Simplifying Your School Morning When it's time to go back to school, it's not easy to get everyone up, fed, dressed, and ready for school, especially when it still feels like summer outside. If you're not a morning person, it is even harder to think straight when you are rushing around trying to get things done. My boys are not natural early … [Read more...] about Back to School Morning Cheat Sheet
Getting Started
Roadschooling 101
Making Roadschooling Work for You When life gets in the way of homeschooling, homeschool parents often have to take school on the road. Sometimes, life seems to get in the way of plowing ahead and finishing the week's schoolwork. Despite traveling, doctor's appointments, sports practice, extracurricular classes, and running errands, homeschool … [Read more...] about Roadschooling 101
Homeschooling is Freedom to Learn
Customizing Homeschool to Meet the Needs of Our Students How to Nurture the Freedom to Learn As home educators, we have the freedom and flexibility to customize our homeschools to our students' individual needs. This is probably the biggest perk of homeschooling. Our primary goal as our children’s teachers should be to nurture their joy of … [Read more...] about Homeschooling is Freedom to Learn
The Ultimate List of Free & Low Cost Field Trips
Field Trips for Learning Field trips are an important aspect of education as kids get to see, hear, and do as you explore your community. Oral histories and hands-on experiences lead to discovery learning, and this kind of learning really sticks. Kids recall things they’ve heard from the people who experienced them much more than from simply … [Read more...] about The Ultimate List of Free & Low Cost Field Trips
Teaching Difficult Subjects When You Don’t Feel Qualified
These Options Will Make Those Difficult Subjects Easy! Homeschool parents often have concerns about whether or not they can handle teaching certain subjects, especially as kids get older. Some parents don’t feel they are qualified to teach more advanced subjects like algebra, chemistry, or foreign languages. Homeschool parents may already feel … [Read more...] about Teaching Difficult Subjects When You Don’t Feel Qualified
The A+ Homeschool Planner
Plan, Record & Celebrate Each Child's Progress This blog uses referral links. Please read my disclosure policy. With the new school year just around the corner, homeschool planning is in full swing for many moms this month. It is an exciting time to be shopping for curriculum, figuring out schedules, and hitting the school supply … [Read more...] about The A+ Homeschool Planner
A Game Plan for Choosing Curriculum
Here are some critical pre-season preparations! It’s that time of year! Around mid-summer, homeschool moms begin a type of training camp to get ready for fall. You may be inundated with curriculum catalogs in the mail and emails selling digital bundles. You may have attended your first homeschool convention (spring practice) near the … [Read more...] about A Game Plan for Choosing Curriculum
The Homeschool Balancing Act
Living Each Day in the Moment We moms know that life in general can be a balancing act, but when you throw homeschooling in with all the other stuff you have to get done, it can seem like an overwhelming task. On top of that, you might be teaching multiple grades, tackling high school subjects, or dealing with a curious toddler. Field trips, … [Read more...] about The Homeschool Balancing Act
10 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Buying Curriculum
Budgeting for curriculum is on every homeschool mom’s list. But, don’t you just hate it when you buy something you end up not using? What to consider BEFORE buying new curriculum: Hand-me-downs don’t always fit. Chances are each of your kids will have a different learning style. What works with one may not work with the others. Don’t … [Read more...] about 10 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Buying Curriculum
Curriculum Fail!
What if your curriculum does not work? Many homeschool parents experience stress when their curriculum does not work out. In fact, all homeschool parents probably experience a "curriculum fail" at least once during their journey. The thing is, no curriculum is perfect. What works with one child might not work with another. Consider this: … [Read more...] about Curriculum Fail!
5 Tips for Enjoying a Homeschool Convention
Enjoying a Homeschool Convention This blog uses affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. We've been homeschooling for ten years, but last year was the first time I ever attended a homeschool convention. I was always afraid that it would be an overwhelming experience, but it ended up being a time of refreshment, encouragement, … [Read more...] about 5 Tips for Enjoying a Homeschool Convention
Easy High School Record Keeping
Record keeping! (I’m not talking about that cute little sparkly box filled with your vinyl 45s.) It kind of brings on a deer-in-the-headlights look when some of us are faced with keeping records for our high school students. I remember saying that we would take homeschooling one year at a time when we first started ten years ago. I honestly … [Read more...] about Easy High School Record Keeping
Planning Unit Studies for the Holidays
Incorporating Holidays and Homeschool Learning This blog uses affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. The holidays are just around the corner (at least according to the stores), and since I like to incorporate them into our school calendar, I plan now for some holiday-related books and activities. I schedule chapter books beginning … [Read more...] about Planning Unit Studies for the Holidays
Homeschool Mom Permission Slip
If you homeschool, do you consider yourself to be a teacher? Do you feel empowered to make decisions for your homeschool and not be at the mercy of what the book says? Well, here is your permission slip: From the day you became a parent, you also became a teacher, and you are equipped to teach your child. A major cause of homeschool failure … [Read more...] about Homeschool Mom Permission Slip