The Home Front: The e-Newsletter for Military Homeschooling Families
September 2006
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In This Issue
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Commander's Report: What's new on the Home Front
By Trish Nonaka
Even if you've not already got in the swing of things and found your routine, chances are you have at least started another year of homeschool again. Although we homeschool year round, we have recently begun another year of lessons here on our Home Front. Matter of fact, we are about to take our first "break"! "The Grandparents" arrive in two days, and we plan to take them to see as many historical places as possible. What "Bug" doesn't realize is, it's really a great excuse for a "field trip" versus a vacation. What Mama doesn't realize, though, is she doesn't mind. To her, learning is a great adventure and fun. And hopefully, that's how it is at your home too.
It seems way too soon to be thinking of harvesting in terms of our homeschooling year, but this month we are looking at Matthew 9:38--Pray the Lord of the harvest will send forth laborers into the harvest. What are you doing to celebrate this season in your home? It's pretty exciting for us since we have not had autumn for a few years. Don't get me wrong. Hawaii is truly paradise, but the leaves don't change colors, smell great, and crunch under your feet. Apples and cider don't exactly abound there either. And you can just about forget having pumpkins!
We have a lot of great info for you here, so let's get to it!
Trish Nonaka
Commander-in-Chief/Editor, The Home Front e-Newsletter
www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/military
www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/MamaBugs
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Boot Camp: Books for Brats
By Cindy Burlingame
We all know the military life is far from easy. I have always wished I could find books to help explain our military life to my children. Well, upon searching, I came across a myriad of books on just this subject! I wanted to share them with you all, to help make your transitions easier.
- A Yellow Ribbon for Daddy by Anissa Mersiowsky
(This book presents difficult questions children may pose during deployment. Ages 3-6, 24 pages)
- Daddy Is a Soldier! by Kirsten Hallowell
(Great book for toddlers! Ages 2-4, 16 pages)
- Mommy, You're My Hero! by Michelle Ferguson-Cohen
(For moms who are serving too. 11 pages, Ages 3-6)
- Daddy's in Iraq, But I Want Him Back! by Carmen R. Hoyt
(This book outlines the stages of deployment for young children. 22 pages, Ages 3-6)
- Deployment Journal for Kids by Rachel Robertson
(This is a great way for children to record their thoughts and feelings during deployment. Ages 6-12)
- War? I'm Scared! by WeWriteKids
(This book is written from a child's perspective and talks about the events surround 9/11. 60 pages, Ages 9-12)
- Footsteps Around the World: Relocation Tips for Teens by Beverly D. Roman
(This book has workbook style text, with checklists for teens. 96 pages, Ages 13-18)
Cindy Burlingame is a Marine Corps wife and has been married for 16 years to the light of her life. She is homeschooling their two children. They are currently stationed at Camp Pendleton, California. If you would like to have your child interviewed for the "brats" section, or have any outstanding brat accomplishments or original brat works you would like to share, please contact Cindy at www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/cre8ivemom.
Chapel: The Harvest Is Plentiful
By Janet Kelly
Last month, The Home Front team shared verses with you all. They were verses for praise, wisdom, confidence, or encouragement. This month, we look at harvesting and gathering. With that in mind, let us look at how, through our homeschools, we can "gather" God's Word to impress on our own and our children's hearts. Or, even more importantly, why we should gather verses and teach them to our children.
Why do you homeschool? What is your philosophy of your child(ren)'s education? For us, and for many parents, it is to equip our child to be able to go out into the world once he is grown to impact lives for Christ. We want our son to be equipped with the knowledge of the Lord so he will be able to be 'in the world but not of it' as he pursues his calling in life. We also want him to be a harvester for the Lord when the time comes.
In Matthew 9:35-38, Jesus was traveling throughout cities and villages, teaching and proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom. In those travels, He saw many with "every disease and every affliction. When He saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, for they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:35-36, ESV). In the next verse, Jesus talks to His disciples about the harvest being plentiful but the laborers being few. Does the description of those crowds match what many of us see each day when we look at families that don't know the Lord? How about everyday people you pass on the streets? Doesn't this describe most of the world today?
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Our desire in homeschooling our son is, first and foremost, to train his character and his heart to be tender to God's leading. I believe that the academics will come if we place God first in our home in all we do. When he leaves our home, we pray that he will want to be a laborer for the Lord's harvest. So many people in our world today are harassed and helpless. So many wander like sheep without a shepherd. They need to hear the Good News of God's love and release. That is why focusing on training our children's hearts now is so important. I don't believe our children are equipped to be salt and light in the world until they are trained in their own faith and are allowed to grow in it and in maturity. That's why we, and many of you, keep our children home. As Gena (www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/TOSPublisher) says, "Keep them home where they belong." If our son stays with us, then he will be equipped to be the salt and light in the world when that time comes. He will be equipped to be a harvester for the Lord, and he will have the maturity, too. What do you see for your children? Do you desire for them to have a heart for the lost and to be a laborer/ harvester for the Lord's harvest? If the harvest is plentiful, let's pray earnestly for our children to grow in Him and desire to be harvesters for the Lord when they leave the protective shelter of our homes.
Janet is the wife of Army chaplain Mike Kelly and mom to one son. Currently stationed overseas, she expects to return to the US soon. Janet has begun her second year of homeschooling. Her desire is to encourage women to treasure God with all of their heart (Matt 6:19-21) and guard their heart (Prov. 4:23) by recognizing that they are the heart of their home. Check out Janet's blog for further meditation with additional verses for this and all other HomeFront Chapel devotionals. Visit Janet at www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/theheartofthehome.
Memory Verse: Matthew 9:38--Pray the Lord of the harvest will send forth laborers into the harvest.
Additional Verses: Where there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18 and Psalm 91
The Home Front Offers Prayer Support:
By Janet Kelly and Trish Nonaka
Are you a military homeschooler? Are you a homeschooling spouse, parent, grandparent, or child of a military member? We face many challenges and prayer can help ease those issues. Do you have prayer needs, concerns, or praises about either your homeschooling or military life?
We at The Home Front care about you and your family. We share your struggles and celebrations as fellow military homeschoolers. We consider it an honor and privilege to join with you in prayer. All requests remain completely confidential and within the confines of The HomeFront. Share only what you are comfortable in sharing ... all entry areas are optional! Submit requests at The Home Front military blog at www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/military or on any of The Home Front writers' blogs.
II Thessalonians 1:11 "With this in mind, we constantly pray for you… " (NIV)
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Chow Hall: Serving Up Something Different
By Trish Nonaka
By now, you know that Renee Giza, busy mama to five little ones, normally mans the Chow Hall. So, you may be wondering what I am doing in here. Trust me, I am asking myself this question as well. See, my family answers the question "How do you know dinner is ready?" by saying, "Because the smoke alarm goes off!" Well, Renee is on leave for a bit, so I am filling in for her right now. This month I am going to share a hint from Jenn over at military-homeschoolers@yahoo.com.
She writes:
Trish, as I was rereading the newsletter, I caught the "chow hall" section on easy dinner planning - this is something I have struggled with but recently found a great resource - it's a service called "dine without whine" - it's only about $5 a month - each week they send you a full week's menu complete with grocery list - the grocery list is coded so that if you decide you don't want to use a certain recipe, it's easy to go to the list and delete those items - the list is also organized by grocery store department. I have tried services and recipe books that offer similar programs but none have equaled this one - the problems I most often encountered were disorganized or lack of shopping lists and recipes that my family didn't like - so far I have been using DWW for three weeks and my family has loved nearly every recipe with only a few exceptions - usually, those were recipes that were easily altered to my family's tastes. I don't normally like to "plug" services that require payment but this one is well worth it! You can check it out at www.dinewithoutwhine.com
Coastie News: Allow Me to Introduce Myself
By Renae Meyer
The Home Front was looking for a Coast Guard wife, so here I am. My name is Renae. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 19 years this August. My husband has been in the Coast Guard for 21 years. We have lived in Oregon, Kansas (yes, the Coast Guard is there!), and California, and are currently stationed at Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, DC. We have been blessed with four great kids. We have a 13-year-old daughter, 11-year-old son, 5-year-old daughter, and 3-year-old son. God called us to homeschool our kids when our oldest was about to enter kindergarten. I would describe our methods of schooling as a little Charlotte Mason, a little eclectic, a lot of unit studies, and a lot of prayer. We simply desire to raise up our kids in the way they should go, enable them to give a reason for the hope that lies within, and pour our hearts and God's Word into them daily. I have learned through the years that God is good, He never changes (despite our many relocations!), His love is amazing, and when He calls us to do something, He will enable us to do it.
My home is in heaven. My house is where the Coast Guard sends me. My personal blog is at www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/keeperathome44.
Pass in Review: Homeschooling the High Schooler E-Book Review
By Jennifer McDonald
Do you have a child entering the high school years after many years of homeschooling? Or have you just begun this journey of homeschooling and your child is already a teen? Then have I got a resource for you! Homeschooling the High Schooler, an e-book compiled by Paul and Gena Suarez, the publishers of TOS magazine, is made up of practical essays written by veteran homeschoolers, as well as stories by a few homeschool graduates. As the TOS website states: "They share why they chose to homeschool through high school, some of the opportunities they took advantage of along the way, and the blessings they reaped from keeping their teens at home for high school."
If you're like me, you can experience some trepidation when approaching the high school years. Suddenly we need to understand how to compile transcripts, track credits--oh, and let's not forget planning for upper level math and science labs! Whether or not your child plans to attend college, even the most experienced parent can worry about getting it right. After all, we chose to homeschool because we want the best for our children. But often, homeschooling high school can be a lonely road. We personally know many long time homeschoolers who began putting their children in school once they reached high school age. Some of us may not know a single other family in real life who have homeschooling teens.
Well, never fear! The great thing about homeschooling now is that others have blazed a path before us, and we can glean wisdom from their experiences. Now, on to the book.
What You Get:
Homeschooling the High Schooler is an electronic book, which means you purchase it as a PDF file, for $12.45 at www.theoldschoolhousestore.com.
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It is 76 pages long and is viewed in Adobe Reader on your own computer. (You can also then print it out.) This book covers topics as varied as upper level math, how to convert apprenticeships and extracurricular activities into credit, recording credits, designing courses individualized for your child while still covering necessary topics, and dual college/high school enrollment. And there's much more! It was refreshing to see the different ways families approached high school and achieved success. I especially enjoyed the chapters written by real-life homeschooling graduates. They reiterated what I've long believed--most teens will appreciate having control over their own education and relish the ability to complete courses on their own timetable. Other helpful chapters address selecting a college based on Christian ideals and even early graduation.
As with any resource, take every personal story with a grain of salt and adapt it to fit your circumstances. For instance, I disagreed with one writer who stated that you must write a detailed syllabus for each course. For myself, I feel a book list and record of grades would work just as well, and I have heard from other seasoned homeschoolers that this will suffice.
Why Choose this Resource:
Let me say that I am not being paid by TOS to plug their new book. The opportunity for me to review this book came about as the result of a discussion among The Home Front writers about high school. As my oldest son is heading into tenth grade, I had numerous questions! Trish Nonaka, our "fearless leader," suggested I read and review this book, as this is such a timely topic for me personally. I have read other homeschooling high school books, but one of the big draws for me with this book is that it's so current. Amazingly, there is still a lot of misinformation floating around the homeschool world about graduating, such as you must have a diploma, or graduate from an accredited umbrella or charter school, to be accepted into college. Of course, these are personal decisions for each family and obviously can be a good option for some. But as an independent homeschooler, I needed to hear from other families that had done this on their own. It was like sitting in a room with old friends to read their stories. Many of the authors' names you will recognize, such as Inge Cannon, Rhea Perry, Christine Field, Maggie Hogan, and others. It's a delight to read "the end of the story"--i.e., this did turn out well for them and their children! They didn't just survive the "dreaded" teen years, they thrived!
So if you are homeschooling a high schooler, consider this resource a much needed "booster shot" of encouragement. I highly recommend it and plan to re-read it again just in case I missed anything the first time!
I am Jennifer McDonald, and I recently celebrated my 18th anniversary (!!) with my high school sweetheart, Steve. We have four always-been-homeschooled children, ranging in age from 7-14. We're an Air Force family, currently stationed in Northern California. I love reading, walking, scrapbooking, and cooking! Visit me at www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/AFJen88
Flag Pole: A New Deployment Resource and a FREE Gift
By Trish Nonaka
Cindy "Brats" Burlingame writes: I just found this excellent deployment resource! If you apply, they "adopt" your military member and send them cards and packages during the deployment! How cool is that? www.leavesmilitaryministry.org
Besides our Home Front Prayer Support discussed above in the Chapel, we are pleased to share with you that Jill Novak has graciously decided to give a copy of her wonderful book, The Gift Of Family Writing, in e-book format to any military family. Jill only asks that you leave her a comment and tell her about your family - even a story of something the Lord has done for you, and she will email the download link to you. We here on the Home Front have been reading, gleaning, and chatting about this wonderful gift since July and I don't think we're done yet!
Leave your story for Jill at www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/jillnovak.
Immunizations: You Might Be a Military Homeschool Mom If...
By Home Front Team
I asked the team this question, and we had a blast coming up with our answers. I will share some of them here and we hope you will either email YOURS to us or leave them in the comments of the blog so we can all read them.
You might be a military homeschool mom if...
- You're over the weight limit for your household goods because of all the books, curriculum, and science gear you have. (Renee)
- On that note ... Your movers strain under the weight of your (50!!) book boxes and grunt, "What? You got a library in there?" (Jennifer)
- And your reply is, "Well, yeah!" (Trish)
- You've had to change your name on the same online homeschool boards you've been on for years in order to reflect your current location.
- You actually plan out two months' worth of lessons to take with you in case your hhgsHHGs don't arrive as scheduled.
- You check the local library within hours of learning your new location.
- You sign up for Yahoo groups in your new home state to make friends before you arrive.
- It's more important to know the homeschool laws for your new state than which school district is "best." (From Sheri who has lived in the Pacific a long time ...)
- Your kids' grandparents ask them, "Where do you live now?"
- You spend so much time learning about the cultures of the places you live in that you realize you've never taught your children about the state or even the country they're from!
- Your 6-year-old loves sushi and kimchee and knows how to make both, but thinks meatloaf is "gross."
- Your kids think everyone eats rice for breakfast.
- Your kids know that when reveille is sounded, they stop, turn, and salute the flag.
- Your kids know what a night vision high-powered scope is and how it fits on a rifle.
- Once in a while, your field trip consists of going to an airfield to watch Dad rappel out of a helicopter, or to the beach to watch him snag the sail of a submarine from an inflatable raft.
- And Cindy says you might be a military homeschool mom if ...
The school plans you made change from week to week due to the military changing Daddy's homecoming date!
- You can laugh at everyone else who HAS to PCS during the summer so the kids don't miss school. You can move when it is convenient to your family, not the school system.
So how would YOU complete that sentence?
Mom's R&R: Do You Know Jenny?
Have you met Jenny yet? Or maybe you ARE Jenny! At the very least you will be able to relate to Jenny. Jenny is a comic strip about being a military spouse. She deals with all the same things we deal with every day of our military married lives, like PCSing, commissary runs, speaking military-ese, and more. Check it out... www.jennyspouse.com
Recruiting: PT/Drill Instructor
We are looking for someone to discuss health and exercise within the homeschooling arena. Sadly, for us, Emily Barba has had to put away her DI whistle and officially enter into her first year of fulltime homeschooling. We are grateful for her time and support and wish her all the best in her new assignment! So, if YOU have a background or strong interest in things related to health, fitness, exercise, etc., and would like to join this crazy team of military homeschool mamas, we dare you to write and tell us!
Contact Trish at HomeFront@thehomeschoolmagazine.com.
Final Address: Next Month's Battle Plans
November is Military Family Month! The Armed Services YMCA has sponsored Military Family Month for the past seven years and we will be bringing you news and information on this. Look for things about Election Day, Veteran's Day, and Thanksgiving, too. And get ready to learn Psalm 9:2--I will be glad and rejoice in you! Don't forget to stop by and see Homeschool Nations--Military Home Front at www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/military for regular updates and posts.
From our Home Front to yours,
Trish
Have you enjoyed this issue of The Home Front? If so, you'll want to take a look at all of the free e-Newsletters TOS offers to guide and encourage you during your homeschooling journey. Be sure to stop in to see which ones are best for you and your family! Click here for more information: www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com/devotional_door/subscribe.php
You may forward this e-Newsletter to your friends in its entirety.
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