What Curriculum Should I Use? This question comes up this time of year as folks are looking towards getting things settled for the next school, which here in the States begins in either August or September, depending upon what state you live in. When I began homeschooling forever ago, it was the time of Yahoo Groups and there really weren’t many options as far as Waldorf homeschooling curriculum. This was also an era where we were warned by Waldorf teachers that we could not bring a true Waldorf education into the home as the class is a social organism. So is the family. So is the community in ..read more

The Five P School Rules When my children were in the early grades and were struggling with the idea of “school”, these were the five things I tried to keep in mind to make our days go smoother. THE “FIVE P” School Rules Prompt – Be prompt when it is your turn for school.  For children in seventh and eight grade, be prompt about doing any homework. Prepared – BEFORE it is your turn, please make sure you have your pencils sharpened, have your main lesson books, have gone to the bathroom or gotten a drink or snack. Productive – Let’s maximize our time together and have fun.   Stay ..read more

I am so very glad you are here and welcome to The Parenting Passageway. I wanted to share a little about me for those of you who are new to this page. I was born and raised in NY but have spent most of my decades in the deep south, where I feel most at home on our equine farm. The farm was a pandemic move, and it is still under lots of renovation as little by little we work towards bringing it to life. We have horses, boarding for horses, dogs, cats, bees (and no chickens! My husband isn’t a fan). I actually didn’t grow up with horses at all, but I started to learn about horse care as all of t ..read more

I am looking forward to Easter and a lovely Eastertide. It seems to me as if the land is awakening from slumber and the signs of life are so encouraging – the nest with five little blue eggs on my porch, the green leaves coming on the trees, the greening of the pastures, the spring frolicking of the horses. It’s a beautiful place to be. This month has things worth celebrating! Our main festival dates in our family this month include: 1- Easter Monday 8- Will you be watching the solar eclipse? 23- St. George 25- St. Mark 29- St. Catherine of Siena and I am looking ahead to Ascension Day (Thursd ..read more

Hello Friends and subscribers! I am so happy to be here with you in this space. I posted very little over the course of this year as I dealt with months of treatment for a life- threatening health issue, and I just am happy to feel cozy and snug and looking forward to replenishment for 2024. I love January – the possibility of cold and snow, the bright days perfect for walks, the many possibilities of decluttering the physical environment and the body and the soul in January!  It’s going to be a terrific month and year, and I hope you feel the same way about a New Year on the horizon. Her ..read more

Earlier this year, my stepmother was rapidly declining in her health and rather abruptly was admitted to a memory care facility. As part of this transition, I flew up to the area of my childhood home, drove north, and worked on cleaning out her house so it could be put on the market. One thing that I noticed and loved was the variety of hats in her closet. Sun hats of all types, plus fancy hats to go see the horse races. All different colors, shapes, varieties, with and without decoration. How many hats do we wear as mothers? We so often are not only mother, but wife and partner, daughter, sis ..read more

The days are shorter, the nights are colder, and the leaves on the deciduous trees have fallen. We are headed toward winter, a time of deep rest, a time of projects, a time of wonder at snow and lights and the beautiful winter sky with the skeletons of trees etched against the horizon. I love the anticipation of a cozy, candlelit December. We are coming into the month of December, a month of anticipation and preparation in the Christian Calendar but also a month of cozy anticipation for many as winter arrives. We can set up a seasonal table with snow white and pink silks, crystals of quartz an ..read more

I have seen the many different paths that former homeschooled young adults take, and I think there are multiple ways to define success in homeschooling. This might be something as nebulous as “being socialized” (whatever on earth does that mean?) or perhaps it could be measured in terms of holding a job and being able to support themselves and/or attending higher education. However, some of the things I enjoy looking at as indicators of long- term homeschooling success might be more along the lines of: They can adult! They have what it takes to be independent within where they are. Some who ha ..read more

The colorful leaves are still hanging on the trees where I live, but I can tell in just a few days they will all be on the ground. The air has a crispness to it that we don’t see much of the year, and I smile because although things may be more dreary outside than at the beginning of this season, I enjoy the opportunity to slow down. To dream of the holidays and my children being home. To dream of next year’s spring garden. To dream of the new horse showing season. To dream of what my word of the year will be (Instead of doing a New Year’s Resolution, I always pick a word that I want the next ..read more

Welcome, September! This is one of my favorite months because it is a month of new beginnings, which I love. Cooler weather, harvest, leaves turning colors, long walks and bike rides, apples and pumpkins, acorns, getting the house organized for fall, searching for things to make for the holidays, fall decorating!  So many wonderful things to love about September!  September often seems to be about new beginnings.  Here in the South, the school children have been back to public school about a month, so perhaps it is not “new”, but  it still has that feel to me and my No ..read more