by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

When you made the choice to homeschool, I bet the first thing on your mind was not the stress. You probably imagined some fairy tale where all the children sat still and listened to you lecture or followed along with everything you said and did. Then, once you got started, you were snapped back into reality. I can't promise you a fairy tale, but I can help you get things running much smoother. When you're fully organized and prepared, each day will be easier. Exact organization layouts will be different for each family, but by reading the following, you should be able to get your schoolwork and homeschool organized easily and effectively.

Handy Hints:

1. Tear out and laminate workbook pages and put them in binders for each subject. Arrange the page order according to level. If you make a big one that contains all levels and areas of math, you won't have to purchase any more math workbooks the following years and you have work for all your kids. Just pull out the pages one at a time and give them to your child with a write & wipe marker or crayon. Then, when your child is finished and the work has been gone over, you can easily put it back in. You may want to take a Sharpie and number the pages in the order you want them. That way if more than one child has a worksheet, you can easily remember where they belong.

2. Take some relaxing time for yourself each day. If your kids nap, instead of cleaning during their nap, you could take a soak in the tub, curl up with a book, or do something else you enjoy. Your relaxing time may come after the kids are asleep, but be sure to take it. Even five minutes of locking yourself in the bathroom and praying can go a long way.

3. Plan ahead. If you try to do the assignments as they come, this can stress you out. I recommend taking a weekend to plan a month or so of assignments. That way you can easily give the assignments to your child/ren when it's time.

4. Organize each subject for each child. Each child should have a folder for each subject. The assignments should be placed in those folders in order of when they are to be completed. Even though some assignments won't have a worksheet, there should be instructions for each assignment (even if it's just reading). All assignments should have a date on them. You can even stick the write&wipe sheets in the folders, too. This makes the day run much smoother.

5. Never ignore a question your child asks. If you don't know the answer, don't stress. Just look it up.

6. Use different methods for teaching (chalkboard and lecture, books, games, worksheets, drawing, writing...). That way your child/ren won't get bored and they will also learn many different methods for solving problems.

7. Have Fun!

*I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network

Gym is a subject many people struggle with during homeschooling. It is often assumed that gym cannot be done without having many students, so some people choose to just let their children play outside for gym. Playing outside is great exercise, but children should learn other active movements as well. Here is a list of good physical activities for homeschool. Families who are homeschooling will benefit from these, but they are also great ideas for playing outside with the kids in general, especially on the weekends.

Hold a neighborhood sports day

Pick a flexible day of the week where people in the neighborhood can get together all the time and play the sport of the month together. Find a large park in your area to do this. Hand out and post fliers at local schools, churches, and libraries (wherever permitted). Start going to the location at that time every week. Keep handing out the fliers if not too many people show up the first week. Before you know it, there will be a large amount of kids participating. The people in this group will also become friends, so you have just found a group of people you can organize other fun events with for social activities.

Make Your Own Tetherball

Do you have a pole in your backyard that was originally used for something else? If it's wooden, stick a strong hook in it, attach a chain to the hook, then attach a tetherball (check sports stores or chain discount retailers). If you can't find a tetherball, volleyballs also work great for it. Just make sure you are able to attach a hook to whatever ball you use without deflating it. If your pole is metal and does not have a hook at the top, you will either have to drill a hole for a hook or weld a hook onto it. To make the game from scratch, just insert your own pole into the ground and then follow the same instructions.

Simple activities can be rotated often for variety

Bike riding - Find a bike trail or large park in your area where everyone in the family can participate. Look for anything with paths that kids can ride on easily. Paved paths are easiest, but not necessary.

Sporting practice - Practicing the rules and techniques of sports can be done without a large group of people. Most sports games can also be changed a bit, in order to play with only a small amount of people. For instance, with basketball, you can simply shoot hoops.

Homeschool group activities - Join a homeschool group and participate in the active get-togethers. This could range from playing at the park, to organized competitive sports, co-op physical ed classes, and more.

Sports Leagues - Put your kids on a sports league or team of their choice. This could include soccer, football, softball, dance, gymnastics, basketball, and more.

Join a kid-friendly gym - Sign your kids up for classes like kids yoga, swimming, or kids kickboxing. Research the gyms in your area for specific types of classes that your kids will enjoy.

Swim for fun - If you have access to a pool, take the kids swimming every other day. This could be an indoor or outdoor pool. For outdoor pools, make sure the weather is appropriate and everyone wears sunscreen and protective clothing.

Good old-fashioned games - Red Rover, Tag, Simon Says, Mother May I, and other such games can be fun and physically challenging. The kids may not even realize they are getting a workout.

Four-Square - All you need for this is a piece of chalk, rules for playing four-square, and a rubber ball. Draw a square with a plus sign in the middle to split it into four squares. Unused driveways or garages are good for this. If you have neither, but have a yard, cement a section off for this. The cemented section can also be used for basketball and tetherball.

Exercise DVDs - Have a daily workout session via your home DVD player.

Weekly field day events - Invite all the neighborhood kids and do the same thing as the neighborhood sports day, but instead, do field day. You can choose one or both.

Simply stay active

The actual activity is less important than the fact that you are doing something active as a family every single day. Make sure that whatever you choose, your children are active every day, based on the doctor's orders. Also, don't forget the health & nutrition part of physical education. Always check with your child's pediatrician before stopping or starting any physical regimen.

This content was originally published on Yahoo! Contributor Network by Lyn Lomasi.

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

As parents, students, and teachers research education from many angles, home school is becoming a more popular option. With that growing popularity comes many questions and concerns. Also, a study has been released that shows students in homeschool again scoring much higher than public school students. Here is a collection of resources on some common myths and questions associated with homeschool.

Why Don't Home School Parents Teach in a School Building?
With more people homeschooling, some people may wonder if homeschoolers should buy big buildings together. So, why don't homeschool parents form a school?

Can Someone Other Than a Parent Legally Homeschool a Child?
When making the decisions involved in the homeschool choice, some will wonder what teaching options are available. One possible question is whether another adult, besides the parents, can legally homeschool a child.

Home School Myth: Homeschooled Students are Unprepared for College
A common homeschool myth is the one that assumes children who are educated outside of a traditional school setting will be unprepared for the academic challenges of a college. Here we will explore that myth.

Home School Help: Dealing With Negative Reactions to Your Choice
When a parent chooses to home school, that decision is generally one of great importance to them. Unfortunately, not everyone will always agree on this issue, leaving most parents who homeschool vulnerable to questions, as well as disapproval by some.

Can a Parent be a Homeschool Teacher Without a Degree?
Schooling children at home is becoming more and more prevalent as parents look at a variety of schooling options for the children. A question that comes up often when choosing to homeschool is the question of whether a parent can really become a child's teacher.

Home School Myth: Homeschooled Teens Can't Get a High School Diploma
As the concept of homeschooling continues to ease back into the mainstream, where it began, more and more questions and myths seem to follow. It is often assumed that homeschoolers won't be able to receive a high school diploma.

Home School Myth: Kids Who Homeschool Have Poor Social Skills
As the concept of homeschooling continues to ease back into the mainstream, where it began, more and more questions and myths seem to follow. One myth that is very often assumed of home schooled kids is that they do not have proper social skills.

Child Struggling in School? Why You Should Try Homeschool
Do you have a child struggling or failing in school? Have you tried the options available (extra help at school, tutors, etc) with little to no success? Many parents and children struggle with this issue daily. Could homeschooling be the answer for your family's situation?

Homeschool Myths: Parents Who Homeschool are Rich
As the concept of homeschooling continues to ease back into the mainstream, where it began, more and more questions and myths seem to follow. One homeschool myth is the concept that families who choose to school at home are rich.

Homeschool Myths: Home School Parents Think They Know Everything
As the concept of homeschooling continues to ease back into the mainstream, where it began, more and more questions and myths seem to follow. One myth that is often brought up to homeschoolers is the "know-it-all" myth.

Homeschool: Custom VS Pre-Packaged Curriculum
Deciding whether you'll go with a customized curriculum or a pre-packaged one for homeschooling your child can be a daunting task. Here are some things to consider to help make that choice easier.

Homeschool Myths: Home School Kids are Too Lazy for Real School
There are many myths surrounding homeschool. One of those myths is that of laziness on the child's part. Some feel that a child who home schools is too lazy to complete real schoolwork. Is this really true?

Homeschool Myths: Home School Parents are Just Lazy
As the concept of homeschooling continues to ease back into the mainstream, where it began, more and more questions and myths seem to follow. A common myth that seems to follow many parents who decide to homeschool their kids is the concept of laziness.

Homeschool Myths: Homeschooled Kids are Truant
Many questions and myths seem to follow the topic of homeschool. One topic that frequently comes up during conversations about home school is the one of truancy. It is often perceived that a child who is homeschooled is (or should be) counted as truant.

Homeschooling to Get Positive Social Interaction?
For so many years, choosing to educate children from home was looked at as stripping away their social interaction. However, many homeschooling families will argue with that fact, and for good reason. Here is a newer, more positive look at socialization and homeschool.

Preparing For Homeschool: Frequently Asked Questions
When you make the choice to homeschool your children, there are many questions that will be in your mind. As a mom who has homeschooled, I now know the possible answers to many of the questions you may have on your mind.

Is Homeschool the Best Title for the Education Method?
Homeschooling is many things. But, does it have the correct title? This title implies that schooling is done completely at home, which is very far from the average "homeschool".

Public School, Private School, Homeschool, or...
Choosing the right type of school for our children is a very difficult decision. This decision will ultimately determine your child's success in the future...First, we must remember that each family and child is unique and has differences that play a role in this decision.

Gym Class Ideas for Homeschooling Families
Families who are homeschooling will benefit from these, but they are also great ideas for playing outside with the kids in general, especially on the weekends.

Homeschooling: Enhancing Social Skills
Homeschooled kids have a variety of options for enhancing social skills. Many of the parents that only homeschool inside simply don't know how else to do it. Now, if you are one of the parents that has no clue or just want to learn more, read on.

Why Does Anyone Homeschool Anyway?
Well, I can't tell you why everyone else homeschools, but I can tell you about our decision to homeschool and why we thought it was the best choice for our family.

~ The author is always open to questions and discussion. Please feel free to express your thoughts and concerns.

*This is not a complete guide on homeschooling, nor is it meant as legal advice. Always check with your state's education agency for up to date laws and do the proper research for questions and concerns.

**I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network