Supplies ~ Are you Prepared?

Thanks for joining me once again talking about Essentials in our homeschool. This week the Schoolhouse Review Crew is Blog Hopping about all the essentials in homeschooling. There is a ton of variety so make sure you check some out (I've helped make it easy by listing some at the bottom of the post)!

So far here at The Arrowood Zoo we have talked about Routine Matters, Curriculum: Make it or Break it and finally today we will talk about Supplies: Are you Prepared?

Homeschooling is a huge undertaking. So many people just don't understand why we mothers want to stay at home all day with our children when there are other ways to go but little do they know that homeschooling is a passion. The joy of seeing our children learn and grasp things are blessings that I totally do not want to miss. 

Homeschooling takes a lot of preparation, so with that said are you prepared?

Depending on the age of your children will depend on what you prepare and how long it takes you to get ready for your week or even your year. 

Homeschool mothers all prepare differently, some monthly, some yearly but I prefer to prepare weekly in some aspects of our schooling.

While my children where smaller I prepared puzzles, games, coloring sheets and things to that nature to have ready for them so we could have a fun and smooth day. 

As your children get older you will see that you have to prepare different items and in different ways. Your supply of products will change too. 

Over the years I can't express enough how you can come to a chilling halt just because you're not prepared with the proper supplies!!!! It will ruin your day and most likely how the teaching was going! Kind of like answering the phone when it rings and you know you shouldn't have! Side Tracked! And as we all know once you mess that day up it's very hard to get that flow back going again.

This is one area I have to really strive to work hard at. When the kids where little it was so much easier because if I didn't prepare enough they could take a break and go play or grab another puzzle until momma was finished but that only lasts for a while. So if your there - ENJOY IT.

Not having the proper items prepared really is a huge problem. We have been in the middle of history before and need something and guess what - I didn't have it. For either the lack of me paying attention or the lack of my effort. This is really horrible to admit but I know I am not the only homeschool parent in the world that has done this and after all I'm just keepin' in real.

So you stop that history lesson and run to the printer only for the printer to need paper... You get it - RUINS IT ALL. 

You have to find a balance in getting your supplies and books prepared for your homeschooling. I have finally found something that works fairly well for me.

I look through every subject the week before and determine if I need copies or if I need supplies for that chemistry experiment and so I have 3 days normally to prepare if needed. I try to look over all our studies by our mini - mesters, see we school 8 weeks on 2 weeks off all year long so I have found that I can plan, print and organize based on our 8 week schooling. I really love doing it that way but for science experiments and supplies sometimes it is hard.

This is when I print a lot of my notebooking pages off or our Mystery of History coloring pages off or even extra math drill pages if I know it looks like something we will have issues with. 

I honestly print too much and prepare too much because it is so much easier to throw it in the recycling than to mess up my day and having to stop teaching to print something off or putting that experiment off until next week because I didn't have vinegar!!??

So you get the point. 

Be prepared make sure you find a groove that works for you to be prepared and ready for your week! It will make learning so much more pleasant and you will be happy that you did!

Below are some of my friends essentials to check out and click here to read on The Schoolhouse Blog!!

Marcy @ Ben and Me

Lisa @ Golden Grasses

Tess @ Circling Through This Life

Victoria @ Homemaking With Heart

Joelle @ Homeschooling For His Glory

Deanna @ His Treasure Seekers

Melissa @ Grace Christian Homeschool

Beth @ Ozark Ramblings

Rebecca @ Raventhreads