Search Results for: blog moments that make homeschooling worth it

Families.com Homeschooling Blog Week In Review

This has been a fun week for at the families.com homeschooling blog. I returned to families.com after a long absence and was welcomed back with open arms by Valorie Delp who will still guest blog for families.com as she has time. Meanwhile she is busy with the baby blog and food blog. I have wasted no time jumping back into my work as the homeschool blogger. Sunday 09 Mar 2008 Edventures Online by Valorie Delp This is one of the best kept secrets of the kid-friendly website world. It is a subscription service, but I have to say I think … Continue reading →

Moments that Make Homeschooling Worth It

We homeschoolers love to point out the academic progress of our kids, and how high they score on academic tests. Since we have an easy time pinpointing their areas of genius, we love to revel in them finding their callings at an early age. These accomplishments definitely make homeschooling worth the struggle… and there is struggle involved. It is the little moments, however that make all the work of homeschooling well worth it. I think it was a moment with my son’s Sunday school teacher that helped me know for a fact that I was on the right track. We … Continue reading →

Manners, Manners!

I’m seeing a trend, and it concerns me. It seems that children of today are ruder than they have been in generations past. Back in the days when everything was black and white, people treated each other with respect. My parents were raised to speak politely to their elders, to say “ma’am” and “sir,” to say “please” and “thank you.” I was raised this way as well, and I find myself fighting a battle to instill basic courtesy in my children. All around them are examples of rudeness and impatience. When we go to the store, we see children demanding … Continue reading →

Starting A Collection For Fun and Learning

When home schooling kids there are so many things you can do that incorporate fun and learning. Then again, not having a structured curriculum often leaves you coming up blank with something new to do. This is where starting a collection comes in handy. I always tried to get as much education out of even the smallest activity. Think about it, just baking a cake can incorporate math, nutrition, history, time management, safety, and even spelling. The educational value and fun factor involved with starting and maintaining a collection is unlimited. Each of my three home schooled girls started a … Continue reading →

What Does it Feel Like to be a Homeschooler?

Homeschoolers, especially homeschooling parents experience a wide range of emotions. Some of these emotions come from within; others are a result of outside experiences. Some are very good. Others are not so great. Still, in the end, the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies homeschooling is often well worth it. While I cannot speak for all homeschoolers, here is what it feels like to be a homeschooler: Fear: Am I doing the right thing? Will I ruin my kids? Fear of failure is perfectly healthy and probably a good thing to keep parents actively on their toes and every vigilant about learning … Continue reading →

How much does it cost to homeschool? Part One

I’ve heard this question on every list, forum, and Q&A site I’ve ever been to. I’ve also heard it asked several different ways. I know that there are a lot of people who would say something to the effect of “Can you put a price on a good education?” While I understand where they are coming from and if I had more money to spend I would; being a single parent I also understand where the others are coming from too. There is only one true answer to this question. Homeschooling costs as much as you make it cost. I … Continue reading →

Keeping Track of Attendance: What Does and Doesn’t Count as ‘School’?

In my last blog, I started to answer the question of how to keep good attendance records. In New York State, not only are homeschoolers expected to keep track of the days their child attends school, but also the hours spent in instruction. While this blog was written with homeschoolers in New York State in mind, I do hope that those of you who have to keep attendance records will find some of the information useful. The technical and legal answer to what does and doesn’t count as school is in your IHIP. If you’ve listed something in your IHIP–it … Continue reading →

The Homeschoolers’ Advent Calendar: The BIG Shopping Day

Some people say that we are certifiably insane, but we do all of our Christmas shopping in one day. That doesn’t sound so bad until you consider that we’re buying presents for 7 nieces and nephews, 5 of our own children, several friends in church, and of course we help our kids give gifts to each other. When we’re all done, we have a van full of presents, exhausted kids, and a whole night of wrapping ahead of us! There are a variety of reasons we do it this way but none of them have to do with homeschooling so … Continue reading →