MH Newsletter 01 - Ease into Sunday like you planned it that way.
Hi Friends.
Welcome to our very first issue of the Modern Homeschoolers newsletter. When future historians write about the Education Renaissance, you can say you were there for issue #1.
Maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
Launching Modern Homeschoolers has conjured up a whirling dervish of emotions for us. Excitement. Frustration. Joy. Fear.
But here’s the thing.
Any important decision or undertaking should fill you with emotions. That’s how you know it matters to you.
If you’re homeschooling or contemplating homeschooling, you know what I mean. It’s a big deal, and can feel overwhelming.
There's the excitement of exploring new ideas and opportunities with your kids.
The hopes and dreams of days of freedom and joyous learning.
The joy and wonder of watching them do things you never expected.
Frustration and exasperation when your kids are giving you a hard time
And, of course fear and nagging doubts. “Am I doing the right thing?” “Will I be able to do this?” “Will I screw up my child’s future?” (hint: you won’t)
So how do we deal with it?
We follow our values. We follow our heart. We take the leap and don’t look back.
Let’s go!
RIDDLE ME THIS
Yes, There May Be Some Math Involved
A girl has as many brothers as sisters, but each brother only has half as many brothers as sisters. How many brothers and sisters are in the family?
These riddles are meant to share with the family. Answer at the bottom of this post.
FROM OUR BLOG
Self Care: The Gift That Keeps On Giving
Life is not easy!
Homeschooling? Parenting? Not easy.
Trying to do any of those when you’re not taking care of yourself? Oh, so much harder.
This Mother’s Day, I’m giving myself the gift of re-prioritizing self care. I was getting good at it for a while, but like any other healthy habit, it takes time and intention to make it the default.
I have to keep reminding myself that the best thing I can do for my kids is take care of their mom. The best thing any of us can do for the people we love is to take care of ourselves.
So why wait until next weekend? Here’s what I’m jumping back into this week and I hope you’ll come along.
WHAT'S GOING RIGHT
Our First Snap Pea!
Eight weeks ago we planted seeds, and now we have a couple of dozen seedlings growing: tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, sweet peas, basil and cilantro. Yesterday, we spotted our first snap pea!
And if you're interested in learning more about the physical and mental health benefits of gardening, Free to Learn author, Peter Gray, wrote about his love for gardening just this week on his Substack - while you’re there, check out the whole stack!
JOKE OF THE DAY
Why did the beach get wet?
Because the sea weed.
The kids really love this one for some reason.
DAD'S CORNER
Mother's Day Tips For Dads (From Real Moms)
Hey Dad. If you’re like me, and Mother’s Day sneaks up on you every year leaving you scrambling on Saturday night trying to think of something special, consider this your gentle reminder to figure it out today.
Handing her a card and even some flowers and then calling it a day isn’t gonna cut it, especially for a mom who’s homeschooling. After all, she’s in the trenches every day with the kids. (Unless that’s your role, in which case she’s out helping to make that possible.)
I’m not gonna tell you what to do, but here are a few tips I’ve heard from moms over the years.
Get the kids involved.
And help them understand why it’s important to show appreciation to Mom. Last year, we did this by sending Mom off in the morning to a quiet place with a scented candle, a mug of coffee, her favorite book, her journal and a view of nature. Then we proceeded to destroy the kitchen making a pancake breakfast for her. Don’t worry, we cleaned it all up. The double benefit, besides the breakfast, is that she gets some time for self-care. (see above post.)
Skip the fancy brunch.
A few years ago I read a post written by a mother called “This Mother’s Day, Brunch Me In the F’ing Face,” The author described the chaos of kids screaming and running around the restaurant, spilling stuff on themselves that she had to clean up and basically all the motherly duties she normally does except on steroids. If you’ve already made your reservations don’t panic. Just be sure that Mom doesn’t have to deal with the crap show.
Take the damn picture.
We have a thousand pictures with me and the kids and maybe a handful with my wife. I tend to live in the moment and never pick up my phone to capture that magical moment between Mom and kids. On Mother’s Day, have your phone handy and take the damn picture
And don’t forget the flowers.
Mom loves flowers.
We really hope you enjoyed our first official newsletter.
You can subscribe here to have it delivered to your inbox for a little Sunday morning homeschool goodness.
Have a great week!
April and Mike
modern homeschoolers
Answer to this week's riddle: The family has four sisters and three brothers.
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