Parenting

42 posts

Cultivating the Habit of Kindness

We all have probably heard the principle that it is better to give than to receive, but how do we teach our children to treat others kindly, give generously, and serve willingly? What are our kids mirroring? Children are often like little mirrors, reflecting our attitudes and actions. They are […]

Holidays as Homeschool Curriculum

(While this was originally written for homeschooling families, most of the ideas are easily adaptable for any family.) Do you ever feel stuck in the day-to-day sameness of your school routine? If you circle the holidays on your calendar, you can have not just instant mini-units, but family fun and […]

Read Aloud to Build Skills and Relationships

Most of us read aloud to our little ones, but once they are able to read on their own, it’s tempting to leave the reading to the children themselves. No matter the age of our children, reading aloud is still a valuable family activity–even through the high school years! Hearing […]

boys n pond

Keeping Preschool in Perspective

I didn’t go to kindergarten, nor did I have the benefit of a preschool program, yet I might be perceived by some to be a well-adjusted, academically adequate, productive person. When I was growing up, kindergarten was “pre-school” — it was not mandatory and not all kids went. Many kids […]

playing a game

Homeschool Fun & Games

As the days get shorter and cooler, your children may spend more time indoors. You can make the most of all this togetherness with some fun and games designed to build family relationships while reinforcing skills. Games promote family bonding while building math, language, and thinking skills. Game play reinforces […]

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 […]

Getting Kids to Help at Home

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 […]

parents reading to children

Surprise! You’re Suddenly Home-schooling

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

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 is packing to join Anna and me to minister for a week […]