Persevering In 2014

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My word for 2014 is PERSEVERE! Persevere means, "to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult." I think many homeschool moms will agree with me that being a stay at home/homeschool mom is not an EASY job. Add in life stresses like a job, financial strains and health issues and it can make our job even harder.

So this year I will be focusing on PERSEVERING in these areas homeschool, blogging/social media work and household chores.

Perseverance is a special character trait because you can only use it when things are difficult. It is a character trait that ordinary people depend on just about everyday at work, home and play. Perseverance keeps us pressing on even when tough circumstances come our way. As mother's (especially homeschool mothers's) we definitely persevere everyday and it is our job as mother's to help our children persevere too. We as mother's need to hold our children's course steady and encourage them to use this valuable character quality. But perseverance cannot be taught. Instead we must set the example for our children. We must show them how we persevere through our own struggles and weakness and persevere along side them.

Here is how I am persevering and hopefully helping my children persevere as well in 2014!

Homeschool:
I firmly believe in our delight-directed/unschooling learning style but it can be really hard some days to trust that we have made the right choice. There were times this year I was second guessing our choices, comparing our homeschool to others and ready to throw in the towel on homeschool all together. In the New Year I will persevere and remember the reasons we chose to homeschool. I will remember that we want our children to have a love for learning and to follow their interests and dreams...NOT fit into a mold or box. I will NOT let the words of other break me down and second guess what we decided was right for our children and our family.

No man should bring children into the world who is unwilling to persevere to the end in their nature and education. ~ Plato

I will help my children learn how to persevere when they are tackling something tough and getting frustrated by showing them how I persevere and by letting them know it is okay to fail and make mistakes. I will show them that patience goes hand in hand with perseverance.

Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th. ~ Julie Andrews

I will let them pursue topics that are meaningful to them. I will let them set their own goals and be there to support them and help them work through any difficulties that arise. I will provide all of the resources and environment they need to persevere. I will guide them on the choices they make so that they can find perseverance on their own. I will NEVER compare them to other children and will let pave their own path.

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. ~ John Quincy Adams

Blogging and Social Media Work:
There were several times this year when I was ready to give up on blogging and social media. It is very time consuming and hard work. It takes time away from other things I love doing like scrapbooking and hiking. And sometimes it even takes time away from my family.

When the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more time." ~Author Unknown

When I started blogging it was a fun way to document our homeschool journey and I hoped that along the way it would help a few fellow homeschoolers. But over the last 2 years it has become more than that and my tiny blog has grown more than I ever imagined it would. Blogging has allowed me to supplement our income and provide for our family. It has become a way for me to help fellow homeschoolers on their homeschool journey through valuable insight and resources. And it has allowed me to meet some really awesome people across the country and even the world who have become both "in real life" and virtual friends.

Persist and persevere, and you will find most things that are attainable, possible. ~ Lord Chesterfield

I showed perseverance this year (with the support from my family) and will continue to press on in 2014. I will get more organized and stay caught up on projects and reviews. I will lighten up some of my commitments and focus my attention on my passions. I will utilize more of the valuable tools available to bloggers like scheduling apps.

Try not to do too many things at once. Know what you want, the number one thing today and tomorrow. Persevere and get it done. ~ George Allen Sr

And in turn I will show my children through my own perseverance that hard work and persistence is possible in everything we do, even blogging. And that making sacrifices for my family makes all the hard work totally worth it!

I am a slow walker, but I never walk back. ~ Abraham Lincoln

Household Chores:

I think this is one everyone can relate too. You clean the house or even just a room only to turn around and find a mess again. Children are like mini tornadoes. They make messes and destroy just about every thing in their path. 

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. ~ Newt Gingrich

But with a little perseverance and teamwork household cleaning and organizing won't be difficult and exhausting. Be sure to read my New Year Cleaning Tips post too! In 2014 I will persevere in household chores by not being afraid to ask for HELP around the house even when I think I don't need it!

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.  ~ Albert Einstein

I will ask EVERYONE to get involved, even the children, in cleaning and organizing. If children help to clean up messes, fold the laundry, wash the dishes, etc they will learn valuable life skills, perseverance, patience, time management and the value of helping others. It is up to you whether or not you offer incentives (we reward with $1 allowance each week) but either way children need to understand that as a family it is everyone's responsibility to clean up and help out around the house not just mom's. I have even had my children help with breakfast, lunches and dinner and they are only 6 and 7 years old. And did you know that learning to do tasks, helping out around the house, and being relied on by others in their family can help build self confidence and self esteem in children?

What ever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it they will want to come back and see you do it again and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do.” ~ Walt Disney

Health:

As I was writing this post I thought of one more area I will show perseverance in for 2014 and that is my health. Some of you may know about my health struggles this year, which started a little over 4 years ago. Over the last 4 years I have seen countless doctors, had numerous procedures and accrued hefty doctor bills (some which are still unpaid). But a few months ago I had enough. I refused to become the medicated zombie that the doctors said I needed to become due to a garbage can diagnosis of fibromyalgia. I refused to continue living in pain, sleeping all day and pushing my family away. 

Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacle's, discouragement's, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak. ~ Thomas Carlyle

So I researched and researched and low and behold I found a great Chiropractor who was willing to help me heal my damaged body. Turns out I have metabolic issues, food allergies, a twisted atlas (small bone at the top of your spine on which you 12 lb skull sits) and an injured shoulder. What caused these issues is uncertain. It may have been the mold exposure from our house (that we left in 2009), my intestinal surgery (to correct the malroation of my small intestine in 2000), hormone changes from having children and/or the bad fall I had a couple years ago while ice skating. Or perhaps it was a compilation of all the above. But whatever the cause may be I am happy to report that I am healing. It has been a slow process and it will continue well into 2014. After all it took years to get this sick. But thanks to a caring doctor Cliff Griffin, gentle manipulations, amazing supplements, exercise and a restrictive diet I will continue to persevere in my health in 2014 and continue my road to recovery.

I can do everything by the power of Christ. He gives me strength Philippians 4:13 NIrV

Also be sure to head over to Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog to read about more words for 2014 from the TOS Crew.

Also in case you are interested here are my top 5 posts for 2013.

1) FreeBEE Friday - Wonders of Creation *

2) FreeBEE Friday - Subtraction Concept Based Download *

3) FreeBEE Friday - Lego Learning Resources

4) FreeBEE Friday - Be My Valentine Lapbook *

5) FreeBEE Friday - 2 Limited Time Freebies * 

*Please note many of the freebies above were limited time freebies and may no longer be available.

Our family wishes you a happy New Year! May all your hopes and dreams come true and your perseverance pay off in 2014!



Linking up with: List It Tuesday

Marvelous Cleaning Tips For The New Year

This New Year cleaning resolution tips post is brought to you by Mr. Clean as part of a Type-A Parent Community Sponsored Post.

Made with Tagxedo.

I am a stay at home, homeschool mom. That means that my two kids are pretty much always home (well expect for when we are out on a fun adventure) making messes. And boy can they make messes, they are like little tornado's. I am also a wife, blogger and social media manager so when I am not helping the kids learn I am busy working or spending time with my husband. After tending to the kids, my husband and work there is little time left for household chores.

I am always looking for ways to streamline cleaning, organization and meal times. And since the New Year is right around the corner it is a great time to make those cleaning resolutions.

Here are some of my MARVELOUS cleaning tips:
All of these tips help make cleaning go more smoothly in our house and help free up time for me and the rest of the family. With these tips implemented cleaning is no longer dreaded and mundane.

Make cleaning easier in 2014 by.....

1) Getting the ENTIRE family (including the kids) involved in cleaning and organizing. This is my number one tip for a reason! With a little perseverance and teamwork household cleaning and organizing will no longer be difficult and exhausting. Don't be afraid to ask for HELP around the house even when you don't think you need it. Start children out at a young age. Even a 1 or 2 year old can help out by picking up toys and dusting. Letting children help to clean up messes, fold the laundry, wash the dishes, etc will teach them valuable life skills, perseverance, patience, time management and the value of helping others. Children need to understand that as a family it is everyone's responsibility to clean up and help out around the house not just mom's. I have even had my children help with breakfast, lunches and dinner and they are only 6 and 7 year's old. Also did you know that learning to do tasks, helping out around the house, and being relied on by others in their family can help build self confidence and self esteem in children?

If you need some ideas on what kinds of chores your children can help out with be sure to check out my Top 10 Kids Chores post.

2) Utilizing the one minute rule. If there is something that needs to be done and takes less than one minute to do, do it immediately rather than waiting until later. Doing a small task right away will help alleviate more work later. A few toys and books or a little spill on the floor only take one minute to clean up!

3) Breaking up chores throughout the week and taking a little time each day (even if it is just 10 minutes) to clean and tidy up. Perhaps you focus on one task (like laundry) or one room a day. Anyway you choose to do it you will save yourself from having to take an entire day (or two) to tackle all of the chores at once.

4) Making chores fun...yes I totally just said chores and fun in the same sentence. This is especially important for children. Listen to music or turn cleaning up into a game. Heck even dress up as the cleaning bandit.

5) Making sure you have helpful all purpose cleaning products like Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle gel that helps get rid of tough dirt with one swipe and very little muscle. Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle can be used on all surfaces porous and non-porous and provides 2.5x more power than regular all-purpose cleaners. It doesn't contain phosphates, chlorine, bleach or ammonia so it's great for people like me with sensitive skin. And it's perfect for both household and commercial use. Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle not only gets your counters, floors, toilets, stoves and tables sparkling clean but it also leaves them smelling good too. This awesome product is around $5 and comes in lemon scent, Febreze meadows and rain scent, Gain original fresh scent and lavender scent with the grease fighting power of Dawn. The Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle bottles come with a unique dosing cap to make sure there is no waste. You can dilute Liquid Muscle in water or apply it directly to a sponge or surface. This cleaner really packs a punch and penetrates dirt and grime like no other.

Here are a couple photos showing how well it worked on our foyer hardwood floor, a floor that sees the most traffic in our home. And my children's filthy toilet (little boys really are kind of nasty). And the kitchen linoleum.

Make sure you not only have great cleaning products but also the right cleaning tools (make sure some are child sized). Stock up on Magic Erasers (perfect for kids), sponges, spray bottles, brooms (adult and child size), mops (adult and child size) , feather dusters and dust pans. I have found that Dollar Tree has a great selection of child sized cleaning tools including brooms, mops, dust pans, feather dusters and spray bottles. For children be sure to also use safe cleaning products like vinegar, baking soda, and plain water in spray bottles so there is no need to worry about them coming in contact with harsh chemicals. These inexpensive household products work great for cleaning walls, mirrors and windows. Which are all simple chores for children to help with.

6) Purging clothes, shoes, toys, household items etc. every couple of months (or quarterly).  If you purchase something new be sure to donate an old item. Decluttering can really help make cleaning and organizing much easier in the long haul.

7) Making organizing simple, even for kids. Use storage drawers, plastic shoe boxes and canvas bins for organizing toys and other materials. Label drawers, boxes and bins so everyone knows exactly where to find things and put things back!

And if you are still dreading cleaning in the New Year and need a little laugh to get you started here you go:

I thought it would be fun to ask my Facebook Followers their best tips too and here they are: 

• The rule of 3 (or 4, or 5, or 6 whatever) works wonders. Pick a number and whenever you enter a room you put that many things away or throw them away , and before you leave the room you take 3 things with. Going around the whole house for a few hours this way will get it clean, but it also helps maintain clutter if you do it as part of your normal routine. KM from kmlogan.com
• Make it a part of your routine. 15 mins in the morning and 15 mins at night will get a lot done over time and you won't be overwhelmed. Set a timer and clean for that amount of time and when it beeps, you're done. It's amazing what all you can do! Stephanie from burbstoboonies.blogspot.com
• I combined two things people hate...exercise and bathroom cleaning. Maybe for laughs. Stacey from layeredsoul.com/bathroom-exercises-to.../2013/05/
• My best cleaning tips: 1. Use music to give you energy and make it less boring 2. Always tidy up for 10 minutes (set the timer on your phone!) before you go to bed so you can wake up without feeling overwhelmed by the mess 3. Have a nice basket in every room for easy toy clean up 4. The more organized a home is, the easier it is to keep clean so go room by room in January and get rid of junk, create systems, etc. Alisha from thesavvybump.com
• I keep a 3 gallon pail in my laundry room with a scoop of oxyclean and filled with water. Clothes that need pretreating go straight into the pail to keep stains from setting - and even a small child can put their soiled clothes in it. Also, a sponge/soap wand filled with a squirt of dishsoap and the rest white vinegar makes a great day to day tub cleaner and is easy to give the shower a quick scrub while/after showering. Adrienne from abiglittlefamily.com
• I have a laundry basket that I carry around with me when I clean. Anything I find that isn't where it belongs goes into the basket for the owner to claim and put away. Saves me a lot of time running around. Chrissey A.
• I periodically pour boiling water and baking soda down my drains. It keeps them running fresh and clean, you can add vinegar too. Lilith D.
• For the ceilings, walls and corners, I have a small spray bottle with water and peppermint. I spray my fluffy duster that has an extender pole and duster all the hard to reach areas where spiders tend to go. They do not like peppermint and it keeps them spider and web free for months. I also wipe down my window and door frames and sills with the peppermint to discourage them from coming in. Lisa from thehappyclownwithafrown.blogspot.com/
• I try to spread out my laundry during the week by doing at least 2-3 loads a day. Not only does it keep me from getting overwhelmed, it helps me plan days when I can't/don't want to do laundry (i.e. hubby's days off - Sunday). I also *try* to deep clean one room/area a day so I don't spend one entire day cleaning & getting exhausted. Annette from www.inallyoudo.net/
• Have the kids help by cleaning up their areas. Also I read once that it's best to tackle the hardest & most disliked task first and get it out of the way. Melissa D.
• Everything has its place! We use small containers to organize in the bathroom. Taralyn from keepmovingforwardwithme.com/2013/04/day-2-bathroom-organization/
• I hate to clean the shower/tub so I like to get it done quickly. I keep a magic eraser in there and do a quick swipe on the walls and tub a few times a week while I'm in the shower. No need for deep scrubbing when you give it a quick swipe a few times a week! thesunnypatch.blog/
• Save money use vinegar\water and essential oils (for scent) to clean. I use it for all my cleaning. Sarah H.
• The boys pick out their chores at the beginning of each week and they are responsible for them. It helps a ton. Dayna from lemonlimeadventures.com/
• Having a schedule for cleaning really helps me do a little bit every day and not get overwhelmed - but I also thinking having kids involved with chores from an early age is helpful. At 2 it is already habit to bus their dishes, put away their laundry, help with groceries, etc. We did one post about watering plants. Erin from bambinitravel.com/Pages/Activities/activityitem.php?id=35

Have a great and clean New Year!

This is a compensated post brought to you by Mr. Clean. Mr. Clean is kicking off the New Year with the launch of a new product called Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle, a new multi-purpose, multi-surface concentrated cleaning gel that delivers superior cleaning performance on and off the floor. Be sure to like Mr. Clean on Facebook and follow @RealMrClean on Twitter.

Linking up with: List It Tuesday, ABC Blogging