Why Many Homeschool Parents Quit

I consider myself somewhere between an Eclectic Home Educator and one who embraces the Multiple Intelligences method, or even Relaxed.

No matter which method you choose, whether using a whole curriculum and finishing each workbook, Classical, Relaxed, community co-ops, etc…

The truth is, it’s down right hard!

Taking the responsibility for your child’s education is a heavy one. It is one that every homeschooling mom wrestles with every year. It’s a constant, ‘Am I doing it right? Am I doing enough? Am I ruining my child for life? What if…?’

Why Play Chess

Our kids are learning to play chess with this set. I love it because it shows you which way each piece can move. (aff link)

It’s a LOT better than watching TV on these long winter nights and Mom and Dad don’t have to sit there to referee each.and.every.move!

Chess improves a child’s:

learning skills

analytical skills

It improves a family’s:

communication

How to Host a Thanksgiving Feast and Unit Study

Purpose: Fellowship, food, education in the form of an opportunity for our kids to research, study and prepare a presentation about the first Thanksgiving (public speaking skills). Their presentation does not have to be long, detailed or polished. This is a good starting point for the younger children, even if they only tell one fact.

2 Weeks Before Feast Day

Each family began their own unit study/research. Each child is asked to dress in character and present something they have learned; it can be a poem, a song, a reenactment, a speech, whatever they want.

Does Abuse and Neglect REALLY Happen in Homeschool Families?

This week’s post, From a Homeschool Victim Who Obviously Survived, written by our adult daughter about her homeschool years has caused quite a stir. It has been shared 35,000 times on Facebook and been the center of some heated conversations and also been the source of great encouragement to parents to keep doing the tough job of parenting. There was MUCH more positive feedback than negative.

From a Homeschool Victim Who Obviously Survived

Disclaimer: This post is not meant to discredit real abuse. Real abuse happens within all walks of life. It does need to be addressed and dealt with - with punishment for the offender and healing for the very real victim. But this post is a satire about a life that often seems hard and unfair. What child does not think life is unfair at times?

Six years have passed since I graduated from what I have been trained to call formal education. I was taught that education was about more than the books and grades, so we called our curriculum, our scheduled learning, “formal education”. It is all documented in those records we kept, just in case anyone accused us of not doing real school.

Memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 - Let Love Abide (video)

There are 3 things I want my kids to know more than anything:

1. Who God is and what He really said.

Which is why we read and memorize Scripture. As we read, study and memorize the Holy Spirit will reveal more and more truth to us. You can’t really grow in truth if you only hear a sermon once a week. As we learn whole chapters at a time we are learning verses in context. This makes it easier when we do hear preaching or teaching on a verse to have discernment whether or not it is being taught in the context of all of God’s word, and it also gives us a deeper understanding for the groundwork already laid.

Why Homeschool Through High School

“Any child who can spend an hour or two a day, or more if he wants, with adults that he likes, who are interested in the world and like to talk about it, will on most days learn far more from their talk than he would learn in a week of school.” ~ John Holt

The high school years are the best years to homeschool. Their foundation has been laid, their basics have been learned and now the ball is in their court. These are the years to start nudging them to fly as they are pointed in the direction they need to go.

The 3 W’s - Reevaluating Homeschooling

If you have ever walked into a homeschool curriculum fair for your first time you no doubt walked out overwhelmed and confused. The choices for homeschooling methods and curriculum are endless.

Even after homeschooling for over 20 years you’d think I’d have no doubts or questions on what to do.

When you factor in the unique needs of each child and the changing seasons of life along with new and better curricula, most of us will find ourselves reevaluating what we are using.

Learning the Water Cycle - Easy Unit Study

One of my best friends needed a hand so I offered to take her kids for the day, 7 of her 10. My hat goes off to all you homeschool moms of many…I’m pooped!

We started our day out with a days of creation project, but I don’t have pictures of that!

I planned a day of learning about the water cycle.

Lots of crafts and YouTube videos.

We did this little craft learning about the types of clouds.