365 Ways to Simplify Your Life

Informative, Just For Fun, Organization, Projects

Published with Permission
An Interview with Patrice Lewis
Written by Amy Nicholson
www.TOSMagazine.com

“And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing” (1 Thessalonians 4:11–12).

These verses guided Patrice Lewis’s family as they moved from a hectic life in the city to a simpler life on a farm. In her book, The Simplicity Primer, Patrice suggests 365 ways to simplify our lives. I had the pleasure of interviewing Patrice.

AMY: When did you leave your hectic city life?

PATRICE: My husband and I were working as professionals in the city. One day there was an accident on the highway. It took me two hours to get to the office. That night my husband and I looked at each other and asked, “Is this really the way we want to live?” After a great deal of thought and research, we left it all behind and moved to Oregon. The house was in rough shape, but we fell in love with it.

AMY: What did you learn? (more…)

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Crunching Through the Cracker Crumbs

Organization, Preschoolers

Published with Permission
Written by Misty West
www.TOSMagazine.com

Once again I crunched through cracker crumbs as I reached for the broom for the third time that morning. Before one mess was conquered, two more were made by my young blessings. I felt that trying to keep my house clean was like chasing after the wind.

Whether my frustrations were the result of expectations that were too great or emotional wires that were crossed, I was completely overwhelmed with caring for two young children, homeschooling, keeping house, and the many things we moms do. To streamline housecleaning, my husband stepped in and created a simple chore list for me. I had daily, weekly, and monthly chores. It looked a little like this: (more…)

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Fill Yourself

Burn Out, Classroom Help, Informative, Organization

Published with Permission
Written by Andrew Pudewa
www.TOSMagazine.com
www.excellenceinwriting.com

One role a homeschooling parent often inadvertently takes on is that of “administrator of curriculum,” providing worksheets, assignments, projects, and writing tasks for his children much like a doctor prescribes a regime of medicine and exercise for his patients. This is most likely to happen in larger families with children of widely varying ages or with newer homeschooling families who feel a compelling need to “cover all the bases.” While this is to some degree inevitable, it is also good for us to consider ways to avoid this trap, which so easily leads to burnout and frustration. Therefore, this month let us contemplate a contrasting idea: Study something yourself.

In the book A Thomas Jefferson Education, Oliver DeMille lists as one of the Seven Keys of Great Teaching, “You, Not Them.” At first, this seems counterintuitive. Isn’t homeschooling about giving your children a good education? Wouldn’t stealing time to focus on yourself cause you to lose valuable time with your children? (more…)

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