Parenting

50 posts

More Encouragement from Vicki

A few recordings – video, audio, FB Live, podcasts, and more Some of the recordings and interviews I’ve done in the past to equip and encourage families — I’ll add more as I find them. (Keep in mind that HSLDA’s Homeschool Heartbeat episodes were written and recorded as quickie one-minute […]

Exploring the World with Your Young Scientist

I just love Dr. Rebecca Woodbury’s passion for teaching science. Some of you in the homeschool world may know her as Dr. Rebecca Keller, founder of Real Science 4 Kids,  and she’s given us permission to share some great tips and insights for young scientists — her guest article follows […]

Early Learning: The Toddler Years

Many parents of young children are eager to start their educational journey but often feel overwhelmed by where to begin. Traditional preschool tips usually cater to kids aged 3 to 5, leaving parents of toddlers (and maybe into preschool) wondering how to best support their little ones’ development.  By focusing […]

Do I Need a Curriculum for Kindergarten?

If nobody told you that when your child turned five years old, he had to go to school, what would you do with him? You’ve actually been his first teacher these past several years, so what have you been doing with him? What works well in the rhythm of your […]

Getting the Most Out of Your Homeschool Convention

Many state or regional conventions are not just for homeschoolers, but are truly family expositions, with lots of workshops and exhibits of interest to families–regardless of education choice. If this is your first or second (or tenth) homeschool convention, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the enormity of the […]

Mid-Year Motivation

Got the mid-winter blahs? You are not alone! Maybe you’re having trouble getting back on track after the holidays — you may need to re-visit your daily routine. Many moms find that having a household routine and their daily learning goals or lesson plans in writing gives them accountability, as […]

10 Last-Minute Christmas Ideas for Families

Many families gear down to a more relaxed school routine during the week (or weeks!) before Christmas. Our family deliberately took off four weeks in December so we could enjoy the activities and traditions of the season—we just considered it a Christmas unit study, with a home economics, practical arts, […]

When Your Child Won’t Cooperate

I’ll be honest. There are days I just don’t feel like doing the dishes. I may balk at getting started. I may dread taking the time. But eventually common sense (or the idea of having to do two days’ worth tomorrow!) wins, and I talk myself into doing the responsible […]

Homeschooling a Gifted Learner

In an earlier article, Finding the Gift in Your Child, I mentioned that when we were first considering home education, I was unsure about my own ability to meet my children’s needs. Not only did we have a daughter born with special medical and developmental needs, but I had two […]

I Hated Homeschooling

Homeschooling isn’t always fun and games and giggles; sometimes it is just downright difficult—especially if the student isn’t particularly thrilled to be homeschooling. It is not our job as parents to make our children happy. It’s our job to raise them as God has called us to, even if it […]