Are you nurturing creative minds in your children? Here’s why you should be. My children occupy a large portion of my thoughts – their health and development, their creative minds and emotional needs, and of course, their education… What do they need to learn from me before they grow up? What really matters? What’s important to teach? And how? And why? I’m sure many of you know what I mean. We all recognize the need to teach our kids how to count, to write, and to read, but we often blindly trust that good habits of mind – the ones that lead to a truly positive relationship with life – will c ..read more

As homeschooling parents, we have to remember that even though we are homeschooling for the sake of the child, we still have to provide a healthy balance between the wants and needs of the child and their education. That’s why child-led learning may not always be the way. Parents make the deliberate choice to homeschool their kids for many reasons, and one of those reasons might be after noticing that the traditional setting did not meet the child(ren)’s level of success, and the gradual frustration was only intensified even after constant and intentional conversations between the parents and ..read more

For many parents, the idea of teaching a foreign language feels daunting, especially when they don’t speak it themselves. But what if there was a way to make Spanish learning a breeze, both for you and your child? Mas Spanish emerges as an innovative solution that’s transforming the way homeschoolers approach language education. With its emphasis on minimal parental involvement, Mas Spanish provides a wealth of captivating resources, from engaging video lessons to interactive games and activities. The result? Learning Spanish becomes an exciting adventure, where your child gains proficiency wh ..read more

Congratulations! It’s been fun and challenging, yet you and your child are nearing the end of homeschooling. As you get closer to the last day, here are a few things you may want to do when celebrating your child’s homeschool graduation.  Create A Budget For Your Graduation Celebration Consider everything you want to do for your graduate. You may want to keep it simple and just take him out to a restaurant for dinner with parents, or you may want to do everything mentioned in this article. Either way, you need to sit down with your spouse and budget for each item. Celebrate With Other Gr ..read more

Kindness is a virtue that most parents want to instill in their children. One reason we’ve chosen to homeschool is so that we can work intentional values into our children’s education. We are always discussing how we can add these values to the world. Here are some specific ways we incorporate kindness into our homeschooling curriculum. Ways to Show Kindness 1. Set a Good Example Model the behavior you’d like to see your children mirror. When you are intentionally choosing kindness with family (including your children), friends, and strangers, be sure to discuss it with your kids. 2. Voluntee ..read more

As a homeschooling mom to a gifted middle school student, I’ve embarked on a unique educational journey filled with both challenges and rewards. Nurturing the intellectual curiosity and potential of a gifted child requires a tailored approach that traditional schooling often struggles to provide. Here, I share my perspective on homeschooling a gifted middle schooler and the profound impact it has had on my child’s academic and personal growth. Tailored Curriculum One of the greatest advantages of homeschooling a gifted middle school student is the ability to tailor the curriculum to meet thei ..read more

Preparing for a life-changing mission trip impact for your teenager can be an exciting and meaningful experience for everyone involved. Whether your teen is getting ready to travel to a different country or serving in a community closer to home, there are practical steps you can take to ensure that they are fully prepared to make a positive impact. Are you ready? Let’s explore some valuable tips to help your missions trip for teens be prepared for maximum impact including the numerous benefits that short-term mission trips can offer high school students. The Benefits of Short-Term Mission Tri ..read more

We didn’t join our first homeschool co-op until our 13th year of homeschooling. I chose not to add more to our plate with having many littles since I was able to teach them on my own. Once we hit the high school years, though, I realized I needed some help–and that’s okay! After the first year, I didn’t want to go back. I’m a homebody and an introvert, and I don’t like having to leave the house on a regular basis. It took a lot out of me mentally. However, after talking to my friend, mentor, and more seasoned homeschool mom, I decided it was a good idea to go back. So, we are in our second yea ..read more

Podcasting is popular.  In a May 2023 article written by Courtney Kocak, founder and host of Podcast Bestie, 80% of Americans are familiar with podcasting.   I bet that even your children have had a chance to listen to a podcast before.   My kids first started listening to podcasts this school year, as we love Pam and Olivia Barnhill’s Wonder World Podcast. Another great one is Cindy West’s No Sweat Nature Study Podcast.   We were really inspired though when we came across a poetry podcast put on by Grace Sloan (daughter of Amy Sloan of the Homeschool Conver ..read more

The reality of homeschooling is that it’s not all that different from real, everyday life. Life happens, plans go awry, and believe it or not, kids sometimes don’t willingly do all the things we ask of them. GASP! I know, who knew? This is a sponsored post. I was given the product to review and I may be compensated for my honest review of the product. And so, my introduction to Homeschool Planet – a cloud-based online homeschool planner – actually came at a very important time in our homeschooling journey.   My 12-year-old had adamantly outgrown my Waldorf-style, hands-on approach a ..read more