Homeschool Hangout

Valentine’s without Candy (with Free Printables)

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Valentine’s Day and kids, you don’t even have to mention the candy to know it is there. Many kids want to give their friends something special but that doesn’t mean you have to hand out candy! There are some great, fun alternatives out there. I found a few fun ideas for this year!

1. You Rule rulers: Pick up some cheap rulers. Then print out the You Rule PDF. Then cut out the strips and tape them around the ruler.

2. You Make My Heart Bounce bouncy balls: You can pick up a ton of bouncy balls either at the Dollar Store or in the favors area of any party store (or store section;). There is a pdf and directions over at The Crafty Chicks.

3. You Make My Heart Glow: What kid doesn’t like glow sticks/ bracelets? Mine love them!!! I saw a tip that you don’t actually put the bracelets in the strips of paper until the morning of just in case it cracks and activates. Then it will be glowing that night still. The PDF is over at Kommunicated!

4. You Make My Heart Race: You can go out to the Dollar Tree and you can pick up little cars for a steal! Paloma Paper Designs has a great PDF ready for you!

5. You Are a Cutie: While this is a sweet treat, it isn’t candy! You can pick up 5 lbs of Clementines (or Cuties) for less than $5. Then just plop them in the cellophane bag. Cut and staple my You Are a Cutie to the top and they are done.

(First published on NerdFamily)

Free Geeky Valentine’s Day Cards (with Printables)

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Geeky Printable Valentines

Kids go out every year looking for Valentine’s Day cards that represent their personality. But when you pop into the shops rarely do you find great geeky Valentine’s cards for the geeky kids! And when you look online they can be quite pricey. So why not print them off for free? Here are 4 geeky Valentine’s Day cards with varying levels of crafting to get them into giveable shape!

First up are the straight printables!

Brain Power Boys has a collection of great “boy-friendly” Valentine’s that my girls love too! They range from robots to superheroes and are super cute! Just print and hand them out!

Heidi Schulz has the most adorable Doctor Who Valentine printables! They cover everything from Oods to Daleks to Angels. These are another print-and-go!

If you want to do just a bit more work we can pop over to a Star Wars theme! Design Wash Repeat has the coolest Yoda Best Valentine’s Day printable! They get kicked up to the next level with just the addition of a glow stick!

And if you want to go even geekier and nerdier… the coolest for last! Left Brain Craft Brain has awesome Light Up Circuit Valentine’s. While they sound complicated, they are so easy! If you can use white glue, you can make these!

Remember, even geeks can represent with their Valentines! So how are you and your kids letting your geek flag wave?

(Originally at NerdFamily)

5 Homeschool Tips for Moms & Dads

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1. Create a schedule or routine: Homeschooling can be overwhelming, but creating a schedule can help you stay organized and look at placing regular blocks of time to help create habits. Set aside specific times for learning, breaks, cleaning the house, and extracurricular activities. Leave lots of white space for when things move and remember if you don’t get to it, there is always next time. 

2. Prioritize self-care: Homeschooling can be all-consuming, but it’s important to remember to take care of yourself, too. Make time for activities that bring you joy and help you relax, such as exercise, reading, or spending time with friends. This will help you recharge and be a better teacher and parent to your children.

3. Don’t try to do it all alone: Homeschooling can be isolating, but it doesn’t have to be. Seek out other homeschooling families in your area or online, and consider joining a homeschooling co-op or support group. This can provide opportunities for your children to socialize and learn with other kids, and give you a chance to connect with other adults who understand the challenges and rewards of homeschooling. Some of these support groups can be just for you, it is ok. I am starting this year a monthly hangout where we can all socialize, talk about homeschooling, and just decompress a little. 

4. Be flexible: Homeschooling doesn’t have to be a rigid, traditional classroom experience. Take advantage of the flexibility that homeschooling offers and adapt your teaching style and curriculum to meet your child’s individual needs and interests. If your child is struggling with a particular concept, take a break and come back to it later. If they’re excelling in a particular subject, let them delve deeper and explore their passion.

5. Celebrate milestones: Homeschooling can be a long and sometimes lonely journey, so it’s important to celebrate the milestones and achievements along the way. This can be as simple as acknowledging a child’s hard work and progress, or as significant as hosting a graduation ceremony when they complete a level or program. Celebrating milestones can help keep you and your child motivated and encouraged.

Remember, homeschooling is a journey, not a destination. It’s okay to make mistakes, adjust your approach, and seek help when you need it. With patience, flexibility, and support, you can provide your child with a rich and rewarding homeschooling experience.

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9 Tips to Avoid Paying Library Fines

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Next to the Internet, the library may be my most used homeschooling resource.

1)Pick a library day! This means you don’t have to remember what day things are due. It also just makes it a habit so you can return things!

2)Check your library accounts online and renew things online! It is just easier!

3)Automatically renew every book if you are able. Then you can have one person log on and not have to figure out who is done with what book. Renew everything you can and then you will have a list of things that must be turned in. No, you don’t need to wait until they are due to turn them in.

4)Containerize! We have a box that transports books and holds the books are you finish them. We also have a bookshelf that holds the books we are still reading or waiting to read. Then you always know where it is supposed to be!

5)Have a primary card! Then you can limit the amount of cards to check. Yes, we frequently fill our cards but if you don’t it can make it easier.

6)When you are done, put it in the return bin. If another child (or person of any age) wants to read it, it is their responsibility to pull it out of the return bin and put it in the “too be read” spot.

7)Take a picture of the books you are returning. If you are like we are, you may be checking out and returning a lot of books. Sometimes you can’t remember if you have returned something before it was due. And sometimes you returned it and the librarian missed it when they were scanning in the metric ton of books you are returning. They will often check the shelf but if it was requested from a different library, it was put on the van before it got checked in. Then if something comes up overdue you will know if you returned it or if it is hidden in your house.

8)Limit how many books kids can take from the “To be read” spot. It helps build a habit to keep things manageable!

9)Relax about the fines! Yes, I hate paying fines but that is still a lot cheaper than trying to keep up with my kids’ reading habits. Even in the used bookstores!

Join My Community Hangout!

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It is a new year and I have decided to finally start doing monthly community hangouts online! It will be a time to come, ask questions, get to know each other, support each other, and just generally hangout! It will be totally laid back and fun. You don’t need to be a homeschooler or in California to participate. You only need to be on my email list to join in. Right now, I am doing it on a Friday afternoon (the date and link will be emailed out) but I am open to doing it at other times.

But the communication and links for the meetings will be communicated through my email list! Now, through a comedy of errors, my list has disappeared. If you were on it before, I need you to re-subscribe.

I know you may be hesitant to give me your email. But I want to assure you that this list is just for communication with Homeschool Hangout and will never be sold! I am also not going to be spamming you. You will just be receiving Homeschool Hangout’s newsletter with announcements, updates, resources, and links to my content.

If you want to keep up with me and my crazy life, that is a different newsletter over on Substack😉. I hope this is something that interests you all! I want Homeschool Hangout to be a community that serves us all. Oh, in these online hangouts we might also be discussing some real in-person activities but more about that later😉.

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How do you file your California PSA if you are divorced?

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A very common question I get about the California PSA is about how to file if you are divorced (or otherwise not living in 1 home). There are places where the Private School Affidavit asks where the student(s) are being educated and another place where it asks where the records are kept.

After some research (including a call to the private school department of education), I found out that it really isn’t all that complicated.

Pick an address to put down. That is it. If one parent is the primary, put that address down. But if you are in a fifty-fifty custody situation, just pick one. Then you pick one of the parents’ addresses and a parent to hold and maintain the records.

It is just that simple. Let me know if there is any other questions I can get you answers or advice on!

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Come Fill Out Your 2023-2024 California PSA with Me Live!

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Is this your first time filling out the California PSA for independent homeschoolers? Have you filed before but have wished you could have someone to ask the random questions you think of? Would you like to have me right beside you as you fill out your PSA for this year? For $10 you can! I will be doing more livestreams this year but this is the only one scheduled right now. So don’t delay because this one is coming up soon!

$10 must be paid before your registration is complete. Payment can be made by PayPal or Venmo.

Link to register (or fill out the form here on the page): https://forms.gle/K2L4WJYMeFLZRLZb7

How Children Are Like Salmon & Huge Giveaway!

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I have been homeschooling for 17 years now do you want to know what I wished I would have known before I started homeschooling? Well, in reality, that is a long list but first and foremost I wish I had known how children are like salmon. Yes, I said that. It isn’t a perfect metaphor but stick with me and see if you understand what I mean!

So on to the giant giveaway!!!

2023 Back to Homeschool Giveaway leaderboard
Even though it feels like summer just started, a new homeschool year will be upon us in no time! Have you started planning and prepping yet? Preparing for a new homeschool year is an exciting time, but it can also create feelings of overwhelm and stress! What curriculum should we use next year? What supplies do we need? And how are we going to pay for it all? Many homeschoolers live on one income and have to stick to a strict budget that doesn’t always allow for much wiggle room. That’s why I’ve teamed up with a group of amazing homeschool bloggers to make getting ready for your new school year just a little bit easier and hopefully a little less stressful for you. Our hope is that we can bless a few homeschool families (although we wish we could bless many more) and ease a little of that financial burden and help you check some extra things off your homeschool wish list this year. Three people will win a $250 gift card to either Rainbow Resource Center or Christianbook.com – two great places to shop for homeschool curriculum and resources, with the best prices around!! To enter for your chance to win, simply use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.  Now I know this is quite a few entries, but each of these bloggers has generously chipped in their own money to make this giveaway possible, so I hope you will take the time to do all of the entries.  And hey, the more entries you do, the better your odds are of winning! Giveaway ends July 21, 2023 at 11:59pm ET.  Must be at least 18 years of age.  Must be a resident of U.S. or Canada to enter.  Selected winners will have 48 hours to respond to email notification to claim their prizes or another winner will be drawn.  By entering this giveaway, you agree to be added to the email lists of the participating bloggers (see the Terms & Conditions on the Rafflecopter form). a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you would like to know what other homeschoolers wish they knew check out the other videos in the What I Wish I Knew About Homeschooling Playlist.

Looking for some more posts to check out?

Major California Homeschool PSA Change for 2023

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There has recently been a major California Homeschool PSA change regarding the availability to file for the 2023-2024 school year. I am sure you may have questions as to what it means but breathe, it will all be just fine. Let’s look at how things used to be, what the changes are, and how it affects private homeschoolers in California going forward.

Major California PSA Change for 2023

How it used to be for the California PSA

So, the education code states that if you are an existing private homeschool in California, you are to file your California PSA (Private School Affidavit) between October 1st and October 15th of the school year. That PSA is for the school year that goes from August 1st of one year until June 30th of the next.

The California PSA remained online and available for any new schools for that are established in the school year (or anyone who forgot to file between October 1st and 15th). On June 30th the PSA for the old school year went down and you were unable to file anything until October 1st. All schools formed before October 1st and continuing schools could begin filing on October 1st.

What California Homeschool PSA Change is

The change is simply that the California PSA for the school year will become available on August 1st instead of October 1st for the whole academic year. That is really it. The statue still reads that you file from October 1st until October 15th but the PSA itself will be open starting August 1st. This is a change in practice meaning you can start filing on August 1st but they didn’t go through and actually change the statue. The PSA will still be unavailable for filing for the month of July.

How does this affect California Private Homeschoolers going forward?

This just means that you don’t have to wait until October 1st to file, but you are still legally allowed to wait until October 15th to file. Which means if for some reason a sheriff knocks on the door or an old school calls, you could tell them to check on your PSA after October 15th.

If you are like me and like to have all the school setup done before the fall really kicks off, then file in August! If you are pulling your child out over the summer, you can now file your PSA starting on August 1st then you can send your school your transfer letter. You don’t to mess will all the waiting and possibly getting harassed by the public school.

Why was this done?

That is really it! In my conversation with the Private School Department, the California Homeschool PSA change is really just to make everyone’s life a little easier. It used to be that the PSA was only available to be submitted from October 1st to 15th and if you forgot or started a new school you would have to print out a paper version and mail it it. A few years ago they started leaving the PSA available for the remaining time of the school year so things didn’t have to be mailed in or reporting delayed.

Making the PSA available on august 1st will help veteran homeschoolers to not forget. It also really helps new homeschoolers and public schools! Public schools would have to keep lists of students to verify in October. It is the public schools’ responsibility to make sure that students transfer to real schools.

To that length sometime students sometimes could be marked truant until the filing period closed in October. Then the parents would have to deal with calls and letters in the mail. This can help to avoid all that wasted time and annoyance to all.

That is what California Homeschool PSA change is! Are you like me and glad that the PSA is now available starting on August 1st or do you think it is a waste? Let me know in the comments what you think!

Join our community over on Patreon for webinars, hang outs, and printables/templates (like a transcript template)

You might also like Homeschooling in California: 10 Pros and Cons of Homeschooling You Need to Know

Oh No! I forgot to file my CA homeschool PSA???? What now?

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A question I receive every year is “Oh no! I forgot to file my California PSA for homeschooling! What do I do?” So I reached out to Private School section of the California Department of Education to get concrete answers. Everyone just breathe, it will be ok.

If you haven’t filed for this academic year (August 1st – June 30th)

In previous years I have been asked and I have always responded with the fact I don’t know and that you should just file it ASAP. Come to find out, I was right;). The California PSA is available to fill out online until June 30th of every academic year. No matter when during the year that you file it registers as the school existed in that academic year. It is basically binary, it existed or it didn’t.

If you forgot to file for a year

What happened if you forgot to file for a whole year or more? Well, there is no way to go back and file after the academic year is over. For the most part (like if CPS were to be called because someone thinks your children are truant or not being educated) nothing will happen as long as you have a current PSA. They don’t look back to see the history.

But where it can be a problem is when dealing with other schools. If you choose to put your children into a public k-12 school, they may not accept your transcripts if they look up the history. The public school can already be bit prickly about accepting transfers into specific grades when the kids are in high school. Also, colleges may ask about it and you will have to work harder to defend your classes and grades.

That said, I have never been asked for a copy of my affidavit (or historical years) for CSU’s, Community College, or the Army.

Don’t think the PSA isn’t important!

So if it isn’t a really big deal if you forget, should we even bother. Yes, it is the law! Your children have to attend a public school unless they are in a private school that is registered. You can be accused of legal neglect if you don’t have your children in school.

So, file your PSA! The law says file it between October 1st and 15th. It isn’t legal required until October 15th but after then you can get in trouble.

What other questions do you have and how can I help? Don’t worry, you have got this!

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