When my first child was a little baby, I came across a blog post about homeschooling. In a few moments, my mind was seven years in the future: what would it look like to educate my children at home? I delightfully imagined travelling to see family at any time of the year, skipping out on…
I know I’m not the only mom who feels this way. Who looks at her children, and feels like time is slipping through her fingers. Who feels desperate to make these precious years count – the years where her whole family is still snug in the nest – yet finds herself in a daily struggle…
It’s early November and The Season is almost here. The Homeschool Advent Season. The Season, in our house, begins with a late November birthday, and flows through Thanksgiving, Advent, another birthday, Christmas, and New Year. There is a lot of joy and festivity over this time and my goal every year is to actually enjoy…
There is so much to learn about Charlotte Mason when you first get started. Here are five free resources to help you find your way!
A few years ago, my son really didn’t want to go to bed and launched into full lights-out-postponement tactics, grasping at any thread of conversation that would keep me talking. So when I mentioned that he needed sleep so that we could do school tomorrow, he quickly asked, ‘Why?’ ‘Because it’s my responsibility to ensure…
The attention cottage (a la Alan Jacobs) is an exciting metaphor. I think it’s something that many of us want: habits and homes that are marked by wisdom and contemplation of eternal truths, rather than by the sort of frenzied chaos that characterizes everything from our to-do list to social media. This comparison is worth…
What happened to May? It feels like I wrote my review of April, blinked, and all of the sudden it’s nearly June! For reference, I have three boys and we are using AmblesideOnline. At the end of the month I now have: Age 10 in Year 5, Term 2, Age 9 in Year 4, Term…
Rooting out weeds from a garden has two parts: pulling up the weeds that are growing on one hand and establishing the plants that you do want on the other. If we only ever pull at the weeds, we’ll be at it forever. Once that lettuce or those pumpkins or the dahlias get going, however,…
About once a year, I have a panic about teaching my kids a foreign language. Last year, I panicked right before I left home to walk through the Lake District for three days. I came home to a massive pile of books that I’d forgotten I’d ordered. My panic comes from regretting that I don’t…
How is narration going in your homeschool? Personally, I have a 4.5 year old who likes his chance to tell back, a nearly-seven-year-old who is pretty enthusiastic (although will miss out major plot points from time to time), and an eight year old who is completely capable but who is a bit slow to start…