Are you Wasting Daylight? #hsreviews

It came to my realization a month or two ago that I was wasting daylight.  My days just weren’t as productive as I wanted them to be but I knew that there was quite a bit of time during that day that I wasn’t doing what  should have been.  I just needed to prioritize and schedule.  I knew it would get better with that!  I was super thrilled when a chance to review some things from Real Life Press came up through the TOS Crew.  I was even more excited when I was that a book by Heidi St. John was on the list!  I crossed my fingers I’d get chosen.  And I did!  So, this is my review of The Busy Homeschool Mom’s Guide to Daylight.  Hope you enjoy my review as much as I enjoyed the book(well I’m still enjoying it as I’m rereading it)!

 

 

I should also say that I received a physical copy of the book to review. I love being able to touch and feel my books so this was a plus to me.  I can read books in the e-book form, but they’re not my preferred method.  You’re also going to want a notebook to go along with the book.  Keep them together no matter what type of book you get to read.  You’ll be making notes and going OH I want to remember that!

 

 

Let’s talk a bit about the behind the book.  It was written by Heidi St. John who is a homeschool mom of 7 so she does know what she’s talking about.  That’s huge and important to me.  You want to make sure the book you’re reading for advice or just for reaffirmation is at least by someone who has been there and knows what they’re talking about!  She is an encourager and a public speaker.  I hope someday to hear her speak, but so far haven’t been able to.  Real Life Press is a company that she and her husband Jay have created and market their materials through.

Before we delve into the book I want to mention that there is a somewhat companion book to The Busy Homeschool Mom’s Guide to Daylight(the one I reviewed) that is mentioned in my book and that other TOS Crew reviewers could choose to review.  It is entitled The Busy Homeschool Mom’s Guide to Romance and I believe it has already been added to the top of my must read list.  I can see how the two books go hand in hand.

 

Okay.  Now it’s time for me to give you the run down on this book I’ve been talking about.  The Busy Homeschool Mom’s Guide to Daylight is going to be a life changer to you.  Trust me.  Okay, well maybe it won’t be a life changer for you.  Maybe you already have your life all figured out and it runs perfectly smoothly and you never have schedule issues.  What?  You say that’s not you?  Well then that makes me feel a little better!

Every chapter in this book is excellent, but there is one chapter that I was particularly interested, well besides the scheduling, and that is titled Consolidated Daylight Multi Level Teaching.  If you read my blog you’ll already know this but I’m hoping we have some new readers as well.  I have 9 children ages 10 down to almost 2.  That’s a good range but not so good when you have that many different learning styles and levels thrown in.  I have some advanced learners and some delayed learners.  I have kids in any grade from preschool up through 4th grade and there are days I feel I’m going insane.

 

 

Not anymore. . . . well I’m hoping I don’t have that feeling anymore, but if I do I know that I can handle it and make things work out.  You see, I learned that in The Busy Homeschool Mom’s Guide to Daylight.  I can do this.  With God as my stronghold, while walking alongside my husband, and allowing my children a voice; I can master this thing called life.  I will no longer be wasting daylight.  I will be raising precious lives and I will be doing it to the best of my ability.

I really love the acronym that Heidi St. John employed and shares in her book.  I think it’s important in any homeschool but especially in homeschool with many children and multiple grade levels.  I can definitely relate to her harried over stressed homeschool mom who is no fun.  

LIFE

L: Learn Together

I: Incorporate Individual Studies into our daily routine

F: Focus on Relationships

E: Engage our children each day far beyond academic pursuits

LIFE

I have taken a lot away from this book and know I’ll take away more as I reread and take more notes, but I want you to know that this book isn’t about making you feel bad for what you’re doing but rather to encourage you to become better.  To become a better parent, wife, child of God, and homeschool mom, among so many things.  I have to say that honestly I don’t think you have to be a homechool mom to take things away from this book.  You can just be someone overwhelmed with their life and needing some ideas on how to structure and organize.

Another product from Real Life Press that some Crew members reviewed is Firmly Planted which is actually a series of books that cover the Bible in a family Bible Study.  Sounds like a great way to delve into God’s word and more just keeps getting added to my must read list!

Think you might want to know more about this book or Real Life Press?  You can find other reviews of this product, the other book I mentioned, as well as other products that the Crew had access to review over on the main TOS Crew Blog Page.  Heidi St. John and Real Life Press can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.