Homeschooling in Manitoba

We have moved back to Manitoba after being in BC for 4 years ~ thus, we need to register as a home educating family in Manitoba.  We had previously home schooled in Manitoba before moving to BC, but I needed to see what had changed.  The answer ~ nothing.

I did a quick search on the Manitoba Government website and found this info.

Manitoba Government Education Site

A child needs to be registered in a public, private or home school the year that they turn 7 years old.  This is to be completed by Sept 1st or within 30 days of your decision to home educate.

You can print out your intent to home educate forms or get them to mail them to you.  I choose to have them mailed.  I emailed this address homeschooling@gov.mb.ca with how many children I was planning on educating at home.

They sent me the welcome package in the mail and this is what I filled out

I had been told to write a minimal amount of info on these forms ~ so I figured this should do.  They want to know what books/curriculum I would be using for Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies. Then there was a spot for the "others".

This is very different from our experience in BC, where I had the most wonderful home teacher / support system ever and I received $1000/child/year for their textbooks, etc.

Manitoba offers no financial support, minimal educational support (unless I can find it myself somehow) but then I am only required to send in the above notification and 2 reports for the rest of the year.  Less time consuming for me. The reports look very similar to the above as well.

If you are looking for a bit more "support" in Manitoba, try the following:

Manitoba Association of Christian Home Schools (MACHS) (they have a conference in WPG each spring) Click here

Homeschool Canada Click Here

Manitoba Association of Schooling at Home (MASH) Click Here

There is a Yahoo Group and a few Facebook groups available as well ... try 

Westman Homeschoolers

Manitoba Association of Schooling at Home (MASH)

As far as mental/social/emotional support ~ I believe in finding a mentor and having someone to talk to and vent and bounce ideas off.  Find someone with children slightly older than yours, with similar family values and ideas and let them motivate you.  ( perhaps I should also say that you could be an encouragement to them in the process as well) 

The biggest hurdle I've found with educating our three girls at home is that I feel all alone sometimes.  The best thing for myself at those moments is getting together with another family or a Mom and just chatting and maybe getting that one little idea or that comment that can keep me going. 

 Don't be shy with your own compliments ~ let people have it !  Tell them that their children are "well behaved", " clever minded", "compassionate", "quick learners", etc etc.  Let them know the good qualities you've noticed in the children or their family, etc.

Encourage and be encouraged!

The summer of the Farmers Market

Farmer's Market this summer has basically fallen into our laps.  We did the first market just so there would be some vendors there and maybe others would come later.  We did so well and I had so much fun being able to bake again ~ so we continued!

 We have a new goal ~ get to the US and to PEI this fall ~ see friends in Pennsylvania and relatives in New Brunswick! In our family, any funds that Momma or babies can make is what we classify as "extra"...Daddy's money is for boring things (essential things) like food and housing.  Our money gets to be for the little fun things!  So we're working hard  ~ baking, harvesting in the garden (the money I can save us on the grocery bill also helps) and sewing up a holiday!  hee hee.

 Kate made some feather earrings

 Girl do a Lemonade stand each time.  The funds went at first to buy chickens for people in Asia, now it's going to Manitoba families who are adopting children.

 People were lined up to buy fresh produce from the Veggie Wagon

 Afterwards we enjoy a quick dip in the lake ...

...and sometimes a left over cinnamon bun

 Mini pies

 Peanut Brittle

 Parseman Garlic Sticks

 Weather has warmed up enough that we need umbrellas to shield the food.  Now to just get them to stick into the ground and not fall over!

 Girls selling their homemade clips and goodies

 Lots of fresh bread 

 Yup, I was crazy enough to do caramel and candy apples the one week.  Very time consuming, so I didn't actually get as many items made.  Less profits that week, but it was fun to do them.

 The most delicious Caramels ever!  Have to make another batch for this week!

 No eating the Farmer's Market food!

 The making of those delicious caramels ~ another learning curve of using a candy thermometer!

 I never make cinnamon buns in a small way, but this week I actually made some MINI's!

 The mini's sold really well,  but yup, more time consuming once again.

Girls help me with making things pretty.  They also help with all the bagging and tagging of the items we sell.  Still looking for more good ideas of what to make.  We're slowly getting closer to our holiday goal and also supporting some friends who are adopting older children.

An afternoon drive and baby bunnies

What is a gal to do when it's a holiday and her hubby is at work?  Take the girls for a drive to play with some baby bunnies!  Yes, that is the solution!

We picked up one of Miss Ruth's friends and went for a short drive.  

 In our neck of the woods, there is danger of the Assiniboine River spilling it's banks....

as you can see in these photos, it's pretty close.  Both sides of the road are normally fields.

Most adorable and relaxed little bunny

They love to climb up your sleeve

So happy together!

... our anniversary is coming up honey!

Sticking out her tongue!

I think the blankets remind them of their cozy nest

We had a nice visit and a little snack with our cousins while the children played.  Perfect rainy day afternoon outing!  Thanks M!