A large family, homeschooling, adoption, special needs, whatever strikes my fancy, sort of blog.

A large family, homeschooling, adoption, special needs, whatever strikes my fancy, sort of blog.

Saturday, September 13, 2014

WAY Comes Home - homeschool wellness


Last year, our family tested out a wellness program tailored to homeschoolers.  WAY Comes Home was a positive experience for us, so I'd like to share a little about it with you.  Way is more than just "homeschool PE."  It's a comprehensive wellness education program that includes a PE aspect.

We received a box of supplies that included things like glitter glue, marbles, a balance scale, a binder, paperback student notebooks, dvds, flash cards, and more.  The WAY Comes Home program is currently on sale for $99.95.


The entire program, all 3 levels, was a little overwhelming at first, but once we got into it, it was a lot of fun.  We'd watch a segment of the exercise DVDs and work out with the class on screen together.  We had discussions.  We did activities.


Being homeschoolers, we tailored the program to our family.  With the vocabulary words, we might use them for handwriting, creative writing, or use them for brainstorming and discussion.


I think sometimes as parents, we assume that by living a reasonably healthy lifestyle, our kids will just know why we make the choices we do.  WAY gave us the opportunity to discuss that reasoning.


One of the activities involved sorting cards into the 3 baskets provided.  Then we acted out some of the cards.


Which is easier for some cards than for others!


This is the periscope of Jack's submarine poking out of the "water."


Brianna drew "skateboard."


I was happy to help her act that one out.  Oh, and I drew elephant, so I was an elephant on a skateboard in this picture.


Even now, almost a year later, this was one of the most memorable activities.


I squirted some glitter glue into each of the children's hands, and then we shook hands with each other, to illustrate the spread of germs.


This was a fabulous way to learn about good hand washing techniques!  With a built in self check, "Is there still glitter there?" it helped the kids realize how long they should be washing to get rid of all the germs.  And it very clearly explained why we wash frequently.  My kids will still ask for hand sanitizer if we're away from a sink when preparing to eat something.  (As an aside, I'm really liking Honest Hand Sanitizer the purse sized natural spray sanitizer from Honest Co. - affiliate link)


Another favorite of the kids was when we used the balance to show how food (energy) in, and energy expended through activity balance each other out.  We talked about what happens when you're lopsided one way or another.  It was after this activity that Eli said, "We should walk there, to use more of our energy!"  I could tell the lessons we were learning with WAY Comes Home were really sinking in.


There are 3 levels to this program, broken down by age range:  Health Safari, for K-1st grade students; Me Mysteries, for 2-3rd grade students; and Innerspace Adventure, for 4-6th grade students.  The Parent Guide pictured above offers suggestions for including other levels in certain activities specific to one level.  We did everything as a group, and I would guess that the feedback they got from most of their homeschool family testers indicates that many other families did, too.


Because we were "testers" prior to the product launch, we were sent additional Student Notebooks from the updated final run.  One of the features that makes these notebooks unique is that although the notebook pages are colorful and engaging (center above), the covers (above right) are blank!  The creators of WAY did this on purpose, so each child can personalize the cover and feel ownership of their notebook, and by extension, their wellness choices.  Once we get a little further into our school year, I am looking forward to starting this program up again with the boys in their new Student Notebooks.

You can connect with WAY Comes Home on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for more wellness ideas!


Top Mommy Blogs - Click To Vote! Thanks for clicking for us!

10 comments:

  1. Looks like The Way worked. Your kids appear to all be having fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely! :) Fun, and setting healthy habits for life, I hope!

      Delete
  2. We're so glad your family enjoyed the lessons! Thank you for your review of the material; your feedback is enormously helpful. How wonderful to see photos of your beautiful children!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We had a great time trying it out, and I look forward to using the finished books with my younger kids. :)

      Delete
  3. I love the glue and glitter activity where you shake hands and learn about the spread of germs. I'll have to do that with my kids because they don't wash their hands enough!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It made a huge impression on them. I loved the idea; so clever, yet I never would have thought of it on my own.

      Delete
  4. Hey Shecki!

    I saw your posts on the china boards and am happy to see you still, responding with " your" story. I totally respect the fact you have been honest and open about what you are going through and support you! It is tough to find others who get these struggles. I have a relatively easy child, but she has issues that would be stressful anyways. Period. She and I have our ups and downs, but since moving,we have been doing better. I am always cautious of coarse BUT, I believe strongly, a good majority of whats happening is partly due to my response/ understanding towards her.I feel I AM capable of bonding to her but its so slow for ME even though it typically takes me awhile with all kids! I question, everything, As she continues to receive only diagnoses that people in our family have and now I " adopt" and she ends up being " exactly" like me!!!! I sit here trying to do this and that and realizing, to just throw out the " adoption" rules and literally parent her like my other kids and its working for her. I just can't wrap my mind around any of it, I struggle with her yet others are open to say, she belongs to your family because she IS yours, to many striking similarities. So, I have been trying hard to figure this all out, trying hard with and for her and have come to the realization that if she IS truly part of us, this family, that I am going to treat her, raise her, get her ONLY the therapies any of us have received, I am going to continue to do My full, hands on, in your face, out of the box parenting style with her and in the end, its truly all I CAN do. I am trying hard to make the decision, daily, to take expectations and pressure off of us all, as its not helping me. At. All! I can only do for her, what God has trained me to be, and the rest is up to her. I've beat myself up so much emotionally over this, until many people pointed out, God wants me, has equipped me to deal with certain issues, and so far, she has got them all! I just need to trust the very specific parenting " skills" God has given me to help this precious, but mysterious child. But the ball of " her" thats unraveling, so far, is a near complete replica of our family. :-0. Shecki, I gotta believe God trying to teach us something? I love God, know him, have met him and came back down to earth barely surviving and yet did, I know many of the secrets of heaven, yet I still don't always trust HIM. Really, this is all you and I can do, trust God, wait in him to reveal HIS plan. I think of you often and pray for your family! I can't imagine doing all that you do, truly they say God doesn't give us more then we can handle, right! LOL Can I just forget that last phrase I said, cause there are times I don't believe it, or want too!! But seriously, if that phrase is true, Shecki, YOU must be stronger then you think! No matter the final outcome with Luke, God must have huge plans for you and I pray those plans will soon be revealed. Far as bonding to him, if you get there, great, but if you don't... Dont be hard on yourself, life is very hard for you and you are feeling that! Its hard to feel " anything" when life has been ripped to shreds and you are trying to sew pieces of your frayed life back together! I think both of us are in shock and I am finally " trying" to claw and sew my life back! WHY I have chosen to make some HUGE changes for my family as we all need it, so far its helping our youngest and sometimes thats what is desperately needed. Not change for " her, but change for ALL of us! :-) Keep us tuned to how things continue to go, no matter the outcome, irregardless...i am rooting for your family! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad to hear things are going better since the move! Having the very same medical issues you have does make it seem like she's perfect for your family.

      Delete
    2. I am being cautiously oprimistic of coarse, but since the move, we are all feeling the burden of our last monster house trouble gone forever and it feels amazing! Our girl does not talk yet, though as of late, like just a few hours ago she signed and then spoke actual words while signing. There wasn't a dry eye in the room!!!!!! Her ability to communicate with sign has taken off, nearing 40 plus signs and counting and going from a single sign to stringing up to 4 signs together! And the amazing thing is this is the same child only 6 months ago when she began her speech therapy that was given a 0-6 month development in speech and now was evaluated again and is at a solid 15-20 month level, even up to 24 months!!! :-) So though her " language" is delayed, she is able to communicate and this has brought about positive changes in her. Shes way way affectionate, and is seeming to attach, finally! Ya, she has a long way to go, we all do as a family, but each day my son says, Mom we are nearing a major breakthrough, I can just feel it. I don't want to get my hopes up, but still its hard to dismiss how well she has been doing! The other day she was tired and hungry in the car and got upset, but the whole time, she continuously signed what she wanted. So not like her! I just see so many good changes moving, And While I don't know what the future holds, I know it took a radical change in our lives to get us to this point. As a family, we just needed simple living, a clean slate and a new beginning and so far, so good. :-)

      Delete
    3. Sounds like she's making great progress! I'm glad the new place is working out for you. :)

      Delete