Okay all you homeschooler/homesteaders out there, I have a question. Can we really have it all? Is it really possible to cook three meals a day from scratch, bake bread, keep a clean house, hang laundry on the line, sew clothes, take care of goats, chickens, pigs, bees, and turkeys, grow and can most of our meat, vegetables and fruits, feed the baby, train the children to work diligently and have good character, not to mention... teach Bible, reading, English, math, science, history, spelling, and handwriting. I won't even mention a home business. This is not an inexperienced mother talking here. Although we are newer to homesteading (and hence the conflict for time), we have homeschooled for almost 20 years and have a very large number of children (so in theory more "help".) We are not unorgainized. Either I am doing something wrong or it isn't really possible. We are the first generation in history, to my knowledge, who has tried to combine traditional homesteading and traditional schooling. It isn't working here, is it working anywhere? I want to have it all.

-- Gertie (hirefams@hmtc.net), April 19, 2002

Answers

I only have one kid, 2 acres of raised beds, a half acre orchard and no animals. We quit having animals so we could travel more. My daughter is an unschooler. Everyone does their own breakfast except on weekends when one of us might make huevos rancheros, pancakes or waffles for everybody ;-)Lunches are planned leftovers. I bake my bread in a machine, I use my crockpots a lot for suppers. I have no desire to *do it all* life is short ;-)

I used to can hundreds of quarts of food....now we have 3 freezers, a root cellar and a food dehydrator. We did have a CSA farm for 12 years. The kid was slave labor. I wish I had more kids ;-) I didn't do a very good job of scaring my kid off.....she just finished building her house on the edge of the garden ;-) I would get your kids to work more!

-- Peace and Carrots Farm, Vermont (wsm311@aol.com), April 19, 2002.

It takes lots of organization and a precise time schedule. I have to stick to my schedule no matter what! It can be done but is hard work. I have friends and family who think I just stay home, no work all play until they spend a day with me!! Most of us "homesteaders" do more than people think! Good luck.

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), April 19, 2002.

Gertie,

What isn't working and who says it isn't?

Are you trying to accomplish what is important to YOU or what others say SHOULD be important to you?

We are a homeschool family. There is a VAST difference in "traditional" and "un-schooling". You list the subjects you cover. Are you spending seperate time teaching each subject? If so, I believe you could make better use of your time.

For example, combine reading, writing and spelling with all subjects. Any written assignment can be used to practice penmanship and spelling. Reading is done everyday, everywhere. Have them read directions for you or recipes as you are cooking or labels on feed bags, or....

Make a list of what is important to YOU as a parent and as a family. The purpose of homeschooling, IMO, is not to have school at home the same as public school, but to customize things to fit your family.

Have you thought of teaching in the "unit study" methos? Konos is a good starting place for that. You should be able to find a used manual fairly cheaply.

Homesteading chores can be prioritized as well. Sure there are things that must be done everyday. Everything else can be arranged to fit your family.

Ask yourself what is important and why and to whom. Don't let yourself be persuaded by outside onlookers (family, friends) what SHOULD be important to you.

Sometimes we have to look at our life and decide which choices are best for us. There are many choices that are equally good in themselves, but too much of a good thing can be a killer.

I hope I've explained my thoughts well enough. Please don't think I am unsympathetic. This is something I have to remind myself of with some frequency. Good luck.

-- Mona in OK (modoc@ipa.net), April 19, 2002.

I think that the answer is to simply look at history. Prior to 1900 there were no McDonalds, no decent roads (at least out in the country) and very few homes outside the city were hooked up to electricity. People produced a large quantity of the food they consumed, and farms at that time tended to be multi-crop combined livestock operations. In short, this was a nation of homesteaders only a hundred years ago.

People canned their garden produce because that was the only option to purchasing their food- if they had a way to get it. We have many more options today than our previous generations did.

Read "Flight From The City" by Ralph Borsodi

http://www.soilandhealth.org/03sov/0302hsted/030204borsodi/030204borsoditoc.html

This book was published in 1933 (during the "great depression") and describes Mr. Borsodi's adventures of leaving New York City and moving to the country in 1921. The book is well worth reading. They "had it all" and showed how "having it all" stacked up against the emerging consumerist society that America was trying to become. And, yes, they were homeschoolers. IN THE 1920's!

I have often thought that the main problem with homesteading is that many do not want to let go of "traditional" notions of how things should be done. In addition, there is a serious lack of the proper tools to do the job.

1 example: canning spagetti sauce. I want a vacuum pressure vessel, so that I can boil off the excess water in the tomato puree without having to apply a lot of heat to it. Running a negative 15 to 25 psi would do the trick nicely, and allow the water to get boiled off at about 80 to 100 degrees, QUICKLY. That would preserve the vitamins and nutrients in the tomato puree. The end result would be suitable as tomato paste, catsup, spagetti sauce, or tomato sauce, just vary the processing. The problem is finding such a vacuum boiler. It's hard enough finding a large stainless steel pressure cooker!

Read the book linked to above. It's well worth reading, and shouldn't take more than a few hours. It should give you some ideas.

-- Woody (woodmeister@hotpop.com), April 19, 2002.

Oh my Gertie! You have said a mouthful. Compared to you, I am totally new at this- our oldest is 9 and has always been home. We only have 4 kids all together. I have recently been frustrated with our school because it seems we don't combine things enough (like reading, spelling, English, handwriting) so next year I'm simplifying and going to the old fashioned reader, speller, arithmatic books. That's it. We will suplement with other things but my main goal with my kids is to teach them to find whatever it is they want to know. Teaching them how and where to find it. And ENJOY them! Thay are great people!!

We cut hay on shares and buy the rest of our animal feed. The kids have animal chores from youngest to oldest. They do a good job wanting to help if they can see what happens when they get done. Son gets computer time...girls can watch a video or craft or scrapbook. Abd everyone can play out (if we ever have true spring:)) But I am not a wonderful housekeeper. We have clean clothes and clean dishes, but there are often cobwebs in the corners and dust on the piano....it'll keep, it hasn't crawled away yet.

I guess what I'm saying is you can do it! If me-Mrs. disorganized- can do it fairly well, you who are organized can too! My biggie is just prioritize and realize that it's gonna be hectic OFTEN and this too shall pass, and God will bless the effort if it's where He wants us! Hang in there! And have a date with the father of those babies, even if it's picnic in the barn! Keep us updated, Cara in OR

-- Cara Dailey (daileyd@agalis.net), April 19, 2002.

Gertie, when you and your kids are doing all the work and having all the fun too, of homesteading, you ARE schooling them and giving them some of the most valuable "schooling" there is! I know other subjects are need also, but as per the above posts, you can "combine" this stuff. I learned math(cooking, milking, dressing out stock, poultry and game for selling). History(reading about the role of horses, cattle and other stock in the history of our country and the rest of the world). Geography etc etc. on our little ranch. When I did start a public school, I was ahead of the others in my class. Of course we were voracious readers too. I think you CAN do this, just don't let it get you down. Good luck, I know it is hard but doable. LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), April 19, 2002.

In a perfect world, yes it would all co-exist and work together perfectly. However, we don't live in a perfect world! So, we do what we can to work toward these goals everyday. Some days we accomplish more than others. Some days we eat completely homegrown meals and some days we don't. We are happy that we are trying and doing our best to be self sufficient and to homeschool our son. Yes, we do get frustrated that we can't do it all perfectly right now. If my husband and I had met at a much younger age, we would probably have achieved all of these goals by now, but we wouldn't be the same people that we are now either. Like you, I am one of those people who want to have it all right now, but recent life events have made me less driven to my own idea of perfection and more open to being happy with what I've got and what I can do with it. Hope this helps, good luck, lighten up on yourself and be happy you're not trying this lifestyle in Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan or any number of other places right now. We are truely blessed to be living where trying this lifestyle is fairly easy.

-- rose marie wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), April 19, 2002.

Gertie, I have homeschooled my daughter now 15 for since third grade. Before that she went to a Christian School. We were a daycare home at that time and it provided income for our family as well as our ministry. I couldn't have home schooled her and take care of 15 children under the age of 4 years. TDuring the last 7 years we have been in the Appalachain Mtn. on a 5 year mission trip and back home for 2 years where we generate income with our computer by Mystery shopping. I found an article someplace that says "how a homeschool Mom changes a light bulb." 1. go to library and check out books about light bulbs and Thomas Edison. 2. Do skit of the life of Thomas Edison. 3. Maybe visit a electrical plant or generatoring plant. 4. etc. I can't remeber all the other steps. Have one child change athe light bulb. The bottom line is all this with no text books. Did the kids have school? I think so. Rachael (our Daughter) Studies history/geography, Math, spelling/Language Arts. from work books that we buy. She enjoys playing basketball for our Christian Homeschoolers league in the fall/winter and softball for the local Rabe Ruth sports complex in the spring/summer. When we have the opportunity to be around traditionally schooled girls her own age she far outshines them in every way socially, intelligentlly etc. Maybe a proud Mom talking but she's a great kid. I agree with Mona Homeschooling does not have to copy traditional schools and don't let outsiders pressure you into thinking it does. On the homesteading side for our family of 3 1 being a teanage girl. We spend about $100.00 a month on store bought food and our homestead provides the rest. We have 8 acres and raise goats for milk and kids to sell or butcher. Rabbits to butcher or sell. Chickens for eggs. Border Collies to breed and sell puppies. Turkeys for food. Barbardo sheep for meat. Large garden for fresh and canned veggies. Small orchard for fruit and next years grapes from grapevines the neighbor has started for us. Extra produce that we can't use is sold to the local grocery store at wholesale. Being off the sidewalk and because of retail licenses we have chosen not to sell produce from our house so we wholesale to grocery stores or produce markets. I do use a bread machine but grow and grind own wheat for bread. I also spin yarn to make sweaters for gift as well as personal use. I can sell had spun yarn for a good price. I can shear the sheep clean the wool, card it and spin it and crochet (not knit) just about anything. I also sew all my own clothes but do have to buy shoes. I look for store going out of business and buy several pairs of tennis shoes in the needed sizes sometimes 5-8 pair at a time for $2.00 a pair or so. So bottom line yes it can be done.

-- Linda (awesomegodchristianministries@yahoo.com), April 19, 2002.

Hi Gertie, I have to agree with almost everything mentioned here. I have 4 young children, we have animals, I sew, cook, can, *CLEAN*, quilt, knit, have a huge garden, homeschool our children...and also have a home buisness. That is not including our church activities, or any of the many fellowship evenings we have here. I can't honestly explain how we have time to fit this into our day, aside from sheer determination. We all have the same 24 hours to work with, it is absolutly possible. I struggle sometimes with hearing what my friends children are learning in school. Oh really...I think, they are already learning handwriting..well, I haven't even thought of that yet! Then I jump on the band wagon, start teaching it-and it hits me. Maybe we aren't handwriting, but we are baking together, walking through the forest naming the different trees, waiting with anticipation as our first foal is due anyday now, checking the henhouse (almost hourly~) and the list goes on. We do have our schooling everymorning as well, but it is not the "traditional" method. When we took them out of "fake school" as they call it, we had to leave their teaching behind us. We work completly as a family, as you surely understand. It's from one chore to the next, but is is so enjoyable for them. As far as my sewing is concerned, I don't allow myself that "treat" until all the work is done, and the children are tucked into bed. It's my evening relaxation. You can combine those subjects quite easily. for instance-a tree can be math *what is the circumferance* history..how old is it, where is it native? artistic...drawing a picture, and writing a "story" on the tree for grammer and penmenship. I do not mean to implify that you are not thinking in this way, just that you should never ever compare yourself to what you may see others doing. I would love for the education board to come to my home and test my children. They know so much that comes from learning naturally. I could have well lived a hundred years ago (I'm 28) but I do enjoy my modern conveniences ie: my breadmaker and cream separater. Teaching our children of the love of the Lord, happens all day long. My 8 yr old son gets up at 6:00 with dad every morning to study the bible. It doesn't have to be formal...live your life the best you can for the Lord, and your children will see and model you and your husband. I know you can do it, keep up the good work.

God Bless you, Aimee gosse.

-- Aimee Gosse (aimeegosse@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.

Well, two things:

One is do you really *want* to do all of those things or do you just feel like you should? If you truly *want* to do all of those things they'll be much easier to accomplish than if you just feel that you should.

Second is how you define work and play. I just had this coversation yesterday with one of my best friends. He's not really into the homesteading concept though he does do some of the same things I do (I believe more because his wife wants him to than anything else). He gave me the old saw about all work and no play to which I replied that it depends on how you define work and play. I'm out there hoeing the garden, raking the mulch, planting whatever because I *want* to be doing those things. Work is what I get paid to do forty hours a week Monday through Friday at a job that I have no interest in and would flee at a moment's notice were it not for the fact that I simply must have it for the income and benefits. I work a great deal harder for no immediate financial recompense than I do at the job that does pay but I *like* what I'm doing at home.

Resolve those two things and even if it takes you seventy hours a week you'll get all of those things you mentioned done and not feel overworked. Of course, you probably won't have time to watch a lot of television nor spend a lot of time on leisure activities but if you're doing what you *like* then not only will you not miss them you'd probably resent the time you'd be spending on them even if you were doing them. This was the point I cannot seem to get across to my friend.

.......Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), April 19, 2002.

From one tired mom to another. You are right. We can't do it all. But I bet we could do a lot of it. I guess our biggest challenge is to choose wisely. One thing I know - busyness, stress and the contention it brings into our homes are the arch-enemies of the family. God bless you and your family. It helps me to remember you are all out there working "alongside" me. On your mark, get set, GO!

Sara Perry

-- Sara Perry (Momofseven@home.com), April 19, 2002.

I can't do it. Maybe some people can, frankly, I just don't have the energy!

I bake once or twice a week. The oldest child is on a modified form of the Robinson curriculum. The way it works is this- the child does Saxon Math first thing in the morning. Then they write an essay. The essay is checked for spelling and grammatical errors, and handwriting. They are supplied a variety of books to read and are encouraged to follow their interests. History can be covered in novels, or nonfiction books that make history interesting. For example, I learned a lot about the French Revolution by reading Victor Hugo's books, and about English history through Charles Dickens. Science can be taught through experiments and projects. For example, read a chapter of the science book one day, and the rest of the week do activities that support and prove what the chapter was about. If it was about plants, gardening would dovetail nicely, about trees and the cambium layer, how about grafting, cooking and soapmaking can teach about chemistry, as well as measurements. Raising animals always teaches a lot about reproduction and the basic life cycle.

We do not have a strict four hours of schooling, half an hour on each suject. The Saxon math can take an hour, or it can take all day. It's my son's choice, but he can't play until it's done. I don't sew all our clothes. It may have been practical in times past, but when I can go to the local thrift store and find what I need, for a dollar or less, and better than I could make, why?? I cannot purchase the material for a dollar. I do sew when I want something special or that I can't find cheaply. In that case, I make up a simple pattern, and sew the play clothes out of fabric that will wear well, and reinforce the knees with three-four layers of fabric. That saves on mending!!

The kids can hang the laundry on the line. I don't bake every day, either, maybe once or twice a week. Believe it or not, people are impressed that I bake at all. So don't feel bad if you don't bake all your own bread. We do eat three hot meals from scratch, most of the time- if scratch counts storebought tomato paste and pasta, and such. But I don't cook up a full spread of meat, mashed potaties, three or four veggies, biscuits, jam, etc, for every meal. We have oatmeal every other day for breakfast, something quick for lunch, often made from leftovers cooked with eggs, and then for dinner we have a main dish. There are no side dishes to speak of most of the time. Usually it is pasta with some sort of sauce or veggies, or rice and beans, or rice with stir fried veggies, or a soup, maybe with homemade bread, if we have meat, it'll be a pot roast or a meat stew. And the main dish is just that, the main dish, pretty much the only dish. In summmer we may have salads to go with it. Desserts are a treat, we have dessert maybe once a week. In season, fruit can double as dessert, just simple fruit, the way it is, not cooked into a pie or anything.

We don't have time to raise so many animals, either. We just focus on what is the most productive and worthwhile for us, goats and ducks. Someday, maybe we'll get bees. In your case, I'd start with just one animal, the chickens, or maybe the goats. Do them for a few years until you have that down pat and the family knows how to take care of them. Then, maybe add another animal. Keep in mind, the people of bygone days had learned about livestock and farming from the time they were little kids. We don't have that advantage (well, some of us don't).

We do grow some of our food in the garden, and I try to focus on crops that we use a lot of, and that woudl be expensive to buy. Wheat would not be practical for me to grow, I can buy organice wheat and we don't have the space. Potatoes we grow, but could buy. We grow a lot of onions, because organice onions are non existent around here, and garlic, it's expensive and we use a lot of it. We also grow tomatoes, zuchini and winter squash, and spinach, and kale (which reseeds if you lets it, so fater the first year you don't have to plant it anyomore.)Anything after those crops is pretty much just frills- it may be nice, but we try to concentrate on the crops that we use the most of and that we can store. Can't store lettuce, and it bolts quickly, I don't grow much of it. Peppers are hard to grow here, so I may try one or two plants, but don't invest a whole lot of effort into them. I try to grow things that don't need to be canned (can you tell I'm not too fond of canning?) or that can be water bathed easily, like cucumbers can be made into pickles. But the main emphasis is placed on crops that produce a lot, with little work, and provide good food value for the amount of work. Another reason I don't plant much lettuce. I don't can veggies unless they can be water bathed, because I'm afraid of pressure cookers. Besides, they taste better fresh. I do can fruit and jam, if the fruit is going to spoil. But with something like apples, that will store, I don't. It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't have time for the frills. I can't see canning winter squash when it stores so well the way it is.

Oh, and my house, it isn't that clean. flylady.net and I are working on that. Maybe, if I had a daughter that was old enough to help around the house, maybe more could get done, with the cleaning, cooking, canning, and sewing. I guess the point of what I an trying to say here is- don't wear yourself out tying to do it all. Compromise. Decide what really matters to you. Do you really need the turkeys? Do I really need to grow ten different varieties of tomatoes? Do we really need to grow our own everything? No. Do what you can, and what you enjoy. Don't wear yourself out fulfilling a fantasy, only to realize it wasn't your fantasy, or that you didn't want to pay such a high price for it. Becasue you can do it all, I've seen it done. You know what? It's often done at the expense of the children and wife. The children do their homeschooling,(if there's time) and then work their little fingers to the bine the rest of the day. They sure learn how to work! They sure get the work done, and they make a lot of things possible, but, I have seen it done at the expense of their health and childhood. And the wives? Sometimes they burn out and stop trying. Some go wild and rebel and never want to live in the country again. Others just grow weak and thin and look tired. Most of them start resenting their husbands. I can't think of a single soul, who has done it all, that was someone I could want to emulate (well, except for Vicki Weaver, and she's dead. I have no idea how she did it.) So I would sit down, and decide what's most important to you. What are the real priorities? What do you really have to do yourself, and what can you buy, maybe from another homesteader, who's been working and perfecting what they're good at for years. It'd be nice to present a jar of pickles and say, I grew everything in this jar myself- the cucumbers, the spices, I even made the vinegar. But not at the expense of my children or my marriage, or our health.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 19, 2002.

Yes, I belive "we" can have it all, and get it all done, ...just maybe not all on the same day.

At this very moment my 8year old is watching history channel[that counts as school, we unschool], I am about to go plant more grass in my back yard and clean it up, some time later to night I will get the dishes done, we don't eat three meals a day because my hubby is a truck driver [he isn't home] my oldest is at work [at taco bell, he eats there] the two of us at home are over weight anyway,[but not too much].

Even when we have "too much to get done" it just gets put on a priority list, and anyone able takes a job, I do think it is much harder now than in years passed, children get ideas that they shouldn't 'have to do that' so that puts more pressure on mom or dad to do it all, but if the help isn't there for me I don't help them with what they want, gee, you think child services will show up because I won't peel a carrot for my 8 yr. old? or maybe he isn't mature enough yet, what maybe by the time he is 30 or 40 ????

I see my "JOB" as a manager 1st and a facilitater 2nd and a do-er 3rd, it is often harder than just doing it myself to start with. If I have to do a job for someone else, I don't feel bad for them not likeing what there is to eat, and oh boy, do I get sweet talked when I have time to cook a full meal, Oooooh, it's "What can I do, Mom?"; "Can we eat at the table?, can I put the dishes on the table for you?" and so on .....

-- Thumper/inOKC (slrldr@yahoo.com), April 19, 2002.

Homesteading and homeschooling shouldn't just co-exist....they can compliment each other beautifully! have those kids help you do some of the stuff around the homestead and they'll be learning lots more than they would in a reg. school....

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), April 19, 2002.

Gertie: Hello! Well we are a homeschooling/homesteading family that has been doing so for over 15 years. We are also a large family by some people's opinion. There are a total of 8 children although my older son's are 25 and 23 and are away from home pursuing their education/careers. So, I only have those under 18 at home. However, we did not start out doing everything that you mentioned although we do most of it now. It took some time for me to learn those skills myself (I was raised going to boarding/private schools and had never cooked a meal when I got married.) Some things that worked for us might for you. Year ago, I met with an older women (Titus 2:2) that had raised four sons and homesteaded at the edge of town. She gave me so much sage advice and counsel that I had enough to get going. Tip #1. Assign every child as many chores as they are old. However, when it comes to priviledges (books from the library,being able to stay up an 1/2 hour longer,etc.) the older child in turn get more of those. If the younger children complain about the extra priviledges, just ask them if they want more chores also? Tip#2. Only start as many animal projects as you have children old enough to take careful responsibility of them. If the chickens are out of water, my husband knows exactly what child needs to take care of it. We began what we called the "School of Country Living". Every spring we would take on one new project. We started with chickens. Because my husband and myself were just learning also, that was as much as we could keep up with ourselves :) We then incorportated that as a science project with our homeschooling. We would get books on chickens, visit people who had chickens, planned/built the chicken house,etc. You can get the picture. Next year new project. Tip #3 Simplify your lifestyle. Don't keep up with anyone else. Have a yardsale in town at a friends, get rid of the unnecessary things. I am only gone from home one afternoon a week for all errands, dentist appt., piano lessons, etc. and then again on Sunday for church. I also love being home. Tip #4 Plan your life according to the seasons. Sew/mend in the winter, not the summer. Of course, you are doing the bulk of your homeschooling also in the winter. In the winter, I also spend more time trying to improve my cooking skills, such as this winter I learned how to make whole grain cornbread, waffles, pizza dough. I do cook from scratch, but wanting to eliminate all white flour/sugar. In the summer, outside projects get priority. This year we hope to get the greenhouse up. Tip#5 My philisophy on Homeschooling. Certain skills are either ones you know or don't know, such as grammar, spelling, math. Other learning skills such as science and history are much more open ended. Therefore in homeschooling we use skillbooks for the three R's and use more hands on, videos, projects for history and science. Tip #6 Try to get your living expenses down so that there is a greater possibility of getting your husband home at least part of the day and still pay your bills. This has only been possibly for us the last 7 years and what a difference that has made in our family life. The children love having him home and he is here to oversee the care of the animals in the barn, work with the boys outside. In closing, I think that one of the greatest handicap that women that are new to hometeading have today is that there is so much you want to learn and either no one to teach you hands-on or just the amount of skills is over whelming. I tell my daughters that they have a 20 year head start on where I was when I got married. Somehow, IMHO, our mother's generation dropped the ball.

-- Marie in Central WA (Mamafila@aol.com), April 19, 2002.

my suggestion is use your homeschool time and you "work" time to develope what I call a "curriculum for life" in other words use math, grammer, spelling and other things while you do your work each day. Homeschooling is just that HOMEschooling don't try to make it like public central do it your way in your time isn't that the point anyway. Trust me your child will get a lot more out of learning math by using it to double a recipe or count eggs then they ever will using algerba that is taught in public school even the kids ask why do we have to learn this (algebra) I'll never use it anyway .

Homestead Farms in Elm Mott Texas have a lot of books they have published on homeschooling and they really work at least 700 families of their group think they do.

Rome wasn't built in a day so don't be so hard on yourself Blessings, Sally

-- (mallardhen67@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.

ok wow there are a LOT of long posts on this page, but i'll still put forth my suggestion. for homeschooling your kids, i'm assuming that you're thinking of teaching each subject every day. my suggestion is don't. for example, block scheduling (like public school). it's a lot easier on the teachers and the students. teach, say, bible, history and english (which includes spelling and handwriting)on mon, wed, and fri. (call it an "even day") and math and science ("odd day") tues and thurs. then switch the next week to odd days on mon wed fri and even days tues adn thurs, etc. etc. see, it helps to have bible, history adn english together because they all deal with history adn reading. it's easy to have math and science in the same day because they are very much tied together. if you don't do block scheduling maybe have a fixed sched like odd days always on mon wed fri adn even days always tues and thurs. this way it's easier on your lesson planning time and you ccn spend more time on one subject. plus your kids will only have a couple subjects of homework a nite (if you so choose to give it) vs. every subject every night.

good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- C (punk_chicadee@yahoo.com), April 19, 2002.

oh and did i mention scheduling classes like that helps them get used to schedules in college??!? it does!

-- C (punk_chicadee@yahoo.com), April 19, 2002.

Although I do not homestead or homeschool howeverI think that what I have to say would is valid. In the past people did not do everything. People did a lot but most kids had A pair of cloths. They often didn't have hygene practices like we do taday and there were more people around to share work with. Maybe one person down the road did one thing well or grew one type of plant or whatever. No farmer had the quality of life that we expect today and was totaly self suffecent. You are living in a different world and must change your goals accordingly. I have seen many posts by people who keep jobs for the benefits and income but still try to grow their own food and such. This is reasonable. 100 years ago if you got sick you died. Today people expect to be able to go to a doctor. Just like a homesteader 100 years ago couldn't expect to afford this you shouldn't either. People had a lot of problems that we don't think of when we invission self sufficiency. The level of nutrition, lifestyle, medical care, and education that you (and americans in general) are trying to provide your children with is infinitely higher than anyone in the history of the world has ever been privaleged to. Remember this and give yourself a break.

-- Erika (misserika129@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.

I read my post (after clicking send) and would like to clarify that I do not think that homesteaders should not expect medical attention. I meant that it would be reasonable to assume that you would have to have some sort of modern source of income (a "regular" job) to afford such a modern "luxury". Sorry about that.

-- Erika (misserika129@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.

Hi Gertie, I am the one that started the 'I hate homeschooling' thread a while back. Well, guess what? I'm homeschooling again. It is very different this time, though. See if you can find that thread in the archives. It is full of great suggestions. I am unschooling this time, but with a twist. I do teach traditional math and reading, but that's all. We have been working on building worm bins, rabbit hutches, and renovating an old henhouse to put the hutches in. We watch the bees and discuss polination. We planted broccoli and talked about healthful eating. We went for a walk and imagined how native Americans might have lived. We talked about trapping and gathering. We prepare food and discuss how eating is necessary for survival, but also, how it has become a social event, all the while showing them how to measure, double, etc.. The older kids (and I mean 9 and 10) have VOLUNTARILY begun to teach the younger ones (7). They work with them in math and reading ON THEIR OWN! Want to know my secret? I shut off the TV. No kidding. No TV till the sun goes down. That's it. In case you were wondering, we have 5 children at home. He has 2 more in VA and I have 2 grown (one lives nearby and the other is in the Navy). So I am not new to parenting either. I have been homesteading for almost 18 years, but I don't even TRY to do it all. I do raise animals, bake bread (I'm not a fanatic about it- sometimes I use a bread machine and sometimes I buy it), I raise a garden (I didn't last year- I needed a break), I keep a CLEAN house. Everyone does his part. I require all of them to work as long as I do on housework, but I usually do the hard stuff. I asked them today if they preferred public school or homeschool. Every one of them said homeschool. Feel free to email me, if you want to talk.

-- Gayle in KY (gayleannesmith@yahoo.com), April 20, 2002.

Everyone has chores that contribute to the maintenance of the household. As the children grow, chores are assigned as the child "deserves" the responsibility. Has everyone forgotten the thrill of "being in charge" of a certain responsibility??? That's the difference between being forced to do a thing and being rewarded for a job well done. POSITIVE reinforcement rather than this is your millstone. You bake once a week. You put hour husband in charge of that effort once a month. That's usually enough for him to realize your, and the kids efforts are worthy. Formulas. Hmmm, how many table spoons make a quart? Since it's a non acid food, how many psi should greenbeens be canned at for how long? And above all, if your kids ask a question, don't balk, don't blush, don't present dogma. If you don't have the answer (theirs may not be yours) point them in the direction of where they might find that answer with out your oppinion interferring with their answer. Truth is truth, and if you don't interferre with it, the less they'll resent you in the future for slanting thing away from reality and towards you want reality to be. The more you let them roam, within reason of course, the more they'll respect you in the future. You give children choices, guidelines of how you view the world. And you don't just say, "because I told you so" you explain why, how and why they should too. They'll listen. Unless you're completely unreasonable. It's not just the world that takes our children away, it's our own unbending interpretation of it that sometimes drives our children away. I have a view of the world that isn't quite flattering, but my son, had he lived, would have found everyone, everything, every vista, unique. He had a God given soul more accepting than mine.

-- Dennis Enyart (westwoodcaprine@yahoo.com), April 21, 2002.

Sure you can do it, you have lots of good advice here. Ever hear of 'divide an conquer'? You are dividing yourself too small, and all these things are conquering you. You have history, well if the kids read it, then it is reading too, two subjects down. Don't overly divide each subject, what is the point? Sewing combines math and art. Oh ya that is math, 'upper' math no less. Quilting is geometry at it's best. Science; well do you not garden? Do you not have animals? All that is science; agronomy, biology, entomology, meteorology, pomology, plant pathology the list goes on and on when on a farm. Do you not cook? Chemistry and math, it was easy to teach fractions in the kitchen; 1/2 cup, 1/4 teaspoon, ... 3 teaspoons is one tbsp. ... etc. Let the kids do much of the work, if you don't get it right; the food isn't edible. There is nothing more motivating than a baby animal that needs your care. Talk about them learning that this stuff is important. Just because it didn't come from some stupid book, doesn't mean your not educating your child. Life (experiance) is the best teacher. Forget testing, why that doesn't prove anything other than you know how to take a test. Having a sick baby live after a difficult birth, now that is worth more than any test score. Let them take care of the animals, clean the barn, milk the goats, tend the chickens, gather the eggs, etc. Mine have done all this. My oldest daughter tends the goats, she milks, and to keep the barn clean. She is the best to have around when there is a birthing problem. Some day she could make a wonderful mid-wife if she so chose, she has delivered 5 baby goats that were misrepresented. Now that is medical science! My son is a great mechanic (math & science), and tends to many things including the animals, he has raised pigs, and is now raising a calf. My youngest tends to the birds, and does the dishes. They all do thier own laundry by hand, hang their clothing on the line. All three are very good cooks. They are all capable of taking care of themselves, and the farm without any supervision. That is how I taught them. I showed them, then 'let them catch their own fish'. I admit I have lost some animals, (a coop door left open, sick baby went unmedicated, and such) but they soon learn, these things are very important. Oh you can have some of every thing, just not all (excessive). Your foremothers did everything, and there is no reason you can't do it too. When I run into an obstacle, I just think 'what would my Great Grandmother do?' And a solution is soon at hand. 'Excess' is not a word she knew, and it shouldn't be one you try and reach for either.

-- T Carroll (caerhuill@att.net), April 21, 2002.

Hi from the worlds most disorganized, fly in a million directions at once homeschooling homesteader. My dustbunnies have names :o). I have it way easier than you do....just 2 kiddos(however I'd be willing to swap my 13 yr old boy for 3 other kids and I bet it would still be easier!). The advice you have received so far is excellent. You may be in a similar situation....I can't unschool....hubby won't let me. He insists that I teach them just like 'real' school. He did the schooling last week and the kids were doing school from sunup to sundown(torture for them and me). You might have a similar husband. Which brings me around to the most important piece of equipment you have.....your spouse! If your spouse is supportive it makes it sooooo much easier. Mine is supportive in some things and a hindrance in others. First thing you need to do is have a whole house cleaning. Not just rounding up the dust bunnies either. Get rid of anything you don't use. Clutter makes housework so much harder. Go through your animals and cull....cull hard if you need to. Little Dexter may be the goat that you pulled out of the creek and saved his life but is he contributing anything to your livelyhood? Sometimes you have to run a farm like a business. My weakness is chickens...I just love em, but sometimes it is time to figure out which of my girls are laying and which need to become stew. Make up a chore chart for the children. Poster board is great stuff...thinking about repapering my walls with it :o). Take your poster board and make a list of all routine chores around the house, then affix a piece of velcro after a chore. Make up pieces of posterboard with everyones names on them (make several with each name) then put on the other piece of velcro. This way you can take just a few seconds in the morning to assign chores(give stiff penalty for changing names around). My children do as little work as they can possibly get away with...and just when they are getting big enough to be a real help. I made up a notebook that gives details of what each chore entails(put em in a 3 ring binder inside those clear page keeper things). For example..Bathroom: clean inside of toilet, outside of toilet, sweep and mop whole floor including behind toilet,....you get the idea. I do not believe in giving allowances.....I feed them and clothe them and I haven't killed em yet :o). Which brings me to the next thing...clothing. You cannot make clothing as cheap as you can buy it from goodwill, thrift stores or garage sales. I've worked out of my home as a seamstress for years now...been sewing as long as I can remember. It just isn't possible. You can be putting your time to better use producing food. I do still sew clothes but I do it because I want to....not because it contributes to our budget. Try to eat from your garden as much as possible in season. Canning takes lots of work and time. I'd rather store it in our bellies. Try to extend the gardening season as long as possible. During winter months we eat things like meat, bread, beans, and rice. I buy dry goods in bulk(rice, beans, wheat, etc). I can't grow food as cheaply as I can buy these. Someone else made an excellent suggestion on TV....except I recommend removing it from the house completely. I've been praying for quite some time now for the Lord to lay it on my husbands heart to do away with the TV.....last week my prayers were answered. The TV is still sitting in the living room but he cut the power cord on it. The kids think they have descended into hades.....they'll get over it. It is all a matter of making priorities and keeping in mind that you can spend your time or spend your money.....you just have to figure out which one it would be better to spend.

-- Amanda (mrsgunsmyth@hotmail.com), April 21, 2002.

Gertie,

In short, NO. Not as you describe. We are not superwomen. I liked the one posters question about are you doing this because you want to or think you should.

It really is not possible to to "school", have a home business, run a homestead, fix 3 meals a day from scratch, etc...

Decide what you can do without, what you are doing just because you want to, what you are doing because you need to.

Meals don't have to be always from scratch. Why not fix a large enough supper to have your lunch on it the next day as leftovers. We have a few breakfast items that get used on a regular basis and are quick and easy (oatmeal, cream of wheat, cold cereal, grits and eggs) and some that we do for special (pancakes, waffles, with all the trimmings).

Develope menus that are healthy and tasty and then rotate them. Not having to think about what for dinner is incredibly mind freeing.

For school work... make some things overlap...handwriting can be accomplished by copying scripture or poems (for literature). Also, I know one family that does history the first half of the year and science the second half.

About the sewing of clothes...I make most of my and my daughters clothing because there isn't much out there I feel is worth the money and that is modest enough. However, I don't bother trying to make pants for my dh and son or shirts either for that matter. Too much trouble and they can be bought far more cheaply and easily than I can sew them. Also they can be bought very cheaply at the Goodwill or mission store. (I found some great fabric at Walmart this past week for $1/yd. I bought 10 yards each of 4 different kinds. Each 10 yards will make at the very least, a dress for me and one for each of my two daughters.)

Decide what is most important and start from there. Set priorities.

-- Lavender, Central Maryland (lavenderbluedilly@hotmail.com), April 21, 2002.