Plain Vanilla Homeschoolers?

[Gil]

I have been trying to do research on a few curricula and have found myself, more often then not, on a homeschoolers blog where everything about every subject looks so amazing/engaging/colorful/attractive and even the bells and whistles seem to have supplements and extension activities.

 

Where are my fellow 'plain vanilla' homeschoolers? I know we can't be the only ones doing school with just boring old books and binders, that focus on the 'boring old' basics right? Were are the blogs of homeschoolers like us?

And by 'like us' I mean...

We don't have a homeschool room. We have a 1.5 bedrooms, a big kitchen/living area and one bathroom so we do our work on the living room floor or at the kitchen table and often in our underwear.

We don't have gorgeous book shelves overflowing with classics or quality literature--we have a couple of beat up laundry baskets that hold a crap-ton of library books (many of which are classics and some of which are actually quality, much of which is just...what was on the shelf.)

We don't have Fun Fridays or a 'well rounded' curriculum at the Gr1 level that covers everything from Ancients to Zoology.

We do the 3Rs and honestly I only threw in 'singing' because they do it rather badly and since I can't get my kids to stop  I figured it couldn't hurt much to try and change their enthusiastic warbling into something that sounds like it might one day be music. We are doing some Spanish because I think its important and I was able to get a good program for free. (via library)

 

I mean am I just bad at this homeschooling business? Can it be just plain and to the point? It seems like it would be more worthwhile to do all the extras with kids in middle or highschool but some of the stuff I've seen on these blogs for PreK-3 seems like it would be insanely expensive (financially and time wise).

 

I've seen people right entire multi-part essays on many of the 15+ subjects/topics that they are covering with their early elementary child. I know that this is individual and that clearly these are viable and valuable methods that are (presumably) working for these particular families but sheesh, I'll be the first to admit that I feel more than a little intimidated and distressed when I see it.

 

C'mon where are the blogs of the 'Average Joe' homeschoolers?

 

[quietchapel]

I'm here!!

 

Thanks for writing this. I really needed it today. In fact, I think you've inspired me to revive my blog. We are oh- so- plain. I often feel that so many of the materials and implementation are just......so MUCH. But, that is just me. I am a terribly simple, minimalist kind of gal. Guess what we do for vocab? Read the dictionary. No joke. Tell you what, if you blog I will, too. :laugh:

[laundrycrisis]

We are very plain here.  I think of myself as a traditional get-it-done homeschooler.  Our kids would be overwhelmed (and so would I) if I tried to do some big, rich fantastic thought-provoking thing....and really, they would rather play Minecraft,  watch Minecraft-related videos on YouTube, or run around outside with bikes and their basketball.  They want to get school done and go do other things - and so do I.   DS1 is using Calvert - finishing 5th and I already bought 6th.  DS2 does very basic 3Rs type work.  The only "impressive" thing we do is violin - they both have musical talent and I require music as a subject because I think it's beneficial to build playing music into life as a habit from a young age - then it never feels unnatural.  IMO the basics of education are challenging enough.  I'm happy to do just that, with high standards.  We just aren't more ambitious than that.  

[Shellie]

THANK YOU! I am plain too. I actually took down my blog a while back because I felt I don't have anything to offer. We do reading, writing, math, history, science, and whatever i can get my hands on by way of arts and crafts or listening to music. We do the library for reading. I do have curriculum for most everything because I'm really, really bad at sticking to a plan unless it's already written out for me. But all the bells and whistles I noticed were distracting us (and costing a lot of money). So plain it is.

[KeriJ]

Me!  I've made peace with it....but only recently. We do the 3 R's....then we read.  I read to them, they read on their own.  We go to the library and get stacks of books.  Dh picks out a lot of them because he reads the bedtime stories, so I let go of my control in that area.  (I just look the other way :) )  Most of our curriculum is either Amish, Mennonite or vintage from the computer....nothing colorful.  and it's not even because I have some great reason other than they work for us.  We love the used bookstore.  I do try to look out for classics there, but they are often beat up paperbacks.  Most of their education comes from them asking me a question and me responding, "I don't know.  Let's find out."  We talk a lot at meals and in the car.  

 

Geography is nothing more than a tape in the car and computer drills at the moment.  But they know a lot from that!!  We draw when we can.  We sing after dinner, but it's not fancy or planned in any way.  We play outside a lot.  We watch random science videos.  We read random history books.  I used to kid myself into thinking we were going to do something more impressive, but when it comes down to it, it's just not me.

 

We're happy.  The kids are learning.  I'm good.

[quietchapel]

Me!  I've made peace with it....but only recently. We do the 3 R's....then we read.  I read to them, they read on their own.  We go to the library and get stacks of books.  Dh picks out a lot of them because he reads the bedtime stories, so I let go of my control in that area.  (I just look the other way :) )  Most of our curriculum is either Amish, Mennonite or vintage from the computer....nothing colorful.  and it's not even because I have some great reason other than they work for us.  We love the used bookstore.  I do try to look out for classics there, but they are often beat up paperbacks.  Most of their education comes from them asking me a question and me responding, "I don't know.  Let's find out."  We talk a lot at meals and in the car.  

 

Geography is nothing more than a tape in the car and computer drills at the moment.  But they know a lot from that!!  We draw when we can.  We sing after dinner, but it's not fancy or planned in any way.  We play outside a lot.  We watch random science videos.  We read random history books.  I used to kid myself into thinking we were going to do something more impressive, but when it comes down to it, it's just not me.

 

We're happy.  The kids are learning.  I'm good.

 

Which vintage stuff do you like and use? I keep telling my husband there are all these new, fancy, expensive homeschool materials that are almost exactly like the stuff I have found on archive. :hurray:

Being at peace with it all is key. I'm finally (mostly) there.

 

[Guest]

Us, but I do have a school room. First time ever! Before, it was on the kitchen table, in bedrooms, on the IKEA Malm kid table, the floor.....

 

We do the basics right now and one extra. Last week that was reading a science book. This week it is art projects from HAS because the kids found it and popped in the DVD. I cannot handle more than that. 

 

Our focus is grammar, writing, and math. I don't even have spelling right now!

 

The thought of doing even SOTW is overwhelming to me because if I don't do all the activities and check out all the extra books, I am shortchanging my kids, right? :001_rolleyes: {my youngers have zero interest, anyway. I tried--repeatedly.}

 

I stopped reading blogs of the Super Homeschoolers who make all those projects, write curriculum, use 4 maths programs, etc. because they made me feel like I was doing my kids a diservice by NOT doing all that and somehow my kids won't be educated if I don't do all that. Sometimes I even stop coming here for the same reason.

[KeriJ]

Which vintage stuff do you like and use? I keep telling my husband there are all these new, fancy, expensive homeschool materials that are almost exactly like the stuff I have found on archive. :hurray:

Being at peace with it all is key. I'm finally (mostly) there.

 

 

We've been using Dictation Day by Day.  And then just this week I printed out Emma Serl's Primary and Intermediate Language Lessons.  I had looked at them before and not seen the value.  Lately I have been trying to streamline more and realized that this fit everything I was trying to do: grammar, copywork, composition, poetry, dictation, dictionary usage, picture study, memory work.....all in one. Free! :)  We started using them and love them!

 

eta: justamouse actually got me intrigued to try PLL and ILL again when I was reading through one of the CiRCE threads.

[bttrflyvld]

I tried to keep up with those fancy blogs, but I found it quickly I was going to burn out. And what started out as a fun list of activities, was soon a checklist I pushed the kids through without giving adequate time to enjoy.I wasn't enjoying it and my kids turned into what's next mom?. I was exhausted trying to make all the impressive crafts and products to show on my blog.

 

We are more at 3'rs plus an once a week easy (usually paints and paper) art activity and one science experiment (@ daughters request). We read a lot and go to the library once a week to satisfy my daughters reading desire. But that's it.

 

I could tell quickly that the way I was doing thing wasn't going to make for a happy homeschool experience. Glad I figured it out before I burned it on the idea of homeschool. Everything is much more pleasant.

[Desert Strawberry]

In first grade we did phonics, handwriting and math workbook, SOTW, and that's about it. 

 

Our dining room is our homeschool room. 

We use the library and  Kindle. We have books, but they are mostly ignored. 

 

Now my kids are older, we do more extra stuff, but it sounds like so much more than it really is. I am always overwhelmed and intimidated by everyone else's lists. Then I make my own list and it's every bit as impressive.

 

 

[quietchapel]

We've been using Dictation Day by Day.  And then just this week I printed out Emma Serl's Primary and Intermediate Language Lessons.  I had looked at them before and not seen the value.  Lately I have been trying to streamline more and realized that this fit everything I was trying to do: grammar, copywork, composition, poetry, dictation, dictionary usage, picture study, memory work.....all in one. Free! :)  We started using them and love them!

 

eta: justamouse actually got me intrigued to try PLL and ILL again when I was reading through one of the CiRCE threads.

 

I LOVE dictation day by day! I mean talk about covering a lot in one simple method. We are using ILL, but the Hillside edition. Mother of Divine Grace uses it so I have those lesson plans. I agree, it is an efficient text. I also really like School Composition by Maxwell, the Derivatives book by...hmm...can't remember, and Harvey's grammar. I'm thinking we are covered through grade 9. :001_smile:And all from archives!

[AngelaNYC]

Totally plain here.  Our formal academics have been whittled down to the basic basics

1. Math is 1 lesson of TT (Alg 1)
2. Then either reading comprehension (from a cheap workbook - the 100+ Series) or reading a bunch of Shel Silverstein poems out loud
3. Then a 10-minute Spanish lesson (using Getting Started with Spanish)
4. Then either writing (we use Daily Sparks now), history (we read/discuss a section from K12 Human Odyssey 1), science (we do an Apologia experiment, ds writes things down, and we discuss), or geography (1 lesson from Runkle's Geog book).  So each of these gets done once a week.

That's it.  It takes less than 2 hours per day and we do this 4 days a week.

Ds sleeps til noon and we start academics at around 2pm.  (I will be working p/t 9am-1pm, M-F)

We live in a cozy NYC apartment.  Academics are done on the couch.

All ds's books fit in one IKEA Expedit cubby hole.

We hardly ever participate in any homeschool group classes anymore.  Ds got tired of them.

 

:leaving:

 

But... he does martial arts several days a week, and every Wednesday we go out somewhere in the afternoon.

 

I prefer plain.  So much less stress and he gets a lot more done.

[plumshadow]

I'm not completely boring vanilla, more like  vanilla with a few sprinkles (hey I'm new to homeschooling a few bells and whistles snuck in my cart)! But I was thinking along this very line in an education store while looking at all the plastic and shiny doodads that were enticingly packaged promising to make my child a genius in one aspect or another. I was wondering how people produced geniuses through the centuries without the help of anything in aisle 3. Still, I picked up a magnifying glass, addition bingo, encouragement stickers and magnet set all while thinking there has to be an easier minimalist  way.

[a27mom]

I am pretty simple as well. We do language arts and math intentionally. We do go pretty deep with those. But I only really use 1 main curricula for language arts and one main one for math, with occasional other worksheets to supplement that I happen upon.

 

I don't like making crafts, but my kids are welcome to make use of craft supplies if they want to.

 

We study geography by looking at the map and talking about the locations when we watch The Amazing Race, as well as when we hear about people going on vacations, missionaries etc... We read a lot of random books and watch documentaries I happen upon to get a sense of history.

 

We have discussions in the car about earth science and weather, we learn about plant science when we plant our garden. They play a lot outside and observe bugs, dirt etc... We talk about chemistry, physics while baking. If they have a question about something I don't say I don't know, we look it up or figure it out.

 

But except for language and math I don't plan any of it. (Well I do plan a few field trips, but those mostly involve taking advantage of opportunities that become available)

 

The funny thing is I don't feel plain vanilla, I feel different since so many I know/read about have lots of focus on all those activity things, where as we pretty much focus on core academics. I am sure this will change as they get older, but I still hope it will be more because they want to pursue the topic than that I will do a lot activity planning.

[SorrelZG]

I think I'm plain and I would blog but I don't really have much to take pictures of. We're just kinda going about our lives here and even if there is some photographic moment, I've found out that I can't be in the moment while trying to photograph the moment. And what is a homeschool blog without pictures?! I think I tried it and hardly anyone read it. lol

[Just Another Jen]

We are plain here too. I read aloud a lot. Both kids are using teaching textbooks for math. For science and history we read real books. Now that we are in a condo downtown we do school at the table or couch. We do have a book shelf full of vintage books but those are mine and we'd own them home schooling or not- It's my hobby to rescue out of print books. My kids sleep late and we hardly ever start our work until after lunch. I find everyone is more willing to work if they have had time for themselves first. My daughter does most of her reading late at night and we discuss in the morning while my youngest has his minecraft time. I already did the whole fancy thing when my big boys were little- we used big complicated programs and scheduled ourselves from 7am-3pm. Our basement was like a school room. That was ok but I prefer this.  

[Jerico]

Plain Jane here.

We don't even have any extracurriculars.

Math, writing, reading, grammar. We read about history, geography, etc. that's it. Might add in science next year though :)

We use our dining room table or the couch.

[Wabi Sabi]

We keep it pretty simple too. However, we did just have a family member move out and for the first time ever have a dedicated room for our homeschool stuff, and we have TONS of books.

 

School work at home is focused on the basics. We generally only do a few subjects at any given time. Right now my oldest is doing intensive math, reading and piano (about 2 hours of each per day.) With my youngest I'm really just focusing on phonics and a little math right now. At various times throughout the year our focus changes. For instance, a couple of months ago my oldest was doing more intensive theatre and grammar than anything else.

 

However, we do quite a few outside activities for enrichment. I feel like I can keep our work at home to the basics because they're getting the rest through various classes and groups. If we were unable to do all of our extracurriculars I would probably feel compelled to try to incorporate enrichment activities at home.

[Walking-Iris]

I feel that we're vanilla homeschoolers. I stopped reading blogs a few years ago. Here's how I see it (no offense to anyone who does have an impressive blog)--when you've made a blog your priority, and you've also found yourself with a blog that has quite a following, then I feel that you may find you want to do things to keep your fans and so IMHO, some of those photos and posts seem "airbrushed.". Honestly think about it....you wouldn't really post the awful photo. You're going to post the best of how many times you tried to get the best shot. You can take something as simple as a 3 year old playing around on Duolingo and spin it into an impressive "teaching my 3 year old French" post.  

 

IME whenever a really impressive project is happening here...it was started with a mad dash to corral kids and find missing materials, and followed by a huge mess. On paper, it would sound impressive, but the reality is usually organized chaos and me searching for chocolate and bottomless pots of coffee.

 

So IMHO some blogs (maybe not all...but some) have a feeling of fake about them, because to make a good blog post you would have to cherry pick your experiences in a way. I honestly don't want to read a plain vanilla blog any more than I want to read an overly impressive humble brag blog. One would bore me, one would annoy me. If I do read a homeschooling website or blog, I want it to be useful to me in some way, instructive. 

 

I think the regular plain jane blogs may be there to share with friends and family who live elsewhere. So often they seem a bit personal for me, a stranger, to read anyway. I don't blog or take a million pictures because I'm usually in the moment. I actually love photography, but the act of taking pics gets in the way sometimes of actually doing the thing I'm attempting to take a picture of. And then I would need to write it all up later, in correct grammar, with interesting tidbits to entertain a reader I don't know online....no. I get my write and share online fix here on the forum. 

 

We definitely focus on the basics. We have some things that we do that would seem "impressive" if I write about it. But the reality isn't really. I think it depends on personality. We like projects---in some moderation. And we like themes and units. But it comes in waves. This entire winter and spring (so far) we have been content to just get 'er done. At other times we can get pretty busy with involved projects.

 

ETA: I also don't blog because I'm protective of my children's privacy. I read an article some time ago about how our children in this online social media world have no choice about their own privacy or anonymity. They will be adults with their entire (or a good chunk of it) childhood documented for all time for anyone to see. It really struck a chord with me. I'm a bit tight lipped on Facebook as well, because I want my kids to choose where and with who they share details of their childhood with when they are adults. 

 

 

 

 

[SkateLeft]

.

[Kathryn]

I'm so plain I don't blog.

[birchbark]

We tend vanilla here too. I have been getting won over to vintage texts for the 3R's. They are so simple, efficient, and effective.

[Gil]

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who does stuff the plain-vanilla way.

ETA: I also don't blog because I'm protective of my children's privacy. I read an article some time ago about how our children in this online social media world have no choice about their own privacy or anonymity. They will be adults with their entire (or a good chunk of it) childhood documented for all time for anyone to see. It really struck a chord with me. I'm a bit tight lipped on Facebook as well, because I want my kids to choose where and with who they share details of their childhood with when they are adults. 

I didn't read that article, but this is why I don't use social media myself. I don't like to open myself and my family to that sort of scrutiny. Plus, both Grandmothers live within the same city/town. The people who matter see them all the time, those who don't matter shouldn't be following their lives.

[quietchapel]

I'm so plain I don't blog.

 

[quietchapel]

Oops! I was trying to say "I don't tell people I blog because I am plain/simple/ minimal"

[quietchapel]

We tend vanilla here too. I have been getting won over to vintage texts for the 3R's. They are so simple, efficient, and effective.

 

Please tell me more about this! I have been discovering vintage texts. I would really like one for math, too.

[stripe]

I think you'll find quite a few threads started by Hunter that are about basic type of things with minimum supplies.

 

e.g. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/502014-cheesy-workbooks-that-are-actually-hidden-gems/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/509561-hunters-plansimplify/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/492369-hunter-how-do-you-use-your-what-your-grader-needs-to-know-books/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/437358-hunter-have-you-had-any-luck-with-core-knowledge-books/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/504548-k-8-in-a-footlocker/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/508287-a-crisis-plan-for-language-arts-lots-and-lots-of-free-links/

 

and also

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/508259-efficient-curricula/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/475569-lean-efficient-grammar-program/

[ondreeuh]

Neither my older son nor I have the stamina for full days, and every transition to a new resource uses up valuable mental energy. It takes us from 9-3 to get through the basics, and then we are DONE. We finished our science early this year (no labs, just reading, using a reading guide, and taking online quizzes), and have directed that time to writing. He does math, history, grammar, and writing every day. He either reads literature on his own (that I assign) or we read and discuss. We try to get to spelling every day. Next year e are doing K12 independently because it will hopefully be more structured.

 

My younger son uses more resources, but I have organized them in a way that looks like a pack of worksheets. Our science experiments are from our science encyclopedia (using everyday things, no write ups). I'm planning more for next year, but the meat is still in the worksheets, and the extras can be cut out easily.

[Maela]

I don't know about plain vanilla, but we don't do a lot of projects/crafts/field trips.  M works on math (Khan, Lof, or MM) and Spanish (workbook, Salsa, or Duolingo) every day and reads a ton (aloud w/me and independently).  j does reading practice with me and works in his EtC book if he wants.  That's our day.  I also try to get the kids outside for at least an hour a day.  I often think that my blog isn't that exciting, so I add a bunch of pictures of the kids playing outside or the art stuff they come up with or their pretend play.  I don't plan any of that stuff.   I like to see the kids have a lot of free time and come up with their own fun.

[Hypatia.]

We're pretty plain/vanilla here.  If we get through all our regular stuff, everybody is kind of clean and mostly fed, and I make it through the day without wanting to eat my young then I call it good.  :)

[Amy M]

 

I think the regular plain jane blogs may be there to share with friends and family who live elsewhere. So often they seem a bit personal for me, a stranger, to read anyway. I don't blog or take a million pictures because I'm usually in the moment. I actually love photography, but the act of taking pics gets in the way sometimes of actually doing the thing I'm attempting to take a picture of. And then I would need to write it all up later, in correct grammar, with interesting tidbits to entertain a reader I don't know online....no. I get my write and share online fix here on the forum. 

 

I agreed with a lot said here, just snipping because it was long. The above expresses my sentiments on my blog pretty well. I'm not always sure whether it's worth the work or not! But the grandparents across the world love it.

 

I don't know if I "qualify" as plain jane or overdone. I hope I'm getting a balance, but I'm not sure sometimes if I won't be burned out in a few years.

 

I also agreed with the person who posted right after Walking Iris when she said that there are truly some super-homeschool moms. I think the tendency with a question like this is for all of us to want to say that we're not "overdone" or "fake" or whatever negative connotations are being applied to the flashy blogs currently, all the while worrying that we're not up to A+ standards of the pretty, flashy blogs with 1,000s of followers. We want others to validate that we're just as good, even if it doesn't look like it. :)

 

Have you noticed that our culture has a hard time with heroes? I've been thinking about this for some time now, when, for example, I watched the evisceration of C.S. Lewis's works in the movies. We can't have heroes. They have to have foibles and issues and problems. Peter has to fight with Caspian the whole movie and have identity or authority struggles. We like words like "raw" and "gritty."

 

To apply that thought to this--some of those impressive blogs may be impressive because they really are impressive people. Not saying they don't have Real Person problems, but they are organized and really can write curriculum, do the projects, buy the books, have the budget, and still like homeschooling and have their kids like them, etc. And maybe it wouldn't hurt us to try to step it up in following their examples. Maybe not in all categories, but some. Anyway, just a thought.

[stm4him]

We don't do hands on anymore but someday I have dreams of doing art besides each other when they are older. I am going to try out Nancy Larson science this summer for fun because it sounds quick and idiot proof... Lol. The rest will be the 3Rs and our home library.

[stm4him]

I honestly think that plain is very effective and when I used to do all that work it didn't produce better learning results and was very little output for all my input of time and money.

[Guest Lat Mo]

I feel that we're vanilla homeschoolers. I stopped reading blogs a few years ago. Here's how I see it (no offense to anyone who does have an impressive blog)--when you've made a blog your priority, and you've also found yourself with a blog that has quite a following, then I feel that you may find you want to do things to keep your fans and so IMHO, some of those photos and posts seem "airbrushed.". Honestly think about it....you wouldn't really post the awful photo. You're going to post the best of how many times you tried to get the best shot. You can take something as simple as a 3 year old playing around on Duolingo and spin it into an impressive "teaching my 3 year old French" post.  

 

IME whenever a really impressive project is happening here...it was started with a mad dash to corral kids and find missing materials, and followed by a huge mess. On paper, it would sound impressive, but the reality is usually organized chaos and me searching for chocolate and bottomless pots of coffee.

 

So IMHO some blogs (maybe not all...but some) have a feeling of fake about them, because to make a good blog post you would have to cherry pick your experiences in a way. I honestly don't want to read a plain vanilla blog any more than I want to read an overly impressive humble brag blog. One would bore me, one would annoy me. If I do read a homeschooling website or blog, I want it to be useful to me in some way, instructive. 

 

I think the regular plain jane blogs may be there to share with friends and family who live elsewhere. So often they seem a bit personal for me, a stranger, to read anyway. I don't blog or take a million pictures because I'm usually in the moment. I actually love photography, but the act of taking pics gets in the way sometimes of actually doing the thing I'm attempting to take a picture of. And then I would need to write it all up later, in correct grammar, with interesting tidbits to entertain a reader I don't know online....no. I get my write and share online fix here on the forum. 

 

We definitely focus on the basics. We have some things that we do that would seem "impressive" if I write about it. But the reality isn't really. I think it depends on personality. We like projects---in some moderation. And we like themes and units. But it comes in waves. This entire winter and spring (so far) we have been content to just get 'er done. At other times we can get pretty busy with involved projects.

 

ETA: I also don't blog because I'm protective of my children's privacy. I read an article some time ago about how our children in this online social media world have no choice about their own privacy or anonymity. They will be adults with their entire (or a good chunk of it) childhood documented for all time for anyone to see. It really struck a chord with me. I'm a bit tight lipped on Facebook as well, because I want my kids to choose where and with who they share details of their childhood with when they are adults. 

 

I like this although I do blog.  I like your take on it because I have similar feelings about it.  I have a plain Jane blog.

 

[sbbulliv]

I don't know for sure if I'm plain, but I certainly don't feel as if I'm flashy (or even fun most of the time).  LOL

 

Your name is SparklyUnicorn and you have a dancing bacon on your signature.  I think that classifies as flashy and fun.

[birchbark]

Please tell me more about this! I have been discovering vintage texts. I would really like one for math, too.

 

I recently posted on my math thoughts here. I mentioned a couple vintage maths I like. You might enjoy the link on traditional math. And here is another thread just on vintage math texts.

 

I am newer to vintage LA and don't own much (yet). :)  However I am fascinated by Mrs Twain's composition choice as well as Justamouse's and Rainefox's grammar picks.

[vaquitita]

Nm

Edited December 13, 2015 by vaquitita

[AimeeM]

We do more than just the bare minimum, but I am NOT flashy or fun, lol.

[mohop]

Lately, my DD's kindergarden homeschool has looked like this:  A page of her math book (Math Mammoth), 1-2 pages of handwriting (some cheapo book we got from a store), and then I try to get some themed books from the library and let her read them or we read some together.  We were doing Five in a Row, but I've been lazy and haven't been planning the activities so haven't done any "rowing" for the past two months.  Eh, she's still learning. 

[Desert Strawberry]

Quick, someone go check out my blog and tell me if it's flashy or vanilla. These conversations always leave me feeling like I'm being judged, but I am never sure as what. Am I bragging? Am I fake? Am I whiney? Am I real?

I blog mainly for myself. It's where I keep my recipes, my musings, my records of events. It's my journal, my showy offy place, my quiet time to put my thoughts down, to make something beautiful and practical, to reflect on the progress that I have made in my life, the things that I am accomplishing. I don't do big things, but I do small things with great love. 

I started this blog (I had a more personal one before) because I was often answering the same questions over and over. Long, elaborate explanations. How do I make laundry detergent, plan meals, shop on a budget, make fingerpaint? Now, I can just tell whomever the name of my blog, and they can look it up if they want to. 

[Desert Strawberry]

Thanks Melissa ;)

 

Ftr, I tell my kids what I am blogging, and only post with their permission. So far, no one complains. If they did, I would not post about them. They aren't featured on my blog. They only demo the goods. 

[IsabelC]

OK, a few things to consider:

 

Firstly, remember that blogs generally show the best of the family. We all tend to blog about the more interesting and/or impressive things we've done, rather than the days when nothing much seems to be achieved.

 

Secondly, remember that things almost always tend to look more exciting when somebody else is doing them. Once I was looking over a blog in total awe, thinking "Oh my goddess, look at all those lovely, fun, educational activities the Jones family does with their kids! I wish we could do that!" And then, after a minute or two, I realized that yes, we had done those very activities. I just hadn't Instagrammed the photos to look pretty and enticing  :lol:

 

Thirdly, most of us tend to be quite critical towards ourselves and our achievements. We tend to downplay our own strengths and positive experiences, at the same time as we mentally magnify the good points of other families. 

 

And finally, unless you are locking your boys in a stasis chamber all the hours you aren't "doing school", they will be learning all manner of things in addition to what you're formally teaching. Kids that age are primed to learn, and will learn most of their waking hours. The only difference between you and the parents who spend more money on the bells and whistles is that they are formalizing more of the learning, whereas you are providing slightly less formal learning but compensation with more time for unstructured learning.

[stripe]

Secondly, remember that things almost always tend to look more exciting when somebody else is doing them.

Yes, lovely photography does a lot to make things more interesting. I have this reaction to a lot of craft and cookbooks. Once I practiced taking "artsy" photos of a banana peel that I had just put down on a table (in a regular way, no "arranging"). It was fun and informative. 

[boscopup]

My blog is boring. I also hardly ever update it. Lol.

 

We don't do projects here very often. We mostly read, do math, and so some writing. We do science and history. Science this year has projects, but they're simple ones, and we've only done 16 lessons (of 90). :lol:

 

My kids are happy and learning. I have no desire to do what the flashy blogs often show, and I read them with the understanding that people post only the good stuff, and their blog is not necessarily a reflection of their life on general. Most people don't blog about hiding in the closet from their kids and eating chocolate because they are about to go insane. :D I'm sure even the flashy blog people have those days on occasion. ;)

[simplemom]

I've been vanilla my entire life, long before homeschooling. I was excited to go to a homeschool convention recently and to have a little extra money to spend, and I bought very little. Instead of a grammar program, I bought a grammar reference book and plan to teach it from the chalkboard in a year or two. My ziggy says it all. I started out scheduling in Spanish, history, science, poetry, art, music, geography, and other subjects. That was easy when I just had 1 to teach. Now I just make sure I cover the 3R's and fit the other subjects in as they naturally come up...for example, if we want to listen to music I may just happen to pop in a Beethoven CD; if we have a few spare moments, I may happen to read from our history book; if my son is bored I just hand him a book on the Solar System to read; if I don't have kitchen chores while my children are eating I might just happen to pick up a poetry book and read a few selections. Life is so much less stressful this way, get the 3 R's out of the way and wait and see what else naturally falls in our lap for the day.

 

Socially, I don't do co op, moms' nights out, or group field trips. It stresses me out to fit into other people's schedule for things that are non essentials.

 

Thanks for bringing this up, I almost started a thread asking if I was doing enough in our school day since I dropped doing everything but the 3 R's formally. I'm a borderline unschooler maybe.

 

Maybe I should change my forum name to vanilla plain.

[CamilleBethany]

I think I'm fairly vanilla/plain jane. My 6 and 8 year old do math and language arts (reading/writing), I read them science and history books and we discuss it. Basically, lots of extra reading with no formal tests, but lots of discussions.

 

I have been very ill this year, which forced me to hire a woman to take over as mom for now, and no amount of money in the world could pay her enough for what she does. She homeschools the two older kids, then does arts and crafts with all 4 of them... I asked her one day if she'd be interested in building a fairy garden with them, and she turned that idea into a major craft that all the kids (ages 2-8) are loving. She takes them to the park for PE, she's a talented musician, so she does music with them, she brings a parachute and other fun goodies, makes them healthy lunches, and they are so preoccupied, nobody has time to argue or complain. The kids are all cleaned up, exhausted, and happy by the time she leaves (not happy to see her leave, just happy with their day).

They aren't going to want me back when I'm better! 

[In2why]

Older thread but chiming in that I am proud to be vanilla as well.    When I started homeschooling I did way too much and tried to force the fun thinking that I would discover what would make us all soar and sing.  Now we cover the basics and spend more time on real life and rabbit trails.  The boys are learning, they are happier and I am happier.  

 

We make sure to keep a strong 3R foundation and the extras come from a once a week co-op and whatever hits our fancy.  

[CardinalAlt]

This. I try to pace the extras so it's still not too much on a given day, stretching a one year curriculum to two, etc. CM-style, variety of short lessons...

 

Also, DD has access to all sorts of art supplies, so she can add as much flash and fun as she wants in her free time. She comes up with all sorts of stuff on her own, and I'll support a little as needed.

 

We do more than just the bare minimum, but I am NOT flashy or fun, lol.

[73349]

Ah, there's a school motto for us. White Hawk Academy: Too Vanilla to Blog. Too bad I don't know enough Latin to translate that. I don't take pictures of school things--how can I teach and take pictures at the same time? I do sometimes blog about my thoughts on education, but not our homeschool activities.

 

Besides, I don't have the musical skills to compose our official fight song, "We Do Not Have Too Many Math Toys."   ;)

 

My spreadsheet probably looks crazy involved to some people, but that's only because I can't keep stuff like that in my head for anything; I need a schedule even for Do the Next Thing materials.  And heaven knows if I don't plan enough school, my star pupil will think of enough of his own questions to keep me busy all day.

 

Our school is in the living room, which is chiefly furnished in Late Twentieth-Century Apartment, with a few public school cast-offs, some scattered toys, and one awesome bookcase that I bought just last weekend. I don't have color-coordinated fabric-lined baskets. I do have the curricula I think are best for my particular kid.

[FO4UR]

Ah, there's a school motto for us. White Hawk Academy: Too Vanilla to Blog. Too bad I don't know enough Latin to translate that. 

 

Albeo Accipter Academy:  Mediocris  Exempli

 

 

My translation may be showing my ignorance....but I think it has a ring to it. :smilielol5: 

 

 

 

 

ETA:  I am completely and utterly an Awesome-Blog-Homeschool-Mom wannabe.  Life always has other plans.  Funnily enough, I started a blog last year before *life* took over...and I did post #2 last night with the thought that I will keep a blog up this year.  I'm glad to read this thread b/c I certainly will be very careful about how I treat my children re: the blog.  I have no idea what I'm doing as far the as the tech side of things go, but I'm hoping to learn...and have a way to share some of the things I'm doing in a tangible way.