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TheHomeSchoolMom

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.

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Homeschooling Blog

Check out our popular homeschooling series features, get to know our blog contributors, read Jeanne's answers to questions in the Ask Jeanne feature, or browse all of our posts.

brain illustration with text Resources for Right-brained Learning What to use instead of curriculum - homeschooling blog series Make the most of Homeschool Conventions - Homeschooling Blog Series

Can Somebody Homeschool My Kids?

Child with easel and paint brush and text Can Someone Homeschool My Child - TheHomeSchoolMom.com

You work. Or you cannot imagine yourself as a homeschool parent. Or your kids are demanding, and you don’t mesh with them well. Or you have a child who has special needs you don’t feel prepared to help with. Or you have a health problem that will make homeschooling challenging to impossible. Or really, you just don’t want to homeschool. But your kids need to be out of school, and they need to be homeschooled. I hear your question: “Can somebody homeschool my kids?” Continue reading »

school supplies and equipment with text is this curriculum accredited? Does it matter? - TheHomeSchoolmom

Is Your Curriculum Accredited? Does It Matter?

As families turn to homeschooling due to lack of information (or what they see as unacceptable policies) from public school systems about what fall may bring, they have questions. One of the most common questions we are seeing is whether a certain curriculum is accredited. Continue reading »

planning supplies with text 5 steps to simple homeschool planning for non-planners

5 Steps to Simple Homeschool Planning for Non-Planners

I really wish I liked homeschool planning. I’ve tried. Trust me. We are nearly a decade into this homeschooling journey and I’ve taken multiple planning courses, have purchased five different types of homeschool planners, spent countless hours planning and planning and buying and buying and organizing all the things. By the time I get around to actually homeschooling, I’m tired. Continue reading »

woman with questioning look and text should you homeschool this fall - what you need to know

Should You Homeschool This Fall?

As schools around the country publish their plans for re-opening in the fall of 2020 after extended spring closures, homeschool advocates continue to see more parents of school kids interested in homeschooling. For real, this time—not the suddenly-home-from-school situation parents faced in the spring. Here are a few suggestions to use or pass on. Continue reading »

Smartphone with earphones and text 21 ways audiobooks benefit your homeschool - thehomeschoolmom.com

21 Ways Your Homeschool Can Benefit from Audiobooks

Are you using audiobooks in your homeschool? If not, you are missing out on the awesome benefits that come from listening to books. Homeschooling parents embrace the benefits of audiobooks because audiobooks create a shared listening experience, with adults and kids on “the same page,” like watching a movie together… Continue reading »

stack of books with headphones and text where to find free audiobooks for homeschooling

Where to Find Free Audiobooks for Homeschooling

Sharing audiobooks is a great way for kids and parents to learn together. Hearing the same material at the same time means that moments for discussion are well-synchronized, and kids can ask questions or ponder meaning in real-time—leading to all kinds of opportunities for inquiry-based learning. Best of all, you can access many audiobooks for free! Continue reading »

Image of paint on paint brushes with text What our Interest-Led Homeschool Looks Like with Teens - TheHomeSchoolMom

What Our Interest-Led Homeschool Looks Like with Teens

Early on in our homeschooling journey, we tried many methods and styles of homeschooling. As my kids got older, I had to step back and evaluate what type of learning environment I wanted to create in our home. I had one vision, and it included all of us still sitting around doing as much together as possible because it was easier for me and because I thought that I had to do that in order to be ticking off the boxes for homeschooling the right way. However, my kids had other ideas. And, because it’s their education, I really needed to listen. This felt good and scary. Continue reading »

Image of yarn balls with text How to Find a Hobby that Energizes and Refreshes You - TheHomeSchoolMom

Dear Homeschool Parent: You Need a Hobby!

Dear Homeschool Parent, I say this in the nicest possible way with my sweetest voice: YOU NEED A HOBBY! You need an interest outside of homeschooling. You need time away from planning and teaching and making crafts and blowing up things in your kitchen. You need to rest your voice from all the reading. You need something that is not pre-algebra equations. You need to plan a field trip for yourself and not another one to the zoo. Stay with me… Continue reading »

Image of hand holding a remote with text 20 YouTube Channels for Homeschooling - TheHomeSchoolMom.com

20 YouTube Channels for Homeschooling

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 »

child lying on a bed coloring in a book next to a cat with text The Freedom of Flexible Learning - TheHOmeSchoolMom

The Freedom of Flexible Learning

One of the most valuable benefits of homeschooling is flexibility. Many families tell us that this flexibility is the reason they are able to “live their learning” in a way that just wouldn’t happen if they were enrolled in traditional school. Continue reading »

Teenage girl inside studying with text A Day in the Life Homeschooling Teens - Homebound Edition - TheHomeSchoolMom

A Day in the Life Homeschooling 3 Teens: Homebound Edition

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 »

Image of old military photo and text Genealogy Unit Study: Use Your Family History to Connect with History & Geography - TheHomeSchoolMom.com

Make Learning Personal: Use Your Family History to Connect with History & Geography

If you’re looking for a unique way to inspire your children’s curiosity and interest in history, consider introducing them to genealogy. You can use your own family tree to make history more relevant and meaningful to children, strengthen their sense of identity, and help them to see where they fit in time and place in this world. Using your family tree to learn about the life and times of grandparents is a great example of “social history,” which studies the experiences of ordinary people. Notice the word experiences — if you portray history in terms of experiences rather than facts, it can help personalize the study of history. This helps children to make sense of the world around them. Continue reading »

Woman supervising boy doing homework outside at a table with text Homeschooling or School at Home? TheHomeSchoolMom.com

Homeschool or School From Home?

All over the world, people are calling the school closing situation “homeschooling.” We even called it “Suddenly Homeschooling” here at TheHomeSchoolMom, but the reality is that this isn’t homeschooling. It’s schooling from home. That’s right. Just like (I hope) most of you are working from home right now. Why not just keep calling it homeschooling? Continue reading »

Image of young girl looking at a camera screen with text The Perfect Field Trip During Social Distancing - Seriously! TheHomeSchoolMom

Cemetery Field Trips for Social Distancing? Yes!

Are you looking for something to do outside with the kids during this period of social distancing? Taking them to a cemetery to document graves respects social distancing while providing kids with an opportunity to participate in a “treasure” hunt, use photography skills, enjoy nature, and learn about history. Continue reading »

Image of sofa with pillows and a lamp on a table with text Suddenly Homeschooling: Resources for when schools close down - TheHomeSchoolMom.com

Suddenly Homeschooling: Resources for When Schools Close

Because of social distancing, school systems across the country are closing for weeks or months, and parents everywhere are asking about how to homeschool or help their children learn at home. Short-term homeschooling is not new—it has existed alongside long-term homeschooling for many years, and parents may be reassured to know that this option has worked well for families for lots of different reasons. If you have kids at home unexpectedly, or if you’re advising a family member or friend with kids who are out of school, here are a few things to keep in mind. Continue reading »

Overhead view of table at a cafe with people holding phones and coffee cups and text The 5 Friends Every Homeschool Parent Needs

The 5 Friends Every Homeschooling Parent Needs

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.
Continue reading »

Image of coffee cup and phone on picnic table and hand writing in journal with text 8 things that are working in our homeschool right now - TheHomeSchoolMom.com

8 Things That Are Working in Our Homeschool Right Now

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 »

Overhead view of a blackboard backgroundwith pencils, ipad, and ruler on top with text Where to turn when you have questions about homeschooling: How a homeschool consultant helped me - TheHomeSchoolMom

Where To Turn When You Have Questions About Homeschooling

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 »

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