Infinitely Useful Washi Tape

Being a crafter, I have heard about Washi tape for a while.  It has only been recently that I realized how completely useful it could be. {insert HUGE smile}  If you're unfamiliar with Washi tape, it comes in a million or so colors and patterns and is kind of a cross between masking tape and Scotch tape.  The pattern is usually transparent so you can create lots of different looks with just one roll.  It is inexpensive and is sold at most retailers.  Close To My Heart is my favorite place to find this new essential item (an expanded selection is coming February 1st).

So, let me share some of the places you can find Washi tape in my home (or will soon find it):

• Why write names on cups when people can decorate them with an assortment of colors?
• Speaking of parties, give personality to boring cups, plasticware and other party supplies.
• Give each family member a roll to mark their charging cords, flash drive, toothbrush, whatever!
• In the living room or for a fun bedroom: create one-of-a-kind photo frames, lamp shades, coasters, furniture, wall art, ceiling fans, mini-blinds & vases.
• In the kitchen: spice up boring utensils, serving dishes and bowls, cookie jars, and handles.
• In the dining room: Create a fun place to eat with placemats, napkin holders, and a centerpiece.
• Create coordinated sets for gift-giving or use it with plain paper to wrap gifts.
• Electronics: decorate a laptop, keyboard or phone case. Easily identify flash drives, cords, and chargers.
• Just for fun: Decorate lunch bags, baskets, containers or  watering cans.  Make flowers, jewelry or a card!

So where will Washi tape be appearing in your house?

Back to Homeschool Basics

We rarely do anything {normal}, so why would school be any different?  We homeschool (strange!) and we work at it year-round which makes us even stranger.  Just ask the neighbor kids who are preparing to go back to school after an enjoyable summer break of swimming, camp and lazy days.  They are mortified when my kids can't play because they have homework.

There is something that we do like everyone else: back-to-school shopping.  Every August, we hit the sales with the rest of America and stock up on paper, pencils, and pens.  This is just one component of our kickoff celebration for the new year.

Cleaning & purging - In July, we spend a week cleaning and purging anything from the last school year that will not be used this year.  This is broken up into small daily tasks, such as cleaning out crates and cabinets (explained later), assembling last year's work into a spiral-bound book, assessing what we have that can be used in the coming year, and making a list of what is needed.  The kids can add reasonable things they want to the list, such as a certain type of pencil or thin markers instead of colored pencils. 

Shopping - I make two copies of the wish list, one for my mom and one for myself.  My mom generally gets the kids a few things and I get what's left on the list.  As the stores put things out, I get one or two things from the list each time I go shopping.  When the ads come out, I do some price matching and finish out my list.  Everything goes into the school closet for now.

Organizing - Mid-August, we set aside a week for organizing our new year (see note below).  Again, this is broken into tasks which are completed throughout the week.  Each kid has a crate for their everyday stuff - a tool box, binder, folder, books, etc.  They each also have a cabinet in the school room for things that are used less frequently or that don't fit into their crate.  This is when they get a bag filled with their personal supplies such as pencils, pens, glue, scissors, etc.  Everything from this bag is marked with their names before being put away.  Some of the supplies are left in the closet to be given out in January. 

The First Week of School - The next week is the first week of school.  I sit down with each kid to set goals.  We take those goals to Dad and the three of us sign a contract stating that we will all work together to accomplish those goals and how we will do it.  That contract is laminated and placed in a visible place as a reminder to us all throughout the year.  This is mostly a fun week, with assignments such as decorating notebooks and movies (I know, not normal.)  On Friday, we do some sort of field trip.  In the past, we have visited the zoo, gone to the local water park, and had a picnic at the park. 


We have found this routine to be just what we need to get our minds focused on the year ahead.  What helps your family get into the new year?

*Our school year starts in July, but it is a scaled-down version until our kickoff party in August.  Because of our need for a constant routine, we have "school" every week and simply scale back during the holiday seasons and vacations.

It's Not Just About Chores

Our family has handled chores many different ways over the years.  We have used charts, popsicle sticks, consequences, rewards and money to assign chores and motivate completion.  My husband comes from a background where he had to work (hardcore) as long as he could remember and was sometimes (rarely) compensated.  I, on the other hand, was never expected to do anything.  I was SPOILED and our family is still suffering the consequences.  After I was married I learned to cook, sew and complete projects around the house.  I'm still learning to be organized and tidy, much to the dismay of my dear husband.  When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 1 Corinthians 13:11

Because of my upbringing, we have always sought to equip our kids with life skills such as cooking and cleaning.  Kids have a desire to learn and I want to capitalize on that eagerness.  I also believe it is best for them to contribute to the household responsibilities. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. Ecclesiastes 4:9

Our current system looks something like a calendar, except it is an exact 28 days (4 weeks).  Every box has a list of chores to be accomplished on that day.  There are only four chores on Sunday (load/unload dishwasher, feed the animals, empty the litter box, and empty the trash).  Those chores are done every day.  Other weekly and monthly responsibilities are distributed throughout the other six days each week - things such as dusting, sweeping, mopping, watering plants, etc.  Each child (an mom) is assigned a color and I color-code the chores each day to help us keep track of who does what. But all things should be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40

While the chores and responsibility are important to me, there is much more going on when I assign the chores.  The chore assignments have become a reward in themselves.  Our kids struggle with getting out of bed on time, so sometimes I let the children who are up first choose their chores.  Other times, like tonight, I asked the kids whom they think should be able to choose first.  It is good for our kids to recognize the good in each other.  Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Our son was nominated by his sisters, one because his birthday is coming up and the other because boys always have to let girls go first and she wanted him to have a chance at being first.  It was funny to me because I would have chosen him because he was the first to complete his chores and schoolwork today.

The other thing I let the kids do sometimes is trade chores.  This gives them experience in bargaining, compromising and being persuasive.  One also had to face the reality of being told "no, thank you" when the other decided that what she had was better than what she was being offered.  Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment... 1 Timothy 6:6

When we set out to teach our kids to do chores, we never anticipated it would end up being about so much more!