Yes, we are blessed with seven, and it takes a lot of planning to make things run smoothly.  When people ask how it is possible to teach so many subjects on so many different levels, I like to joke that it is a well-orchestrated three ring circus!  

On an average day, we begin with prayer, followed by Catechism and Scripture.  This is my favorite way to start the day, particularly because faith is a subject the children can be taught altogether.  As much as possible, we take a “one room schoolhouse” approach to learning, so that everyone is studying the same subjects at the same time.  For example, we have been spending a good deal of time learning about local and New York State history this year.  I use the same materials for the children, but my expectations for each child are different.  (If we have just read about the design and building of Central Park, for example, my fourteen year old might write an essay, while my ten year old gives and oral narration, and my four year old draws a picture.)  I try to purchase or borrow from the library a broad array of materials so that we have everything from picture books and easy readers to adult materials on any given subject.

We take the same approach for other subjects whenever possible–literature, Shakespeare, science, and music are all enjoyed together.  Math and Spelling are studied separately with me tutoring each child a few minutes or more a day, depending on his needs.

We love unit studies, but only use them every couple of months and enjoy planning them ourselves.

I’ve been homeschooling since my eldest daughter–Alice, age 14,–was born.  This lifestyle attracted me for a number of reasons:  I wanted to spend a great deal of time with my children; I felt called to teach them their faith in its entirety without passing the job along to anyone else; and I believed homeschooling would provide them with a tremendous, custom education.  (It has all turned out even better than I imagined!) 

My husband bought me a digital camera for Christmas 2005, and it occurred to me that having a journal of our family’s activities would be a marvelous thing.  Almost on a whim, with no definite plans, I started Cottage Blessings on the first of January 2006.  So unsure was I of how to begin that the first post is a poem–”The Old Woman of the Roads” by Padraic Colum.

The blog is called “Cottage Blessings” because we have a small cottage on our property, and that is where we usually spend the day learning and studying.  I added “Blessings” to the title, because I hoped the blog would reflect our faith.  The title was also a nod to my Irish roots, because cottages are emblematic of the Emerald Isle.

 What advice would you offer to others homeschooling?  What is the  most helpful thing veteran homeschoolers can offer to “novices”?

Study your faith, and read great literature.  Enjoy the pre-school years, and do not try to cram them with academics.  Be patient with your children.  Spend a great deal of time outdoors.

I was completely overjoyed and grateful to the women who conduct the blog awards, not to mention my readers.  It is an honor to know that people read the blog, particularly if it helps strengthen their faith or assists them in teaching their children about God.

The main way I guide the children in writing is by reading a great deal to them and pointing out passages that are particularly well done.  If an author uses poetic language, clever alliteration, or a memorable description, we take note of it.  (Thank you for the kind words about my writing, btw.)

My children have had blogs, and my eldest daughter, in particular, was a faithful blogger for a year, but she began working on a novel and set her blog aside.  This is fine with me though, because I would prefer my children not to spend too much time on the computer, even for a worthy pursuit like blogging.