Why Homeschooler Parents Need To Get Together More Often

Taking charge of your child’s education and ensuring they learn what they should be can be a full-time job. But helping them develop into fantastic young adults requires more than education. It requires socialization. They need to learn social dynamics, as well as group learning skills, that will help them later in life. It can be hard to connect with non-homeschoolers because of schedule clashes, so why not look into getting them together with other homeschoolers, instead?

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Get connected and get organized

There might already be a collective group for homeschoolers in your area or you may have to start one. Using social media makes it a lot easier to connect with like-minded parents. Whether it’s an established group or one you’ve found, they might need use of some organizational skills to help everyone collaborate. To that end, you can make it a lot easier to keep in touch and exchange ideas through apps like an online directory. How involved every individual member is in this co-operative movement is their own choice, but it’s good to get everyone at least abreast of what kind of collaborations are on offer from you as well as the other members.

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Find group activities that fit everyone

Every parent might have their own approach to how they teach their children. It’s important that you don’t try to or let anyone else railroad the direction of the group. No-one should be excluded because they didn’t want to participate in a certain activity or lesson. The idea is to pool resources and ideas together for those who want them, not to set a curriculum. If you want to show the benefits of the collaboration, however, it’s a good idea to put together a list of potential activities. Group learning is an important skill, and there are plenty of different ways to do it. It shouldn’t be difficult to find a number that the parents can all agree on.

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Remember it’s about more than education

Children learn as much from each other as they do from being educated together. Both structured and unstructured play are important. Structured play helps them learn interpersonal boundaries with a little help. Meanwhile, unstructured play is how they learn about various social dynamics. They learn the problems and solutions themselves without having the answers handed to them. Of course, there’s also the fact that it’s just plain fun. It’s easy to miss the opportunity for collective fun when homeschooling, so consider recommending the occasional break day to the homeschoolers group. Whether that’s a relaxed picnic or a fun-filled day at a trampoline center. Don’t make education the only reason the kids get together.

By connecting with the parents of other homeschoolers, you can make a much more flexible socialization experience for you and your kids. Make sure everyone is comfortable with the direction the group takes, of course. You might not agree on teaching methods, but you can all agree on the importance of your involvement in the child’s development. Make that the cornerstone of all activity going forward.

Knowing How To Navigate Your Breakup Will Make The Process Less Painful

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When embarking on a relationship, it’s never your intention for things to end. Even so, things don’t always work out the way we intend. Breakups are hard. As there’s no right or wrong way to do things, it can be a confusing time. The way your breakup goes depends on the reasons. If you had only been seeing each other for a matter of months, the situation is different from if you were married. Even with these differences, there are some things that you should do to make the process easier on both of you. Here a few tips that might help you in your time of need.

STAY CIVIL

Again, it depends on the reason for the breakup, but it’s best if you and your ex remain civil. You don’t need to be best friends, in fact, it’s better if you aren’t, but staying polite will make things less painful. Breakups can turn the person you loved into a stranger. It’s important to remember how he was before and treat him with the respect he deserves. Bear in mind that anything unpleasant he does is just because he’s hurting. If one of you cheated, civility might be too much to ask for. If the breakup was just one of those things, there’s no reason you can’t at least be polite to each other. This is especially important if you were married, or living together. Such breakups aren’t easy, and you’re going to have to talk to sort out your affairs. If you’re at each other’s throats, it’s going to be harder.

KNOW WHEN TO GET OUTSIDE HELP

Despite your best intentions, it’s not always possible to sort things out on your own. Asking for help during a breakup can be just the thing. If you and your partner are no longer able to talk, you may need to conduct business through mutual friends. If your divorce isn’t going according to plan, you may need a divorce lawyer. Outside help is about more than just ensuring the breakup is complete. You may also need some emotional support. Knowing you have people to turn to is crucial at such a hard time. Turn to your friends and family and talk to them about how you’re feeling. Talking things through can help cement them in your mind!

STAY STRONG

Staying strong is crucial, for you if no one else. Finding yourself alone can be daunting, but staying strong makes things easier. That’s not to say you won’t have wobbles sometimes. There’s nothing wrong with that. For the most part, though, looking to the future is the best way to stop you from feeling blue. Set your sights on things you would like to achieve to save you from falling into your sadness. Staying strong can also be satisfying with regards to your ex. Knowing that he’s seen you struggling can make you feel even more vulnerable. If he thinks you’re doing well, it’ll be easier for both of you to move on.

Advice for Getting Back on Track After a Long Stay in the Hospital

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Spending a few weeks in the hospital can seriously mess up your plans. It could also leave you in a terrible financial situation if you own a home. So, you need to get things sorted as quickly as possible to ensure you are back on track. With a bit of luck, your employer will have held your job open while you were out of action. That means you still have the opportunity to earn money and put things right. However, there are lots of other issues you need to consider, which is why I’ve published this post. I hope the information will help to point you in the right direction and remove all those headaches.

Contact everyone who’s sent bills you can’t pay

Before you do anything else, you need to get in touch with creditors and utility companies that send letters asking for money. Explain your situation, and ask them for some extra time to pay. Do not make the mistake of ignoring your debts. If you do that, the amount will increase due to late payment fees. Some firms might also start court proceedings to recover the cash. However, keeping them information should help to stop that from happening. In most instances, they are willing to work with you to settle the matter. They would much prefer to get the money from you instead of having to pay legal fees and take you to court.

Find an injury lawyer

If you stayed in the hospital because of a personal injury, you might be entitled to compensation. There is no time to waste when it comes to finding the best legal representation. Leaving it too long will mean you reduce your payment rate and lower your chances of success. Also, personal injury cases can take a long time to reach their settlements. So, you need to start the ball rolling right now if you want to see your money by the end of the year. Just hire a professional personal injury representative. You can then explain your accident and listen to their advice. They won’t charge astronomical fees, but they could help to make your life much easier.

Go back to work as soon as you can

The last thing you want to do is increase your recovery times by going back to work. You need to ensure your body is healthy again before you do that. Even so, you need to start earning money as soon as you can. Otherwise, you’ll never get out of the debt you’ve managed to create. Maybe you could ask your employer about different shift patterns that are more realistic? They might allow you to work half shifts instead of staying in the office for an entire day. That would assist in easing you back into the routine, and it will also provide you with some basic income.

I sincerely hope your stay in the hospital didn’t mess things up too much, and that you can get back to normal soon. Just make sure you’ve paid attention to my advice, and try to put it into practice as much as possible. Nobody wants to have an accident and end up in the emergency room, but those things happen a LOT these days.

Should My Kids Go To College?

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Sending off your kids to college can be a proud moment for many parents. But before you make the big decision, consider whether it’s the right thing to do for them. There are many kids that greatly benefit from going to college, going on to lead successful careers, to socially blossom and to earn many new valuable experiences. However, there are many that do it as a rite of passage, forcing themselves to go or letting their parents force them into it. If your offspring are considering making the big step to higher educations, here are the factors you should consider.

Can you afford it?

College can be expensive for some parents, especially those opting for private or specialist colleges. There are loans and grants available, but these can have strict eligibility guidelines. Weigh up whether you can realistically afford to put your kids in college. Cost should never be the sole reason for not pursuing higher education – there is always financial aid and advice available (for example this site on preparing for college). But if other factors are also involved (e.g. unlikely they’ll make the grades, no passion) then you should definitely consider whether it’s worth pouring the money into this pursuit.

Are they equipped enough?

Sometimes if a kid isn’t making the grades, you’ve got to accept that they’re not ready. It can pay to take a year out and retake some exams. It’s possible to scrape by, but the workload is only to get harder. Similarly there are times when your kids might not have made the grades due to illness or other extenuating circumstances. Don’t rush your kids into college – encourage them to retake a year and get the results they deserve.

Is college necessary for their goals?

If your kids want to go into plumbing or work in a bar, college might not be necessary. As a parent it can be frustrating accepting these kind of goals, but you have to remember that education isn’t for everyone. They may have dreams of starting their own business that don’t require higher education (and besides 40% of grads from the top 100 colleges couldn’t find jobs in their chosen field). Goals related to the arts can be the hardest to accept. If your child wants to become a singer or actress, let them know that college might not be necessary but could be a useful safety net if things don’t work out.

Do they want it?

The biggest thing you need to consider is what your kids want.  Although you should advise on what you think is best, you can’t hold them back or push them against their will. Even if your kid doesn’t really know what they want to do, but wants to go to college, there may be some benefit to what they learn and the friendships they make. Some kids need to go to college to realise it’s not for them, despite being so enthusiastic about it beforehand. Others will go straight into work only to return to education the next year. It’s never too late to make a change.

Most People Overlook These Important Things When Moving House!

Moving house is so exciting, a chance to start fresh and a new place to dress and decorate exactly how you want. But the actual moving part isn’t so much fun, and in fact is one of the most stressful things you’ll probably ever do in your life. Physically moving your possessions and your life from A to B is fraught with challenges, so you’ll need to put as much effort into the planning and organizing stages as possible. Here are some of the things people can overlook when moving house; make sure you don’t forget these things to keep your move running as smoothly as possible!

Care For Children and Pets on Moving Day

You're moving company in and out of the house, doors will be left open, and boxes will be piled everywhere. So ideally you will have children and pets looked after elsewhere on the day that you move. That way you know no-one is going to run out of the front door, get in the way or potentially hurt by hazards. Plus moving is stressful, not just for adults but for children and animals too. Having them cared for in a safe and calming place, and bringing them to the new home once you’re setup is your best bet. You could ask friends and family members for help, or in the case of pets book them into a kennel or cattery for a couple of days if no-one is able to watch them for you. It means you can get on with moving things and doing what you need to do without the worry of making sure your children and pets are kept safe. Sites including http://www.parents.com have more information.

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A Storage Unit

Some house moves are smoother than others. In some cases, you will get your keys for your new property a couple of days before you have to hand your old ones over, giving you extra time to get your old property empty and cleaned. Other situations, however, might mean you have to hand in your keys on the day that you move, meaning there’s a huge rush and time restraint. Or worse still, you might need to empty your current home days, weeks or months before you can move into the new one. Some buyers can find themselves in a position where they have to temporarily rent or move in with family, as their old house has sold, but they are waiting on the new one. In this case, a storage unit is essential. If you’re renting or staying with loved ones short term, chances are you’re not going to have the space to move a whole house of possessions. Companies like http://canningvalestorageunits.com.au/, for example, offer both long as short term storage. Have a look at what’s local to you, in case your move leads to you needing to hire a storage container.

An Emergency Kit

When you first move into a property, there are a few important items that you’ll need to have on hand. Some plates, cups and cutlery so you can eat. Some toilet paper, bin bags, tea towels and cleaning products. Some bath towels and basic toiletries. Your phone charger, and any important paperwork. Don’t make the mistake of packing up your entire home and thinking ‘I’ll sort it when I get there.’ Unpacking properly can take days; it could be a while before the necessary items you need turn up. Pack yourself an emergency suitcase of things you’re going to need to get you through the initial move. Sites like https://www.reallymoving.com have more information about what to include.

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There is also moving home technology you can benefit from if you're moving home. If you're in the UK for instance, when moving home you need to sort all of your utilities (broadband, energy, council tax, water etc...). There are services such as SlothMove that can set that up - here's a link to their utility checklist.