Homeschool Crew

Why We Chose To Homeschool {Homeschooling} {Epilepsy Awareness}

April 17, 2017 by Dana

5 Days of Blogging with Epilepsy and Other Issues:

Why We Chose To Homeschool

I never imagined I’d be a Homeschooling Mom. When Winston was born, I don’t even think I knew what Homeschooling was. In High School, I had planned to go to college at Clemson and major in English and Education. I wanted to be a Middle School English teacher.

This wasn’t God’s plan though. I met my ex-husband when I was 17 and found myself in LOVE. By 19, I was married. At 21, I had my oldest son and at 23, my baby girl was added into the mix. My life was all about being Momma and Wife. Long gone was the idea of being a Teacher.

Then when Emmalee was 3 months old, our life changed completely. Emma began having seizures. Appointments had us traveling back and forth to MUSC every 3 months. MRI’s, EEG’s and blood tests became an important part of our life. It was chaos.

Time passed quickly. Before I knew it Emma was 3 and Winston was 5. It was time to make a decision about school but my Momma heart wasn’t ready to part with either of my babies. I was very involved in online parenting communities (This was pre-Facebook) and I was learning about different educational types. Homeschooling was becoming more widely known, so I started praying and looking into more information.

I found out my then husband’s boss’ wife was Homeschooling their kids so my ex-husband was all for learning more. Prayer led me to finding information in places I never expected. Our dump had a swap place where people left items they no longer needed but weren’t quite trash. It was there I found my first curriculum and informative books on Homeschooling. Then I was in a local thrift store and I found more books on Homeschooling.

These little signs from God were all I needed. We found our local homeschooling association was holding a New Homeschooler class so we attended and learned a lot. I knew in my heart God was calling me to this and I was determined to follow.

Here we are 11 years later, still homeschooling. I didn’t know then why it was right for us but over time, I’ve come to find that there was definitely more reasons than I could see in those early days. Multiple moves across the state of SC and finally into NC. Multiple children with special needs and Epilepsy. Multiple doctors appointments several days a week, hours away from home. Therapies that were required for 3 of my 4 children. All of these things came over the years and showed me that Homeschooling was definitely chosen by God for us for a reason unseen that He knew all the time.

And it’s a choice I’ve never second guessed or wished to change. It’s a choice that has led us to become bonded together as a family. It’s a choice that has given us so much more than we could even have known when we began this journey.

God knew though and He’s led us all the way. We will keep going and seeking his guidance in this, as we have from the beginning. I look forward to seeing where He is leading us on our journey.

God bless,

Dana Lambert – Hodge

This blog post is a part of the 5 Days Of Homeschool… blog hop

from the Homeschool Review Crew!

5 Days of Homeschool Annual Blog Hop - 2017

To read other posts…

Christian Kids Explore Biology {Crew Review}

April 18, 2012 by Dana

I must say we absolutely LOVE Christian Kids Explore Biology. This is a curriculum I’ve always wanted to try out but was never sure about. I can now say we have been completely missing out!!

The Christian Kids Explore Science series teaches science from a biblical viewpoint. Most science texts educate from a secular standard, teaching evolution as it’s main focus but not Christian Kids Explore Science. This science text teaches from God’s viewpoint, showing his hand in everything we see and touch and giving solid evidence to dispel secular myth in science.

Christian Kids Explore Biology touches on many different biological topics from plants to animals, cells to anatomy. Each lesson topic is supported by a easy but intensive hands on project. Each chapter begins with topical information, building solid structure for the subject at hand. A list of vocabulary words and materials needed for the chapter is also provided at the beginning of each chapter section. Also available throughout the book are various coloring pages for your children to enjoy while you cover reading about the subject or simply to include the little ones while you work through the book. There are a series of questions on the subject matter provided per lesson and a review section at the end of every chapter. Maps, resource materials, coloring pages, biblical verse cards, bonus activities and much more are also provided for copying in the appendixes at the end of the book. A bonus CD is also available providing these materials and more in an easily printable form for use with the book.

Christian Kids Explore Biology is published by Bright Ideas Press for $34.95. The bonus materials disk is also available for $12.95. Both can be purchased online at Bright Ideas Press or through an appropriate retailer. To read more reviews of this curriculum and the other books in this series, please visit The Old Schoolhouse’s Homeschool Review Crew blog.

*Disclaimer – this product and it’s accompanying material download was provided by Bright Ideas Press and the TOS Homeschool Review Crew blog for free in exchange for my honest opinion of the product provided in a post on my blog. No money was exchanged in the process of reviewing this product.

Reading Eggs {Crew Review}

March 2, 2012 by Dana

Reading Eggs is a fun reading experience for children learning to read. This interactive learning website is one your child will enjoy using every day.

Reading Eggs helps build reading skills for children ages 3-8 at various reading levels, with 100 lessons to keep children enthralled. Reading Eggs focuses on providing much needed skills in comprehension, spelling, writing and more. Fun games allow the child to learn enjoyably as he/she works through each lesson and rewards children with cute animations as they learn.

When your child begins Reading Eggs they are promoted to complete a test allowing the Reading Eggs program to choose the correct placement for the child. This allows your child to learn on their level so they don’t get bored with things that are too easy or frustrated with things that are too hard. This also allows the parent/teacher to see what level their child is reading at so they are able to focus more on necessary lessons to encourage learning.

There are multiple ways to sign up for Reading Eggs. Monthly, every six months and yearly rates are available. The current rate for one year of Reading Eggs which allows full access for one student to the website is $75. Discounts of 50% are currently offered for each additional student added in a family.

You can read more reviews of Reading Eggs on the TOS Homeschool Review Crew Blog.

*Disclaimer – Reading Eggs was provided to me free for review in exchange for my honest opinion by the TOS Homeschool Review Crew. All opinions are my own and no money has been exchanged for this review.