littles choose to want to sit in on the bigs class, they must remain quiet with drawing or writing of their own.
If my husband decides to stay home from the shop (we are self-employed) for the day and work around the house, school is canceled as well. But he typically lets me know this at least a day in advance. We are pretty easy going around here for the most part 🙂
Vickie Butterfield
Well, I was gearing up for a garage sale, so I did’t get to come, but I’m looking forward to listening…this will be considered a cross-post since it goes w/t he ipod topic ,t oo
Monique