Recognition

This is a great site I found today. http://www.123certificates.com/

You can make free customized printable certificates! I don't know if you do a lot of recognition for your kids, but I really think there is a lot of value in it and I should do it more! Be genuine and don't ignore things that need improvement, but if your kids are doing something well, let them know!

No matter who you are or what you do, getting recognition for your work can put a little bounce in your stride or a smile on your face. It is nice to know others appreciate what you have done! Forge ahead and tell your kids what they are doing well. If you think it is a little bit corny, try it and see what happens! Be positive and give your kids a friendly note that will fill them up and make them proud of what they do every day!

Back to school....again!

It is time for the first day of school at Baker Benediction Academy. We plan to start our school year this coming Tuesday. You might ask, "Why Tuesday?". Well, that is the beauty of homeschooling! Jason is in a golf tournament on Monday and he wants to be part of the festivities, so we are starting Tuesday. Simple and convenient....gotta love homeschooling! I am really looking forward to this year. I love new beginnings and each school year provides us with one! We will have a 5th grader, 3rd/4th grader and a 1st grader this year. The Baker girls still get new school supplies and books, new first day outfits and pictures. However, we do recycle the back packs! The first day of school, we always do something fun like play in shaving creme and do treasure hunts and the first week of school is usually only half days to slowly ease the girls back into our schedule....again simple and convenient!

Here is to your first day of school! May it be all that you hope for and may your kids end the day glad to be homeschooled!

P.S. If things don't go as planned (as they sometimes will), don't despair! With homeschooling, you can make each day a new day! You can always bring something fun and new into the day and delight your children in a whole new way.

Mud stomp - 2nd Annual!

Please join us for the 2nd Annual Mud Stomp event! We are meeting Friday, August 21st at 1pm at the Eastern Nebraska 4-h center near Gretna! Wear OLD clothes or an old swim suit and old tennis shoes or strapped sandals. Flip flops and crocs are NOT recommended! They may get lost in the mud!

Home alone?

Are your kids getting close to that "magic" age of staying home alone? Have you ever wondered what the restrictions or requirements are in Nebraska for kids who stay home alone?

Well, here is a great link for the "guidelines" in Nebraska.

http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/Children_Family_Services/HomeAlone.htm

Fall Planning

The KNIGHTS group will be having a fall planning meeting in early August. If you would like to participate in the meeting or contribute in any way, please email me!

Summer Break

The KNIGHTS group typically takes the summer off with no official group meetings or field trips. Over the summer, we hope to have a pool party, a few play dates and a lake day, so watch your email and the blog for updates!

See you in September!

Summer Movies

Be sure to check out the summer fun section of the blog....it is down and on the right hand side. Three different theaters are doing summer movie specials for kids on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays!

Can I get an extension, please?!?!?!

Okay...I'll admit it....this time. We didn't finish school on time. Yes, you heard me. I didn't get it done! The problem wasn't the kids, the problem was the Mom. I admittedly had too much on my plate and realized I am NOT superwoman!

Something I have asked myself in the last week....Do we have to finish our books? No, we don't have to finish our books. Even public school teachers don't always finish their books. I, however, would really like to complete the circle of our learning this year. So for me, it is not about finishing the book, it is about completing a task and accomplishing our goal. Some books we simply close and pick up in the fall (ie: art, science). Some books, however, I would like to complete and will take the time needed without pressure or stress to do that for my girls (ie: math, english and history).

So, rather than go crazy trying to "get it all done" this week, the girls and I all agreed we would simply "get an extension" on school and finish our studies next week. They actually don't seem to be too bummed about it (maybe because many of their Millard school friends are actually still in school as well!)

If you are in the same boat, don't beat yourself up. Sometimes life happens and we simply "school" around it! As homeschoolers, we don't have to live by boundaries of the public school calendar. Make your own calendar. As I read in a Teaching Home article, make a plan to "Finish strong"...on your own terms!

Kindergarten Graduation

Kindergarten graduation is approaching quickly for my youngest daughter. It doesn't seem possible that we have come to this milestone already. She is so much fun to be around....very loving, witty and keeps us all on track around here! We have homeschooled her from the very beginning, so this milestone seems bigger than with my other two kids. With my oldest girls, we sent them to the local church preschool and I pretty much took it from there. With Shelby, she and I started from scratch! We had challenges along the way, the biggest of all her vision. Once we got that figured out, it all fell into place! It is just so much easier to learn to read when you can see ALL the letters the way they SHOULD be! Congratulations to all the graduates, including Shelby. You are all wonderful in God's site!

Homeschool Track and Field Day

Please join us for the homeschool track and field day on Saturday, May16th. You can register online at . http://www.homeschooltrack.org/main/Login. If you haven't registered yet, please do that first. You will create a username and password that are unique. Then, you will be asked to enter the first time HEN password. Enter: omahahen. After that, you can log in and fill out the registration forms. Be sure to check out the Tips and Q&A section of the website. Email or call me if you have any questions.