Minimal Mom Homeschool Update (Year 1, Week 1)

By Dawn, Effective Living, The Minimal Mom

Tom and I made the decision to homeschool last year, prior to our world getting turned upside down. Facilitating public school at home was frustrating for all of us and I couldn’t imagine another year of that!

If you’re helping your kids with school at home I pray extra grace and patience over you and your household– it was NOT easy!!

Homeschool Update

What you’ll find in this post:

How I tried to get the year started off in a creative way
Curriculums we’re using
Our weekly schedule & how much time I plan to spend on schooling each day
My low expectations for the year ;)
Tom’s role in homeschooling

I have to say, that so far, switching from public school to homeschooling four kids has been fairly stressful. There has been a lot for ME to learn about how curriculums work and selecting the right one for each child. I can see how it gets easier over time (and maybe even fun)…but I’m definitely not there yet and that’s ok!

Video Update of Homeschooling

If it seems like I don’t care right now: I do care a lot about our children’s education, but I care more about preserving all of our sanity!

Main curriculum we’re using

We’re using Gather Round for our main curriculum (is that the right term??? :) I chose it because we can teach all of the kids at the same time. I just print off a workbook specific to their level.

We’re about 7 lessons into the Earth Science unit and so far I like it. I have absolutely nothing to compare it to, so my endorsement means nothing at this point! But, it has been straight forward and easy to use, so I appreciate that.

Adeline (5th grade) said that some of her workbook pages felt a little easy for her. And while it includes reading skills in the pre-reader notebook, it seemed a little advanced for Gage (kindergarten). But, overall, I think it will be easy to make adjustments as needed.

Math Curriculum

For Maggie and Adeline (4th and 5th grade) we’re using Masterbooks. We’re ordered the workbooks that corresponded with there current grades and they seem to be about right with where they were at coming from public school.

With Gage & Corbin (K and 2nd grade) we’re using Math U See. Some love it and I’ve heard others say that it wasn’t right for their child. I like that it comes with a DVD with lessons since I’ve never taught math before. We’ll give it a try and see how it goes!

Reading Curriculum

This is perhaps what I’m most excited about! My friend Janet introduced me to EZ Reading. She is an educational therapist, dyslexia expert and homeschooling mom and helped design this curriculum. It is meant to be fun and engaging and stress free.

I’ve just started to watch the instructional videos (which are very helpful and make it super easy to understand), and feel very empowered and capable to teach Gage how to read and to help Corbin build on the skills he’s already learned.

Tom’s Role in our Homeschooling Day

In my perfect world, since Tom works from home, too, I would have him teach math and help with field trips. My only hesitation right now is him having proper expectations with the kids (and I know I’m not alone in this ;).

In his perfect world, he would teach something once, a light bulb would go off over the child’s head, they would smile and happily complete their problem with no further instruction. Wouldn’t that be awesome if it really worked that way!?!

Decluttering Questions & Forgiving Ourselves

Effective Living, The Minimal Mom

We often think decluttering should be cut and dry.

Easy peasy.

But then these feelings and emotions start to sneak in. Guilt. Shame. Remorse. Regret. How did I let things go this far? Get this bad? WHY did I buy that? Why do I always do this? Why, why, why.

Which then leads to negative thoughts about ourselves.

“WAIT!! I was just going to declutter this room, why am I left feeling like crap about myself???”

So what do we do when we can’t move forward because we’re overwhelmed by GUILT and FEARFUL of making a wrong decision?

I’m glad you asked!

Dealing with Guilt

Often when our mind is swirling with these emotions of guilt, remorse & shame we are caught up in the right side of our brain.

However, action takes place from the left side of our brain. This leaves us feeling stuck, unable to do the simple tasks we know we need to.

Try these to get moving again:
1) Just. Do. Something. You could literally get two things off of your kitchen counter and put them away. Start a load of laundry. Put shoes away in the entry way. It DOES NOT need to be a large task, it just needs to require movement.

This movement engages the left side of our brain and helps us to balance our thoughts. From here it’s usually easier to do another action and then another.

2) Forgive yourself. Easier said than done, right!?! Oprah has this to say about forgiveness — it’s “giving up the hope that the past could be any different.”

We can’t change the past, we can’t undo our purchases or go back in time to prevent our house from getting cluttered up. But we CAN acknowledge that it can’t be any different. However, the future is wide open.

3) Take a break from social media. We all know that social media can (and often does) increase feelings of anxiety and depression. Mindlessly scrolling on our phone causes us to stay caught up in the right side of our brain, stuck in comparison and feelings of self-loathing.

YUCK.

If you feel overwhelmed by your decluttering projects, try taking two full days off of all social media and try to limit other screen time as well. Does this help you feel more grounded? More present? And more capable?

Dealing with Fear

The second common emotion when we start to declutter is fear: What if I make a wrong decision? What if I need that item in the future? What if I have to buy it again?

So how do we combat these concerns?

1) Recruit the help of a friend or loved one. Sometimes we need someone else to help ground us. They can help ask these decluttering questions.

It could be a friend, a spouse or a child. Even our 10-year-old can be helpful with this process. We just need someone to talk these decisions through with.

The good news? It gets easier as you go and you gain more confidence, so you won’t always need a partner in crime to get decluttering done!

2) Think about what is most important to you RIGHT NOW. What has more value, the item in front of you or a peaceful home?

If you donate that item right now you NEVER have to handle it again!! How great would that feel? It is no longer part of your mental load!

On the other hand, if you keep it, it is guaranteed that you will be right back in this same situation down the road. Why do that to yourself? :)

These are big emotions we’re talking about and I don’t want to brush past them or oversimplify this process, but the best thing you can do when you’re feeling stuck with decluttering is to just. do. something.

Even the smallest task can be a catalyst for the big changes you’re hoping to make in your home!

Again, you can find the Printable Decluttering Guide HERE!

I believe in you! It is difficult at first, but it does get EASIER!! You can do it!!!

Books I love:

For more tips on decluttering, check out these recent posts!

How to Declutter WITHOUT Making a Bigger Mess (Bonus Videos!)

How to be a Tidy Person (Bonus Video!)

Guided KITCHEN DECLUTTER: Use these principles to simplify your kitchen quickly & easily

6 Week Lazy Genius Book Study (Outline)

By Dawn, Effective Living, The Minimal Mom

Welcome to The Minimal Mom Members book club for fall 2020!

Book: The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi
Begins: Monday, Oct. 5 – Nov. 15, 2020
For: Members of The Minimal Mom Membership Group
What: Over the course of 6 weeks, we’ll go through the book together and also have weekly decluttering challenges and games that correspond with what we’re covering.

Printable Weekly Guide: Here is a printable list of the chapters & challenges for each week!

We’ll hold you accountable throughout the study, cheer each other on, have prizes and celebrate the collective victories– it’s going to be awesome!

The Lazy Genius Way

About the book:

Being a Lazy Genius isn’t about doing more or doing less. It’s about doing what matters to you.

The chorus of “shoulds” is loud. You should enjoy the moment, dream big, have it all, get up before the sun, track your water consumption, go on date nights, and be the best. Or maybe you should ignore what people think, live on dry shampoo, be a negligent PTA mom, have a dirty house, and claim your hot mess like a badge of honor.

It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed by the mixed messages of what it means to live well.

Kendra Adachi, the creator of the Lazy Genius movement, invites you to live well by your own definition and equips you to be a genius about what matters and lazy about what doesn’t. Everything from your morning routine to napping without guilt falls into place with Kendra’s thirteen Lazy Genius principles, including:

• Decide once
• Start small
• Ask the Magic Question
• Go in the right order
• Schedule rest

Discover a better way to approach your relationships, work, and piles of mail. Be who you are without the complication of everyone else’s “shoulds.” Do what matters, skip the rest, and be a person again.

6 Week Study Outline

WEEK 1 | Oct 5 – 11

Main Objective: Decide Once

There are too many to do lists, too many activities, too many bins filled with stuff, and our brain just. can’t. take it anymore. Let’s decide once and for all:
– what is MOST import
– and if these things in our house are helping us with that or not

Chapters:
– Introduction
– How to Think Like a Lazy Genius
– Decide Once: Principle #1

Corresponding Podcasts:
#170 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/anything
#102 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/makeadecision
#147 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/capsule?rq=Question

Corresponding Blog Post: https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/blog/hamburgerhelper

WEEK 2 | Oct 12 – 18

Main Objective: Ask the Magic Question

“What can I do now, to make ______ easier later?” Ask yourself things like, what can I do now to make dinner easier later? What about that big project coming up? What could I do now to make decluttering easier later?

Chapters:
– Start Small: Principle #2
– Ask the Magic Question: Principle #3
– Live in the Season: Principle #4

Corresponding Podcasts:
#124 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/weeklyplan
#128 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/fallfrenzy
#153 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/timerevisited
#93 https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-93-lazy-genius-dinner-with-kendra-adachi/

Corresponding Blog Posts: Monday Morning’s Magic Question https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/blog/36pphfyngr1q56wx6mj65gvoxlaxoe

WEEK 3 | Oct 19 – 25

Main Objective: A place for everything!

Chapters:
– Build the Right Routines: Principle #5
– Set House Rules: Principle #6
-Everything in its Place: Principle #7

Corresponding Podcasts:
#172 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/routines
#123 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/afterschool
#163 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/relax
#155 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/livedincleaning
#156 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/livedincleaning2

WEEK 4 | Oct 26 – Nov 1

Main Objective: Essentialize

What tasks in our life and items in our home can we batch? Picking out outfits for the week, cooking, laundry & putting like items with like are all ways that we can cut down on the different directions we have to go each week!

Chapters:
– Let People In: Principle #8
– Batch it: Principle #9
– Essentialize: Principle #10

Corresponding Podcasts:
#144 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/girlsnight
#75 https://thelazygenius.libsyn.com/75-the-lazy-genius-stocks-the-kitchen

Corresponding Blog Posts:
ttps://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/blog/ricebeefbowls
https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/blog/foodprep
https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/essentialkitchen

WEEK 5 | Nov 2 – 8

Main Objective: Be kind to yourself.

This is huge! How often do we beat ourselves up? “How did we let our house get this way?” “I’m so lazy.” “I’m so unorganized” and on and on. It’s time we treat ourselves nicer!

Chapters:
– Go in the right order: Principle #11
– Schedule Rest: Principle #12
– Be Kind to yourself: Principle #13

Corresponding Podcasts:
#76 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/mealplan
#77 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/rest
#157 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/takecare
#43 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/selfcare

Corresponding Blog Post:
https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/blog/sauce

WEEK 6 | Nov 9 – 15

Main Objective: How to live like a Lazy Genius

This chapter brings all of the principles of the book full circle!

Chapter: How to Live Like a Lazy Genius
Corresponding Podcasts:
#36 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/ceremony
#177 https://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/lazy/dayplan

We’re excited to go through this book with you!

Everything is better when we do it together! We’re excited to go through this journey with you and for the small, sustainable changes that will come from it!!

Visit our Minimal Mom Members group to join in the conversation!

Dawn

Week 1: Habits that Ground Us

By Diana, Effective Living

Welcome to Week 1 of the “Grounded” Bible Study. We’ll be spending four weeks talking about dismantling fear, adapting to change and anticipating good!

Habits that Ground Us

How do we spiritually “move off the bench” and become a player in life? By developing habits of bible reading and PRAYER!

We all have good intentions but the days often slip by without attention to these important practices. Today Diana give practical advice for establishing a consistent routine of prayer:

Want to see more & join us for FB Live discussions around the teachings? Click HERE for more details!

Grounded Bible Study

By Diana, Effective Living

Grounded Bible Study
Dismantle Fear, Adjust To Change, Anticipate Good

**If you had any questions or difficulty with registration, please email: GroundedBibleStudy@gmail.com**

You’re invited to a 4 week online bible study designed to help us navigate the uncertain times we’re living in.

………………………..

We’re in the final weeks of this study, but you’re still welcome to join! Click HERE and enter the PASS PHRASE: I’m Grounded!
…………………………

This 4 week study will take place in a private Facebook group, and will include a new teaching with practical tools each Sunday, and then a Facebook Live session on Monday evenings to discuss the teaching (<– you can always watch the playback if you can’t join live!)

During the week we’ll encourage one another with biblical insights and reflections to help us have greater peace and hope in this season. The study is designed to be ultra practical with tools that will become helpful habits for life. All Christian faith traditions and experience levels are welcome. Please join us!
~ Diana

**If you had any questions or difficulty with registration, please email: GroundedBibleStudy@gmail.com**

This group is currently closed, if you’d like to be notified when the next series begins, please complete this simple form!

Details:

Dates: Sunday, August 2nd – Sunday, August 30th

Content: Video teachings on Sundays, Facebook Live Mondays at 8pm CST. Various conversations and encouragement throughout the week.

Cost: $1.99 (<– this is purely to cover administrative costs. Please use coupon code “GRND” if you’re unable to pay!)

To join: complete this simple form

What happens after you sign up: You’ll receive a link to request access into the Facebook group. You’ll be admitted into the group within 24 hours and will receive more information about how to navigate the group and what to expect once you’re in!

*If you have any questions or problems registering, please leave a comment below!

FAQ’s

What if I’m not on Facebook?

You’ll have to create an account to join, unfortunately, there is no way around that, but you don’t have to use the account for anything else!

How do I access the Facebook community?

Once you sign up you’ll receive instructions on how to request access to the private Facebook group. If you don’t currently use Facebook, you can create an account without any details or friends and access the group that way.

Do you offer refunds?

Sure! If the group isn’t what you expected we’ll gladly refund your registration cost.

4 Ways to push out fear (video with Diana)

By Dawn, By Diana, Effective Living, The Minimal Mom

Fear impacts us in different ways. Sometimes it creeps in without us knowing it, lying just below the surface. And at other times, it washes over us like a wave and won’t leave.

Today, Diana talks about fear and how to put it in its place:

*Note: if you have an ad blocker installed, you may not be able to see the video, it should appear right above here!

(If you want to see the first part of this video, where we discuss the journey to minimalism & the awkward way Tom & I met, you can find it on YouTube here!)

4 Ways to push out fear:

1) Start your day with scripture (no matter what!): I have a new rule that I won’t even check the weather on my phone until I’ve read scripture. I’m especially enjoying reading the proverb of the day (the proverb that lines up with today’s date) in the Passion translation!

2) Cut off the input: the news is EVERYWHERE and it is designed to cause us to have an emotional reaction (and often that emotion is fear). Limit what and how much you allow in.

3) Pray scripture over your life: this morning we’re talking about Psalm 91 (NIV):

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.^[a]
²I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

³Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
¹²they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴“Because he^[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

4) Surround yourself with people who encourage you: This is often easier said than done! Do you have at least one friend or family member who is encouraging to be around? If not, ask the Lord for this friend. He cares about every detail of our lives!

We hope this helps a little and pray that the Lord is giving you strength to protect your mind. That he is restoring hope amidst the uncertainty that remains and grace as we interact with those around us.

All our love!

Diana & Dawn

Effective Living