This week's topic of Homeschooling While Pregnant is sure to be near and dear to many a homeschool mom's heart. While some folks may sail through their pregnancies while homeschooling other kids without skipping a beat (does anyone really do this?), many moms find themselves struggling with exhaustion and feelings of being overwhelmed.

We hope that this week's Homeschool Minute will be an encouragement to all of you. And if you have a friend who's pregnant and homeschooling, feel free to forward this to her. She may need a little bit of encouragement today.

Also, if you enjoy the articles we offer through The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, you might want to look at Crosswalk.com. Our good friends at Crosswalk.com regularly use a number of our articles. Crosswalk.com offers a wealth of information from parenting to devotionals as well as an area for homeschoolers just like you. And when you need to connect with other homeschoolers, Crosswalk.com has that covered too. Just head on over to http://forums.crosswalk.com and click on the Homeschool Support folder and meet some other moms and dads who share a common goal ~ educating children at home!

Enjoy every minute!

Nancy Carter and The Homeschool Minute Team

HOME Where They Belong

I knew of someone quite some time ago who took a whole year off from homeschooling when her children were young. She wasn't pregnant, but she was in the midst of a major home building project with her husband (that's like being pregnant - talk about stressful!). She was so worried that her children, particularly her oldest one, would fall behind. Now granted, her kids were really young; the oldest was maybe in the first grade, but still, to her this was very real. It was a source of very anxious feelings. Will he turn out ok? Will he ever catch up? All he's done this year is a lot of playing and maybe some educational DVDs and a few books. Am I a horrible mother?

But you know what? My friend was a really good parent (they still are). She and her husband had strict guidelines set up for their children even in the midst of chaos. Sure, maybe they didn't "do school" in a structured way as they wanted to. But they disallowed Nintendo, excessive television and the like. In other words, during these busy days when Mama wasn't always so accessible, there were things the children could NOT do, and that was anything "garbage." In her family, that meant the TV, cartoons and video games; these were for the most part off limits. Instead, the children needed to find wholesome fun. They were encouraged to read books, to watch educational videos, to play outside and discover, explore. They of course were always with her and her husband, and allowed to "help build the new house." Conversations galore were encouraged. Relationships tightened. And life went on.

The following year the mother was astonished to learn that her child wasn't even SLIGHTLY behind. Somehow, he was at grade level (or above) after their crazy year of "no schooling." But I told her she was mistaken. Yes she had homeschooled those children all year long. And the proof was in the pudding. Both children were more mature, had excellent focus, possessed far advanced skills than they had the year before across all areas of importance, and were right where they should be, grade-wise! Why was this? Well, ask yourself about the public school down the street. Remember when we were in school? Think of all the time wasted on lining up, trips to the water fountain, bathroom breaks, busy time cutting things up, gluing things in and coloring within the lines, etc., etc! Hours of wasted time! In homeschooling, every day is learning. Just keep the garbage out. Figure out what that is for your family. TV? Cartoons in excess? Too much gaming? Limit the junk and insist on worthy play times. Your kids will be brilliant. Keep them home where they belong. And pregnant mommies...relax. Use this year to read and play. Your kids are going to be just fine!

- Gena

Homeschool Heart

Prepare Yourself

If there's one piece of advice I have for pregnant homeschooling mamas, it is this: Don't be surprised when you think about quitting. There, I've said it. Kick me out of the club if you want to, but I just think it needs to be said sometimes.

Many, many dedicated homeschooling moms actually consider quitting homeschooling when they're pregnant. They're tired, not feeling their best, and soon enough they find themselves thinking, "Oh my goodness, if I'm already behind now, what will it be like once the baby gets here? We'll never get school done."

I know even as dedicated as I am to homeschooling, I found myself crying and fighting those thoughts when I was pregnant with my last little guy. And that's the key, realizing that those feelings are normal, yet focusing on the truth rather than your feelings.

The truth is that God's word tells us that the One who called us to homeschooling will be faithful to complete it. Just stay the course and continue on in faith.

... He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil. 1:6

- Nancy

Homeschool Freebies!

I wasn't an "official" homeschooler while I was pregnant. In fact, when I was pregnant I used to say I would NEVER homeschool. So, I don't really have any original ideas about keeping them busy while you're hugging the loo, or taking a nap other than investing in some educational computer software and having a strong TV signal to PBS. [grin]

But seriously, here's some good stuff ~ God's World News and The Old Schoolhouse have teamed up to offer YOU a free preview of their current-events newspapers! Specifically, they are offering free of charge the final two issues of the school year to any of God's World News' four papers: Early Edition (pre-K- 1st), Taking Off (2nd-3rd), News Current (4th-5th), or Top Story (6th-9th). To take advantage of this no- obligation offer, go to www.gwnews.com/tos2group to sign up (one for each grade- or reading level). Deadline for this free offer is March 30.

PLUS, when you sign up, you will be entered automatically into a drawing for a chance to win items from The Nativity Story. They 're giving away t-shirts, DVDs, posters, and CDs.

- Julie

Schoolhouse Store Spotlight

Pregnancy is most definitely one of those times you’ll want to streamline as much as possible. Jennifer Steward offers some great resources to help you school several children at once with unit studies. Everything You Need to Know About Homeschool Unit Studies and Everything You Need to Build a Unit Study Notebook will give you all the help you need to make the most of your teaching time with multi-level studies. A favorite resource of Gena Suarez is The Relaxed Homeschool by Mary Hood, which offers great advice on integrating schooling into life. Grande Cooking is a wonderful guide to help you stock your freezer with tasty meals to enjoy after baby’s arrival and Fast & Easy Recipes for Busy Homeschool Moms arms you with recipes for quick, healthy meals.

And don’t forget to pamper yourself a bit, too! Momma’s Guide to Quiet Times in Loud Households is a wonderful and uplifiting encouragement for all homeschooling mommies (pregnant or not). And we all know there are few greater indulgences than a good book. To find some exceptional reading see our recently added Lamplighter Books. An excellent way to start building a classic library for the baby-to-be.

-Dena

Jeneric Jeneralities

Unfortunately for us, Jenefer Igarashi has changed hats to become a valued reader of The Homeschool Minute rather than an ongoing writer for The Homeschool Minute. She can still be found at: www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/JenIG.

We wish her well in her quest to sleep until noon and sit around eating Bon Bons and curry all day. [grin]

Need help juggling the house, the kids, the teaching, the cooking and the relatives? Try “The Imperfect Homeschooler’s Guide to Homeschooling.” Written by veteran homeschooling mom Barbara Frank (Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers), this eBook is packed with everything you need to keep your homeschooling life on track, for only $11.95! Order within the next seven days, and you’ll also receive Cardamom Publishers’ Special Report, “Teaching Your Children to Write.” It’s practical advice you can use to turn your children, from tots to teens, into writers. Get yours now!

"I just wanted to say "Thank You"! I love your newsletter. My husband and I are adopting our first child/children. We are in the process of adopting a sibling group of three (3) brothers. The boys are 9, 11 and 12. They have never had a family setting where they receive love and understanding. Your newsletter helps me to understand myself, my family and these brothers. Somedays I think that my husband and I are alone in our beliefs and our morals, but with the beliefs and morals in your newsletter, I know that we are not alone. Thank you again."
~Alta ,THM Reader ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Julie,

I just wanted to thank you for your article for The Homeschool Minute on Manners this week. I wholeheartedly agree that it depends on where you were raised and how you were reared as to how you teach manners.... I have borrowed from other places and good examples I have seen around the country. My children do say "Yes, ma'am" and "Yes, sir" and they also call adults by Mr., Mrs. or Ms. It only took one trip to the South to see the benefit this would have in their lives. So, thank you for the article and thank you for being a southern mother and continuing with these traditions. Thank you for the weekly articles and I absolutely love The Old Homeschool Magazine! "

~Crystal, THM Reader ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"HI, I am a single HS mom (I already have a subscription from someone for Christmas). I was wondering if there was a way to put me in contact with this other single mom. I have very little support and could use someone in similar shoes with whom to talk. My family and friends think I am crazy - I was even told this two weeks ago, "That's what public schools are for, so you can have a six hour break. Thank you for all that you do ~ may God continue to bless your ministry. "

~Heather, Single HS Mom,

(Editor's note: Heather would love to connect with other single homeschool moms for encouragement. You can email her here.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I wanted to share how poignant this week’s Newsletter on Manners was to me. I should have read it yesterday when it came, but life passed me by. Instead I am reading it at quarter to 11 p.m. Just today, I was driving with my four girls to a friend’s house for a meeting and my oldest (17 yrs) was explaining something to me. As I was partially paying attention to her (and partially paying attention to my driving), I asked her a question which she had already answered in her explanation. When she responded with an attitude only a 17 year old can have, I sarcastically said, “Your patience with people is amazing.” After a long pause, she said, “Well, I learned from the best.”

I have to tell you how painful it was to hear her say that. I immediately knew she was correct. Within minutes, she reconsidered her comment. She graciously apologized (for which I am thankful), admitting she shouldn’t have said it. By then, I was silently driving with loads of tears streaming down my face because I knew it to be true. It is indeed painful to know my actions—humble or proud—are being watched and lived out. I will begin anew tomorrow.

Thanks so much for continuing to encourage."

~Valerie, THM Reader