Vicki Bentley

30 posts

Teaching Multiple Ages

Homeschooling one child can feel challenging. Adding more children at different levels can feel like launching a plate-spinning act, rushing from pole to pole to give each a quick twirl and keep all those plates in the air! While I have had to occasionally “clean up a [figurative] plate that […]

Am I Doing Enough?

If you ask yourself this, you are not alone! In fact, a few years back, I did some research for a homeschool game along the lines of Family Feud: “We asked 100 homeschool families what their biggest fear was in homeschooling…” and you may be surprised to learn that the […]

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 […]

Learning through Play

Children naturally learn through play, engaging in activities that develop a wide range of skills across various domains. Below is a breakdown of just a few ways that different types of play contribute to a child’s growth. Building with Blocks: When children build with blocks, they develop mathematical skills by […]

Homeschooling after the Storm

Maybe you were already homeschooling and now find yourself shaken from your normal routine, or even displaced from your home. Or perhaps you were fine and dandy with the local school, but now you find yourself faced with the need to start to homeschool because your local school is not […]

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 […]

Do I Have to Use an Accredited Program to Homeschool?

Short answer: Generally speaking, accreditation is neither required nor necessary. Longer answer: While accreditation is generally neither required nor necessary, each parent should determine what sort of program best meets the needs of their student for their future plans and complies with their state’s homeschooling statute, if applicable. What is […]

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes = Comfort Food At least, to me! My grandma made an amazing roast and gravy and of course you HAD to have creamy mashed potatoes to go with all that goodness! Whether I eat them with pot roast and gravy, creamy chicken gravy, or just plain, I want […]