Image Jo Freitag
I have decided to accept Lisa Rivero’s challenge to write 30 blog posts for the month of September. I intend to try to add 10 posts to each of my 3 blogs during the month of September. Sprite’s Site will feature posts about posts!
Another type of Post often found on Sprite’s Site is the Post Blog Hop Post.
I usually try to visit the other posts included in blog hops to which I contribute and leave or try to leave a comment.
This month Sprite, Retweet and I have joined the GHF September Blog Hop Parenting Gifted/2E Kids on a Shoestring http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/blog-hops/parenting-gifted2e-kids-on-shoestring/ with our post at https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2015/09/20/on-a-shoestring/
We returned from the blog hop with a goodie bag full of ideas and links to resources. Retweet had collected several new shoelaces. We found that Tweetelle had commandeered Sprite’s brown shoe and made a home for her caterpillar pet in it.
“You said it was a ‘Do what is most sensible’ brown brogue and you were not using it!” Tweetelle chirped.
Here are the posts we visited and the comments we left or tried to leave.
Parenting Gifted/2E Kids on a Shoestring
Parenting gifted and 2e kids on a tight budget does not have to be limiting. Check out these blog posts to see how other parents created interesting, fun, and educational experiences on a shoestring budget
Budget Friendly Homeschooling for the Gifted Family ~ Through a Stronger Lens (Nicole Linn)
I am often asked about what curriculum I use, how we structure our days, how I keep track of what we do. The answer is…<<gasp>>…we don’t. How do I facilitate any learning around here without curriculum? Let me share some of our favorite low-cost resources with you.
Our comment: What a great collection of economical resources! Thank you!
Economic Unschooling ~ Gifted Unschooling (Amy Harrington)
Unschooling doesn’t have to break the bank. More isn’t necessarily better and almost everything you need is within reach if you take a few simple steps. Libraries may be the single most important resource in your unschooling on a budget lifestyle. In addition to the plethora of books at your disposal, which you may order online from the comfort of your own home, the library offers free WiFi and computer access. Once you gain online access, the free exhange of content is available in all areas of interest. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS) are a great starting point for those seeking higher level learning within a framework and gratis.Your local library may also have book clubs, special learning opportunities such as classes and online courses as well as a clean, temperate environment in which to relax and soak in information.
Our comment: I love this “all moments in life are filled with learning opportunities” Thanks for a great post, Amy.
Frugal Apartment 2e Homeschooling ~ Gluten-Free Mum (Kathleen Humble)
There are many ways we have changed our lifestyle in order to be able to homeschool our children. Adjusting to the reality of a one-income family involved rethinking many of our assumptions about what we needed and what we could do without. It’s an ongoing process as our needs have changed over time. Some of our decisions have been lifestyle based, and some have been more focused on how we create an environment that is conductive to learning.
Our comment: What a great post Kathleen – so many great resources and wise, environmentally responsible, healthy and economical ways of living!
Homeschooling a Large Family on a Small Budget ~ Up Parenting Creek (guest blogger: Eleen Kamas)
One question people often ask when they learn we homeschool is, “How can you afford it? That must be really expensive! Especially when you have so many children!” It does help that my husband is an electrical engineer with a good salary. It doesn’t help that we live in California’s Silicon Valley, which is notoriously expensive, and that we have six children. But that doesn’t mean that educating our children at home has to be incredibly expensive.
Our comment: Thank you for an inspiring post, Eleen. I agree -hand me downs, discounts and bargains and swapping textbooks and resources and libraries all help make homeschooling effective and affordable.
Homeschooling Gifted Kids on a Shoestring ~ Raising Lifelong Learners (Colleen Kessler)
Parenting a gifted child presents unique challenges – especially when it comes to meeting their asynchronous academic needs. When a kiddo is many ages at once, he needs curriculum at varying levels. That can get expensive…
Our comment: Thank you for wise advice re prioritizing expenses and using the library and field trips and for useful links for some great materils to give on gift giving occasions which provide learning as well as fun
Keeping Up Without Going Broke ~ Homeschooling Hatters (Care Martin)
Parenting gifted kids is complicated. Homeschooling them is complicated too, only now you get to add in the fact that they can, and often will, go through several years of material in one sitting. Mad Natter has very little desire to go deeper into subjects, and some things there’s only so far you can go into them – trust me, the girl who had to write a four page report for World History on *NORTH VIETNAM* in the ’90s.
Our comment: Thank you for this post, Care. You are doing for your readers what a lovely lady did for me when we were at the stage of contemplating homeschooling. She sat me down in her kitchen and showed me all the different types of curriculum she was using and described the pros and cons of each. And it was so helpful when I came to choosing the materials I would use.
The ONLY Thing You Need for Homeschooling {and it’s FREE!}~ My Little Poppies (Caitlin Curley)
So many folks tell me that they know they should go to the library more than they do. They worry about their children staying quiet in the library. They are concerned about lost books and library fines. They feel that Amazon is easier. I truly believe that the only thing you NEED for homeschooling is a library card.
Our comment: Great post with lots of helpful links. I do not think we would have managed to homeschool without our library!
Small Price… Huge Value! ~ Madeline’s Musings (Madeline Goodwin with guest Corin Goodwin)
We traveled all over the country learning about astronomy, the physical and natural sciences, history (including live reenactments!), and civics. We met people from all over the world. We visited bigger cities… but then left before they overwhelmed us. We made friends and visited back and forth with them and with our scattered family members. No curriculum, no school supplies, and our public library at home allowed us to take out piles of books and audiobooks to bring with us for weeks at a time!
Our comment: Thank you Madeline and Corin. I really enjoyed reading about your memories of your wonderful excursion adventures!
Top 7 Tips to Parenting and Homeschooling an Asynchronous, Self-Directed Child on a Shoestring ~ The Cardinal House (Carissa Leventis-Cox)
These are SEVEN tips our family has found invaluable to our homeschool lives. Except for internet at home which we pay for, the rest of these things on our list can be available for FREE.
Our comment: Great list of free or cheap options for homeschooling families!
Top 15 Free STEM Resources ~ Eclectic Homeschooling (Amy B.)
“It is easy for science, math, engineering, and technology to be money hogs. There are so many excellent kits and maker materials out there, but the cost of those items add up. Over the years we have discovered some excellent STEM resources that will cost you nothing.
Our comment: What great resources! There are several which are new to me which I look forward to investigating.
This is a commentary post about the Gifted Homeschoolers Forum September Blog hop Parenting Gifted/2E Kids on a Shoestring.
To read all the in the blog hop posts please go to http://giftedhomeschoolers.org/blog-hops/parenting-gifted2e-kids-on-shoestring/
This is also a post for Lisa Rivero’s challenge to write 30 blog posts for the month of September. To read all about her challenge see http://www.lisarivero.com/30postshathsept/
Sprite's Site 