Parenting Your Strong-Willed Child: The Importance of the Walk

Do you have a strong-willed child?

The kind that you see screaming and throwing tantrums at the grocery store? Or in Sunday school?
Yep, I had one of those.
The kind you actually think might NEED medication?
Even though you can’t believe you are thinking that?
Here’s our story.
Please SHARE if you think it will help encourage someone.
And JOIN me on Homeschool Christian Mom FB group for more tips.
When you have a child like this, it is easy to feel like a failure as a parent.
This kind of kid tests all of your reserve strength. This kind of child teaches you to pray!

Our first child was extremely strong willed.

I even talked to our Christian doctor about my daughter. I was ready to put her on medication to help me keep my own sanity. But . . . Continue reading “Parenting Your Strong-Willed Child: The Importance of the Walk”

Christmas Gift Giving: NO Toys! Buy Them Hours of Creative Fun.

Don’t buy your kids toys, buy them hours of fun.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy for details.

Whether you are looking for Christmas gift giving or making a special kid in your life happy, think in HOURS not items. By this I mean you should look at the time your child will play with an item as you evaluate whether or not to buy it.

Continue reading “Christmas Gift Giving: NO Toys! Buy Them Hours of Creative Fun.”

Homeschooling Basics: Getting Started

Expert Help for Home School Moms: I want to help you be successful like I've helped others. Picture of kids squirting water at each other outside in backyard.

Welcome to homeschooling! I have homeschooled my four and been working with homeschoolers for over 30 years. Here are the Basics to help you get started so you can have a happy homeschooling experience.

Your schooling style will need to fit your family and its needs, but it will also have to meet the requirements of your state and school district. See below for more resources for your specific state! In New York we have to notify the school district within 15 days.

Homeschooling: You Need Some Books

Generally with home schooling, you purchase and teach the subjects your child needs.  Whatever you are teaching, please join me on Homeschool Christian Mom group on Facebook for additional support. If you are having difficulty with finding curriculum or other resources, I can help you in that forum.

There are very good boxed all-in-one curriculums out there. I used and recommend BJU Press Homeschool curriculum for all my kids K thru 12. You can do parent led where you teach or purchase the DVD’s or get the same material through the computer. For any of those ways, there are recommendations for grading or they do it for you. I love the BJU curriculum because they have thought of everything. Subjects are well put together, they list tons of extra resources if you need it and all the prep work is done. On day one, you teach lesson one, etc. So the value of that kind of complete curriculum was worth every penny to me. Continue reading “Homeschooling Basics: Getting Started”

SALE information: BJU Press Homeschool

IT’S SUMMER SALE TIME!

Exciting news! BJU Press Homeschool is holding a sale from Auguat 1st to 15th, 2023! Everything is 10% off (excluding Testing & Evaluation, AIG, Logos Science Kits, etc.) for these dates only! This offer cannot be used on previous orders and expires at 11:59 PM (ET) on August 15th.

If you haven’t gotten your BJU Press Homeschool material yet, NOW is the time!

Everything will be 10% off (excluding Testing & Evaluation and Logos). Please not— this discount CANNOT be combined with any other discounts or promotions except for the payment plan.

This sale is not retroactive on orders already placed.

Note: The deadline for getting in orders will be 11:59 (EST) on August 15, 2023. 

Please, please  please use my LINK for your orders by clicking here. Thanks in advance. You can thank me later. 

Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them and purchase I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.


Bonus Homeschooling material:

Spelling is more than just learning how to spell words. If you are unsure of what to look for in a spelling curriculum, you can read more about it HERE: Review of Spelling, 6th grade. I highly recommend BJU Press Homeschool Spelling because they integrate so many of the language arts into their lessons.

Or you can watch my Youtube review here.

If you know ANYONE with a 4 year old, the Footsteps for Fours curriculum is one of my new favorites. The authors have included SO MANY ideas!! I go through a lesson to show you how FUN and THOUGHTFUL the lessons are!

Join us!

Homeschool with Confidence Facebook page Resources, Community and Encouragement

Homeschool Christian Mom Facebook page and group: We discuss the ins and outs of our homeschooling days and offer great ideas to help each other succeed.

Youtube: Homeschool Christian Mom  I review curriculum as well as presenting homeschooling tips. These videos discuss homeschool scheduling, working with your Littles, thinking long term, and many other topics.

For additional homeschooling support, Join us!

Twitter   @hmschchristnmom

Instagram

 

 

Leftover Chicken Southwest-Style Casserole

 

Leftover Chicken Southwest Style Casserole

Spice up that leftover chicken with this recipe!

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 2-3 cups leftover chicken, chopped
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese divided
  • 1/2 onion, chopped sauteed
  • 1 can Rotel, tomatoes and chilies
  • 1 can chilies
  • 2 tps Cholula hot sauce, to taste
  • 2 inch Ritz crackers, crumbled
  • 1 cup rotini pasta, uncooked
  • 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Spray 9 x 9 casserole dish with non-stick spray.

  3. Prepare pasta as per package directions, till al dente. Rinse and hold.

  4. In a large mixing bowl, add chicken, cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of cheese, onion, Rotel tomatoes and chilies, chilies, hot sauce, crumbled ritz crackers and pasta. Mix gently but thoroughly.

  5. Transfer to casserole dish.

    Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup Pepper Jack cheese.

  6. Put into the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and browned.

  7. Remove from oven. Let sit for 5 minutes. Dinner is served!

  8. Serving suggestion: Asparagus with butter and a side lettuce salad.

I post recipes that our family actually eats! Why? Because no matter how good a homeschooling day you have, you (usually) still have to make something for dinner! I hope you enjoy this recipe.

You might also like: Rich Tomato Vegetable Soup to Keep You Warm and Keep Away the Munchies

Warm and Comforting Spinach Artichoke Dip

Let’s connect:

A good homeschooling mindset will change your perspective.

There are very good boxed all-in-one curriculums out there. I used mainly one curriculum: BJU Press Homeschool curriculum for all my kids K thru 12. It is a Christian curriculum. I knew some people that worked there and we really liked it. It is a curriculum where the subjects are integrated (like the spelling words are in the reading and science lessons.) You can do parent led where you teach or purchase the DVD’s or get the same material through the computer. For any of those ways, there are recommendations for grading or they do it for you. I love the BJU curriculum because they have thought of everything. Subjects are well put together, they list tons of extra resources if you need it and all the prep work is done. On day one, you teach lesson one, etc. So the value of that kind of complete curriculum was worth every penny to me. You can see their curriculum here.

ABOUT ELIZABETH ESTELLE

Elizabeth Estelle, homeschooling mom of four amazing children, and now a grandmother. She has been married to her college sweetheart for over 38 years. She loves the Lord, teaches, writes, mentors ladies, and likes to cook. She cleans as needed. In her spare time she enjoys teaching art. She led a homeschool co-op for 24 years. Now, she wants to encourage homeschooling families to persevere and be successful in their own homeschool adventure, kindergarten through high school.

NEWSFLASH: I’m homeschooling. I’m not perfect.

I'm homeschooling. I'm not perfect. text on red background. mom sleep: like regular sleep but without the sleep

Newsflash: I’m homeschooling. I’m not perfect.

Fortunately, my children were already well aware of this. I didn’t have to burst their bubble, so to speak. My husband was supportive of the homeschooling so he greatly contributed to its success.

But my own mindset needed some adjusting.

  • I had my own ideas of how the days should go.
  • Of how the house should look.
  • Of appropriate lunches and snacks.
  • Of playdates and extra outings.
  • Of time for myself to recharge, read my Bible or even nap!

Continue reading “NEWSFLASH: I’m homeschooling. I’m not perfect.”