Written by contributor Jena of Yarns of the Heart

We have only one chance with our children. They will only be toddlers once. Thank goodness!

And they will only be seven years old once, ten years old once, fourteen years old once, and then they will be out the door.

They come back once in a while, but it’s never the same.

So while you have those little ones at home, make the most of it. This is your window of opportunity. Build a strong foundation that will support them the rest of their lives.
[Read more...]

Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool, also blogs about motherhood at Steady Mom

The past few days have taken me on a little stroll down memory lane. You see, last week marked the third anniversary of the start of this blog.

In that time Simple Homeschool has grown radically, and I’ve been incredibly blessed to be along for the ride. Some of you have been reading from the beginning, and I’m thankful for your encouragement and loyalty as readers.

Way back when Tsh of Simple Mom offered me this position, though, I wasn’t sure I was the right fit. “Are you sure you want me?” I remember asking.

There were a multitude of reasons why I didn’t seem qualified–isn’t that always the way we feel when we step into new things? Like homeschooling, for example!

And though not all of you are bloggers, you may still relate to my reasons of why I felt unqualified and what I’ve learned in the past three years:
[Read more...]

Written by contributor Kris Bales of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

Winter doldrums. Winter Blues. Cabin fever.

I was not going to write about this seasonal phenomenon because I’ve seen it mentioned on several other blogs recently. It’s been covered, right?

But I’ve been feeling a little blah myself lately. It hasn’t been as bad as I’ve experienced in the past, but enough to remind me that it’s something we all deal with…and I know a lot of moms have a worse case than I do.

So what causes the winter blues and how they be combated?
[Read more...]

Written by contributor Amida of Journey into Unschooling

I grew up on a lot of TV. The first show I remember ever watching was a cartoon called Xiao Tian Tian. I had lived with a lot of other kids and every dinner, we’d all grab our bowls of rice, leave our families, and gather around the tiny screen to watch. I don’t recall a single dish I ate, but can still hear the theme song in my head…

We got our first TV set when I was around five. It had turn dials, rabbit ears, and no remote control. The first show that came on was Wile E. Coyote trying to catch his Road Runner.
[Read more...]

Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool, also blogs about motherhood at Steady Mom

“Once upon a time, there were four girls, who had enough to eat and drink and wear, a good many comforts and pleasures, kind friends and parents, who loved them dearly, and yet they were not contented.” – From a story Marmee told her daughters about some “girls” she once knew

Last autumn I decided to return for the first time in two decades to a book I once loved: Little Women. I have fond memories of Meg, Beth, Amy, and the sister I identified most with, Jo.

As a teen the hopes and ambitions of these young women captured my imagination. How would life turn out for them? Would they find the men of their dreams? Would Laurie end up with Jo? I had my eye on a certain boy at the time myself (he’s now my husband ) and the girls’ romantic notions fit my own.

Reading the novel as a 36-year-old, however, was a new experience. This time my focus turned toward the awe-inspiring mother, Marmee. After all, I’m in the midst of raising my brood just as she did.

Her four daughters had vastly different opinions in almost every area of life, but they agreed on one thing–their love and near adoration for their mother:
[Read more...]