Charlotte Mason Homeschool Cottage

Well, some of you asked for smaller units for nature studies and we did it! This is not just a nature study though. Just like our Nature Study Through the Year book, this nature study uses nature to introduce more formal scientific study topics and areas. So to use an old saying, “You can have your cake (Charlotte Mason style nature study) and eat it too (study more traditional science topics).

If you’re like me, you like the idea of bringing your kids out into nature, enjoying the current season and appreciating the little things in your surroundings. However, you might be concerned about covering science as an academic subject.

The new Autumn Nature Study and More has been taken out of our year long study and made into its own ebook for those of you who want to pick and choose which season you want to study at a time and wish to purchase something at a lower cost to you than our Nature Study Through the Year ebook.

This nature study has you observing the autumn season during the months of September, October, and November. There are several suggested topics to observe each month. Just like our larger ebook, this ebook includes:

• suggested nature study books to use alongside our practical nature study suggestions
• poetry about the topics of nature study
• living book lists for each topic for each month
• suggested activities to do during your nature walk or after the walk
• questions to ask during the walk to help your child focus or discuss their observations about a topic you want to  study on your walk
• scientific connections: topics of formal science subject areas – includes living book lists and activity or experiment ideas to extend your scientific study
• nature journal pages to print and use to keep a nature journal
• suggested book list for keeping nature journals and drawing from nature

For example, this nature study will ask you to observe, read about, discuss, and explore migration habits of birds and animals. That is your nature study topic for one month. (There are others to choose from as well, if you wish to do something different or do more than one topic for each month.) From the idea of migrating birds and animals, you extend your nature study into a formal scientific study into physical science with a study of the earth’s magnetic fields, then magnets and magnetism.

This nature study supplies you with what you need if you want to use the poetry for copywork (you can use the included nature journal pages and include the copywork in your nature journal), read about topics in nature, bunny trail ideas into formal scientific study, and links and suggestions for more research, activities, and experiments into topics in the fields of biology, physical science, and chemistry.

Purchase now for $6.50

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We hope you will enjoy this nature and science study as much as we do! I am enjoying the crisp feel to the air and can’t wait for the rest of the fall season.

We have other nature studies that we have taken out of our year long study for the Winter season and the Spring season if you wish to purchase either of those now as well in our Cottage Store. They have everything the Autumn season nature study has, but different topics appropriate to each season.

Please let us know what you think! We are eager for feedback and want to hear what you would find helpful!

Happy Fall! 

I’m hoping to write this post so that others will post comments and ideas about helping to fill your teens’ needs for socialization while homeschooling them. They (not quite sure who “they” really are) say that the teen years are when they start to really crave and need more socialization and search for independence so that when it is time to leave the nest they are ready. I know I have one son who is more extroverted than the other and is happiest when he has had the opportunity to be out and about. That child feels the need to be verbalizing and interacting and do it with fresh faces (as the family members can wilt sometimes if they are the ones mostly interacting with the extroverted child.) The parents and the child do need a break, where the parents can have some time alone and the child can interact with fresh faces.

I want my children to grow to be well-rounded, independent thinkers, self-sufficient and confident. I homeschool them to raise them to walk with the Lord, offer the best education I can, and to raise a loving close-knit family focused on more intangible priorities you won’t see advertised most times in the media.

I feel homeschooling offers parents the opportunity to get to know the kids and families your teen socializes with. But, at the same time, depending on where you live, it can be challenging finding situations, other teens, and activities where your teens can meet and socialize with others. What I want to accomplish with this post is an exchange of ideas and thoughts that may benefit those of us who are embarking, in the midst, or ending homeschooling teens.

Things that I am working on doing in the rural area in which I live are making connections with groups within my area to find out what is already up and running to help teens meet and greet others. Not easy if you live in an area with a small population and alot of homeschoolers complete their education going to a local public or private high school. I want to bring my son to activities and events with other teens that meet rather consistently so that he can spend time with and get to know the same people and develop friendships without me having to drive over an hour each way once a week for each activity. Then, there is the issue of whether younger siblings are allowed to accompany you to the event because you have to stay while your teen mixes and mingles. If your husband or a sitter is not available to stay home with the younger sibling, you have a problem.

Another type of event to get your teen out, socializing, and yet pull in character building is to consider some kind of volunteer work. Is there a local food bank where your teen can stock shelves or fill boxes with other volunteers? A local senior activity center or a soup kitchen? Here’s an opportunity that gives teens an opportunity to do some good, learn skills, and focus outward toward others (instead of teens’ tendencies to worry about their world).

Some suggested teen opportunities that we’ve experienced are boyscouts, 4-h, church youth-group, monthly teen night activity group, teen night at a local planetarium, a monthly book discussion group or classes. Some areas maybe lucky enough to have debate clubs, organized sports teams, bands, theatre or dance groups. We have tried assorted sports and other groups where there were teens, but no other homeschoolers and the environments were mixed results. For us, it was easier to meld into groups where there were other homeschoolers that understood more about homeschooling and we held similar house rules. There have been a number of times where my kids got tired of explaining why they were not allowed to do different things or watch or play certain games and then were looked down on or told they were being sheltered.

It was a good learning experience and reaffirming to know that my kids can tell others, “This is the way we do things. I respect you following your family’s way of doing things, I expect you to show the same respect.” When this didn’t work and the kids persist in arguing with my children that there is nothing wrong with doing “so and so” and you need to convince your parents that you are old enough now to make these decisions on your own and you can handle it – my children have decided that perhaps this friendship may have too many differences that make it beneficial for everyone.

So, mingling with others can be a character building experience toward independence by strenghtening their ability to stand up to peer pressure. Do I want them to do this in the environment for 7-9 hours a day at the local public school where it would probably be an onslaught? Probably not. But in manageable doses without the constant pressure, it can be positive. I feel like I’m still giving my child the time, opportunities, and space to figure out who he is without negative pressure from other children who are still figuring out who they are.

What about one of the latest trends that wasn’t around when I was a teen? Sure, we had the phone and my parents always gave me a 15 minute limit (which in my eyes was ridiculous, because how can you possibly have a conversation about anything in just 15 minutes). Nowadays, we have the internet. That brings a whole new avenue to socializing. There is email, chat groups, online games, and classes. How much time is too much time developing friendships in this manner? Is it good at all? Does it take away from a teen’s ability to develop social skills you need when spending time with others face to face? Does it give teens the feeling that they can say things or act in a way that they would find uncomfortable or even wrong if they were physically present with the person?

Share your thoughts about this latest trend, please. I would enjoy hearing from others how you’ve used the latest technology to benefit your teens. Also please share any ideas of teen social opportunities that have worked for you. Have you started a group so that your teen can socialize or share a particular interest with others?

Thanks for your input!

I know most people have started school already. I know I’m testing out my schedule I’ve put together for this new school year and trying out new planning forms to see if this is the schedule and the organization format I want to use for the rest of the year.

Because we change and our routines change from year to year, our school always seems different every year. So, our schedule and the way I organize and schedule things always changes too. I know that the schedule I have put together for now and my planning forms that I use will be tweaked and changed by the end of the month after we give it a test run.

Because scheduling, planning, and organizing are on my mind right now (especially “What’s for dinner?” – I’m running out of fresh ideas and time to plan and prepare), I asked Cindy Rushton if I could offer my readers a special price on her Organized Mom Super Set.

This set comes with 7 assorted e-books and over 30 audio seminars in mp3 audio files. Here is a list of the ebooks and the sets of audio files you will receive as a bonus:

• Homeschooling the Easy Way
• Let’s Get Organized
• Make Your Own Brain-in-a-Binder
• The Ultimate Mommy Menu Planner
• Getting Back to God’s Design for the Godly Home
• Homeschool the Easy Way Magazine Reprint Book Volume 2
• Christ-Centered Christmas
• Assorted audio files about Homeschooling High School, Organization, Restoring Balance in your Life
• Special workshops presented by Cindy’s homeschooled son to fellow homeschoolers
• The Organization 911! Help for the Messy Mom Seminar Audio Set! (Over 24 mp3 audio seminars)
• The Let’s Get Organized for the New School Year Seminar Audio Set! (10 mp3 audio seminars)

For a detailed description of each of the e-book sets and the audio seminar sets, please visit this page.

I have purchased most of these items individually and have thoroughly enjoyed and have used all of them! I even do housework, exercise, or wait for the kids during one of their activities listening to these same audio seminars over and over again!

This set is usually available at a special price of $99.95 (much more expensive when purchased individually). For this week only, until midnight next Friday night, I am able to offer this huge set of resources to my readers for $49.95. Cindy has generously agreed to allow me to run this special just for you. This special is nowhere else, so take a look at all there is included in this Organized Mom Super Set..

As a special gift to my readers, I also want to offer you a free sampling of what to expect when you purchase this set.

It is an audio and ebook set that Cindy actually sells on her website, but she is giving it away to help us get familiar with her resources. Here is the link:

Let’s Get Ready for a New School Year Super Set!

Let’s Get Ready for the New School Year Mommy Planner…
Ebook by Cindy Rushton

Download Part One
http://www.cindyrushton.com/pdfs/GearingUp1.pdf

Download Part Two
http://www.cindyrushton.com/pdfs/GearingUp2.pdf

PLUS! Companion Audio!
Let’s Get Ready for a New School Year–Audio

Download by Mp3
http://www.cindysdesktop.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/GetReadyNewSchoolYear.mp3

I know that after looking at the sample planner set and listening to the audio, you will see why I find these resources so valuable. I have reread them and reprinted the planning forms again and again for our homeschool, my business, the children’s activities, and our home organization. You will too! I especially loved the Christ-Centered Christmas as well as Homeschooling the Easy Way!

This is my way of celebrating the start of another great homeschool year and starting it off right! God bless you and your family in your new school year and may your time together be fruitful!