Is social media actually social? We think of social media as a connector, but is it delivering on that promise? Or is it simply redefining what we mean when we say and think social and connection? When we pause to think and examine the realities rather than simply go along with the flow and keep…
The adolescent years are where we are most tempted to give up homeschooling, yet home can be such a needed supportive atmosphere for the turbulent pre-teen years. The curriculum is not the most important piece, but it is where we often begin. Let me share the curriculum we’ve used to homeschool middle school, as well…
The bulk of our homeschooling years are spent in the elementary phase, and I believe the books and curriculum we choose is critical to our own longevity as homeschoolers. If we choose curriculum that feels official but sucks the life out of learning, we will not have the stamina or confidence to homeschool into the…
So many people give up on homeschooling when it comes to high school, but there’s no need to get intimidated. Home is still a great place to give our students a quality classical education, as long as we provide them with the supports they need to finish well. You can homeschool high school classically. I’ll…
There are so many choices to make when we start to homeschool. And the question: What homeschool curriculum best fits our style and needs? is at the top. After over a decade of homeschooling, here is what we’ve found works for us. Take, mix with brains, and experiment with curiosity to find out what works best for…
“Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life: they feed the soul. When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored.” Anne Lamott What I’m…
We’ve been classically homeschooling our family of five for a dozen years now. When my oldest turned six, I was pregnant with baby #4 and had an eighteen-month-old getting into everything and a four-year-old wanting to do everything his brother did. Over the years we added a fifth baby, everyone eventually learned to read, and…
Perhaps you are two or more weeks into your homeschool year and you’re wondering who thought this was a good idea. Not that you need them, but here are some reasons not to homeschool you might not have thought of yet. Then again, you probably have. At first, homeschooling seems fun and simple. But it…
A sense of humor is mandatory if we want to escape or recover from homeschool burnout, or even simple motherhood burnout. A homeschool lifestyle requires our attention – and the attention we give our kids will either be critical or humorous. Which do you think will be more effective? Let’s look at how to cultivate…
You need to be a happy mom. Happiness is not a luxury nor is it an accident. Since the beginning of philosophy, man has understood that he desires happiness. What is a happy mom? Convivial: Because mom is the home atmosphere Lighten up! Morning Time as Happy Time (and what happiness truly is) Do moms…