When Your Homeschooled Child Isn’t a Prodigy

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Yesterday my kids and I watched Wonder for the umpteenth time. As with what usually happens when I’ve watched something once too many times, my mind started drifting and ended up – you guessed it – focusing on how this movie perpetuates some common homeschool stereotypes.

If you’ve seen this film, you might be assuming that I’m referring to the fact that August’s mother has decided to send him to school for “socialization,” and while that does irritate me just a bit, that’s not what I’m referring to today.

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Self-Directed Learning: It’s Time to Clear Something Up…

Ah, self-directed learning. It’s one of my absolute favorite advantages of relaxed homeschooling. There can be no more effective way for children to learn, in my opinion.

In fact, its efficacy is what has enabled me to embrace a simpler homeschool approach for my children. Out of all the “fool-proof” tricks I’ve tried and well-intentioned advice I’ve received, there is no denying the fact that kids (at least, my kids) learn far more successfully and enthusiastically when they themselves are the ones who are given the reins on their education.

However, over the past few months I have realized that there are some who don’t quite understand what self-directed learning actually is, and I’ve found that the most confusion stems from one faulty idea: that self-directed learning is just another name for independent learning.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

5 Ways Unit Studies Saved Our Homeschool

Once upon a time, I quit homeschooling and sent my kids back to school.

Yes, really.

It’s not something I’m proud of, but I’ve come to realize that that dark experience is what gave me the courage to be as – ahem – outspoken about homeschooling and the public education system as I am.

While there were many things that gave me the courage and confidence to take them back out again after two years to begin our homeschool anew, today I’m going to focus on one thing that has kept us grounded:

Traditional Schooling Is Nothing More Than “Educational” Multitasking

Did you ever notice how everyone today seems to be singing the praises of multitasking? Articles, blogs, and books are completely dedicated to the “art” of doing several things at once as if it were actually a good thing.

I beg to differ.

Gone are the days of considering multitasking to be something as simple as answering the phone or changing the baby’s diaper while making dinner. If only that were the case.

Everything You Need to Know to Start Homeschooling

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – embarking on a new homeschooling journey can be scary. What can be more intimidating than being in charge of your child’s education when it’s been done by “professionals” for generations?

Well, I’ll tell you what…taking that very first step to begin with.

The fact is, there is so much more to beginning to homeschool than choosing curriculum and praying you get it right. Truth be told, choosing curriculum is actually one of the last things that should happen when getting started. 

A Must-Follow Reading Plan for Every New Homeschool Parent

I’ve been thinking. If there was one thing I could change about the beginning of our homeschool journey…. okay… strike that. (Because, unfortunately, there’s way more than one thing I’d change.) Okay, let’s rephrase that… one of the things I wish I had done as a new homeschool parent was to take the time to read.

Seems simple enough, right? So simple, in fact, that you may be wondering why I now feel it would have been so important for me then.

I’m going to tell you why. 

Don’t Make This Mistake When Homeschooling High School

Homeschooling high school is a scary thing. Believe me, I get it.  I’m going to cut to the chase today because I need to address someting that I see happening quite often. You see, this very fear is what I honestly believe is at the root of a mistake many homeschooling parents make once their kids reach those last four years of “school.”

It’s a mistake that many people wouldn’t even consider to be a problem in the first place, and therein lies the problem. 

First World Problems: The INSANITY of 21st Century Parenting

You know, when it comes to 21st century parenting, let’s admit that we have an epidemic of people who simply aren’t interested in being a part of their kids’ lives.

Am I talking about deadbeat dads? Nope.

Absent mothers? Uh-uh.

Unfortunately, I’m referring to something that is often considered mainstream and is all too often heralded by the mainstream media.

Any guesses? You’ll have to watch the video to find out!

Homeschooling and education are my passion. It is my fervent hope to one day devote more time to creating content for you. If you’d like to support this ministry, consider supporting me on Patreon. 

Thank you so much. I appreciate each and every one of you!

How to Homeschool with Living Books

I love homeschooling. And I love books, so what better than to combine the two?

Now I’m not talking textbooks here – no thank you! As a homeschool mom, it is extremely important to me that my kids are learning in a way that is interesting and engaging, and, unfortunately, textbooks just don’t fit those criteria in my humble opinion. 

The Secret to Cutting Homeschool Clutter This Holiday Season

Christmas can be a crazy time of year. Between the shopping, the baking, the crafting, and the wrapping, keeping any house organized can be a bit of a struggle, let alone a homeschooling household.

We live in a world today that touts the importance of doing it all, but the cold, hard truth of it is that no one can do it all.

No one.

So today I’m not going to share with you how to homeschool all day and keep a perfectly organized home. Instead, I’m going to share the secret that’s kept our home in one piece over the holidays for the ten years we’ve been homeschooling: