Miscellaneous Home Schooling Moments

Many people don't equate every part of their lives as a learning moment. It helps to understand that as home scholars, we do not compartmentalize our lives in to subjects like the government schools do with the words, "Ok class, it's time to do Reading Comprehension now." (insert subject of choice there). We just do it without calling it "(insert subject here)". On our days that we do our megashopping, we comparison shop, but that doesn't mean we call it "Consumer Math". It just naturally flows along as a part of our life.


Today to this point, we've taken care of getting our beds made, chores done, 3 loads of laundry done, and now the children are learning how to darn their own socks. We no longer buy their socks and underwear for them. They buy their own out of their own allowance. (more on this later) As a mom who wants to pass on the importance of frugality, I showed them this morning how to darn their own socks to save THEM some money.

Notice the little face sticking out of the baby quilt. This is his favorite spot during the winter...when he can't snuggle with someone, he'll be burrowed inside a blanket of choice. LOL DS#2 is 10 years old. He was getting ready to throw out an entire WM bag full of socks that needed darned. He ended up throwing out 2 socks! *gasp* Amazing, isn't it?!

This is DS#1. He is 14 years old and has taken to the concept of saving money by darning his own socks like a fish takes to water. The whole thought of being frugal means to fix it up, use it up until it is truly worn out and basically unsalvagable. Now, lest you think I'm a cheapskate, I'm not. I choose to save money as much as I can without driving my husband nuts. I could literally drive him nuts with all of this, but I've found a happy medium. I go forward trying to save money quite cautiously. If it makes him uncomfortable or if I sense frustration, I take one step back to make sure his comfort zone is well in tact. Yes, this means that advanced couponing 101 is going to drive him nuts. LOL

This is my DD darning her socks. She loves the thought of saving money to. Of course this means that she can put more money toward her beading instead of socks. LOL This basic skill will help her in years to come, I'm sure...as it will the boys as well.

Of course another part of our home schooling is the "do-it-yourself" types of projects. We'd been putting off replacing a toilet for a long time. Yes, my husband has replaced every little piece inside the toilet to make it more usable and to stretch the usage of it. When we realized it wasn't working and running almost all the time, costing us more to keep it as is instead of replacing it, it was time to replace it. We found a wonderful deal at Home Depot with a low usage comode that only uses 1.28 gallons per flush. It also has a bladder inside it that holds the water instead of having the water bead up on the outside in the summer and drip on the floor. Even though we do not have AC, we still have this problem in the summer. The children, of course, helped with the installation. I didn't get all the pictures I could, but I managed to get three.

Here is Daddy giving instruction to DS#2.

...and DS#2 putting the handle on the comode.

...and DD tightening nuts to the bolts.

These types of instructional times are so very valuable to our children. These things are not usually taught in school unless you are in a specific VoTech class. Even then, there is not the satisfaction of a job well done and being reminded of it every day you use that item.

I hope through my posts, you'll be able to see that home schooling is not just about academics, but about living, learning and loving one another.


Blessings,
Regina