A few of our recent posts….

Testing Basics

Testing Basics

At this time of year, many parents are thinking about how to assess their children’s progress. The first step is […]

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 […]

Aaaand…We’re OFF!

“Aaand … we’re off! … like a dirty shirt!” This is how every road trip begins for our family. Well, […]

When Math Doesn’t “Add Up” for Your Child

You know that all kids learn at different rates and have different strengths. But it’s still easy to get a bit nervous when your 4th (or 7th) grader seems to still not grasp concepts you’d think she should know — or that you know you’ve gone over. You get a […]

Orange-Cinnamon Danish Rolls

We like the Pillsbury “whomp biscuits” version of Orange Danish Rolls. Yep, the store-bought, heaven-knows-what’s-in-them version. That little can is a special treat. I’ve tried to replicate them with various recipes from the internet, but they are usually just cinnamon rolls made orange — in other words, too bread-y to […]

Pen Pals

Pen pals! What a fun idea! It’s always more interesting (and motivating!) to write to someone specific, rather than to have our “pretend letters” (a.k.a. school writing assignments) filed into a drawer. Why Write Letters? Letter writing encourages conversation skills while allowing children to practice grammar, spelling, and composition in […]

ElderCare & Homeschooling

An increasing number of homeschoolers are considering the question of whether to provide in-home care for aging parents or grandparents. Many of you face—or may someday face—the challenge of helping to manage a parent’s daily life of nurses and therapists, chemotherapy and blood transfusions, oxygen providers and medical equipment, prescriptions […]

Field Trips 101

Field trips can inspire your child to study a topic, give him further insights into his current studies, or provide closure to a completed unit. Is there somewhere you’d like to take your children to reinforce a topic this year? Or just want to visit because it would enrich their […]

Teaching Geography

If you know me or have read much of my material, you know I am extremely geographically challenged. I’m not sure why—my father was a navigator. He even taught me celestial navigation, which I in turn taught to the eighth grade science classes in my junior high school (does this […]

teen homeschool

Making the Most of the Middle School Years

If you homeschooled your child through the primary grades, you may find that you initially experienced moments of self-doubt, but you managed through the first year (or two, or three) and gained confidence to educate your child at home…until now! It is not uncommon for parents to second-guess themselves all […]

Life is Still Messy

Let’s be real … homeschooling is not a cure for all that ails our families. Life is still messy. In fact, sometimes all that one-on-one time can really magnify shortcomings in our relationships with our children as well as with our spouses. Some of the most heartbreaking consulting calls I […]

5 Tips for Finishing Your Homeschool Year Strong

It seems like just last week you were writing up those lesson plans for the fall, planning a few field trips, organizing the bookshelves, and suddenly . . . the year has gone by! Where did the time go? Whether you’re raring to go for another few months, or you are dragging […]

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 […]