Full Transcript for Heather – Keep Going: Finding Confidence, Consistency, and Support in Homeschooling with SCAIHS

00:04:52.639 So COVID made me see that we we can do this. 00:04:52.720 --> 00:05:00.720 Um, and we were actually gonna bring my son home too and homeschool him, but he was so he's always been in that one same school. 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:06.160 So he decided to just stay there um for his junior and senior year, and that was fine. 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:13.279 Um, being homeschooled probably with four little girls might not have been up his alley, which is fine. 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:20.160 Um, but yeah, COVID made us realize a lot of things, but mainly that we could we could do this at home. 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:31.759 Um, just because I don't have a college degree in teaching or history or whatever it is, doesn't mean I can't learn alongside them and teach them at the same time, you know. 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:33.759 I love that. 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:35.920 I love what you just said. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:38.720 It doesn't mean that I can't learn alongside them. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:45.920 Like we as homeschool moms and dads are always learning and we're learning more about our kids. 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:49.759 We're learning how to be better teachers and parents for them. 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:54.240 Ah, yes, you you hit the nail on the head right there. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:56.720 Yeah, I think I'm learning all the time. 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:01.199 When I was raised in public school, I despised history. 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:03.680 I loved math, I despised history. 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:09.120 Now I have one daughter who just loves anything history, ancient history, US history, it does not matter. 00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:10.240 And I love it now. 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:17.600 I get to learn what actually happened, and she loves it too, you know, and who knows who else will love it as they grow up. 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:19.040 But that's my oldest daughter. 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:23.360 Um, learning with them, relearning maybe is the best. 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:24.480 Absolutely. 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:25.360 Absolutely. 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:37.519 And it creates the that shared, those shared memories and the the the shared history with your family that you wouldn't get if you were just sending them off to school all the time. 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:41.199 Yes, yes, having them here is again the best. 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:53.199 So looking back, was there a moment where you knew, yes, we are supposed to homeschool, or was it more of a gradual change? 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:56.319 Yeah, probably more of a gradual thing. 00:06:56.480 --> 00:07:04.000 I mean, COVID, that time period of such uncertainty, um, made us realize that, my husband and I. 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:07.600 But um, just more like a gradual thing. 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:15.839 It's just not that it got easier every day, but it got more doable, more like, yeah, like teachers do this every day. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:17.600 They're people just like me. 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:21.839 I can do this, they can do this, my children can do this and thrive. 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:23.199 Absolutely. 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:24.720 Yeah, absolutely. 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:30.000 So, what does an average homeschool day actually look like for your family? 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:32.480 Well, no day is the same. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:40.800 But um, we actually probably, I don't know how many homeschool families are like this, but we get up very late. 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:46.720 We do not get up at the crack of dawn and hit the ground running, especially on Monday mornings. 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:48.800 We we take a little slower. 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:54.639 Um, so we might not start our day till nine, ten o'clock sometimes. 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:55.360 Absolutely. 00:07:56.079 --> 00:08:00.560 And then with four of them, we uh have a lot to get done, right? 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:09.199 My um, my oldest usually she works at Chick-Pro-Lay now here, and um, so she has to be at work by maybe four o'clock. 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:11.199 So we gotta get school done. 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:15.439 Um, and they're you know, we just all sit down at the table together. 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:26.639 I think that was the main thing when COVID hit, and I realized we had one big table, and all the children sitting around the table was I took a picture every day, and they would say, Mom, why do you take our picture every day? 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:30.879 It was like they're all gathered around with school books everywhere. 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:34.240 And we also raise um boycotting spaniels. 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:41.600 We have six dogs in our house, so the dogs would be, you know, up under and on top of the table trying to see what they're doing. 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:46.000 So our day looks kind of crazy sometimes, but we all sit at the same table. 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:49.039 Um, we get started usually with history first. 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:50.720 They like to dive into that. 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:54.000 We do our Bible and we just progress throughout the day. 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:56.080 Then the kids move around. 00:08:56.240 --> 00:09:00.080 They'll one of them will take their computer upstairs and write their paper. 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:04.639 Or one of the questions I think was the craziest place you've ever done homeschool. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:15.039 They'll take their books and sit in, we have a big bathtub, sit in the bathtub and do their, you know, so I never know where somebody might be or in a dog panel with a dog. 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:21.600 Um, but it's just kind of we get started when we get started, but we all get started together at the same time. 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:27.200 We usually pray, start the day off right, and just and it goes for however long, you know. 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:30.320 If we get done by two o'clock, great. 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:33.120 If we don't get

finished till four o'clock, that's okay too. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:40.559 Like we're we're not on a schedule that we have to be um done by a certain time, unless my daughter has to go to work. 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:46.000 I and even then you still have flexibility. 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:48.000 We still have the flexibility, yes. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:54.159 My and what the reason we started that, the reason I loved that um was my husband works very late. 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:59.120 Um, he's a driver with UPS, so he doesn't go to work till about nine in the morning. 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:05.759 So I didn't want to have the kids up before like starting school at eight o'clock when he's going out the door. 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:06.639 You know what I mean? 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:09.120 Um he doesn't get home till really late. 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:17.120 So if we are working later, or if they have to go to bed early to get up early, then they're not gonna see him. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:19.919 I want the flexibility that they're gonna be able to see him. 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:27.759 Um, when my son went to school and he had to go to bed to get up early in the morning, there's many times he didn't see him at night. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:32.159 And so that's one thing since we started homeschooling, we don't have a problem with anymore. 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:39.120 We stay up until dad gets home, we have a couple hours, and you know, we'll just start whenever we start in the next morning. 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:39.919 Absolutely. 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:46.159 You have the freedom and it's relaxed enough that you get to be a family. 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:47.519 Yes, yes. 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:49.519 That's the first part, right? 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:51.759 We're a family first, and then we're school. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:52.960 Absolutely. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:54.159 That's how it works. 00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:57.600 That's that's the best way to make it happen. 00:10:57.919 --> 00:10:59.679 Yes, yes, yes. 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:07.039 So, what have been some of your favorite resources that you've found along the way for homeschooling? 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:11.519 Um, curriculum-wise, we love a couple of things. 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:30.960 Um, so with helping somebody to read, I did think when um my toddler at the time or preschooler, her name is Fate, when I thought, now I've helped somebody learn to read, but how am I gonna like actually take a child from not knowing her letter sounds to reading? 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:37.679 Um, we started something called, I think it's a hundred easy lessons or something like that to reading. 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:40.639 And she took off with it, right? 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:41.759 So we love that. 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:49.679 And then all about reading and all about spelling helped all of them so much um just put it together and read fluently. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:54.639 Um, and then let's see, for history, we love not grass history. 00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:59.200 Um, I love it from a biblical worldview generations, also. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:01.840 There was another one I was gonna talk. 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:03.360 Oh, Apology of Science. 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:04.960 They love Apology of Science. 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:09.039 They like that it's the um, it's not evolutionary, right? 00:12:09.279 --> 00:12:11.440 Right, especially my oldest. 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:14.080 Um, but then also our co-op. 00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:15.600 We love our co-op. 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:35.440 It's um just one day a week, but we love just being with other people too, like-minded people, um, biblically worldview kind of people, um, and doing some stuff together, doing that history together or doing that science experiment together, whether it works or it doesn't work, is still together, you know. 00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:37.600 Um, so we love our co-op. 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:38.799 Absolutely. 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:41.360 So it sounds like you have some great community. 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:43.679 How did you find your co-op? 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:45.519 Do you have any suggestions? 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:46.720 Oh gosh. 00:12:46.960 --> 00:13:03.039 Um, how did I find actually I think the the head of the co-op at the time emailed me and we knew each other through um a local homeschool store here um I'm in Myrtle Beach, um, and it's up in Little River area or longs. 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:06.320 Um, but we kind of knew each other and she reached out to me. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:08.639 She said, Do you want to come visit our co-op? 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:10.960 And I was like, Yeah, you know, I'd love to do that. 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:18.159 We had been involved with classical conversations before, and while we loved it, the girls still know all the songs. 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:20.000 Um, it's kind of funny. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:24.960 We hear something and it triggers those history songs or the math songs or whatever. 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:33.679 Um, we loved CCU, but it was a very structured, um, not quite as flexible as we needed to be with all four of us. 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:39.840 Um, so we had not used classical conversations for about a year, and then she reached out to us. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:42.639 But I know a lot of people ask about co-ops. 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:53.679 Um, and here in Rural Beach, anyways, the Facebook groups, like for the Grand Strand, um, there's a file that's a list of all the co-ops that are around. 00:13:53.759 --> 00:14:02.799 You know, if it's a drop-off co-op or it's uh, you know, stay and help teach crochet or something like that, you know, um there's a whole list. 00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:04.639 I say just search the internet. 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:08.559 Yes, the internet is the homeschool parents' friend. 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:09.919 Yes, it is. 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:12.720 Facebook

groups, those kind of things. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:15.519 So, how did you first hear about skates? 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:16.799 The internet. 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:18.639 I had no idea. 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:21.279 I had no idea that scaves was a thing. 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:31.200 I knew to my son's school, um Christian Academy here in Myrtle Beach was part of the South Carolina Association of Independent Schools. 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:37.039 And somebody I think maybe mentioned that there was a South Carolina Association of the Independent Homeschools. 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:39.039 And I thought, okay, well, that sounds cool. 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:44.000 So I looked up, I think there's what three options to homeschooling in South Carolina. 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:53.840 And because SCAE's helped, like what I saw that it required was like testing every other year, um, like statewide testing. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:54.960 I really liked that. 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:59.759 I wanted to do that to keep myself accountable, maybe, you know. 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:02.399 Um, when I first got started, I didn't know what I was doing. 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:14.320 I thought I can do this, but I don't know what I'm doing, and I don't know exactly all the requirements to get them if they want to go to college when they graduate, or even to get them just to graduation. 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:15.919 Um, what do I need to do? 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:19.519 So the SCAES website just in general helped that. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:24.159 But then getting to know the counselors really helped with that. 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:29.440 I love how SCAES is a resource for the homeschool parent. 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:30.639 You don't have to be alone. 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:31.279 Yes. 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:34.000 I mean, it is a wonderful resource. 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:40.159 All the counselors, um, even the dashboard online that you get when you sign up with SCAES. 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:42.559 I mean, there's just so much information there. 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:46.879 Um, for high school or middle school or elementary, it doesn't matter, or special needs. 00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:52.080 We haven't had to do that, but whatever you need is you can find with SCAES. 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:52.559 Yeah. 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:58.399 So families who have never heard about SCAES, how would you describe us to them? 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:00.720 A wealth of knowledge. 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:04.080 Um, it is a family, I think. 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:12.639 Um, if I didn't have Emily Lipscomb or Elise uh Edson, I think is her last name, I don't know what I would do. 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:14.879 Um I can call them or email them. 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:19.200 It's usually an email because it's chaotic in my house during the middle of the day. 00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:24.159 So I'll um email them and say, this child is struggling. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:25.759 What am I gonna do? 00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:31.919 You know, she can't add or whatever, and they'll tell me something else to try or to slow down. 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:36.080 Um, but the counselors are a wealth of knowledge. 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:41.600 Um, it's your it's your homeschool best friend that you can call up at any time and they're there for you. 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:43.039 Absolutely. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:50.159 So can you share a moment where having SKES behind you made you feel more confident, supported, or at peace in your homeschool? 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:51.039 Yes. 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:57.840 Um, with my oldest daughter, she was having trouble um reading and spelling. 00:16:57.919 --> 00:17:04.720 Um, I had taken her out of her private school, and I noticed even then things were not progressing. 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:07.759 She couldn't, she just couldn't make it connect. 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:11.119 Um, and it was frustrating her, it was frustrating me. 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:13.119 Um, and we just didn't know what to do. 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:25.599 So I called Emily and she said, you know, maybe you just need to have her tested to see where the problem is, because sometimes she would do great with her spelling, and other days it was like we were still mixing up B's and D's. 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:27.519 We didn't know which one was which. 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:37.680 Um, so she gave me um a, I don't know if he was he was a physician, but in Columbia to call and we actually went and had things tested. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:39.920 There was nothing wrong per se. 00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:42.400 She just hadn't developed in some areas. 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:59.279 But if he had not given me the resources to try, like all about reading and all about spelling, that put a program in place for me to follow daily, and it was gentle, uh, you know, um, and his encouragement to just wait, just like be patient with her. 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:02.880 These things are gonna work out, just do the daily thing. 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:07.200 Um and and it you will get there, she will get there, and she has. 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:10.559 That was three or four years ago, and she thrives now. 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:13.759 She reads book after book after book, and she spells great. 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:19.920 And, you know, so if I hadn't had SKES then, if I hadn't had Emily, I was drowning. 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:21.359 I would have drowned without them. 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:33.599 I don't know what would have happened, you know, um, if we would have continued getting frustrated with each other at that time, or you know, if she would have progressed like she has, because now she loves to read. 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:39.599 Um, how encouraging to see your daughter go from struggling to thriving? 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:43.039 Yes, yes, and knowing that you were an integral part of that. 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:44.079 Good for you, mama.

00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:45.839 Oh, thank you. 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:50.400 But if like I said, if I didn't have Emily to say it's okay, it will be fine. 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:54.240 You'll do this, she'll do this, then I don't know what would have happened. 00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:55.599 So it was great. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:19:00.960 So if someone asked you why they should join SKES, what would you say? 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:08.720 Um, well, it gives you the structure I think that every homeschooler needs or homeschool parent. 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:16.559 Um not only are y'all a wealth of knowledge um and help, but I've told people before it keeps me legal, right? 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:18.480 It keeps me on the right path. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:32.640 Um, I know a lot of people, there's so much freedom in homeschooling that sometimes we can get like willy-nilly with homeschool, where this doesn't, you know, we forget about this curriculum or we get off track. 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:35.440 And I think SCAES helps you stay on track. 00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:48.480 Um, it's that gentle reminder of we have to do our reading every day, or you know, you don't have to finish your curriculum, but you need to get through 70, 75% of it to be progressing. 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:51.920 Um, I I think it's a that's a really good thing. 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:58.720 And then with the testing every other year that is required, I think that's I think it's needed. 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:03.359 I know a lot of whole schoolers come out of public school because they don't want to do those tests every year. 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:21.440 And it doesn't tell you how smart your child is or whatever, um, but it does give you a a basis of maybe how you're doing as a teacher facilitator, facilitator, and how they're um progressing in their knowledge um of material. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:22.640 So absolutely. 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:31.759 And testing is not a grade for the student, it's more just a data point for the parent to help mom or dad know what's going on. 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:32.799 Yes, yes. 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:39.119 And it's helped us so much, see that oh, we need to we need to focus on this a little more or that a little more. 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:41.920 Um, so yeah, I love the testing actually. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:49.039 And I'm sure it's also encouraged you in other areas where because you you get to see and celebrate their strengths too. 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:50.319 Yes, exactly. 00:20:50.559 --> 00:21:02.559 When my daughter realized that when she took the test before, she had trouble actually understanding the directions, you know, um, just to understand what she was supposed to do to mom. 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:06.480 I got this, I can take this test by myself and do fine, you know. 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:09.359 Um, yeah, that was very encouraging for her. 00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:11.119 It shows them their strengths. 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:13.200 Which we get to celebrate. 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:15.359 Yes, which is so important. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:17.920 It helps build their character. 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:20.000 Right, right, so much. 00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:20.720 Uh yeah. 00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:36.720 If they're in a classroom maybe of 30 kids, um, they're not as celebrated as much, maybe, you know, or the ones at the top are usually celebrated greatly, but that movement from struggling, like you said, struggling to thriving, maybe isn't celebrated. 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:36.960 Right. 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:37.839 We're at home. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:40.720 Everybody gets to see, oh wow, you're doing great now. 00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:46.240 Like, look at you, you know, look what God has done in you and through you right now. 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:48.000 Like, that's awesome. 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:49.599 Absolutely. 00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:54.559 Okay, so real life talk homeschool stretches us as parents. 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:57.920 But what has this journey taught you about yourself? 00:21:58.319 --> 00:21:59.759 Oh, it's taught me a lot. 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:04.640 Um is I think patience is always a thing. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:07.519 It's always the question, like, I can never have the patience to do that. 00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:10.000 No, God gives you the patience. 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:16.559 Um, or at least teaches you um where you're not patient and you need to grow. 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:22.480 Um, but it get homeschooling has brought us together as a family. 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:36.400 Um, I don't know, it it's taught us so much about each other, but about myself, yeah, where I need to step it up and where I can tone it back some, um, where I can give grace and where I need grace too. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:39.519 So it teaches my family that um as well. 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:44.400 It's homeschooling is is for everybody and it teaches you so much about yourself. 00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:45.039 Absolutely. 00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:54.160 I love one of the things that homeschooling is allowed in my family, at least, is for my kids to I I literally cannot pretend to be perfect. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:59.759 No, no, but perfection is not what we're expected, right? 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:01.759 Yes, I love that. 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:03.039 Yeah, we're not perfect. 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:07.759 Mom messes up daily, if not hourly, you know, during this. 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:10.240 Um, and the kids will call you on it, right? 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:17.039 Well, you said to her that she could do so and so, but I can't do oh, yeah, that's inconsistency in me. 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:19.839 Thank you, you know, for calling that out. 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:21.920 Um, yeah, honesty. 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:25.279 It teaches you to be honest with yourself, probably. 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:25.759 Yeah. 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:31.359 So what has homeschooling

revealed about your children that you might have missed otherwise? 00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:34.880 Yeah, it's brought out their strengths. 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:42.240 Um when, like I said, so my son, he was the academic child and he never homeschooled. 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:46.799 So he was at the top of his class, so he was recognized for a lot of things. 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:50.799 But then at home, you're like, oh, she always does well in math. 00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:53.279 So, like you kind of expect that. 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:56.160 Like she's doing good in that and she's doing good in that. 00:23:56.319 --> 00:24:00.640 But then it also shows you, oh, that child was really shy. 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:07.839 I had one who was really shy and just wouldn't talk, and now she's the leader of the pack. 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:18.640 You know, it brought out her strengths, being home, being with her sisters, and then being with small groups at at co-op once a week. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:39.599 She's been able to be confident and um, you know, develop that area where she can now be the leader, she can rise to the top and be recognized, but just be confident in herself that I know these things, or I can help this person, or I can do that hard thing that I didn't think I could do last week. 00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:41.920 Um, so I really like that. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:52.240 If she was somewhere else, I wouldn't see that, or maybe she wouldn't have the opportunity, you know, to come to raise herself up to the leadership position. 00:24:52.480 --> 00:25:01.119 Yeah, you were able to give her a safe place where she was able to grow steadily, but at her own pace. 00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:02.400 Right, right. 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:04.400 And may that might not have happened. 00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:08.160 It probably wouldn't have happened in a classroom full all the time. 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:08.799 Yeah. 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:09.519 All right. 00:25:09.599 --> 00:25:11.680 So every family has bumps in the road. 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:15.599 What have been some of your challenges and how have you worked through them? 00:25:15.839 --> 00:25:18.799 Oh goodness, there's challenges every day, right? 00:25:19.119 --> 00:25:19.599 Yes. 00:25:19.839 --> 00:25:22.880 Um, just to show up every day, be consistent. 00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:29.200 I think consistency is really the first thing that you learn um homeschooling. 00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:36.079 Um, I think when I started off, I thought, oh, well, some people they only do homeschool, they only homeschool three days a week. 00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:37.119 So we're gonna do that. 00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:38.559 That really doesn't work. 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:40.400 I mean, not for us, anyways. 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:43.200 So I think the main thing is consistency. 00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:50.480 Even if you homeschool a little later in the day, um, if you're reading your history at four o'clock instead of nine thirty in the morning, it's fine. 00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:52.799 Just do it every day. 00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:55.200 Um, other bumps in the road. 00:25:55.279 --> 00:26:03.119 I'm trying to think, probably when my child, um my oldest, was not reading and spelling as well, but now she's driving. 00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:22.880 You just have to seek out, call your counselor, false gaze, and what's like help me, help me, you know, ask for help, um, which sometimes moms don't want to do, but like you learn to ask for the help, and these bumps can be flattened out, you know, you can get past them and do well. 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:23.599 Absolutely. 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:25.039 Oh, that's so encouraging. 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:26.720 Thank you for sharing. 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:32.319 Has there been a turning point, a breakthrough moment you're grateful you didn't miss? 00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:34.720 I imagine your daughter's reading and spelling. 00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:36.480 Anything else? 00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:39.759 Um, yeah, I'm like the reading. 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:50.160 Like I said, um, to think that you can take this little person who can't put a sound, does not know what a letter is or a sound to reading. 00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:51.920 It's just that's wild. 00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:58.319 That is just the grace of God, the provision of God to allow me to be the one to do that, right? 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:00.480 Um, that's just wonderful. 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:02.480 Um, any other, I don't know. 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:03.920 I don't know of anything else. 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:04.720 That's fair. 00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:06.000 It's a bit of a question. 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:08.240 Yeah. 00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:09.279 It's yeah. 00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:16.640 But it is is it's so amazing to be able to teach your kids to walk and talk. 00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:17.119 Right. 00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:19.200 And then how to read. 00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:20.480 Right, right. 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:24.960 It's gonna like I taught them how to do that, they're gonna do that for the rest of their life. 00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:27.200 Like, yes, how cool is that? 00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:28.000 You know? 00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:29.279 I mean, and you can. 00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:31.599 You taught, like you said, you taught them how to walk. 00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:37.039 Like you didn't think you weren't gonna teach them how to walk, like you just knew you were gonna teach them to walk, you know. 00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:43.039 So yeah, you can teach them how to do algebra, even though you may have to relearn it yourself. 00:27:43.279 --> 00:27:45.119 That's what we're doing that now. 00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:52.799 So yes, I would have the math book out the night before studying to catch up on the lesson they were gonna do the next day. 00:27:53.359 --> 00:27:53.920 Exactly. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:56.480 Whatever it takes that you can do it. 00:27:56.640 -->

00:27:59.359 I mean, God gave you these children for a reason. 00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:10.400 These are, I believe, his gifts to to you, and he's gonna give you the ability to if you can't figure it out, somebody can help you figure it out so that you can teach them, you know. 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:11.599 That's so beautiful. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:15.200 God gave you these children, and he gave these children you. 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:24.799 Yes, God picked out the this particular relationship to build and nurture, and now you get to nurture it through homeschooling. 00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:27.119 Yes, yes, the best gift ever. 00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:29.279 So, what's a small victory? 00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:33.599 It might have seemed ordinary to other people, but it meant a lot to your family. 00:28:33.839 --> 00:28:35.680 Oh man, in homeschool. 00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:36.559 I don't know. 00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:41.920 Maybe um fate, my my youngest graduating kindergarten. 00:28:42.079 --> 00:28:49.920 Like everybody graduates kindergarten writing, but you know, she was the first one that was completely homeschooled all the way through. 00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:53.519 So she's about to start fourth grade next year. 00:28:53.759 --> 00:29:00.720 She's already doing some fourth grade stuff, but like, yeah, her little, you know, getting to wear her little cap and gown. 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:04.400 Um and that at that time her brother was graduating high school. 00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:07.680 Um, so that was just wonderful for her, right? 00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:10.000 She thought that was she was just like him. 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:16.400 Um but like everybody, you know, graduates kindergarten, but it was awesome. 00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:17.279 It was great. 00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:18.799 You know, it was a victory. 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:20.559 Like, yeah, girl, you did this. 00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:22.400 And you did it too, mama. 00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:23.359 Yeah. 00:29:25.920 --> 00:29:26.079 Yeah. 00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:28.160 I can think of another victory. 00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:34.640 I mean, you guys get to build your daily schedule so you get to see the kids get to see dad every day. 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:35.119 Yes. 00:29:35.359 --> 00:29:41.279 That's that's one of those things that seems easy to overlook, but it's so important. 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:42.640 It's so important. 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:43.359 You're right. 00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:48.160 Um, yes, they the ones that did go to school, they'll say, Remember when we didn't see dad? 00:29:48.319 --> 00:30:00.960 Remember when we didn't we we would go three or four days and we would never see him because we had to go to school so early and he hadn't got up yet because his work started later, and then he got home after we went to bed, you know. 00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:08.720 So that's a huge, a huge thing to be able to spend that time with dad in the afternoon and the evenings like that. 00:30:08.880 --> 00:30:09.279 Yeah. 00:30:09.599 --> 00:30:15.920 If you're comfortable sharing, has there ever been a moment when you thought homeschooling just is not going to work? 00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:18.720 And then maybe something shifted? 00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:22.160 Um, no, I've never thought about sending them back. 00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:25.599 So that's cool. 00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:26.240 Great. 00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:27.440 I love that. 00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:35.839 Yeah, once they come home, and then I guess maybe having one in college too helps you to see that we're all gonna get there. 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:43.359 Like you're you might get there slower or faster than the person next to you or your brother or sister, but it's totally doable. 00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:44.559 We're we're gonna do it. 00:30:44.640 --> 00:30:50.240 If we have to homeschool into the summer a little bit or into Christmas break, it's okay. 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:51.920 Like you're gonna get there. 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:58.400 So I wouldn't take this time for I wouldn't give it up for anything, you know, to anything. 00:30:58.559 --> 00:31:03.039 They can they can't ever leave me again to go back to school. 00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:04.319 So yeah. 00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:07.680 What does community look like for your homeschool family? 00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:08.880 You mentioned your co-op. 00:31:09.359 --> 00:31:15.119 Yes, so that's our main um thing during the week is our co-op. 00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:26.160 Um, we meet on Tuesdays all day from like nine to three or so, and there they have built some really good friendships um that they take outside of co-op, right? 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:34.160 So they go to youth group um with some friends um that they made at co-op and it created community for me too as a homeschool mom. 00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:39.519 I didn't have anybody, I wasn't homeschooled myself, and I didn't know other homeschoolers here. 00:31:39.759 --> 00:31:42.880 Um, and so it gave me friends. 00:31:43.119 --> 00:31:45.680 Um then our church too. 00:31:45.759 --> 00:31:53.519 Um, there's a lot of homeschoolers in our church, so there you get um community there, um, like-minded. 00:31:53.680 --> 00:31:57.920 Um, so that's yeah, we don't have family here um in town. 00:31:58.160 --> 00:32:02.720 So church, homeschool, that is co-op, that's our family. 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:08.480 Absolutely, and God has given you that family just like he gave you your biological family. 00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:10.400 Yes, yes, exactly. 00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:12.480 The right people at the right time. 00:32:14.160 --> 00:32:17.440 So, how do your kids stay connected with friends? 00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:20.720 Uh their activities groups, a co-op youth group. 00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:25.359 Yep, co-op youth group, um, also a church right around the corner from here. 00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:29.759 They do um like sports, like an upward sports thing.

00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:33.519 And so there's a lot of homeschoolers and public and private schoolers that go to that. 00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:35.920 So they play volleyball with that. 00:32:36.319 --> 00:32:38.240 Um, yeah, they love volleyball. 00:32:38.640 --> 00:32:43.200 Um, like I said, my oldest daughter has a little job with Chick-fil-A. 00:32:43.440 --> 00:32:45.359 So she, you know, everybody knows her there. 00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:49.440 My son had worked there too, and when he's home on school breaks, he still works there. 00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:54.720 So um my next daughters are getting ready to have a job at Chick-fil-A too, right? 00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:57.920 So it kind of creates a family there too. 00:32:58.079 --> 00:33:12.640 It's a community um within a even a work environment, which I'm glad it gives them experience with the outside world, with you know, other people besides homeschoolers, um, you know, in the real world. 00:33:12.799 --> 00:33:13.839 So definitely. 00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:16.799 And so they're interacting with more than just their peers. 00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:24.240 So they get they learn how to interact with the real world instead of just the same kids who are the same age. 00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:30.079 Yes, at all different ages and stages and all kinds of different problems. 00:33:30.240 --> 00:33:35.519 So I think it gives them uh, you know, a lot of knowledge and wisdom with how to handle situations. 00:33:36.079 --> 00:33:37.200 Absolutely. 00:33:37.519 --> 00:33:44.240 What kinds of real life learning experiences have you found outside the whole work, probably? 00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:45.359 Work, yes. 00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:47.519 I did ask my daughter this, my oldest. 00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:48.240 She says, work. 00:33:48.640 --> 00:33:52.640 Um that and um another daughter said our field trips that we get to go on. 00:33:52.799 --> 00:34:04.319 So yes, anything, you know, at the beach, since we live at the beach, you get to go on all kinds of things, um, little farm activities that are out in Aynor or whatever. 00:34:04.480 --> 00:34:07.279 We got to meet um our local weatherman. 00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:11.360 Um, we studied weather this um this summer or last semester. 00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:18.079 And so our local weather guy had our co-op again come to the the weather station or the news station. 00:34:18.159 --> 00:34:30.559 And it was like, you learned so much, you didn't know that that was a green screen back there that he's pointing to, or all tornadoes come, you know, we don't get tornadoes much here, so we got to learn, you know. 00:34:31.519 --> 00:34:35.199 Yes, thankfully, no hurricanes lately. 00:34:35.440 --> 00:34:37.039 So we're thankful for that. 00:34:37.199 --> 00:34:37.519 Yes. 00:34:37.840 --> 00:34:40.079 So but yeah, just outside. 00:34:40.159 --> 00:34:42.320 I mean, you learn everywhere, everywhere. 00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:49.679 You go to Sam's or a grocery haul during, you know, your afternoon after school, you're learning, you're learning a lot, you know. 00:34:49.920 --> 00:34:53.599 Um, just everything, everything is learning experience. 00:34:53.840 --> 00:35:01.039 And I love that we get to teach our kids that because even as adults, everything is still a learning experience for us, right? 00:35:01.360 --> 00:35:01.760 Right. 00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:07.199 If you if you'll see it that way, that's you know, yeah, you can learn from everything. 00:35:07.519 --> 00:35:18.559 So for families approaching or in high school, uh, what has the skate support meant for things like transcripts, coursework, graduation planning? 00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:21.119 Yes, so that's where I'm at right now. 00:35:21.360 --> 00:35:23.920 My oldest daughter is um 14. 00:35:24.079 --> 00:35:25.760 She's going into ninth grade. 00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:35.199 So already she has started taking some high school classes, her US history, um, oh, her American Sign Language. 00:35:35.360 --> 00:35:42.079 I didn't even know that that would count towards a foreign language, and it will at most universities here in South Carolina. 00:35:42.320 --> 00:35:53.280 Um, and so having SKES, um, especially Elise, able to help me with that to say, you know, you can go ahead and count that as part of her um high school credits. 00:35:53.519 --> 00:35:55.599 I was like, wow, I didn't know that. 00:35:55.840 --> 00:36:00.320 Um, so we're already starting to get that transcript, you know, formed. 00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:02.320 Um driver's ed. 00:36:02.639 --> 00:36:07.519 I had no idea that driver's ed or work hours credit. 00:36:07.760 --> 00:36:10.639 Yeah, works on your transcript and it helps. 00:36:10.719 --> 00:36:11.440 It'll help. 00:36:11.519 --> 00:36:14.800 Um, as I said, my son goes to BJU and they look at that. 00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:23.199 BJU loves homeschoolers, and so they want to see a full transcript, not overly full, but what you've been doing. 00:36:23.280 --> 00:36:27.039 And it not just counts academically, but in life, right? 00:36:27.199 --> 00:36:40.880 Like it counts to them that you're able to hold down a little job or take the driver's ed course or whatever it is um for college experience to help you get into college, you know, that little resume. 00:36:40.960 --> 00:36:46.000 I tell my daughter, this is your resume to get into college, or what you know, whatever you're gonna do. 00:36:46.159 --> 00:36:48.320 Um, put it all down, put it on there. 00:36:48.480 --> 00:36:53.679 But if I didn't have scales to tell me that that it counted, or you know, I wouldn't know. 00:36:53.840 --> 00:36:54.800 You don't know that. 00:36:55.679 --> 00:36:57.360 You don't know what you don't know. 00:36:57.599 --> 00:36:58.639 Right, right. 00:36:58.719 --> 00:36:59.360 Yeah. 00:36:59.840 --> 00:37:00.800 So much. 00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:05.679 And that activities transcript is gonna be a help to her too. 00:37:05.840 --> 00:37:21.039 That um, you know,

the she'll be able to put work experience on there, just like she has her work experience on her academic transcript, but then she'll be able to put anything else on her activities transcript, like her youth group or her co-op or anything that you guys do. 00:37:21.360 --> 00:37:23.440 Yeah, I didn't know that, right? 00:37:23.760 --> 00:37:25.440 Like, yeah. 00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:27.760 All right, fun questions. 00:37:28.400 --> 00:37:31.920 What's the most unexpected place you've ever done school? 00:37:32.159 --> 00:37:33.280 The bathtub. 00:37:33.599 --> 00:37:35.119 Yes, the bathtub. 00:37:35.280 --> 00:37:38.079 Um I asked my daughter this this morning. 00:37:38.719 --> 00:37:43.119 And my daughter Carly, she said, remember when I did it in the bathtub? 00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:45.360 Yes, Carly, I remember that. 00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:48.880 And we take it, you can take your school anywhere, right? 00:37:49.039 --> 00:37:50.800 Um she gets allergy shots. 00:37:50.880 --> 00:37:54.639 So, like once a week, yeah, once a week we had to go to allergy shots. 00:37:54.719 --> 00:38:01.280 So she took her reading or you know, a little workbook that she was doing at the time, you can take it there. 00:38:01.440 --> 00:38:04.159 Um, but probably the craziest place is the bathtub. 00:38:04.239 --> 00:38:15.360 My other daughter Hope said, remember when I used the um laundry basket and when she was small enough, she would sit down in the laundry basket with her book and read or whatever it was. 00:38:15.440 --> 00:38:17.840 And I was like, Yeah, that was pretty crazy. 00:38:18.639 --> 00:38:19.920 But you get it done. 00:38:20.400 --> 00:38:22.000 You don't have to sit at the desk and do it. 00:38:22.239 --> 00:38:23.199 Absolutely. 00:38:24.719 --> 00:38:27.679 So what's a homeschool win you love bragging about? 00:38:27.920 --> 00:38:28.880 Oh gosh. 00:38:29.119 --> 00:38:33.280 Um, that we can do it, just just that we can do it, right? 00:38:33.440 --> 00:38:39.280 We um my daughter that struggled so much early on to thriving now. 00:38:39.360 --> 00:38:41.920 I mean, to me, it's a huge win to her too. 00:38:42.159 --> 00:38:48.400 Um, you know, to know that we've been able to do it with the help of our counselors. 00:38:48.639 --> 00:39:01.920 Um, but we've taken her from really kind of hating to read or or you know, because she struggled so much, to having a bookshelf full of all the books that she's reading through, you know. 00:39:02.159 --> 00:39:04.400 Um, and she loves Jane Austen. 00:39:04.800 --> 00:39:09.760 Like I never would have thought that you I mean those are difficult, right? 00:39:09.920 --> 00:39:10.159 Yes. 00:39:10.400 --> 00:39:17.679 Um it's a win at 14 that you went from struggling to now that's like what you love. 00:39:17.840 --> 00:39:20.719 So that is a huge win, absolutely. 00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:21.280 Yeah. 00:39:21.519 --> 00:39:24.800 So if your homeschool had a motto, what do you think it would be? 00:39:25.039 -->

00:39:25.599 I don't know. 00:39:25.760 --> 00:39:27.760 I did ask my girls this too. 00:39:28.159 --> 00:39:30.239 And they said, what does that mean? 00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:31.440 What does that mean? 00:39:31.679 --> 00:39:35.280 But um, I so I asked them, I said, well, what do I always say to you? 00:39:35.360 --> 00:39:37.039 What's something that I always say to you? 00:39:37.199 --> 00:39:40.719 And they said, every time we ask something, you say, I don't know. 00:39:40.880 --> 00:39:41.599 What is that? 00:39:41.760 --> 00:39:47.519 Like if they ask a definition, I'll say, No, you know how to, you know, you know this. 00:39:47.840 --> 00:39:52.960 Um, so just kind of pointing them back to you have the resources, you don't have to ask me. 00:39:53.199 --> 00:39:59.920 You probably can figure out the meaning of this word on your own, or there's two or three dictionaries sitting on the table there. 00:40:00.000 --> 00:40:01.440 You could look it up, you know. 00:40:01.840 --> 00:40:08.000 Um, but that and also we say a lot, think logically, like just think through this. 00:40:08.159 --> 00:40:17.280 When you have a problem, a math problem, or a question about your history lesson or your science lesson that you don't get, like just think through it. 00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:22.159 Try to think it all the way out through to the end and see how that am I right? 00:40:22.320 --> 00:40:22.880 Am I wrong? 00:40:23.039 --> 00:40:24.960 Like, where am I going wrong here? 00:40:25.280 --> 00:40:25.760 You know. 00:40:25.920 --> 00:40:28.800 Um, so just if you'll think logically through it. 00:40:28.960 --> 00:40:35.360 Um, my daughter Carly was in a logic class at co-op this year, and that really taught her to think about it. 00:40:35.519 --> 00:40:40.960 Just think about you can probably get to this on your own with the information that you have. 00:40:41.199 --> 00:40:47.679 Um, if you'll just think it out, just don't stop when something gets in front of you that you that kind of is hard. 00:40:48.320 --> 00:40:49.440 Keep pushing through. 00:40:49.519 --> 00:40:51.840 So yes, you can do hard things. 00:40:52.159 --> 00:40:54.880 You can do the hard things, yes, yes. 00:40:55.440 --> 00:41:00.159 What's a small tradition or ritual that you feel makes your homeschool special? 00:41:00.480 --> 00:41:13.440 So um nothing big, but every day for lunch, we take a 30-minute lunch break, and um the girls fix their own lunch and they'll fix me a lunch too if I ask them. 00:41:13.760 --> 00:41:20.559 But they watch, I they will always watch a little TV show, excuse me, um, for like 30 minutes for lunch. 00:41:20.719 --> 00:41:27.840 And it it's not a big thing, but they do it every day, and it's just their break time, right? 00:41:28.079 --> 00:41:28.400 Right. 00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:37.039 Kind of resetting, like I'm not working, I'm not having to use my brain much, you know, and it kind of resets their day. 00:41:37.199 --> 00:41:40.480 So I bet it gives you

a bit of a break too. 00:41:40.719 --> 00:41:44.079 Yes, yes, yes, exactly. 00:41:44.800 --> 00:41:49.360 What is something you wish someone had told you before you started homeschooling? 00:41:49.599 --> 00:41:55.440 That I could do it, but you don't have to have a degree in anything to homeschool your kids. 00:41:55.519 --> 00:42:01.760 I think when we pulled ours out, there's so many people that say, Are you sure that you're gonna do that? 00:42:01.920 --> 00:42:04.480 Or when they get into high school, you'll send them back. 00:42:04.639 --> 00:42:06.079 That said so much. 00:42:06.400 --> 00:42:13.039 When they get into high school, you're gonna send them back, or you're gonna have four teenagers all at one time, you'll you'll end up sending them back. 00:42:13.199 --> 00:42:17.039 But why not encourage somebody to keep going, you know? 00:42:17.280 --> 00:42:26.000 Um, like, yeah, you're gonna have hard days or hard moments and you're gonna get hard weeks, you know, sometimes, but you can do it. 00:42:26.239 --> 00:42:33.760 Like sometimes you're just not encouraged enough like that, just starting out, um, when you don't have that community build yet. 00:42:33.920 --> 00:42:41.199 Um, if like we we weren't homeschooled, so family and friends, well-meaning, like, are you sure you want to do that? 00:42:41.599 --> 00:42:43.599 You know, like, yeah, I really do. 00:42:43.760 --> 00:42:44.559 I think so. 00:42:44.800 --> 00:42:48.079 So just having the encouragement to just yeah, do it. 00:42:48.239 --> 00:42:49.679 It'll be good, you know. 00:42:49.920 --> 00:43:05.440 And I think that's another spot that your SKAE's counselor could come in too for if you join SCAES from the beginning, is she can help you encourage you as you're finding that community uh to find the other people who can give you encouragement too. 00:43:05.679 --> 00:43:09.119 Yes, yes, that was one of the first things with SCAES. 00:43:09.199 --> 00:43:13.280 Um, I talked to Emily right after signing up, I believe. 00:43:13.360 --> 00:43:20.559 Um and she was like, Yeah, you can like I did it, you can do it, you can do this, and you'll find the community that you need. 00:43:20.880 --> 00:43:21.840 Absolutely. 00:43:22.159 --> 00:43:26.880 What's a piece of advice that you would give to a family who's just beginning this journey? 00:43:27.119 --> 00:43:28.559 Um, keep going. 00:43:28.719 --> 00:43:29.119 Yeah. 00:43:29.360 --> 00:43:31.760 It it gets better, more fun. 00:43:32.159 --> 00:43:33.920 Um, stay consistent. 00:43:34.079 --> 00:43:38.400 I think you it's a little bit every day is better than nothing. 00:43:38.559 --> 00:43:40.559 Um, just keep showing up. 00:43:40.719 --> 00:43:47.199 Even if the kids don't get up till 10 o'clock in the morning, still get that reading lesson in, still like still do it. 00:43:47.360 --> 00:43:49.199 Um, and it pays off. 00:43:49.360 --> 00:43:52.320 I think it it does pay off by the end of the year. 00:43:52.400 --> 00:43:56.880 You're like, wow, we did this, you know, we will we showed up every day. 00:43:57.039 --> 00:44:00.559 Yeah, you can take breaks, but you can still keep showing up. 00:44:00.639 --> 00:44:00.960 Yeah. 00:44:01.280 --> 00:44:02.719 Progress over perfection. 00:44:02.880 --> 00:44:04.320 Yes, exactly. 00:44:05.039 --> 00:44:10.559 When you imagine the future, how do you hope your children will look back on their homeschool years? 00:44:10.800 --> 00:44:11.519 Oh gosh. 00:44:11.679 --> 00:44:15.599 I hope they look back and say, you know, well, they do now. 00:44:15.760 --> 00:44:17.840 They say, we're so glad we're homeschooled. 00:44:17.920 --> 00:44:25.039 So I hope they still do like that, you know, still see it like that, that we created family instead of school. 00:44:25.199 --> 00:44:36.000 You know, we did our academics, but um, we made we try to make their relationships more important than the math homework or whatever it is. 00:44:36.159 --> 00:44:42.400 That's important, but your relationship with especially your sisters um is the main thing. 00:44:42.559 --> 00:44:46.480 So I hope they can take that and homeschool their kids with that. 00:44:46.639 --> 00:44:47.679 You know, I hope so. 00:44:47.840 --> 00:44:48.400 We'll see. 00:44:50.400 --> 00:44:52.880 Looking forward to grandkids one day in the right time. 00:44:53.360 --> 00:44:56.559 Yes, yes, I am, and they all say that they will. 00:44:56.639 --> 00:44:57.519 So I hope so. 00:44:57.840 --> 00:45:02.559 Yay! What's one way that homeschooling has brought joy or peace to your home? 00:45:02.719 --> 00:45:05.039 Um, in our relationships. 00:45:05.199 --> 00:45:07.920 Um, we wouldn't be our as close. 00:45:08.079 --> 00:45:09.039 We couldn't be. 00:45:09.199 --> 00:45:16.239 Um the the peace to know that if they do struggle, if I struggle, they're here for me. 00:45:16.639 --> 00:45:18.400 If they struggle, I can be there for them. 00:45:18.559 --> 00:45:21.840 Their sister or their brother um is there for them. 00:45:22.079 --> 00:45:32.320 It brings a lot of joy and happiness, but knowing that someone's here with you, um, doing this with you with the same goal in mind, it brings a lot of peace. 00:45:32.480 --> 00:45:32.800 Yeah. 00:45:33.119 --> 00:45:34.239 You're not alone. 00:45:34.480 --> 00:45:35.360 Yeah, yeah. 00:45:35.519 --> 00:45:36.639 And we're gonna get there. 00:45:36.880 --> 00:45:38.159 And how can I help you? 00:45:38.400 --> 00:45:43.679 That's you know, it's the sense of family that I guess brings the joy and peace. 00:45:43.920 --> 00:45:44.639 Definitely. 00:45:45.039 --> 00:45:50.639 Well, we're gonna wrap up here, but before we say goodbye, is there anything else you feel like sharing? 00:45:50.880 --> 00:45:57.599 Um, no, I just I'm thankful that God brought us gays, brought us homeschooling in general. 00:45:57.840 --> 00:45:59.440 Um, yeah, that's it. 00:45:59.599 --> 00:46:06.159 It's the I think uh one of the best gifts in life is to have your kids home with you, um, you with them. 00:46:06.320 --> 00:46:13.840 Um so yeah, keep going to anybody that thinks I'll quit this, you know, and send them back to somebody else. 00:46:14.000 --> 00:46:15.519 But no, keep going. 00:46:16.000 --> 00:46:17.519 That's such an encouragement. 00:46:17.679 --> 00:46:18.719 Just keep going. 00:46:18.960 --> 00:46:19.599 Yeah. 00:46:20.079 --> 00:46:21.440 Like the Nike, right? 00:46:21.519 --> 00:46:22.159 Just do it. 00:46:22.400 --> 00:46:23.119 Just do it. 00:46:23.199 --> 00:46:23.599 Yep. 00:46:23.760 --> 00:46:24.400 Yeah. 00:46:25.920 --> 00:46:29.360 Well, thank you so much for talking with me today, Heather. 00:46:29.440 --> 00:46:31.519 And thank you, listener, for listening. 00:46:31.679 --> 00:46:36.320 Remember to follow, like, and share skate stories, and I'll be talking with you soon. 00:46:37.039 --> 00:46:39.119 Thank you for listening to today's episode. 00:46:39.280 --> 00:46:47.679 If you have any questions or just want to find out more about skate, you can find us online at SCOMESchooling.com. 00:46:48.000 --> 00:46:51.280 Or email us at S C A I H S. 00:46:51.840 --> 00:46:55.119 At SCAIHS.org. 00:46:55.519 --> 00:46:57.760 This podcast is audio.