Written by Simple Homeschool contributor Renee Tougas of FIMBY.

We all have tasks in our days that are important and require diligence. Homeschooling, homemaking, family life, health, creative pursuits, and employment are just a few priorities that you might be juggling daily.

Consistency in some of these areas might come more naturally than in others. My strong suit is homemaking. Maybe that’s because I’ve been at it for well over a decade. Staying on top of meals, laundry and bills is nearly second nature.

But homeschooling is harder for me–especially now that I am making a more disciplined effort to build a foundation of reading, writing and math for our elementary aged children.

This year I am challenging myself, more than ever, to stay on top of our daily homeschool priorities. We are now a couple months into our school year and experiencing success with a particular technique that is helping us meet our goals.

I call this technique anchoring.
[Read more...]

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

If you went to traditional school growing up, you probably remember the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas vacation. They involved excited restless bodies, counting down the days and minutes until holiday time (& a break from school) arrived.

Teachers recall trying to control the wiggly masses and attempting to keep learning levels high. It seems like yesterday to me–the blessed relief I felt at no more school for two whole weeks!

Homeschooling families don’t deal with this exact situation, but we still struggle with similar issues. When our children begin having trouble paying attention–gazing longingly at the holiday decorations, what should we do?
[Read more...]