I hate standardized tests. As a homeschool mom, I think they’re one of the most useless things on the planet- right up there with cockroaches and mosquitoes.
Yet, just the other week I had a conversation with someone about homeschooling that went something like this: Continue reading “Homeschoolers, Don’t Fall for the Standardized Testing Gimmick!”
The first time I ever saw Tangled, we were in the midst of our experiment with unschooling. I excitedly pointed out to my kids how Rapunzel would have been the perfect unschooler because she was just so…productive!
Today I whipped up a unit study just for you based on this movie- which happens to be my favorite Disney movie ever. Hopefully, your kids will be as inspired as we were!
Enjoy! Continue reading “Love Disney’s Tangled? Try This Free Unit Study!”
Because, hey, can you really have too many unit studies?
In our busy, yet relaxed, homeschool, unit studies are, by far, one of our favorite approaches to learning. To me, a good unit study is the perfect combination of living books, hands-on activities, and notebooking.
There are literally thousands of unit study resources out there, and, I’m telling you, that in itself can be very intimidating to think about.
Today I’ve compiled a list of the best unit study resources I’ve come across so that you can find a slew of fantastic ideas all in one place. Enjoy! Continue reading “The ULTIMATE List of Homeschool Unit Study Resources”
Why I haven’t jumped on the “screen-free summer” bandwagon…
Screens seem to get a bad rap in the parenting world. As technologically advanced as our society is, devices such as phones, tablets, laptops, and TVs are often treated like pariahs in the parenting world. Interestingly enough, where do most people vent about the dangers of these fearsome gadgets? On their screen technology.
Sigh. Continue reading “10 Reasons Why Screen Time Isn’t a Waste of Time”
Have you ever imagined a world parallel to our own? A world in which whimsy and magic are as commonplace as electricity is to us?
Such a place can be found in Jorie and the Gold Key by A.H. Richardson. The second installment in a fanciful series, Jorie and the Gold Key picks up where the first book, Jorie and the Magic Stones, left off. Continue reading “Jorie and the Gold Key by A.H. Richardson- Review”
The Most CRUCIAL Thing I’ve Learned as a Mom of 11!
I love being a mom of many. It’s that simple. The funny thing is, when I try to tell someone that, they often look at me like I have a third eye. Inevitably, this question always comes up sooner rather than later:
How can you have that many children without going a little insane?
I can’t blame them. Our oldest was an only child for 5 1/2 years, and I remember what used to run through my mind whenever I saw a family with a large number of children. Continue reading “How to Keep Your Sanity When You’re a Mom of Many”
I have a love/hate relationship with textbooks. On the one hand, they’re dreadfully dull and lifeless. On the other, they often contain lots of great information; the problem is in how it’s presented.
I think most people have a very narrow view of how a textbook should be used: Read it, complete the review questions and vocabulary, take a test.
Ugh. Can you say b-o-r-i-n-g? Continue reading “Customize Your Homeschool Using a Textbook Table of Contents”
Not looking forward to your kids’ summer vacation? Read on. This simple advice just may surprise you.
As summer break begins or quickly approaches, it’s quite common to hear parents stressed out over this additional time with their kids. Not being acclimated to having their kids home all day, summertime and other school breaks can often be a great source of anxiety for people who just aren’t used to having their kids around all the time. Continue reading “The Most Counterintuitive Piece of Parenting Advice You’ll Ever Receive”
One thing I’ve noticed as a homeschool mom is that I am extremely diligent about my kids reading quality literature but pretty lax about what I read myself.
Don’t get the wrong idea. I don’t spend all my time- or any time, for that matter- reading romance novels (yuck) or celebrity magazines, but I do read quite a bit of what some may consider to be “fluff.”
To my defense, I do devour endless literature selections on education and homeschooling, buuut…okay, I’ll admit it. The rest of my reading selections usually come from the young adult section of the library. Yes, I do like to read many of the same books as my teenage daughters. 😛 Continue reading “Homeschool Moms Need to Read, Too! My Classic Summer Reading List”
Includes almost 50 activity ideas!
Out of all the read-alouds my kids and I have shared, the Harry Potter series has, by far, been one of our absolute favorites. Today, I’m so excited to be sharing with you this:
(Quick note: While these activities can be used any way you wish, for your convenience, I’ve included the related chapter for each activity. And for those of you type-A thinkers- like me- I’ve also included the subject areas each activity covers. Please, I beg you, don’t try to do every single thing I’ve suggested. You’ll drive yourself crazy. With that being said, enjoy!) Continue reading “Free Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Unit Study”
There's No Place Like Home 