Giving Kids Money-Smarts

How do we teach our kids to handle their money, when so many of us are struggling ourselves? Many homeschool families like to take on this challenge as part of their learning lifestyle. After all, you're never too old to learn how to save, invest, and spend wisely!

Recently, the San Jose Mercury News ran an article entitled, "Websites teach kids how to manage their money." The article included a list of websites aimed at kids, teens, and families for learning about and discussing finances. Here are some of my favorites from that list.

The Mint: This website has tabs for kids, teens, parents, and teachers. From savings and investing to decoding paychecks and tracking spending, The Mint covers many of the areas other websites, and certainly traditional financial education, neglect.

Kidnexions: This commercial site does sell books and software, but it also offers many free financial videos. Your kids (and you) can learn about the Rule of 72 (not even all bankers know this!), how compound interest works, and how to set financial goals.

U.S. Mint Kids: Is your child fascinated with all things "money"? The U.S. Mint's site for kids is filled with games, cartoons, and information about how money is designed and created. Learn about what the Mint does, how to collect coins, even facts about the U.S. Presidents and branches of government.

If your child is also in Cub Scouts, these websites can help with the Collecting, Mathematics, and Video Games belt loops and pins.

A strong financial education is one of the best gifts you can give to your child and yourself. Learn how your money works and how to make it work for you.

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

Do You Homeschool in the Summer?

Traditional school lets out for the summer in mid-June. Even the tracks at year-round schools take a five- to six-week break. But what about homeschoolers?

As with everything else “homeschool,” the answer depends on the family asked. Some closely follow a traditional school schedule, others take a few weeks here and there, while others homeschool year-round.

My family falls in the last category. I believe learning can be found everywhere, so we don’t stop learning just because we turn a page on the calendar. But, since our activities do change to match the season, our educational focus must adapt.

With the wonderful weather, we spend more time outside gardening, playing, and exploring. Children learn best by doing, so including them in outside chores or opening up the front door and saying "play outside" allows them to enjoy many undertakings which the many months of cold and inclement weather denied them.

Since traditional schools are out for the many weeks of summer, the local recreation departments increase their class offerings. We take advantage of this to try out new sports, games, and activities that we couldn't do on our own. Of course, Cub Scout camp is a must every year, as is the HSC Conference in August.

Music and chess lessons continue, as do language studies, reading, science, and math. We may adjust our expectations depending on how busy we are with other activities, but that's really nothing new.

We don't do extensive summer travel, as everywhere is more crowded and expensive than in the off-season. We do try to incorporate a few day trips, here and there, as historical sites and museums often gear up for summer visitors.

This year, we're attending Shakespeare Santa Cruz, as my eldest son has taken an interest in the bard.

Life doesn’t stop because the days are longer. In fact, longer days mean more learning time for us. When learning is fun, why would you want to stop?

Hiller Aviation Museum

The Hiller Aviation Museum, in San Carlos, California, offers a terrific aviation experience for flight fans of all ages.

Focused on the many historic achievements in flight from Northern California, the museum is filled with exhibits dating back to the dawn of flight in the 1800s, including the Avitor (an "aeroplane" that flew on the San Francisco Peninsula), a replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer, and the Buhl Autogiro (a precursor to helicopters). The present includes a Pan Am Clipper, Boeing SST, and an exhibit about Women in Aviation. The future looks to the Oblique Wing, Blended Wing, and NASA Swing Wing. Engines are displayed, as are jet packs.

But the museum is not just about looking, it is also about experiencing. Visitors can try their virtual hand at flying and landing a flying platform and a helicopter, and check out the Flight Sim Zone.

Just outside the museum building sits the front end of an actual Boeing 747, where visitors can climb into the cockpit and see the incredible amount of switches, levers, and controls pilots use to keep a commercial jet going.

A children's area is provided downstairs with riding airplanes, coloring, and other hands-on activities for little ones.

For those interested in learning how old aircraft are brought back to life, the museum has a restoration workshop where visitors can watch through huge windows the dedicated craftsmen preparing new exhibits and lovingly restoring aviation's past.

For more field trip ideas,
check out GHF's Virtual Field Trips pageal Field Trips page.

The museum also provides many education and scout programs, as well as a monthly reading time and the Captain Michael King Smith Research Library. The museum store offers an extensive selection of aviation books, posters, crafts, gifts, and toys.

For airplane and helicopter watchers, the museum sits right next to the San Carlos Airport, and even has a raised observation area.

Finally, just down the road is a flight-themed Burger King, complete with an actual helicopter for children to play in and have their imaginations take flight.

Location, directions, admission hours, tickets prices, and membership information can all be found at the Hiller Aviation Museum's website.

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

Top 10 Reasons to Volunteer

Prior to homeschooling, I do not recall ever volunteering for an organization. Sure, I donated money or food or clothing, but never my time.

Once we officially started homeschooling, I realized that I might not return to the workforce for many years, and figured I had better do something with my life that a future employer would deem valuable. Of course, being CEO of the Wilson family is an important job, but it just does not stand out in a virtual pile of applicants.

So, I decided to start volunteering for organizations near and dear to our family: Cub Scouts, HSC, and GHF (Gifted Homeschoolers Forum). I discovered that I gained so much more than an improved resume. Thus, here are my Top 10 Reasons to Volunteer:

1. Non-profit organizations desperately need volunteers. Without people freely giving of their valuable time, the groups on which we have come to rely would cease to exist. They need us, just as much as we need them.

2. Focus on others, instead of ourselves. Volunteering is all about helping others. Whether we deal with people face-to-face or work in the backroom, volunteering forces us to think about others. Imagine what a better place our world would be if we all spent more time thinking of others.

3. Set an example of stewardship for our children. By putting our time and effort into something about which we feel passionately, we actively demonstrate the importance and power of participation to our children. If we do not take part in our world, how can we expect our children to do so?

4. Make new friends. One of the common mantras in agony columns is “If you want to meet new people, follow your interests.” Volunteering is the ideal way to meet amazing people who share our excitement. We find people who understand and celebrate our enthusiasm, people who really “get” us.

5. Pad that resume. O.K., I know this is more practical than the previous four reasons, but it is important for anyone thinking of re-entering the workforce in the future. Employers want to see an unbroken work history. They may understand taking time off to raise a family, but rightly or wrongly, they will not understand an 18-year gap. They need to see that you were working on your skills, fulfilling job duties, and consistently being reliable.

6. Try new things. Want to learn about web design, marketing, management, or some other area in which you have little to no experience? Volunteer! Since volunteer-based organizations are always searching for new people, they are much more open to training people to do the job needed. Keep in mind that many of the people you will work with are also volunteers, so they may not be able to do a lot of hand-holding, but if you are a motivated self-starter, you can learn an incredible amount.

7. Networking. This tags onto numbers six and seven, but is different from number four. Volunteering allows you to make contact with people who have an even wider access to professionals in the field. By taking your volunteering commitment seriously, learning all you can, even going above and beyond your basic duties, you will find other opportunities opening up for you. If you are not ready to take advantage of them at the moment, keep in touch with your contacts, keep volunteering, and let them know when you are ready.

8. Receive discounts and freebies. Now, we all know that we volunteer for the positive feelings we get doing it; however, a little incentive can be a good thing. Perhaps by volunteering you can get a discount on a conference your organization hosts or on membership fees. Maybe, your organization has ties with other organizations or businesses that offer discounts or the occasional freebie. If you are looking for something specific, ask. If nothing is offered, you have just found yourself the perfect volunteering opportunity: creating volunteer incentive plans for your organization!

9. Television rots your mind. People all too often claim they have no time to volunteer, yet if we add up the amount of time we sit watching T.V., playing around on the Internet, and generally goofing off, we would quickly find we have far more time than we realized. Certainly, downtime is important and not everything on television or the Internet is a waste of time, but doing something you love can be just as rejuvenating as sitting in front of a screen for hours, perhaps more so.

10. Just because. It is the right thing to do. You know you should do it. You have always wanted to do it. You feel compelled to do it. You are tired of my nagging. Whatever the reason, do it just because.

Article by Sarah J. Wilson (Originally published in the February 2011 issue of California HomeSchooler.)

Homeschooling Gift Idea: DIY Supplies

Homeschoolers are notorious "DIYers" (do-it-yourself). They love hands-on projects, getting dirty, making messes, ulitmately creating something of worth out of all that chaos.

Try shopping at the local hardware store for gifts. After checking with the parents for age-appropriateness and ability level, take a cruise down the aisles and discover all the tools of creativity.

If you are not comfortable in large hardware stores, shop at a small hardware store: a place where the employees are experienced carpenters, plumbers, and the like. These folks will gladly listen to your ideas and needs, and guide you to the tools and implements that would best suit the gift recipient. If your only option is a large box store, go when they are slow (not in the early morning when the construction trade is there, and not on weekends when homeowners are there). Go to the information desk and tell them what you are looking for and that you want someone with a working background in that area. You may have to wait a bit, but having a person who knows what they are doing is well worth your time.

Here are some ideas of items to consider:
Hand tools
Screws
Nails
Different sizes and types of wood
PVC Pipe and fittings
Wood glue
Stain/paint/varnish
Brushes
Hinges
Pulleys
Rope
Plastic tubing
Power tools (check with the parents first!)
Clamps
Measuring tape
Measuring sticks
Magnets
Wire
Steel wool
Safety goggles
Work gloves
Dust mask
DIY books
Tarps/drop cloths

If you are a handyperson, give a woodworking book along with a note telling the child to choose a project from the book. Then, have a special outing where the two of you go and purchase the supplies, then return home to make the chosen item. What a special gift!

If you do not know which end of a hammer is which, participate with the child in one of the many free kids workshops at Home Depot, or check with the local recreation department for woodworking/DIY classes.

Or, perhaps you have a talented friend or neighbor who is willing to help you with the gift by helping the child build something. Remember to thank your gift assistant by first paying for all supplies, and then present them with a special gift just for them.

If the homeschooled child is also in scouting (Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts), check with the parents to see what belt loops, pins, achievements, patches, or merit badges your gift could help fulfill. The child would then receive a gift, the cool item they built, and well-deserved recognition at their Pack or Troop meeting.

Working with tools gives children confidence, a sense of accomplishment, and a useful skill, as well as reinforcing math, reading, and listening skills. The sounds and feel of working with one's hands provide wonderful tactile, visual, and auditory experiences. What an incredible gift!

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

Spring is in the Air: South Bay Farms Open to the Public

Springtime just begs for outdoor field trips. Take advantage of living in the South Bay and Central Coast, with our ready access to freshly grown produce and goods, and head to a local farm. In an effort to connect with the community, many farms and processors are open to the public for tours, "pick-yourself," and shopping.

The annual publication, Country Crossroads, provides an extensive list of places to go and learn about our food. If you don't live in the South Bay or Central Coast, check with your local farm bureau for a listing of farms in your area which are open to the public (search "farm bureaus [name of your state or county]").

If you are also involved in scouting, farm visits can help complete various achievements and electives (http://www.boyscouttrail.com/cub-scouts/cub-scouts.asp).

Below is a brief list of farms in the Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. For a complete list, as well as a map, look for Country Crossroads' free publication in local shops, or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the county farm bureau nearest you:

Santa Clara County Farm Bureau
605 Tennant Avenue, Suite H
Morgan Hill, CA 95037

San Benito County Farm Bureau
530 San Benito Street, Suite 201
Hollister, CA 95023

Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau
141 Monte Vista Avenue
Watsonville, CA 95076

Santa Clara County Members
C. J. Olson Cherries
800-738-2464
348 El Camino Real, Sunnyvale

Blossom Hill Certified Farmers' Market
800-806-FARM
Princeton Plaza Mall, rear parking lot, San Jose

The Grass Farm
408-463-0500
602 Palm Avenue, Morgan Hill

Andy's Orchard
408-782-7600
1615 Half Road, Morgan Hill

For more field trip ideas,

check out GHF's Virtual Field Trips page.

Santa Cruz County Members

Rodoni Farms/U Pickem Pumpkins
831-426-6438
Located four miles north of Santa Cruz on Highway 1

UCSC Farm & Garden
831-459-3240 or 831-459-4140
CASFS 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz

Glaum Egg Ranch
831-688-3898
3100 Valencia Road, Aptos

Roses of Yesterday and Today
831-728-1901
803 Browns Valley Road, Corralitos

Gizdich Ranch
831-722-1056
55 Peckham Road, Watsonville

Douglas-Michael Butterfly Plants
831-726-3626
18201 Murphy Hill Road, Aromas

Homeschooling Gift Idea: Magazine Subscriptions

Homeschoolers value ready access to information. Reading is vital to the homeschool experience, opening up worlds and probing depths that otherwise would remain unknown.

Magazines provide perfect portals into current events, new ideas, breakthroughs, and our ever-expanding universe. The beauty of magazines lies in their timeliness and their diversity.

Consequently, magazine subscriptions make a perfect gift for the homeschooling families in your life. Whether the children are very young or are heading off to university, you can find a magazine that fits their reading level, interests, and style. And although the subscription may only last one year, the thoughts and paths it opens up will last a lifetime.

While too many magazines exist to list, here are some titles and categories to get you started. Age-ranges are suggestions only, as many higher-level magazines will have parts that capture the attention of younger readers, and all magazines benefit from being shared by a family. Remember: check with the parents for hints on what they are looking for and what might appeal to their children.

Magazine Ideas
National Geographic: For kids, teens, and families.

Cricket Magazines: Fiction, history, archeology, and more. Babies through teens.

Highlights: Magazines and clubs (countries, U.S. states, math, puzzles, and more). Elementary through middle school.

MAKE magazine: Amazing do-it-yourself projects of varying ability. Upper elementary (with adult help) through adult.

Astronomy magazines: Discussions of everything beyond Earth. Upper elementary (especially the monthly star charts in Astronomy) through adult.

Interweave Press: Fiber arts, beading, art, weaving, knitting, and more. Upper elementary through adult.

Architecture magazines: Architecture, design, landscape design, business design, and more. Teen through adult.

Fiction magazines: New writing, in all genres. Teens through adult.

Boys' Life: Official publication of the Boy Scouts of America. Elementary through teen.

Girls' magazines: Advice, crafts, fiction, contests, sports, and more. Elementary-aged through preteen girls.

Another option is to find a bookseller or newsstand with an extensive selection of publications, and spend sometime looking through various subjects and titles.

If you want to give a present to open along with your gift subscription, wrap a current issue or two of the magazine, along with a note telling them about their new subscription. Since most publishing companies take four to six weeks to mail the first issue, this will give the recipient something to read now and look forward to later.

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

Cub Scouts and Homeschooling

Scouting can be a wonderful addition to homeschooling. Although both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts have much to offer, I am more familiar with Cub Scouts (the primary-grades level of Boy Scouts), so that is what I’ll discuss. I’ll leave Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts to better-informed writers.

Cub Scouts is for boys in first through fifth grade. Usually organized through a church or school, simply because that is where the children are, many are community-based. If no pack exists in your area, you can always start your own. But check the Cub Scout website, first. Also, ask around. Or, at the beginning of the school year, look for the yellow and blue “Join Cub Scouts” signs posted around schools and communities.

First, some lingo for newcomers:

Local Council: A geographical area encompassing a number of districts

Districts: A smaller geographical area encompassing local Packs and Troops

Pack: The entire group of boys, from grades one through five

Den: The grade-level group

Tigers: Grade one

Wolves: Grade two

Bears: Grade three

Webelos: Abbreviation of “We’ll Be Loyal Scouts”

Webelos I: Grade four

Webelos II: Grade five

Pack leader: Trained adult (usually a parent) who leads the pack

Den leader: Trained adult (usually a parent) who leads the den

Volunteer: Everyone else!

The pack, dens, family members, and scouts all work to achieve the 10 purposes of Cub Scouting:

1) Character development

2) Spiritual growth

3) Good citizenship

4) Sportsmanship & fitness

5) Family understanding

6) Respectful relationships

7) Personal achievement

8) Friendly service

9) Fun & adventure

10) Preparation for Boy Scouts

While scouting can benefit all families, it offers extensive benefits for homeschooling families. Perhaps the most obvious is socializing. Packs meet at least once a month, and dens meet at least twice a month. So, at least three times per month, scouts are getting together, doing activities, and learning new skills. That doesn’t include special pack or den events, such as hikes, going to fire stations, community service, et cetera.

When it comes to the “school” part of homeschooling, Cub Scouts shines. Scouts can earn belt loops (like merit badges, but metal and fit on belts) and pins (like merit badges, but worn on a special red vest). Achievements can be earned in sports (28 possibilities) and academics (25). The requirements get progressively more involved from belt loops to pins. For homeschoolers, the achievements can be used to help focus or add to on-going studies. For example, the geography belt loop requires scouts to draw a map of their neighborhood, identify major landforms within 100 miles, and use a globe to discuss geographical terminology. Scouts working toward their geography pin have even more steps to complete, including making a three-dimensional model, reading a geography book, learning about an explorer, and much more.

But scouting’s benefits go beyond earning belt loops and pins. Scouting reinforces many of the ideals homeschoolers teach: family togetherness, respect for others, community service, and love of learning. Volunteering opportunities abound in scouts, and parents can quickly become an integral part of the scouting experience. All family members are usually welcomed and encouraged at scouting events.

Some homeschoolers may have an issue with the religious element of scouting. If this is the case, then 1) do not join a church-associated group, and 2) ask the school or community-based pack leader what their expectations are in regard to religion. Plenty of packs allow scouts and their families to explore their own spirituality, whatever form that may take, and leave it at that. Be aware that the Cub Scout Promise does state “I, (name), promise to do my best/To do my duty to God and my country . . .,” and the Promise is said at every gathering. Personally, I believe it provides a perfect opportunity to discuss your own spirituality and beliefs with your scout. But, of course, it is a personal decision for each family.

Additionally, the Boy Scout of America's by-laws state, "Because of Scouting’s methods and beliefs, Scouting does not accept atheists and agnostics as members or adult volunteer leaders." With many packs, this is basically a "don't ask, don't tell policy." Personally, I have never had anyone ask about my beliefs in our Pack or Council; I think they're just pleased to have an active, involved volunteer.

Also, some families may be concerned about scouting's call to be "morally straight" and "clean," especially as it relates to homosexuality. Again, some Packs are more liberal than others, and families need to weigh their decision to join accordingly.

Ultimately, scouting has much to offer the scout, the family, and, by extension, the community. Homeschoolers should not overlook this wonderful opportunity to add to their learning experience.

Article by Sarah J. Wilson

Books about People Making a Difference

Any education should include learning about people currently making a difference in our world. Reading (or hearing) about regular people who have done extraordinary things teaches all of us that we, too, have that potential.

Children, especially, need to hear this, as they are often inundated with negative views of the world through the nightly news, newspaper headlines, violent video games and movies, and other media. It can be overwhelming.

Numerous stories of heroism, courage, strength, and goodness are just waiting to be read. Many titles are also available as audio books or e-books.

Here is a list of books that are worth investigating:

Kids with Courage: True Stories About Young People Making a Difference, by Barbara A. Lewis
Listen to the Wind & Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time, by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth
The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq, by Jeanette Winter

Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada's Quest to Change Harlem and America, by Paul Tough

Banker To The Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty, by Muhammad Yunus

It's Our World, Too!: Young People Who Are Making a Difference: How They Do It - How You Can, Too!, by Phillip Hoose

Acts of Kindness: How to Make a Gentle Difference, by Meladee McCarty
Random Acts of Kindness, by Conari Press
Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World, by Tracy Kidder

Stories available online:

Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai

People Who Made a Difference
Making a Difference

People to consider:
Kofi Annan
Jimmy Carter

Bill & Melinda Gates
Nelson Mandela

Linus Torvalds

Oprah Winfrey

Places to look for more inspiration:

The Goldman Environmental Price
Nobel Prize Laureates

MacArthur Fellows

For families with Wolf scouts, reading three of these books (or any others along these lines) satisfies Achievement 7e: “With an adult, find three stories that tell how people are protecting our world. Read and discuss them together.” While “protecting our world” can be narrowly defined as environmental, especially given that Achievement 7 is “Our Living World,” it can also be interpreted as anything a person is doing to make the world a better place: fighting disease, making a school safer, providing education to people who want it, giving blood, helping refugees, and so much more. We are part of this “Living World,” and we need to honor those that make it safer, healthier, kinder, and stronger.

Article by Sarah J. Wilson