"I Can Add by 9's!"

"I can add by 9's!!!"

You would think these were the words we heard, shouted with glee, throughout the house today by my boy. But no, it was me!

Okay, I know that if you have ever admitted out-loud that you home school, you've heard this response at least once: "Oh wow, I could never do that! I'm not smart enough."

Then you immediately think of that one subject that you just never did very well in yourself, and still struggle with appreciating the importance of, and have to work hard to find motivation to teach to your kiddos. Well, if you're like me anyway. And as you think of this, you try to convince the other person that one can in fact home school their children even though he/she didn't ace every subject in school.

Math was my worst subject! From the beginning! Actually, in high school I was interested in Algebra, but quickly got frustrated and far behind because I didn't have the basics of math to allow me to do even remotely well at the Algebra level. It was a miracle I even got that far!

When I began homeschooling I literally had, at the most, a 2nd grade math level under my belt. I was labeled as struggling with math by 2nd grade and sent to a separate room, with a few other lucky kiddos, during math time. In that little room we were taught "Touch Point Math." In order to keep this post from growing much longer than anyone has time or interest for, I will just let you go Here if you're interested in learning more about this evil method of teaching math. It does not teach math. It teaches how to hide your counting, because you're counting in your head instead of with your fingers (eventually, once you move past tapping on the number at it's 'touch points').

Now, there was nothing wrong with me. There was nothing wrong with my brain. I know I was capable of learning all the math facts, if someone would've just taken some extra time to help me figure it out and memorize them. I did pretty well through grade school and high school. I even graduated from college. I have a college degree! But couldn't do the basic math facts, beyond the easy ones: adding by 0's, 1's, most of the 2's, and most of the doubles (1+1, 2+2, well you know, unless you learned Touch Point Math like me).

It has been humiliating whenever I felt like I've been caught counting, even though it was in my head and not my fingers.

By the way, the whole issue of Touch Point Math is one of the major reasons we began homeschooling. My girl's 1st grade teacher taught Touch Point Math. When I raised my (deep) concern, she simply said, "Well, most of these kids aren't going to learn the math facts, so I just teach them all Touch Point Math." Whaaaat?? So sad that this mentality is allowed in education!

I struggled through teaching my girl math, and used the help of friends and my wonderful husband. She got the basics down and is doing well...phew!! (I'm still not the one teaching her math though. She uses Teaching Textbooks and my husband).

Now, with my boy, we're using Math-U-See. And the most wonderful thing is happening...I'm learning my math facts!!!! We're about to move on to the lesson that teaches how to add by 9's. I read the teacher's guide for that lesson last week and was pretty confused (Math-U-See in general is a whole different way of doing math than what I'd ever seen). I thought, "I'm gonna have to ask my husband to teach this lesson." I looked at it again a few days later, just to make sure I was doing the prep work with my boy so he would be ready for the lesson...I was still confused. I read it again today, thinking I'd give-it-another-go before I asked for help. Wonder of wonders...I got it!! I got it!! I understood!! I went straight into the office (where my girl and husband were) and proclaimed with much joy and satisfaction, "I can add by 9's!!" I then proceeded to go through all the adding by 9's math facts!

It felt so good!

I felt so good! (Even though my daughter was sitting there nodding her head like, "Yeah, 9+8 is 17, you didn't know that already?")

So usually when someone responds with, " Oh wow, I could never do that! I'm not smart enough." I think about my learning gap and how it hasn't ruined our home school experience/our children's education, and share that it is possible. There are so many great curriculum choices out there, as well as numerous resources available through home school groups, co-ops, and more. Even certified teachers have to use curriculum to teach. The same kind of curriculum we use...that tells the teacher exactly what to say when teaching the lesson. And 'they' say that most people/students excel in some subjects more than others. No one excels at everything.

Truly, it is possible to successfully home school your children even though you may have learning gaps yourself.


And who knows, you may end up with that learning gap filled!

Mmm...Monday Morning Coffee

And Tuesday morning coffee..and Wednesday..and Thursday..and, well you get it.

But there's something special about that Monday morning coffee!!

Hope your Monday went well!!!

Fun Interruptions?

Today we had a fun interruption.

I actually don't mind interruptions...most of the time. Not when I'm in the middle of grocery shopping and the kids are bombarding me with questions, usually sounding much like, "Can I have this? Can we get that? Can I go look at that? How much longer is this going to take?" (Then my answer is usually something like, "This is going to take much longer because you keep asking me all these questions and I can't think!! Aaak!!") And not when I'm in the middle of eating a hot meal. But, when it comes to things like housecleaning I definitely don't mind being interrupted! And, even when it comes to homeschooling I don't mind interruptions.

I had a good friend a few years (and states) ago who often stopped by unannounced with her kiddos and some food in hand (or in mind) and I loved her interruptions!! She'd end up staying for hours. I loved the time with this friend, and my kids loved the time with her kiddos!

Today's interruption was similar. A friend had asked us out to their house to ride horses. We couldn't go, so when they came into town to run some errands I told them to stop by to play. My boy had a buddy to play with and my girl went with my friend to sit in the car with her other little kiddos while she ran her errands. I knew this would mean some school wouldn't get done, but I also knew it would be good for us to see friends. (In the situation we're in now we don't have a home school group to be apart of, and can go days without seeing other people much.) Also, my girl got an opportunity to be helpful to someone else!

I love being flexible in our homeschooling. Maybe a little too much. I love it, and then look at the school that got shoved aside and wonder...

So, what about you?

Are you a little too flexible? How do you catch up on the school work, or do you not worry about it? Or, are you a little too scheduled and wish you could loosen up a bit?

Why Another Blog?

Okay so this is a blog, but it's not so much about me. Let me explain.

My desire and vision for this blog is that it will be a place of honesty for homeschool moms. Let me explain further.

I truly believe that one of the habits most detrimental to the Christian life is dishonesty.

Think about it...has something like this happened to you? You've had a terrible day, struggling with bad attitudes from the kids about school, chores, and everything else you asked them to do that day. The house is a mess and laundry's piled high. You had an argument with (fill in the blank with a relative; ie. husband, mother, sister) once again. And to top it off, you've had a terrible attitude yourself all day and once again lost your temper and screamed at the kids...you were mean. You feel like just running away (for the afternoon). You feel like a failure...at everything. Too many of your days lately look like this one. That evening you drraaag yourself to (fill in the blank with a church function) and when a friend asks how you're doing you say, "Fine. How are you?"

Now I know you're not going to sit there and dump your whole day's drama on the first person that comes along and asks how you're doing. I wouldn't either. But, when another person in the body of Christ asks how we're doing we should think before we give that rote answer, "Fine." What if we were more honest and replied with something like, "It was one of those days, and I wasn't sure I wanted to come tonight but I know it's good I'm here. Thanks for asking. How are you?" Now do you think she'll answer with a, "Fine." or will she be more willing to share how her day was in a more honest way?

Has something like this ever happened to you? You're struggling with feeling inadequate in your role as a (fill in the blank with, wife, mom, homeschooler, Christian, etc.). You find yourself in the company of (fill in the blank with another Christian you admire) and in your conversation she goes on and on about how she just absolutely loved(s) being a (wife, mom, homeschooler, etc.) and never thought it a burden or struggle, and always did/does such-and-such; which is one of those things "every good (wife, mom, homeschooler, Christian, etc.) does!"

Now I know you're not going to say anything in this type of situation. I wouldn't either. Why in the world would I admit to this person, after all she just shared, that I'm struggling with (fill in the blank)?!

I guarantee that woman has had some bad days mixed in there somewhere. We ALL do!

Why are we so afraid to be honest? Because we don't want others to know think that we're not as great as what we think they think.

It's self-preserving.

It's selfish.

When we're not honest we create an atmosphere of dishonesty. We hear and see others and think we can't live up to what they are. They know we think highly of them so they have to keep up their facade. We can't let them know we don't match up, so we continue to keep up our facade. It's a vicious cycle of dishonest facades that only discourages the body of Christ from true fellowship. God didn't design the body of Christ to function as a bunch of individuals walking around selfishly self-preserving.

So, now that I've explained further, I'll get back to my first explanation...why this blog, and why it's not so much about me.


Homeschooling is one of those roles that dishonesty is a detriment to. I don't know about you, but when I go from blog to blog to blog to blog seeing what amazing things other homeschool moms are doing with their kids (and their homes or marriages or ministries) I'm amazed and inspired! But at the end of the hours time I've spent in the homeschool blog-world I feel discouraged. I'm not saying I don't love those blogs. I'm not saying I'm boycotting blogs where people share their brilliancy. (And I'm for sure not saying that the problem is the hours I spend going from blog to blog to blog. That can't be it. Nope. No.) I do love those blogs! I do love their brilliancy! God has gifted some people with amazing creativity and organization, and I'm thankful for those people and their desire and ability to share with us!


All that said, the purpose of this blog is to have a place where we can all be honest about homeschooling. This does not mean that it's going to be one big gripe session after another. Being honest doesn't mean belittling the people we're struggling with, or speaking disrespectfully of God who has ordered our lives according to His good and perfect will.


I will post as often as I want to/can/need to, and hopefully create some discussion. This will require comments! Your comments!  My posts will be about homeschooling...the good the bad and the ugly. And if you understand...if you feel me...if you've been there done that, or if you've amazingly avoided whatever it is I've posted about, please, please write a comment!! Tell me how you understand, how you feel me, how you got through it when you were there. Or tell me how you avoided it in the first place! As we read each others comments and discuss we will all be encouraged and learn from each other!


Please just make sure your comments are honest!! (You can even leave an anonymous comment.)


Okay, ready!?


Let's be honest...it's liberating!!