Homeschooling can be challenging all by itself. What do you do if, heaven-forbid, disaster strikes and suddenly there’s a loss of a job or even a spouse? What do you do when you end up moving, pregnant or even just sick (longer than a few days of cold or flu)?…
Moving isn’t always pleasant. I’ve done variations of major and minor moves, on average, of twice a year since I moved out of my parents’ home. I have moved with the clothes in a suitcase, and I’ve downsized a 4 bedroom house with 5 children. Moving is not the most…
All the preparation is done, and you’re ready.. maybe. Your first day of homeschool is here. You researched and read and taken notes and asked questions. You’ve joined Facebook groups and local support groups, maybe even met up with another homeschool mom or two, and talked about it. You’ve gone…
Testing is a big part of traditional school A big part of every school child’s academic years is taking tests and quizzes. We brag about those report card grades and test scores too. And now we have those big standardized assessments featuring so heavily in the news. As homeschooling parents,…
What is educationalese? Educationalese is a term I coined for the jargon that child development and education professionals use. They create lesson plans, learning objectives, activities and therapies in this academic language that seems off-putting and official-sounding. It’s intimidating to those who haven’t spent half a decade in classes using…
How long does it take? How long do you do “school” every day? Do you even do “school” daily? Do you follow a public school calendar? Should we do every subject every day? How long should math take? Or spelling? What is a typical homeschool schedule anyway? These are common…
Going to a conference Homeschool conventions are great places to go no matter what stage of homeschooling you’re at. The information and workshops, the support and networking and the chance to check out curriculum options are invaluable. Veteran homeschoolers will love the ability to catch up with old friends, and…
Shopping paradise One of my favorite parts of a homeschool convention is the exhibit or vendor hall. The shiny new tools and toys, the shelves upon shelves of new and fascinating books just waiting to be read — it’s a homeschooler’s shopping paradise. But the sheer volume of things to…
It’s homeschool convention season! March to June isn’t just spring here in North America, but its also homeschool convention season. If you’ve never gone to one, it can be a bit overwhelming. And if it’s been a while, this post will refresh your memory. Here’s a quick guide on what…
A sign of spring for homeschoolers: conventions Tis the season of homeschool conventions and conferences. If you’re active on social media at all, you’ve probably gotten emails about conventions. You’ve probably seen posts on Facebook. And you may have received event invitations or reminders about your local, state or national…
