The idea of homeschooling, for some, can be terrifying. So many questions come up. Will they get what they need? Will they have enough socialization? What if we miss something? What if they struggle? What if I can't do it? There are a lot of fears and concerns around any unknown territory especially when it's outside of your wheelhouse. Here are a few of them, with some perspective: 1. Most of us are not licensed teachers. The assumption that we were never academically and professionally prepared to educate out children can lead many people to believe that they are not qualified. This is a myth. Because we are their parents, we are in many ways the most qualified. We understand our children better than anyone. And the rest, well, we learn as we go, too! 2. Some think it is a calling....and they're not hearing it. This is also an assumption. Homeschooling does not have to be a "calling" or a passion that you've spent your whole life pining to do. Anyone can homeschool their kids if they make the choice and commitment to do it. Use your best judgement. If you think your children would benefit from the experience and that it would be a fun journey, go for it! 3. It will make life difficult and dull. Some parents may fear that homeschooling is really hard and that they would be giving up much of their own life to do it. This is not true at all. Homeschooling is what you make it. If you want it to be fun, make it fun! There are so many benefits to homeschooling and one of them is the freedom to explore the world around you. Another benefit is that you work it into your schedule the way it works for your family. And, you can homeschool for about two hours a day and get more than enough education. 4. The kids will not be well socialized. This may have been true several decades ago but it's far from true today. There are mountains of extracurricular resources these days that are social in nature, getting you and the kids out and about and meeting knew people all the time. Homeschoolers are also adept at forming communities. And with more and more people choosing this lifestyle every day, there is no shortage of homeschooling friends. 5. It's too much responsibility. Sure, you are solely responsible for your kids education and that can be scary. But it is not too much responsibility. With the right plan and resources in play, it can be well executed. And, homeschooled children time and time again prove to perform better on educational outcomes. If they're doing it, so can you. 6. The kids (and I) will spend too much time together. It is a legitimate concern that too much time together can be a bad thing. But, homeschooled children, especially younger ones, actually benefit from that extra time at home with you. It's a more nurturing environment that supports their developmental needs. As they grow, there are plenty of resources to reach out to that get them out of the house more, like drop-off programs. It's also good to know your kids' needs and to be perceptive of when space is needed and have some tools you use to create this balance, like quiet time where everyone goes to their own room or space for quiet reading. Or plenty of outside time! You also need to make your own self care part of the daily regimen. Carve out time and space for your needs. 7. Maintaining structure can be overwhelming. There are all types of homeschoolers: Heavily structured homeschoolers to homeschoolers with little or no structure. You pick what works for you. 8. The kids will miss out on certain experiences. While it's possible, it's less true today. Remember those community-oriented homeschoolers mentioned above? They're also really resourceful. If it doesn't exist and a homeschooling mom wants it for her kids, she'll create it. And so can you! There are homeschool dances, homeschool band, homeschool science fairs.... you name it. Just about anything you experienced in traditional school your kids can now get as homeschoolers. It may look a little different but it will be good. 9. The kids won't cooperate. Many many, parents believe that their kids will never tolerate them switching to their teacher hat and that every day will be a battle. This is in your control. If your kids are truly impossible to homeschool, then maybe THEY don't want to homeschool or maybe they need special resources. As their parent you can assess this. However, the structure of your homeschool lifestyle is up to you and it doesn't have to involve sitting your kids in a chair for hours, drilling them. Get them out and about! Meet them where they are in their learning styles and interests! Don't make homeschoolnig torture for you or for them. If it doesn't work, change what you're doing and try a different approach. 10, You're on your own. No, you're not. There are so many people homeschooling, so many social groups on social media, so many resources, so many meet-up groups.....There are about 1.8 million homeschoolers in the United States today and that number grows rapidly. If you need help, just ask. Reach out on social media, look up blogs and website online, look for activities where you might meet other homeschoolers. You can do it and if you look, you will find a very a very interesting, warm, down-to-earth community waiting for you.
0 Comments
It's been shown in research that music lessons have a profound effect on development. That's why as homeschoolers, it is a critical opportunity to make the most of homeschool education. Music does the following for our kiddos: 1. Increases blood flow to the brain 2. Develops multi-sensory skills, the brain can process multiple things at once 3. Strengthens memory and reading skills 4. Improves math skills 5. Improves critical thinking and problem solving skills 6. Improves social skills 7. Reduces stress and depression and improves mood and attitude 8. Reduces aging 9. Improves language skills 10. Improves spatial reasoning 11. Improves motor skills and coordination 12. Improves their "ear" for music And the list goes on and on. New discoveries are made all the time regarding how music impacts the brain and its development. Luckily, there are several affordable opportunities in our area for our homeschool kiddos to get music lessons. Here are a few: Music Alliance Music Alliance offers homeschool band classes. The reason this is significant is because, while learning an instrument is important, learning to play with a group is a whole other level. And when our kids are not in traditional school, band class is one of those pieces that could easily be missed from our homeschool plan. Thanks to Music Alliance, our kids can learn to play with an ensemble. Classes run weekly from September to May. Kids get an instrument lesson and then a band practice each week. The put on at least two concerts a year. Sessions are offered in two locations, east side and west side of Cleveland. West side is in Parma Heights and and East Side is in Kirtland. Classes are an affordable $60 per month and there are options to rent instruments. Classes are available to kids ages 9 to 18. To get in touch, contact them at office@musicallianceinc.org or call us toll-free at 855-333-1357 ext. 1. Baldwin Wallace Community Arts School Once called Olmsted Performing Arts in Berea, the program merged with Baldwin Wallace University to become the BW Community Arts School. A variety of dance, theater and music classes are offered in 8 sessions on the first Wednesday of each month. They also offer instrumental classes through the Dalcroze method. There is a youth orchestra, a band, private lessons and summer camps. For more information, go to https://bwcommunityarts.bw.edu/instrumental-music/. Joyful Noise Neighborhood Music School Not specifically homeschool, but worth mentioning is Joyful Noise Neighborhood Music School. Joyful Noise provides free music lessons and free use of instruments to kids from families that can't afford music lessons. In addition to lessons on 11 types of instruments, Joyful Noise also has classes in vocal music, dance, drama and creative writing. Joyful Noise sends some students to summer music camps, provides free tickets to concerts or plays, and provides special opportunities for its students to perform in public. Located in Ohio City at Westside Alliance Church, 3800 Bridge Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44113. Lessons are available Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday afternoons from 4 pm to 7 pm. For more info, call (216) 952-4398 or go to www.joyfulnoiseschool.org. If you know of an amazing music program for homeschoolers, get in touch and let us know about it! We'll share the info on the site. info@neo-learners.com. Emotional Intelligence: the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. Each year in October, the Emotional Intelligence Institute organizes a campaign to raise awareness to the importance of emotional intelligence as the key to personal and professional success. Research has determined that emotions are the main architects of the human mind. So to have better mental health, it is imperative to understand emotions and how to manage them. Research shows that homeschooled children have higher emotional intelligence (EI) than standard schooled children and lower levels of problem behaviors. For years, the opposite was assumed. Homeschooled children were assumed to be socially awkward or not socialized and would lack opportunities to build self confidence. However, it has been proven that the opposite is true. Homeschooled children show higher signs of empathy, kindness, introspection, self confidence and social skills. Overall, they are better prepared and more capable of handling a variety of social situations and can utilize problem solving skills very well. And, if a child is struggling with emotions and the behaviors associated with them, homeschooling is often a great opportunity to focus on that. Every homeschooling household is different and unique. But, if you're interested in fostering emotional intelligence awareness as a part of your homeschooling education, here are some things you can do, according to Caitlin Fitzpatrick Hurley, author of mylittlepoppies.com: 1. Practice identifying emotions: Teach your kiddos to know what their different emotions are and what might be triggering them. To be emotionally articulate, to communicate your emotions is a skill that has to be learned, but it is the first step in management. 2. Discuss emotions and experiences: Once kids can identify their emotions it is important to encourage talking about them. Use books, movies, games to inspire discussion of emotions. Otherwise encourage them to talk about their experiences and how they felt. 3. Teach coping skills: If your child struggles with worries or anxiety or any other emotional issue, it is okay to stop and focus on that. In fact, getting a handle on it before piling on more stress is critical. Kids have to be able to manage what's on their plate before they can take on more. 4. Read books together and discuss them: Reading together is a great way to discuss emotions through other people's experiences. 5. Practice gratitude: People who practice gratitude are happier. Gratitude calms the mind. 6. Model kindness and forgiveness: The best way to teach is to model. Kindness and forgiveness are critical tools in the emotional management toolbox. 7. Serve others: Family service projects are great opportunities to teach empathy. And service to others is healing. 8. Play together: Kids learn to navigate the world through play. Play is necessary for their emotional and social development. And playing with them is an opportunity to teach and model emotional management. 9. Get outside: Being outside keeps us connected to our world. It also reduces stress and improves health. 10. Keep life simple: When in doubt, keep it simple. Parent simply, live simply and most importantly, keep their lives simple. Too much is too much. And a complicated, busy life increases stress, which will increase emotional eruptions while impairing the ability to manage them. An emotionally intelligent person will exhibit the following behaviors and skills: 1. Self and social awareness. 2. Pausing before acting. 3. Controlling thoughts. 4. Seeing the benefit of criticism. 5. Authenticity. 6. Empathy. 7. Praising others. 8. Giving helpful feedback. 9. Apologizing. 10. Forgiveness. 11. Keeping commitments. 12. Helping others. 13. Protecting self from emotional sabotage. (not letting people take advantage of you.) One of the many methods of homeschooling is unit studies. The unit studies method is when you pick a general topic and focus all areas of study around that topic. For instance, if you choose to learn about flowers, then your lesson plan might look something like this: Reading & Language Arts: read books about flowers, poems about flowers, etc. Writing & Spelling: write a poem about flowers or a short story, etc. Social Studies: Learn about flowers in different regions of the country or around the world, learn how flowers impact cultures in those areas, learn the history of flowers and people in those regions, etc Math: do word problems related to planting flowers Science: Learn about the parts of flowers, the flower life cycle or how flowers impact an ecosystem. Art: Look at art inspired by flowers. Create your own art inspired by flowers. So how do museums come into play? Well, using museums allows the topic to come to life and makes for a more interactive learning experience. So for the topic of flowers, you could:
The many museums that Cleveland has to offer provide a rich learning landscape for our homeschooling kiddos and makes our jobs as their teachers more fun! Field trips for everyone! Go out and explore! Podcasts are pretty awesome ways to pass the time and they're informative and fun! Whether you're listening in the car, or using them as routine quiet time at home, podcasts can set the reset button on the day and bring everyone to center for a bit. They are even great supplements for homeschool education. There are tons of homeschool related podcasts out there and we're highlighting a few. Many homeschool podcasts are geared toward supporting and encouraging the homeschool parent. One such podcast is by none other than our local friend, Colleen Kessler. Colleen is a homeschooling parent, a gifted specialist, educational consultant, author and speaker who lives right here in Northeast Ohio. Here is a link to her podcast: Raising Lifelong Learners Podcast Other homeschool podcasts are geared toward kiddo listeners. Here is a list of some great podcasts for homeschool kids which supplement learning, encourage creativity, and support curiosity. Brains On! – Brains On! is a podcast featuring science and kids produced by American Public Media. Each episode is co-hosted by a different kid, exploring such questions as “why is the ocean salty?” and “how do elevators work?”.
Classics for Kids – Naomi Lewen brings classical music’s great composers to life through music and stories. Be sure to check out the website for lesson plans, worksheets and more! Story Nory – The Story Nory website has hundreds of free stories you can listen to, from fairy tales and myths to original stories, classics, poetry, and everything in between. You can listen online, download, or subscribe via iTunes (or whatever podcast app you use). Story Pirates – Story Pirates turns kids’ original stories into wild sketch comedy musicals featuring professional actors to show those kids just how amazing their ideas are. The Show About Science – 6-year-old Nate is the host of this podcast about science. Sparkle Stories – 1000 original stories available for $15/month. Some episodes are available for free. Astronomy Cast – Astronomy Cast takes a fact-based journey through the cosmos as it offers listeners weekly discussions on astronomical topics ranging from planets to cosmology. Barefoot Books Podcast – These classic children’s stories, fairy tales, poems and songs tap into the wisdom of many cultures, while never forgetting that childhood is a time for fun. Aaron’s World – An imaginative science podcast for kids exploring the pre-historic world. Adventures in Odyssey – Produced by Focus on the Family, these audio dramas have been around for quite a while, and are now available for online streaming on their website, as a podcast, or for purchase on CD. Membership in the Adventures in Odyssey Club is also available, which includes unlimited episode streaming and all the newest episodes. Paws & Tales – Geared for younger kids than the Adventures in Odyssey audience, this podcast, produced by Insight for Living, aims to capture the hearts of kids through characters they love and situations they can relate to. Tumble-Science Podcast for Kids – Exploring stories of scientific discovery, Tumble is a science podcast created to be enjoyed by the entire family. Hosted & produced by Lindsay Patterson (science journalist) & Marshall Escamilla (teacher). But Why? – This podcast is for curious kids, and kids can submit their own questions! But Why tackles topics large and small, about nature, words, and more. Nature Kids Radio -This podcast is completely dedicated to reconnecting kids, families and the entire human species with the wonders of nature! BBC’s Listen & Play – This podcast includes familiar songs, rhymes, stories and sound discrimination games. Stuff You Missed in History Class – Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by HowStuffWorks.com. Book Club for Kids – The Book Club for Kids is a podcast where young readers meet to talk about a book. The show includes a celebrity reading from the book and the author joins us in to answer your questions. The Radio Adventures of Dr Floyd – This family-friendly new twist on “old time radio” features the adventures and exploits of the World’s Most Brilliant Scientist, Dr. Floyd! Join Dr. Floyd as he tries to thwart the plans of his evil arch-nemesis, Dr. Steve, all the while learning about the people and events that shaped the history of the Earth. Fallacy Friday – A series by Matthew Flannagan dealing with critical thinking, logic, and fallacies. Science Friday NPR – Covering the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies, Science Friday is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff. High Five French – This podcast for young learners is part of the High Five French course from Radio Lingua Network. The full course, which includes videos, activity, and notes for parents, is available for purchase. Coffee Break French/Spanish/Italian/German/Chinese – These podcasts are part of the Coffee Break Languages courses available from Radio Lingua Network and are free. Full course material can be purchased. Your Story Hour – This podcast began back in the 1940s as a weekly library story hour turned radio show. It features exciting stories from the Bible and from true to life situations. Happy Fall! It's the first day of Autumn and what better way to celebrate this beautiful season but with fall hikes. Here are 10 of the coolest places to go for hikes and walks in Northeast Ohio. 1. Gorge Metro Park in Summit County is a 1.8-mile hiking course that ranges from easy to rigorous. The trail accesses Mary Campbell Cave and several rock formations. You'll also find waterfalls and fishing docks. 2. Mentor Marsh Nature Preserve is almost 650 acres in Lake County. It boasts the largest reed grass march in Ohio and a beautiful beech-sugar maple forest, and a rare mixed oak swamp forest. 3. Princess Ledges Nature Preserve in Medina County is a majestic mix of sandstone rock formations and rich oak forest. You'll find tulip poplars, warblers and two trails. The Nature Trail is a mile and the Ledges trail is about a half mile. Hiking challenge is moderate. The sandstone ledges were once the Lake Erie Shoreline thousands of years ago. 4. The West Woods in Geauga County includes 7 miles of amazing trails, a nature center, and over 900 acres of wetlands and forest. 5. Amherst Beaver Creek Reservation in Lorain County has a winding creek, and pine forest that makes the area unique. Bridges cross Beaver Creek offering beautiful viewpoints to observe plant and wildlife. 6. Jackson Bog State Nature Preserve in Stark County is the result of glacial movements over a million years ago. It's 58 acres of geological wonder. 7. Towner's Woods in Portage County is 234 acres of forest, wetlands and meadows next to Lake Pippen, a glacial kettle hole lake. Hiking ranges from easy to strenuous. 8. Barnes Preserve in Wayne County is a park designed to give everyone access to nature. It is ADA approved as a non-challenging hiking area for anyone with any limitation. 9. Mill Creek Park in Mahoning County is a metropark in Youngstown with a history stretching back to 1891. It is a gorgeous 4.500 acres to explore complete with an old mill and cascading stream. 10. The Western Reserve Greenway Trail is 44 miles of rail trail through Ashtabula and Trumbull Counties. It's a beautiful, quiet rural area near Lake Erie. In the United States, breakfast is the most skipped meal. Most often, the excuse is that we're too busy or in a hurry. Homeschool families though, have the luxury of slowing down and making sure that breakfast starts the day. What better way to be productive homeschoolers than to feed our brains the energy it needs to learn! But, what are we eating for breakfast? If you're filling your bellies with donuts or cereal or toaster pastries every morning, you might not be getting the optimum fuel to start your day and your kiddos may not be getting what they need. The month of September is a time to reflect on what we are eating for breakfast, and whether we need to tweak the menu. For some inspiration, here is what cultures around the world eat for breakfast. As a homeschool cultural lesson, try some of these this month and experience "Breakfast From Around the World." China: dumplings, rice in vegetable soup, fried sponge cake, steamed creamy custard bun, and porridge Guyana: bake and saltfish. Saltfish is whitefish preserved in salt, and bake is bread dough, fried. Iran: sweet black tea, bread, butter, feta cheese, and sometimes fresh fruit and nuts. France: tea, coffee, juice, or hot chocolate, with bread and butter or pastries. Japan: rice, fish, miso soup, sticky soy beans, and nori seaweed. Poland: scrambled eggs topped with kielbasa (a sausage) and potato pancakes. Southern India: idli and sambar, a vegetable stew served with steamed lentil and rice bread. Also popular is dosa, a thin crunchy crepe with a spicy potato filling. Italy: a cup of coffee with milk and a slice of bread. Central India: uttapam, which is a thick pancake with vegetables, served with chutney. Colombia: a mixture of leftovers from the night before is common, as is soup or cereal. Turkey: cheese, olives, honey, jam, bread, an omelette, and fruit. Brazil: Pão de Queijo (bread cheese) is a common breakfast dish served with coffee. Philippines: bread rolls and coffee. Tapsilog (rice with dried meat and a fried egg) is also common. Nigeria: Ogi and Akara (cornmeal and bean cakes) and well as yam and fried eggs, and fried plantain. Venezuela: arepa, a flat corn cake. Arepas are filled with various things like cheese, ham, chicken, or fish. Or, black beans, savory shredded beef cooked with vegetables, white cheese, perico (eggs scrambled with vegetables), avocado, and an arepa." Cambodia: Kuy Teav, a rice noodle soup with meat and vegetables. Lebanon: Manakish, a flatbread flavoured with za'atar and sometimes cheese, served with tomatoes. Indonesia: rice and fried fish, or fried rice and a fried egg (Nasi Goreng), or chicken porridge. Pakistan: Nihari, a spicy meat curry, served with naan. Or, Halwa Poori, and a curry (beans or potato) Morocco: bread, honey, olives, and dates, as well as Turkish coffee and mint tea. Israel: Shakshuka, eggs poached in a tomato sauce. Also, cheese, omelette, tuna, olives, bread and butter/jams, salad and spreads." UK: bacon, eggs, British sausage, baked beans, fried tomato, fried mushrooms, black pudding, toast. If you're like most homeschool families, you're living on one income. So, discounts and deals go a long way. Kids' consignment sales are a fantastic way to get amazing deals on gently used clothes, toys and equipment. And, there are a ton of them in northeast Ohio. New ones seem to pop up every year. That's because they are also fabulous fundraisers for the organizations that run them. Most often, it is an ECPTA that is holding the sale (Early Childhood PTA). If you're in need of kids' clothes, toys, baby stuff, you're in luck. In fact, you don't ever have to pay full price retail for any of that stuff if you're willing to consignment-hop. While Facebook has become more popular as a used-item marketplace, the benefit of a physical sale is that you get to see the items up close. There are two different types of consignment sales. One is based on seller's tables. Each seller buys a table and sell only their stuff at that table. The nice thing about this is that if you find a mom-seller that has stuff you love, or has exactly the size you need for the gender you need, then you can go back to that seller time and time again. The other type of sale is an aggregate sale where all seller's contribute their items and those items are organized generally by type and size. The benefit here is that instead of seeking out the ideal seller for you, you can just go to the table of the item or size you are looking for. Either way, there's no sweeter deal than a consignment sale deal. Here is a list of upcoming sales in northeast Ohio. If you know of an event that is not listed, contact us at info@neo-learners.com and we'll add it: September 14, 2019 Summit County Mothers of Multiples (consignment) Chapel Hill Christian School, 1090 Howe Ave, Cuyahoga Falls 8am-1pm...FREE admission some items 50% off the last hour http://www.cfmotc.org September 14, 2019 Lakewood ECPTA (table style) Garfield Middle School 13114 Detroit Ave lakewood 8:30 -9:30 $5 early bird, 9:30-12...$1 admission www.lecpta.com September 14, 2019 North Royalton ECPTA (table-style) *new location* St Michaels Woodside Gym, 5025 W Mill Rd, Broadview Hts 8-9...$5 early bird, 9-12...$1 admission https://www.facebook.com/events/661491891037162/ September 14, 2019 Northeast Ohio Mothers of Multiples (table -style) Lake Co Fairgrounds Commercial Bldg, 1301 Mentor Ave, Painesville 9am - 4pm, free admission, free parking https://www.facebook.com/events/453674801896579/ September 14, 2019 Just Kids Stuff Garage Sale (table-style) Garfield Park, 7967 Mentor Ave, Mentor 9-12...free admission www.cityofmentor.com/calendar September 19-21, 2019 Big Red Wagon - Medina Area (consignment) Medina Co Fairgrounds, 735 Lafayette Rd, Medina 9/19 & 9/20...9am-7pm 9/21..8:30am-5pm (many items 1/2 price) Free admission, accepts credit cards http://www.thebigredwagon.com/sale-locations/medina/ September 21, 2019 To Good To Be Threw sale (consignment) Wooster Church of the Nazarene, 3100 Oak Hill Rd, Wooster 8:30-12:30...free admission *no strollers allowed before 10am due to crowd/fire code https://business.facebook.com/TGTBTWooster/ September 21, 2019 Boardman Park Baby Bargain Boutique (table-style) Boardman Park, Masters Pavilion, 375 Bdmn-Poland Rd(Rte 224), Boardman 9am-1pm...FREE admission with a non-perishable food donation https://www.facebook.com/events/490183735133553/ September 21, 2019 Westshore Mothers of Twins Club (consignment) D Umerley Civic Center, 21016 Hilliard Blvd, Rocky River 7-9...$5 early bird, 9-12...$2 admission *accepts credit cards https://www.facebook.com/events/395203084440130/ September 21, 2019 Canton Mothers of Multiples (consignment) N Canton Church of Christ, 1301 E Maple St, N Canton 8-8:30...$5 early bird, 9-1...$1 admission https://m.facebook.com/events/1608943462583725 September 27-28, 2019 Brecksville-Broadview Hts Preschool Mother's Club (consignment) BBH Middle School, 6376 Mill Rd, Bdvw Hts 9/27 7-9pm...$5 preview sale 9/28 8-9...$5 early bird, 9-12...$1 admission *accepts credit cards https://www.facebook.com/events/935589570107301/ September 28, 2019 Erie Shores ECPTA (consignment) Heritage Presbyterian, 515 N Leavitt Rd, Amherst 8-9...$5 early bird, 9-2...$2 admission (12-2 half price sale) *accepts credit cards https://www.facebook.com/events/2213392475539765/ September 28, 2019 Avon Lake ECPTA (table-style) Avon Lake HS, 175 Avon-Belden Rd., Avon Lake 7-9...$5 early bird, 9-12...$2 admission https://www.facebook.com/events/2367052850234441/ September 28, 2019 St Columbkille School PTU (table-style) St Columbkille, 6740 Broadview Rd, Parma 8-9...$5 early bird, 9-1...$1 admission www.stcolumbkilleschool.org/PTU October 4-5, 2019 All Kids Stuff sale (consignment) Erie County Fairgrounds, 3110 Columbus Ave, Sandusky 10/4 - 9am-6pm, 10/5 - 9am-4pm...(half price 2-4pm) Free admission Contact Kim at ott831@msn.com for more information October 5th, 2019 Strongsville Rec Center Kids Garage Sale (table-style) 18100 Royalton Rd, Strongsville 9-10…$3 early bird, 10-12…Free admission 440-580-3260 for information October 5, 2019 Westlake ECPTA (table-style) Westlake High School, 27830 Hilliard Blvd, Westlake 8-9...$5 early bird, 9-12...$1 admission https://www.facebook.com/events/1026119617591216/ October 10-12, 2019 Big Red Wagon – Cleveland West Area (consignment) Cuyahoga Co Fairgrounds, 19201 Bagley Rd, Middleburg Hts 10/10 & 10/11...9am-7pm 10/12..8:30am-5pm (many items 1/2 price) Free admission, accepts credit cards http://www.thebigredwagon.com/sale-locations/cleveland-west/ October 12, 2019 Parma ECPTA (table-style) Parma Senior HS, 6285 W 54th St, Parma 8-9...$5 early bird, 9-1...$1 admission https://www.facebook.com/events/497427757700148/ October 12, 2019 Rocky River ECPTA (table-style) Rocky River HS, 20951 Detroit Rd, Rocky River, OH 7:30-9:30...$5 early bird, 9:30-11:30...$2 admission https://www.facebook.com/events/2486644781582697/ October 19, 2019 Avon ECPTA (table-style) Avon Middle School, 3445 Long Rd, Avon 7-9...$5 early bird, 9-12...$2 admission www.avonecpta.org October 24-29, 2019 Solon Council of PTAs (consignment) Arthur Rd Elementary, 33425 Arthur Rd, Solon 10/24 - 10am-8pm, sale day 10/25 - 10am-3pm, sale day 10/26 - 10am-3pm, 30% off day 10/27 - closed 10/28 - 10am-2pm, 30% off day 10/29 - 9am-11am, $5 bag day www.solonschools.org November 9, 2019 Broadview Hts Rec Center Kids Garage Sale (table-style) Bdvw Hts Rec, 9543 Broadview Rd, Bdvw Hts 9-12...free admission https://www.broadview-heights.org November 21-23, 2019 The MotherLoad- Kids & Maternity Consignment Event (consignment) The West Side Irish-American Club, 8559 Jennings Rd, Olmsted Twp FREE admission 11/21...9am-8pm, 11/22...9am-3pm, 4:30-8pm...1/2 price sale 11/23...9am-3pm...1/2 price sale *visit website for more information http://www.themotherloadsale.com https://www.facebook.com/events/2206904906288134/ Groups not having a Fall sale this year: *Fairview Park ECPTA *North Olmsted ECPTA (no longer doing resales) GROUPS WE STILL NEED INFO FOR (were on the Fall 2018 list): Independence Primary School PTO Medina ECPTA
One of the great things about homeschooling is not having to start the new school year in mid-August. While we're watching all of our friends post those back to school pics, or having to make last minute changes because their kids got let out of school unexpectedly due to excessive heat, homeschool families have the choice of when to start back. Many of us enjoy posting "not-back-to-school" pics as a way to relish the moment. For homeschool families, summer can last a whole extra month if they want. Fall doesn't begin until the third week of September. If you're one of those families that likes to soak up the last days of summer, here are a lot of great ways to make memories before hitting the books again. 1. Visit a Metropark you haven't been to yet. There are 18 different reservations within the Cleveland Metroparks, and there are also some in other counties such as Lake and Summit. Check out one you've never been to before. They are all unique and amazing. Cleveland Metroparks, Lake Metroparks, Summit Metroparks 2. Try a new local ice cream shop. There are tons of locally owned and operated ice cream and custard places. One of our favorites is Rosati's Frozen Custard in Northfield. They have daily special flavors so you can go on their website and pick the day you want to try something yummy. Click here for more info: Rosati's Frozen Custard 3. Take a family bike ride in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Every year in August, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad offers free rides for kids with the purchase of an adult ticket. And they offer Bike Aboard, where you can take your bikes and get off at any point to ride the paths. Click here for more info: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad 4. Visit the Lakeshore. Once kids go back to school, places like the Lakeshore get a little less crowded. This is the perfect time to go. Head to Lakefront for the Monarch migration to see if you can spot any of the lovely Monarch butterflies. Or, take a kite and have a family picnic. Or head to Huntington Reservation in Bay Village for a peaceful stroll. Click here for more info: Cleveland Metroparks 5. Go berry picking. Blackberries and raspberries are good for picking until mid to late September. This is a fun family activity. Rosby's Berry Farm in Brooklyn Heights is a great place to go. Click here for more info: Rosby's Berry Farm 6. Visit the zoos or museums. A weekday visit to the zoo or the museums is awesome after most kids go back to school because they're not crowded. Enjoy a quiet, relaxing visit that you can do at your own pace. 7. Discover a new playground. If you're bored of your typical go-to, there are a ton of great parks and playgrounds that all offer unique settings. Click here to view our list of some of our favorites: Parks & Playgrounds 8. Stay home and put on the sprinkler. The lazy days of summer include just having a fun day at home. Turn on that sprinkler and throw on those suits before it's too cold for this fun activity. Grab some popsicles for taking a break in the shade. 9. Visit the West Side Market. The market has a ton of things to offer including locally harvested produce. Weekday hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 am to 4 pm and Fridays from 7 am to 6 pm. Click here for more info: West Side Market 10. Have a cookout and invite other homeschool families. What better way to celebrate not going back to school, than to share the fun with other homeschooling families. Plan a late summer cookout and invite friends over to play! |
Archives
March 2020
Categories |