For my little family of five, travel is a family legacy: It’s a priceless inheritance that’s been passed on from one generation to the next. My […]
Homeschool Encouragement
Much-Needed Vacation & Encouragement at Teach Them Diligently Nashville
For the past three years, a Teach Them Diligently Convention for homeschooling families has taken place fairly close to my home state of Oklahoma. The first […]
Homeschool Encouragement
When Tough Circumstances Create Doubt: Should I Continue to Homeschool?
I have been homeschooling for 10 years now, and I’ve never really questioned our decision to homeschool. I have always enjoyed teaching my kids and being there […]
Homeschool Encouragement
Finding Encouragement & Fellowship at Homeschool Moms Winter Summit
I’ll be completely honest: This past year has been a season of real brokenness for me, and I have mostly been in hiding. But when a friend asked me to […]
Homeschool Encouragement
Mother & Teacher: How Do You Wear Both Hats?
When I first started homeschooling my two middle-school-aged daughters more than 10 years ago, I remember really struggling with the mother vs. teacher dynamic right […]
NextGen Perspectives
New Name, Old Game: Is Talent Pipeline a New School to Work — And What’s Next?
When I was in college taking American Government in the early 1990s, I wrote a research paper on the then-new School To Work Opportunities Act of […]
NextGen Perspectives
Homeschool Graduates: The Next Chapter
Many readers know that our two daughters are homeschool graduates: They both graduated from our homeschool when they were 16. Now that several years have passed, I thought […]
Real-Life Homeschooling
Back to School: Joining Artios Academies & Homeschooling High School
Last Monday was back-to-school week for my family, and our week started out with our first day at Artios Academies, a once-a-week integrated academic and arts program for homeschoolers […]
Real-Life Homeschooling
Back to School at Guardian Academy: Curriculum & Plans
We will soon be back to school at Guardian Academy, and lots of changes are taking place this year in our homeschool plans and curriculum […]
Product Reviews
Review: HEDUA High School Planners
The idea of homeschooling high school can seem daunting even to the most organized and experienced homeschooling mom. In fact, one of the biggest concerns […]
NextGen Perspectives
Three Generations at Teach Them Diligently
This was my third year attending a Teach Them Diligently Convention. The biggest blessing of the conference this year was being able to attend with three […]
Faith & Family, Homeschool Encouragement
Why I Won’t Miss a TTD Homeschool Convention
My family lives in Colorado, and we are blessed to have a state Christian homeschool convention here every June — and I’ve attended several. However after my first […]
Homeschool How-To
Preparing for Teach Them Diligently Dallas
In less than a month, I will be enjoying the weekend with my sister, Elizabeth, and sister-in-law Renée, in Dallas at the Teach Them Diligently […]
Homeschool Encouragement
Tools to Help You Bloom as a Homeschool Mama
Although I’m a NextGen homeschooler and had a positive personal experience with homeschooling, I struggled with many of the same doubts and fears — the […]
Homeschool How-To
Why a Daily Homeschool Routine Works for Us
As a former editorial manager who juggled a team of writers, editors and varying project deadlines on a wall-sized white board and spreadsheet, I didn’t […]
Faith & Family, Homeschool Encouragement
Find Freedom From Your Homeschooling Fears
Fear often holds us back in our homeschooling journey and robs us of the joy God has in store for us as we teach our children […]
Homeschool Encouragement, Real-Life Homeschooling
Learning Continues Despite Life’s Distractions
Even after 10 years of homeschooling, my biggest challenge is still consistency. Because of our lifestyle — owning two busy donut shops — my plans are […]
Homeschool How-To
Take the Complexity out of Homeschool Co-Ops
Today we wrapped up a semester of Botany with our informal homeschool co-op by taking a scavenger hunt hike with three families who have children close in age to ours. […]
Hands-On Homeschool
Travel is… the Ultimate Educational Adventure!
This month NextGen Homeschool is joining 30 other family bloggers for the “Travel is…” Family Travel Blogging Series at Word Traveling, where we’ll be providing practical and personal insights into […]
Homeschool How-To
Give Your Homeschool New Life: Take it Outside!
Today while my eldest daughter was at the park with me, she noticed a picnic table in a secluded area with trees around it and said, […]
NextGen Perspectives
Being Frugal Without Being a Cheapskate
Are homeschoolers cheap? Hopefully, we are frugal — not cheapskates! There’s a difference between being a good financial steward and avoiding paying a fair share of […]
NextGen Perspectives
Can Public Schools Learn from Homeschools?
Recently I was sitting at a stop light staring up at a fancy billboard ad encouraging people in my district to vote “yes” for a […]
Homeschool Encouragement
Spring Dilemma: Must We Finish Curriculum?
With the joy and sunshine of spring comes this very familiar reader question each year: “I feel like the end of this school year is coming […]
Homeschool Encouragement
Finding Relief for Homeschool Burnout
There are many reasons why homeschooling parents can experience burnout during the school year. It could be seasonal (a long winter), topical (curriculum feels stale), […]
Faith & Family
Ten Things to Let Go of This Year: Fear
Fear often holds us back in our homeschooling journey and robs us of the joy God has in store for us as we teach our children […]
Homeschool Encouragement
Ten Things to Let Go of This Year: Not Qualified
One of the top reasons for not homeschooling that I hear from parents is that they don’t feel qualified to teach their children. They believe that if they don’t know […]
NextGen Perspectives
Homeschool Veterans: Pay it Forward!
It is time — past time, really — for me to pay it forward in the homeschool community. I have always liked to help people, but I […]
Faith & Family
Ten Things to Let Go of This Year: Being Overprotective
There seems to be an epidemic of helicopter parenting in our country today… Or maybe it’s just in my suburban neighborhood. But I also notice it a […]
Real-Life Homeschooling
Real-Life Homeschooling: A Day in Our Life
Last week I got to thinking about how our homeschool days have been flowing… all over the house. So I decided to take a few pictures of where […]
Homeschool Encouragement
Ten Things to Let Go of This Year: Sensitivity
When I first started homeschooling more than 10 years ago, I felt a lot of pressure and judgment — not only from outsiders, but also family members […]