Education Archives - The Fearless Mommy

Our Second Year of Homeschooling

Starting Our Second Year of Homeschooling in Mexico

As we embark on our second year of homeschooling, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of excitement and anticipation. This year, I’ll be guiding my first, third, and sixth grader through their educational journey while we continue our slow travels in Mexico. The flexibility of homeschooling has been one of the greatest gifts for our family, and I’m eager to see them grow, both academically and personally.

One of the most important things I’ve learned in this process is that each of my children has unique strengths and weaknesses. As a parent and teacher, it’s my job to provide them with the tools they need to succeed, no matter where their strengths lie. Homeschooling allows me to focus on each child individually, tailoring our lessons to meet their needs.

Tailoring Learning to Their Strengths and Weaknesses

This year, my goal is to focus even more on their individual learning styles. My first grader is curious and loves hands-on activities, so we’ll be incorporating more experiments and interactive lessons to keep her engaged. My third grader thrives on structure, and I’ve learned that clear instructions and a consistent schedule are key to keeping him motivated. Meanwhile, my sixth grader is blossoming in her critical thinking skills and loves a good challenge, so we’ll be diving deeper into more advanced subjects and problem-solving activities.

I’ve found that acknowledging their strengths helps build their confidence, and addressing their weaknesses helps them grow without frustration. Instead of pushing them to conform to a traditional learning mold, homeschooling gives us the freedom to experiment with what works best for each of them.

Educational Field Trips and Extracurricular Activities

This year, we’re also making room for monthly educational field trips. One of the amazing things about living in Mexico is the rich culture and history that surrounds us. Each month, we’ll be visiting museums, cultural landmarks, or nature reserves to bring our lessons to life. These trips will not only provide a break from traditional schooling but also offer real-world learning opportunities that books can’t always provide.

In addition to our educational trips, I’m encouraging each of them to choose an extracurricular activity. Whether it’s art, sports, music, or something else, these activities will help them explore their passions and develop new skills. Giving them the autonomy to choose will allow them to express their creativity and build self-discipline in a fun and engaging way.

The Joy of Learning Together

What excites me most is watching them excel in their own ways. I’m not only their mother but their guide in this journey, and seeing them conquer challenges, learn new things, and gain confidence brings me so much joy. It’s not always easy—balancing their different needs can be tough—but it’s worth every moment to watch them grow.

As we dive into this second year of homeschooling, I’m reminded of how powerful it is to create an environment where learning feels natural and fun. I’m committed to helping my children flourish, both academically and personally, and I’m confident that with the right tools and support, they’ll continue to thrive.

Here’s to another year of growth, discovery, and learning adventures!

P.S. Check out Mia Academy as that’s one of the resources we use.

Do you speak affirmations with your children?

Cherish Every Moment

How I Survived My First Day Working at a Childcare Center?

Well Moms want to know how I survived my first day working at a Childcare Center?

I hope so.

My two youngest attend the Childcare Center.

Yikes right?

So before clocking in on my first day I didn’t know what to expect. By that, I mean not having experience working in a childcare center I didn’t know if I would totally like being around the children, as though, I am a mother of three and I struggle to find time for self.

Boy was I wrong?

I love it! Even though I only work two days a week. Interacting with the children is definitely a joy.

As a working mother being physically present in the childcare center where your children attend is so different from just dropping/picking your child up from school. I found that being physically present you spend time to know more about your child in an educational setting while interacting with other children in their classroom. Most importantly, you get to know the staff in the childcare center and understand more about functionally of the center.

My middle child was so happy when he seen that I was assisting in his class that he automatically assumed he would get special treatment because I’m his mother. I had to cut that off real quick. He got treated just like the other’s.

P.S. This was the two year old class that I was in and let me just say moms talking to about 14 two year old’s is a never ending battle. They stay hungry. They stay thirsty. If they could eat and drink all day they would. Now I understand why the concept of assigned breakfast/lunch/afternoon snack exist. Most children are use to getting food/drinks when they feel like it but at school it’s more like a reward. It takes time for most children to get use to the assigned time schedule but they grow to like the idea of it because they really don’t have a choice.

As a parent, my son can eat all day and so having assigned blocks for food/drink cuts down on any opportunities to ask for it and it controls his body intake of food/drinks. We all know that the more they consume the more waste comes out which means more diapers or pull ups or bathroom trips. Any parent that buys pampers/pull-ups that’s an expense I’m sure we all can’t wait to do away with.

As I arrived to the childcare center I watched over the children as they took their nap and were to wake up shortly. After waking up they put up their cots and blankets. Snack is at three o’clock everyday so once they awake from their nap they are anticipating their snack. From snack they have circle/learning time and at about four fifteen they go outside until all the children are gone.

Because I come in the later part of the afternoon I am not present for most of their mornings which consist of educational material that is planned by the lead teacher. The afternoons are more relaxed but still educational.

I really believe now that parents (mothers/fathers) should spend at least 2-4 hours a month in their children’s class or as a floater at their school.

In this generation, as parents it’s important to be active in our children’s education because it let’s them know at an early age that it’s important. Consistency is key when setting an example around your child/children.

Mom’s do you volunteer at your children’s school? If so, what do you do?

Mom’s have you ever worked at a childcare center? If so, when and are you still there? If not, what made you leave?

I’m glad I could share this experience with you all and I look forward to many more stories similar.

Leave any comments below!!

Kindergarten. Are You Ready?

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Spring is near. Meaning the school year is almost over.

My daughter is currently in pre-k because her birthday falls after September first. September first is the cut off for children that are not five years old by that date. Sucks right? Well this year we are preparing for her to start kindergarten at the end of summer.

As her mother I am excited but scared as well.

Going to pre-k daily to learn is great but the learning doesn’t stop there. She has a schedule at home that we follow to ensure she is taking in all the curriculum she is being taught. I recently attended an open house for a charter school that I want her to attend and I learned about the assessment that the teachers usually do with the students the first month of school. I was told that the assessment is done to see where exactly the student is with the basics. When I say the basics I mean knowing their abcs, numbers, colors, know their first and last name in addition to spelling it and some other things.

Kindergarten huh?

Do I feel she is ready for kindergarten? Yes I do. My daughter is not your average five year old. I remember being out in public and constantly getting asked how old is she. A lot of people say she is very mature for her age. They use to speak on how she act in public and her manners. She is very independent. She has always been that way but it increased a year and a half ago when her brother was born. She adjusted and knew that she had to be a role model for him. Also giving birth to her little sister two and a half months ago she understands that she has two younger siblings that are watching her every move.

I stress the importance of discipline within my house. This will continue until all of my children are out on their own. I believe the earlier you start it will carry on in their daily activity.

Preparing for kindergarten came sooner than later meaning the time is creeping up on us. August will be here before I know it.

Which is why I have a checklist of five things I took into consideration while preparing to send my daughter to kindergarten:

Clothing – if the school requires uniform or not. If the school requires uniform that is an additional cost that I will have to save for now. This also goes for regular clothes as well. I prefer uniforms because I like the overall presentation. Actually yesterday one of my neighbors was going to send her child to the same school last year but ended up sending her to the school in our attendance zone. She purchased all the uniforms necessary for her child. She bought them to me and my daughter can fit them. YES!! Which means I have a stash of brand new uniforms at a discounted amount. Can’t beat a steal.

Transportation – school bus or not. I take my daughter to pre-k everyday and pick her up. To be honest her riding the bus scares me but if you ask her she wants to. The school I attended for open house actually doesn’t provide bus service so I have to dedicate to picking her up and dropping her off. So flexibility is key here.

Foreign Language – spanish or french. Majority of the schools here in georgia offer spanish. Some offer it within the curriculum or at an extra cost. The school we are considering offers spanish as an elective in addition to music, physical education and art. This is a great age for her to start learning another language and learn about other cultures.

Class size – big or small. I know that some schools have a shortage in school teachers meaning the classrooms can be extremely large. On average kindergarten classes can range from 18-24 children in a class. For me 18 is more ideal and 24 is too much. I know I don’t have the final say in personnel hiring but as a parent I want my daughter to have a personable relationship with her teacher (s).

Technology – computers or not. Children these days are tech savvy. My daughter knows how to use a iPad and computer. She is not an expert but has the knowledge to do so. While attending the open house the school had four computers in the classroom that the students would utilize at specified times and/or days. I like this idea because most kids are visual learners and videos sometimes grabs their attention more than a lecture.

I hope each of these topics on my checklist help you in making your decision when sending your little one off to kindergarten. This checklist could be taken into consideration for any age but mine is specific to my daughter since she will be attending kindergarten in August.

Comment below with your thoughts on my checklist. Also, I would love to hear other topics that were considered when sending your little one to kindergarten.

Education is key

I remember growing up my parents stressed the importance of education. They made sure that me and my sister knew that if we did good in school than the rewards would be endless. They also stressed that if we did bad in school than there would be no rewards.

My sister was the straight A student. Me, on the other hand, I would get Bs, Cs, Ds and sometimes even Fs. For some reason, I had my own agenda. I had a problem with talking to my peers more than I should have and not completing my homework. I guess you could say I was more of the rebellious one. Not sure why?

Becoming a parent makes you think about education completely different if you didn’t. It gives you more of a understanding coming from the teachers end and the parent (you). As a parent, you see first hand what your child is learning and how they are taking in all the information they are being taught. On the teachers end you are seeing how he/she deals with the children and her tools to teach them while they are in he/she presence.

Some parents fail their children because they don’t take the time out to help them with homework or reading. They leave it up to the child to get it all done. I understand some parents work full-time to provide for their family but I believe that you should make an effort to show your child that you care about their education. As for me, I buy numerous handbooks, writing pads, flash cards and dry erase boards to work with my children on. Education is not meant to be boring it can definitely be fun if you want it to be. We are in a time now where technology is taking over. Which is why I started utilizing a learning tool that is challenging both of my children.

My daughter will start kindergarten towards the end of summer and I want her more than ready on the first day. My son will be two in the summer and as of right now he is talking more and learning everything from his sister. Little ones that have older siblings they mimic and do everything they see. I stress the importance of setting an example for her brother and be sure she not showing him bad habits. Learning is one habit that they do together and I plan to keep it that way.

Mommies comment below with learning routines that you currently use at home for your little ones.

Category: Education