At the Heart of Homeschooling

by on February 19, 2010
in a mom's education · 45 Comments

When we began homeschooling,  I was very idealistic. My kids were going to enjoy their childhood, nurture their love of learning, and be free from school stress. They would grow up to be emotionally healthy adults with every chance to succeed.

Then we hit the first roadblock: ME. Having little children at home 24/7 was exhausting. Realizing their educational future rested on my shoulders was terrifying. Accepting the full responsibility of their emotional development was crushing. At least parents who send their kids to school have someone to blame if things go wrong.

Let’s face it, homeschooling is not for cowards. [Read more...]

New on Simple Kids- Slowing Down: Taking the Time to Make Some Time

by on February 18, 2010
in links ·

Do you ever feel rushed as you plow through a day at home with your family?

Then head over to Simple Kids today, where Kara is writing about ways to halt the rush and usher some extra time into your life. From her post:

“What busy parent doesn’t wish for more time in the day?

While I may not be able to actually create an extra hour, I have found that I can give myself the illusion of more time. When life has been hectic, and things are starting to feel rough around the edges, I know that I need to take the time to make some time.”

Head here to read the rest!

New on Simple Bites: Simplify Dinner with a One-Pot Meal

by on February 16, 2010
in links ·

Homeschooling families know the challenge it can be to keep up with a day full of learning, and then have to tackle dinner plans as well.

That’s why I know you’ll enjoy today’s post on Simple Bites, where Aimee discusses one-pot meals. From her post:

“One-pot meals are like the footie pajamas of the family table; cozy, familiar, and easy to throw on. They offer the pleasure of home cooking assembled with little fuss and minimal clean-up…”

Click here to read the rest!

Weekend Links & Giveaway Winner

by on February 14, 2010
in links · 5 Comments

And after 1,006 entries, the winner of the amazing Simple Homeschool Launch Week Giveaway package is…….
[Read more...]

An Ounce of Prevention

by on February 11, 2010
in organization · 8 Comments

We homeschool year round.  This means that we take breaks as we need them, which usually ends up being in December, April and August.  As a result, we school for three semesters each year.  Each semester looks different from the previous one.  For example, in the summer months we often end up homeschooling on the road.

During each break, I look over our goals and accomplishments and decide what needs to be prioritized for the next school semester. Having several times set aside to evaluate allows me to stay on top of each child’s education.

Some steps I take to make sure our priorities match up with our yearly goals:

[Read more...]

How to Build Your Family’s Homeschool

by on February 10, 2010
in methods & philosophies · 24 Comments

My kids love building miniature houses. I think most children their age share this same interest. Colorful Lego castles, cardboard Victorian mansions, popsicle stick cabins–our living room floor has seen them all.

Homeschooling families have something in common with these structures my children like to build–both are diverse and unique.

If you’ve been homeschooling for a while or have just started looking into it you might be familiar with the following scenario: We start reading about the crafts, Latin studies, Shakespeare play, acre garden or cool science experiments that other families do and we rush out to do the same thing.

We want to build a homeschool environment that looks just like another family’s. But what we really need to build is our own creation.

Can I encourage you to do something before you start paying for phonics curriculum, pottery lessons and Lego robotics?

[Read more...]

« Older Posts
Newer Posts »