I’ve always been a very practical person. I’ll even admit this to you: When my kids ask me during an advanced math lesson, “Mom, when will I actually use this Geometry or Algebra 2 stuff in real life??” I’m like, “So sorry Dude, YOU WON’T.”
But then I make them do it anyway.
Will some kids grow up and use the Geometry and beyond-basic Algebra lessons they learned in high school? Absolutely. But all of my kids (so far) are more creative types. In fact, beyond some very basic pre-algebra skills, not ever in all my 47 years of life have I used the high school level math I learned as a teen.
Oh, except for what I’ve had to relearn so I could teach it to my kids, who will also not likely ever use it. But I’m not bitter.
So like good little soldiers, we complete the courses anyway, and here’s how I explain it to my kids:
It’s a state requirement for high school, therefore we will complete these classes. And we will keep a good attitude while doing it (except for when we don’t, because there are some lessons that only Jesus-as-Tutor could help us understand). But what you are really learning about while doing these difficult lessons? Hard work. Discipline. Perseverance.
Amen. Preach it, Mom.
So now you know how I really feel about upper-level math classes that all of our kids are required to take. I think you already know how I feel about identifying gerunds and diagraming sentences.
I just so much prefer to teach my kids about things that matter to our family. Jesus. Caring for others. Life skills.
So we plow our way through the harder, less-practical-for-our-lives-stuff. Then we focus our time more on what we know we’re going to need and on where our gifts and interests lie.
Food, Budgeting, Leadership…
This year’s Homeschooling Bundle piqued my interest because it includes really practical courses and books about things like:
- Leadership for your teen
- How to run a business
- Personal finance (banking, budgeting, and buying)
- Photoshop for kids
- Creative writing
- Prepping your high schooler for college
- Scavenger through the grocery store
- Building strong readers
- So much more
THIS is how we love to learn at our house. And we’re sort of not actually homeschooling anymore. Except that we are. This explains it all.
So practical skills that we all need for life – that is where it’s at.
And also: FOOD.
Because of my love of food, and because of the fact that every one of us needs to know how to shop, plan, and cook food, I made all of these for us to give to our kids:
This is a 2-in-1 package that includes:
- Fun With Food activity book for kids ages 2-10. It’s full of fun menu planning, grocery shopping, and budgeting activities that are practical but almost game-like. Never before has learning the skills of menu planning and grocery shopping been this much fun!
- Feed Your Friends is a book for preteens and teens. It shares inspiration and tools needed to learn basic meal planning and cooking, and it’s all centered around teens cooking with and for their friends. I would have loved having this during my teen years!
- PLUS, both of these come with a set of recipe cards that can be printed and turned into a recipe flipbook to use in the kitchen. The recipes included are kid/teen favorites!
Let’s teach our kids real life skills.
Let me say this again though: Even if you don’t homeschool, you homeschool. Because we are our kids’ first and best teachers, no matter where they attend school. So look at this with an open mind, grabbing the resources to help your kids of all ages learn so many valuable life skills!
Our Bonus For Teens:
Here are a few more details about our Feed Your Friends package.
I know how this works. Most teens love to hang out with their friends. All teens need to learn basic cooking skills before launching into the real world. So I put together this package just for teens, full of recipes, party planners, and more so that they can practice their cooking skills with and for their friends!!
It’s a book full of printables plus a file full of recipe cards that they can print and turn into a recipe flipbook to have in the kitchen!
Bonus for kids ages 4-10:
Here are a few more details about our Fun With Food package:
It includes a 30+page printable book full of fun activities to help them learn to grocery shop, budget, and plan simple meals. This is hands-on, fun learning – activities I’ve never seen before but created to be fun and almost game-like. But ah yes. They’ll be learning too!
Plus the book full of blank recipe cards, menu planning activities, grocery shopping/budget practice, and more.
All of this has been so much fun to put together! Here are a couple of sample pages to see some of the included activities:
They also get a file of recipe cards to print and make into a Recipe Flipbook.
I love it when practicality and fun go hand in hand. These packages are a win in every way!
I’ll give them all to you for free as a thank you for purchasing this week’s Homeschool Bundle from our links.
But wait. I don’t homeschool!
It’s doesn’t matter. WE ALL HOMESCHOOL. Read my thoughts about this here.
Just don’t let the word “homeschool” in the bundle title scare you. These resources are for everyone. I’m using them even though we mostly don’t homeschool currently. Because we learn from home all the time!
Get your bundle here. (offer expired)
Then email me and I’ll send you all the freebies!!
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