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Four key ways to earn money from home

6/29/2018

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As a stay-at-home mom, I want to do just that - stay at home! I left the world of public school teaching in favor of homeschooling so I would have more time with my children. But at the same time, life is expensive, and sometimes it is hard to make it on one salary. The wonderful thing about living in the 21st century is that there are MANY ways to earn money from home, without losing out on precious time with our families. These are the ones I have used over the years. What other categories would you add?

Provide a service

Consider your skills and training. What services could you offer to others? Can you teach private lessons in music or art, or offer tutoring in a content area? Could you lead a homeschool community, as I do for Classical Conversations? Could you teach English to children in another country, as some companies do? Could you even teach an online course for your local technical college or a university? Or maybe you are a tech-y person and could help businesses or bloggers manage their social media accounts as a virtual assistant (check out some training opportunities for this HERE!)

Become an affiliate

When you are an affiliate for a company or brand, you share about their products in exchange for a commission. The price is the same for the customer. Some of the companies I have done this for are Amazon, Christian Book Distributors, and Ultimate Bundles (referral link). (By the way, Ultimate Bundles has a Work At Home Super Bundle available through June 30! Find out more about it HERE!) Generally, you need to have some kind of "platform," such as a blog, to be accepted as an affiliate, but you don't have to have a huge following. Give it a try!

Sell your creations

When you think about selling your own creations, think about both physical products and digital ones. Perhaps you have a talent with crochet or calligraphy or some other artwork that you can sell at craft fairs or on Etsy. Or maybe you are a writer. If you have a blog, you can sell your own self-published books there, or you can sell teaching helps on a website like Teachers Pay Teachers. I have sold some of my own creations through my Precious Treasures Store here, and hope to be able to offer some downloadable books in the future.

Sell for a commission

The advantage of selling your own creations is that you are in the driver's seat. The disadvantage is that everything rests on you - materials, production, marketing, delivery, the works. Another way to make money is to sell other people's products. That is what stores do (Target doesn't make everything it sells, right?), and individuals can, too, via direct sales companies such as Mary Kay, or Pampered Chef, or the company I work with, Lilla Rose. In direct sales, you generally purchase an introductory package of products in exchange for the right to sell those products, either in person or online, for a commission as an independent consultant. You are NOT an employee of the company. Instead, you have your own business that you run according to the company guidelines, but mostly on your own time and in your own way. I have had a lot of fun working my Lilla Rose business, and it is something that my daughter and I have been able to do together. Even my husband and son get into the fun of it!

Other ideas?

What other ways to earn money from home have you found? Share them in the comments!

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Five ways to get the most out of a CC Parent Practicum

6/26/2018

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Summer is here! Public schools are out and homeschool parents have checked off the 180th day of school with a sigh of relief. Even those who homeschool year-round, as we do, tend to have a slower pace for a little while.

For those involved with Classical Conversations, it is also time to plan to attend a Parent Practicum this summer, and to invite others to attend. Parent Practicum is three days of free training for parents in both the philosophy that undergirds classical education in general, and the specifics of CC in particular. It is an intense and overwhelming three days, and totally worth it. Here are some tips for how to get the most out of it, especially if it is your first time attending.

Meet up with other parents from your campus if you have joined one.

If you are still deciding if CC is for you, then meet parents from the campus that you are thinking about joining. Assuming you are attending a Practicum in your geographic area, this is an ideal chance to get to know other parents, and to ask them your questions. Even if you don't remember all of the new faces (I didn't), they will remember you.

Ask your husband to attend the Dad's lunch, if not the whole Practicum.

My husband attended the entire Practicum our first year, but was particularly impressed by the presentation at the Dad's lunch, which he felt was an excellent explanation of the classical approach in general, and CC in particular. It is mostly moms who implement the CC curriculum and who run the CC communities, but we need the support and understanding of our husbands. Oh, and the lunch is free. :)

Take advantage of the bookstore.

And not just to buy something, although it is great to be able to stock up on what you need and want all at once. Remember that for Foundations, all you need is the Foundations Guide and a tin whistle. You don't have to buy anything else. But they have books for parents, too, as well as some Saxon math materials (Saxon is a preference of many CC families, but NOT required). You can take a peek at the Challenge books to get an idea of what is ahead.

Also, the CC book representative is a great resource, so feel free to ask him or her questions about materials and about CC in general. PLUS you get free shipping on anything that you need that is not in stock! (As a side note, sales at Practicum support that book representative, who is also a CC parent and does this as a job, and at no additional cost to parents - plus you get the free shipping. So if you are planning to get some CC materials anyway, please do get them through your local book representative!)

Sign your kids up for the camps.

Yes, it costs something for kids ($42 per child this year for three days), but they will love it. And this is a chance for them to make friends with some of the kids who they will be learning with this year. And it is academic (though still fun), so you can absolutely count them as school days. Win win!

Expect to be overwhelmed, especially if you are new to homeschooling or to the classical approach.

When I attended Practicum for the first time, I felt that I was completely in over my head. Everyone seemed to know each other, everyone seemed to know what they were doing and what math curriculum they were using. But I think everyone feels that way when they are new. Take a deep breath and absorb it little by little. Remember, in classical terms, you may be in the grammar stage of learning about CC and the classical approach. That is okay! Stick with it, and know that next year, you will be the experienced parent welcoming the newbie into the world of classical education.

What other tips do you have for parents attending Practicum for the first time?

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5 summer hair dangers and how to deal with them

6/22/2018

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It's summer! Outdoor activities beckon, but with them come their own set of challenges to overcome. We hear a lot this time of year about taking care of our skin and body, but did you know there are some hidden summer dangers for your hair, too? Here are the top five dangers for all kinds of hair and how to deal with them all summer long!

Sun
In the same way that the sun can damage our skin, it can also damage our hair. The ultraviolet rays wear on the cuticle, the outside layer of the hair, and leave behind telltale damage such as frizziness, split ends, and discoloration.

Solution: Wear protective hairstyles, such as braiding it, wear a cute hat, or use an umbrella for sun protection. There are also hair products with built in SPF protection, but their true effectiveness is up for debate. Go out early or later in the day, when the sun's rays are not as strong.

Swimming
This is especially true if you swim in chlorinated pools, as the chemicals that keep pools safe also damage your hair, dry it out, and can even tint it green after a while. (Ask me how I know!) But any kind of swimming can also tangle your hair.

Solution: Rinse your hair after swimming in chlorinated water. If you swim often, use a chlorine-removing shampoo like Ultraswim. Use a good conditioner as well. You can also protect your hair while swimming by using a swim cap and by keeping it braided while in the water.

Sleeping
Okay, so this is a year-round problem. It is not the act of sleeping that is the problem, of course, but rubbing your head on a rough pillowcase during the night can bring on the tangles in the morning.

Solution: Use a satin sleep cap or a satin pillowcase to protect your locks. If you have long hair, braid it loosely at bedtime to prevent snarls.

Showers
Our summer activities of sweat and sand tend to lead to more showers than at other times of the year, and that exposes our hair to two additional threats: shampoos and heat. Shampoo strips away our natural oils along with dirt and grime, and too much heat can damage the hair's outer layer, the cuticle. Both can lead to dryness and split ends.

Solution: Don't shampoo every time you take a shower. Especially if your hair tends to be more dry, choose a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner. And as good as a hot shower feels, even in the summertime, end it with a shot of cool water to seal your hair's cuticles and stave off split ends.

Styling
Unless you have a really short do, there is nothing like the summer heat to get us wanting our hair up and off the back of our necks! It can be easy to adopt a go-to hairstyle and wear it all summer long, whether a ponytail or messy bun. But wearing your hair up in the same way each day can cause "ponytail crease" where the hair elastic is and can actually cause hair breakage, or even hair loss, when you are pulling it back in the same way all the time.

Solution: Change up your updo each day so that where your hair is stressed changes. One day do a low ponytail, the next day a high one, and the next a twist and then next a bun. If you need ideas for different styles, check my YouTube channel and this post. Avoid hair elastics completely, and replace them with gentler hair accessories, such as Lilla Rose products, that are designed not to break your hair going in or coming out. Also, as much as possible, avoid products that use heat and chemicals, both of which can cause damage with prolonged use. Summer is a great time to embrace the naturally beautiful and one-of-a-kind YOU that God created!

So much will be happening this summer, and with a few easy adjustments, you can have healthier hair without much extra thought. What else have you tried that helped you protect your hair against these summer dangers?

P.S. Through the end of June, you can get a leather 8 or braided 8 (like in my picture above!) and a hair stick FREE with a $60 Lilla Rose purchase! And if you order soon, you can get some great patriotic Flexis or Bobbies in time for the Fourth of July! Check out those styles HERE.

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<<Previous

Welcome!

Four key ways to earn money from home

Provide a service

Become an affiliate

Sell your creations

Sell for a commission

Other ideas?

Five ways to get the most out of a CC Parent Practicum

Meet up with other parents from your campus if you have joined one.

Ask your husband to attend the Dad's lunch, if not the whole Practicum.

Take advantage of the bookstore.

Sign your kids up for the camps.

Expect to be overwhelmed, especially if you are new to homeschooling or to the classical approach.

What other tips do you have for parents attending Practicum for the first time?

5 summer hair dangers and how to deal with them

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