This post is a photo journal assignment my 9th grader completed for a high school Language Arts assignment. This child was homeschooled from the beginning and did not go to public school until 9th grade. He is a energetic, extroverted, creative and fun loving kid. I say this lest the reader think he is just…
Do you ever get tired of educational hype and trendy fads? Want to know the truth about S.T.E.M.? It's not about the catchy acronym. Educate yourself so you can judge products before you buy, not every fancy package with the S.T.E.M. label on it will guide your child towards a lucrative career in tech. Also,…
Open Letter to a mom I know who hates herself for being less than. Dear Mom, I know you grew up thinking you needed to do everything perfectly. The voice in your head says the goal of our lives is perfection if we settle for less we are giving up and must be lazy. I…
Monday I will be writing a Dear mom post, this is for any moms who struggle with wanting to be perfect, or have a perfect plan, or a perfectly ordered house, or perfect children etc. Tuesday I come back with thoughts and resources about homeschooling for free. Also, on Tuesday, you will want to check…
A mom’s guide to knowing the difference and getting what you really need. Self-care should be self-explanatory and a simple concept and idea, easy to describe if not easy to implement. However, once marketing genius’s (I do not say this with disdain, they are a very intelligent bunch) get a hold of a popular idea,…
Last week I promised to write about how to get your kids to stop whining when it is time to clean up or do chores. This trick also helps the chores get done well. This is a really old coffee can I found at my grandmother's house while helping sort through a lifetime of treasures…
Homeschool FreedomSource file: Homeschool_Freedom.docxAuthor: Marla SzwastCreated: 2018-07-11 18:42:00Modified: 2018-07-16 15:16:00 Homeschool Freedom The freedom we have as homeschoolers is both one of our greatest assets and sometimes our own worst enemy. I love the freedom that suddenly becomes available to us when we choose to homeschool our kids. It is a breath of fresh air….
One of the ultimate goals of schooling, or academic work, is the ability for abstract thought. We hope children will not only remember the things we teach them, but that they will be able to take concepts they have learned within the academic world and apply them, making connections both between subjects and also applying…
When I was a young, new, enthusiastic, homeschool mom I did some things right. I did some things wrong. Guess what? It doesn’t really matter. My kids don’t remember the mistakes I made. They also don’t remember when I was super-awesome. Now that I am a seasoned homeschool mom (hey, I have grey hair proof…
This article is not about avoiding it, it is about making it impossible and finding your way out if it has found a way into your homeschool this winter. It is time to address the homeschooling trend of winter slumps. Why do I call it a trend? Because it has been popularized, and everyone seems…