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Lauran of Southeast Louisiana
My husband, myself, and our two daughters are figuring out this whole growing up thing together. Some days are more successful than others. We choose to homeschool in order to give us the most time with our girls, as I work some evenings, and to be able to tailor learning to meet their neurodiverse needs.
Christine of Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Mom (Christine)
- Dad (Garrett)
- Big Sister (Parker)
- Little Sister (Elliott)
- Sister Dog (Chloe)
- Brother Dog (Django)
Kristy Y. of Houma, Louisiana
I am a mom of 6 kids. Their ages are 20, 18, 10, 5, 3 and 2. My oldest is in college and my second daughter starts in the fall. We have an English Bulldog named Clementine and a cat names Lola.
Kayla P. of Kentwood, Louisiana
- Hermes (aka Daddy), farm hand and assistant
- Kayla (aka Mommy), homeschooling/ home daycare momma
- Olivia Grace, age 7 till March
- Ginny, age 6 till July
- Lulu, age 4 till June
- Rose, our pit/lab mix
- Mr. Whiskers, our orange kitty
How do you Timberdoodle?
Lauran: We like Timberdoodle because it allows us to work at our own pace in each subject area, moving faster or slower based on need. Our favorite is probably Math-U-See. It helps build success quickly, making my daughter feel confident her math skills.
Christine: Google search is how we found you. We absolutely love the games and books and we are more morning schoolers so as we sit at the breakfast table we knock out as much as we can.
Kristy: We first heard about Timberdoodle years ago. It is always the first place I recommend when people tell me they plan to homeschool. We love buying the STEM kits and games to go along with what we are learning each year.
Kayla: We have been watching Timberdoodle for awhile but have not yet been able to afford it. I love the hands-on aspect of the curriculum. I can't wait to order once I save up enough.
Tell us about a typical school day at your house.
Lauran: We start school around 9:00 a.m. We don't always get finished at the same time due to distractions and my work schedule. Sometimes we have to do extra on another day or makeup work on a weekend. Our focus in first grade is language arts and math.
Christine: We eat while schooling. We follow the Timberdoodle schedule and chores are just throughout the day, no set time.
Kristy: We start our school day around 8:00 a.m. and school until about lunch. We cover the basic subjects and Latin, read lots of poetry, do lots of science experiments and art. I do most of the cooking and everyone has chores to work on each day.
Kayla: We are a bit eclectic in our homeschool we love the living book aspect of the Charlotte Mason method and the practical life and hands on aspect of Montessori . So #adventureschooling was born. I love how we read, journal, grow and adventure through our day!
If we peeked inside your home on a random Wednesday afternoon, what would we see?
Lauran: You would probably see my girls playing with Polly Pockets while I do chores or paperwork.
Christine: Two girls running around playing. Depending on the time, we might not be there.
Kristy: Wednesday is our off day. We volunteer at the local Community Garden, visit our local library for story and craft time and go to gymnastics. Some days we squeeze in a nature study trip or go to the park.
Kayla: Someone reading , Legos, art projects, classical music or hymns playing in the background. Games or tray tasks being worked on a floor mat, journaling our discoveries, nature in our home. Our beautiful organized chaos that we call #adventureschooling.
If you could take your family anywhere you wanted for vacation where would you go?
Lauran: Spain.
Christine: To the beach at the ocean.
What dietary challenges does your family face?
Lauran: Tree nut allergy. It's severe, so we avoid all nut products and have a list of safe foods. We sometimes bring our own safe foods to birthday parties.
Christine: My oldest is autistic with sensory processing disorder so meal time is a struggle. We finally got everyone to the table which helped but also learning ways to sneak the good stuff into her diet. Apple sauce was the best way to hide things.
What tips do you have for surviving a hard day?
Lauran: Take breaks. And it's ok to stop and try again tomorrow.
Christine: Take a break, get out of the house or if it's really bad call for backup.
What’s something your child has done that thrilled your soul?
Lauran: Done something for someone else because it would make her feel better in that situation.
Christine: Smiled when she gets her new curriculum and when she gets new educational things.
How does your family celebrate birthdays?
Lauran: We have parties. I hate them. My girls love them.
Christine: Small at-home gathering. Cake is always around and a week of all the things the birthday girl wants.
What have you done recently for the first time?
Lauran: We starting going to sporting events as a family.
Christine: Homeschooled two kids.
What’s your favorite school day lunch?
Lauran: Quesadillas and fruit.
Christine: Chicken salad.
What tips do you have for other families?
Lauran: Join a network of homeschooling and non-homeschooling families to get a baseline and build healthy expectations.
Christine: Start. Even if you're unsure and even if you're scared, just start.
What is something you appreciate about each of your kids?
Lauran: My oldest's ability to really think out a topic and ask meaningful questions. My youngest's ability to find simple practical solutions to every day inconveniences.
Christine: My oldest is very passionate and sassy but has the sweetest soul.
My youngest is the very tender and kind but has a bit of sass too.
