Last month, I shared the top five reasons I believe all homeschooling parents should consider attending a homeschool conference—especially if it’s local. However, I also understand that many aspects of attending a conference can be daunting for even the most organized homeschooler. Decisions such as how to simplify travel, stay…
Whether you’re just finding your footing or you’ve been on this road for a while, we all know the homeschooling journey isn’t exactly a straight line. All homeschoolers go through different seasons — some years are full of energy and excitement, and in others we’re just doing our best to…
When my mom decided to start homeschooling in 1988, I was just two years away from finishing high school. We had moved too far from my public high school for me to continue attending, so she included me in this sweeping decision, despite my initial resistance. From my questioning teenage…
For us, family travel is a legacy: It’s a priceless inheritance that’s been passed on from one generation to the next. From immigrant families that established new roots in the United States to pioneering families who headed west and farming families who settled down across the plains, my husband’s family…
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 1994. It was legislation written to align with Goals 2000, in an effort to transition students from school to the workforce. At the time, my…
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 costs or expenses. As homeschoolers, I think we should strive to be frugal, but not at the expense of supporting those businesses that make our lives…
Recently, I was sitting at a stoplight staring up at a fancy billboard ad encouraging people in my district to vote “yes” for a $41 million school bond, and it got me thinking about how our public schools spend their money. This particular bond is earmarked for several things: Chromebooks…
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 mostly do it on a one-on-one basis — quietly. However, the past couple of years, I have been challenged as a homeschool veteran…
I love the idea of traditions just as much as the next person, and the warm and fuzzy feelings that word evokes in my heart. However, I’ll admit that, try as I might to establish and keep traditions, I’ve really struggled over the years with consistency. Which is a problem…
As a NextGen Homeschooler, I am thankful for my own homeschooling experience as well as the opportunity to homeschool my own daughters now. Homeschooling has come a long way since the mid-80s when my mom started homeschooling: From more curriculum options and enrichment programs to public funding for homeschooling co-ops. Homeschooling is…
When we first started homeschooling, I believed I was homeschooling for the right reason… and I was. More than anything else, I wanted my children to love God, to have a personal relationship with Him, and to live their lives for Him. But back then, I had no idea how to…
As a homeschool blogger and leader in my local homeschool support group, I get a lot of questions about Common Core. Questions like: “What’s the deal with Common Core? Why should I be concerned? Does Common Core affect homeschoolers?“ I’ve even met parents who’ve decided to homeschool or are considering homeschooling…