Q&A: How do you talk to others about homeschooling?

by on August 30, 2010
in a mom's education · 34 Comments

Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool and founder of Steady Mom

I‘ll always remember that day at the library.

“Are you going off to kindergarten soon?” a well-meaning lady asked my four-year-old. He stared at her blankly, having never heard the word “kindergarten” before in his life.

“Uh, we’re thinking about homeschooling,” I said in a slightly nervous voice, my eyes on the floor.

It was the first time I’d been asked in public about it–but it most certainly was not the last.

If you’ve been at this for a while, I’m sure you have a similar story in your homeschooling history. Whether it’s a stranger, family member, or a prospective homeschooler, questions about your educational choice can catch you off guard or even leave you feeling defensive.

It’s helpful to develop some “standard answers” for these occasions. [Read more...]

Weekend Links

by on August 29, 2010
in links · 1 Comment

Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool and founder of Steady Mom

“Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.”
~ Albert Einstein

Homeschool Encouragement: Reflections from a Homeschool Graduate

by on August 27, 2010
in inspiration · 12 Comments

The following is a guest post written by Rachel Cross of From the Pantry.

To all the homeschool moms out there who fret over whether you are educating your children the “right” way – this post is for you!

As a product of homeschooling myself, I remember my mom often feeling uncertain of her ability to offer us a solid education. In those days, homeschooling was not very common and many people were rather vocal in their disapproval and doubt as to its validity. But my mom ignored the naysayers, stuck to her guns, and chose to offer us the education she felt was best.

Looking back now, I am deeply grateful to my mother for choosing to homeschool my brother and me. I often reflect upon the wonderful gifts I found in our homeschool. In this post, I’d like to share the rewards I have reaped and remind you that you are giving your child something unique and beautiful through the choice to homeschool.

Here are seven of the wonderful advantages homeschooling gave me. [Read more...]

Balancing Character Education with Academics

by on August 25, 2010
in inspiration · 27 Comments

Written by Jessica Fisher of Life as Mom

After two months of a blissful summer vacation, our little school started back into full swing last week. Thanks to several weeks of planning and more than a few book deliveries, I was excited to dive into new subjects and continue this formal exploration of the world with my children.

We were going to expand our horizons, jump into foreign language study, and engage in animated discussions of history, literature, and science. Our homeschool was going to be characterized by a love of learning and the hum of studious industry. My children and I were going to achieve academic greatness this year. My enthusiasm for learning was infectious!

Or so I thought.

By the time lunch break rolled around on that first day, I had been keenly reminded that academics, while important, were not the sole purpose of teaching my children at home.

Motivation? Attitude? Living peacefully with one’s fellow man? I had forgotten to add those subjects to the syllabus. [Read more...]

Back to School Week Winners

by on August 22, 2010
in giveaways · 4 Comments

Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool and founder of Steady Mom

Don’t you just love being a winner?! I hope you enjoyed the posts and giveaways we hosted this week–thanks to all our readers and sponsors for making this a fabulous back to school kickoff.

We’ll return to our regularly scheduled programming here tomorrow, but today is reserved for my favorite part of hosting giveaways–announcing the winners! So let’s do that now, shall we? [Read more...]

Back to School Tips (Words from the Wise): Back to School Week

by on August 20, 2010
in inspiration · 8 Comments

Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool and founder of Steady Mom

Are you in need of a few back to school tips? Or maybe just some encouragement to distract you from reviewing piles of curricula and workbooks?

One of the things that has made my homeschooling life much easier is gathering wisdom and guidance from families further along the educational journey. On those days when I think, “Am I doing this right? Am I screwing this up?” it gives me confidence to hear of someone else’s triumphs.

As you prepare, both physically and mentally, for the start of a new year of homeschooling–consider these tips and reflections from moms in the trenches who write here at Simple Homeschool. [Read more...]

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