Need ideas to keep the kids entertained? It’s summer vacation! For most parents, it can be interesting to keep the kids occupied, out of trouble and not always underfoot. And, for some of us, we also want our kids to be learning! But we don’t want to “ruin” their summer…
“We’re going to try homeschooling over the summer.” I often get this from parents thinking of homeschooling their kids. They aren’t quite ready to pull their kids out of the public school system, so they wait till school is over. Then they want to “try” homeschooling. On the surface, it…
Can you homeschool special needs children? Yes. Yes you can homeschool special needs kids. And in my opinion, your special needs child will do better at home than in a school environment. Special needs encompasses a wide range, from gifted to mild disability to severely handicapped, from developmental to medical, and…
Our first speech meet Last year February, my then-2nd grader participated in a speech meet. For her age group, she was supposed to recite a 12 line poem. It was her first time ever reciting a poem at one of these competitions, so we really didn’t know what to expect.…
Tuesday was the first official day of Spring. It seems like it’s been forever, but really, there’s only 90 days between season changes, at least according to the astronomers. But winter when you homeschool can be rough! Though we aren’t as exposed to colds and flus, when mom gets sick,…
Tired of Winter? I need some free spring activities because I am so tired of winter! I want warm weather, sunshine, and the scents of growing things in the air. Spring fever is alive and well at my house. Anyone else? For the last two weeks of this month, I’m…
Third Grade Thoughts Around ages 7-8, we start third grade. An almost completely independent learner, my third grader loves learning, and she’s getting excited about doing school. Where second grade is about routines, third grade is about expressing and choosing. In third grade, because of the ability to be independent,…
Second Grade Starts Now Around ages 6-7, we start second grade. By now, my girls are used to our routines and know what to expect. While they aren’t completely independent yet, they are well on the way. Second grade is all about cementing our routines and growing in independence. By…
First Grade is Finally Here Around ages 5-6, first grade begins. First grade marks a big step forward into homeschool. Along with the academic instruction, I also start to train my girls in taking charge of their own education. My priority for homeschooling is always independence in learning. I teach…
It’s Time for Kindergarten I love kindergarten. It’s my favorite year to teach. As the first year of school, Kindergarten captures so many firsts, just like the first year of life has all the milestones. I love seeing the joy of discovery on my children’s faces. We celebrate every new…
