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After Dark
Summer is such a fun time for relaxed outdoor learning. Warm summer evenings are a great opportunity to learn about astronomy, especially since you don't have to worry about "school night" bedtimes.
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Summer Learning
As I’ve mentioned before, we cultivated a lifestyle of learning in our family. We were always eager to take a break from formal schooling for the summer, but the learning never stopped. Summer days were definitely more relaxed and the kids had plenty of free time for playing outside and pursuing their individual interests. I think that’s very important. I’ve…
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Homeschool Convention Memories and Tips
The first homeschool convention I ever went to was in 1997 in Wichita, Kansas. Laura was four years old and Rebecca was just beginning to toddle. I wasn’t seriously considering homeschooling at that time, but a friend of mine was and she invited me to go to the convention with her. We bought vendor hall passes and went one evening…
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Scheduling Our Homeschool
I have to admit I was a pretty laid-back homeschooler. We didn’t have a set schedule that we followed every day. Instead, I tried to cultivate good habits with lots of flexibility. Early on I discovered that it was best for me to get up early, before the children did, to have a chance for some quiet time and to…
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Enjoying the Journey
It’s a family road-trip. The car is loaded and stocked. The kids are buckled in. And so… you start off. You’re barely on the highway when the first kid asks: “Are we there yet?” Patiently you explain how much further there is to go. It doesn’t make much difference because a few minutes later: “Are we there yet?” And…
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Our Homeschooling Decision
Okay, I’ll confess… before I had children I honestly thought I would never homeschool. After all, I had survived public school just fine, and as long as I was involved in my children’s education I was sure everything would be just fine. The year my oldest child turned 4, a friend who also only had preschoolers invited me to attend…
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Graduation Day
The third Saturday in June was a beautiful day for a backyard graduation. The late afternoon sun filtering through the trees made a lovely setting for the girl graduate in her pink cap and gown. (She was the only graduate in her “class” so she got to choose the color.) Her teacher (me)… and her “principal” (her dad)… made…
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Nature Journaling
March is such a funny month in regards to weather. One day it is snowy and cold, and then next day is sunny and warm with snow-melt puddles everywhere. Best of all, spring has officially arrived! I’ve been rejoicing in the tulip leaves I see poking up through the soft ground, and the tiny green buds appearing on the trees…
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Life Experience and Literature
Probably my favorite genre as an emerging reader was pioneer stories. One of my all-time favorite novels was Caddie Woodlawn, so I was very excited to realize it was part of Sonlight’s Intro to American History program. I remembered what exciting adventures Caddie had in the 1860s on the Wisconsin frontier. I can’t tell you how many times I read…
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Families Writing
My mother saved a few of my school papers, as all mothers do, I suppose. It’s interesting to see my little-girl handwriting, but to be perfectly honest, spelling lists and mimeographed worksheets are kind of boring to look it. My mother also saved letters. Boxes and boxes of letters. Now those are fascinating to me. They give a glimpse into relationships and…
