My name is Melody. I am the mom of four girls in our blended family of six. I have been a secular homeschooler since 2013.
I started this channel to share my experiences as well as to step out of my comfort zone, try something new, do something challenging and to learn from and connect with all of you. As a secular homeschooler it can be difficult to find curriculum. I hope that you will find new and exciting secular curriculum options on this channel.
Hit that like button, subscribe to our channel and zip on over to Instagram and follow along there too. @Homeschool_HappyHour
First, you have beautiful curls! Thank you for this video. I am returning to homeschool after a faith transition and it’s hard to find good balanced reviews on curriculum that is unbiased.
We love life of Fred but I read it to my kids until they were older and able to sort through the conservative propaganda that becomes more and more blatant as it progresses.
I homeschool with a custody agreement as well. It’s really nice to know that it’s not just me. Thank you for being so open about it, it really helps. Blessings to you and your family ❤
This will be our first year homeschooling. I have a 13 yo that is accelerated so I’m finding that I’m leaning towards 9th grade curriculum. How did you decide on doing public and homeschool together do you have a video on that? How do you decide on that?
I don’t think I have a video on that specifically. In short, my daughter’s bio dad and his family have been pushing for PS for years. I told my daughter that when she got to High school she could decide. She chose part time. She didn’t want to attend PS, but she wanted to make her Dad happy. Fortunately it has gone well and she enjoys taking 2 classes. She is adamant that she won’t attend more than that though.
@cbranson4654 Math was her relatively weakest subject (mostly a confidence issue). I told her if she wanted to take PS classes one of them had to be math because I knew the teacher was excellent. For her second class, she picked an elective based on availability and interest.
We started homecoming for reasons that have nothing to do with religion, even when i identified as religious. I've since deconverted and deconstructed, but casual attendance at church is still a part of our lives due to the preferences of two out of four of us. I've has to transition away from Scripture memory practice, for instance, to reading the DaoDeJing daily. From rote prayers to sitting meditation. We've always discussed matters of spirituality and been open with different beliefs. My main concerns with Christian curricula are young Earth science, biased pro-Christendom history, excessive scripture verses that do not resonate with me (i do still find value in some quotes, on par with other poetry, famous sayings, etc). But i don't like to dump the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. I'm very much still spiritual and love to ponder the unknown. I believe in mystery, etc. But when we discuss logic and critical thinking, we talk about the dangers of blind faith and how religion has a tendency of indoctrinating people, why people may believe what they believe, and how ultimately we don't know so if they come to believe something i don't, that's ok too.
I wouldn’t even call ourselves secuela homeschoolers. We’re raging atheists & we teach religion as mythology. All of them are mythologies to us and that’s how we teach it bc that’s what we believe. I was taken to a church at 7yo by my Baptist aunt & really quickly understood I didn’t belong there. They made me feel like I didn’t belong at 7 lol so I told my parents I didn’t wanna go again. That was my very short relationship with religion & because I already know at 7yo what mythology was, I quickly understood 2+2 😅
My highschoolers got quite picky about their curriculum. I gave them veto power, and discovered they were very clear on their individual goals. They were--unaware to themselves--preparing for a college specialty.
So glad I found your channel. Agnostic atheist deconstructing Mormonism...It's a doozy XD Homeschool community here is very conservative/Christian-heavy and it's difficult to feel a part of the community.
No one I've ever talked to in WA (and just messaged my friends after watching this) We do NOT get our declaration signed and returned. That never happens. Perhaps that was because your legal battle? None of us have. And I've been doing this for 14 years (NOT an expert, but just my personal experience. And the people I messaged have even more and I consider much more amazing than I could hope to be as they help educate others on homeschooling).
Having the signed documents returned to me is for MY records. Technically the school should keep them on file and that should be adequate. However, I feel it’s best to have one’s own copy “just in case.”
Being homeschooled was a good part of my childhood, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized homeschooling as a mindset was very toxic and honestly it leads to so much misinformation and was used to shelter children from outside their religion, family, etc etc. I would not wish to be homeschooled again.
You are the first youtuber and homeschooler that I've found that has the same views on religion that I have. I'm so comforted to know I'm not completely alone lol. I was homeschooled and raised Christain, but did not have a good experience within the religion. My entire family is christain, and most homeschool their kids as well, but they do it SO differently that it's hard to relate. I walked in on them at Easter dinner talking about my kids and hoping they see them when they go to heaven... how awkward. It brings up a lot of feelings for me, because on the one hand, my kids cousins are their closest and most accessible friends. But on the other hand, I worry they tell my kids they're going to hell, or need to get saved or believe in God. I don't want my kids being indoctrinated by all that stuff that caused me so much trauma growing up. We do talk about religion in our schooling, but in a very generalized way, and I try to let them make up their own mind. I don't tell them what to believe. It's so hard to find like-minded parents, and therefore hard to find community in this lifestyle. Glad to have found your channel. 😊
@@HomeschoolHappyHour oh Jesus that’s what you are teaching? The war of northern aggression huh? I pray that your child inherited more brain cells than yourself. Otherwise we got a blind leading the blind situation here yall.
The imposter syndrome so valid for everybody... I'm an artist and I feel like I have that going on all the time. I'm sure this kind of goes for every topic and every subject and specialty out there. I think it's what makes us human. You got this. ❤
I'm new to the homeschooling community in this one annoys me the most why because I have disabilities and I am in poverty and my child is disabled and he wasn't getting education at the public school and so now I have to foot the bill for everything. When guess what because he has a disability he's supposed to be guaranteed a free appropriate public education... Let's talk about the privilege of being able to have a free and appropriate public education... Lets talk about passive aggressive force outs and teachers telling parents to homeschool bc the environment isnt right for the student. Lets talk about ableism, and discrimination. Lets talk about educational neglect in public schools. Lets talk about funding miss appropriation for the disabled.
Starting my secular homeschool journey. I live in the state of Utah and I am an ex Mormon I have left a cult. And the reason why we are home schooling is not because we have political qualms or anything with the school system but my son is autistic and has special needs like I have and our culture has a problem with ableism a massive one. I wasn't having my needs met in school the way they should have but I still got a better education than what my child is being given, and the accommodations that they were giving my son were paltry and they were just essentially shoving him in a corner for 2 hours and then sending him home and I couldn't even return to the workforce. They were shoving him an iPad just a game the whole time... Now we've had lots of people say why don't we take it up with a lawyer and everything but we've already lost so much time in the school system and my son is barely a kindergarten level in most things and he's eight. Our problem is if we do fight an advocate how many more years are going to be pissed away and it's b*******.
I won't lie it kind of feels like the blind leading the blind at times because I am ADHD and probably under diagnosed autistic because three specialists have now brought that to my attention as I have tried to get help for my son. And I live in a culture where it is just diversity un-affirming and and I grew up with a lot of that you're just a late bloomer s*** and that you'll grow out of it but when I didn't and I was still struggling in my adult years to integrate into the workforce, I found that that I couldn't advocate for myself well and there was a double edge blade to it. As I got more aware of this. I found that when I advocated for my needs in the workplace I was more likely to lose my job through passive aggressive force outs, or discrimination (not aware at the time) and I found that if I didn't advocate and just tried to mask really hard that I could keep jobs longer and it's just very difficult... Now I honestly feel like IQ is not a marker here for qualifications. Because when I graduated high school I had probably like maybe an eighth grade IQ level and I tested that in college. But I actually was really motivated and worked on my deficits even though I had to drop out of college for financial reasons. However as I've taken IQ tests over the years I have found my IQ increasing more towards the genius level so make what you will of that. I probably know more about psychology currently than most people in my neighborhood and would probably lose them amongst the term logic... as an example. But I really feel like IQ is not very easily quantifiable nor should it be somebody's qualification. I think if you have motivation to learn and research you can apply those skills. Sadly most of the people I'm around and dumber than a mud fence... Most of it out of laziness... Yet I was the one called retarded growing up. 😒 Problem with the way people view IQ is if you do not have adequate resources or accommodations with certain learning disabilities or difficulties you won't be able to increase that IQ level very well and that's where the unteachable bias comes from. But if you fight for it you can and that's the problem that our society has is they're not letting us do that.
- is not uncommon that disagreement about homeschooling leads to divorce. - was your husband agreed about homeschooling did you give him a saying about it? - was your best friend always in your life? Even thru your marriage? -did you cheat on your ex to get out of that relationship? -does the father of your kids have a saying on their upbringing? -how much of his income goes out on child support ? -does the father has any kind of custody? -abuse is real, but I would like to hear his side of the story as well.
-I don’t think it’s as common as you suggest -it was originally HIS idea -no, my husband and I met AFTER my first marriage ended -no -yes -VERY little. My husband supports our children more than their father. -yes -ask him. I’m sure he’ll tell you he’s perfect
@@HomeschoolHappyHour something doesn't square up, you are going to tell me that you just met this guy and he was willing to marry you knowing that you don't work and homeschool 4 kids. Something doesn't make sense, you should buy a lottery ticket and probably hit the jackpot, because it just doesn't happen that way.
@elmarsupial6483 sometimes things just work out. I had two kids and he had two kids. Unlike some people he values my time and energy as a SAHM. Whether or not that “adds up” for you is irrelevant.
I homeschooled my children - who are now grown adults and I've never been sorry for that decision for even a minute. One is a chef, one is in the Air Force, One works in a high level government position, One is a teacher, and one is a Pastor/missionary. They are well adjusted, they are in great relationships, they are successful, - but best of all? They are kind, sensitive to others and respectful. Out of 5 children, none are alchoholics, or drug addicted. I encourage all mothers to homeschool. It's a lot of work - but it is over the top rewarding in every way.
So glad you shared your views on this. I agree 100% with everything you said. I grew up very involved with the church and they were always very open to telling everyone that the parties, youth groups, and other events were to bring in children. They offered transportation to help the kids get to church for service and events. We are a secular home with no religious influence only religious education. My kids will learn many religious and they will know the trauma caused by religions.
Don’t know if you want to go this in-depth or expensive, but Guest Hollow has Chemistry in the Kitchen. It uses that culinary chemistry books you have along with lots of other books, resources, and food experiments. I’m a long way from having an 8th grader, but I roughly plan to use that curriculum with my kiddo at that time.
I love the idea of doing a psychology class! Also, what are your plans for writing? Do you assign writing tasks as you go throughout the year? Do you do writing across the curriculum, or just stick to what you've chosen for language arts? Thank you! My rising 8th grader is my oldest, so I'm constantly second guessing myself. It's nice to see that there are ways to keep things simple and straightforward.
To be real, my plans for writing are limited. In the past we have selected composition assignments from our Lightening Literature program, but this year we will just write when it suits us across the curriculum. Both girls do a lot of writing when they are with their Bio-Dad, so I go easy on that so they don’t get overwhelmed with writing.
I had no idea that College Algebra could be used via Modern States! Signing up my 8th grader too. We were struggling to figure out what she should do. We have a phenomenal Outschool PreAlgebra teacher and I just couldn't bear to go back to Teaching Textbooks next year (even though it's on my shelf). We'll see how shes does!
This happens even within the public school system. Teacher could be sick for a few weeks or a student could be sick for a few weeks. Something happens and parts are missed but that’s the responsibility of a parent is to make sure that’s not happening even more with homeschooling.
I’m not sure if I should stick to one science from middle school till high school or if I should give them a taste of everything. It’s something I’m currently struggling with.
Just remember there is no one right answer! Do whatever works best for you and your kids. Some kids like variety. Some struggle with change. If you found something you all love- keep at it. If it’s a frustrating experience- it might be time for something new. Good luck 🍀
Yes!! I can't stand that one. We have made homeschooling a priority despite the fact that we can't actually afford to do so. We've had to make all kinds of unconventional life decisions, and not do all the things many families do (vacations come to mind!) to make this priority work.
We are getting ready to start year 2 for our upcoming 6th grader. Being first year Monarch + Saxon about behind us, thinking of having him take one of the standardized assessments just to see. You probably mentioned this in one of your other videos, but have you or do you ever use any of the national tests? Iowa, Stanford, or California maybe?
No we haven’t used those. We test through Homeschool Boss at the end of each year. We have used SBAC with the Public Schools in the past as well, but not anymore
My suggestion for fixing the school system is complete school choice. Each kid is given a education allowance each year and the money follows the kid. This would encourage more private schools to emerge that have certain specialties (my son currently goes to a private school that is focused on kids with autism and it is perfect for him) and parents could choose a school and method that works best for their kid.
My daughter likes to create on her own but does not like art curriculum. So I just buy the supplies and she creates. Sometimes she watches you tube to get ideas.
Same! My girls both enjoy creating on their own. I have not felt the need to tamper with that, but I do wish we had time to add this book. It was simple enough that I don’t think it would feel pushy to them, but involved enough that I think they would learn from it. Maybe next year…
