The Advent season has arrived, and with it so many favorite things: carol-singing, beeswax candles, tree trimming, hot chocolate, Christmas cards, afternoon tea and read aloud, baking, and of course gift-giving. Last year, I created a gift guide for the homeschool that has been requested several times again this season. For new readers, I suggest you begin there, as this …
a gentle beginning to math at home
Although I did well in maths growing up, teaching it is an entirely different story. For me, each class during my childhood to early-adult years was a practice of mastering one section of a puzzle without understanding its connection to the next. What I mean to say is: I have never felt intuitive with numbers in the way I do with language, which intimidated …
rest time in our home
Olive’s crying right now. For the second time, I’ve returned her to her bed for rest, a quiet both of us need. I’ve seen this phase out of daytime sleep on the horizon for a while; she is three after all. Although the boys had long given up naps at her age, they quickly adapted to quieting themselves during rest …
learning at home (and elsewhere)
When friends who don’t homeschool first hear that I do, if they don’t immediately respond with the socialization question (which is merely a polite way of saying, “aren’t you afraid your kids are going to be weird/not fit in when they’re older?”), then they usually respond something like, “Wow, I could never do that; you’re so much [braver, more patient, …
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My Fifteen Minute Morning Routine
The beginning is always today. ― Mary Shelley When my children were small and clustered in the infant to preschool years, taking a moment to get dressed for the day took intention and strategic planning. Many days it felt impossible. Sometimes I would wait for the first nap; sometimes I would put the baby in the crib or give my toddler something to …
Borrowed Books, Curious Minds, and a Digital Library
For growing bookworms and movie aficionados, a library card can save oodles in the family budget. Add homeschooling to the equation and a library card becomes a lifeline, and quite possibly a rite of passage. As soon as each of our children was old enough to write his/her name (and responsible enough with books), I gave them a bookbag and …
Rhythm, Routine, and Vision for the New School Year
In an ideal world I would be able to keep up with all of the things my heart wants to do at the present, including writing here more often, and in an ideal world, you would not just peek through my life on a screen, or message/email questions about our days, but instead walk through our door and experience life …
A Mother, A Visionary
We mothers wear a lot of hats, and it’s no wonder that we quickly lean into multi-tasking. Sweeping a floor while taking a business call or scheduling a play date. Wiping down the bathroom counter and sink while potty training a toddler. Mentally listing and categorizing the needs around us (including our own––um, shower?) while we drive a carpool or …
Beginning Again | Our Resources for the New School Year
I tend to get more emails this time of year wanting to hear what resources and materials we’re using in our home. Early in this journey, I felt awkward sharing public details about our annual plans or routines. It sounds a little silly to me now, but it also reveals the level of insecurity I felt about charting an unknown course …