My Review of the book HomeWork: Juggling Home, Work and School Without Losing Your Balance

Wow! I'll be honest and say when I first read the title that my initial response was,
'yeah, right, that's for all those people out there that are at the home school conventions and have these awesome websites and here I am just trying to figure out how to run my still tiny Once Upon A Qpon site that desperately needs redesigning which I still don't know how to do yet!'. That response changed instantly, however, as I read about everyday people like you and me that are not the super people we envision them to be. They are simply passionate about wanting to be at home with their children and working (the key word here) to make it possible.

These home businesses were created in various ways. Some were born out of financial need while other families shared and then marketed a talent in their family. The one thread that wove these families together was a beautiful picture of times past when families worked together for the common good. No matter what kind of learner your child is, a home-based business can be there to teach them necessary life skills while also learning the 3 R's. Character building, socializing with all age groups, good work ethics and entrepreneurial skills are built in naturally.

I'll provide for you a few brief examples of the families (16 in all) that I read about.

My personal favorite was the one about Rebekah Wilson and how her book, The Hope Chest: A Legacy of Love, came about. I own this book myself and this it is one of those that I tell others to order but really don't want to share. She was writing a letter to an hope chest company one day and it turned into a really long letter which her husband informed her should be a book! From that point on, the Lord took them on a great adventure!
By the way, they, like me, also suffer from bibliomania (the preoccupation with collecting books). At one point in time, the Wilson's had a personal library of about 7,ooo books!

One of the families had a story that I thought would be very inspiring to those who have a spouse in the military. Instead of packing and unpacking every time they had to move, the Cook family chose to live in a motor home where their business was born, The Recycled Jeans Company. Amy Cook said they are having 'Tons of Fun!'.

No matter where you are in the home based business or homeschooling journey this book is a great read. There are tips for organizing, ideas for different homeschooling approaches and every family situation you can think of. These testimonies come from small and large families, families that dealt with autism, ADD and challenging learning styles.

Here are a few of HomeWork's chapter headings: A Labor of Love, Computer Based, Creative Writing, Business Support, Tricks of the Trade and Helpful Internet Resources. You can find out more on how to obtain this invaluable resource at The Old Schoolhouse Store.

Do you have a story similar to one of these families or maybe an home based business idea that has been a dream of yours? Are you interested in homeschooling, just started or a veteran homeschooler that can offer a piece of advice. I would love to hear from you so please take the time to share your thoughts by posting a comment!

I would like to end this review by saying 'Thank You' to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine for giving me a chance to read this motivating book, HomeWork: Juggling Home, Work, and School Without Losing Your Balance

April