Raising Arrows - Large Family Homeschool Life

Large family = Lots of dishes! Learn how to stay on top of the dish washing with a busy household and lots of littles!

Go HERE to get your Laugh and Learn Bible today!

In this episode:

• How to keep up with dishes when you only have little kids.
• How to set up dish washing chores when the kids get older.
• Resources to help large families manage all those dishes.
• And so much more!

Resources mentioned:

• LaughandLearnBible.com
• Bosch dishwasher
• FLYlady.com
• XXL Drying Mat (aff)
• Soap Wand (aff)
• Mystie Winckler's Simplified Organization classes (aff)

Is there a homeschooling skeptic in your midst? Do you feel like every time your turn around you have to prove your kids are actually learning? This podcast shares simple ways to "prove" your children are learning at home without making them regurgitate facts and figures on command!

Get the Laugh and Learn Bible for Easter this year! (tell the grandparents!)

In this episode:

• The real reason the skeptics closest to you quiz your kids.
• How your phone can be a powerful tool for convincing (and including) the grandparents.
• How to utilize the walls of your home to share your homeschooling experience.
• How to use hospitality to invite skeptics to understand and engage in your homeschool.

Resources mentioned:

• Laugh and Learn Bible
• Keepy app
• Wall-safe tape (aff)
• States & Capitals songs we use

How much should you expect of the young adults living in your home? What if they are going to college or have a job? How do you set rules and boundaries that make sense for your adult child and the rest of your family? Learn from our mistakes!

Read the post: Mistakes We Made Parenting Our Live-At-Home College Student

Resources mentioned:

• Empowering Parents section on adult children living in your home.

Simplify your homeschool by teaching the same subject to all of your children at the same time! Learn how in this episode!

Get your copy of Large Family Homeschooling HERE!

In this episode:

• Subjects that easily lend themselves to being taught all together.
• How to teach to varying ages.
• How to choose curriculum that helps you teach everyone all together.
• How to keep young ones engaged and older children challenged.

Resources mentioned (may contain affiliate links):

• The Homeschool Garden Morning Time plans
• Apologia Science
• Fix It Grammar from IEW
• Mad Libs
• Mystery of History
• Tapestry of Grace
• Peaceful Press
• Word Up! from Compass Classroom

Helpful podcasts & posts:

• Homeschool Mom Basket (post)
• #77 - How to Anchor Your Homeschool (podcast)
• #50 - How to Put Your Homeschool on Autopilot (podcast)
• Large Family Homeschooling (book)

Feeding a healthy diet to your large family takes coordination, time, and resources, but it's not as difficult as you may think. With a little creativity and grace, you can easily feed your family healthy meals that don't take all your time, energy, and money!

>> BUY Home Management for the Homeschool Mom

In this episode:

• How to avoid an "all or nothing" approach to healthy eating.
• Ways to simplify your meal rotation so you don't end up with decision fatigue.
• Stocking your pantry and refrigerator for easier meal planning.

Resources mentioned:

• Home Management for the Homeschool Mom
• Sidetracked Sarah Freezer to Slow Cooker meal plan (aff)
• Master Grocery List & Once a Month Shopping series

If your homeschool schedule feels chaotic and messy, you probably need to put some anchors in place to keep your homeschool day on track! Learn how in this episode!

Get your 30 day FREE TRIAL of Reading Eggs here!

In this episode:

• What are anchors?
• How do they help you build a consistent homeschool schedule?
• Why school needs to start (and end) the same way every day.
• What happened when I didn't anchor my day!

Resources mentioned:

• Morning Time Basket w/ Multiple Ages
• Podcast #50 - Autopilot Homeschooling

Keep your home tidy and festive this Christmas season...even with a lot of kids...even with homeschooling...even with all the stuff you have to do!

Get the Christmas Holiday Homeschool Planner >>

Get your FREE Christmas Movie Themed Parties >>

Get your FREE Christmas Eve Candlelight Vigil >>

In this episode:

• What we do for Advent & Christmas
• Why you should focus on tidying up rather than cleaning
• How and when to set up a "Tidy Up Time"
• How to get kids involved in cleaning up
• How to put your house "to bed" each night
• How to keep Advent traditions simple

Resources mentioned:

• Hot Punch recipe
• Jesse Tree ornaments
• Reasons for the Season devotional
• Christmas Holiday Homeschool Planner
• A Gentle Advent (plus others!)
• You ARE an Artist chalk lessons
• Music of Christmas class
• The Advent Jesse Tree
• Free Christmas themed movie parties
• Free Christmas Eve Candlelight Vigil
• Playmobil Nativity set

Homeschool moms are busy with a lot of things, but in our busyness are we neglecting to take care of ourselves? How do we balance all we have to do with our own needs, while avoiding the trap of selfishness? This podcast might step on a few toes, but it's time we addressed self care as a homeschool mom!

FREE 7 DAY TRIAL of Minno with code: RAISINGARROWSGo to >> GoMinno.com - The streaming service for Christian kids has all the classic episodes of Veggie Tales + thousands more!

In this episode:

• Why I don't like the term "self care" and what I prefer instead.
• Why homeschool moms are so stressed and in such need of "self care."
• How to create healthy "temple" habits.
• How to hit the "reset" button on your day.
• How to fit self care into your morning and evening schedule.

Resources mentioned:

• Podcast #69 (Relaxed Homeschool Mom)
• Podcast #45 (Sensory Issues)
• Podcast #52 (Mother Culture)
• Podcast #37 (Extracurricular Activities)
• How to Take a Homeschool Mom Sabbatical (blog)

Between education and entertainment, our children spend a lot of time in front of screens. How do we handle the balance of online and offline when there are a lot of kids in the house and a lot of school needing to be accomplished? This podcast gives you tangible, practical ideas for setting limits on screen time!

FREE 7 DAY TRIAL of Minno!with code: RAISINGARROWS GoMinno.com This streaming service for Christian kids has all the classic episodes of Veggie Tales + thousands more!

In this episode:

• How much school work should be done on the computer by age.
• Why I have a set time of day for screen time.
• How we organize TV time.
• Why Friday is "special!"
• Why Sunday is "different!"
• How long my kids get to play games.
• How to handle screens when you have adult children in the home.

Resources mentioned:

• Minno (7 day free trial with code: RAISINGARROWS)
• Weaning from the Screen (post)
• How to Get a Mommy-Break without the TV (post)
• Teaching Textbooks (post about how we use it)
• Reading Eggs (post about how we use it)
• Typesy (post about how we use it)
• Wattpad (online writing platform)
• Compass Classroom (online classes we love!)

Make your next day trip smooth sailing with these tips on what to pack, how to keep the kids calm, and much more!

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In this episode:

• How to make a family day trip enjoyable.
• How we avoid having phones and a DVD player in the van.
• How to make a van seating chart to avoid arguments.
• What should go in your Day Trip Bag & Diaper Bag.

Resources mentioned:

• What to Pack on a Family Day Trip (post)
• Van Seating Chart (post)
• Van Tour (video)
• Homemade Baby Carriers (post)
• How to Pack for a Large Family Vacation (video)
• interlocking baby toy rings
• muslin blankets
• soft-sided cooler
• first aid kit
• fleece lap blanket
• zippered water-resistant blanket
• collapsible trash can

(some links may be affiliate links - I make a small commission from purchases made through those links, including Amazon.)

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