My Rule of Life

 It was last year that I was listening to a podcast, then reading a blog, later reading a book, and they all spoke about the necessity for Catholics to have a "Rule of Life" as if everyone had heard of it before. Well, I decided I got to get one of those immediately! After I browsed more online for the details, I realized it was something I've done many times in my life but this simply looked more complete. It encompasses all the aspects of my life, desires, plans and vocation at once, which makes so much sense now.

According to the Catholic Dictionary, a Religious Rule (rule of life for religious) is "The plan of life and discipline, approved by the Holy See, under which religious live in order to grow in Christian perfection and perform the works of the apostolate proper to their institute." Going back a century and a half ago, there is the most popular Rule of Saint Benedict written to bring order to the monk's habits and rhythms in their shared daily life.  A religious order's rule would include their charisms, order of the day, and responsibilities. I too have a vocation with such aspects, so there must be a rule for mothers. 

Holly Pierlot, author of A Mother's Rule of Life wrote "A Rule of Life is not just a schedule, not just a collection of activities organized into a set pattern for efficient repetition. A Rule is an organization of everything that has to do with your vocation, based on a hierarchy of the priorities that define the vocation and done with the intent to please God. It deals with the essential responsibilities of your state of life, organized to ensure their fulfillment…" 

Ah-ha! So what I had been doing was this in pieces, for separate purposes. I was checking off boxes when working on a personal goal like weight loss. Other times I was planning the ideal flow of our homeschool day. Sometimes I would write a list of tasks and priorities. I would journal about my spiritual goals. I love prioritized lists, especially since I'm a procrastinator. I also have many many piles and file folders in my home office. What can we busy mothers do to streamline this Rule of Life planning?

That's when I decided to create a "My Rule of Life" workbook, catered to my own vintage style. After some testing, the Catholic woman's My Rule of Life planner and self-tracker I designed for myself is now available to print.

Take notes of what you want your prayer and spiritual life to look like. Plan out the ideal week. Write down your commitments, personal goals, and the Saints you want to intercede for you. Think about your prayer intentions, including a memorial of souls who have gone before you. Track your progress of your goals and virtues. Take time to do a weekly examination of your life and how it aligns to God's will and your resolutions. Finally jot down any books you hope to read this month. 

No matter what your style, the details in the planning are mostly the same. It is important that is personal.  If you don't like the vintage look and want to design your own, or you have other items you want to cover, you can look at it for inspiration.  I think it most important that you take time to think these things over, no matter where you write it down.

Jenn Giles Kemper of Sacred Ordinary Days writes, "Allow your rule to develop slowly over time. Listen for God and realize that the unique expression of Christ in you, your family, and your church will look different than the expression of Christ in others. It can be helpful to remember that the kingdom is built by the whole of the church body, so you need only seek to be a faithful hand or foot. Ask God how to live your part faithfully. Consider inviting others into this exercise with you, such as a spouse, a spiritual director, or members of your community. Regard your rule as a living document—something you can review and adjust as you live it out." 

I think that's a fantastic perspective. Thanks Jenn! Now to go print a copy for my new year and see how God is calling me in my current phase of life. 

MY RULE OF LIFE planner is in my Etsy Shop as an INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF FILE.

https://homegrowncatholics.etsy.com/listing/1662850263

In the file is a cover page, 14 worksheets, and the digital use policy. There is enough room for a month of tracking. Then you can reprint whatever pages you need to add on additional months. Staple together, or put in a binder as I have.

Plan out the ideal week. 

Write down your commitments, personal goals, and the Saints you want to intercede for you. 

Think about your prayer intentions, including a memorial of souls who have gone before you. 

Track your progress of your goals and virtues. 

Take time to do a weekly examination of your life and how it aligns to God's will and your resolutions.

Finally jot down any books you hope to read this month. 

Also included are 3 Prayer Posters and 1 set of 4 prayer cards.

MY RULE OF LIFE planner is in my Etsy Shop as an INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF FILE.

https://homegrowncatholics.etsy.com/listing/1662850263

More Resources I found helpful on the subject:

Sacred Ordinary Days: Rule of Life (very through, with so many resource links)

A Mother's Rule of Life, a book by Holly Pierlot

Good Catholic: Making a Personal Rule of Life

Word on Fire: Creating a Rule of Life PDF Booklet

Need a Mom's Life Coach?

Catholic Mom Calm

The True Presence Course   {Her podcast about a Summer Rule of Life}

AS ALWAYS, I LIKE TO INCLUDE SOMETHING FREE if there is something for sale. So you can print this page by clicking on it and selecting print!

Holy Housekeeping

Housekeeping: Taking Care of Our Domestic Church

with Deep Clean Dollars & Weekly Chore Cards

As part of teaching the value of quality, hard work and how to save-spend-share, I'm hiring our children for Deep Clean services this summer. They want to earn money, and I need the help. What would you be willing to pay? What tasks would you include? Hopefully the pay is just enough to be an incentive and fair, but reasonably within budget. No limit to how many they claim.

>CLICK HERE< for the Digital PDF File 

with 28 Chores and blank cards, 

an Inspirational Poster, and Chore Charts

**Read to the end for a freebie! I'm still putting this chore system to the test. I did find a nice card holder at Target yesterday that fits them to our needs. I'd love to hear back how you implement and like these chore cards.

Overall the house is finally getting many things Deep Cleaned, and the children like the Chore System. Happier helpers when they choose the chore vs assigning it. My 13 year old was by far the most ambitious. I actually had to set a limit for him, so everyone had a chance and he actually could get it done. The chores also are rotated so everyone has a chance to try something, and no one person is stuck with diaper duty or dishes every week.

The chores range from easy for a young child to challenging for a teenager. These are things that are done less often, and most parents would appreciate the help. There are also a few Weekly Chore Cards if you wanted to add those. 

By assigning a *dollar award, the children will not only be incentivized but each chore will be expected to be completed and done to the best of their ability. Expect the first time to include “Training on the Job.” (*Cards DO NOT have dollar/reward amounts on them. You will fill that in yourself.)

They may also be taught the process of hiring and training, as well as how to Spend, Save and Share. I did reiterate to them that if they only do half the job, they only get half the pay. So as they learn to do more of it themselves, they earn more. 

Our hope is that it will encourage good work ethic for the child, growing in responsibility, and learning new skills. Also there are lessons in patience and healthy expectations of the parents. Overall, the attitude we have should be growing in the desire to serve others with a heart of joy and love for one another. 

As Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, “Wash the plate not because it is dirty, nor because you are told to wash it, but because you love the person who will use it next.” (Bonus Quote Poster Included) 

>CLICK HERE< for the Digital PDF File 

with 28 Chores and blank cards, 

an Inspirational Poster, and Chore Charts

The entire set of Weekly Chore and Deep Clean Cards are available in my Etsy shop, but I wanted to offer you a FREE set of the Weekly Chore Cards below to see how you like it.

If you're looking for a simple place to write out your chores for the week, you can print out this form and visit my post about Planning Our Home Life for a few more versions. Keep in touch with how it worked for you in the comments! Let me know if there's anything you'd like to see me change, update or create too.

What are some other things I've found helpful in managing a large family household?  Check the side bar topics for all my thoughts.  Visit my new Amazon Recommendation Shop for things we have in our home and enjoy like kitchen items, books, and favorite movies! 

 https://www.amazon.com/shop/homegrowncatholics

May God bless all your endeavors!

*Mary and Martha, pray for us!*

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1275122993/housekeeping-chore-cards

Relaxed Home Education Planner

  There is a significant number of home educators, or "homeschoolers," abandoning the concepts of a classical education which often feels like public school at home. It's rigorous and demanding on the teacher and child. Many parents have felt they are “falling behind” using this method, when flexibility is supposed to be a golden ticket for homeschooling. Yet, we want more structure than the "Unschoolers."

  We call ourselves “Relaxed Homeschoolers.” I've been privileged to know many of them through a few Facebook support groups and within my circle of friends.  We glean from many methods, creating a balance between classical and unschooling. More often we look like a Charlotte Mason inspired, eclectic style without a specific list of books. We like to work with our children's interests and learning styles, with a strong emphasis in character and faith building.  In this eclectic method, we use a variety of literature and academic books, often whatever is on our shelves or available at the public library. Activities and narration typically replace workbooks. Some families have more group subjects that they do with all their children or a co-op. We love life learning and living books. While we recommend our favorite resources, none of us have a specific list of books and activities. Many of us are great at spontaneity and excited to plan our own, specialized school year. You'll notice that we tend to homeschool year round (with regular breaks), because education is a part of our every day life. Overall, each family has it's own way of doing things that works for them.

  This Relaxed Home Education Planner was created to remove the main stressors found in typical planners and curriculum lesson plans. Most on the market emphasize academics planned in a calendar format with set dates. This planner is broken down into weekly goals, that can be easily stretched longer when needed.

There are 40 weeks in the Teacher's Planner filled with inspirational quotes and Bible verses, bi-weekly activity ideas, and forms for setting long and short term goals. There are bonus pages and options for a few replacement pages, as well as a coordinating Student Planner. The Teacher Planner has places for up to 8 students!

I hope this will simplify your education planning process, reduce anxiety, inspire you, and encourage the completion of the goals you set.

Purchase a copy of the PDF on my Etsy Shop:

HomegrownCatholics.Etsy.com

Choose the Teacher & Student Bundle, or separate but ready to print.

 

*OPTIONAL BONUS PAGES included in the Bundle* 

• Curriculum Portfolio: A place to list all the books you've used for that student.

• Weekly Goal Chart: Where you can put stickers for a student accomplishing a week's assignments, write personal development goals, etc. 
• Chore Chart: These are basic chores and they are sectioned off to have an older sibling paired with a younger sibling. A completed and blank file is available.
• Report Cards: A family report card and a basic high school transcript form.
• Meal Planning: I've been using this for years and it has proven very effective.

• Variations of Weekly & Daily pages. 
• Cover Options
• Daily Goal Checklists: For children who need checklists and rewards for a day's efforts. These are most helpful in the summer time and for preschoolers, or when children need extra motivation on a rough day.

To fill in your planner, add students names to the top row. Below names, add in a weekly goal of assignments and activities per subject. It might be group copy work, page numbers to be read, or a physical activity. Students and teachers can refer to these goals when filling out their Student Planner in more detail. Encourage students to complete assignments for the week before moving onto the next week, even if it takes a few more days. This will help them work steadily with a variety of subjects, even those less favorable.  Chores and extra curricular activities can be listed in your Student Planner or personal calendar. Set reasonable goals, allowing for potential setbacks/reviewing and unplanned activities.

I decided to number my weeks on the Academic Calendar Page. Then I list what we'd like to do or where to visit on the Monthly Goals page. The "Goals This Year" page I used for myself and my students, thinking about how our homeschool will make us better in God's eyes.

STUDENT PLANNER

The student planner is available as part of the PDF file Teacher & Student Bundle, or available by itself. Bonus pages and options are included in the bundle only. Print as many copies as you need, to record their weekly assignment goals and write down what they've accomplished. I've tried this with printing the sheets weekly to hand out then filing them away, or binding a year's worth at once to write on before the start of a new school week.

The Student Planner is a simple way for your student to have:

1) One place to keep track of their academic and personal accomplishments.

2) A Book List for curriculum and literature chosen.

"My Book List" can be for listing their curriculum, for listing any books they use, or strictly for them to record books they've read on their own. On the "Here's the Plan" page, is a layout of what the week should look like, with a nice variety of subjects per day. It also lists group activities, free time ideas and daily chores.

3) A Plan of subjects and activities for each day.

4) An optional Day Planner for hourly scheduling, typically for older students.

5) Assignment Pages - titled "Goals & Accomplishments."

 The "Goals & Accomplishments" pages are blank, or choose the filled in version from the Optional Pages file available in the Bundle. The yellow "Goals" column is for the parent to write what pages they hope the child to complete in a week's time. The white columns are for the child to record what they actually completed each day. Children will quickly learn time management and record keeping. At the top is "Working on Week #." The idea is that you set reasonable goals for a week's assignments, but if they take longer, you note here the number week they are working on that coordinates with your Teacher Planner.

6) Charting for personal goals for books, habits, attendance, ideas, etc.  

HOW TO PRINT YOUR TEACHER'S PLANNER
The Teacher's Planner file sold by itself is ready to print back to back, and I've chosen the order. 172 Pages or 86 Sheets. The Teacher's Planner *Bundle* includes the Student Planner and more page options. 

I recommend laser printing on 24# 8.5x11" paper with a card-stock or laminated cover and back. Inkjet will work, but you will see some bleed-through when printing double sided, so you can choose a thicker paper. These are sample layouts.

1) Print Cover on card-stock in color or black and white. 

2) This instruction page is on the back of the cover for reference. Daily Goals is blank. This is an example of it filled in as we use it.

3) The Academic Calendar is from Aug 2017 - July 2018. Goals this year are for you to set personal goals, or as a class.

4) Monthly Goals chart is the spot for things you'd like to do or see. The optional report card is for up to 8 students on one card for Teacher and reporting purposes.

5a) ***If you have 5-8 students, print the file as is.  LAYOUT: When open to a 2-page spread, the Assignment Sheet for students 1-4 is on left and blank assignment sheet for students 5-8 on right.  The next 2 pages will appear as blank/option on left and Weekly Goals on right.

^5-8 Students: Choose a Weekly Goals sheet for the right page.

 

 A 2-page spread includes 8 student columns.

Between Weeks, you'll have a Weekly Goals Sheet and Family Chores Sheet. You can remove or replace these with any of the Optional Pages.

5b) ***If you have 1-4 students, do not print the right side blank pages. MODIFY LAYOUT: When open to a 2-page spread, have Weekly Goals on the left and Assignments on the right.

^Odd weeks have a quote on the Assignment Page

^Even weeks have an activity banner on the Assignment Page

     Sample Layout for 1-4 Children

6) *OPTIONAL BONUS PAGES included in the Bundle* 

7) Add binding, spiral or comb. Each page has a half inch side margin. Or slide into clear sleeves for durability.

HOW TO PRINT YOUR STUDENT PLANNER:

The Student Planner file sold by itself is ready to print back to back, and I've chosen the order. 50 Pages or 25 Sheets. The *Bundle* has bonus pages and options. 

Have it spiral bound, or put it all into a 3-ring binder.

I enjoyed adding a touch of artistry to the backs of my children's planners, which we used in our Annual Front Door Photos. On the back of my teacher's planner I printed my Morning Offering Prayers and A Homeschooler's Prayer that I found online.

Purchase a copy of the PDF on my Etsy Shop:

HomegrownCatholics.Etsy.com

Choose the Teacher & Student Bundle, or separate but ready to print.

© 2017 Homegrown Catholics     This planner is for personal use only.  Please do not share, recreate, or sell this file as your own - out of respect for the time and dedication I’ve invested in this project.   Print whichever pages assist you in your home education endeavors and pass along any reviews, suggestions or corrections to:  homegrowncatholic@gmail.com

For more ideas about planning your homeschool year, activity suggestions and lesson plans, visit

 HomegrownCatholics.Blogspot.com

And join me on Facebook for bonus inspiration! 

www.facebook.com/HomegrownCatholics/

*World Map Image: Modified from free use image by Nicholas Raymond & Lara Mukahirn