A few of our recent posts….

Mom’s Brownies

We’re all in quarantine-baking mode out our way. My niece made some AMAZING cupcakes (she really should be a pro […]

flag and sparklers Civics for Ps through middle school

Civics for Preschool through Middle School

Why Study Civics? A parent recently shared with me that her family has been studying American history this year and has enjoyed learning about the Pilgrims, the battles of the American Revolution, and other stories of our nation’s Founding Fathers and their incredible faith. However, her family is dismayed by […]

What Should I Be Teaching My Child?

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You may wonder, “What should I teach my child this year?” If your child is in, say, kindergarten or third grade or sixth grade, you may wonder what most kids might know at that grade level. If you are using an all-inclusive curriculum package, this may not be a pressing […]

To Grade or Not to Grade

[This post contains affiliate links.] At the elementary and junior high levels, grades are a progress report of sorts, a mechanism for a teacher in a conventional setting to let parents know how a child is doing. The report card qualifies and quantifies how the child is doing in school—in […]

Getting Kids to Help at Home

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The first couple days of quarantine might have been fun and games, but at some point, cleaning the house while everybody is in it became like brushing your teeth while you’re still eating Oreos…..futile. What’s a parent to do? Include the family! You are in this together, including cleaning up […]

Everyday Math for Young Learners

Mathematics is simply the study of the patterns and order in the world that God has made. It ranges from elementary arithmetic—the basic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division—to more advanced math, the language of the natural sciences, engineering, medicine, music, and more. As Becky Cooke and Diane Kummer […]

Mom’s Brownies

We’re all in quarantine-baking mode out our way. My niece made some AMAZING cupcakes (she really should be a pro baker) and we couldn’t have any (social distancing, and five-hour drive LOL), so we had to at least bake some brownies over here. Some of us like nuts, and some […]

Encouraging Gratitude through Thank-You Notes

This was originally written for the fall/winter holidays, but seems appropriate at this season of sacrifice and giving right now as we are relying on each other’s kindness and generosity in a global pandemic….. The holidays are just around the corner, and that often means gift-giving . . . and receiving—which […]

parents reading to children

Surprise! You’re Suddenly Home-schooling

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In the face of quarantines and curfews related to the recent coronavirus/Covid-19 pandemic, many families are not only facing ‘typical’ problems caused by the quarantine itself, but now they must rethink their children’s education. Some are turning to home-schooling, even if just temporarily. Perhaps you suddenly find yourself considering home-schooling […]

A Day in Our Homeschool

A Day in Our Homeschool

(From my submission to the TCHE newsletter, spring 2000; used with permission) As I type, Anna is curled up on the sofa in the school room, reading King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry so she can work on her History of the Horse unit (a Beautiful Feet publication). Leah […]

Kids at Home? Everyday Activities to Reinforce Math Skills

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With the recent school closings, many parents are scrambling for some at-home activities to continue kids’ school learning. It’s okay to let your kids simply read, or learn about something they want to learn about, or work on a hobby. But if you’d feel more comfortable focusing on some core […]