If you do a Jan.-Dec. school year, I have a few questions

We start our new year in January too.  The main motivation behind is that we live in Texas and it is roasting here during the summer.  We take off at the end of the year from October 31 (my birthday) to the first week in January.  We buy supplies as we need them, but I do stock up on pencils, paper, etc. during tax free weekend (autumn).  We used to order the “disciplines” during Nov and Dec, but it is easier to buy as you go, or as you find things on sale.  In my previous neighborhood, the homeschool store had a “second semester” sale in December which always worked out, but now that we are even more CM, I find that my needs are different.  As an example, I had to order brine shrimp eggs from Amazon last week for my dd science experiment.  Anyway to make an unnecessarily long story short, we just buy as we go.

I also plan as I go…the CM method doesn’t really require too much planning, but mine are older.  I choose the composers and artists for the year and plan when to order from the library or buy from Amazon.  My ds math is downloaded from Math Mammoth so I just repurchase when he completes a book.  My dd uses Teaching Textbooks so I check to see where she is and about when to purchase the next one.  CM language arts just requires good books and notebook paper.  Socal studies requires books and map paper, plus notebooking pages and supplies for projects if they want to make something.  We are  doing Apologia science for both (different books for each).  If you use Apologia the author provides a list of necessary supplies for the year so you know what you need ahead of time.

I would recommend sitting down with DH and establishjng a budget, maybe open a separate school account so you will have an account to pull the money from without interrupting family life.  Just a suggestion.

Lol, we lived in Texas when we started year round, too. We are inside far more in the summer than in the fall/ winter! Great suggestions for how to budget from Cheryl.

How old are your children?  If you are in the middle of moving what you suggest is fine.  When we were traveling or moving I never did very much with them at  all.  Get your children involved in the packing process, this counts as life skills.  It is good for them to see that family life is a priority over everything else.  Also, bear in mind that you are not on a “schedule”.  Since we are not required to report anything don’t add unnecessary stress to an already stressful situation.  Remember that packing boxes means that all those boxes will also have to be unpacked!  More time away from studies!  Reading, nature studies, and oral math drills are your best bet!