HOMESCHOOLING THE ELEMENTARY YEARS

What this episode covers

The elementary years lay a foundation for your child's entire education and forge family memories you all can cherish. Make the elementary years a fun, pressure-free experience for your kids by letting your children set the pace with academics and letting their interests inform your choices. Because DeeDee and Ximena are already past the elementary years, they invited special guest Lindsay to help them chat about the younger years.  ★★★ LISTENER COUPON CODE Request your coupon code to use on any purchase at bookshark.com. Thanks to show sponsor BookShark. Request a homeschool curriculum catalog or download samples at bookshark.com. QUOTABLES Ximena: "... the reading, the writing, and the math — that's really what we should be focusing on ... As long as you're reading and writing and doing math constantly, they're going to grow." DeeDee: "I heard somebody say once, 'If you're trying to build a fence in the winter, you are going to expend so much more energy because the ground is hard. But if you wait until spring, you can get the fence up in a weekend.' And sometimes, our kids, developmentally, are not ready for what we're trying to get them to do. But once they are ready, man, they get it like that ... we don't have to be in a rush to get through the material. It is much more about laying that firm foundation." Ximena: "... homeschooling and parenting are not different. During parenting, you're going to deal with attitudes, and during homeschool you're going to deal with attitudes because it's part of life. It's just part of life." Lindsay: "...when you push too hard, it's very, very hard for the mom. And then you get impatient, and then it's not so fun. So just relax ... because elementary years are supposed to be fun." TIMESTAMPS 03:14 Introducing special guest Lindsay Rincon from Momma Schmooze Reviews. 04:29 Lindsay's journey from being a homeschooled teen to being a homeschool mom herself.  05:46 Lindsay's homeschool style: eclectic Charlotte Mason, lots of unit studies and literature-based learning. 06:42 Milestones to look for in the elementary years of homeschooling. 07:31 The importance of the 3Rs.  08:18 The fear of teaching your kids to read. 09:17 The beauty of a 4-day school week. READ MORE 10:47 Goals to have during the elementary school years.  12:25 Lindsay takes an organic approach to habit training, integrating it into her day. 15:04 The importance of valuing each child individually. The power of a reward system.  20:46 Let kids' passions and interests guide your homeschool. This will spark a love of learning in the early years and keep curiosity alive. READ MORE 22:42 When handling a reluctant elementary learner, remember to let the child set the pace. 24:06 How can a homeschool mom who's tired and burned out find renewal?  25:52 Homeschool hacks: Getting homeschool resources at thrift shops, having a homeschool mom-friend. 27:22 Scissor/cutting skills 28:21 A typical homeschool day for Lindsay and her two children. 30:45 One piece of advice for your past self: relax a little bit!

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