Hint # 8:  Homeschool from the heart.  Do not be harsh with your children.  Sometimes it is hard as their “teacher” not to be stern but we have to be very careful what we are teaching our kids.  It is a lot more than reading, writing and arithmetic.  They will mirror our words and our ways.

Genesis 18:19

“For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for  Abraham what he has promised him.”

AND US TOO!

Hint # 7:  Take time to smell the roses.

Enjoy each day with your family.

Life passes  too quickly to be serious all the time.

One day you wake up and wonder “Where did the years go?”

Ecclesiastes 3:1

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Hint # 6:  If you know where your student wants to go to college and what subject they want to major in- go to the college’s website, check the requirements and read all fine print.  It will save a lot of time, money and mishaps!

Proverbs 16:9

A person may plan his own journey, but the LORD directs his steps.

Hint # 5:  Homeschooling and parenting is about mentoring your children spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally.  Balance is the keyword to everyone’s parenting!

Deuteronomy 11:19:

You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Hint #4:  Keep the long term in mind.  There will be easy days and hard days but ultimately listening to God and keeping your eye on the goal of raising God-fearing, balanced, and logically thinking adults will be a blessing for years to come.

Proverbs 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Hint # 3: Pray about curriculum choices for your family and each child.  Every child learns differently and God has a different plan for each one of us.  Do not get overly attached to curriculum: it  might  have worked in the past but sometimes you have to adjust your plan!

Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Hint # 2:  Starting your homeschool lessons with Bible study and devotions sets the tone for the entire day.

And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.  Isaiah 54:13

Hint # 1:  Always keep God first in your Homeschool day and your life!

Mathew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Happy New Year! May God keep you and bless you in 2012!

Our words are so important.  It is so easy to go through life not realizing the path of encouragement or destruction we leave behind us.  I hear so many people tear down their children and spouses and wonder why they have difficult home lives.

Are you an encourager?  Do you know how to look for the “good” instead of the “bad”?  It is just a matter of switching what you look for.  As a homeschool mom I have to be careful of this.  We are trained to mark what is “wrong” instead of praising the 99 % that is right!  Look for the good in other people and your family and you will find it!

Since this is going on my business and homeschool blogs, I want to thank a few special encouragers!  A very special thank you to Ray Higdon, Jake Kevorkian and Matt DiMaio!  Without your amazing leadership, encouragement and the “culture” you have created I would not be doing this article today!  You encourage everyone to do their best; even when we are not where we need to be, to keep putting one foot in front of the other.   We will succeed as long as we don’t quit!

I also want to thank my patient husband, Richard, and my 5 young men who are great encouragers.  They kept telling me “Mom, you can do it” even when blogging and Facebook were a foreign language.  I’m not there “yet” but with my family and a great team behind me I can walk into the future with confidence.

How about you?  Are you encouraging your team and family and bringing out the best in them?  We all have a learning curve to go through to become the best we can be for our families and our businesses.  Some of us take more time that others to learn those skills but the only way to succeed is to keep learning, growing and moving towards our goals.  Become the best “You” can be, Learn to be an ENCOURAGER!

Life is always full of twists, not always the kind we would like!  Today we were at an event put on by Youth For Christ.  The boys love to go and see their friends and have a great time.  Our youngest son was playing kickball, running for the base when he slipped and fell backwards.  In an attempt to stop falling, he put out his arm and broke it!  OUCH!  A good day turned not so great.  All we can do is ask God for peace and keep moving forward.  I know we all have had days like this and it is normal to ask “WHY”.  Life is full of ups and downs and as much as we would like to have only good days I know the Lord teaches us on the difficult days.  He teaches us to stay close to HIM, pray and appreciate the great days!  How about you, are you thankful for your great days and staying close to JESUS on the rough days?   Each day is a gift, live it close to Lord and learn to go with the flow!