Research has shown that the simple the act of getting children outside is the most effective way to foster environmental consciousness. As prominent environmental educator David Sobel eloquently stated, “one transcendent experience in nature is worth a thousand nature facts.” It turns out that children who have an immersive experience in nature develop a deep love of the environment that they carry with them their entire lives. Continue reading »
Homeschooling Archives
Too Much, Too Fast, and for Too Long
It’s the time of year when families are suffering from Sudden Onset Homeschooling Syndrome. On social media, I’m seeing a lot of questions from new and newer homeschooling parents who are unhappy to find themselves with resistant children. “Please tell me how to make him sit down and do his work,” a mom requests. Continue reading »
Plan Ahead for the Homeschooling Year
As most veteran homeschoolers know, things change from year to year. Aside from your student’s evolving needs, new curriculum is made available, laws get updated, and improved tools in schedule and record keeping flow from various sources. With that in mind, here’s how to start organizing and preparing for the upcoming year. Continue reading »
Hero of Homeschooling: The Mother’s Helper
Need a few quiet hours to work or write or think or walk or nap or do the dishes? Have you considered the potential miracle of a mother’s helper? That ten- or eleven-year-old homeschooled child from someone else’s family might be the key to helping your family blossom. Continue reading »
Creative Writing: Writing a Day in the Life Story
Journaling is a great writing activity because it’s very adaptable. Journal prompts are only limited by your imagination. A great extension of journaling is writing a day in the life story. Homeschooling families make excellent and interesting subjects–there’s always something going on… Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: “Does school decide what grade?”
We have moved and I would like him to attend our new home public school at the beginning of the second semester. If I began the school year doing 3rd grade work, would they accept him as a 3rd grade student at the second semester? Who decides what grade a child enters when they return back to public schools? Continue reading »
Your Guide to Planning a Successful Homeschool Year
I know it’s July, but I’m pretty sure many of you are already thinking about the upcoming, not-to-distant homeschool year that will be here before we know it. Right? Well, if you’re not, you should be. Even if you’ve been homeschooling since your now teenager was drinking from a sippy cup, there is always something new to learn and undiscovered information to consider when you’re a homeschooler. Continue reading »
Considering Homeschooling? Find the Right Fit.
Homeschooling is all about finding the right fit: finding what works for each child, for the homeschooling parent, and for the family’s lifestyle and values. Luckily, homeschooling has gained mainstream popularity in the last decade and the resources for homeschoolers have exploded into a veritable feast of choices. Continue reading »
Let Your Children Keep Their Own Homeschool Records
Homeschooling brings with it a plethora of busywork that only adds more stress to a homeschool mom’s already busy schedule. Letting your children keep their own logs is an easy way to lighten your load. Children can easily keep track of their learning progress in simple notebooks, planners, or on pre-printed pages. Think of the process as another hands-on project that teaches valuable skills. Continue reading »
When Your Child Goes from Homeschooling to Public School
Sometimes things change, and your child will go from homeschooling to attending public school. What should you expect when you start the process? Here are a few first thoughts… Continue reading »
Six Important Attitudes to Develop in Your Child
The purpose of a stake and shelter circling a young sapling is to give it protection and support and equip it with internal strength and nourishment so that it will be prepared for the days ahead. Moving our children from babies to adulthood is similar to moving a sapling from the greenhouse shelter to the open garden. Continue reading »
Short-term Homeschooling
Some people know they will homeschool before their children are born. Some begin homeschooling after their children spend some time in school, but then they decide to homeschool “forever” — or at least, for years. Others decide to take it “a year at a time,” but the implication is that if it works out, homeschooling will be ongoing. And then there are short-term homeschoolers… Continue reading »
Creative Writing Using Story Enrichment Paper Chains
Children’s minds are bubbling over with stories — funny stories, anecdotes about life going on around them, recaps of play dates with friends, and tall tales that grow taller by the minute. As a long-time homeschool mom, it was my job to tap into those bubbles of creativity and help my children put words to those amazing stories. That’s not as easy as it sounds. Continue reading »
12 Strategies for Nurturing a Strong Connection with Your Child
As we move through the years of parenting and homeschooling, maintaining our connection with our children is essential. Nurturing this connection is the most important thing we can do as parents. We sometimes hear parents lamenting that they feel they’ve lost the connection with their child and are not sure how to get it back. Continue reading »
Homeschool Summer Learning
It’s tough to think about learning when there’s so much fun to be had, and we understand! That’s why you’ll find five learning loss statistics below along with five suggestions on how to help your kids avoid the notorious “summer brain drain.” Continue reading »
Finding Friends at Homeschool Park Days
Many official homeschool groups and co-ops, as well as loose knit homeschooling companions, gather regularly at community parks throughout the United States. The “park day” is the activity that has the lowest barrier to entry for new homeschooling families. Homeschool Park Days are held at public parks, so people can come and go, and there is no cost or commitment for joining a group because you’re not joining a group. Continue reading »
Instead of Curriculum: Boomerang Audio Magazine
Those of us who have been homeschooling a while know that sometimes the best resources aren’t the newest or flashiest. That’s the case with Boomerang Audio Magazine for kids. A big benefit of these audio resources is that kids can be busy doing other things with their hands or bodies while listening. For some kids, this actually enhances learning, because they’re not focused on having to keep still, which can take a lot of energy. Continue reading »
Year Round Homeschooling: 5 Tips for a Successful Year
I remember our first day of homeschooling like it was yesterday. In the beginning, we followed the traditional public school schedule. This was new territory for me, and I felt safe wrapped in tradition. Later, I no longer needed the safety net of tradition. I had evolved. It felt freeing. After a bit of trial and error, we discovered year round homeschooling. I was in love. Continue reading »
Homeschool Mom Survival Gear
How do we do it? Schlep our kids to activities, keep up with the errands, haul around all those overdue library books, and homeschool, without losing our minds? Continue reading »
Banish Homeschool Burnout in One Week!
As a homeschooler, there comes a point, perhaps several points during your homeschool career, when everyone starts feeling burnt out. The kids are bored, you’re at your wit’s end and as much as you don’t want to admit it, the thought has crossed your mind to send them back to school and throw in the towel. Continue reading »
