If you’re short on cash or if you simply want to explore gifts that focus less on materialism and more on the true meaning of Christmas, you may want to create a new holiday tradition that involves giving the gift of time. It is true that the best gifts in life are free and when it comes to the gift of time, the giver is frequently as blessed as the receiver. Take a look at the following ideas and see if one would work for your family.

- Serve food at a homeless shelter
- Sign up as a respite parent and invite foster children into your home for the holidays. Laws vary as to the requirements (paperwork, training, etc.), but you can do this through most state or private foster care organizations.
- Bake some cookies or other treats with your children and deliver them to the local fire or police department.
- Write thank you notes to your local and state leaders. Enclose your thank you notes in a Christmas card and mail them in early December.
- For a minimal cost, you can purchase some specialty teas, creamers, coffee, etc. Find little baskets at the thrift store, yard sales, etc. and place individual packets of teas, etc. in each basket. Add a bookmark, a nice thank-you note, etc. and give a small gift basket to your favorite bank teller or other service worker.
- Create homemade bookmarks with your children and give these as gifts to your homeschool friends.
- Take digital photos of your children. (Take a LOT!) Copy your favorite photos onto a disc and make multiple copies of the disc. The discs cost about $1.00 each so this makes a wonderful, economical Christmas gift for friends and family.
- Fix something that has been broken for a while. Don’t wait another day! Use that extra time off work during the holidays to fix whatever is broken.
- Encourage your children to go through their toys and clothing. Gather up the best things and take them to a local women’s shelter. If you have any new items that you can spare, take these as well and don’t forget things like make-up and household goods.
- Pick one night for Family Game Night and commit to this time. Start now and play games with your family on that night every week for a year.
- Visit older members of your family and create a living history. Use a video recorder, a hand-held recorder, or another sort of recording device. If that’s not possible, take notes. Ask your relative to share experiences from his/her childhood, record family memories, discuss his/her thoughts about the Depression, wars during his/her lifetime, etc. Once you’re done, type all the stories into a document, print it all out, and put it in a three-ring binder for your other relatives. (You can even use one of those low-cost three-ring folders for this. You can purchase these for about 35 cents so the main investment for this gift idea is the amount of time you’ll spend doing the interviews and typing the stories into your computer. Adjust the idea to fit your own family. Some people may want to make a tape of the actual interview for other family members.)
- Write a book for your grandchildren, type it into your computer (or have someone help you do this), then print enough copies for everyone.
- If you like taking nature photos, pick your favorite photo, enlarge it to an 8 x 10 or other large size and frame it for someone who also enjoys nature scenes.
- Surprise your spouse with something out of the ordinary. If you usually work weekends, plan for a weekend off work. Go through a week without complaining – even if you think your complaints are justified.
- Offer to help your friend clean her house.
- Help a friend who is a book-lover organize his/her books.
- Use your gifts. If you normally work on computers, offer to fix computers as your Christmas gift. If you’re a mechanic by profession, fix your friend’s/relative’s car. Offer free haircuts or bake some special pastries.
- Visit a nursing home and spend some time with the residents there.
- Go caroling with your family.
- Babysit so that a single mother can go Christmas shopping.
- Make some hot chocolate and stay up late on a clear night to gaze at the stars with your family.
- Invite friends over for food and games.
- Invite a college student to stay with you during the holidays. Not all college students are able to return home for fall, Thanksgiving or Christmas break and if the dormitories are closed, some students would welcome a place to stay.
- If your friend owns a small business, take some cleaners in one day and scrub the bathroom. They would probably never ask you to do this, but most likely would appreciate the gesture. Tell them when you’re done, not before!
- Give your spouse an hour-long back rub.
- Give a family keepsake to someone who would cherish it.
- Chop wood for someone who uses a wood stove.
- If you shop at a store that has buy one/get one free, take all the free food to someone who could use it. If you don’t know of a family that could use the food, see if your church has a food pantry or take it to the nearest food bank.
- “Adopt” a new grandparent. Offer to help with their shopping, drive them to the doctor, rake their leaves, clear their sidewalk of snow, etc.
- Visit the local animal shelter. Take some dog and cat food with you. Offer to play with the animals, clean cages, or do whatever else is allowable. If possible, commit to be a volunteer once every week or every other week.
- Ask your local hospital what kinds of needs they might have. Are their ways you can help around the holidays? Frequently more people are asking for time off, but there are no less people coming into the hospitals. Find out if there are ways you can help.
- Be NICE. Let someone go in front of you in line. When you’re driving, be especially courteous. Others may see your good example and do the same.
- Wish everyone you see a Merry Christmas!! You don’t need a response. Just wish them a Merry Christmas for the sake of spreading good cheer! Even little children can do this.
- Take some bags and pick up trash along your road. (This is probably not a suitable activity for the younger children in your home.) Your example might encourage others to do the same.
- Dedicate a song to someone on the radio.
- Read books to your children – in the morning, during the day, at bedtime. If it’s not already, make it a habit and do it daily.

There are so many ways to give the gift of time. Some of these may not sound very significant to you, but they hopefully will mean a lot to the person receiving the gift. There are many ideas I haven’t listed here. Be creative. Allow God to use you. Enjoy your holidays and focus on giving!

One of my favorite Christmas songs is “The Little Drummer Boy.” When I was a child, I listened to this song over and over. I could relate to the little drummer boy. I wanted to give something to this Christ child I had heard about, but I had nothing. I somehow thought that if I had a gift to offer, he would accept me – the illegitimate child. We barely had enough food to eat and I certainly had nothing to offer to others. I imagined how that little drummer boy would have felt in the presence of the King.

As I grew older, I realized that the story of the drummer boy was probably a myth. The Bible makes no mention of this youngster when recollecting the events of the birth of Christ. Still, I enjoyed the song and continued to ponder its meaning.

When I hear this song now, it still brings tears to my eyes. I am much better off than I was when I was a child. I have a beautiful home, five adorable children of my own, plenty of food, and while we have more bills than I would prefer, we are very blessed. As a child, I learned some important lessons from the little drummer boy that I still remember to this day.

Lesson 1:
Everyone has a gift to offer.

Lesson 2:
No one is too young to offer their gifts – to God or to others.

Lesson 3:
Do not be ashamed to give your gift, no matter how small. Others may have “fine” gifts, but if yours is coming from your heart, then it is a worthy gift.

Lesson 4:
When others offer you a gift, accept it lovingly, whether it’s a finger-painting, a recycled toy, or a new pair of slippers.

Lesson 5:
Everyone has been given a gift. God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to earth in the form of a newborn baby on that Christmas night just over 2,000 years ago. History documents this magnificent occasion and the sacrifice that was made 33 years later when Jesus laid his life down for the sins of mankind so that we might have eternal life. If you have not accepted his GIFT, will you accept it this year? If you have the gift, do you share it?

Sarah (12) recently brought me a book called “Jesus Freaks.” She was reading it and was moved by a story about a group of believers who were being persecuted. The officials wanted them to denounce Christ and if they didn’t, they threatened to kill the believers’ children. The Christians would not denounce their Lord and in the end, the officials did murder all the children and the adults as well. They did not beg for their lives or the lives of their children. Instead, they sang hymns into eternity.

I thought of James 1:12, which says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

If we find it difficult to praise the Lord when we’re simply cold or a little hungry, how can we ever stand firm in the face of the type of persecution that Christians in other parts of the world experience? I heard a song by Mercy Me recently titled “Bring the Rain.” (You can listen to the song here .) The chorus states,

“Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there’ll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that’s what it takes to praise You Jesus,
bring the rain”

Some of you know that I was abused as a child. I never had the joy of my first sexual experience inside of marriage because I was raped when I was still a virgin at 20. People told me to “get over” the fact that we couldn’t have any more children after Hannah was born. There have been soooo many days when I have not been able to get out of bed because the pain has been SO incredibly bad that Sarah has had to bring my medicine to me and let me lay in bed for an hour for it to take effect before my legs would work. In the past, I’ve called out to God through these and similar devastating times in my life. I didn’t know how I would make it or why God would allow these things to happen. However, the times when I’ve experienced the most hardship in life are absolutely the times when I have been most focused on my Saviour. That’s not easy to admit, but I almost think it’s almost natural to do this. I have a relationship with my Father ALL the time, but I want to CLING to my Father when times are difficult. I have never had an earthly father and when times are rough, it is incredibly comforting to me to know that God is there. In most circumstances, I readily share the gospel with others, but it’s during times of “rain” when that seems to be all I focus on because that’s really all there is left. And actually, that is the only thing that matters.

I am glad that the other note has encouraged some of you. I really wanted the words to be encouraging, but it is difficult to know what to say sometimes when I am worried for my own family and others, but we are still so much better off than billions of people around the world. How do I say, “I’m worried about not having heat or food” when there are children living in cardboard boxes while mine sleep in their own beautiful beds? How do I say, “Well, many others are worse off than we are when a local homeschool family is one bill away from losing their home?” Knowing others are in a worse situation does not lesson the fear and frustration for their own family and it’s not fair to ignore someone’s feelings of anxiety. (When people used to say, “Well, you have enough children anyway” after we discovered I couldn’t have more, it made me so mad that they didn’t even CARE what I thought. They were just ignoring me. Actually, this still makes me upset … so don’t say this to me. : )

I think it all boils down to our relationship with the Lord. This world can take away everything and I do agree with Mercy Me - if the “pain” is what it takes to praise Jesus, then we should welcome these times. We SAY we want to praise him, but are we really willing to praise him in all circumstances? Are we really willing to be taken to whatever point in our life it is that makes us SEEK our Lord and give him glory? Are you ready? Are you willing?

It is great to hear from others of you in the rain right now. You can share with me without fear that it will be given to anyone else and I won’t judge you for your worries. I am a good secret-keeper and I am also happy to encourage you in any way that I can.

Thank you for letting me get all this off my chest. I am concerned for many of you, but as I’ve said many times over the past few days, I am thankful that my God is the God of the universe - yesterday, today and tomorrow. How awesome is that!

Sonya
http://www.sonyahaskins.com/

“‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-11)

Am I the only one incredibly stressed out right now?!? When I talk with my Christian friends, it seems that everyone is feeling the need to stock up, yet we’re having difficulty paying even the most basic of bills. We’ve actually gotten a loan for the past two months to buy food and pay our electric bill because food and utilities have gotten so expensive.

Like many other families, we live paycheck to paycheck because we’ve never been in a position to build a good savings. I’m certainly not proud of this, but I can honestly say that we’ve at least been debt-free several times and every time something happens to set us back again financially. The most recent time was due to medical issues (when I had Hannah - read “Chronic Pain” on my website if you’re interested in this),. This has been a problem again this fall. I don’t really think our position is unique. Like everyone else, there are many homeschool families who are being very badly hurt by this economic downturn.

I talked with my husband today and discussed putting the children in public school. Out of 8 years of homeschooling, we’ve had the occasional discussion of this nature, but these have not taken place very often and even when they did, we knew that this wasn’t what we really wanted to do. This time we had a serious discussion on this topic because I may have to go to work full time to help pay our bills. I have heard the same thing from several friends / acquaintances lately. What other choices do we have when we don’t qualify for aid because our husbands actually WORK? (Ironically, I was told that if my husband moved out, I would qualify for all kinds of aid. That’s really helpful to know…)

For those of you who are saying, “Well, if they would manage their finances better…” (because I know a few will say that), I can just say that we do live on a budget, but when your food costs go up by $100 a month because of rising prices, when you’ve used your entire savings to buy gas for four months when it was over $3.00 a gallon, when your child is sick and you have to go to the doctor four times in a month, and when you have the heat down so low everyone actually WANTS to go to bed and not get back up in the morning, yet you still can’t pay the bills, the problem is not budgetary. There is just not enough money!

So what’s the point of all this? My family was actually doing pretty well and for some reason this fall, we seem to be in a much worse position than we’ve been in a long time. (It actually started when I had to make trips to Chattanooga when my granddad was sick & then died and then Christopher got sick - and still is - and Hannah got sick, then I got sick…) Anyway, I have had more doctor bills in the past month again than I’ve had in the past year TOTAL. Chris and I discovered a long time ago that my ministry is with homeschool families. I know that the Lord is allowing us to experience the financial and health problems that we’re now experiencing again because we need to use our frustration to encourage homeschool families in some way.

We are part of a group of people who are typically don’t share all of these kinds of problems because of the prejudice involved with other Christians (you brought it on yourself, you must be doing something you shouldn’t, it’s a shame to share when you’re in such difficult circumstances, etc.). I just wanted to let other homeschool families know that there are MANY experiencing GREAT difficulty right now. You are not alone.

Chris and I talked about it today and he said that he agreed that I am going to have to work more (yes, as in get a “real” job), but we both agreed that public school is NOT the answer. I’m going to have to fit work in around an already-stuffed schedule. We believe in school choice and if others want to send their children to public or private school, then they should be allowed to choose. We believe it is OUR right to choose as well. We are having a difficult time right now fitting it all in, but I am just going to have to work at home when Chris is at work and I can possibly work outside the home if I have to when he is at home. Either way, we will definitely make it through this time, but we will not turn our children over to the government. Some people have access to GREAT schools so I am not making a judgment against anyone who has their children in public schools. All I’m saying is that for my family, we DO believe we’re making the right choice by homeschooling and we will make this work even if we had to sell our home.

If the economy doesn’t pick up soon, our friends are going to start losing their homes. Chris and I are almost to that point and I am hearing the same from other families. If this is your situation, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! I just want to encourage you. I am nervous and I’m definitely “stressed” over it, but I’m not “worried.” God does not want us to have a spirit of fear or worry. “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” (Romans 8:15)

OK, this is getting too long, but I just felt like I should share with others that if you’re cold tonight, we’re right there with you! I have on two sweaters and we’re bundled together under two blankets! LOL I guess that’s one way to bring your family closer together.

And remember that we all need to be in prayer for one another - CONSTANTLY. I believe we should be praying for Christians all around the world. If we are having difficult times, I know it is much worse in other places. God also reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5 to be thankful even in this time. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Joyfully your servant,
Sonya Haskins

Last night we were talking about our plans for the next few days and Chris said I was going away for the weekend for Mom’s Retreat.

Daniel (7) apparently didn’t exactly understand what I was doing and asked incredulously, “She’s going to a Mom’s Night Out for ALL weekend?!?”

I explained, “Daniel, it’s a Mom’s RETREAT, not just a night out.”

Chris said, “Yeah, it was Mom’s Night Out for one night. Now it’s a whole weekend. The next thing we know, it will be a month long thing.”

I started laughing and Chris just looked at me and said, “Next I guess you’ll be wanting a year’s sabbatical?”

He had a smile on his face and it was very funny. My husband is very supportive of my work with homeschoolers and he never has a bad word to say about anything. Actually, we both stay pretty busy working, tending to our family, and serving the homeschool community. We love all the things we do, but I am thankful for times like this when I can have a break. (Don’t worry, Chris gets breaks now and then, too!) Now that I am a mother, I truly understand the saying, “A mother’s work is never done.” Even while others in my home rest, I’m still doing laundry, finishing a few dishes, preparing the next day’s lessons, etc. Perhaps when our children are all grown, Chris and I can take that sabbatical together!

Do you take a break sometimes? Whether it’s a couple of hours, a weekend, or even a ten-minute walk down the road, make sure you take time to refresh yourself occasionally. I’m not one of those people who is going to tell you, “You deserve it!” I don’t even think that’s Biblical and it’s incredibly self-centered. What I will tell you is that an occasional break, even a short walk or a few moments alone in your vehicle, can sometimes be all that you need to refresh yourself. In a couple of days, I’ll post add some creative ways to find time for yourself that won’t interfere with your family time.

Sonya Haskins

You might be thinking that this is the last place you should look for money saving advice. After all, we ARE trying to sell you products. We want your money. That is absolutely correct. At the same time, here’s the way I look at it. I can cook cheaper meals, use less gas, and cut out entertainment, but I cannot afford to skimp on my children’s education. I will be honest with you, my family is struggling right now. I know many people are. We’ve been eating more crock pot meals, beans, rice (which I stocked up on before the prices went up), and other cheap foods for the past few weeks than we’ve ever eaten. But I have not cut out our “book budget.” My children can live on beans. They can live on smaller portions of meat. We can stay at home and watch movies we’ve seen ten times, saving money on gas and entertainment. I do not think those things are going to hurt them. However, I believe their sweet personalities, their futures, their education will be jeopardized if I don’t provide them with age and level-appropriate educational materials to continue learning during this difficult time.

I realize many other families are hurting as much as well are and I wanted to share some ways to save money and still have funds available to purchase curriculum, books, and other educational products.

First, I would like for you to trust us. We’ve worked hard here at www.homeschoolstore.com to ensure that our prices are comparable or lower than other places for our customers. If you think there is something completely off base, let me know. Perhaps we missed something. However, we spent many hours ensuring that the customer would have incentive to shop here because the prices are good - really TERRIFIC actually. Since I began helping with this website, this is now where I buy all my own educational supplies.

Second, if you’re not sure about a product, use the resources available to you before buying a product. When a customer knows what he/she wants, there is a near 100% satisfaction record. Take the time to browse products, look at the product recommendations I have in the “articles” section, and ask questions in advance. (Hopefully the review articles will be attached to the actual product soon. We’re in the process of setting that up.) If you’re still not sure about a product, send me an e-mail. I am HAPPY to look at ANY product about which you might have questions and I will give you my honest opinion. I can assess products based on your own family’s preferences. Do you have a child with special needs? An auditory learner? A large family that needs a curriculum for several children to use at once? I can help you choose the perfect product for your family and we can even dialogue before you purchase it so that you know more of what to expect if you’re not familiar with the product.

Third, it’s a good idea when finances are tight to cut back in all areas of spending, including books and other products. However, don’t completely cut these items out of your budget. It is my belief that a good education is one of the most valuable gifts we can give our children.

You may want to try using different products than you’ve used in the past. Try reprintable products like Calculadder. With language arts and math curricula, buy a transparency sheet and lay it over the workpage, then erase it after you’ve corrected the child’s work. We are very careful to follow copyright rules and some publisher will not allow workbook pages, speed drills, etc. to be reproduced. However, you can buy a transparency at the copy store for about 60 cents. Lay this over the workpage and then another child can do the same thing. We’re having to do this with our boys right now. They are sharing one language arts workbook because we couldn’t afford to buy three. This would not work if you have to keep the pages for your annual portfolio, which your state may require. Just make sure you follow copyright laws and check on your state laws to see if you NEED the students’ work for each subject.

Finally, here are some specific ideas on saving money that may help you have a little more in your budget for books, curriculum, and other educational products:
- If you have space, use dryer racks in your house rather than the dryer. You’ll save electricity.
- If you must use the dryer, there is a little thing that you can hook to the dryer vent area that allows the heat of the dryer to exit and the lint goes into the little container. This can provide a little extra heat into the room where the dryer is located rather than shooting it outside.
- Barter services. If your neighbor cuts hair, ask her to cut your family members’ hair and you can work on her PC. Be creative when it comes to bartering. It’s a long, lost art that should be brought back!
- Plan ahead for trips to the grocery store. When you have a grocery list, you spend less money. Also, you tend to go less often with a list and less trips means less opportunity to spend.
- Plan meals ahead. As with the above suggestion, you save money when you plan ahead.
- Buy food / other products in bulk.
- Cook meals in bulk. If possible, cook a week’s worth of meals and pull out your meals each day. This can be a huge money-saving technique if you use similar ingredients and cook it all at once. It also saves money on electricity by using the stove less often.
- Turn your thermostat down, put on a sweatshirt and grab a blanket. Better yet, do all that AND snuggle up on the couch with a little one or a spouse! You’ll stay warm.
- Make your purchases via the internet. When you buy products via our website, you are less likely to spend more than your budget allows. When you go into a store, it’s easy to spend more than you planned. With online purchases, make your selections, go back and compare this to your budget and then take away a couple of items if you need to before you click “place order.”
- Carpool. This is one of the easiest, most overlooked ways to save money. See if your spouse can find someone to carpool to work. If your friends, neighbors, or relatives are going to the store and you only need one item, ask them to pick it up. A trip to the store can cost several dollars in gas JUST for the trip if you live a few miles away. If you quite a distance from your nearest store, you could spend much more. If your children participate in co-op, band, sports, clubs, etc., find other families with whom to share rides. Seriously, gas is expensive and people often overlook this very obvious way to save money.
- Find cheap, alternate means of entertainment. Family game night is almost a lost art. Rather than walking around the mall, going out to eat, going to a movie, etc., pull out those old board games and start playing them again. Go for walks. Pass ball, play croquet, rake leaves and jump in them. Play marbles in the carpet. There are so many things to do that are fun, but cost nothing.
- Cut coupons and look for in-store specials. At the Kroger stores this week, they had turkeys for 39 cents per pound, plus many other great deals. I stocked up while we had some money and got enough food for a month. It was great!
- Make sure lights are turned off in your home when not in use.
- Turn down the thermostat on your water heater.
- Take shorter showers. Most people spend much longer in the shower than they actually need to. Hop in and out.
- Turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth. Use water when necessary.
- If you use a dishwasher, make sure it’s full before you turn on.
- Turn off the heat cycle on your dishwasher. Run it just before bedtime and then when it’s done, just open the door to let the dishes air dry while you sleep. You may have to use a towel to finish drying a few items, but not many.
- Give everyone smaller portions at the dinner table. This will cut down on food waste. Once you’re in the habit of taking less, you’ll also be able to cook less.
- When you do have leftovers, put them in the fridge and either serve them for lunch the next day or use them in the next evening’s meal.
- Create a budget. It’s easier to manage your money when you know what’s coming in and where it’s going.
- If necessary, get rid of unnecessary extras like cable television, satelite, cell phones, extra game services, etc. With my health problems and my writing business, we consider my personal cell phone a necessity, but we have lived for almost two years without cable television, satelite, and many other extras.
- Sell what you don’t need. When I get really desperate for books, I sell things we no longer need so that we can buy what we do need. If you’re finished with something, sell it and set the money aside for your educational products.
- Get everyone in the household involved. Whatever your plans might be, share them with other members of the household and find ways that everyone can help. Perhaps dad can take on a side job, mom can trade her famous baked pies for some yard work, and even toddlers can help make sure lights are turned off!

I am sure there are many more excellent suggestions that I haven’t mentioned here. These are all I can think of off the top of my head, but please feel free to write in and share your own! Also, if you have questions about products, e-mail me at sonya@sonyahaskins.com. I would be happy to answer any questions for you.

As always, it is a pleasure to serve the homeschool community!
Sonya Haskins

I was driving down the highway today and I started thinking about the road signs along the way. People are so used to seeing road signs that often they take them for granted.

Some signs tell us where to turn. Others tell us when to stop or that we’re going the wrong way. Road signs can tell us that there is food or gas, shelter, entertainment, or a historical site. With a little bit of calculation, you might even be able to use road signs to tell how far you’ve come and how far you have to go.

In the Bible, there are many verses related to signs - even “road signs.” Consider the following:

21 “Set up road signs;
put up guideposts.
Take note of the highway,
the road that you take.
Return, O Virgin Israel,
return to your towns.” Jeremiah 31:21

This verse discusses the exiles of Judah, who are encouraged to set up “road signs” so that they will be able to find their way back. When we are traveling, it is important to know the way home and God wants the exiles to find their way back.

Sometimes, rather than telling us to leave signs along the way so that we can return, God tells us what signs to look for to know that something is coming.

“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:25-28

It is terrific that we’ve been given all of these signs. The Bible tells us that the Son of Man is coming and we need to be prepared. Just like with the road signs I saw today on the highway, we should use the signs to be prepared.

Share this information with your children. When you are driving along, use road signs as an educational opportunity and also a ministry opportunity. Here are some ideas:

- Use mile markers to calculate mileage from your house to various destinations.
- Discuss the meanings of road signs with your children.
- Play road sign games. Let younger children find alphabet letters in order. See who can find the most unique road signs. Use road signs to teach younger children shapes (ovals, circles, squares, diamonds, etc.)
- Discuss how important it is to pay attention to road signs. Talk about safe driving for the sake of the driver and others.
- What happens if someone doesn’t pay attention to road signs? Is that dangerous? Is it prudent to be aware of signs? (Have you ever needed a bathroom and you couldn’t remember when you last saw a sign with a gas station or rest area? Should Christians be aware of the signs of Christ’s return?)
- Compare road signs along the highway with the “signs” we see in the Bible. Talk about this with your children in your own comfort level.

Have fun traveling the road and remember to watch the signs along the way!

Sonya

Perhaps many of you already know this, but I discovered something about iron skillets this week.

I have always cooked cornbread in iron skillets and I normally put the grease in the skillet, heat it up in the oven, pour in the batter, then bake it. I’ve been making cornbread in the little corn cob skillets lately and I couldn’t figure out why in the world they kept sticking. After much discussion with my homeschool friends, I discovered the problem. I always preheat the skillet with grease, but for some reason I haven’t been preheating the corn cob skillet.

So if you want to cook in iron skillets, make sure you preheat the skillet with your grease and your bread will come right out when you’re done. Afterward, don’t wash the skillet in soap and water. Just use plain water and wipe out your skillet with a rag.

I hope this advice helps someone else cook better cornbread!

And click here to see some cookbooks offered through homeschoolstore.com.

Sonya : )

No matter where you live, there is usually a wide variety of field trips that you could enjoy with your child. Some places may have more historical significance or nature-related field trips, but the United States is so wonderfully diverse that you can find some magnificent field trip no matter where you live.

Since most people are aware of the obvious choices - historical sites, science museums, art museums, nature sanctuaries, flower gardens, historical buildings, natural wonders, etc. - I am going to share a few things that you may not have thought about!

Here are some field trips we’ve taken outside the normal field trip list:

- television stations Find out what the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) is, discuss freedom of speech and freedom of press, set up an interview with a broadcaster, watch a show being taped, ask to see the weather broadcast and compare this to what it looks like on the t.v. Remember to schedule a visit to the television station in advance. Be respectful of equipment. Most stations have a limit on the number of visitors you can bring at at time. Limits are placed due to lack of space so keep the group small.

- city transit system Study the city transit, take children for a ride, let children participate in the purchase and use of tickets, discuss driver qualifications and seat belt safety, etc.

- radio stationIf your local radio station has a children’s program, see if you can visit during the show and possibly even participate. Ask for a tour. Remind children to be quiet at all times. Keep the group small (one or two families if you have a lot of children). Schedule the field trip in advance.

- mayor’s officeYou may want to call first, but they may tell you to just drop in if you want to visit any of your city officials. Ask permission to ask questions. Ask them if they have any questions about homeschooling. Use the field trip as an opportunity for your students to learn more about government and for the officials to learn about homeschooling! Make sure you prepare for this type of trip in advance. Does your student know how local government works? Do a unit study and tell them before you go.

- sheriff’s officeWhat does the sheriff do? How is this office different than the police chief? What are his/her responsibilities on a daily, weekly, monthly basis? How long does he/she stay in office? Is it appointed or elected?

- fire departmentAt some point, most young children have an opportunity to visit the fire department through the Boy Scouts, a co-op program, or just dropping by. Make sure you create an opportunity! Ask questions, see if the firefighters will give your children a tour of the fire department and a fire truck. Find out the difference between different types of trucks. Ask if different fire fighters have different responsibilities and how they know who does what? What kind of schedule do they keep? Is it a normal work schedule of 8 hour days or do they work three 12 hour shifts? Which do you think you’d like best?

- police departmentAsk many of the same questions as above. If possible, arrange a tour of the department. In medium and large cities, there are usually many employees at a police department. Why? What do they all do? Are all of these workers (dispatchers, etc.) as essential as policemen? Why or why not? Discuss these things with your children.

- local sports teamsDo you have a sports team in your city? Find out if they would allow you to come watch a practice. Take a ball or a jersey (the right one!) and ask if any of the players would be willing to sign it. After your field trip, go to a game.

- electric / water departmentMany people forget that for children, almost any new experience or information can be fascinating. We went to the electric department one day and they had this thing there that showed how much electricity it took to run the dryer, watch an hour of television, use a lamp, etc. Then you could convert this and see how much that electricity cost you based on the local rate. It was so fascinating that the children stood there for almost an hour figuring up the cost of all our electricity related activities. If you’re going to do a field trip like this (and it’s actually planned, unlike mine) read some juvenile books about electricity, water purification, etc. Ask lots of questions.

There are so many opportunities to learn something new. Sometimes people try so hard to do something “big” that they forget that for a child, life itself often provides it’s own excitement! Look around and see what is in your own area that would make a neat field trip.

Read “How to Make Field Trips Fun for Everyone!” for additional tips related to field trips with your children.

Sonya : )

In our family, one of the greatest blessings of homeschooling is the ability to learn about life in person! Whether we are spending time together as a family at the state park, taking a huge trip in our 15-passenger van, visiting a local historic site, or going to a political rally, we do a lot of school “on the road.” We have taken field trips to every place imaginable and I cannot wait until the children are old enough so that we can travel to Mexico or South America! What a field trip that will be!

Some moms have told me that they avoid field trips because they like the idea of their children learning things in a “hands on” manner, they get stressed out when they try to take their children on field trips. Frequently, the reason they are stressed is because of a lack of preparation and planning. Here are some tips to help you avoid common field trip pitfalls and make the most of your experience.

- Plan ahead
Verify the hours of operation if you are going some place without 24 hour access. We once went to Kentucky for the purpose of exploring some of the caves there, which we thought were open year round. It turned out that they are open year round with the exception of ONE week every year when they prepare for the Lewis and Clark festival. Guess when we were there? If necessary, schedule the field trip in advance. This will be required for places such as the television station, radio station, etc.

- Get plenty of rest the night before.
Many parents get frustrated on field trips because toddlers or young children are cranky. Sometimes they aren’t used to getting up early (homeschoolers are notoriously late-sleepers) and if your child has not had enough rest, this can doom your field trip before you even start!

- Get an early start.
Whether it’s a morning, afternoon, or evening field trip, make sure you leave in plenty of time to get there ON TIME or EARLY.

- Make sure everyone has plenty to eat before you go.
Obviously, if your field trip is going to involve a lot of movement (whether traveling there or on rides once you arrive), you will want to be careful about how much your child eats, but the point is that you don’t want your child to pass out (or have a meltdown) from “starvation” at the aquarium - or wherever you may be.

- Take snacks
This kind of goes along with the above point, but take snacks with you if at all possible. If you pack these at home before you leave, you will save money, but certainly you’ll save everyone some frustration if you have snacks throughout the day. If you are going to be doing a lot of walking through a nature area, leave a picnic in the car so it will be ready when you return or take a backpack with you.

- Carry water
Depending on the length and location of the field trip, keep a bottle of water with you for each person. This is especially important if you’re going to be doing a lot of walking, waiting, or if you’ll be outdoors in the hot sun.

- Make sure everyone goes to the bathroom before the field trip!
If you think about it, this is an easy thing to do and it will make a huge difference in the attitudes of everyone involved. We have a rule in our family that when one goes, we all go. When we go places, the first thing we do is visit the bathroom, then we enjoy the visit. If someone needs to go to the restroom during the activity, we just take everyone. I tell the kids, “If you try, it will come.” With several children, a person could run to the bathroom constantly if they don’t set some kind of rules.

- Take lots of pictures
This isn’t a necessity, of course, but it’s always a lot of fun to look back and have those memories! You can also use the photos to discuss the field trip and what you learned afterwards. Create a lap book, memory album, or other keepsake.

- Tell your children what is expected of them in advance.
I think one of the biggest problems parents have is that they don’t talk with their children before a problem arises. Tell your children what is expected of them! Let them know what is going to happen, what kind of behavior you expect, and what will happen if they misbehave. Above all, remind your children to be respectful. When you are in public, you represent not only your own family, but you also represent homeschoolers.

- Decide how you will discipline in advance.
Don’t just tell your children what you expect and what the consequences will be if they misbehave. Decide the consequences and follow through. Do not discipline your child in public. Take them to a restroom or another private area to talk with them. If necessary, return to your vehicle to discipline your child.

- Be sure to THANK your guides, the employees, firemen, reporters, or whoever else is involved in the field trip before you leave.

- Follow up your field trips with a thank you note.
If you visit a national park, send an e-mail to the national park service. If you visit a local tv station, government official, etc., send a hand-written thank you note that they might be able to post in their office. Send a batch of cookies to the local police station or fire station as a thank you for a tour. You get the idea. Show your gratitude and they will be more likely to allow the next family to visit!

Sonya