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antonina31
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I am curious how mothers maintain an atmosphere of joy in their homeschool. I know this is a difficult question to answer, but mostly, I am looking for wise words and practical tips for mom.
I am hoping to hear some ideas on staying positive and ensuring our children enjoy learning while maintaining structure, routine, standards, and discipline in our homeschools. Perhaps you can share ways to address specific complaints our children have, like why they have to do math every day or why their younger brother doesn't have to do as much work as they do, too! 
True joy is something I have been reflecting on a lot lately, and I thought this might be a great place to find some inspiration on making that joy a real part of our lives. What are your thoughts?
Blessings,
Jenny
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*Lindsey*
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I cannot wait for the responses to this thread!
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Lindsey
Mama to DS (11), DD(9), twin dds(7), DD (5), DS (4), DS (3), and 5 angels in heaven.
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SuzanneG
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A couple threads from the archives for some joyful  reading! 
**Mothering and Choosing Joy. There are some wonderful things to ponder in that thread! It's worth a quick click over!
**Are you fun? I know FUN is not the same as JOY, but there are some interesting considerations in there, when thinking about bringing joy into our hearts and homes.
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Suzanne in ID
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SuzanneG
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And there are a couple other threads too...don't have time to link but here are the threads with JOY in the subject!
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Suzanne in ID
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antonina31
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Thanks, Suzanne, for all those wonderful threads! There are some wonderful ideas for joy in daily life in the posts you list. I enjoyed many of the thoughts in are you fun? and Finding the everyday Joy!
I think the only part I saw missing (but maybe I overlooked some comments?) was how to keep the "school time" joyful. I wonder about the atmosphere of the learning room. It is very hard for me not to be a task-master, even with wonderful materials that we all enjoy. I still feel an obligation to move from one thing to the next, especially this time of the year when we are trying to finish certain books. And, I would love to hear how moms remind their children to be cheerful while they work.
Blessings,
Jenny
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JuliaT
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I have been contemplating alot about joy and homeschooling this past year. The two were not synonymous in our house until just a little while ago. The catalyst for the change was my cancer. This prompted me to do a lot of soul searching about the path our family was taking via homeschooling. Hsing had become too rigid for me. Having gone through my cancer experience, it thrusted me into more of a relaxed style of teaching my kids.
The last little while I have been forsaking curriculum and have been teaching my kids on my own. I am still using curriculum but it is my guide now instead of my master. I am not enslaved to curriculum any more. This has been very freeing for me which has led to joy, not only for me but for my kids.
I have forgone curriculum for the content subjects to making up my own unit studies. The kids are loving them. It has been fun for me, too. I have also put the latin books aside and am teaching all 3 of my kids latin via index cards and games. This has just started so the jury is still out on whether it will work or not.
I have also taken to using picture books as a basis for some of our language arts learning. Today we read Henry's Freedom Box and we diagrammed some of the sentences. Last week, we read A Packet of Seeds and we used that book as a jumping off point of discussing literary devices and we started making up our own. The kids have a blast with this. I do it all with three of them. My youngest is learning a great deal through this type of teaching.
Another thing that has changed is that we are discussing more about the books we are reading. Before, I would read the book and that was it. Now, we discuss the books and any issues that arise from those readings. We are reading Oliver Twist right now. This has given us many talks on the industrial revolution and the bias towards poor people that others have. It has been such fun to hear my kids' opinions on these issues. They surprise me at how much they actually know!
These are a few of the ways that we have brought joy into our home. I have noticed, too, that since we have made these changes, the kids are not grumbling as much as they used to. This is a huge positive for me.
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Blessings,
Julia
mom of 3(14,13 & 11 yrs.old)
MusingsofaPrairieGirl
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CatholicMommy
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For us, it's remembering that my son is still discovering the world - I don't want him discouraged in the process, but still challenged and constantly growing. So I try to be where he is - share the joy of discovery with him.
So far, so good! I love when he comes to me and says, "Mommy, I just recognized something. I just recognized that... (list whatever incredibly obvious thing he just realized - like that the days of the month fluctuate 30/31, but February sticks out by itself)".
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Macmom
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A chocolate stash. All homeschooling moms must keep a chocolate stash where they can take a 2 minute break, alone, with their chocolate and get their joy back.
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Catholic family life works on the same principle as a washing machine- clothes get clean by agitation.
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Theresa
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I enjoyed reading through the threads that Suzanne shared. I'm afraid I don't have anything to add. This last year of homeschooling for us as been extremely difficult. The grace to do it just hasn't seemed to be there like it was in previous years and I so want it to be fun and to enjoy it again. My youngest is in Kindergarten and I had such a lovely time doing kindergarten with my now 5th grader. I want that for my youngest too. 
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Macmom
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OK, in all seriousness-
St. John Bosco. What an educator! Reading things by and about him has been quite an inspiration. You can't be a good teacher unless you are enthusiastic and loving! His motto was "Charity and cheerfulness." That was how he attracted so many of these previously unreachable boys- he was loving and joyful, and they were intrigued. So make time (find opportunities) to crack a joke with the children.... not just tell them what to do. STOP and watch the bunny hopping across the yard, or the incredible snowstorm.... even if it's 3 p.m. and there is STILL math to finish up.
I had a annus horribilis last school year. My oldest daughter was committed to a treatment center for 3 months with an eating disorder, and her "therapist" blamed our large family and hoomeschooling for her issues. I was depressed, irrational, going crazy myself..... but after about 6 months of crying every day, screaming at God, I realized I had to claw my way out of this for the remaining children and my husband. Among other things, reading John Bosco helped. If I can find joy again, then it's possible for everyone.
But I will say, as a 12 year veteran homeschooler, some days are just busy and... well, a little joyless. Those days happen. Just don't let them be the rule at your house.
Peace,
Macmom
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Catholic family life works on the same principle as a washing machine- clothes get clean by agitation.
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florasita
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My biggest learning momemt to restore peace & joy is to Listen ! Listen to our children ! when raising tweens & teens .I tended to wish to have control and as we know this is the biggest time in our childrens lives when t5hey are trying to also find areas in which they have control in thier own lives .
The second thing I learned was Back off ! Yes our 2nd dd told me this when one of her brothers was 12yo . Mum just step back . Sometimes our response is not to respond but just to step back , pray and listen .
I saw it was also I who took part in negative confrontation . I learned the difference between positive confrontation & negative
Also am I ever less uptight then when I first had kids and most would not have even considered me to be so , but was I ever compared to now .
So not much more than that for us .
Our kids are quiet , so am I so we really don't have many non joy or peaceful days . If one comes up I like I said know the steps to take . Today for instance with it being awful time of yr and cabin fever etc. we are going thrifting & tea later in bed reading books .
relax and don't sweat it is a policy for us
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May I rise & rest with words of Gratitude on my Breath
May I have the Heart & Mind of a Child in my Depth
May I forever remember to be a Light
May Peace Love & Hope be My Sight
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CrunchyMom
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If you can get your hands on Rachel Watkins' talk from the Family-Centered Learning Conference last year, it is full of the advice you seek. It doesn't seem to be available anymore from the site, though. Rachel told everyone that they must "guard their joy" and to be aware of what sucks away your joy and stay away from it so as not to hand over your joy voluntarily. It was excellent advice, and she was so inspiring!
Maybe Michelle will see this and let you know where you might find it? I think there are some copies of it floating around the boards here, so someone might let you borrow it.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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mamalove
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J-Jesus first
O- others second
Y- yourself last
live this yourself and train the children in this motto.
CCC# 736 By this power of the Spirit, God's children can bear much fruit. He who has grafted us onto the true vine will make us bear "the fruit of the Spirit: . . . love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."
"We live by the Spirit"; the more we renounce ourselves, the more we "walk by the Spirit."
Pray more.
"Hitherto you have not asked any thing in my name. Ask, and you shall receive; that your joy may be full" John xvi 24
remember....relax...its later than you think 
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antonina31
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CrunchyMom wrote:
If you can get your hands on Rachel Watkins' talk from the Family-Centered Learning Conference last year, it is full of the advice you seek. It doesn't seem to be available anymore from the site, though. Rachel told everyone that they must "guard their joy" and to be aware of what sucks away your joy and stay away from it so as not to hand over your joy voluntarily. It was excellent advice, and she was so inspiring!
Maybe Michelle will see this and let you know where you might find it? I think there are some copies of it floating around the boards here, so someone might let you borrow it. |
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Yes! Thank you for the reminder! I actually bookmarked Michele's post from November when she announced the talks were ready for download intending to purchase the mp3 of Rachel's talk, but my good intentions got lost in the holiday shuffle. It sounds wonderful!
Michele, can I buy it from you now even though it's not on the website anymore? Or perhaps someone else can help me out? I hope I can get a copy soon. Thanks, Lindsay!
Blessings,
Jenny
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antonina31
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Macmom wrote:
OK, in all seriousness-
St. John Bosco. What an educator! Reading things by and about him has been quite an inspiration. |
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Macmom, thanks for the great perspective and inspiration. I have never read anything by St. John Bosco, just a few things about him, but I'm intrigued. Can you recommend some titles?
Jenny
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MicheleQ
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antonina31 wrote:
CrunchyMom wrote:
If you can get your hands on Rachel Watkins' talk from the Family-Centered Learning Conference last year, it is full of the advice you seek. It doesn't seem to be available anymore from the site, though. Rachel told everyone that they must "guard their joy" and to be aware of what sucks away your joy and stay away from it so as not to hand over your joy voluntarily. It was excellent advice, and she was so inspiring!
Maybe Michelle will see this and let you know where you might find it? I think there are some copies of it floating around the boards here, so someone might let you borrow it. |
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Yes! Thank you for the reminder! I actually bookmarked Michele's post from November when she announced the talks were ready for download intending to purchase the mp3 of Rachel's talk, but my good intentions got lost in the holiday shuffle. It sounds wonderful!
Michele, can I buy it from you now even though it's not on the website anymore? Or perhaps someone else can help me out? I hope I can get a copy soon. Thanks, Lindsay!
Blessings,
Jenny |
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I'm sorry about that --I have been looking for a better delivery method for the mp3's which is why it's not listed there but I do still have it so if anyone wants it you can contact me at Family-Centered Press.
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Michele Quigley
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MicheleQ
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OK they are back on the website!
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Michele Quigley
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Nina Murphy
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antonina31 wrote:
Macmom wrote:
OK, in all seriousness-
St. John Bosco. What an educator! Reading things by and about him has been quite an inspiration. |
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Macmom, thanks for the great perspective and inspiration. I have never read anything by St. John Bosco, just a few things about him, but I'm intrigued. Can you recommend some titles?
Jenny
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I'm not Macmom....Nina here. But we do love the 40 Dreams of Saint John Bosco book. My older kids have read it over and over. I think it is TAN publishers. God bless.
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God bless,
~~Nina
mother of 9 on earth,
and 2 yet-to-be-met
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Helen
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Sorry not Macmom but my absolute favorite book with loads of spiritual instights into Don Bosco is a book by Edna Phelan called
Don Bosco A Spiritual Portrait Published by Doubleday in 1963. Unfortunately OOP. (At least it was)
Here's an old blog post of mine where I pulled out some concepts from this book: Marvelling at Don Bosco
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Ave Maria!
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Helen
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Macmom wrote:
| A chocolate stash. All homeschooling moms must keep a chocolate stash where they can take a 2 minute break, alone, with their chocolate and get their joy back. |
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I'm with you here Macmom!
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Ave Maria!
Mom to 5 girls and 3 boys
Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
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Topic: Joy in Your Homeschool?
