Homeschooling help and encouragement from experienced homeschoolers - find out how homeschooling works and how to start, get tips & ideas for when things need adjusting, read curriculum reviews before buying, learn how online schools work, gain confidence about homeschooling high school, and more.
I don’t know about you, but we love to use YouTube videos to complement various subjects and interests in our homeschool. I’ve polled my kids and some of my trusted homeschooling friends to put together a list of 20 YouTube channels to add fun and learning to your homeschool. There’s something for everyone: art, baking, music, science, engineering, and random facts (our favorite). Continue reading »
Recently, I shared a day in the life of our homeschool with three teens. It was a particularly busy day, but a pretty typical one for our family. You see, even though we homeschool, we’re rarely at home. Recently, life has changed due to statewide “stay home” orders. We are in our home. All the time. Our life is vastly different. This is a day in the life of our homeschool while we are homebound for comparison. Continue reading »
I admit I love to peek behind the curtain into other people’s homeschools. I can’t help it! It’s not because I want to compare. It’s because I love seeing how people tailor their routines, curricula, and lives to support their home education lifestyle. Continue reading »
Cultivating friendships during your homeschool journey is crucial. Yes, even for introverts! Connecting with others, sharing stories, asking for advice, giving advice, laughing, crying, and supporting one another makes your days so much sweeter. Here are the 5 types of friends that every homeschool parent should have.
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During certain times of the year, I can be a “Debbie Downer” when it comes to homeschooling. Everything looks and feels difficult. Or wrong. Or annoying. Changing my perspective and focusing on the positives and the positively awesome helps me feel anchored. Here are a few of the things that I’m focusing on right now. Do any of them resonate for you? Continue reading »
I don’t know everything about homeschooling. I don’t always know what to do with my gaggle of kids. I don’t always know if I’m pushing too hard or not enough or if we should just throw in the towel. I need expert guidance for this homeschooling journey, especially during the high school years. I needed someone who’d been down this path with a teen similar to mine and could listen and offer suggestions. Continue reading »
If you attended traditional schools growing up, then your teachers usually held parent-teacher conferences and had teacher “in-service” days. That meant no school for the students and a day for teachers to review, plan, and prep lesson plans. They meet with parents to discuss students’ work and progress and answer questions. Well, what about us homeschooling parents? We’re parents and teachers. How does this work? Continue reading »
Do you use educational podcasts for homeschooling? If not, you should! Podcasts are a great way for homeschoolers to explore a variety of topics and current events. Podcasts can be easily integrated into nearly all subject areas. Depending on the podcast platform you’re using, you can search for topics, people, events, etc. We’ve recently had some great conversations about the Loch Ness Monster, Amelia Earhart, and King Arthur. Continue reading »
Since it can be helpful to read about what other homeschoolers are doing for high school, I’ve detailed out our plan for our first year of homeschooling high school with a non-traditional learner. I’m not an expert by any means—my teen is my guinea pig and I definitely needed some guidelines on how I could build an experience for him and not just school. My kid thrives on experiences. The more the better. Continue reading »
My oldest child started high school at home this year. He’s a very non-traditional learner, which can present a challenge when mom is the opposite. I never intended to homeschool and I really couldn’t imagine homeschooling high school. But here we are, and here’s how we are preparing a high school plan that works for us. Continue reading »
Even if you are the kind of person who plans out the entire year, life still happens and vacation-mode-mama (or dad) brain can derail your best efforts. How do we set ourselves up for a smooth transition back into our homeschool rhythm and routine after a holiday or vacation break? Check out these 5 simple steps to get back into your homeschooling routine without losing your mind, losing your cool, or losing all your chocolate stash at once. Continue reading »
Gift-giving doesn’t have to be stressful! With our list of over 100 educational gift ideas for kids, you can cross off your gift list with educational gifts that are fun and promote learning and creativity. It might seem challenging to find fun and educational gifts that are not all technology-related. Now, I don’t have anything against technology, we use it every single day in our lives and homeschool. That said, I do try to find items and gifts that get them moving, creating or building and exploring. Continue reading »
Maybe you’re frazzled. Maybe it’s been a long morning, long month or a long year. Maybe you feel like you just need a biscuit. So, you honor that feeling. You grab the ingredients for your favorite biscuits. You carefully measure the ingredients and add them to the last clean mixing bowl. You stir slowly and simply focus on the art of making biscuits. Maybe you smile to yourself because instead of thinking that making biscuits on Monday in the middle of the day is a bad idea, you made them because YOU want them. And that is enough. Because maybe you’re in the middle of a really hard season of life right now. Continue reading »
I previously wrote about my favorite homeschool-related books, which I encourage you to check out if you haven’t already. I gather so much goodness and inspiration from these titles and their authors. Homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint, and reading encouraging words is something I rely on year after year. As an avid reader and book junkie, I’ve also curated a list of five non-homeschooling books that are making a difference in our current homeschooling journey and our day-to-day lives. Homeschooling is about more than teaching subjects and cultivating a love of learning in our kids. I’ve selected a book from each of the following areas: Parenting, Home Decorating, Health and Wellness, Cooking/Meal Planning, Self-help/Spiritual Guidance. Continue reading »
Games have been a staple in our home(school) ever since my oldest received Candy Land at age three. While our stash of games has changed over the years, our love of playing games continues to flourish. I’ve compiled a list of classic, educational, and online games/apps that we’re enjoying with a house full of teens and tweens. Continue reading »
One thing that has remained consistent into the teen years for my kids is their need for hands-on learning. We’ve just updated and tweaked what that looks like these days compared with when they were younger. With some creativity, planning, partnership, and imagination, hands-on learning can be explored in a variety of ways. I’ve got nine ways you can cultivate hands-on learning for your older homeschooled kids. Grab your pen and planner, and let’s chat! Continue reading »
Are you a podcast junkie like me? If you’re a busy homeschooling mom (and I know you are), podcasts are a perfect way to learn, laugh and, let’s be honest, block out the 237 questions about food choices and screen time. I’ve curated a list of my current favorite homeschooling and parenting podcasts. These are my go-to podcasts for encouragement, ideas, and connection. Grab your earbuds and let’s get listening! Continue reading »
Every homeschool family is walking their own path. The beauty of homeschooling is that it allows us to look at all aspects of our lives in new and different ways. We have to get creative. We have to push boundaries, or perhaps, enforce them. Here are 5 ways to set yourself up for better balance. Continue reading »
When I decided to tackle a blog post about our 7th grade plans for my twins, I had to pause and catch my breath. How are they already in 7th grade? Why are they taller than me? Will they notice if we do Five In A Row again for old time’s sake? My oldest, a rising high schooler, made his way through middle school homeschool. Sometimes, his learning looked super structured, but often it looked more unschool-ish than I had anticipated. Here are my three key insights about homeschooling middle school . . . Continue reading »
If your homeschooling clan is content to be with each other 24 hours a day with no breaks from each other, then feel free to skip to another blog post. I have nothing but love and high-fives for you because I think it’s amazing when families can do what works for them. If you’re feeling like maybe your homeschooling kids might need some built-in breaks from each other (and you), then read on while I share what’s working for us right now with three adolescents. Continue reading »