Family Project: Puppet Show

We have just returned from our annual week on Lake Huron with my family. Most families enjoy just hanging out on vacation, but we are not most families. For us, family time is project time. We paint and draw and quilt and crochet and dance and make pinatas and Chinese dragons and have masquerades and …

Ron Paul Curriculum Trial

As part of our summer plans, we wanted to have some actual academic time amidst all the running through the sprinkler and playing in the pool.  I have had my eye on Ron Paul's home school curriculum for a while, and summer seemed an ideal time to give it a test run. For those unfamiliar …

Is Your Home Schooled Kid a Nerd?

Good. Maybe when he grows up, he'll have a job instead of sitting in your basement eating bonbons and playing Xbox. Keep up the good work!! In all seriousness, I have taught for twelve years and had countless conversations with parents about how their kids are doing socially. Far too often, they are concerned about …

Montessori: Flow

I'm no kind of perfect Montessori mom.  In fact, I do horrifying things like make my babies sleep in a crib and let them play with toys that are plastic.  I know, right? But I do think Montessori has some rich insights that are helpful to any parents, whether you are full-on into her method …

Making Friends in Home School

In our discussions of home schooling, my husband and I come back around to one question over and over: How will they become “socialized”? Of course, the typical home schooling argument is that children learn how to live and work with others in their families, in their churches, and through clubs, co-ops, and other activities.  …

OUTSIDE!

"Outside" was our three-year-old's first two-syllable word.  By the time he was about sixteen months old, he would go to our front door and ask to go outside, usually while signing "please." He was absolutely right. Kids need to be out in the fresh air.  We are home for President's Day and taking advantage of …

Keep It Real

When teaching your littles about money, you can buy plastic coins and paper dollars, but why waste your real money buying fake money?  Any time you can use real-world objects for manipulatives, go for it! Today Daddy and our three-year-old are working with real money to learn about how the values of different bills compare …

Going Green

When we consider the financial impact of home schooling, a lot of factors come into play.  Obviously, losing my income is the most critical, but we're also looking at savings -- tuition, daycare, the gas from my substantial commute.  The actual cost of home schooling varies widely depending on the choices you make about curriculum, …