I’ve been homeschooling for 14 years, but I still need sanity savers. I usually turn to Pinterest to find them. When I need ideas for a unit study, motivation to get organized, or clever parenting tips, that’s where I go. When I find something that I think will make homeschooling simpler, I pin it for …
Looking to read the BEST Homeschool Blogs? Here are 13 you will love reading that cover a huge spectrum of what homeschoolers need!
Even though we homeschool, back-to-school time is a special time for us too! Check out our activities and traditions that make this time extra-special!
Great Homeschool Conventions always promise to put on quality events. They listen to homeschool families and are always incredibly responsive to the ever-changing needs of the community, making sure to truly have something for everyone. If you check out their offerings, you'll see that they design tracks intended to speak to all kinds of families
With our grade 2 and kindergarten-aged children, our homeschooling days have been amazing so far with our new homeschool routine!
Teaching music in homeschool doesn't have to cause you anxiety or cost you a lot of money either. Discover 5 free resources to teach music with confidence.
June celebrates her minimalist homeschool. Homeschooling allows her to live a slow-paced, simplified life with her family.
Do you fear gaps in your child’s education? Many of us worry about gaps in homeschooling. But, are our fears valid? Let’s take a look at the truth about gaps in homeschooling! When I posted on my Facebook page asking you all if you had any homeschool fears, I was surprised by many of your […]
Before I had children, I spent most of my time working in big cities. New York. Boston. San Francisco. Seattle. Los Angeles. If I walked, it was a few blocks to the office, to the coffee shop, or to the nail salon. I enjoyed that life. It suited me. I haven’t gone camping since I was...
Sharing 3 Amazing Books that will change the way you homeschool! I read them this year and was so encouraged and inspired! If you're new to homeschooling or a veteran homeschool mom--these should be on your must read list!
Teaching reading to kids with dyslexia isn't exactly easy, but spending an hour now on homeschool reading prep will help you achieve a better, more consistent, year of reading.
It's back to school time! Here is a list of must haves for back to homeschool.
If you are ready to start homeschooling or just thinking about it - here are 5 Basic Steps to get you moving in the right direction.
Unit studies are a great approach to take when homeschooling gets hard. Here's some simple ways to set up a unit study and have some fun in your omeschool.
24 benefits of homeschooling your kids, for the parents who need convincing, and the homeschool parent wondering whether homeschooling is really worth it.
Many homeschoolers are guilty of agonizing over homeschool curriculum options! But there is one important thing to consider.
A high school astronomy curriculum can offer students the opportunity to embrace the wonders of the universe, develop critical thinking skills, and even pursue future careers in scientific fields. By fostering an understanding of astronomy that is both enriching and compatible with personal beliefs, educators and parents can encourage a new generation of young minds …
This article is a great place to start if you are thinking about homeschooling your children. Learn why homeschool makes sense for so many families.
Check out my list of homeschool bloggers you should be following. Clare from Homeschool of One was a UK homeschool mom now living in Florida
Do you have a creative child? If you can't keep up with them artistically - Check out this online art curriculum!
We dream of the perfect homeschool, but often reality looks different. Find out the 3 things you can do when your dreams and reality don’t quite match up. ‘Twas the night before homeschool. . . 'Twas the night before homeschool, when all through the houseNot a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;New books and curriculum had been chosen with care,In hopes that Harvard scholarships were sure to be theirs;The children were nestled all snug in their beds;While visions of perfection danced in mom's head. Visions of The Perfect Homeschool Ah yes, the night before the first day of homeschool each year. We go to sleep with visions of The Perfect School Year. We will be organized and intentional, the kids excited to learn. They will wake up, quickly get ready, and eat a healthy, home-cooked breakfast. We will start our day with prayer and snuggling on the couch reading aloud together. No one whines about doing schoolwork. Instead they will ask for more. But then we wake up. Reality doesn’t quite measure up to our dreams. The kids don’t want to get out of bed. The baby was up in the middle of the night, so after sleeping a bit later, we reach for the box of cereal. And no one can find the read aloud book. Then that resource or curriculum that was supposed to be perfect turns out to be less than perfect. So what can we do when when the reality of homeschool strikes? When Your Homeschool Doesn't Look Like You Thought it Would Pray for Wisdom In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.” And Solomon said to God, “You have shown great and steadfast love to David my father, and have made me king in his place. O LORD God, let your word to David my father be now fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?” 2 Chronicles 1:7-10, emphasis added As the new king, Solomon could have asked God for anything. But he chose to ask Him for wisdom. Wisdom and knowledge to lead the ones God had entrusted to his care. God has entrusted us with the care and education of our children. Have we asked Him for wisdom to do just that? There will be times when you just don’t know what to do— how to deal with obstacles, bad attitudes, disobedience, distractedness, frustration, and trouble “getting it” (and this list applies to both us and our children). You will need guidance and wisdom from the One who knows your children better than you do. How often do you go to God first? When there are difficulties in your homeschool there is one thing you need to do before you start researching and asking for other's help. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5 Notice this verse follows the command to “Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds.” Trials have a purpose in your life and in your children's. They mature us. The good news is that we aren’t left on our own through them though. He tells us to ask Him for wisdom in the midst of the difficulties. So let’s start with prayer—on the days that aren’t going well and the days that are. Then we can research and we can ask questions... and God will help us sift through it all with the wisdom He provides. Teach the Child One of my favorite quotes is about who, not what, we are teaching. For some children and for some of the time, certain books will happen to be just right. But if you find yourself struggling to mold your child to a book, try reversing priorities. It’s the child you are teaching, not the book. Bend the book, or find another; make the studies fit the child. Dr. Ruth Beechick After you have prayed for wisdom, know that God will give it to you! Instead of trusting a curriculum, book, or other resource—trust the one who created your children. If something isn’t working, then prayerfully evaluate it. Is there a way this resource can be adapted for my child? How can I approach teaching this subject or concept in a different way so my children will understand it? Can I make learning more enjoyable for us all? Do I need to address a detrimental character trait in my children or myself? God makes each of our children wonderfully unique. We have so many choices when it comes to what we will use to teach them. Before throwing out a book or curriculum because it doesn’t seem to be working, first think about how to adapt it to your children. And then if you have to, find a different resource. Recognize the Difference Between Goals & Desires Goals and desires are two different things. We can set goals for ourselves. We can even set goals that support our desires for another. And we can guide our children in setting their own goals. But we cannot confuse our desires for our children as a specific plan we can accomplish. For example, my husband and I have the desire for our children to grow up, strong in their faith, loving God with their heart, mind, and soul. But if I make the outcome my goal, I run the risk of becoming bitter and angry if my children don’t turn out the way I envisioned. However, our goal can be to provide an environment and home conducive to this desire. We can take our children to church, treat them with love and respect, create family memories, be available to talk and listen, and model our own faith in day-to-day life. When you don’t confuse desires and goals, you can let go of the results. You can trust God and always hope, no matter what the results are. The same is true for your homeschool. You may have a desire for it to look a certain way, and you can choose to work toward goals that will help. But when it isn’t perfect, you can trust the Perfect One. Reality Really is Better! Yes, some days our homeschool will look exactly like we imagined when we began homeschooling. Days where things go smoothly, our kids love learning, and our hearts join together. We will learn and laugh together. But there are days when that won’t happen, too—even weeks or months when nothing seems to go as planned. And that is okay too. Because we all learn and mature and grow in the process. Homeschooling will never be perfect. But that's okay. Perfection is an illusion. It is in imperfection and difficulties that we often learn the most, when character is formed, and flexibility is forged. Our children grow and so do we. We travel a road when we homeschool. And roads are often a bit bumpy along the way. Bends and curves, pot holes and grooves, only make the journey better. ✤ Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. May not copy or download more than 500 consecutive verses of the ESV Bible or more than one half of any book of the ESV Bible.
connecting homeschoolers through social media
Homeschool elective classes made easy with these fun online art classes, music resources, and more!
Everybody loves reading a good homeschool blog. But not all homeschooling blogs are created equal. What are the best homeschool blogs of 2022?
There are so many benefits to teaching your kids story writing. Storytelling has been used in every culture to teach valuable life lessons and good storytellers were always respected. Written communication is still a huge part of today’s society – almost every occupation uses written communication. Writing stories will help your children think more clearly, …
Rooted Childhood promotes connection through creativity, food, books, and activities that the entire family enjoys.
Discover how you can still enjoy your homeschool life despite an erratic schedule. Get tips & resources for making homeschooling fit your busy life.
Preschoolers are my favorite people in the world. They love passionately, they learn with exuberance, and they fight with equal fervor. They just feel. Everything. The thought of teaching preschoolers at home can be overwhelming. You worry that you won’t set them up for success, they won’t learn to read, and they won’t know what
Homeschooling can get a bad rap. Some say it is unfair to children, depriving them of important social and academic opportunities. Here's my response.
photo credit Sharyn Morrow, flickr Dr. Seuss has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom spent countless hours reading the same Seuss books to me over and over again. I did the same for my kids. In fact, The Cat in the Hat was the first book …
Curious to know what a typical day in the life of a blogging homeschool mom looks like? Take a behind-the-scenes look at my schedule, tasks, and perspective
Gameschooling goes so much better with an organized space. Here's how the KonMarie method has improved our gameschooling days.
Another common criticism of homeschoolers is that they won't have the skills required for their desired career path, but the evidence does not back this up.
This month we are kicking off a fun series all about homeschool method s. In this episode I am peeling back the curtain on a day in the life of MY favorite homeschool method, eclectic homeschooling.
Learn how to make smooth homeschool transitions so you can optimize use of your time & energy. Make more time for learning fun with your kids!
So many homeschooling styles - how do you COMPARE them when they're so different? Here's an easy way to decide which homeschooling style suits your family.
It doesn't have to take a lot of extra work to make homeschooling exciting. You can make it more exciting for yourself as well as your kids.
Please share!Are you a year-round homeschool family or do you take a break from the structure and rigor of the rest of the year to relax and just enjoy the warmer weather? Whether or not you always homeschool in the summer or not, there are creative ways to keep your children learning. 5 Creative Ways […]
Do you have worries that keep you from homeschooling with confidence and joy? Read this article for the encouragement you need.
It is a privilege to learn and grow through community service. Volunteering has become a vital part of our homeschool. Here are 6 ways it can benefit yours.
Tired of hearing 'Are we done yet?!' during your homeschool day? This simple and flexible homeschool routine is the key to stop the whining and kickstart your kids' productivity! It will give you a daily schedule that is just right for your unique kids. I have been using this routine method for over 3 years in my homeschool and it works - for all my kids! There is even a free printable with so you can get going today! #homeschoolroutine #simple #homeschool #howtohomeschool #freeprintable
Use this fun & free printable chart to track your homeschool year! Awesome interactive & visual way to record your homeschool days.
Do you struggle to motivate your children and make them eager homeschoolers? Here are 6 little things that can make a BIG difference in your homeschool.
Mindset refers to your frame of mind as you go about this whole homeschooling journey. Here are some tips for getting your homeschooling mindset in order.
Here's a list of fun books to celebrate everything spring: gardening, clouds, warm rain, wind, flowers, and being outside in the sunshine!
Homeschooling after the holidays can prove challenging. Here are 3 ways to gently ease back into homeschooling and get a great start to the new year.