Tag Archives: homeschool

Thankful for Nugget

Tracy Helps You’s Thankful Thoughts for Today ~ 11/8/14

November 8, 2014 ~ Today I am thankful for Nugget, a.k.a., my “practice” grandchild. What started out as a homeschool Child Care elective class for my daughter when she was in high school, has since turned into a very special relationship.

A friend with a 3 month old baby needed ongoing childcare every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. Since my daughter didn’t drive yet, I stayed with her and used it as a “teaching time”. She learned hands on feeding, burping, diapering, etc. Needless to say we both fell in love at first sight … and the rest, as they say,  is history 🙂

My daughter still takes care of her occasionally, but I now only get to see her at birthdays and holidays. I just love our little Nugget, she is growing into a beautiful little lady ~ on the inside (where it counts most), as well as, the outside ♥

♥ Today I am thankful for Nugget, a.k.a., my “practice” grandchild ♥

Back to School Time

Back to School Time = Have an Organized Plan Time

Tis the season … Back to School season, that is 🙂

Yes, friends, it’s that time of the year again … and with it brings a myriad of feelings from anticipation/dread to stress/relief … and anywhere in between.

While my kids are no longer attending school, I remember that it can be a stressful and expensive time of year. I, personally, always felt better when I had a good plan. As a homeschooling family living on a single income:

  • I tried to set aside some money each payday during the summer for school supplies and textbooks/curriculum.
  • I attended conferences to get new & fresh ideas from other parents.
  • I tried to have my school year ‘planned out’ by mid summer, so I could be on the lookout for great prices on the curriculum I planned to use for the upcoming school year.
  • I tried to find used textbooks at Homeschool Used Curriculum Sales. Many times, I could buy used books from other homeschool families in my coop.
  • I also searched online for used books.

Some of my favorite websites were eBay.com and Half.com. I’ve found some good deals on some Facebook Groups pages and on Craigslist. I also like vegsource.com and homeschoolclassifieds.com. I have purchased, as well as, sold on both of these linked websites … it isn’t very hard 🙂 These two sites also have a convenient ‘want to buy’ tab. If you are in the market for any high school level curriculum (yes, I’m still emptying my last homeschool bookshelf), I am currently selling some Rosetta Stone and AO LifePacs foreign language and ABeka language arts items … check them out at the links above 🙂

Could you use some help with planning your Back to School schedule ~ lesson plans ~ school supply shopping ~ online research ?

Contact Tracy Helps You ~ I’ll come alongside you to help get it all figured out … then you can breathe a sigh of relief & focus on enjoying the last, long dog days of summer with your family 🙂

Back to School ~ Homeschool Planning

Being a planner at heart, I just love this time of year! I love seeing all the sale ads for the back to school supplies and getting homeschool curriculum catalogs in the mail. It’s fun talking with other parents about what has worked for them in the past and what new approach they’ll be trying this year. Yes, I love the preparation / planning for the beginning of a new school year!

In my mind, organizing and planning go hand in hand. It’s like giving stability to an idea; like having a firmly rooted plant that can grow many different branches. You start with what you would like to see happen ideally, and then hammer out the logistics to come up with a workable plan. Your original idea can take off in many different directions, taking on an entirely different form. Continue reading →