A Common Life: homeschooling

Showing posts with label homeschooling. Show all posts

Why Christians in My Homeschool Group Must be Involved in a Local Church

Years ago as a new homeschooling mom of 3, I determined I would not have a future Christian homeschool group that included those who were not serving in their local church. At a minimum, an actual believer must attend worship services regularly. The reason is that the major purpose of (my group name) is to foster relationships with like- minded followers of Christ, and my conviction of what that means requires consistent dedication to what the Lord has established clearly for those who identify with Him, namely, being part of a local body of believers.

This sermon outlines the why of this, and may help as you strive to teach/reach your friends and family.

I sent this to those in my homeschool group recently. Might I lose members? Possibly, but I genuinely have a conviction about this matter. I cannot create Christian community with those outside of God's will on this. It is a starting point issue, meaning, we're all being sanctified and growing so will be in different places as we serve and learn, but this matter is a "get in the door " issue. People need to be under the authority of a local pastor to be in my group. That gives me a measure of protection as I say, "Hey, here are fellow Christians for your kids to interact with and Christian moms for you to be friends with." My group is not evangelical in nature.

Warren Wiersbe said it well, "It's dangerous for a believer to separate himself or herself from the rest of God's people and hope to learn the will of God."

an excellent study

Voddie Baucham's Home Going

Voddie's Obituary with Books to Read

I hope you will get the books listed in his obituary. They didn't mention one I always liked the title for (of course, can't mention them all in an obit...), What He Must Be.... If He Wants to Marry My Daughter. Confession: haven't read that one myself, but I'm sure there are some good points made because I've listened to sermons he's given with that subject matter and two of my children (and one of their significant others) has listened to ALL Voddie's material on being a godly husband ;).

I would at least recommend Fault Lines and Family Driven Faith, which I have read. ;)

Not the Bee on Voddie's Passing

May God bless Voddie's legacy for strong truth proclaimed unashamedly, and may the Almighty comfort and provide for his beloved family.

Does God Still Care About His Enemies? The Good and the Beautiful

We've recently finished studying Judges in Sunday School, and I was able to teach a few times. It is always so good to get to teach because of how much more study is accomplished. It is clear in Judges that God took His enemies VERY seriously. In looking at Samson alone, the wickedness of the Philistines was not something that God trifled with. In our culture of accepting everyone and all beliefs as valid, I think we need to be careful not to add to the problem. What is it that causes God to withhold His blessings upon us? Do we all, who follow Him, get the same blessings irrespective of what we do? I'm not talking salvation issues, but day to day living in obedience, which brings more blessings to God's children. Here are some questions to ask as you consider life choices.

Is God truth?

Are we the friends of God if we teach truth?

Are Mormons teaching truth?

Are Mormons the friends of God?

Do people with money gain more influence over our culture?

I think it is valid to consider how many Christians willingly add to the immense financial coffers of Mormons by using The Good and the Beautiful homeschool curriculum. The issue isn't merely if anything anti true Christianity is taught, but are we not helping normalize this false religion by defending and supporting this curriculum? Do Mormons have a prominent influence in our world?

Things to look at and consider for the follower of Christ.

I do not know the woman who wrote this blog post and all the reasons behind it, nor do I care. I do care about this curriculum being made more mainstream if it is Bible believing Christians helping do it.

https://homeschoolon.com/the-good-and-the-beautiful-controversy/

Deuteronomy 31:8 KJV [8] And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed

Education for Christans

https://youtu.be/HFXaOPOM7qA?si=pHc972HwkD8dnWdv

Good reminder from John MacArthur on public education for Christians. It is short.

Of Course We're All Different

There's a young mom I know, who hasn't started homeschooling, but intends to. Numerous times she has commented, in a surprised manner, that all homeschoolers are different from each other. I find it intriguing that this is a surprise, because by it's very nature, homeschooling implies going one's own way and going against the social norm of putting your kids in public school or private school. Even though homeschooling has grown tremendously over the past 30 years, it is still not what most people are choosing for their families.

So if homeschoolers are unique, which they are, what is it that binds them or forges their friendships? I think what binds is the weight of responsibility for educating and training your children. Taking that on, 100%, as parents, gives a common ground that immediately makes you relate to each other. So we enjoy meeting and talking and being in groups together because of this load we're all carrying...but what makes us choose those select few to call 'friends'? It isn't doing school the same way or using the same materials, though having the same foundation can certainly aid that. Many of my closest friends in our homeschooling years were in the groups I was in and we all transitioned to other groups as well. That said, what helped those relationships grow and continue? Having similar parenting philosophies is a big one. Similar values about life. Are you doers or talkers? That is a big one. There are those who want to talk all day and night every day about everything. Then there are those who go and do, and they do a lot often.

People are different but there are commonalities that bind us to each other. Notice I'm not even discussing Christianity because to me, that is a given. Those who see the Lord and His word the same get a major in-road to who we are and how we operate, then we move into the lesser issues of education, philosophies and lowest on the list, curriculum.

Excellent Shirts to Help WNC

I love these! Short or long-sleeved, friends in WNC have come up with a great way to raise funds to buy more books to help families impacted by the devastating effects of Hurricane's Helene and Milton. My burden is for WNC and the families there, as well as new friends and countless volunteers toiling along to help people rebuild their lives. Please consider ordering!

21st Century Packhorse Librarians shirts

https://www.bonfire.com/21st-century-packhorse-librarians/?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=post_campaign_launch&utm_campaign=21st-century-packhorse-librarians&utm_content=default

Claritas Resources to Help Homeschoolers and Those Suddenly Homeschooling

Here is a list of resource books to help families new to homeschooling. This isn't curriculum but many are finding themselves taking responsibility for their children's education and these books can help.

I loved classical education and would use Claritas today if I was starting afresh.

The memory work is what I'm recommending because it is key to a classical education. The work guide and work audio would be very helpful to a family that wants to educate in this way. Several sets of Timeline cards would be ideal to send along as well.

Various Curriculum Ideas to Help in NC and Address

Christianbook.com and Rainbow Resource have materials at good prices. You could send anything! Here's some starter ideas.

Mail to:

The Gathering Church

370 Mount Jefferson State Park Rd.

West Jefferson, NC 28694

All About Spelling, any level but here are links to a few specific ones:

All About Reading, any level but here are links to a few specific ones:

Math

K-3 Manipulatives Kit (I'm sure many families could use this)

Math K

Math 1

Math 2

Saxon 54 (3rd grade)

Saxon 65 (4th grade)

Science

PK-6th, great books:

Exploring Creation with Zoology Set (Flying Creatures of the 5th Day text and notebooking journal)

Exploring Creation with Botany Set

Exploring Creation with Astronomy Set

Exploring Creation with Zoology 3 (Land Animals of the 6th Day)

Exploring Creation with Zoology (Flying Creatures of the 5th Day) text

Swimming Creatures of the 5th Day text

Please Remember Our Neighbors in North Carolina Who Need Our Help: Curriculum Distribution Date

Written by Kateland Miller, of West Jefferson, NC

For any and all who have donated curriculum to our area, Thank You! The need is far greater than I anticipated. I am serving the High Country of Western North Carolina and the surrounding area. This consists of Watauga, Ashe, Avery, Wilkes, Allegheny NC, Grayson and Carroll VA, and a Johnson TN.

Many lost some, some lost all is my saying. There are not a ton of existing homeschoolers who lost everything. Those will receive priority. There is a huge amount that have significant home damages, vehicle damages, personal property loss and the sheer fact of dealing with the destruction all around. For those people, receiving donated curriculum means they will not have to worry about next years purchase and they can instead use the money to go towards their other needs, which are great. There is a decent amount of new homeschoolers due to 3 schools completely flooding, two of which are still not back in school and the other holding school in a conference center.

I would love to individually thank every person who is making this possible on every group, but I would never be able to help those in need, nor educate my own children.

I have been personally reaching out to individual families who I know were heavily impacted, homeschool co-ops, and any other avenue of finding those that need help. Please follow along on High Country 21st Century Packhorse Librarian to see updates on where your donations are going and the difference you have made.

We will be hosting our first community wide distribution day on December 19th. This ensures plenty of time to receive donations and distribute to the families that are in the greatest need.

https://www.facebook.com/share/itaQN6146jEeYZRR/?mibextid=9l3rBW

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From Jen Wollschlager

Donations of used curriculum that are sorted by subject and are not written in are needed. Student books without teacher manuals are ok, but please no teacher manuals without needed student texts/workbooks. Many new to homeschooling are receiving these materials. Please bind sets with rubber bands or plastic wrap. Materials of all sorts, even those for parents on how to homeschool, are needed and welcome. Curriculum can be mailed to The Gathering Church 370 Mount Jefferson State Park Rd. West Jefferson, NC 28694 or taken to several locations listed on the HSLDA Used Curriculum for Hurricane Victims site or the above links. You can also connect with me on FB for more address options.

The Situation in Western North Carolina

It is so distressing to have neighbors south of us still without power, after more than a month. FEMA doesn't seem to be particularly capable. Roads are still out, schools overpacked or closed, and when they reopen in Yancey County on Nov 18th, it is not an easy situation for parents to navigate. Yes, normalcy is good for kids, and they will get 2 meals on school days, but what if they can't shower? What about the safety of the roads for them trying to get to and from? There's a helpful element for parents trying to clean up and rebuild to have the children taken care of and progressing with school, but there are these concerns and a general anxiety many of them feel. I'm guessing some of that is due to the unsettled environment, and the fallout of tragedy and not having your kids nearby. It makes sense that it is a very challenging time for people.

I've heard firsthand accounts from a new friend in the area who is a local. A fellow believer in Christ, she had a similar disquieted experience in her spirit about a relief worker whose motivations and background were questionable. We both went our own way, and this new friend has been able to help a lot of families get materials they need. An experienced homeschooler knows how to meet the needs of other homeschoolers, and help those new to it get started.

One thing I've been seeing and hearing from folks in this group I'm in, is that most of the people in NC are not interested in handouts. They might have little or nothing, but the general air I pick up on is that they figure someone else has it worse and needs it more. I was told a story of a lady who was at the curriculum and supply giveaway and said she didn't need materials because they didn't lose their materials. My friend asked her about her home, was it damaged?

Yes, was the reply.

Is it cleaned up and repaired? Was your insurance claim approved? No.

Was FEMA helping you? No.

So this poor lady was saying she had no need for the curriculum, but when asked, "Don't you think it would help your family to take this material for each of your kids so you don't have to worry about next year's schooling expenses?" To which the mother with the ruined home with foundation issues that were going to cost them a fortune broke down crying. And this is one story of one hurting family.

I'm not there to physically help and encourage and hug these mothers. I wish I was. God has a different plan, so I'm doing what I can from Virginia. This rebuilding is an undertaking of epic proportions, and the families will be forever changed. If it could happen in NC in an area that isn't a hurricane flood area, it could happen here.

Lord, please reach into the hearts of all those hurting and unsure of how to get their lives back together. Please calm their dreams, and alleviate their fears. Give them that peace that passes all understanding if they are Your children, and please call those who are not Your own to come to faith in You. Strengthen the pastors and draw families into those communities to bring needed resources, labor, and encouragement. You can do all things, and You can move mountains. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Working at Home and Homeschooling

I stumbled upon this article regarding homeschooling moms working from home. It could apply to anyone trying to be home and working with small children though.

https://heav.org/work-at-home-mom/

Homeschool Q&A #10 Creating a Positive Learning Environment

Q: How do you keep students motivated and create a positive learning environment?

A: You will foster a love of learning by having a good attitude toward work, teaching, and learning yourself. Show you enjoy reading to them, going outside together and observing, teaching them how to fold laundry and cooking.... Talk about something you recently learned...homeschooling flows naturally out of day to day teaching that starts as soon as we bring our babies home. We're always teaching our children, particularly with how we respond to our own work.

Practically, honing homemaking skills creates an orderly and peaceful home and as touched on previously, setting a standard of first-time obedience with a good attitude is very helpful. Being able to sit still at the table is very helpful: eating, coloring, painting, doing puzzles... then later you look at A,B,Cs and numbers...

Schedules and routines are great. Plan the eating, chores, playing, reading, schooling, skill time, quiet time etc. Some children need to know what is ahead!

Homemaking is a lost art, but it is an important part of a welcoming, fun homeschool environment. Kids learn a lot watching us practice hospitality. Think of it this way, a wife at home with no children does a lot of important things so her husband is free to advance in his job. She enjoys less stress from the world (and in turn so does he since she's not bringing in more), but she is still very busy with the housework, cooking, laundry, gift buying, maintaining family relationships, car upkeep, whatever else... you want to model joy and enjoyment in those things. It's your work. When school time begins, the good attitude continues.

Whatever we set our hands to, we want to do it as unto the Lord.

Moms who resent their home duties create a bad environment....a good school environment starts with the basics.

my first flowers from my daughter's boyfriend

Homeschool Q&A #9 Assessing Progress

Q: How do you assess progress?

Elementary-aged:

You will use materials for a certain grade, so you will be able to see if your student is doing well or struggling. You won't need a test to tell you in the early years. You will be able to see if they are grasping concepts rather fast, normal, or slow. What matters is that your child will be learning, developing a love for learning, and increasing knowledge at their pace. No need to have everything graded. That said, with math, there will be quizzes and tests, even at a young age. Your curriculum will have them. Use grades as a tool to say, "Hey, no problem, let's see where we need to look a little harder or work through this more. " It's not to do great and feel like a boss, or do poorly and feel like you are a failure. Grades at this young age are a tool to help mom teach and understand her student's needs. The tests are helpful to see what needs work, plus it is a skill to be able to work quickly, which shows proficiency. If your student takes Latin starting in 3rd or 4th grade, there will be grades there also.

Middle:

You won't have to grade a lot of material until this point. It's a ramp up time. Science, history, Latin, logic, literature, English, math... all will likely have graded work. The curriculum will include tests and quizzes. We did live online classes at this point. These are typical classes taught be a teacher with normal grading.

High school:

These are the only grades anyone cares about outside your home. This is because of the transcript you'll want to start building. You want your students prepared for real deal academic evaluations before this time.

A word on academic levels:

We had a student who was technically one year ahead academically. We realized that we didn't want our student graduating a year early and then going to college a year early. So in 4th grade it was really 5th grade material being done... but that was "her" 4th grade level. College turned into taking only 3 yrs to finish instead of 4, so she finished early, which we thought was better than starting early.

A story:

I've seen parents take schooling very casually until HS, then suddenly everyone realized school mattered. Unfortunately, the kids weren't prepared for this. Mom wanted things to be fun and heavily prioritized socializing and friends. For the first time, dad started paying attention, and since he understood the real world, expected high school to be what most of us think of as a full load of academic courses. Not surprising, failure ensued because no one had a plan to gradually increase the pressure and discipline harder academics demand. Learning requires mental lifting. You'll see this with math early on. There are tears, kids think it is too hard... mom has a choice. This is one of the challenges. How much to push. Dad is usually a better judge. Kids work on mom and we tend to back down our buckle, worrying we will ruin them if we push and they can't do it. But no one knows what can be done if they aren't pushed. Mental lifting IS work, and their little brains feel it. Help them push through, have a high standard. You'll be glad later. Crying does not necessarily mean you should back off. It might mean more time is needed, you might need to explain more, but to pull back entirely.... you can be clipping wings and creating a dynamic where the child is suddenly in the driver seat, prematurely.

Standardized testing:

If a person homeschools based on having at least a high school diploma, they have to test their children annually using a standardized test. This score is submitted by either Aug 1st or 15th to the Superintendent of your counties public schools. Kids in government run or private schools do not get tested annually. The test is merely to demonstrate incremental improvement from year to year, there is not a required grade to achieve. That said, year-end testing is not difficult. We did it the last week in May each year.

The California Achievement Test (CAT) tests math and English which is all you have to test for in VA. It can be taken online and graded immediately, or you mail in a paper version and receive the score in the mail. The mother can administer this test. The Iowa is another test and Stanford is another. These others have to be administered by someone besides mom. There are always people offering to administer for a small fee.

If a person home schools under the "religious exemption " they do not have to test annually.

I like orchids, despite killing them vapidly.

Homeschool Q&A #8 Common Misconceptions

Q: What are some common misconceptions about homeschooling that you've encountered?

A: People who do not yet understand homeschooling have a lot of ideas that are erroneous, but that is ok. We're all wrong about something! They might think you need a teaching degree to be a good teacher, they think you aren't actually educating well when you homeschool, they think there are no set grade levels since some homeschoolers act that way, and they think socialization is best done by being around a hoard of same-aged people. Interestingly, at no time in life are adults only around same-aged people, and I'm not sure where the logic is to think being surrounded by mostly immature children one's own age is going to help develop skills for success in life.... Anyway, the more you educate yourself, the more confidence you will have, but honestly, the proof will be in the pudding. We had a LOT of naysaying and at first I felt it was my duty to convince others and educate them, and eventually I was just too busy doing the work I was tasked with (by choice!) and decided I didn't care what anyone else thought. Years later and everyone on both sides of our family have continually praised the result, even my family members extended families. Our children are academically inclined by God, and we did our best to nurture that. People see that plus the godly character He's instilled, and I even have a niece planning to homeschool even though she does not walk with Christ. It is hard to describe what I endured at the start vs. where things are now. I believe Voddie Baucham's The Children of Caesar videos (free on YouTube, part 1 and part 2) give some good statistics that are likely even better now regarding homeschoolers academic prowess v. public schools. Even children homeschooled by parents who didn't finish high school perform better than about 70-75% of their public school peers. The numbers get better with high school graduates doing the teaching, parents who attended college...all those "professional" teachers and same-aged kids are not resulting in better performance academically, and that is the main point of school I thought.

A closing truth to this idea you'll hear:

"Aren't you sheltering your children too much by homeschooling?"

Truth: it is right for parents to shelter their children. This is a wicked world and until they are strong enough and grown, you better believe I'm going to shelter them and train them as best I can. I thank God I was able to stay home and choose what influenced my kids. As the parent, that is the privilege and responsibility. Throwing them to the wolves is a real crap-shoot in today's world.

fall 2025 plantings

Homeschool Q&A #7 Engaged and Motivated

Q: How do you keep your children motivated and engaged in their studies?

A: Bear in mind all of us have things that are a struggle for us to overcome. Labeling generally isn't helpful, and getting a diagnosis of some sort is usually used as an excuse to not push through...as a homeschooling parent you are your kids biggest cheerleader. You are all on Team *****, and you are there to help your kids do the best they can with the tools God has given them. You don't need to know it all or even most of "it". You already know a lot of what motivates your kids and areas they need to improve. Just keep thinking like that day in and day out and love them as you work. Some days are 100%s, and some are not. Each day is a new day. Don't give up and don't be too hard on yourself. Success does not equal perfection. Success is moving in a direction and incrementally improving overall.

the nuts and bolts:

When children are young, keep lessons short 10-15/20 minutes...basically, when they aren't able to keep listening well, you might be going too long. Do some instructing, then switch to them practicing that skill (like 'here is how to add and now we will do some problems'...). Show them the numbers and say them, then trace beans you have glued to index cards to mix it up.

Focus is a habit that needs training, and it is a challenge with today's electronics. We opted to not have TV for a long time but would only watch short videos that were educational or Bible themed.... then on Fri nights we watched a family movie. Listening to classical music from different composers is good for the brain and it is practical for education. I am not a fan of children using screens much at all. The brain needs to develop and grow and learn to focus. Lots of time outside, mom not on her phone (need to model how to focus), and the kids need to be given undivided attention. Adult brains are not the same as children's brains. Children need to see parents focusing on each other and talking, then they need the proper attention and help developing it. Frenetic homes with no order and tons of running around create a lot of the problems we see today with kids, as well as breakfast/lunch/dinner not being given consistently.

Some computer learning games can be helpful, but you want to be deliberate and not use it regularly as a babysitter. Young children can learn to start focusing in the crib with a mobile, then a playpen with a mobile and black and white books, then having playpen time with a few toys they focus on. Focus builds, like discipline in a prayer life.

Reading to children helps them learn to focus, going outside and studying what they find interesting and talking about it (rocks, bugs, plants...). Parenting and focus training go hand in hand. When you work you work, when you play you play. Play is a child's work and there needs to be plenty of it. If they can't focus well right off the bat on any given school day, maybe a few jumping jacks or laps running around the yard are needed first. What will help them succeed? Have a "can do" attitude as mom and be positive. Have a high expectation and minimize distractions where you do school lessons. Put the dog away, have a plan for younger siblings, ignore your phone...self-denial and discipline start early and help with the focus needed to sit and do the hard mental work of learning.

Order in the home is beneficial in many areas--things like striving to greet your husband when he comes home, and then have the kids greet him second. This little routine of order helps many children have more security and alleviates some anxious ways and even sleep issues because they are secure in mom and dad. Good sleep helps kids focus when they need to.

Memory work is so good for training the brain to retain information, and it requires focus. Reading to your children is very helpful to teach them to sit still and focus. Having every meal at the table and requiring them to sit down and eat for the duration also does wonders for focus. Parenting with clear expectations and holding them to it will help your school and home life in many ways. In the grocery store, having the kids hold on to the cart as you go through teaches them self-control which is needed for sitting still during learning. But they have to get their energy out! Breaks and running around outside are so needed! Naps are also needed! School keeps kids stuck at desks for far too long, and it doesn't give them the rest they need either. Children require a tremendous amount of sleep. College takes so much out of them---build their bodies well while you can with excellent nutrition and excellent sleep!

Finally, watch their diet. Do food dyes make them more emotional or wiggly? Does sugar bring a fatigue crash 20 min after eating it? Or carbs in the afternoon? You have to be with your kids a lot and observe them to catch this sort of thing of course. Homeschooling allows this close and careful watching. Not all problems are dietary, but lack of solid nutrition or things that bother a child can play a role. We have food and environmental allergies, and the dye thing was real for us. We thought it was high fructose corn syrup, so we avoided that which helped b/c so much of the food with HFCS has dye.....then we had one child on allergy meds that weren't supposed to cause fatigue but this child was SO tired in the morning and that was when math was...we noticed a big change when we switched to a different allergy medicine.

roast venison bones then crock 24 hrs for bone broth, can rub with tomato paste b4 roasting

Homeschool Q&A #6 Socialization

Q: How do you handle socialization and extracurricular activities for your children?

A: Socialization: one of the best things about homeschooling is having high standards that you can enforce. Being able to guide your children toward quality friendships, and help them avoid those that will bring trouble, is one of the best benefits of homeschooling. Do not be afraid to steer away when you or your husband sees trouble ahead. Pray for discernment. I have numerous examples of how this is very important. Friends can make or break a child, and it is better to have no friends than the wrong friends. God will work through this aspect of the growing years more than many other ways if your family is like ours and others I've known.

Places/ways to be with others:

church-3 times a week for us, YMCA homeschool PE class, library programs (but be careful of content these days), local homeschoolers teaching classes like art, there used to be a Nature Days program we did weekly, homeschool groups like REACH that take field trips-- I'm sure on FB there are local groups that can outline what is around these days, volunteering together (assisted living: go visit and take homemade pictures; play piano for them), serve meals with homeless shelter, clean cages at pet shelter and pet puppies, music lessons, dance lessons, Parks and Rec Sports, private sport lessons like tennis and fencing, political opportunities to volunteer and serve together...I had a literature group meet in my home that I taught a few times for just about 4 or 5 weeks and had a friend invite us to her group for years (didn't go, but opportunity was there). If you have a skill you could offer to have a few moms and their kids over to learn it or do a craft together or meet up at a park...you have to make the effort since the kids aren't with others otherwise, but it is not hard, and they really do not need tons of time with other kids. Family time is more important.

We were in a homeschool co-op where we had classes with other kids from the time our kids were very young on up, weekly. Lots do not do this, but it was what we liked. The main concern new homeschoolers need to be aware of is that you can lose a lot of valuable time socializing and not doing sufficient school/training your kids. The opportunities ABOUND and are fun and appealing, but to educate, you do need to be home some ;).

Academics do get to where it is an all day thing, but that is middle and high school, though the work was generally all finished by dinner time, so evenings were free. In high school this changes some depending on what they've got going on (for example we started dual-enrollment in college classes in 11th gr).

Side note to go with this issue:

Stick to a schedule to help yourself not socialize to a fault, and I heartily recommend an early bedtime. Even in middle school and high school we said to go up to bed at 9 pm. They had time to unwind, read, have good hygiene, etc. and my husband and I needed our time together to unwind. Remember, the kids will leave one day and you need to continually work on being close to your husband. Our very young kids went to bed at 7:30, then 8 was the norm for a long long time. I attribute a lot of the anxiety/depression and underperformance academically that I've witnessed to parents letting their kids stay up late, especially as they got to middle/high school. Early good habits stick with children as they age. I'm not a morning person, but we got the kids up and moving and started school no later than 8 am.

laceleaf Japanese maple during the deep freeze Jan 2026

Homeschool Q&A #5 Advice to Someone Just Starting Out

Q: What advice would you give to someone just starting out as a homeschooling parent?

A: Some of this one is worked in throughout the other answers, but truly the most important thing to do is be on the same page as your husband. If he doesn't support homeschooling and you, I'm hard pressed to recommend it. It requires two parents pulling in the same direction even though you as Mom will be the head teacher at this stage. It is a lifestyle, and you will need his encouragement. Prayer for wisdom and insight into the best fit for your family and children is the next thing once you and your husband are ready to move forward. God knows your children and their needs, and He has entrusted them to you and your husband. You are equipped to do what is best for them. Ask Him often and realize this is a beautiful journey that isn't based on perfection, but love, sacrifice, and hard work. It is rewarding and a very nice way to live, but it isn't for the lazy or undisciplined. Be careful about who you become friends with and who you let your kids be around a lot. Plenty of people homeschool that aren't serious about it and love to influence others...they will fall off the rails later. Better to have no friends than the wrong friends. God will provide!

For the Children's Sake

After having not read this book for over 15 years, I've been going through it afresh. It's excellent, particularly in the hands of a parent striving to biblically raise their children. I hesitate to recommend it as a first book on parenting if someone isn't yet convinced corporal punishment is effective and biblical, or for someone who might think secular schools are ok. I can see parents who lean toward being child centered missing (though it would take effort to miss... ) the critical importance of quick obedience for this beauty to play out. Being effective with obedience (first time with a good attitude) obviously necessitates an effective method of getting the child trained when very young, and a proper heart attitude of the parent must accompany that method. This shouldn't be missed. Home educators need to understand the importanceof obedience, and if they do, they will truly appreciate the teachings in this book.

Homeschool Q&A #4 Managing Time

Q: How do you manage your time and balance homeschooling with other responsibilities?

A: Homeschooling children in K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd only takes a short time. Lessons are short and subjects need to only be a few. Even 4th/5th graders are done by noon at the latest if you start early enough. We had our kids do a quiet time in the afternoon for about 2 hrs to read/nap/draw/play quietly. They learned to focus their attention (no electronics), love to read, appreciated the alone time etc. It was needed for me to take care of things without them around. They all had chores and we worked together as part of their training (it was on the spreadsheet), so the chores were done. There wasn't homework--we did all the math at one time, then we did all the English...early schooling is delightful and quick. 2 hrs you are finished if in 1st/2nd gr. Paying attention and obeying mom is all part of the discipline (Shepherding A Child's Heart by Ted Tripp; The Heart of Anger by Lou Prioli--excellent parenting helps). Our standard was to obey mom/dad cheerfully the first time. We held them to that, and our home was generally peaceful. I modeled what I wanted them to become, and our view is that what we do, they will push beyond, so that sometimes meant me refraining from what I could handle/want in order to not create appetites in my kids that would possibly cause them to stumble.

Homeschool Q&A #2 and # 3 Deciding on Curriculum and Support

Q: How did you decide on a homeschooling curriculum or approach? What resources or support systems did you find most helpful?

A: We started with simple workbooks when our oldest showed a need for some more educational stimulation. Rainbow Resource had (and has) something called Developing the Early Learner and we loved that. 10-15 min a day added to the playing and little household chores we did together. Shortly after that, we got Mind Bender books for the very young and just started expanding on our daily living together. We moved to VA in Nov when the kids were 4, 2 and <1. The HEAV Convention that June or the following was where I started to learn about curriculum and methods of home educating. I had no idea there were so many options. We joined a co-op at the church we were attending at the time, and had the kids take some classes there. We met our first homeschooling friends by being in that co-op and we joined another couple of groups for field trip/support options. Co-ops abound in this area, or you can easily start one with a few other moms. My guess is that on FB you'll find groups in this area.

We always read a lot to our kids even as babies, and we just kept that up. That sort of thing showed me how I could teach my kids anything. We would talk about the content. When it was time for more structure, we looked at what we could afford and seemed doable. What we started with isn't what we stuck with. As I learned more, I changed things up from time to time. First grade I went with Christian Liberty Press for everything with my oldest, halfway through the year I changed to a more in-depth English program others told me about (The Phonics Road to Spelling and Reading). A few years later I learned about classical education and man, it made so much sense. We started with that method, and I heartily loved it.

Cathy Duffy has good reviews that are helpful, but the Convention in June will be most helpful. All About Reading is popular and looks good, and I loved All About Spelling. In early elementary though we just focused on reading, math and handwriting and I read to them from science and history books. Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Lessons is a good book to start with. Lots of math options to choose from. The key is to memorize math facts and do speed drills, even if your curriculum doesn't do them. You want proficiency and speed--mastery. You can print free math drill sheets online (at least you used to be able to!). My husband is a chemical engineer and had a lot of opinions on our math and he became the math teacher when our oldest reached 3rd grade. For the Children's Sake is a worthwhile book by Susan Schaeffer Macauley--she was the pioneer of the Charlotte Mason style of educating. Little Hands to Heaven is a nice young child Bible story book to go through. I like CHAP, it is a homeschool group in PA with nice posts on Facebook that I've often seen. We always belonged to HSLDA (the Homeschool Legal Defense Association--if you are a member and have legal trouble, they will help you for free) and their website has a lot of info on it. We also joined HEAV annually.