Shortcuts

It's ok to have some shortcuts in life. Some areas don't lend themselves well to shortcuts. You really do have to do math is a pretty specific order. It matters. But if you are a bit creative you can find a few shortcuts in most areas. Here are few of mine that I used during homeschooling and even now.

Baking:
Boxed mixes are wonderful. I keep my pantry stocked with cheap jiffy mixes of various muffin flavors. Our favorite is one box of banana, one box of chocolate and a couple of old bananas that are starting to attract fruit flies. Throw in some chocolate chips that are always in the pantry as well and it is a wonderful breakfast or treat after school. All you need is milk and eggs. So easy and quick. Be sure to get some silicone muffin pans. They go right in the dishwasher! Amen! Don't fall into the trap that all homeschool moms always bake from scratch. Some do. I try to become friends with those people, but I was pretty busy as a homeschool mom. I appreciated the shortcut. (I also use jellies, jams and frozen fruit as surprise fillings in muffins. Husbands really like this too.)

Meal Prep:
Buy in bulk but wrap meat and chicken breasts in plastic wrap individually and then in large ziplock bags and lay flat in your freezer. This gives you the most flexibility for how many you need for a meal and the quickest thawing time. If you divide bulk hamburger into 1 pound bags, put them into gallon ziplocs and beat them flat. They store better and defrost very quickly. It was really helpful.

Math:
Flashcards, school house rock dvd, FlashMaster (hand held electronic flash cards - feels like a game and allows you to focus on a kids specific issues. It also allows them to work independently). Doing math everyday can get boring to some kids, so break it up and let them use these as well to reinforce what they are already learning. It allows math to come in a different door for some kids too.

Puzzles:
Find some really good puzzles of the world. It will make geography so much more enjoyable. Just pick a rainy day, cancel lessons and do the puzzle all day. I found doing puzzles in general also really helpful to occupy my little ones when I needed to focus with the older kids. I still have a sizable bin of younger kid puzzles in my house. My friend's kids enjoy them now when we are trying to talk as adults.

Do your 20's:
We had a time everyday when the kids had to rotate on 3 things; 20 minutes of piano, 20 minutes of spanish, 20 minutes of typing. Be sure to have some timers in the house and just say "go" at the top of the hour. I usually got to sit down and read something to myself during this time and take a little break.

I am sure if you give yourself permission, you can think of some shortcuts you would like to take. You have permission. Go forth and take the shortcut!